Apprentice Team Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 11 to 14 February 2025

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Apprentice Team Ltd is a Chesterfield based national independent learning provider. At the time of the inspection, there were 251 apprentices, most were aged over 19. Apprentices study levels 2 to 5, on one of 22 apprenticeships. Leaders offer training in accountancy and finance, business administration, customer service, digital and content creation, human resources, leadership and management and procurement and supply chain. Several apprenticeships have fewer than 5 apprentices studying on them. Most apprentices study level 2 accounts or finance assistant, level 3 team leader supervisor, level 3 business administrator, level 3 payroll administrator, level 3 or 4 procurement and supply chain or level 5 people professional.

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Information about this provider

Apprentices study their courses online, and they work in a range of employment settings, including local authorities, small businesses or national employers. Leaders work with one subcontractor, Flourish. They provide the CIPD qualification that forms part of the level 5 people professional apprenticeship. 11 to 14 February 2025

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices value the short online sessions they have with their tutors. Most feel that they develop their confidence over the duration of their studies. For example, level 4 procurement and supply chain apprentices now contact suppliers to negotiate changes to contract terms. Level 3 team leader supervisor apprentices tackle challenging customer conversations to find resolutions.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Tutors create a calm and welcoming environment in sessions. This allows apprentices to share their views and participate in discussions. Leaders, tutors and employers set clear expectations for apprentices to attend their monthly sessions, submit their work on time and to behave professionally, and most routinely do.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Leaders provide ample support for apprentices’ well-being. They have access to a wide range of helpful online support resources. Younger apprentices complete useful e-learning materials about healthy relationships and online safety. They can identify the signs of an unhealthy relationship and what would cause them concern on social media.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices receive suitable careers guidance at the start and end of their course. They know and understand their next steps and how to take them. However, apprentices who are earlier in their careers would value more guidance.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices know who to contact if they require any support. They feel confident that they could raise any concerns about bullying or harassment, though none of them have experienced this at work.

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better?

Leaders and tutors broadly identify the knowledge and skills apprentices need to learn to be successful. Despite this, they do not always teach the curriculum in the most useful order or plan to revisit important subjects. For example, level 3 multi- channel marketing apprentices first learn search engine optimisation before they understand the underpinning topic of marketing. Level 2 accounts or finance assistant tutors do not routinely re-visit topics. This means apprentices often struggle to recall important earlier material. Alternatively, level 4 procurement and supply chain and level 3 team leader supervisor apprentices follow an effectively planned curriculum that enables them to develop their knowledge and skills.

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better?

Leaders do not ensure that apprentices consistently benefit from enough well- planned training. Most attend a monthly two-hour online training session and complete additional learning activities. Too few tutors set tasks that deepen apprentices’ knowledge. In the better cases, tutors set well-designed e-learning packages or workbooks. These activities, alongside taught sessions, enable apprentices to develop a thorough understanding of new topics. 11 to 14 February 2025

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Leaders’ arrangements to oversee the quality of training are too narrow. They monitor that apprentices receive their off-the-job training time, but do not consider the quality of how the time is spent. Leaders undertake useful lesson visits and standardisation meetings, but this is a small proportion of the apprenticeship and apprentices’ learning experience. As a result, leaders lack a complete overview of areas for development or tutors’ training needs.

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Tutors have the appropriate expertise and qualifications for the subjects they teach. In sessions, most use their skills effectively, to help apprentices apply theory to their work. For example, level 3 team leader tutors skilfully use work-based scenarios to illustrate how to complete a SWOT analysis. However, in a few cases, tutors focus too much on apprentices completing assignments and not enough time enabling apprentices to understand the underpinning theories they need.

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There are very few apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Tutors make suitable adjustments that allow them to participate fully in their studies.

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Tutors do not always check apprentices’ knowledge of topics thoroughly. They rely on end-of-module assessments to gauge levels of understanding, which is too late. In a few cases, tutors hold useful professional discussions to check for misconceptions or use scenarios to test what apprentices can recall. This allows tutors to identify any topics they need more time on.

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At monthly meetings, leaders share useful headline training information and updates on apprentices’ progress with employers. Tutors invite employers to join the end of each monthly training session, to discuss what apprentices need to practise at work. Too few routinely attend. Therefore, employers are not always aware of what apprentices should practise in the workplace.

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Apprentices benefit from ample preparation for their final assessments. Most tutors provide helpful developmental feedback on written assessments. They explain to apprentices what they have done well and what needs to improve. This supports most of them to achieve their qualifications. Just under a third gain distinction grades. Since the appointment of a specialist functional skills tutor, most apprentices who take these qualifications pass on their first attempt. When they complete their courses, most remain in employment or progress to further study.

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Staff feel well supported by leaders and that their workloads are manageable. Leaders enable staff to undertake useful subject-specific training. They complete appropriate checks on their subcontractor partners and suitably oversee the quality of this provision.

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Leaders have recently constituted a governance and quality board. Members have the relevant backgrounds and experience they need to undertake their roles. Governors have quickly got to know the provider and challenged leaders to improve the quality of information they receive about apprentices’ experiences. However, given the infancy of the board, it is too soon for inspectors to judge the impact these new arrangements may have. 11 to 14 February 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Plan curriculums that ensure apprentices are taught the knowledge and skills they need in a logical order, with opportunities to revisit important subjects.  Provide apprentices with suitable training and learning activities to help them develop a thorough understanding of topics.  Increase leaders’ oversight of apprentices’ courses to identify areas for development and put in place relevant development for tutors.  Ensure that tutors check apprentices’ knowledge before they move on to new material.  Provide employers with good information about apprentices’ studies to enable them to practise what they learn at work. 11 to 14 February 2025

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Provider details

Address 1st & 2nd Floor, 12 Saltergate Chesterfield Derbyshire S40 1UT

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Katie Johnstone

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Dates of previous inspection 10 to 13 March 2020

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Flourish 11 to 14 February 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the CEO, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Emma Woods, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Houghton His Majesty’s Inspector Vicki Locke His Majesty’s Inspector Russ Henry His Majesty’s Inspector Michael Worgs His Majesty’s Inspector Angela Twelvetree Ofsted Inspector 11 to 14 February 2025

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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