Real Skills Training Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

p.1

Inspection dates: 25 to 28 February 2025

p.1

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 Requires improvement

p.1

Information about this provider

Real Skills Training Ltd (Real Skills) is an independent learning provider based in Warrington, Cheshire. It specialises in training apprentices and a very small number of adult learners in the early years and residential care sectors. Real Skills works with employers and apprentices across England, although most apprentices are in the North West.

p.1

Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 151 apprentices studying at levels 2 to 5. Almost all apprentices were aged over 19. There were 71 apprentices on the level 4 children, young people and families practitioner (CYPFP) apprenticeship. A further 36 on the level 3 early years educator and 13 on the level 2 early years practitioner apprenticeships. At level 5, 20 apprentices were studying the children, young people and families manager apprenticeship with 9 on the early years lead practitioner. There were fewer than five apprentices on the level 2 playworker and level 3 business administrator apprenticeships, and fewer than five adult learners completing early years diploma qualifications. Adult provision was not graded on this inspection. 25 to 28 February 2025

p.1

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

Most apprentices learn in a friendly, professional and welcoming environment. Trainers promote a supportive and open learning culture, which helps to develop apprentices’ confidence, resilience and self-esteem. Apprentices on early years courses develop the skills and confidence to communicate effectively with parents and carers of the children in their care. They confidently discuss children’s activities, as well as incidents and accidents that happen. Apprentices on the CYPFP standard learn how to deal with complex and challenging multi-agency meetings.

p.2

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

Most apprentices have positive attitudes and are motivated to do well. They demonstrate professional behaviours in online learning sessions. Most apprentices take pride in their work, produce work of a high standard and complete additional qualifications, such as first aid, to enhance their skills for work.

p.2

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

Most apprentices’ attendance to training and work is good. They understand the importance of attendance and the detrimental impact absence can have on staffing ratios in their work settings.

p.2

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

Although apprentices are keen to achieve, too many make slow progress and remain on their apprenticeship for longer than planned. This is because apprentices do not receive sufficient training from tutors. In addition, leaders do not begin apprentices’ training for functional skills English and mathematics early enough in the apprenticeship. This delays their progress.

p.2

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

Apprentices feel safe in training and at work. They know how to keep themselves and the children and young people in their care safe. Apprentices understand types and signs of abuse, such as bruising on babies, and know how to raise any concerns they may have.

p.2

better?

Leaders use their expertise in early years and residential care to offer apprenticeships that meet employers’ needs. Leaders plan their apprenticeships to meet the constant but changing demands for training in their sector. They are currently exploring the potential to offer the newly approved safeguarding support officer apprenticeship because of its relevance to their established employer base.

p.2

better?

Leaders have not ensured a consistently high-quality training experience for all apprentices. While they have appointed well qualified and vocationally experienced trainers, who maintain and enhance their subject expertise, high staff turnover has had a negative impact on apprentices’ progress. Apprentices who fall behind with their work do not receive sufficient support to catch up quickly.

p.2

better?

Trainers do not routinely use information about what apprentices already know and can do to plan training. Trainers on the early years practitioner apprenticeship set 25 to 28 February 2025

p.2

3

targets which are too challenging for the apprentices’ stage of learning. They do not make clear links between the tasks that they set and the knowledge, skills and behaviours that apprentices need to develop. Apprentices on the CYPFP standard study the same curriculum content, regardless of their prior experience.

p.3

3

Trainers do not plan and coordinate on- and off-the-job training well enough with apprentices and their employers. Employers are not involved sufficiently in planning to make sure that apprentices practise in the workplace what they have learned in their training.

p.3

3

Leaders and trainers make sure that the curriculums are sequenced logically. Apprentices on early years apprenticeships learn the vital fundamentals of health, safety and safeguarding before they develop skills on how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the nursery setting.

p.3

3

Trainers mostly teach their curriculums effectively, so that apprentices develop their knowledge and skills throughout their apprenticeship. They teach apprentices to use professional and technical language well in discussions around children’s developmental milestones. Apprentices learn how to role model for children and develop their reflective practise skills. They accurately identify what they have done well, such as changing an activity to include geometrical shapes for children to learn. Apprentices help children to develop their wider mathematical skills.

p.3

3

Trainers provide effective support and appropriate adjustments for apprentices with SEND. They adapt resources and training to remove barriers to learning for apprentices with dyslexia, dyscalculia and those who speak English as an additional language.

p.3

3

Trainers do not sufficiently check apprentices’ understanding of what they learn and correct any misconceptions. Trainers work with apprentices for only a small proportion of the time apprentices spend completing their off-the-job training. Apprentices complete most of their learning as self-directed study and research. This slows learning and progress for too many apprentices.

p.3

3

Where trainers do provide feedback, they do it well. Feedback is constructive and developmental and helps apprentices to improve the quality of their work. These apprentices know what they have done well and use feedback to help them to improve their referencing, the examples they use in written work and their academic writing.

p.3

3

Trainers prepare apprentices for their final assessments well. Most apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship, gain high grades. Leaders have significantly increased the proportion of apprentices who stay on their apprenticeship and achieve from one third to around two thirds in the last year.

p.3

3

Trainers prepare apprentices well for their next steps. They routinely discuss career and study progression with apprentices, so that they are well informed about their potential next steps and promotions. Trainers help apprentices to develop their CVs, 25 to 28 February 2025

p.3

4

professional development logs and research skills in preparation for job searches and interview. Apprentices are knowledgeable about wider opportunities, such as how to become a teaching assistant, special educational needs coordinator or a translator.

p.4

4

Leaders and governors know the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. However, they have not acted quickly enough to make sure that all apprentices benefit from well-planned and coordinated training. Leaders and governors recognise that they have not eradicated inconsistencies in the quality of training that apprentices receive and in the proportion of apprentices who make slow progress.

p.4

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Improve the scheduling of, and access to, functional skills training, so that apprentices gain the qualifications that they need to achieve their apprenticeship on time.  Provide effective support to apprentices who fall behind so that they catch up quickly.  Use information about what apprentices know and can do to plan an ambitious curriculum, so that they learn substantial new knowledge and skills.  Work with employers to plan and coordinate on- and off-the-job training effectively, so that apprentices can practise what they learn in training at work.  Use effective assessment to identify gaps in apprentices’ knowledge and skills. 25 to 28 February 2025

p.4

Provider details

Address Floor 1, Empire Court 30 Museum Street Warrington WA1 1HU

p.5

Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

p.5

Provider details

Date of previous inspection 2 to 4 March 2022

p.5

Provider details

Main subcontractors n/a 25 to 28 February 2025

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the administration manager, 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.

p.6

Inspection team

Alastair Mollon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Liz Greenhalgh Ofsted Inspector Suzanne Horner His Majesty’s Inspector Caroline Wareing Ofsted Inspector Paul Addis Ofsted Inspector 25 to 28 February 2025

p.6

7

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7