Careshield Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Careshield Limited (Careshield) is a national independent learning provider in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. It received a direct contract to provide apprenticeships in April 2018. Careshield teaches apprentices across England, with most apprentices based in the Northeast, Yorkshire and Humber, East of England, London and the Southeast. Careshield teaches apprenticeships in health and social care from levels 2 to 5. At the time of the inspection, there were 405 apprentices studying at Careshield, most of whom were studying at level 3 or level 5. Most apprentices were over 19 with a very small proportion aged 16 to 18 years old. 17 to 20 March 2025

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

Apprentices enjoy studying at Careshield. They appreciate the high levels of support they receive from expert coaches, who know their apprentices’ needs well. Apprentices welcome being able to study flexibly to suit the demands of their home and work lives. They value the feedback that they receive from coaches, whose expertise enables them to improve their knowledge and skills. Apprentices recognise that they learn to work more effectively in their workplaces and become confident to carry out their job roles independently.

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

Apprentices have recently been frustrated by changes in coaches, which has disrupted their learning and impacted negatively on their progress. Many feel that they have not received effective communication to help them manage these changes. Too few apprentices studying at level 5 are satisfied with the quality of their learning experience. Where level 5 apprentices have received consistent coaching, they make progress and can apply their learning to their roles as registered managers in adult care services.

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

Apprentices studying at Careshield feel safe at work, in lessons and online. They benefit from studying in a welcoming, safe working environment. Apprentices understand how to keep their clients safe in work settings. They know how to report any concerns that they might have and are confident that concerns will be dealt with swiftly.

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better?

Leaders have a clear ambition to provide training and qualifications for the health and social care sector and to meet the need for a well-qualified adult care workforce. Leaders have established a curriculum strategy that provides progression routes from level 2 to level 5, to meet the needs of employers and apprentices as they gain more responsibility within their care settings.

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better?

Most managers plan and sequence their curriculum effectively. Apprentices studying the level 4 lead practitioner for adult care apprenticeship, for example, learn about their own responsibilities and professional practice in adult care settings and then progress to learning how to work within and lead teams. However, managers do not plan the curriculum for the level 5 leader in adult care apprenticeship effectively. As a result, apprentices at this level do not build their knowledge and skills in a logical order.

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better?

Coaches adapt their curriculum to suit the needs of apprentices’ job roles. Where apprentices are working in highly specialised settings, such as with clients with autism, coaches adjust the curriculum so that apprentices can study relevant units and develop the skills they need in their workplace setting.

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better?

Coaches assess apprentices’ skills effectively at the start of their course. They do not, however, use this knowledge routinely to modify teaching to build on what 17 to 20 March 2025

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apprentices already know or to fill gaps in their understanding. Where apprentices are identified with additional support needs, coaches provide them with help to understand and complete their work. Coaches are supportive and helpful to those apprentices who are anxious about examinations, particularly in functional skills.

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Coaches use their sector expertise and experience skilfully to teach apprentices knowledge and skills relevant to the settings in which they work. On level 3 lead adult care worker, apprentices learn how to administer medication safely. On level 4 team leaders, apprentices learn how to manage staff calmly and confidently. Coaches make effective use of a range of helpful teaching strategies, such as question and answer sessions and professional discussions. As a result, apprentices gain a deeper understanding of important concepts, such as preventing abuse in care settings. At level 5, however, coaches rely too heavily on independent learning. As a result, apprentices do not consistently have a thorough understanding of advanced concepts and too often misconceptions are not corrected.

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Most coaches provide apprentices with valuable verbal and written feedback on their work. Consequently, apprentices have a good understanding of what they need to do to improve their work. At level 5, apprentices do not consistently receive helpful feedback, and too frequently coaches do not check their written work. As a result, too few apprentices at level 5 produce work of the expected standard. In a minority of instances at level 5, where coaches provide developmental feedback, apprentices develop their skills and knowledge with confidence.

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Although staff set out clear expectations for apprentices’ attendance, too few apprentices attend their taught sessions, including functional skills lessons. Frequent changes of coaches result in apprentices being unclear of when taught sessions are scheduled. At level 5, too many lessons and reviews do not take place as planned. Those apprentices who attend are motivated, demonstrate positive attitudes to their work and make progress, including in functional skills. Too few apprentices benefit from sufficient time away from work to complete their apprenticeship. As a result, those apprentices do not complete their apprenticeship swiftly enough.

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Managers and coaches do not ensure that apprentices have a clear understanding of the range of career opportunities available to them on completion of their apprenticeship. Although apprentices understand the job roles and promotion opportunities in their own settings, they do not have sufficient knowledge of other careers available to them in the sector. Apprentices develop their confidence throughout their course and become successful adult care workers. Leaders provide apprentices with information to support their mental and physical well-being and apprentices report that coaches routinely check on their well-being.

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Too few apprentices remain on their apprenticeship programme, and too few complete their apprenticeship within the planned timescales. Leaders have recently taken effective action to rectify this. As a result, the proportion of apprentices who remain on programme has increased but is not yet high. A very high proportion of apprentices who remain in learning achieve their apprenticeship. Too few apprentices take their functional skills qualifications. 17 to 20 March 2025

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Leaders have not established governance arrangements that provide sufficient external scrutiny and challenge. Although leaders have secured governors with valuable knowledge and expertise within the care sector, they have not recruited governors who have sufficient expertise to ensure that the quality of apprentices’ education is of a high standard or that quality improvements are made swiftly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Establish, through effective governance, robust challenge to swiftly secure improvements in the quality of apprentices’ education.  Plan taught sessions at times apprentices can attend, following up swifty any non- attendance.  Guarantee apprentices the sufficient time away from work to study, extend their learning and complete their apprenticeship.  Provide impartial careers education, advice and guidance, so that apprentices understand the broad range of career opportunities available to them on completion of their apprenticeship. 17 to 20 March 2025

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Provider details

Address Careshield Limited 1st Floor, Bank House Primett Road Stevenage Herts SG1 3EE

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Provider details

Provider type Independent Learning Provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 9 to 12 August 2022

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Not applicable 17 to 20 March 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of funded learning, 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

Lynda Brown, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Rochelle Saneria His Majesty’s Inspector Shanna King Ofsted Inspector Angela McLean Caroline Williams Ofsted Inspector Greg Dugdale Ofsted Inspector Emma Hemmings Ofsted Inspector Sam Hanmer Ofsted Inspector 17 to 20 March 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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