Nottinghamshire Training Group

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Nottinghamshire Training Group

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Nottinghamshire Training Group is an independent learning provider that offers apprenticeships and study programmes for young learners who have previously faced barriers to their achievement. It provides courses in hairdressing, childcare and business administration. Most study programmes are taught at the provider’s Worksop site, and apprenticeships are taught at sites in Sheffield and Derby.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 106 apprentices and 39 learners enrolled on study programmes. Most apprentices study level 2 hairdressing professional or level 3 advanced and creative hair professional apprenticeships. A small number study level 3 business administrator or early years educator apprenticeships. Just over half of the apprentices were aged 16 to 18. Learners on study programmes mostly study the level 2 early years practitioner course or the level 2 diploma in hairdressing. A small number study beauty therapy or business administration courses. There were 44 learners and apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). 1 to 3 April 2025

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

Apprentices and learners have positive attitudes and enjoy their studies. They participate fully in lessons. They answer questions well, make useful contributions to discussions and participate in individual activities with enthusiasm. Learners and apprentices appreciate how staff go above and beyond to support them.

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

Staff treat learners and apprentices fairly and take account of their different needs, including those with SEND. Apprentices and learners benefit from small group sizes and individual support in lessons that helps them to make swift progress. Apprentices are very positive about the time and help that they get from their teachers to help them achieve their English and mathematics functional skills qualifications.

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

Learners benefit from valuable work placements. Their teachers prepare them well, so learners know how to find suitable placements and how to approach potential employers. A small number of learners, however, do not complete the full number of planned hours for their work placements. This means that they do not develop their skills to the same level as their peers.

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

Learners and apprentices become more confident and resilient and develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need for their future careers. Level 2 hairdressing apprentices learn how to provide useful advice to customers and how to respond to more challenging clients. They demonstrate an awareness of topics to avoid in conversation, such as politics and religion. Through the care and support of their teachers, business administrator apprentices grow in their confidence to work with others and lead improvement projects, which is something they never thought they would be able do.

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

Apprentices and learners feel safe, both at the provider and in the workplace. They feel welcome and will talk to staff if they have any concerns.

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better?

Leaders provide study programmes for young people and apprenticeships in subjects in which they have long-standing experience and for which there is local and regional demand. They are passionate about helping the hardest-to-reach young people in their community.

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better?

Leaders are committed to continuous improvement and have made significant progress in tackling previous areas for development. They know that retention and achievement rates, especially for young learners, have been too low. They have made sensible decisions to improve these, such as by introducing an experienced governance board, providing focused professional development and recruiting experienced staff. Their actions are already having a positive impact on retention and the progress of apprentices and learners. 1 to 3 April 2025

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Learners and apprentices who remain on their courses achieve their qualifications well. A significant number of hairdressing apprentices achieve distinctions. A high proportion of learners progress to positive destinations such as apprenticeships.

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Leaders and staff have high expectations for their learners and apprentices. They monitor attendance closely and use an online platform to record any concerns clearly so that intervention is effective. Attendance on most courses is reasonably high. However, it is too low in English and mathematics functional skills lessons for learners on study programmes.

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Teachers carefully organise course content to help apprentices and learners build their knowledge step by step. Teachers adapt their lessons well to respond to each individual’s starting point when they join the course. For example, business administrator apprentices with experience in telephone enquiries or communication spend less time on these skills than those with little experience.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge and relevant occupational experience, which they use effectively to create engaging lesson activities, answer questions and lead discussions. For example, hairdressing teachers help apprentices understand long hair styles by comparing current salon requests with historical styles such as French rolls.

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Teachers provide clear explanations, breaking down topics into manageable chunks. On early years courses, they use high-quality resources, such as slideshows and workbooks, to teach new knowledge. They use memorable activities, such as using sugar-free lollies to explain how dummies can impede speech development in young children. Apprentices benefit from a range of practice activities to enable them to master their skills.

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Teachers mostly use suitably challenging questions and tasks to check learners’ and apprentices’ understanding. This means that they are able to set further work that enables learners and apprentices to make rapid progress. However, on a few occasions, their questioning techniques lack depth, which means that they are not sure that all learners understand a topic before moving on.

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Staff have a suitable understanding of apprentices’ progress and areas for development. They ensure that apprentices know what they need to do to make good progress. However, staff records do not fully capture the richness of the discussions that staff hold with apprentices during reviews, and employers are not present often enough in the discussions. Therefore, the targets that staff set for apprentices, based on the limited records of their discussions, are often too broad and do not precisely identify what apprentices need to do in the workplace to practise and secure their new knowledge and skills.

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Staff provide a well-planned personal development curriculum covering safeguarding, fundamental British values, finance and healthy lifestyles. Expert guest speakers bring to life valuable topics, such as phone hacking and cyber security, that learners and apprentices find helpful for their daily lives and work. 1 to 3 April 2025

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Staff provide helpful advice and guidance that informs learners and apprentices about their potential next steps. This includes insightful talks from assessors, photographers and stylists, and a monthly newsletter highlighting different sectors. However, learners and apprentices do not receive specific advice that helps them to plan their careers beyond their immediate next steps.

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Leaders have in place appropriate quality assurance arrangements. They undertake frequent lesson observations and provide precise feedback for staff with clear actions for improvement. Leaders’ recent focus on providing training for staff on topics such as supporting learners with SEND, neurodiversity and strategies to improve attendance has had a positive impact. However, leaders do not identify the specific training that teachers need to develop their teaching skills further. They plan to introduce such training soon.

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Governors are suitably experienced. They are deeply invested in the organisation’s success and have high expectations of leaders and staff. Leaders have responded well to their feedback in the short time that the board has been in place. Clear plans are in place to ensure that leaders continue to make sustainable improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Improve apprentices’ review meetings by including employers and setting precise targets to help apprentices to make even better progress.  Improve learners’ attendance in English and mathematics functional skills lessons.  Further support young learners to complete their full work experience placements.  Identify and implement suitable training for staff that helps them to develop their teaching craft. 1 to 3 April 2025

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Provider details

Address Cheapside Worksop Nottinghamshire S80 2HX

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Alexander Lilley

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 8 to 10 February 2023

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 1 to 3 April 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing director, 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

Sarah Houghton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Alison Gray Ofsted Inspector Russ Henry His Majesty’s Inspector Emma Woods His Majesty’s Inspector 1 to 3 April 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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