Vocational Training Services Care Sector Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Vocational Training Services Care Sector Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Vocational Training Services Care Sector Limited is an independent learning provider. It provides training across Essex and surrounding areas. The provider specialises in apprenticeships and adult learning courses in the care, early years and education sectors. It offers apprenticeships and adult learning courses at level 2 to level 5. Leaders and staff provide training in a range of settings, including residential homes, children’s nurseries and schools. Apprentices and learners are taught in face-to-face lessons in the workplace.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 251 apprentices and 20 adult learners in training. Most apprentices and learners are training on level 3 courses. Over two thirds of apprentices were on early years apprenticeships. Most adult learners study on level 3 early years courses. 15 to 18 July 2025

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

Apprentices and learners feel valued and understood by their tutors. They appreciate the support they receive and they feel welcomed and listened to. This helps them to discuss sensitive topics, such as personal circumstances, and to ask tutors for help. As a result, most learners and apprentices achieve their courses within planned timescales.

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

Apprentices and learners study in calm, respectful and well-managed learning environments. Employers provide them with structured and varied workplace experiences and regular reviews. Apprentices and learners develop positive and professional behaviours. They have good attendance and punctuality. Employers value the positive attitudes and flexibility apprentices and learners demonstrate at work.

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

Apprentices and learners grow in confidence quickly as their knowledge and skills develop. Tutors plan additional workplace activities to help them to grow in confidence. Apprentices help with adapting resources and activities for children with additional needs and teaching Makaton to their colleagues. Apprentices and learners work hard, build self-esteem and resilience. Through exploring case studies on topics, such as respect and tolerance, early years apprentices understand the importance of inclusive practice and legislation in early years settings. They learn how to support children’s rights and choices.

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

Apprentices and learners feel safe. They understand when and who to report safeguarding concerns to. They have a good understanding of how to keep safe online, including the risks of peer-on-peer abuse.

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better?

Leaders have a clear strategic focus to provide training courses to meet skills shortages in early years, education and care. They have a good understanding of the sector and the challenges that employers face. Leaders offer level 2 apprenticeships for younger apprentices to build workplace skills and foundational knowledge in early years. The level 3 early years educator course meets the needs of smaller independent nurseries to provide qualified staff ratios for safe practice. The level 4 lead practitioner in adult care meets employers’ needs for management positions and senior roles in a care setting. Leaders offer the adult learning courses as an alternative to the apprenticeship routes for those who have more experience in the sector.

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better?

Leaders and managers plan the curriculum to gradually build and develop apprentices’ and learners’ knowledge and skills. Apprentices and learners begin with study skills development to help them to research and write assignments. Tutors then introduce sector specific topics, such as safeguarding. They then move on to 15 to 18 July 2025

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learn about child development theorists. This helps early years apprentices apply theory and concepts to observations and practice with children in their job role.

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Leaders and managers work closely with employers to design and sequence the order of learning. Tutors use the nursery’s bespoke approaches and practice when teaching. Curriculum managers extended safeguarding topics in response to employer’s requests. This allows more time for apprentices to understand and synthesise complex topics. Apprentices and learners evaluate observation methods used with children. They reflect on how each method adds to the information about the child. As a result, apprentices and learners secure and deepen their knowledge and skills over time.

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Tutors have expert knowledge of the subjects they teach. Leaders support them to return to the workplace to keep their own knowledge and skills up to date. Tutors link the learning topics effectively to the apprentices’ workplace experiences. They are particularly adept at providing real-world examples to ensure clarity and to make teaching relevant to the job roles. Level 4 care tutors role model the use of subject terminology, such as ‘accountability’, ‘legislation and duty of care’. As a result, apprentices and learners develop a good understanding of how theory underpins their workplace practice.

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Tutors use assessment successfully to establish what apprentices and learners already know and to check their learning. They use this information to adapt the lessons and their teaching to meet apprentices’ and learners’ individual needs. However, too few apprentices and learners receive feedback to support them to further improve their work. Tutors do not consistently identify apprentices’ and learners’ developmental points. Furthermore, too often staff do not provide feedback promptly to allow apprentices and learners to quickly improve their work. As a result, too few apprentices and learners know what they need to do to extend and further improve their work.

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Tutors provide effective monitoring and support for apprentices and learners. For those with additional learning needs, staff provide suitably tailored one-to-one sessions. Tutors create individual action plans for those who may fall behind, so that they get the support they need to catch up quickly. As a result, most apprentices and learners make good progress and achieve their courses.

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Tutors mostly help apprentices develop their literacy and study skills. They provide feedback on how apprentices can improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar. They discuss the importance of proofreading and the correct use of their/there. Tutors explain how use of artificial intelligence may be helpful as a starting point for research. However, support to develop apprentices’ numeracy skills across the curriculum is not as strong. In level 2 early years, tutors develop apprentices’ numeracy skills, such as teaching them how to calculate baby’s milk formula accurately. However, level 3 early years educator apprentices and adult learners do not continue to develop their numeracy skills. 15 to 18 July 2025

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Apprentices with low level literacy and numeracy skills receive effective specialist teaching for English and mathematics. Those apprentices who attend these specialist lessons receive the help they need to improve. As a result, a high proportion of apprentices pass their English functional skills and level 1 mathematics on first attempt. However, too few apprentices receive the support they need to pass functional skills level 2 mathematics on first attempt.

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Staff prepare apprentices and learners effectively for their next steps. Apprentices and learners understand the steps they need to take to succeed in their chosen careers. They understand the qualifications and experience they would need to progress their careers.

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Since the previous inspection, leaders have embraced the recommendations and implemented meaningful changes. This includes implementing a personal development curriculum beyond the vocational qualifications. Leaders, and those responsible for governance, have a good oversight of the quality of education. They are swift to identify apprentices and learners who are falling behind expected end dates. They have clear oversight of action plans, which is helping apprentices and learners catch up. Those responsible for governance support leaders and managers to develop their business and leadership skills. As a result, leaders and managers have a good understanding of their strengths and actions they need to take to continue to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Make sure that apprentices and learners continue to develop their mathematic skills and more apprentices achieve their functional skills level 2 mathematics.  Make sure that apprentices and learners receive prompt developmental feedback and targets that are individualised to their development needs, to ensure they continue to improve their work. 15 to 18 July 2025

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Provider details

Address Suite 4, Chalkwell Lawns 648-656 London Road Westcliff-On-Sea Essex SS0 9HR

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Emma Henigan

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 21 to 24 February 2023

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 15 to 18 July 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

Penny Fawcus, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Rochelle Saneria His Majesty’s Inspector Georgina Ager His Majesty’s Inspector Sabrina Ahmed-Qureshi Ofsted Inspector Sarah Wilding Ofsted Inspector 15 to 18 July 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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