Art Providers Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Apprenticeships Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.1

Information about this provider

Art Providers Ltd is an independent learning provider in Kent. Art Providers Ltd began training apprentices in January 2023. The provider teaches apprentices across England.

p.1

Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 154 apprentices. There were 31 on level 2 adult care worker, 51 on level 3 lead adult care worker, six on level 5 children, young people and families, 11 on level 4 children, young people and families, 19 on level 4 lead practitioner in adult care and 32 on level 5 leader in adult care. 15 to 18 July 2025

p.1

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

Too few apprentices achieve their apprenticeship in the time expected. The small minority who complete their apprenticeship are well prepared for their final assessments and have the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to look after vulnerable children and adults.

p.2

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

Too many apprentices make slow progress because leaders do not plan or coordinate on- and off-the-job training effectively. Apprentices follow generic training plans that do not provide them with a coherent sequence of learning activities. As a result, they struggle to connect their off-the-job learning with their workplace responsibilities.

p.2

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

Most apprentices do not attend their learning sufficiently well. Staff do not set clear or high enough expectations for attendance and lack effective strategies to motivate apprentices to participate in their training. As a result, the attendance of too many apprentices remains consistently poor. This impedes apprentices’ ability to make sustained progress with their apprenticeship.

p.2

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

Apprentices demonstrate positive attitudes towards their job roles. They are polite, professional and treat those in their care with dignity and respect. Those apprentices who do attend training make reasonable progress and benefit from the teaching provided. They develop their confidence and communication skills, enabling them to work effectively with clients from a range of backgrounds and with differing needs.

p.2

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

Apprentices develop useful strategies to support their physical and mental health through their work and the support of colleagues. They gain a sound understanding of healthy professional relationships in the workplace.

p.2

better?

Leaders do not identify fundamental weaknesses in the apprenticeships they teach. They have been too slow to put in place effective actions to monitor and improve the quality of education that apprentices receive.

p.2

better?

Leaders do not have effective arrangements in place to identify the quality of teaching that assessors provide. As a result, they are unable to plan targeted professional development or assure themselves that all assessors are suitably trained to carry out their roles effectively.

p.2

better?

Staff conduct appropriate assessments at the start of the training to identify apprentices’ prior knowledge. However, they do not use this information effectively to tailor training to individual needs by recognising prior learning. Consequently, a small minority of apprentices repeat content that they already know, which limits their opportunity to develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours. 15 to 18 July 2025

p.2

3

Leaders and staff plan and sequence training poorly. Although detailed schemes of work exist, assessors fail to use them to structure teaching, schedule assessment, or align off-the-job training with apprentices’ workplace responsibilities. As a result, apprentices do not develop their knowledge and skills in a logical order, and too many are unable to apply what they have learned in the workplace.

p.3

3

Leaders and managers do not have sufficient oversight of apprentices’ progress. Their lack of a clear and accurate understanding of the challenges facing apprentices has significantly limited their ability to make improvements. As a result, too many apprentices fall behind or disengage from learning without getting the help they need.

p.3

3

Apprentices who participate in their apprenticeship benefit from the effective questioning used by assessors to check their understanding and build on prior knowledge. Assessors use questioning to revisit key topics, clarify misunderstandings and deepen apprentices’ learning. Assessors provide clear explanations and helpful resources, which enable apprentices to progress in their studies.

p.3

3

Leaders and managers do not make sure that assessors conduct effective progress reviews with apprentices. Assessors record only limited and superficial information about apprentices’ progress and fail to identify clear steps for improvement. The targets set by assessors are vague and, as a result, apprentices are unclear about how to improve. Employers are mostly unaware of their apprentices’ progress or how they can contribute effectively to their development.

p.3

3

Apprentices do not receive high-quality, impartial careers information, advice and guidance. Discussions between assessors and apprentices about career progression and next steps are ineffective and do not provide the support apprentices need to make well-informed decisions about their futures. Those who aspire to move on to further learning do not receive clear guidance on the importance of achieving their English and mathematics qualifications. This hinders apprentices’ ability to plan effectively for their careers and future learning.

p.3

3

Leaders do not have effective governance arrangements in place to oversee the quality of training that apprentices receive. There is insufficient scrutiny and challenge to identify weaknesses and bring about improvement. Although leaders have recently taken steps to introduce more formal governance structures, these are not yet established and, therefore, have had no demonstrable impact on improving the quality of provision.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders and managers prioritise safeguarding and have taken recent steps to strengthen their arrangements. During the inspection, they acted promptly to improve the way safeguarding concerns were recorded. 15 to 18 July 2025

p.3

What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Strengthen leaders’ understanding of the quality of training accurately to improve teaching and the learning experiences of apprentices.  Improve apprentices’ attendance at training.  Plan curriculums in a logical order so that apprentices develop their knowledge and skills in a coherent way.  Increase the proportion of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship on time.  Involve employers in apprentices’ progress reviews, so they can support apprentices to apply and reinforce the skills learned during training in the workplace. 15 to 18 July 2025

p.4

Provider details

Address 23 Minster Road Moston Manchester M9 4QE

p.5

Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Ebenezer Adeosun

p.5

Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

p.5

Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Provider details

Main subcontractors None 15 to 18 July 2025

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the chief executive officer, 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

Carolyn Brownsea, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Emma Leavey His Majesty’s Inspector Mark Hillman His Majesty’s Inspector 15 to 18 July 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