Contracting Services (Education and Skills)

Limited

Address: Courtleigh House, Courtleigh, Westbury Leigh, Westbury, Wiltshire, BA13 3TA Unique reference number (URN): 1278664

p.1

Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, learners are made safer and feel safe.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect providers for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The provider has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The provider has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.1

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders foster a highly inclusive culture. Coaches thoroughly assess apprentices’ needs at the start of their training and quickly provide apprentices with support to overcome barriers that may prevent them from engaging in training. Leaders and coaches are sensitive to ensuring that apprentices' personal and work lives are taken account of. They accommodate apprentices' childcare, caring responsibilities and medical commitments so that their studies are not interrupted.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and coaches monitor closely the support that apprentices receive throughout the apprenticeship. They work closely with apprentices' line managers to review and adapt this support so that is appropriate to apprentices' needs.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders ensure that coaches receive high-quality training so they are knowledgeable about neurodiversity and can support apprentices who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Coaches are trained well in mental health awareness, unconscious bias and how to teach apprentices for whom English is their second language. Consequently, coaches are adept at putting in place helpful strategies so that apprentices gain in confidence and engage fully in classroom discussions.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Coaches astutely use the knowledge they gain from visits to employers to identify and share examples of inclusive practice with apprentices to take back into their own organisation as leaders and managers.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear mission to support employers to strengthen leadership in their organisation. They draw on their extensive expertise and experience to identify with employers the critical leadership skills that their organisation needs.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders plan the continuous professional development of staff well. Coaches are supported by leaders to work as end-point assessors for other providers, and they use the knowledge they gain from this to improve their teaching. Coaches receive high-quality training in how to teach apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders ensure that staff workloads are fair so staff can balance teaching, healthcare and family responsibilities.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a thorough understanding of the provider’s strengths and areas for development. They take largely appropriate actions to raise standards. However, leaders been slow to implement successful actions to improve the quality of apprentices' written English skills for the minority of apprentices studying the level 3 leadership apprenticeship. They place too little focus on evaluating the craft of teaching in leadership meetings. Since the previous inspection, leaders have improved the quality of how English and mathematics subjects are taught. Nearly all apprentices who start an English and/or mathematics course achieve their qualification.

p.3

Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make excellent progress from their starting points and achieve very well. Over four-fifths of apprentices who start an apprenticeship achieve their qualification, with half gaining the highest grade. Many apprentices increase their knowledge of leadership by progressing successfully through the different levels of apprenticeships offered by the provider.

p.3

Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and professional behaviours and they apply these confidently in their job roles. They produce coursework that consistently meets the high standards expected at each level, particularly in leadership, sales and business planning contexts.

p.3

Achievement Strong standard

Leaders and coaches support apprentices well to develop the communication, digital and analytical skills that they need to succeed in the workplace. Apprentices gain confidence, take on increased responsibility and are well prepared for progression into more senior roles that align closely to their career goals.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and coaches have a secure and accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum. They work closely with employers to review and refine how they plan and teach the curriculum so that it responds to business needs.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Coaches design well-sequenced training. Apprentices learn important concepts such as ethics and values before moving towards more complex leadership theories. Coaches collaborate well with employers to ensure that apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training is planned effectively so that apprentices apply the techniques in their job roles such as sales preparation, territory plans and customer pipelines techniques. Consequently, apprentices have well developed workplace examples of knowledge, skills and behaviours and are well prepared for their final assessments.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Coaches have excellent subject knowledge. They use impactful teaching strategies to engage apprentices in their studies, such as discussions and practical group tasks. Coaches recap previous lessons well to ensure that apprentices retain a secure knowledge of the topics they have been taught. They use assessment and reviews effectively to monitor the progress that apprentices are making and to set helpful improvement targets. In a very few instances, coaches do not highlight errors in apprentices’ written English to help them improve these skills.

p.4

Participation and development Expected standard

Coaches foster a supportive culture in which apprentices engage confidently and respectfully with staff and their peers. Apprentices take pride in their achievements and feel valued, including those who face barriers to their learning. Coaches set aspirational expectations for apprentices so they can recognise and exhibit appropriate professional behaviours and conduct in their job roles as leaders and managers.

p.4

Participation and development Expected standard

Coaches use group learning activities skilfully to encourage apprentices to share their knowledge and experiences from their job roles. Apprentices discuss the successes and failures in the application of leadership theories and enjoy learning from each other.

p.4

Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders and staff promote an inclusive culture where bullying, discrimination and harassment are not tolerated. Apprentices understand how to raise concerns and are confident that these would be addressed promptly and appropriately. Coaches teach topics such as safeguarding, the 'Prevent' duty, fundamental British values and personal wellbeing well so that apprentices are aware of their responsibilities as leaders.

p.4

Participation and development Expected standard

Coaches respond well to apprentices when they seek advice about their careers and next steps. However, leaders do not plan careers information, advice and guidance as part of the training apprentices receive. They do not ensure well enough that apprentices have wide knowledge of potential future career opportunities and how these can be achieved.

p.4

What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices enjoy their studies. They value highly the knowledge and experience of their coaches and appreciate the industry-relevant examples they share. This helps apprentices to assess and resolve leadership challenges, such as problem-solving and managing change, that they encounter in the workplace.

p.5

What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices are very committed to their studies. They attend lessons and the reviews of their progress very well. Apprentices achieve their qualifications exceptionally well. They gain new knowledge of practical leadership tools, models and theories which they apply seamlessly in their workplace. For example, apprentices learn how to improve their project management and communication skills to help make processes in their companies more efficient and productive.

p.5

What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Expert coaches teach and mentor vulnerable apprentices and those for whom English is a second language highly effectively. Coaches help apprentices to build their resilience and confidence by encouraging them to use techniques such as applying theory on personality types to customer conversations and negotiation strategies.

p.5

What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices learn about, and have a secure knowledge of, the potential risks in society relating to radicalisation and extremism. This equips them well in their personal and working lives. Coaches teach apprentices about ethical leadership and link this very well to British values to help apprentices to reflect on inclusion across the diverse workforces they lead and manage.

p.5

What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices benefit from well-planned and enriching wider learning opportunities through being taught alongside apprentices from companies other than their own. This broadens apprentices’ knowledge and interpersonal skills, allowing them to reflect on their leadership methods, style and processes, and consider new ideas they can bring into their workplace.

p.5

Next steps

• Leaders and governors should strengthen the focus they place on evaluating the quality of teaching and providing training for coaches to improve their practice. • Leaders should ensure that coaches highlight errors in apprentices’ written English so apprentices know what they need to improve. • Leaders should ensure that careers information, advice and guidance is planned as part of apprentices’ training.

p.5

Team inspectors:

Clare Mills, Ofsted Inspector Paul James, His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

p.6

About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

p.6

About this inspection

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with leaders, staff and learners during the inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

Contracting Services (Education and Skills) Limited is an independent learning provider based in Westbury, Wiltshire. It provides apprenticeships from level 3 to level 7 in leadership, management, business administration, operations and sales.

p.6

About this inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were 56 apprentices. There were 31 level 3 leadership and business administration apprentices, 11 level 4 sales executive apprentices, 5 level 5 operations manager apprentices and 9 level 7 senior leader apprentices. All apprentices were aged 19 and over.

p.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

Expected standard

The provider is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.7

Urgent improvement

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.8

Urgent improvement

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.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8