APA Procurement Training Limited

APA Procurement Training Limited

Address: Anchor Business Park, Frankland Road, Blagrove, Swindon, SN5 8YZ Unique reference number (URN): 2526622

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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.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

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

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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.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have created a positive culture in which apprentices receive the support they need to succeed. They have a comprehensive process in place to ensure that apprentices declare any barriers to learning and the support they need in advance of starting their training. During training, tutors closely monitor apprentices to make sure that the support they receive meets their needs. Apprentices who struggle, or those with temporary barriers to learning, are provided with extra sessions to help them remain on track.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders reduce apprentices’ barriers to learning effectively. Apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported and achieve as well as their peers. Leaders use a graduated approach to ensure that tutors make adjustments, where support needs to be increased or decreased to meet apprentices' individual circumstances.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Tutors and staff receive effective training to improve and update the support they give to apprentices. Leaders analyse trends in the types of needs apprentices present with to ensure that training for staff is relevant. For example, due to an increase in apprentices with dyslexia, leaders have provided additional training for tutors to be able to adapt their teaching so that these apprentices are well supported.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors understand what the organisation does well and what it needs to improve. They use effective processes to gather information that informs their decision- making. Leaders take prompt action to address concerns, such as quickly identifying apprentices with support needs, to ensure they receive appropriate support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors have a clear vision to increase the number of apprenticeships in procurement. They have strengthened apprentices’ progression opportunities by introducing the level 3 procurement and supply assistant apprenticeship and, more recently, the level 6 senior procurement and supply chain professional apprenticeship.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance use their knowledge well to support and hold leaders to account. They identified the need to improve reporting systems, so that they are more useful. Tutors complete suitable professional learning, which helps them stay professionally current. However, leaders rightly recognise that they need to strengthen the links between lesson observations and the professional learning tutors receive, to make them better teachers, by making it more tailored and targeted. Leaders and governors consistently make decisions that prioritise apprentices’ learning experiences. For example, although leaders trialled replacing hardcopy textbooks with online materials, apprentice feedback led them to retain printed versions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff state that leaders are approachable and that they feel valued. Leaders make necessary adjustments for staff quickly and provide effective support in the workplace, such as increasing staffing when required. Staff feel confident raising issues that may affect them. When difficulties arise, leaders act quickly to put appropriate support in place.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices achieve well. The large majority gain the highest grade in at least one examination. They develop significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours throughout their apprenticeship. For example, they learn to manage complex procurement projects and become more aware of how requirements differ across private, public and charity sectors.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices consistently produce work that meets the required standard for their level. Apprentices develop appropriate written English skills, and they present their assignment work to a professional standard. Apprentices develop effective digital skills and become proficient in gathering research data and presenting statistical analyses using charts and tables.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices are well prepared for their futures and careers in procurement. Following completion of their apprenticeships, most progress to further study at the next level. A significant proportion gain promotion or take on additional responsibilities at work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders, tutors and employers work together effectively to plan coherent, relevant curriculums. Leaders and tutors provide apprentices with specialist training in procurement practices, enabling them to contribute to improvements in their organisations. Leaders review the curriculum effectively, to ensure apprentices learn about current factors that influence procurement practices, such as international tariffs on products and services.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and tutors plan and sequence the curriculum well so that apprentices build new knowledge over time. They ensure that the training prepares apprentices effectively for job roles within the procurement sector. Apprentices learn modern techniques and economic priorities, including environmental impact and ethical procurement.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors are subject experts and undertake extensive professional learning to remain up to date in the fast-changing procurement environment. They use their knowledge well to help apprentices understand current challenges, such as the growing role of artificial intelligence in procurement. Tutors provide apprentices with clear information about lesson topics, which helps structure what they need to learn. They generally use online breakout rooms and discussion forums effectively to set a suitable pace for learning and encourage apprentices to share their experience and knowledge. However, occasionally, tutors do not prompt apprentices to contribute to discussions or check whether they have retained previously taught knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors and employers collaborate well to ensure apprentices practise the skills they learn in training. Employers and tutors identify appropriately challenging workplace projects for apprentices to complete. Apprentices use these projects to make positive contributions to real life organisational challenges and priorities.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors and employers provide apprentices with clear and informative careers advice that helps them understand future progression opportunities. Tutors support apprentices effectively with presentation preparation and CV development. Apprentices benefit from a well-planned programme of expert speakers that broadens their understanding of procurement career pathways and sector specialisms. This input enables apprentices to reflect on their own procurement practices and consider improvements they can introduce in their workplace.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices understand their rights and responsibilities at work and know how to seek advice when needed. They feel safe at work and online and know how to report bullying, harassment or inappropriate behaviour. Apprentices develop positive, trusting relationships with tutors and are confident that tutors will act promptly should issues arise.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices attend training well. When absences occur, tutors provide support to apprentices, so they do not fall behind. Most apprentices are highly motivated and complete further online learning independently between sessions.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors ensure apprentices complete mandatory training on fundamental British values and cultural diversity, and link this effectively to sustainability and ethics in procurement. Apprentices particularly value the modern slavery workshop, which strengthens their understanding of human trafficking, forced labour and economic disparities and the potential impact on their communities and suppliers.

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

A high proportion of apprentices who begin their apprenticeship achieve. Apprentices who face barriers to learning achieve at least as well as their peers. Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. They become proficient in managing complex procurement projects, including organisational growth strategies in new markets.

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

Apprentices value their tutors' expertise and the relevant industry examples they provide. This guidance helps apprentices consider how to apply their learning in their job roles, such as increasing value for money, reducing environmental impact and ensuring compliance with legislation. Apprentices enjoy the helpful work shadowing opportunities that employers provide. They learn about different procurement and management strategies and are well placed to integrate these quickly into their practice.

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

Apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities or health conditions are supported well. Staff identify barriers to learning quickly and put in place suitable and effective support. Apprentices who speak English as an additional language are provided with extra English sessions to aid their understanding so that they can access the curriculum more easily.

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

Apprentices benefit from a well-designed personal development curriculum that builds their confidence, resilience, personal attributes and prepares them for their next steps. They learn age-appropriate content on topics, such as healthy relationships, inclusion, unconscious bias, safeguarding and the dangers of extremism. Leaders recognise the importance of positive mental health and offer helpful workshops for apprentices to attend.

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

Apprentices show strong commitment to learning, they enjoy their training and are keen to do well. Tutors encourage apprentices to share their experiences of how procurement works in their organisation to widen their understanding. Apprentices value these opportunities and increase their confidence and networking skills as a result.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that they improve their programme of professional learning so that tutors receive tailored and individualised support to improve their teaching skills. • Leaders should further embed their inclusion strategy and use data more effectively to analyse differences between the progress of groups of apprentices so that they can provide further support required. • Leaders should ensure that tutors check effectively apprentices' understanding of previously taught knowledge and encourage them to contribute actively to discussions.

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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.

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About this inspection

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with apprentices, employers, leaders tutors, staff and other stakeholders during the inspection.

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About this inspection

APA Procurement Training Limited (APA) is an independent training provider based in Swindon. It specialises in delivering procurement and supply training. APA began delivering the level 4 commercial procurement and supply apprenticeship in 2017. It introduced the level 3 procurement and supply assistant apprenticeship in 2021 and most recently launched the level 6 senior procurement and supply chain professional apprenticeship in

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Lead inspector:

Steve Battersby, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Lynda Bourne, Ofsted Inspector Cliff Shaw, His Majesty's Inspector

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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.

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national average

2023/24 72 61 Above 2024. All lessons are taught online. At the time of the inspection, APA had 105 apprentices, all aged 19 or over. There were 30 on the level 3 procurement and supply assistant apprenticeship, 72 on the level 4 procurement and supply chain practitioner and 6 on the level 6 senior procurement and supply chain professional apprenticeships.

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national average

'This provider' and 'national average' figures are taken from the publicly available DfE achievement rates. Where the DfE have supressed the figures, usually due to small cohorts, this has been mirrored in the Report Card and will be shown by an 'S'.

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Year This provider National average

'This provider' and 'national average' figures are taken from the publicly available DfE achievement rates. Where the DfE have supressed the figures, usually due to small cohorts, this has been mirrored in the Report Card and will be shown by an 'S'.

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Exceptional

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

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Strong standard

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

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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.

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Needs attention

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

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Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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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 .

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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 .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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