Leslie Frances (Hair Fashions) Limited

Leslie Frances (Hair Fashions) Limited

Address: 58 Eldon Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2JL Unique reference number (URN): 53010

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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 Strong standard

Staff identify apprentices’ individual needs accurately. They work with potential apprentices through careful discussions with parents and professionals, including social care agencies where appropriate, to enable them to gain a detailed understanding of apprentices' starting points. This includes learning needs, care experience, financial disadvantage and barriers linked to prior educational experiences.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders ensure that apprentices benefit from highly effective and well-coordinated support. This helps apprentices to overcome barriers to learning and wellbeing. This includes providing bursaries, travel assistance and food. Leaders monitor apprentices’ progress and wellbeing closely and evaluate the impact of support over time. Staff use a graduated approach confidently, adjusting and, where appropriate, reducing support.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff receive high-quality training on inclusive practice. Leaders work closely with families, employers and external agencies to shape support and raise aspirations. By working with suitable employers who share the same inclusive, community-focused values, leaders help apprentices who face significant barriers to attend well, thrive and achieve as well as their peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders, staff, employers and alumni work closely together to create a very welcoming environment in which apprentices feel understood, valued and supported. This helps apprentices to develop confidence and a strong sense of belonging, enabling them to take part in training.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are aware of their strengths and areas for improvement. Since the previous inspection, they have introduced new and effective arrangements to evaluate the quality of the provision. They follow an annual cycle of quality processes to ensure they are aware of the training, feedback and support provided to apprentices so they can intervene where necessary. Leaders have a vision to provide high-quality training in hairdressing so that local apprentices can build successful and fulfilling careers. They are ambitious for apprentices’ futures, supporting them to thrive in local jobs while also preparing them well for national and international opportunities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Since the previous inspection, leaders have reviewed their governance model and recently recruited external governors, who bring experience of education and inclusion. The new governors bring useful and relevant challenge and support to leaders to help ensure apprentices' training is of a high quality.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders recruit staff who are highly experienced in the hairdressing industry. All staff still work in the industry and, therefore, have current knowledge. Leaders then ensure staff are qualified and trained appropriately. This includes achieving training and assessor qualifications and training from industry experts.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure staff are happy in the workplace and that their caseloads are manageable. They prioritise wellbeing and mental health. Leaders have created a calming space for quiet reflection time and a wellbeing box, which includes free beauty products for staff to take and use at home.

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Achievement Expected standard

A high proportion of apprentices achieve their qualifications, including English and mathematics.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices develop new skills in hairdressing that they use to complete salon services on paying clients early in their training. Apprentices learn how to use appropriate communication techniques with varying audiences, such as more formal language with mature clientele.

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Achievement Expected standard

All apprentices produce work of at least the required standard. A few produce work to a high standard. Apprentices use the correct angle for blow drying and can adjust the air flow to produce a smooth finish. They use the correct brushing technique to give root lift.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices are prepared well for their next stage of education and employment. Apprentices develop the required foundation skills to be able to work as graduate stylists in highly regarded salons. Most progress to positive destinations.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders plan the curriculums well to build apprentices' skills over time. They work closely with employers to ensure the curriculums meet industry needs. For example, level 2 apprentices develop ‘hair up’ skills early in the programme to be able to provide client services over the Christmas period. They also learn skills, such as the ability to add hair extensions that are over and above the requirements of the qualification. During progress review meetings, work-based assessors ensure that employers' priorities are included in apprentices’ targets. They make sure employers give apprentices enough time to practise their new skills at work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Most tutors use effective teaching strategies to ensure that apprentices develop industry standard skills and knowledge. They monitor apprentices during practical tasks, providing feedback throughout, such as how to angle the hair during cutting. Apprentices recall learning in theory sessions through the helpful teaching strategies, such as rhymes and mnemonics, and are able to apply their learning effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Apprentices are well supported by industry experienced tutors. Apprentices with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are offered useful support. Tutors give additional time after theory sessions to ensure apprentices understand and provide additional resources for apprentices to practise and study further at home.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors use assessment well to check apprentices’ progress and to plan further learning. Tutors give apprentices helpful feedback throughout services and evaluate practical tasks so apprentices know how they can improve their work and master the required skills. Tutors grade practical work so apprentices know what level they are working towards.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders provide apprentices with high-quality careers information, advice and guidance before enrolment. Further guidance during their training, alongside input from employers and alumni, broadens apprentices’ aspirations and prepares them effectively for a wide range of sustained career pathways.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices, including those who face barriers to learning such as poor mental health, have high attendance at lessons and develop professional behaviours. They learn to communicate respectfully with clients from different backgrounds and to adapt their language appropriately in professional settings.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices feel safe. Leaders ensure apprentices understand how to stay safe and healthy, including in relationships, and how to stay safe from risks linked to radicalisation, drugs, misogyny and online activity.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders provide apprentices with frequent opportunities to participate in activities beyond their main curriculum that build their confidence, resilience and readiness for work. These include external competitions, masterclasses, trips and visits, and community and charity activities. Apprentices, including those with barriers to learning or limited self-confidence, benefit from these opportunities and develop ambition and self-belief. Staff promote fundamental British values, democracy and active citizenship well. Apprentices learn about respectful and inclusive language, the importance of tolerance and mutual respect and how democratic processes work.

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

Apprentices, including those with barriers to learning, quickly develop professional behaviours required in the hairdressing industry. They know how to communicate with clients from different backgrounds. They know it is important to respect the beliefs of clients from different cultures. Apprentices attend their training sessions well.

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

Staff understand apprentices’ wider development needs. They provide appropriate opportunities for apprentices to increase their confidence and readiness for employment. They support apprentices with low levels of prior achievement, confidence and significant financial challenges to develop into well-informed citizens and active members of their local communities.

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

Most apprentices who stay until the end of their training achieve their qualifications and complete by their planned end date.

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

Leaders and staff provide highly effective, practical and compassionate support to apprentices before, during and after their apprenticeships, so that barriers to learning and work reduce rapidly. This includes targeted support to deal with poverty and financial hardship, such as a free food pantry and the provision of essential hairdressing equipment. Leaders recognise the pressures of the industry and increase support at particularly demanding times, such as over the Christmas period. They actively encourage apprentices to look after their physical and mental wellbeing and create opportunities for apprentices to pause, reflect and seek help when needed

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Next steps

• Leaders should monitor the impact of the improvement actions they put in place following quality assurance activities to make sure they have the desired outcome. • Leaders should continue to develop the teaching skills of tutors so that apprentices receive a consistently high standard of training.

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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 (OI) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with leaders, staff and apprentices during the inspection.

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Lead inspector:

Glenise Burrell, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Joanne Stork, His Majesty's Inspector Rebecca Clare, 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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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

Leslie Frances (Hair Fashions) Limited was established in 1982 and provides hairdressing apprenticeships at levels 2 and 3. They have 2 academies which apprentices attend for training. One is in Barnsley and one is in Sheffield. Leaders offer the level 2 hairdressing professional and the level 3 advanced and creative hair professional apprenticeships.

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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

The provider currently has 64 apprentices enrolled, of whom 19 are studying at level 3 and 45 at level 2. There are 29 apprentices with identified additional learning needs. There are 46 apprentices aged 16 to 18, and 18 apprentices are aged 19+.

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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

Directors: Denise Childs & Debra Ashurst

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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

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Urgent improvement

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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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