Crosby Management Training Ltd

Crosby Management Training Ltd

Address: Technology Centre, University of Wolverhampton Science Park, Coxwell Avenue, Wolverhampton, WV10 9RU Unique reference number (URN): 1278609

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 Expected standard

Leaders have established a culture in which apprentices are supported to overcome their barriers to learning and achieve their best. They have engaged external experts to support them to identify apprentices' learning difficulties and to advise trainers on how best to support these apprentices. However, in a very few cases, apprentices do not receive support from the start of their apprenticeship.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Staff typically take a graduated approach to supporting apprentices. Trainers regularly revisit support strategies during progress reviews. They adapt learning strategies to help apprentices with learning barriers to achieve.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders help trainers to improve their understanding of the strategies available to support apprentices in being successful. However, on occasions, these strategies are not effective enough, often focusing only on providing additional individual support and teaching. Consequently, a few apprentices do not become familiar enough with other strategies that they could use to support them in their learning beyond the apprenticeship.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders reflect well on how they support apprentices with barriers to learning and continue to implement and plan strategies to improve how they support them to achieve, including the recruitment of support tutors. However, these are early in their implementation, so the impact cannot yet be fully seen.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have developed strong relationships with employers to create curriculums that meet skills needs and help to address recruitment difficulties in specialist industries, such as food and drink processing and butchery.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of their strengths and areas for development. They carefully monitor apprentices' progress and the quality of teaching, ensuring that they continue to improve teaching and learning and apprentices’ achievement.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors are highly experienced in the sector. The board includes representation from employers and apprentices. Governors use their experience well to support and challenge the leadership team. They are persistent, pursuing discussions with leaders to ensure that managers and leaders in the provider have the skills needed to drive and maintain improvements. For example, governors carefully monitor the strategies that leaders are implementing to improve achievement rates and their impact. Leaders have a high regard for their staff. They work continuously to improve working conditions and promote staff wellbeing. Staff feel well supported and valued by their managers, who closely monitor trainers' caseloads and take account of their individual circumstances.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders actively include staff working remotely by holding regional staff ‘roadshows’, where they meet with staff in their region and listen to their views. They also encourage staff to participate in a wide range of events to support wellbeing, including solstice walks, quarterly training and celebration days at the head office.

p.3

Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders foster a highly positive, inclusive culture, enabling all apprentices to learn and work in safe, respectful environments. Apprentices are well supported and feel valued. They enjoy their apprenticeship and can clearly see its career benefits. Together, trainers and apprentices identify expectations of behaviour, creating a safe environment in which apprentices can share experiences, discuss work issues and suggest resolutions.

p.3

Participation and development Strong standard

Apprentices attend well and are highly committed to their studies. Staff have high expectations for attendance and participation. Apprentices receive clear attendance guidelines, and all workshop dates are provided at the start of the apprenticeship. When barriers to attendance arise, trainers agree flexible arrangements to support apprentices in continuing their studies.

p.3

Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders and staff skilfully integrate into the curriculum content on fundamental British values and the risks of radicalisation and extremism. Trainers make clear links between these values and the 'Prevent' duty and encourage apprentices to reflect on how these topics relate to their work. Apprentices participate in interesting and helpful discussions on topics, such as the impact of being investigated for links to human trafficking on an organisation’s reputation. These discussions help apprentices to understand the relevance of the topics to their workplaces.

p.3

Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders and staff skilfully embed high-quality careers education, advice and guidance throughout the apprenticeship. Early in their apprenticeship, apprentices map out their next steps by completing a career development plan, which is reviewed and revised as they progress. Industry-expert trainers also offer ongoing support and guidance on opportunities

p.3

Expected standard

and next steps. This helps apprentices to feel well prepared for their next steps and to know how to make progress toward them.

p.4

Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices who remain in learning typically achieve their qualifications. Leaders recognise that achievement rates on some apprenticeships have been too low and have taken decisive action to improve them, including redesigning the curriculum with employers. This has resulted in the proportion of apprentices leaving before the end of their apprenticeships reducing significantly.

p.4

Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices develop the skills and knowledge that they need to make progress in the workplace. As a result of their learning, apprentices in the people management professions lead challenging projects in change management and workforce restructuring. Employers recognise these skills, and apprentices become valued members of the workforce.

p.4

Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices are supported to gain membership of professional bodies. These include the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development or the Institute of Meat, which enhances their employability and credibility in the industries in which they work.

p.4

Achievement Expected standard

The vast majority of apprentices move on to positive destinations as a result of their apprenticeship and are well prepared for their next steps. A significant number of apprentices gain a promotion or pay rise as a result of their apprenticeships.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have created well-designed curriculums that enable apprentices to develop their skills over time and to understand the impact that the mastery of these skills has in their workplace. The curriculum is designed to enable butchery apprentices to become skilful in butchering carcasses while developing an understanding of costings and the impact that waste has on profit margins.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers mostly teach interesting and helpful online workshops. They use real-life, practical examples that apprentices find engaging, including in face-to-face butchery lessons. However, in a few cases, because apprentices find online lessons too long, they are often passive and do not participate fully.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers provide apprentices with helpful feedback on how to improve. Level 5 learning and development apprentices receive constructive feedback on their work. This makes clear the strengths and considerations for enhancement in the work and includes questions for apprentices to consider. Apprentices value this feedback and use it to improve their subsequent submissions.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers know their learners well, and most support those with learning difficulties and additional support needs effectively. In a very few cases, barriers to learning are not quickly identified, resulting in a delay in apprentices receiving the support they need to progress.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers deliver useful workshops on preparing for end-point assessment. Level 5 coaching apprentices practise their skills in monthly coaching pools, where they take turns coaching, being coached and observing. Apprentices build confidence for the 2 observed coaching sessions in their end-point assessment. However, a few apprentices are not aware of the possible grades that they can achieve.

p.5

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

Apprentices are highly motivated to do well on their apprenticeship and are proud of their work. They work collaboratively and respectfully during their workshops.

p.5

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

Apprentices value the opportunities that they have to develop their skills and confidence. They participate in annual residential activities, including raft building, gorge walking and coasteering, as well as mindfulness and reflection sessions. These activities enhance their confidence, resilience and teamworking skills, which are highly regarded by employers.

p.5

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

Many apprentices participate in a range of competitions and events that help them to develop networking and communication skills. Apprentices attend award ceremonies in, for example, butchery skills, which help raise their profile in the industry in which they work.

p.5

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

Teachers encourage apprentices to create their own valuable learning communities. Level 7 senior people professional apprentices have developed a network based on the value they find in workshop discussions. These communities provide valuable peer support, and some apprentices visit each other’s workplaces to learn more about other industries and how roles differ.

p.5

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

Apprentices participate keenly in additional training to improve their skills. Apprentices attend workshops on trauma-informed practice and dealing with grief. They report that, as a result, they feel more confident in supporting colleagues in the workplace, who have experienced bereavement.

p.5

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

Apprentices develop a secure understanding of workplace equality. Level 5 coaching professional apprentices develop professional behaviours through reflective discussions, learning the importance of fairness, compassion, objectivity and creating non-judgmental environments when supporting others. As a result, apprentices develop professional behaviours that support respectful workplace practice.

p.5

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

Apprentices extend and practise their English and mathematical skills. They improve their academic writing and apply mathematics to practical workplace activities, using quantitative methods to evaluate scoring of surveys to underpin decision-making in their roles.

p.5

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

Apprentices know how to report concerns about bullying or harassment. They use workplace 'speak up' channels and know how to contact safeguarding leads when needed. As a result, apprentices feel safe and supported.

p.5

Team inspectors:

Mark Keen, His Majesty's Inspector Joanne Keatley, Ofsted Inspector Victoria Sylvester, Ofsted Inspector Gemma Hart, Ofsted Inspector Diana Martin, Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Next steps

Leaders should continue to develop and implement their inclusion strategies to enable all apprentices with barriers to learning to be successful. Leaders should continue to work with new trainers to ensure that teaching is well planned and delivered. Leaders should continue to implement strategies to improve retention and achievement. Leaders should continue to be highly ambitious for their apprentices, ensuring that current and future apprentices have the opportunity to experience the range of high-quality enrichment activities that contribute to their wider personal and professional development.

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

Inspectors spoke with leaders, apprentices, trainers, governors and employers during the inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

Crosby Management Training Ltd is an independent learning provider in the West Midlands. At the time of the inspection, 821 apprentices were in learning. There were 198 apprentices studying level 7 senior people professional, 107 studying level 5 people professional, 104 studying level 3 human resources support and 71 studying butchery and food and drink processing at levels 2 and 3. The remaining apprentices were studying apprenticeships in learning and development, management, teaching assistant and mentoring. There were 47 apprentices studying functional skills in English and mathematics.

p.6

About this inspection

CEO: Paul Cadman 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

Exceptional

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

p.8

Strong standard

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

p.8

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.8

Needs attention

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

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8

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.

p.8

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