Lynwood Vets Limited

Lynwood Vets Limited

Address: Lynwood School Of Vet Nursing, Hampton Farm, Higher Bockhampton, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8QH Unique reference number (URN): 1278657

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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 are proactive in adapting their inclusion strategy to reduce barriers to learning. They now identify additional support needs much earlier so that individualised support plans are in place prior to apprentices starting. For example, apprentices without a mathematics qualification at level 2 receive well-structured, one-to-one support from the beginning of their course. At the time of the inspection, leaders recognised a need to increase checks to identify whether apprentices' preferred support measures lead to enhanced learning experiences.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Trainers use effective inclusive strategies. They ensure that apprentices receive appropriate examination concessions, such as extra time to help reduce anxiety. They facilitate the use of assistive technology in lessons to provide apprentices with greater time to process their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that inclusive practices are in place at apprentices’ workplaces. Workplace clinical supervisors provide additional support to help apprentices with their on-the-job portfolio tasks, such as workplace reflections. Because of this, apprentices successfully apply new knowledge and skills at the veterinary practice at which they work.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders routinely provide trainers and workplace clinical supervisors with helpful professional development from specialists in inclusive practice. These staff receive useful training on the most relevant topics for their groups of apprentices, such as dyslexia and executive functioning in autism.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors are committed to providing ambitious apprenticeships in animal care and welfare and in veterinary nursing. They make decisions in the best interests of their apprentices so that apprentices study a high-quality curriculum and progress into further training or employment.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors know the curriculum strengths and priorities for development very well. They use effective quality systems to provide them with a holistic view of the training that they provide. Governors use their expertise in veterinary nursing and apprenticeships to provide effective support and challenge to leaders. They use a well-established meeting structure to hold leaders to account for all aspects of the apprenticeship provision, including safeguarding. Leaders provide a caring working environment and are considerate of staff wellbeing. They routinely check that staff workloads are achievable. Trainers are provided with the autonomy to update their vocational expertise routinely. This helps to ensure that they meet the regulatory expectations set by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Trainers benefit from useful professional development opportunities to improve their teaching skills, such as

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

peer observations. Leaders have recently implemented a pedagogical framework to support trainers’ continuous development further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have established very positive partnerships with a range of veterinary nursing and animal care stakeholders. Employers value the opportunities to provide feedback on the training that leaders provide. Leaders use their specialist subject knowledge to help shape future apprenticeship standards. These successful partnerships assure leaders that they are meeting present and future training needs.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices, including those with learning barriers, fluently apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills in challenging and pressurised working environments. They are very effectively prepared for their next steps. Almost all apprentices remain in employment as a registered veterinary nurse or animal care assistant. They develop the confidence to take on specialist responsibilities successfully at their workplace, such as suturing animals after surgical treatments, or to gain job promotions, such as a clinical supervisor or head veterinary nurse.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices make rapid progress from their starting points. They consistently produce work to a very high standard at their veterinary practice and in their written assignments. Apprentices are very well prepared for their final assessments and achieve substantially above national rates. Over nine-tenths of apprentices achieve their qualifications, and a high proportion achieve distinction grades. Almost all apprentices working towards mathematics qualifications achieve these at their first attempt.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders use rigorous quality assurance processes to provide them with an accurate oversight of the curriculums. They use this information effectively to make well-informed

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Expected standard

decisions so that apprentices consistently receive high-quality training. Leaders very effectively engage with their stakeholders, such as veterinary practices, to assure themselves that the curriculums they provide meet apprentices' and employers' training needs. They have established curriculums that go beyond the planned outcomes of the apprenticeship by, for example, providing additional animal care qualifications for apprentices studying to be animal care and welfare assistants.

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Expected standard

Apprentices study very well-designed and logically sequenced curriculums. For example, veterinary nursing apprentices learn about injury and disease before developing knowledge about the complexities of theatre nursing and anaesthesia. Trainers routinely interweave and model the professional behaviours expected from apprentices throughout lessons and assessments. They apply inclusive teaching practices and make effective use of individualised support plans in lessons, such as using assistive technology for apprentices who have dyslexia.

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Expected standard

Trainers are subject specialists. They skilfully use their industry knowledge to help apprentices learn the most up-to-date information relating to the Veterinary Surgeons Act, such as administering new subcutaneous vaccinations. Trainers very effectively provide feedback that links apprentices on- and off-the-job training. This helps apprentices to reflect routinely on their learning experiences. For example, veterinary nursing apprentices recognise the value of the support that they provide to veterinary surgeons in emergency hospital theatre settings because of their new learning. Employers report that apprentices are well supported to develop rapidly the confidence that they need in the workplace.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders ensure that apprentices receive effective support to meet the high expectations they set for participation and behaviour and for apprentices to become effective employees. They ensure that apprentices benefit from accessible and respectful learning environments, including when online. Apprentices attend well and demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. Trainers provide useful one-to-one support sessions, when apprentices miss lessons.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders provide useful activities to support apprentices’ wider development. They use community and charitable fundraising events to help foster apprentices’ sense of citizenship. They have established apprentice representative roles that help a few apprentices to develop leadership skills. Leaders recognise that more can be done to provide all apprentices with a carefully tailored programme of additional learning opportunities.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Trainers promote wider topics well. They contextualise fundamental British values so that apprentices know how they relate to their profession. For example, apprentices learn to relate the rule of law to veterinary legislation. Trainers ensure that apprentices know how to keep themselves safe. They often discuss these topics during progress reviews, such as spotting the signs of radicalisation and extremism. Trainers provide apprentices with suitable careers information. Apprentices receive helpful presentations from guest speakers, such as registered veterinary nurses, including alumni, and from veterinary supplies employees.

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

Apprentices study in a very welcoming and inclusive learning environment, including when learning online. Those with additional needs, such as support for dyslexia, and those who do not hold a mathematics qualification at level 2, are well supported. They benefit from trainers' effective use of individualised support plans to overcome their barriers to learning.

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

Apprentices develop the confidence to apply their new learning at the veterinary nursing practice at which they work. They are guided effectively by trainers and workplace clinical supervisors to develop and demonstrate professional behaviours when supporting more senior colleagues, such as in relation to meeting regulatory standards in providing animal care.

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

Apprentices are highly motivated to learn. They demonstrate a strong commitment towards achieving the best possible learning outcomes. For example, they take responsibility towards ensuring that they are well prepared for their final assessments by attending additional practical workshop sessions.

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

Apprentices learn useful topics about life in modern Britain as part of the curriculum. They benefit from learning how fundamental British values apply to the sector they work in, such as relating legislation to medical treatment for animals. Apprentices know what action to take if they have a welfare concern. They receive useful opportunities to develop citizenship skills, such as participating in community events. This helps them to develop their sense of belonging.

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

Apprentices work positively together in lessons. They listen respectfully to the workplace learning experiences of peers that are different to their own. This helps them to develop a well-rounded view of the industry in which they work.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that all apprentices receive a rich and carefully tailored programme of additional learning opportunities. Leaders should ensure that the systematic reviews they undertake of the learning support offered consistently enhances all apprentices' learning experiences.

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Team inspectors:

Julia Gray, Ofsted Inspector Ally Bell, Ofsted 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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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 governors, leaders, trainers, employers and apprentices during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

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About this inspection

Lynwood Vets Limited is an independent learning provider based in Dorchester, Dorset. It is part of the Vet Partners Group Limited. It provides apprenticeships in animal care and welfare assistance at level 2 and veterinary nursing at level 3. All apprentices working at level 3 attend the training centre on a day-release basis. These apprentices are employed at veterinary practices in Dorset, Devon, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire. All apprentices studying at level 2 attend their learning sessions online. These apprentices are based at veterinary practices across England. At the time of the inspection, the provider had 83 apprentices, fewer than 5 of whom were age 16 to 18. Fewer than 5 apprentices are working towards qualifications in mathematics.

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About this inspection

Joint head of school: Lisa Bugh and Valerie Belbin

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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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