Encompass Consultancy

Encompass Consultancy

Address: Unit 28, K3 Business Park, 200 Cough Road, Hull, HU5 1SN Unique reference number (URN): 1237113

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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

Managers and staff are alert to the varied needs of their apprentices. Apprentices are confident and comfortable sharing with staff any additional learning needs or other barriers to learning that they experience, both at the start of and during their apprenticeships.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Managers and staff receive valuable training that helps them explore apprentices’ needs accurately and sensitively. Staff are supported and encouraged to complete training and qualifications in special educational needs and/or disabilities, which most do. They also work closely with local charities that specialise in the vulnerabilities that adult apprentices may experience, which further enhances their knowledge.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Trainers ensure that apprentices who experience challenges with working memory receive extra support from trainers outside of lessons and reviews, to check their understanding of new learning. Those apprentices experiencing challenging personal circumstances, such as bereavement or illness, benefit from routine one-to-one meetings with trainers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff keep under review the support in place for those apprentices with additional learning needs. They adapt support, where needed, so that it remains effective. For example, trainers vary assessment methods for apprentices with dyslexia, when they identify that written work is becoming overwhelming. Managers have recently made plans to record and review systematically the support put in place for apprentices, who experience barriers beyond additional learning needs.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Directors and managers have an ambitious vision to provide local people with skills and jobs in industries, such as telecommunication and procurement. They are aspirational for their apprentices and supportive of the employers that they work with. Managers work closely with employers to design tailored apprenticeships that meet local and national skills needs and support workforce development in skills priority areas, such as adult care.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Managers do not collect or use data well enough to enable them to understand accurately the quality of the apprenticeships that they offer. This means they cannot respond quickly to deal with any weaknesses that may emerge. They do not provide directors and funding bodies with the timely and accurate information that they need to support and challenge managers effectively. While managers have recently implemented a new system designed to generate this information, at the time of the inspection this information was not readily available.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Directors and managers support their staff effectively and are considerate of their wellbeing. They allow staff to work flexibly, when required, and give them time to volunteer or take part in community events. Most staff find their workloads manageable. On occasions, a few staff experience a high workload for short periods of time.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Managers give trainers time to develop their knowledge and expertise. Trainers meet frequently to standardise assessments and collaboratively plan lessons. They remain up to date with their specialist sectors through frequent visits to employers, awarding body webinars and their own research. However, managers do not encourage trainers to update and refine their teaching skills adequately.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Managers have designed the curriculums well. They have fostered positive working relationships with employers, which they use to keep curriculums current and reflective of employers’ needs. Trainers teaching procurement apprenticeships are active members of national trailblazer groups. They use their knowledge to ensure that current industry developments are reflected in both curriculum content and its teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Managers have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculums, teaching and training. They have improved recruitment processes so that employers and apprentices understand their responsibilities and the commitment required to complete an apprenticeship. This has led to fewer apprentices leaving their apprenticeships early.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers teach interesting online lessons using a range of teaching strategies, such as sharing their knowledge, questioning apprentices about their work practices and case studies. They facilitate useful professional discussions between apprentices. They use questioning well to check apprentices’ understanding. Apprentices working in different sectors enjoy ample opportunities to work together and learn from each other.

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Needs attention

Trainers mostly use assessment effectively. They check apprentices’ understanding frequently, correct misconceptions and support apprentices to reflect deeply on how what they learn applies to their job role. Trainers give apprentices helpful feedback to improve their work and develop their written communication. For example, apprentices are given tasks to develop their evaluative skills. However, in a very few cases, team leader apprentices do not know what they need to do to improve their work.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over the last 3 years, the proportion of apprentices who achieve their qualification has been too low. Previously, too many apprentices left their apprenticeship before the end of their training. Managers' improved recruitment process and changes made to end-point assessment have helped in increasing the proportion of apprentices who remain on their programme.

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Achievement Needs attention

Most apprentices make expected progress from their starting point. However, a few, often those who have been on programme longer, make slower progress than their peers. Trainers have recently started to monitor and support these apprentices effectively to help them catch up.

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Achievement Needs attention

Trainers ensure that apprentices continue to develop their English, mathematical and digital skills during their apprenticeship, especially those that apprentices use in their everyday roles.

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Achievement Needs attention

Trainers prepare apprentices well for the industries in which they work. Most apprentices remain in employment after their apprenticeship with a few gaining promotions or taking on additional responsibility.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Trainers do not ensure that apprentices develop a solid understanding of topics relating to their personal development. They share information about relevant topics, including mental and physical health and how apprentices can protect themselves from extremist views and harmful content online. However, the effectiveness of how these topics are taught and understood by apprentices is not consistently effective. Too many apprentices are unable to recall what they have learned or how it applies to their work or personal lives.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Most trainers discuss apprentices’ career aspirations and next steps in progress reviews and one-to-one meetings. Trainers, apprentices and employers discuss career development plans in reviews and identify how trainers can support apprentices to achieve their aspirations, such as gaining chartered manager status. However, a few apprentices do not receive any careers information and are unclear about their next steps.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Apprentices learn in safe and respectful environments. They demonstrate professional attitudes at work and are committed to developing their skills and expertise. Those who stay on programme grow in confidence in their roles. Apprentices report that they do not experience bullying, harassment or unlawful discrimination.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Managers have high expectations for apprentices’ attendance and punctuality. Apprentices attend well, and managers take sensible actions when attendance becomes a concern.

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

While many apprentices welcome the friendly and professional learning environment that trainers have created, too many do not complete their apprenticeship, mainly due to leaving their programme early. Of those who remain, too many are beyond their planned end date.

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

Managers do not systematically track the destination of apprentices on completion of their programme. However, a large proportion of those who complete their training, achieve their apprenticeship and stay with their employer and progress to the next level of learning.

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

Apprentices value the range of effective teaching strategies and adaptations that trainers use to ensure that everyone is able to learn effectively, especially those with identified learning needs. Apprentices value the knowledge and experience of their trainers. They appreciate the guidance and support that trainers give them throughout their programme. Trainers skilfully use their professional knowledge to provide relevant and real-life examples of working practices.

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

Apprentices find their learning interesting. Trainers push apprentices out of their comfort zone to ensure that they learn new knowledge, which apprentices successfully put into practice at work while developing their professional behaviours. For example, apprentices are able to find resolutions to problems and can skilfully hold difficult conversations with stakeholders. Trainers are instrumental in enabling apprentices to believe in themselves, develop their confidence and allow them to feel a sense of belonging at work.

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

Apprentices take pride in their work and produce work of a professional standard. At their final assessments, a high proportion of apprentices are awarded a distinction grade.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to take action to increase the proportion of apprentices who stay on programme and achieve their apprenticeship. Leaders and directors should collect and analyse data to enable them to identify trends and implement improvements. Leaders should support and encourage trainers to develop their knowledge in effective teaching practices. Leaders should provide apprentices with well-planned and timely careers advice and guidance that is tailored to their circumstances and helps them to make informed decisions about their next steps and to consider their long-term careers.

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Team inspectors:

Alison Dennis, His Majesty's Inspector Karen Anderson, His Majesty's Inspector Gavin Batty, Ofsted Inspector Mark Keen, 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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Number of learners

Leaders should ensure that apprentices deepen their understanding of a range of personal development topics, including mental and physical health and healthy relationships.

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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

Inspectors spoke with apprentices, their employers, trainers, support staff, managers and directors during the inspection.

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About this inspection

Encompass Consultancy is an independent learning provider based near Hull. Since the previous inspection, it has been sold to Connexin Limited, with the acquisition completed in July 2023. Encompass Consultancy specialises in teaching apprenticeships relating to management and commercial procurement and supply. At the time of the inspection, there were 235 apprentices, of whom 147 were studying procurement apprenticeships at levels 3, 4 or 6. There were 37 apprentices enrolled on the level 3 team leader apprenticeship and 20 on the level 5 operations and departmental manager apprenticeship. The remaining apprentices were on level 4 coaching professional, level 4 learning skills mentor, level 3 information commercial technician, level 3 business administrator and level 2 adult care worker apprenticeships.

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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. 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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