University of Wolverhampton

University of Wolverhampton

Address: Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV1 1LY Unique reference number (URN): 133912

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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

Leaders foster a highly inclusive culture across the university. They provide support which is carefully tailored to meet the needs of all apprentices with barriers to their learning. They have designed their support mechanisms effectively in order to meet the needs of apprentices, ensuring that the support they receive extends through their apprenticeship studies and into the workplace.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff identify barriers to apprentices' learning quickly and effectively, both at the start of their apprenticeship and throughout. They have in place arrangements to provide highly effective diagnostic testing services to apprentices with emerging or previously undiagnosed barriers. This approach has resulted in a small but significant number of apprentices receiving a diagnosis of barriers, such as hearing impairment or dyslexia, which they were previously unaware of.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders regularly assess apprentices' progress and the effectiveness of support plans. They intervene decisively when necessary and adjust the support by increasing or reducing it as appropriate. As a result, apprentices with barriers to their learning achieve at a marginally higher rate than their peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff responsible for inclusion are very well qualified, experienced and passionate about reducing apprentices' barriers to learning. They work effectively with faculty teams to monitor apprentices' performance in both the workplace and academic studies.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and governors have a granular understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the apprenticeship provision. A new apprenticeship leadership team has been created to ensure comprehensive oversight of apprenticeships delivered across faculties and to lead the implementation of strategies to improve them. This has led to rapid improvements in apprentices' experience and outcomes, including substantial increases in achievement rates on the level 6 environmental health apprenticeship.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have significantly improved their quality assurance mechanisms. They have put in place new reporting processes to provide a centralised view of the progress of individual apprentices, which is shared with faculty leaders. The apprenticeship leadership team works closely with faculties, where they agree on actions and identify clear lines of responsibility for intervention. This has been significant in the rapid improvement of apprenticeship achievement rates.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The leadership and governance structure now ensures that apprenticeships are considered to be core to the university strategy. Governors have supported leaders in taking swift action to improve apprenticeships, providing highly effective challenge and support. To address concerns that the degree was seen as the learning goal and not the full apprenticeship, governors supported a rapid review of university regulations to remove the awarding of the degree before the end-point assessment (EPA). This has increased the number of apprentices who pass the EPA. Staff benefit from a wide range of targeted training. They are supported by having defined days for academic and industry upskilling, bespoke internal leadership training, apprenticeship training and the ability to study funded qualifications, including master's degrees and PhDs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff feel well supported. They have access to support for their mental and physical health and wellbeing, including 'compassionate cuppas' and 'watercooler moments'.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprenticeship achievement rates, particularly for the level 6 environmental health apprenticeship, have improved rapidly. Leaders now ensure that apprentices who have completed the degree as part of the apprenticeship take the end-point assessment and achieve the full apprenticeship. The vast majority of apprenticeship achievements are high.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices rapidly gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours to succeed in their industry. Level 6 healthcare science practitioner apprentices master advanced cardiac and respiratory skills beyond the expectations of the national clinical standards. As a result, apprentices are well prepared to continue in their roles, advance in their current workplace or progress to higher-level study, such as postgraduate programmes.

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Achievement Strong standard

Tutors develop apprentices' English, mathematics, and digital skills very well. Environmental health practitioner apprentices participate in mathematics skills-building sessions covering topics such as standard form and unit conversions, preparing them for laboratory work, data interpretation and microbiology.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices complete work to a very high standard. Tutors provide thorough feedback, which helps apprentices to improve the quality of their work quickly and improve their grades over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have a thorough understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement in the curriculum. They carefully monitor the quality of the apprenticeship programme, sampling progress reviews and resources, examining the quality of feedback and the reasons for any withdrawals. Where areas for improvement are identified, leaders quickly implement highly effective measures to address them, which has resulted in a significant increase in the number of apprentices who complete their apprenticeship.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders work closely with employers to ensure that their apprenticeships are developing the skills currently needed in industry. Level 6 building control degree apprenticeship employers co-create course content to reflect changing regulations. Leaders meet with local authority building control and the National House Building Council quarterly to ensure that the apprenticeship remains current and suitable for its intended purpose.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers are experts in their respective fields. Level 7 senior leader tutors and skills coaches have current experience in art, culture and leadership, and provide up-to-date knowledge to the apprenticeship.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers skilfully use a range of teaching strategies to help apprentices learn, including effective recap to consolidate learning and address misconceptions. By drawing on their industry experience and real-life examples, tutors equip apprentices well for their future roles. Environmental health practitioner tutors further enhance this preparation by organising site visits, such as to energy waste plants that support environmental protection, and by ensuring that apprentices complete environmental impact assessments and permitting.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Apprentices make clear links between their academic studies and the workplace. Skills coaches skilfully coordinate on- and off-the-job training, helping employers identify opportunities for apprentices to practise the skills they are learning. When necessary, apprentices are temporarily transferred within the organisation or to another department to ensure timely skill development. This seamless process connects academic learning, practical application and workplace experience.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders have created an inclusive environment in which diversity is celebrated. Apprentices benefit hugely from collaborating with peers from different sectors. Teachers on the building control surveyors' apprenticeship degree foster inclusion by providing an open forum for discussion between apprentices about a range of topics. As a result, apprentices take part in rich discussions and expand their understanding of a diverse sector.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders have high expectations for attendance. They regularly monitor attendance and have a series of escalating interventions in place to support apprentices and encourage their commitment to their studies. Engagement and cause-for-concern panels monitor apprentices with low attendance and implement tailored interventions. Leaders closely monitor the impact of interventions and, as a result, attendance is very high.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Apprentices behave professionally. The level 6 healthcare science practitioner apprenticeship places a strong focus on developing the professional behaviours needed to work with colleagues and patients, which apprentices demonstrate consistently throughout their apprenticeship.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Apprentices have a clear understanding of the next steps in their careers and studies. The university careers team provides tailored careers advice and support for apprentices, while tutors routinely include sector role models in their university lessons to help apprentices understand the range of options open to them.

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

Apprentices are highly motivated and enthusiastic about their apprenticeships. They take the initiative and develop their own professional networks. Through these, apprentices identify exciting opportunities to learn new things about their industry, which enhance their skills and career prospects.

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

Apprentices value highly the support that they receive from staff, which helps improve their confidence and enables them to engage more effectively with their work and the wider community. Level 7 senior leader apprentices now see greater opportunities to represent female leadership in the future and to change their sector's leadership culture.

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

Apprentices have a well-developed understanding of British values and apply them in their workplaces. Level 6 midwifery apprentices understand mutual respect, tolerance and the signs of radicalisation, and how these relate to the Nursing and Midwifery Council's code of practice. Apprentices are aware of the need to look out for signs of concern and how to report them in the workplace to protect their patients.

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

Apprentices understand the importance of promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and use this to influence change in their workplaces. Level 6 senior leader apprentices use their understanding to review internal systems and external outputs for the community to produce more accessible educational coverage featuring the library's work.

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

Apprentices use their skills to support the communities in which they work. Level 6 social work apprentices have planned and taught lessons for secondary school children to help them better understand what bullying is and its impact on others. Level 6 building surveyor apprentices organise charity cake sales to raise funds for a local charity.

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

Apprentices practise their skills in well-equipped, safe training environments before working in often challenging circumstances with the public. Trainee paramedics learn and practise their skills in a simulated environment under the guidance of a qualified paramedic, helping them prepare for situations they may encounter on the job.

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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 leaders, teachers, apprentices, governors and employers during the inspection.

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Team inspectors:

Stuart Collett, His Majesty's Inspector Jacqueline Ecoeur, Ofsted Inspector Simon Kent, Ofsted Inspector Joel Dalhouse, His Majesty's Inspector Caroline Jamison, 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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Number of learners

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

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Number of learners

The University of Wolverhampton is a university apprenticeship provider predominantly serving the West Midlands, Shropshire and Staffordshire. Apprenticeships are offered through five schools: health and social care; education and social work; built environment and engineering; life sciences; and leadership and professional services. There are four campuses: two in Wolverhampton, one in Telford and one in Walsall. Almost half of the apprentices work in the NHS and approximately a quarter work with local councils, with the remaining in the private sector.

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Number of learners

At the time of the inspection, 1,012 apprentices were studying across 17 apprenticeship standards. There were 178 enrolled on the level 6 civil and transportation engineering degree apprenticeship, 178 on the level 6 paramedic practice degree apprenticeship, 172 on the level 6 building control degree apprenticeship, 144 on the level 7 senior leader apprenticeship, 81 on the level 6 quantity surveying degree apprenticeship, 78 on the level 6 occupational therapy degree apprenticeship, 69 on the level 5 nursing associate apprenticeship, 50 on the level 6 environmental health practitioner degree apprenticeship, 31 on the level 6 social work degree apprenticeship, 30 on the level 6 midwifery degree apprenticeship, 27 on the level 6 healthcare science degree apprenticeship, 22 on the level 6 adult nursing degree apprenticeship, and 13 on the level 6 building surveying degree apprenticeship. The remainder are enrolled in law, other engineering and NHS-related

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Number of learners

apprenticeships. There were two apprentices studying functional skills in English and mathematics with a subcontractor.

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Number of learners

Sean Starr: Apprenticeship and Lifelong Learning Lead

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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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