Setting

10 March 2003

Inspectors use a seven-point scale to summarise their judgements about the quality of learning sessions. The descriptors for the seven grades are: • grade 1 - excellent • grade 2 - very good • grade 3 - good • grade 4 - satisfactory • grade 5 - unsatisfactory • grade 6 - poor • grade 7 - very poor.

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10 March 2003

Inspectors use a five-point scale to summarise their judgements about the quality of provision in occupational/curriculum areas and Jobcentre Plus programmes. The same scale is used to describe the quality of leadership and management, which includes quality assurance and equality of opportunity. The descriptors for the five grades are: • grade 1 - outstanding • grade 2 - good • grade 3 - satisfactory • grade 4 - unsatisfactory • grade 5 - very weak.

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10 March 2003

The two grading scales relate to each other as follows:

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SEVEN-POINT SCALE FIVE-POINT SCALE

grade 1 grade 2 grade 3 grade 4 grade 5 grade 6 grade 7 grade 2 grade 3 grade 4

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Adult Learning Inspectorate

The Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) was established under the provisions of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 to bring the inspection of all aspects of adult learning and work-based training within the remit of a single inspectorate. The ALI is responsible for inspecting a wide range of government-funded learning, including:

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Adult Learning Inspectorate

Inspections are carried out in accordance with the by teams of full-time inspectors and part-time associate inspectors who have knowledge of, and experience in, the work which they inspect. All providers are invited to nominate a senior member of their staff to participate in the inspection as a team member. Common Inspection Framework

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Overall judgement

This provision will be subject to a full reinspection.

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Overall judgement

The final decision as to whether the provision is inadequate rests with the Chief Inspector of Adult Learning. A statement as to whether the provision is adequate or not is included in the summary section of the inspection report. In those cases where the overall judgement is that the provision is adequate, only those aspects of the provision which are less than satisfactory will be reinspected.

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Overall judgement

• more than one third of published grades for occupational/curriculum areas, or • leadership and management are judged to be less than satisfactory • work-based training for all people over 16 • provision in further education colleges for people aged 19 and over • provision • Adult and Community Learning • training funded by Jobcentre Plus • education and training in prisons, at the invitation of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons.

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learndirect

Provision will normally be deemed to be inadequate where: HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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SUMMARY

Haddon Business Training Centre is a privately owned organisation with its head office in Pewsey, Wiltshire. It offers work-based learning for young people in equine and animal care, and national vocational qualifications (NVQs) to adults as part of a national pilot scheme supported by the Learning and Skills Council.

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SUMMARY

The quality of the provision is adequate to meet the reasonable needs of those receiving it. Training in land-based provision is good. The leadership and management, and quality assurance, are satisfactory. Equality of opportunity is unsatisfactory.

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Overall judgement

Land-based provision 2 Contributory grades: Work-based learning for young people 2

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KEY STRENGTHS

• effective, open and consultative management • good liaison between training provider and work placements • clear systems for key processes • good work placements • good on-the-job training • good assessment practice • well-supported learners • high retention and achievement rates

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GRADES

Equality of opportunity 4 Contributory grades: Leadership and management 3

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GRADES

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 1 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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KEY WEAKNESSES

• inadequate monitoring of equality of opportunity • poor use of evaluation to improve quality • inadequate use of initial assessment • insufficient planning of training .

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• improved generation of management information to contribute to decision- making

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 2 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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THE INSPECTION

1. A team of four inspectors spent a total of 16 days inspecting Haddon Business Training Centre (Haddon Training) in March 2003. They visited 14 work placements across the Southwest and south of England, and its head office in Pewsey, Wiltshire. Inspectors carried out 17 interviews with staff and observed and graded 12 learning sessions. They interviewed 34 learners, 13 workplace supervisors and reviewed 15 learners’ portfolios of evidence and assessments. The inspectors examined 34 individual learning plans, reports of audits by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), work-placement files, learners’ files, records of meetings, awarding body reports, policies and procedures and data. Inspectors also referred to Haddon Training’s most recent self-assessment report, which was produced in December 2002.

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THE INSPECTION

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 7 Total Grades awarded to learning sessions Grade 5 Grade 6 Land-based provision 0 4 5 3 0 12 0 0 Total 0 4 5 3 0 12 0 0

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THE INSPECTION

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 3 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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THE PROVIDER AS A WHOLE

2. Haddon Training developed from the training arm of Haddon Stud, a well-known stud producing national hunt and event horses. It was established as an independent organisation in October 2001 and has its head office in Pewsey, Wiltshire. Each of its 47 learners are on work placements with employers in the equine and animal care industry, including nationally recognised studs, yards, small livery yards, riding schools and veterinary surgeries in rural locations across the Southwest and south of England.

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THE PROVIDER AS A WHOLE

3. Haddon Training employs four full-time and four part-time staff, and provides its learners with training and assessment in equine studies and animal care. It contracts with Wiltshire and Swindon LSC to provide foundation and advanced modern apprenticeships in equine and animal care. Haddon Training also has a contract with Wiltshire and Swindon LSC as part of a national pilot scheme to provide NVQs to adults who are not eligible for modern apprenticeships.

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THE PROVIDER AS A WHOLE

4. Training is provided on the job at learners’ work placements. Assessment also takes place on the job, and a small proportion of this is subcontracted to employers offering work placements. Learners are monitored and supported by visiting assessors, verifiers, and a retention officer, all of whom are employed by Haddon Training, which also provides some training input.

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THE PROVIDER AS A WHOLE

5. In May 2002, the unemployment rate in the Southwest was 2 per cent, compared with the national average of 3 per cent. In 2001, the proportion of young people gaining five or more general certificates of secondary education (GCSEs) at grades A*-C was 52.2 per cent, compared with the national average of 47.9 per cent. According to the 1991 census, the proportion of people from a minority ethnic background in the Southwest is 1.4 per cent, compared with the national average of 6.2 per cent.

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Work-based learning for young people

6. Work-based learning for young people at Haddon Training is good. Retention and achievement rates are high. Many of the learners have a high level of previous attainment at GCSE or a related vocational qualification, and are aged 18 or over. They receive good on-the-job training and assessment, which is systematic and well structured. Work placements are good and well equipped, some with state-of-the-art facilities, and all of them provide good working and learning environments. Most of the learners are recruited by their work-placement employer. Additional resources to support learning are available for loan to learners. Learning and pastoral support is good. However, there is insufficient medium- and long-term planning of training programmes and, while training sessions are good, they are not planned formally or individually. A comprehensive initial assessment of learners’ vocational, key and basic skills, and their learning style, is carried

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Work-based learning for young people

out at the start of the training programme, but insufficient use is made of this when preparing individual learning plans.

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Work-based learning for young people

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 4 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Grade 3

8. The management style at Haddon Training is open and inclusive and these features were noted as strengths in the self-assessment report. Staff are well motivated and committed to the organisation’s aims of providing good-quality support and assessment. They contribute effectively to discussions about improvements and the senior manager values their expertise and contributions. The staff have a sound understanding of the importance of retention and achievement rates and work hard to ensure that learners get the best out of their training programmes. Staff consider the senior manager approachable and there is an informal and supportive working environment. Head office staff work from an open-plan office where there are facilities for visiting assessors and verifiers. Communication between staff members is good and information is 7. Haddon Training is led by an owner manager who has overall responsibility for the

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Grade 3

strategic direction and management of the organisation. There is also a team co- ordinator who is an assessor and internal verifier and has responsibility for three visiting assessors, two of whom are also internal verifiers. Three other members of staff provide administrative support. Haddon Training uses outside contractors to provide additional support for finance, information technology (IT) systems, events and special projects. Haddon Training has an equal opportunities policy and a policy on anti-bullying and anti- harassment, and a statement on quality assurance. The organisation’s most recent self- assessment report was produced in December 2002 and is the fourth self-assessment report prepared by Haddon Training since 1998.

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STRENGTHS

• effective, open and consultative management style • good liaison between training provider and work placements • good strategy for meeting learners’ support needs • clear systems for key processes • good use of self-assessment process

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WEAKNESSES

• insufficiently coherent meetings structure • inadequate monitoring of equality of opportunity • poor use of evaluation to improve quality • poor management of internal verification

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• improved generation of management information to contribute to decision- making

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 5 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

exchanged readily. Ideas for improving the training provision are welcomed and individual initiative is encouraged. Staff turnover is low and most staff have worked with, or within, the organisation for several years and teamwork is good.

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

9. Haddon Training liaises well with learners on work placements and the work- placement employers. Haddon Training’s manager is well known and respected among equine and animal care employers, and visits all work placements personally to help establish appropriate working relationships and arrangements. Many learners are recruited by the work placement and start training with Haddon Training as a result of this effective professional relationship. Haddon Training makes thorough health and safety checks both before and during the learners’ work placement. An effective and innovative system of employers’ payments provides clear incentives for the training and support of the learners towards achievement. All work-placement providers have a sound contract for the provision of training, and their compliance with these contracts is monitored regularly. Work placements are provided with information and guidance on

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

how to support their learners and, where they have problems or queries, Haddon Training responds quickly.

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

10. The organisation has a good strategy for meeting learners’ support needs and good support was noted as a strength in its self-assessment report. Haddon Training provides learners with good pastoral and learning support. All learners are allocated a support category according to a set of defined criteria and additional support is provided in accordance with this category. Learners allocated to a higher support category receive more frequent visits to their workplace, with additional telephone contact to check on welfare and progress. Extra support is also provided at identified critical times of year. Even after completing or leaving the training programme, staff try to maintain contact with the learners to ensure that their career and progression needs are met. Haddon Training has resources available such as laptop computers, a digital camera, a dictation machine and reference books, to lend to learners who need them to develop their

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

learning or portfolios of evidence. All assessors have received training in dyslexia awareness. The learners interviewed spoke highly of the support they receive from Haddon Training.

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

11. Staff at Haddon Training hold regular meetings. Minutes of these meetings are often, but not always written, and these minutes contain actions. However, there is no obvious follow up to these actions and the minutes do not record the main purpose of each meeting. It is not possible to determine from the minutes whether gaps or duplication of effort have occurred and they are not well used for systematically reviewing and progressing developments to the training provision. The self-assessment report notes that the meetings structure is insufficiently well developed.

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

12. Haddon Training gathers management information from a wide variety of sources including learners’ progress and work-placement reviews, surveys and external sources. It analyses these effectively and produces helpful reports, which contribute to management decisions on improvements to the training provision. However, there are some gaps in this information and it is not always easy to obtain information quickly.

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 6 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The organisation has bought new computer software to remedy this problem and to produce additional reports and information, but these have yet to have an impact.

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OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 7 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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Equality of opportunity

13. Equality of opportunity is included in the learners’ induction to the training programme. Haddon Training issues them with informative booklets, copies of which are also given to employers and work-placement providers. A recently updated staff handbook contains the organisation’s equality of opportunity policy, and staff induction also refers to relevant issues. Haddon Training is starting to recruit through local schools and the local Connexions partnerships, but most of the learners are identified through employers. Haddon Training provides advice to employers on appropriate recruitment strategies to comply with relevant equality of opportunity requirements, but it has no procedures to ensure that their recruitment processes follow appropriate practice. Further training has recently been introduced to the training programme, to develop learners’ understanding of equality of opportunity in such areas as rights and

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Equality of opportunity

responsibilities at work and ensuring fair treatment for all. This is well received by learners, but only a third of them have so far received this additional session. There is little staff training in equality of opportunity issues, although some assessors and staff have received training from other employers, and have been involved in putting together guidance on equality of opportunity for a national equine training organisation. Review documents refer to equality of opportunity, but this is only completed if problems are identified. Haddon Training deals with any equality of opportunity problems effectively but does not develop and extend the learners’ understanding of equality of opportunity through the progress review process.

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Equality of opportunity

14. The monitoring of equality of opportunity in the workplace is inadequate. Haddon Training offers support to employers who wish to develop an equal opportunity policy, and has produced a guide to help them to develop and provide workplace inductions. However, the guide fails to emphasise the importance of equality of opportunity in the induction process. A recently devised equality of opportunity monitoring policy relies on feedback gleaned from learners’ progress reviews, retention forms, and annual feedback evaluations. There is no procedure for monitoring work placements to promote equality of opportunity in the workplace, as distinct from responding to problems which have already developed. This was recognised in Haddon Training’s self-assessment report.

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Contributory grade 4

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 8 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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Quality assurance

15. Haddon Training has clear systems for the initial assessment, induction, ongoing review and assessment of learners, which staff understand well. Master files of documents are well annotated and contain clear directions for their use, including the quality assurance of procedures. Learners’ progress reviews, assessments, retention and feedback forms are reviewed regularly to identify problems. There is effective management and monitoring of work placements to ensure consistency and the quality of the training provision. Where learners or work placements experience difficulties, these are identified and dealt with quickly. For example, when analysis of assessment documents revealed that in some work placements, training was not done satisfactorily, Haddon Training brought in additional, specialist training provision. Observation of training in work placements has been introduced recently and these are carried out well

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Quality assurance

and a detailed record of the assessment is kept. However, they have yet to have an impact on the training provision or to provide sufficient meaningful information for analysis. Learners’ files are well maintained and provide sound information on their needs, circumstances and progress. Haddon Training audits all documents regularly and checks learners’ files to ensure that documents are complete, appropriate and to the required standard. Where non-compliance is identified, action is taken to rectify the situation. However, there is no analysis of this non-compliance to identify trends.

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Quality assurance

16. Haddon Training uses the self-assessment process well to review its training provision. Most of the organisation’s key staff are involved in the progress review process and all of them are consulted and invited to comment on the report. Data, including information from learners’ records and external sources, are used to assist staff in making judgements about the training provision and to suggest improvements against each of the questions in the ’Common Inspection Framework’. The process has a clear focus on retention and achievement rates, and the experience of the learner. Judgements are translated into a development plan, which contains clear, measurable and time-bound targets, and actions for improvement which are monitored and reviewed regularly. The development plan provides a focus for the organisation’s ongoing review and continuous improvement activities. However, the self-assessment process did not include formal

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Quality assurance

evaluation by learners or work placements. The self-assessment report also functions as the organisation’s business plan, but it is not entirely helpful since it is too long and repetitive for practical use. The level of detail obscures some key messages and it does not include a thorough analysis of the animal care training provision, or detailed plans for its expansion. It is not easy to determine the organisation’s strategic direction and plans from the self-assessment report.

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Quality assurance

17. Formal evaluation procedures to improve quality are used poorly. While Haddon Training uses informal methods of gathering feedback, formal learners’ feedback was only introduced in January 2003, and has not yet had a significant influence on the quality of the training provision. The format of the learners’ feedback forms does not ensure a balanced response. Forms are issued by the assessor during work-placement visits, and collected in by them for analysis at Haddon Training. Some assessors issue and collect learners’ feedback forms at the end of each training session. While this enables them to

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Contributory grade 3

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 9 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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Contributory grade 3

collect feedback from all learners, anonymity of response is not possible. This inhibits constructive criticism from the learners and the identification of issues which may improve the training provision. There is no other procedure for learners to provide constructive criticism about their training programme in confidence. Although informal feedback from work-placement providers is obtained throughout the training programme, there are no questionnaires to gather feedback from them.

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Contributory grade 3

18. The management of internal verification is poor. Haddon Training monitors assessment and assessors, and analyses internal verification reports to identify and improve assessment processes. Some assessors are also internal verifiers, to ensure that assessors do not verify their own assessments, but there is no management system to ensure consistency in their verification practice. Neither is there a system to ensure that a sufficient sample of learners is monitored, and this monitoring is inadequate. Haddon Training has overlooked occasional lapses in good assessment practice. For example, assessors have not always marked learners’ work.

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Contributory grade 3

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 10 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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Land-based provision Grade 2

19. Of the 47 learners in training, 43 are working towards qualifications in horse care, and four towards qualifications in animal care. Twelve learners are on advanced modern apprenticeships, and 26 are on foundation modern apprenticeships. Two learners are working towards an NVQ at level 1 and seven are on an LSC employment training pilot scheme, working towards an NVQ at level 2 in horse care. Four learners are on foundation modern apprenticeships in animal care, but there were too few learners on the NVQ programmes to grade this separately.

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Land-based provision Grade 2

20. Most learners are recruited by their work placements before being placed on a modern apprenticeship or NVQ programme. Learners recruited directly by Haddon Training are found work placements at one of 23 locations across the Southwest and south of England. Most learners are unemployed and receive a training allowance, which may include their lodging at the work placement. Induction of learners to the training programme is carried out in the workplace, and includes a detailed initial assessment of learners’ vocational, key and basic skills, and of their learning styles. It also includes health and safety and equality of opportunity. Support for learners with additional social and/or learning needs, including basic skills needs, is provided in the form of additional time and resources. Where necessary, learners are directed to specialist help. Training takes place in the workplace, provided by work-placement staff

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Land-based provision Grade 2

or visiting tutors, which sometimes includes Haddon Training’s staff. Assessment is carried out by work-based assessors or one of four visiting assessors employed by Haddon Training. Internal verification is carried out by a work-based internal verifier or by one of three internal verifiers employed by Haddon Training. All staff employed by Haddon Training are occupationally competent. Programmes inspected Number of learners Contributory grade 2 47 Work-based learning for young people

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Land-based provision Grade 2

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 11 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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STRENGTHS

• good work placements • good on-the-job training • good assessment practice • well-supported learners • high retention and achievement rates The following tables show the achievement and retention rates available up to the time of the inspection.

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STRENGTHS

% % % % Advanced modern apprenticeships (AMA) 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 No. No. No. Work-based learning for young people

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STRENGTHS

1999-2000 No. No. % No. % No. % No. % 6 6 17 11 Number of starts 0 0 6 7 64 Retained* 0 0 7 7 64 Successfully completed 4 4 4 0 0 Still in learning *retained learners are those who have stayed in learning for at least the planned duration of their training programmes, or have successfully completed their programme within the time allowed

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STRENGTHS

% % % % Foundation modern apprenticeships (FMA) 2002-03 2001-02 No. No. No. Work-based learning for young people

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STRENGTHS

No. No. % No. % No. % No. % 24 14 Number of starts 0 3 Retained* 0 3 Successfully completed 20 6 Still in learning *retained learners are those who have stayed in learning for at least the planned duration of their training programmes, or have successfully completed their programme within the time allowed

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STRENGTHS

% % % % NVQ Training 2001-02 No. No. No. Work-based learning for young people

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STRENGTHS

No. No. % No. % No. % No. % 7 Number of starts 4 Retained* 4 Successfully completed 2 Still in learning *retained learners are those who have stayed in learning for at least the planned duration of their training programmes, or have successfully completed their programme within the time allowed

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STRENGTHS

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 12 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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WEAKNESSES

• inadequate use of initial assessment • poor planning of training

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WEAKNESSES

21. Haddon Training uses a wide variety of good work placements. Employers include approved large and small riding schools, competition and schooling yards, internationally known and smaller private studs, and veterinary practices, dog-grooming salons and boarding kennels. All the work placements visited demonstrate best practice within the industry, providing safe, well-managed working environments. Equine work placements offer a good range of horses, facilities and equipment to support learning. Some have access to the most up-to-date equipment, including infra-red systems, state-of- the-art horse-walkers and the use of innovative supplements and alternative therapies. Learners’ work-placement options are matched carefully to their ability and choice. The quality and diversity of work placements provides good opportunities for learners to develop a broad range of skills beyond those required for the completion of their

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WEAKNESSES

qualifications. For example, many learners gain additional experience by attending and supporting colleagues at competitive events. However, not all work placements have anywhere for learners to work on their portfolios of evidence and several have to do this at home. The variety of good work placements was recognised by Haddon Training as a strength in its self-assessment report.

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WEAKNESSES

22. On-the-job training sessions in riding, horse care and management, stud work and animal care are good. Training sessions are regular and frequent and take place at least once each week. They are well-paced, set at appropriate levels, and focused on the individual learners’ needs. Some training sessions are provided by internationally renowned trainers in the industry. Key skills training is occupationally relevant and uses real examples from learners’ work situations. Some learners’ projects have been used effectively to make improvements to the running of work placements. Learners are encouraged to give feedback on their own performance and to develop good observational skills and professional judgement. Good training was identified as a strength in the self-assessment report.

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WEAKNESSES

23. Assessment of equine and animal care is well managed and carried out by work- based assessors or visiting assessors employed by Haddon Training. Learners make sound and sustained progress. Assessment plans are negotiated effectively and allow learners to prepare fully for their assessment. Plans are organised to take into account learners’ work schedules and the activities they will be doing at their work placements. They include targets for development and clear instructions for learners on how to prepare for the assessment visit. Assessors provide the learners with clear, detailed written and verbal feedback for future reference. Haddon Training checks assessors’

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WEAKNESSES

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 13 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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WEAKNESSES

records carefully and, if it identifies any concerns or patterns, acts upon them promptly and makes the necessary improvements to the training provision.

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WEAKNESSES

24. Learners in both equine and animal care are well supported throughout their training programme. Haddon Training’s staff visit them regularly and frequently, and provide them with additional telephone support. Haddon Training’s assessors and monitoring officers provide their mobile phone numbers for learners, who are able to contact them at any time. Staff deal with problems promptly and efficiently and are generous with their time. They work hard at building good relationships with learners and are sensitive to their personal problems and difficulties, especially if they live away from home. Where appropriate, they maintain good contact with learners’ parents and liaise with them effectively to resolve difficulties such as homesickness. Haddon Training identifies those learners at risk of becoming demotivated by taking into consideration the work placement and any changes there, seasonal variations in the work, as well as

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WEAKNESSES

pastoral and programme difficulties. Haddon Training provides the learners with additional support, largely in the form of staff time, but also makes other resources available, such as laptop computers for those learners who do not have access to a computer.

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WEAKNESSES

25. Retention rates on the advanced modern apprenticeship and foundation modern apprenticeship for 2002-03 are high, at 67 per cent and 83 per cent respectively. This is identified as a strength in Haddon Training’s self-assessment report. The inspectors observed that most learners have been in training for less than two years and have yet to complete their modern apprenticeship framework. However, of the 17 advanced modern apprentices who began their training programme in 2000-01, seven have already achieved the framework and four remain in learning. Of the 14 who began a foundation modern apprenticeship in the same year, three have completed the framework and six remain in learning. Of the seven young people who began an NVQ in 2001-02, four have completed their qualification and two remain in learning.

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WEAKNESSES

26. There is inadequate use of initial assessment. Haddon Training carries out a detailed initial assessment of learners at the start of their training programme to determine their vocational, key and basic skills, and their preferred learning style. The assessment combines basic and key skills exercises, but provides insufficient detail to categorise the basic skills needs of particular learners. Some learners are identified as having a key skills ability at levels above those required by the modern apprenticeship framework, but they are only offered the opportunity to achieve key skills at the minimum level required. The preferred learning style is not used to help develop the individual learning plan or the instructors providing the training. Many learners have a high level of previous attainment and some hold vocational qualifications directly relevant to their modern apprenticeships. Learners gain appropriate, additional practical

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WEAKNESSES

and work-related skills while in training, but Haddon Training pays insufficient attention to learners’ prior achievement when preparing their individual learning plans and setting targets.

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WEAKNESSES

27. The planning of training is poor. Training is provided without the use of training

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WEAKNESSES

© 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 14 HADDON BUSINESS TRAINING CENTRE

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WEAKNESSES

schemes and lesson plans. Where lesson plans are produced, they do not reflect good practice. There is some recording of taught sessions, but this is in summary only, and does not detail learning strategies, learners’ needs, or the resources required. While learners have a well-designed and individual learning plan showing when they should expect to complete individual units of an NVQ, there is no similar overall plan for training. Haddon Training’s monitoring of training has not identified all the instructors who are providing the training at work placements.

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Good Practice

The employer of a learner with identified learning needs has altered her management style to help the learner cope more easily. The employer gives only short verbal instructions, which the learner can remember. More complex instructions are written out as the learner has a more developed reading ability.

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Poor Practice

During a practical session which involved handling a stallion and three mares, the instructor allowed two learners to participate without appropriate safety footwear. Both learners were wearing soft fabric trainers.

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