Qdos Training Limited

Inspection number 332167 Qdos Training Limited

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Background information ............................................................................... 3

Inspection judgements ..................................................................................... 3 Scope of the inspection..................................................................................... 3

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Overall judgement ........................................................................................ 6

Effectiveness of provision.................................................................................. 6 Capacity to improve ....................................................................................... 6

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Main findings................................................................................................. 8

Achievement and standards .............................................................................. 8 Quality of provision .......................................................................................... 8 Leadership and management .......................................................................... 10 Equality of opportunity ................................................................................. 10

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Sector subject areas ................................................................................... 13

Information and communication technology..................................................... 13 Literacy and numeracy ................................................................................... 16 Business, administration and law..................................................................... 19

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Inspection judgements

Inspectors use a four-point scale to summarise their judgements about achievement and standards, the quality of provision, and leadership and management, which includes a grade for equality of opportunity .

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Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate

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Key for inspection grades

Further information can be found on how inspection judgements are made on www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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Scope of the inspection

In deciding the scope of the inspection, inspectors take account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and comments from the local Learning and Skills Council (LSC) or other funding body. Where appropriate, inspectors also consider the previous inspection report ( www.ofsted.gov.uk ), reports from the inspectorates’ monitoring visits, and data on learners and their achievements over the period since the previous inspection.

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Scope of the inspection

In addition to reporting on overall effectiveness of the organisation, its capacity to improve further, achievement and standards, quality of provision and leadership and management, this inspection focused on specialist provision in:

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Scope of the inspection

 Information and communication technology  Literacy and numeracy  Business, administration and law

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Description of the provider

1. Qdos Training Limited (Qdos) is based in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire. The company is part of the Qdos Consulting Group and has been in operation since 2005. It is owned by seven shareholders and is managed by the chief executive, who is supported by 13 full-time staff. Qdos has contracts with Leicestershire and Coventry and Warwickshire LSC for the provision of Train to Gain programmes in information and communication technology (ICT), literacy and numeracy and business, administration and law. It is currently working with two subcontractors. LMT Limited provides business, administration and law programmes, and Careers Exchange Limited provides literacy and numeracy programmes and information, advice and guidance. Until just before the inspection Qdos also subcontracted literacy and numeracy provision to Business Solutions Limited and during 2008, subcontracted an adult learning account programme leading to NVQs in

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Description of the provider

2. At the time of inspection 552 learners were following programmes in ICT, 40 in literacy and numeracy and 20 in business, administration and law. Learners are trained and assessed in the workplace or at Qdos’ or subcontractors’ premises. Training and assessment are provided on an individual or small group basis. Approximately 95% of the Qdos Training business is government funded training.

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Description of the provider

3. The proportion of Leicestershire’s population that is economically active is 83% compared with 79% for the United Kingdom as a whole. Two-thirds of its population have qualifications that are equivalent to NVQ at level 2 or above compared with 65% nationally. This is the first inspection of Qdos.

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Summary of grades awarded

Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Achievement and standards Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Leadership and management Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Sector subject areas

Information and communication technology Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Sector subject areas

Literacy and numeracy Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Sector subject areas

Business, administration and law Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

4. The overall effectiveness of the provision is satisfactory. Achievement and standards, leadership and management, the organisations’ approach to equality of opportunity, diversity and social inclusion are satisfactory. The quality of provision in the sector subject areas of information and communication technology (ICT), literacy and numeracy, business, administration and law are satisfactory overall.

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Good: Grade 2

5. Qdos’ demonstrates that its capacity to improve is good. It has made good use of improvement indicators to monitor provision closely and to help develop its strategic and development plans. Since the introduction of government funded programmes, Qdos has quickly developed strong links with employers and introduced new subject areas to widen participation by under-represented groups. Teaching and learning are good in ICT programmes and success rates in this area have steadily improved each year and are now satisfactory. Although Qdos has implemented a range of quality assurance measures, its management of the subcontractors is insufficient.

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Good: Grade 2

6. Qdos prepared its first self-assessment report in 2008. The self-assessment process is satisfactory and suitably informed by staff, employer, subcontractor and learner views. Data is used well to support the judgements. The report is broadly accurate and graded but is insufficiently evaluative. The development plan is sufficiently detailed and monitored to be a useful tool to bring about improvement.

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Key strengths

 Good acquisition of workplace skills  High pass rates on additional qualifications  Good teaching and learning  Highly productive links with employers  Clear strategic vision

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Key areas for improvement

 Insufficiently individualised learning  Insufficient staff resources in ICT  Insufficient management and monitoring of subcontractors  Incomplete strategies for literacy and numeracy and information advice and guidance

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

7. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. The success rate on adult learning programme leading to a NVQ at level 3 in management is high, at 91%. Learners acquire particularly good workplace skills in ICT. They quickly develop competence and confidence in using a variety of office software applications. They become more efficient and quicker at completing their work tasks. Most learners are confident that the training programme has improved their employment prospects. This strength was recognised in the self-assessment report. Overall success rates for all Train to Gain programmes are satisfactory at 68%. More specifically, overall success rates in ICT programmes are satisfactory at 73% and current learners are making good progress. Learners in literacy and numeracy programmes make good gains in confidence and motivation. Their progress in the acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills is generally satisfactory.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

However, the achievement of qualifications is slow for those learners who started their programme at the start of the 2008/09 contract year. Learners in business, administration and law programmes are making satisfactory progress. Qdos makes good use of data to monitor the participation and success of different groups of learners and plan improvements to provision. Its self-assessment report accurately identified most of these findings.

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Good: Grade 2

8. The quality of provision overall is good. For the large number of learners on ICT programmes, teaching and learning are good, but are only satisfactory for the smaller numbers of learners on other programmes. Tutors in ICT identify clearly where learners need to improve and give them good advice on how these improvements can be made. They promote good working relationships with learners who enjoy their training. Learners benefit from a particularly effective electronic system for presenting their evidence. Employers and Qdos plan an appropriate training programme for each group of learners and a schedule of training is produced which covers the modules and units well. However, learning is insufficiently individualised in most programmes. Insufficient use is made of the good initial assessment of learners’ skills and learning styles. Learners who have good prior knowledge and experience are not given the opportunity to develop

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Good: Grade 2

and accredit their skills to a higher level. Qdos has recognised this as an area for development in its self-assessment report. The range of teaching methods used in literacy and numeracy is too narrow.

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Good: Grade 2

9. Programmes meet the needs and interests of learners and employers well. Relationships with employers and community groups are good. Qdos and its subcontractors establish flexible programmes which meet the needs of the workplace. Employers value the good communications between the organisations and many employers return for further training. Programmes in ICT meet the needs of learners particularly well. Learners benefit from well qualified and experienced tutors who provide good, industry standard, training. Qdos identified this in its self-assessment report.

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Good: Grade 2

10.Support for learners’ is satisfactory. Learners’ benefit from a thorough induction which gives them appropriate information on their learning programmes. Their literacy and numeracy levels are routinely assessed and support is offered where a need is identified. Information, advice and guidance are delivered by a subcontractor at three stages in the learning programme. However, some of this repeats the information given at induction.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

11.Leadership and management are satisfactory. Qdos’ senior management team has a clear strategic vision for the development of the training company acquired three years ago. Their clearly defined strategic plans are based on detailed financial forecasting and designed to support the projected growth of the organisation. It has a strategy to increase the ability to deliver to more learners by improved scheduling and engagement with the employer following initial contact. Following a review of the group size for formal tutor-led training, Qdos identified the need to recruit additional trainers for the ICT provision. Recruitment has started but is not yet completed. All staff have key performance indicators relevant to their roles. Qdos has made significant and well targeted investments in a wide range of learning resources and good quality mobile technology, to help improve its provision. Staff at all levels share and understand Qdos’ aims and

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

values. Good working across different functions in the organisation, especially at management level, helps to drive improvement.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

12.Communications across the organisation are good and systematic. Information from the senior board is cascaded across the organisation via quarterly, monthly and weekly management and operational meetings. Weekly meetings are used effectively to enable trainers to share best practice. The self-assessment process started in late summer, 2008. All staff were actively involved in a series of workshops to identify strengths and areas for improvements in provision.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

13.The strategies for literacy and numeracy and information, advice and guidance are incomplete. All learners are given clear and relevant support and guidance at the beginning of their programme and a satisfactory assessment of their literacy and numeracy needs is carried out by a member of Qdos staff at their induction. Since 2007, The Careers Exchange has provided support for literacy and numeracy and information, advice and guidance. The initial information, advice and guidance session is not individualised or timely. Most learners do not have their initial session until 3 to 4 months after the start of their learning programme. This session is carried out as a group activity and is not sufficiently individualised to meet learners’ needs.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

14.Quality improvement systems are satisfactory. Qdos uses the services of an external quality consultant to advise on best practice. Its approach to quality monitoring of the learning processes, including enrolment, induction, assessment and record-keeping, is well developed. However, although observation of staff takes place, the current feedback mechanism lacks sufficient detail to improve performance and practice.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

15.The quality monitoring of subcontracted provision is insufficient . Before commencement of the programme, Qdos carefully checks each subcontractor and carries out full due diligence processes. It sets recruitment and success targets for subcontractors. However, data on individual learners’ achievement is insufficiently detailed, or monitored to measure accurately whether the rate of progress is adequate. Qdos has carried out quality monitoring visits and observations of teaching at subcontractors but this is only recent.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

16.Qdos’ approach to equality of opportunity, diversity and social inclusion is satisfactory. It makes good use of data to set targets for the recruitment of under-represented groups, in order to widen participation. Equality and diversity are covered adequately at the induction of both staff and learners. An equal opportunities policy is in place and is supported by a range of up-to-date detailed procedures and anti-discriminatory policies and procedures. Qdos has carefully developed its training and marketing materials to reflect the diverse population that it serves, although the language used in a few materials is too complex for learners with literacy needs. Within the last 12 months, all staff have attended a workshop covering all aspects of equal opportunities. Qdos focuses clearly on areas such as bullying and harassment but provides insufficient reinforcement of learners’ understanding of their responsibilities. It promotes the wider aspects of

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

equality and diversity satisfactorily. However, there is little attempt to deepen learners’ understanding.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

17.Qdos satisfactorily meets the requirements of current legislation for the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. While Qdos does not currently have learners who are declared as vulnerable, the provider has identified that it may in the future and is working towards the October 2009 compliance standards set by the independent safeguarding authority for providers of work-based learning.

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What learners like:

 The very good tuition and support from trainers  ‘The training sessions are relaxed and friendly’  The very good team building, and getting to know staff from other departments  ‘The skills I have learned have helped me to do my job better’  ‘Different aspects of the training have helped us all in our work roles’  ‘The qualification will be very helpful during redundancies’  The helpful, friendly, supportive assessors  The practical exercises and role-play activities  ‘I thought the course might be a bit tedious but it turned out to be really enjoyable’  ‘Before the course, I was just muddling through. Now, I really know what I’m doing with a computer’  ‘Our tutor was really on the right wavelength’

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What learners think could improve:

 ‘I would have liked more time on some of the modules for more in-depth training’  The amount of paperwork and the time it took to explain Train to Gain  ‘I didn’t understand at first the amount of work I would need to do for the workplace assignments’

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Context

18.Qdos provides NVQ training at level 2 for 552 learners; and of these 55% are women and 45% are men. In addition, learners achieve units towards an international computer qualification at level 2. Learners are employed or are volunteers in a range of organisations across the East and West Midlands. Training and assessment are carried out at the employers’ premises or at the training centre by a team comprising of the training services manager, four full- time assessors and a part-time internal verifier.

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Strengths

 Good acquisition of workplace skills  High pass rates on additional qualifications  Good teaching and learning  Highly productive links with employers

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficiently individualised learning  Insufficient staff resources

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Achievement and standards

19.Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Learners acquire particularly good workplace skills. They quickly develop competence and confidence in using a variety of office software applications. They become more efficient and quicker in completing their work tasks. They use their newly developed skills well, for example in the professional presentation of letters and reports, preparing financial information and in making presentations. Employers benefit from the improvements in workplace performance. Most learners are confident that the training programme has improved their employment prospects. This strength was recognised in the self-assessment report.

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Achievement and standards

20.Learners are accredited with additional qualifications. In addition to the NVQ at level 2, they achieve units for an international computer qualification and pass rates are high. The overall NVQ success rate in 2007/08 is satisfactory at 73%. Current learners are making good progress in achieving by their planned end dates. The standard of learners’ work in their electronic portfolios is good.

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Quality of provision

21.The quality of provision is good. Teaching, training and learning are good. Tutors have good subject knowledge. They use questioning techniques well to check and reinforce learning. Assessment practices are effective. Tutors identify clearly where learners need to improve and give them good advice on how these improvements can be made. Learners benefit from the effective electronic system for presenting their evidence. Tutors promote good working relationships with learners who enjoy their training. Many learners receive good support outside their training sessions by regular emails. Printed resources are well written and contain helpful illustrations of software procedures. Qdos provides laptop computers for each group so that training can take place at the employers’ premises and away from learners’ workstations.

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Quality of provision

22.Learning is insufficiently individualised. Employers and Qdos plan an appropriate training programme for each group of learners and a schedule of training is produced which covers the modules and units well. Qdos has good arrangements for the initial assessment of learners’ skills and learning styles. However, insufficient account is taken of the results of this assessment in planning learning. For example, some learners are identified as needing additional tuition in some aspects of the software applications but this is not included in their learning plans. Learners who have good prior knowledge and experience in using the applications are not given the opportunity to develop and accredit their skills at a higher level. The provider has recognised this as an area for development.

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Quality of provision

23.Programmes and activities to meet the needs and interest of learners are good. Relationships with employers are highly productive. Many employers return to Qdos for training for more of their staff and many recommend the provider to other employers. Communications are good and Qdos staff work effectively with employers to provide a flexible training programme which meets the needs of the workplace. Many employers regard Qdos as their partner and tutors quickly develop a good understanding of the work of the organisations. Qdos identified this strength in the self-assessment report.

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Quality of provision

24.Guidance and support for learners are satisfactory. Learners benefit from a thorough induction which gives them appropriate information on their learning programmes. Learners’ literacy and numeracy levels are routinely assessed and support is offered where a need is identified. Equality of opportunity and health and safety matters are included appropriately in the induction but learners’ understanding of these topics is insufficiently checked in their reviews. Information, advice and guidance are provided by a subcontractor at three stages in the learning programme. However, some of this information repeats the information given at induction.

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Leadership and management

25.Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Staff are experienced, appropriately qualified and the team works well together. Tutors are well supported in their professional development. Staff are set targets on learner achievement and these are reviewed monthly with the training services manager. Managers set a clear direction for improving success rates. Tutors are observed regularly. However, the process is incomplete. Observation reports do not provide sufficient detail on learning and they do not include action plans to meet development needs. The resources provided by Qdos meet the needs of groups of learners well. Laptop computers are industry standard and each tutor has an appropriate number of these computers to use in training sessions. Assistive technology is provided to enable learners with disabilities to benefit from training. Learners are provided with appropriate distance learning material to develop their

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Leadership and management

skills before and during their programmes. Internal verification processes are satisfactory and fully meet awarding body requirements. Staff use well the electronic recording system well and standardisation meetings are held regularly.

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Leadership and management

26.Learners’ understanding of equal opportunities is satisfactory. However, Qdos does not promote equality and diversity sufficiently in training and during review processes.

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Leadership and management

27.The provider’s staff work well to promote the programmes and the recruitment of learners is high. However, the provider does not deliver timely training. At the time of the inspection, half the learners did not have their training sessions scheduled. The provider has recognised this but has so far been unable to recruit suitably qualified and experienced tutors.

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Leadership and management

28.The self-assessment report is accurately graded. Qdos identified most of the strengths identified during the inspection. However, other strengths in the self- assessment report are no more than satisfactory and areas for improvement are not sufficiently clearly identified.

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Context

29.Provision in literacy and numeracy has been offered by Qdos since the commencement of the 2008/09 contract year and is subcontracted to The Careers Exchange. Forty learners are enrolled on literacy and numeracy courses from entry level 3 to level 2. Of these, 67% are women and 33% are men. All learners are employed or are working as volunteers on a community project. Six employers are currently engaged in the literacy & numeracy Train to Gain contract. Learners are geographically located across the East and West Midlands. The Careers Exchange is owned by its managing director who is supported by the Skills for Life manager and two literacy and numeracy tutors.

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Strengths

 Good gains in confidence and motivation  Particularly effective initial and diagnostic assessment  Strong links with employers and community organisations to meet learner needs

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Areas for improvement

 Slow achievement of qualifications for some learners  Narrow range of teaching methods  Insufficient development planning

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Achievement and standards

30.Achievement and standards are satisfactory. In community organisations, learners gain in confidence and are motivated to take literacy and numeracy courses. They are positive about their learning and see the relevance of what they learn to their job roles. For example, one learner working with children can see how the development of her own literacy and numeracy skills will enable her to help children with their homework in the homework club. The standard of learners’ work is satisfactory. Learners enjoy working to improve their spelling, writing and number skills.

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Achievement and standards

31.The acquisition and rate of improvement in literacy and numeracy skills is satisfactory for most learners. However, progress towards the achievement of qualifications is slow for those learners who started their programme at the start of the contract year. At the time of inspection, only three of the 19 learners who are close to their expected completion date have achieved their qualifications. For employed learners, progress in developing work related literacy and numeracy skills is also slow. For example, one learner is keen to develop letter and memo writing skills to be able to communicate with employees accurately using formal language, but all the training so far has been in generic literacy rather than work related topics.

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Quality of provision

32.The quality of provision is satisfactory. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Initial and diagnostic assessment is thorough. It accurately identifies learners’ skill levels and areas they need to improve. Results from the diagnostic assessment are used well to prepare individual learning plans for learners. Tutors give clear introductions to tasks, explain the purpose of what learners are doing and give appropriate verbal feedback to learners on their progress. Teaching and learning resources are satisfactory. Tutors provide literacy and numeracy support materials at appropriate levels and times to suit learners’ needs. Learners value the opportunity this gives for independent study. Some tutors supplement the core books with other worksheets or guide learners to practice topics on appropriate websites. However, these worksheets are generic and not contextualised to learners’ work situations. Other more recent and colourful

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Quality of provision

resources are being developed with learners.

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Quality of provision

33.The range of teaching methods is too narrow. Most of the teaching is face-to- face, in small groups on employer’s premises. However, some learners are not always able to attend the scheduled classes because of business commitments. Alternative teaching methods are not sufficiently exploited and computer literate learners are not encouraged to make use of technology for review of their work and to facilitate their learning. Insufficient use is made of learners’ job roles and the work they do in the planning of literacy and numeracy sessions.

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Quality of provision

34.Programmes and activities meet the needs of learners and employers satisfactorily. Links with employers and community organisations are particularly effective and The Careers Exchange has generated good interest from employers to promote the development of literacy and numeracy within the workforce. Employers value the literacy and numeracy training being offered. Links with community organisations are particularly strong. One organisation assists minority ethnic learners, who are volunteers to a community project, to achieve qualifications in mathematics and English to help improve their employment prospects. Another community link encourages learners who are support workers to improve their literacy and numeracy skills so they can write accurate reports and help their clients to manage their personal budgets.

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Quality of provision

35.Support for learners is satisfactory. The Careers Exchange provides satisfactory advice and guidance at the start of, and during, the programme. Employers and community organisations provide satisfactory support for learning.

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Leadership and management

36.Leadership and management are satisfactory. The requirements of the Train to Gain programme have been satisfactorily implemented and are satisfactorily managed. Both the provider and subcontractor have worked well together to establish the programme in a relatively short time. The programme is satisfactorily resourced and staff are suitably qualified or working towards literacy and numeracy specialist qualifications. However, the programme is relatively new and there is insufficient development planning by the subcontractor and monitoring by the main contractor. 37.The approach to equality of opportunity and diversity are satisfactory. This subject area is aimed specifically at learners from minority ethnic groups. The work with community organisations’ is particularly successful at reaching and supporting volunteers working with very vulnerable groups of people.

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Context

38.Qdos subcontracts Train to Gain programmes in team leading to NVQ at level 2 to a specialist provider, LMT. Twenty learners are working towards the award. Learners have off-the-job training and assessment at LMT’s premises. Adult learning account programmes in management NVQ at level 3 for 20 learners were provided by a subcontractor, Mitre Group Limited during 2008. This programme has now ended. Qdos also subcontracts the provision of information, advice and guidance to The Careers Exchange who also mark the initial assessments for all learners and provide support for literacy and numeracy.

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Strengths

 High success rates on adult learning account programmes

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficiently individualised learning  Insufficient reinforcement of equality of opportunity

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Achievement and standards

39.Achievement and standards are satisfactory. In 2007/08, the overall success rate on the adult learning account programmes leading to a management NVQ at level 3 was high at 91%. This programme is not currently offered. The team leading NVQ at level 2 programme is relatively new and started in the 2008/09 contract year. Most learners increase their knowledge of techniques in team leading and demonstrate appropriate development of skills such as improved communications, planning and evaluation. They apply these effectively in the workplace. Learners gain confidence, have a better understanding of the principles and practices that underpin their work roles and are more reflective about their working practices. Most current learners on the Train to Gain programme make satisfactory progress. Progress is slow for a few learners at two employers where there have been significant mitigating employment circumstances which the provider is

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Achievement and standards

working appropriately to resolve. The standard of learners’ work is satisfactory overall, and some is good.

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Quality of provision

40.The quality of provision is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Learners’ induction satisfactorily covers topics to help them settle into their programme. LMT plans suitable schemes of work and workshop sessions. Staff make effective use of appropriate training resources to enhance learners’ experience and develop their skills and knowledge. Assessors are well qualified and make appropriate use of their experience and good knowledge of learners’ job roles to bring realism to sessions. Learners’ effectively share their own work- place experiences. Facilities for training are good. Most learners attend workshops that cover mandatory and pre-determined optional units. This choice is agreed with learners’ employers. However, learners are given insufficient opportunity to select the optional units that are most appropriate to their needs.

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Quality of provision

41.LMT uses thorough assessment procedures. Assessors plan and make effective use of assessment methods to suit learners’ workplace environments and job roles. Assessors carry out professional discussions and observations and make suitable records of, and reference to these activities. They have a thorough understanding of the occupational standards. They judge learners’ achievement accurately and give clear and constructive feedback to learners after each assessment.

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Quality of provision

42.Learning is insufficiently individualised. This has not been recognised in the self- assessment report. The Careers Exchange carries out the initial assessment of learners’ literacy and numeracy but does not send the results to LMT in sufficient time. LMT is unable to make effective use of this information to help develop learning plans for learners. Staff do not make sufficient use of information that is collected about individual learners' experience, existing competence, job role or preferred learning style to plan an effective programme of personal learning. Most individual learning plans are identical and do not sufficiently identify learning objectives or set challenging goals for individual learners. Learning targets are based on the timescales set for scheduled workshops. All learners work on the same units at the same time. Staff set learners too few targets or learning objectives for personal or career development. In general, employers are

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Quality of provision

adequately involved in learning programmes. However, they are insufficiently involved in setting individual goals for learning and assessment to maximise benefits for both learners and their businesses. LMT does not carry out formal progress reviews to measure overall individual progress and development.

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Quality of provision

43.The programme satisfactorily meets the needs of employers and learners. Employers are closely involved in the scheduling of the programme and workplace visits to meet the needs of learners and of the business.

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Quality of provision

44.Support for learners is satisfactory. Assessors provide satisfactory information, advice, guidance and support for learners. Learners receive appropriate information before their course to ensure they are able to make an informed decision about the relevance of the programme, and level, and whether it will meet their needs. During training, assessors provide effective, contextualised advice, guidance and support to aid learning and progress. Assessors provide clear guidance on progression opportunities in management. The Careers Exchange also provides information, advice and guidance but this is not always timely or sufficiently related to the subject area. Arrangements to identify and support additional needs in literacy and numeracy are satisfactory. If a need is identified, learners are contacted directly by The Careers Exchange and offered appropriate support.

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Leadership and management

45.Leadership and management are satisfactory. Subcontractor staff are well qualified and experienced. Assessors are provided with satisfactory resources to carry out their role. The internal verification strategy and sampling plan within LMT are satisfactory although internal verification, for those learners who have been on programme for the longest periods, is not carried out sufficiently regularly.

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Leadership and management

46.Qdos has recently carried out quality monitoring visits and observations of teaching at its subcontractors but it is too early to judge if these processes are improving performance. Qdos sets the subcontractor targets for recruitment and success rates. It receives data from LMT on unit achievement by learners but this is insufficiently detailed or monitored to measure accurately whether the rate of learners’ progress is satisfactory.

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Leadership and management

47.The self-assessment process makes appropriate use of feedback from relevant stakeholders. However, the report is not sufficiently evaluative and does not adequately recognise the areas for improvement found during inspection.

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Leadership and management

48.Although LMT checks that employers have appropriate equal opportunities policies, its promotion of equality of opportunity is insufficient. Learners receive appropriate, basic information during induction but their understanding and awareness is not sufficiently checked. Subsequent promotion or reinforcement is not conducted during review processes. Annex

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Leadership and management

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Learners’ achievements

Success rates on work-based learning ‘ Train to Gain’ programmes managed by Qdos Training Limited 2006 to 2009

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Learners’ achievements

Programme End Year Success rate No. of learners* Provider NVQ rate** overall 22 55% 2006/07 timely 10 45% overall 129 62% Train to Gain *** 2007/08 timely 22 23% 2008/09 (6 months) overall 207 68%

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Learners’ achievements

Note: 2008/09 data is ‘part year’ only and is representative of the first six months of the LSC contract year

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Learners’ achievements

* Learners who leave later than originally planned are counted in the year they actually leave. This group of learners are then added to the learners who planned to complete in a given year and did so or left earlier than planned ** College/provider qualification success rates are calculated using LSC published data derived from the ‘Individual Learning Record’ *** Includes ‘Train to Gain’ long course NVQ provision, but not ‘Skills for Life’

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