Ofsted round-up – This week: Providers from the North and East

Acorn Training Services, Kent and Medway

 

Summary of grades awarded:

Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

Capacity to improve Satisfactory: Grade 3

Achievement and standards Satisfactory: Grade 3

Quality of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

Leadership and management Satisfactory: Grade 3

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

Sector subject areas:

Health, public services and care Satisfactory: Grade 3

 

Established in August 2004, Acorn Training Services Ltd (ATS) provided training for the health and social care industry. ATS has held a small contract for apprenticeship training with Kent and Medway LSC since August 2008 and secured a Train to Gain contract from August 2007. ATS works with over 85 workplaces across Kent. Of the 199 learners enrolled on Train to Gain programmes, 156 are working on levels 2 and 3 in health and social care and 10 on children’s care, learning and development at levels 2 and 3.

Ofsted found that overall effectiveness of the provision to be satisfactory while showing a satisfactory capacity to improve. Staff have good experience of the care industry and achievements are satisfactory, with few learners failing to complete their NVQ although timely achievements are significantly below overall success rates. ATS has started to collect and analyse feedback from learners and employers and take action to adjust programmes accordingly.

Ofsted found ATS’s self assessment report process to be satisfactory. The staff were involved in the process and contributed to the report. Satisfactory arrangements are in place to obtain feedback from learners and employers. The SAR failed to identify many of the areas for improvement found by inspectors but grades awarded were broadly accurate, though it over graded in one area. Key strengths include good development of workplace skills, good links between employer organised training and assessment, good support for progression, very effective partnership working to benefit learners and very effective strategy for Skills for Life.

Inspectors agreed with ATS that achievements and standards are satisfactory. In 2007/08, 75% of level 2 learners successfully achieved their qualification; however timely success rates were low at 56%. Currently for 2008/08, 89% of level 2 learners have achieved their qualifications but only 53% achieving within the planned time. Ofsted noted that the standard of learners’ work is generally satisfactory and for some it is very good.

 

Gemstone Training Limited, West Midlands

 

Summary of grades awarded:

Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

Capacity to improve Satisfactory: Grade 3

Achievement and standards Good: Grade 2

Quality of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

Leadership and management Satisfactory: Grade 3

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

Sector subject area:

Health and social care Satisfactory: Grade 3

 

Gemstone Training Limited (Gemstone) is based in Willenhall, West Midlands. The company provides training for the adult care sector. It has a Train to Gain contract with the West Midlands LSC to deliver level 2 and 3 national vocational qualifications (NVQ) in health and social care. The business was formed in October 2007. Gemstone was awarded an LSC contract in January 2008; it started working with the first learners in March 2008. At the time of the inspection 137 learners were following health and social care programmes, of which 88 were working towards NVQs at level 2 and 57 at level 3. The Train to Gain contract accounts for the vast majority of the provider’s business, the remainder of which is a very small amount of privately funded training at level 4.

Ofsted has noted that the overall effectiveness of the provision is satisfactory with the capacity to improve also being satisfactory. Achievement of learners who remain on programme at level 3 is good, and the provider has introduced well-designed measures to improve currently satisfactory retention. The managing directors and other staff constantly although informally, review each aspect of the provision and have rapidly and effectively introduced changes and improvements.

Self-assessment is not fully established and the company produced its first self-assessment report immediately before the inspection. Some of the self-assessment grades were overgenerous although most of the judgements were accurate and in line with those of inspectors. The report was not sufficiently evaluative although the associated quality improvement plan clearly addresses the major areas for improvement. The organisation responds rapidly to external criticism such as funding body audits and external verifier visits. Key strengths include high overall success rates at level 2, high standard of learners’ work, good teaching and learning, strong links with employers and good staff development.

Achievements and standards are good with overall success rates in 2008/09 for NVQs at level 2 being high at 86%. Timely success rates are satisfactory at 68%. Overall and timely success rates in 2008/09 for level 3 learners are both satisfactory at 68%. There are no significant differences in success rates between different groups of learners and most learners made good progress towards achieving their qualification.

 

Executive Training Solutions, Newcastle On Tyne

 

Summary of grades awarded:

Effectiveness of provision Good: Grade 2

Capacity to improve Good: Grade 2

Achievement and standards Good: Grade 2

Quality of provision Good: Grade 2

Leadership and management Good: Grade 2

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

Sector subject area

Customer Services Good: Grade 2

 

Executive Training Solutions Limited (ETS) is based in Newcastle on Tyne and provides training in the northeast and southeast of England and in Scotland. ETS provides nationally recognised qualifications and bespoke training to meet the needs of employers and adults in the security and licensed retail industry. Established in 2004 to provide specialist training in personal safety, conflict management and physical interventions, ETS obtained its LSC contract for Train to Gain in 2007. ETS provides off-the-job training at its main training centre in Gosforth and on employers’ premises. The Train to Gain contract has grown rapidly from 51 learners in 2007/08, to the 374 learners enrolled on customer service NVQ’s at level 2 in 2008/09.

The overall effectiveness of the provision is good with learners’ success rates also being good. Learners develop very good workplace skills and use their literacy and numeracy skills in the workplace and at home. The quality of provision is good. Ofsted has reported that On-and off-the-job training are integrated well and employers contribute to the programme effectively. Ofsted has also noted that ETS has good capacity to improve and has developed very productive relationships with employers. Effective action has been taken to improve learners’ overall and timely success rates. While ETS has a strong focus on improving learners’ experience, quality improvement processes are insufficiently systematic.

The self-assessment report is broadly accurate and most strengths and areas for improvement matched inspection findings. Staff are involved in the process and some use is made of learners’ and employers’ views. ETS has been cautious in grading its first self-assessment report and many inspection grades were higher. Key strengths include high success rates, good application of skills in the workplace, good development of learners’ skills, well planned learning programme which meets learners’ and employers’ needs, good support for learners, effective action to improve learner outcomes, open and supportive management with strong team work, strong partnership with employers and good promotion of equality and diversity.

Ofsted found achievements and standards to be good. Timely and overall success rates have improved, as noted in the self-assessment report. The number of learners increased from 51 in 2007/08 to 374 in 2008/09. Learners’ success rates on literacy and numeracy programmes are very high at 100% and 99% respectively. They make good progress and timely success rates are very high. On the customer service NVQ, overall and timely success rates are high at 80% and 76% respectively.

Natalie Hailes