Ofsted round-up – This week: Rivals A4e and Rathbone Training inspections released

A4e (Central London New Deal), Sheffield

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 area:

Preparation for life and work Satisfactory: Grade 3

Established in 1986 and based in Sheffield, A4e is a private company whose DWP-funded training is managed through an operating division called A4e work. This is the first time A4e has been inspected. In 2006 A4e (Central London) won the prime contract for Camden and Islington and both boroughs have an A4e office that work with Jobcentre Plus (JC+) partners in Kentish Town, Highgate, Barnsbury and Finsbury Park. A4e currently has 438 participants.

The inspection found that the overall effectiveness of the provision was satisfactory as was the quality of teaching and learning. Central London A4e has satisfactory capacity to improve and managers have taken positive action to improve the job outcome rates for participants. The inspection found that the self-assessment process is satisfactory but that some of the strengths are over-generous.

Key strengths within A4e are the good development of confidence and self-belief, a good range of well-matched placements, good personal and employment support, particularly effective action to improve New Deal 18-24 job outcomes, good links with external partners and good promotion of equality and diversity. Key areas for improvement within A4e include low job outcomes, inadequate group teaching within A4e, insufficiently focused target setting and review of participants progress, insufficient management of skills for life, inadequate implementation of quality assurance and insufficient use of data to monitor performance of minority groups.

Overall the inspection has found that achievement of learning aims is satisfactory. There has been much improvement n success rates in the past six months and participants achieve a variety of skills whilst on the programme. In the first six months of 2008/09 progression to employment rates have been improved by six per cent to 36% and 25% for New Deal for Young People and New Deal for 25+ participants respectively.

Rathbone Training (Milton Keynes)

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:

Preparation for life and work Good: Grade 2

With charitable status, Rathbone training offers a range of provision for the local population with funding from various sources. Its LSC funded position, including e2e and apprenticeships was inspected in 2007. This is the first inspection of Rathbone’s New Deal provision. Rathbone focuses its efforts upon those people who are most at risk of becoming disengaged with society and the effectiveness of the programme is measured against those gaining employment and/or qualifications.

The inspection has found that the overall effectiveness of the provision is good, success rates for literacy and numeracy are satisfactory and all clients, including those who leave early, make good progress. Learners develop good employability skills and self-confidence. Rathbone works well with employers and is responsive to their business needs.

Rathbone’s capacity to improve is good and revised corporate policies and procedures to monitor and improve the provision are successfully implemented as part of the organisation’s recent review of quality improvement arrangements. Rathbone’s self-assessment is incorporated within the organisation’s annual quality cycle and policies procedures give clear guidance to staff.

Key strengths within Rathbone training are good development of employability skills, thorough induction and initial assessment of clients’ needs, effective reviews, effective strategic leadership and planning, well-established partnerships with outside organisations, good focus on continuous professional development and good action to provide a supportive environment in which clients are valued and respected. Key areas for improvement include insufficient planning for clients’ individual needs and training sessions, insufficient engagement with employers and insufficient reinforcement of equality of opportunity at centre level.

Anderson Stockley Accredited Training Limited, Northampton

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:

Business, administration and law Satisfactory: Grade 3

Established in early 2000, Anderson Stockley Accredited Training Limited (ASAT), is an additional division of Anderson Stockley Telemarketing Associates which has been trading since 1993 as a commercial training, telemarketing and recruitment organisation. ASAT’s training is funded through the East of England LSC and provides training for commercial customers nationwide. The Government funded training represents 90% of the total provision. At the time of the inspection a total of 102 learners were in learning.

The overall effectiveness of the provision is satisfactory with both achievement and standards being good. ASAT has satisfactory capacity to improve and success rates have improved since the last inspection in 2007. Although the provider has addressed most areas for improvement identified in 2007’s inspection, it is too early to assess the full impact.

Key strengths within ASAT are very high success rates, good off-the-job training and good strategy to respond to employer needs. Key areas for improvement are inappropriate use of learning materials for assessment purposes, inadequate use of targets to promote success and underdeveloped quality improvement systems. The provider began delivering the Train to Gain programme under its own contract in 2007 and success rates for that year were very high at 100% with all 18 learners on programme achieving their qualification. However, as recognised in the self-assessment report, timely achievement was lower at 83%.

Assessors at ASAT do not make adequate use of targets to promote learners’ progress effectively. Assessors complete individual learning plans and record units to be completed, but they do not always agree appropriate long-term milestone targets with learners. Progress reviews are often carried out too late in learners’ programmes and short-term targets set between meetings are not always sufficiently challenging with some being insufficiently specific. This area for improvement is not correctly identified in the self-assessment report.

Natalie Hailes