A strong week for adult and community learning providers saw three climb up from ‘requires improvement’ ratings.

Slough Pitstop Project Limited was rated ‘good’ overall by Ofsted.

Inspectors recognised that “leaders, managers and trustees set a clear direction for the charity”, and “welcome all learners to their courses, which benefits the local community”.

It was noted that as a consequence of attending, learners “improve their confidence and behaviour, they learn to value education and become more self-assured”.

The project, which is also known as ‘the Gateway’, delivers programmes with the aim of engaging and motivating disadvantaged young people. They work with those not in education, employment or training (NEET) to equip them “with the confidence and skills to succeed in life”.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council also went up a grade to ‘good’ overall.

This service provides courses in English, mathematics, family learning, English for speakers of other languages, basic digital skills, employability and wellbeing. The courses range from pre-entry to level two.

Leaders and managers have redesigned the provision effectively to primarily improve the life chances of the disadvantaged communities in the Wirral

“Leaders and managers have redesigned the provision effectively to primarily improve the life chances of the disadvantaged communities in the Wirral and develop learners’ English and mathematics skills,” inspectors wrote.

Governors were praised for a “good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses” of the service”, and maintaining “high expectations”.

Learners on family learning courses were also said to “gain useful knowledge and skills that help them and their children develop”.

Hampshire Futures was recognised for the same level of improvement to ‘good’ overall.

“Leaders and managers have dealt effectively with the vast majority of weaknesses identified at the previous inspection; as a result, learners’ experiences and the quality of provision are now good,” the report said.

Learners’ achievements were said to have improved significantly since the previous inspection.

Hampshire Futures is part of Hampshire County Council and is based in Winchester.

The majority of its learners are adults taking mainly non-accredited community learning courses. Programmes for adults include mathematics, English, languages, information technology, art, dance and wel-being courses.

Training 2000 Limited, another adult and community learning provider, however, travelled in the opposite direction, from grade two to three.

It was described by inspectors as the largest group training association in England. The company became a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Central Lancashire in July 2017.  

Approximately 80 per cent of its revenue is from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, “of which around three quarters is for apprentice training,” the report said.

Leaders and managers were criticised for failing to ensure “that 16-to-19 study programmes fully meet the needs of learners; many learners do not stay to complete all aspects of their programmes”.

Managers do not have effective measures to improve weak teaching, learning and assessment practices

“Managers do not have effective measures to improve weak teaching, learning and assessment practices,” it warned.

A report was also published on Waltham Forest College in London, which went from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘good’.

“The good range and high quality of adult provision enable learners to improve their life chances and develop valuable personal, social and work-related skills,” inspectors said.

The large majority of teachers were also praised for setting interesting, relevant work, and using a wide range of teaching strategies to engage learners.

And from the independent sector, Key Training Limited also went from grade three to two.

This report recognised how there had been a “relentless leadership focus on the experience of all learners has resulted in significant improvements to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and to levels of achievement”.

Key Training provides apprenticeships for all age groups, both with levy and non-levy employers, traineeships and study programmes.

Its provision is national, with “study programmes delivered from a centre in Wellingborough”.

Referring to its apprenticeships, the inspectors said that “the good selection process and high quality of information, advice and guidance have led to an increased proportion of apprentices who sustain their employment, remain on their programmes and progress to higher-level courses”.

There were short inspection results published for ProVQ Limited; JBC Skills Training Limited; QDOS Training Limited; Tower College Of Further And Higher Education London; Superdrug Stores; The Cornwall Council; and Leicester Adult Skills & Learning.

 

GFE Colleges	Inspected	Published	Grade	Previous grade
Waltham Forest College	06/02/2018	19/03/2018	2	3

 

Independent Learning Providers	Inspected	Published	Grade	Previous grade
Key Training Limited	20/02/2018	23/03/2018	2	3

 

Adult and Community Learning	Inspected	Published	Grade	Previous grade
Slough Pit Stop Project Limited	21/02/2018	22/03/2018	2	3
Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council	12/02/2018	19/03/2018	2	3
Hampshire Futures	06/02/2018	19/03/2018	2	3
Training 2000 Limited	06/02/2018	19/03/2018	3	2

 

Short inspections (remains grade 2)	Inspected	Published
ProVQ Limited	13/02/2018	23/03/2018
JBC Skills Training Limited	12/02/2018	23/03/2018
QDOS Training Limited	15/02/2018	20/03/2018
Tower College Of Further And Higher Education London	19/02/2018	19/03/2018
The Cornwall Council	20/02/2018	23/03/2018
Leicester Adult Skills & Learning	20/02/2018	20/03/2018
Superdrug Stores	13/02/2018	19/03/2018

A university technical college which was found to have owed the government over half a million pounds after it overestimated its pupil numbers has been served with a financial notice to improve because it failed to produce a balanced budget or submit its audited accounts on time.

UTC@Harbourside, a specialist marine engineering college in East Sussex, has been criticised for its “weak financial position” and “governance and oversight of financial management”, and had requested financial support from the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

Its trust has now been ordered to identify savings and create a recovery plan to show that no further funding will be needed after 2018-19, and demonstrate that it will be able to create a balanced budget by 2019-20.

The UTC was left owing the government £562,762 in pupil number adjustment funding after missing its recruitment targets last year.

The recovery plan must also include a full repayment of this money and any advances received by 2018-19.

The UTC has been told it must be able to demonstrate “pupil growth at a realistic rate supported by evidence such as local demographics or feeder school knowledge”. It must also submit its audited financial statements for 2016-17 and 2017-18 by the end of the year.

The ESFA has asked for minutes of each meeting of the trust and its subcommittees, monthly management accounts, cashflow forecasts and monthly pupil number forecasts.

“The trust is responsible for its own financial management, control and governance and is expected to take appropriate action to strengthen the weaknesses identified,” said the notice.

If the trust is unable to fulfil the requirements within the timescales, ESFA will “begin to consider and explore the contractual intervention options available”, which could include termination of its funding agreement.

The notice was sent to the UTC’s chair of governors Dianne Smith on March 16, and published by the DfE today.

UTCs around the country were left with a combined debt of over £11 million after missing recruitment targets last year. Three owed over £500,000: UTC@Harbourside, Derby Manufacturing UTC and Cambridge UTC (now known as Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology).

The UTC movement launched in 2011 with the backing of former Conservative education secretary Lord Baker.

These specialist technical education providers, which typically recruit learners aged 14 to 19, are seen by many as unwelcome competition to more established general FE and sixth-form colleges.

The nation’s best training providers, employers and apprentices have been enshrined at the inaugural Annual Apprenticeship Awards at a glitzy gala dinner.

The ceremony, attended by 500 people, was one of the highlights of this year’s AAC conference in Birmingham.

The full slate of winners are listed below, and Shane Mann, the managing director of LSect, the body that runs both FE Week and the awards, was full of praise for everyone who entered.

“I would like to say a huge congratulations to all of our winners,” he said. “Each is a tremendous example of the outstanding work those within the apprenticeship sector contribute. They truly deserve the recognition,” he said.

“We were stunned by the number of applications we received this year and will now commence preparations for the 2019 awards.”

Former skills minister Robert Halfon, who is now chair of the Commons education select committee, took home this year’s ‘Special recognition’ award.

“He fully deserves this,” said Mr Mann. “He has been a staunch supporter of apprenticeships before and throughout his time as skills minister, and has continued to fight their corner as chair of the education select committee.”

FE Week and our award partners AELP announced the shortlists in association with CMI in February. The regional winners were announced last month in Parliament.

“The future for apprenticeships is bright and the awards this year and beyond illustrate why apprenticeships have become the country’s flagship skills programme and why other countries are now tapping into UK expertise and experience to build their own programmes,” said AELP boss Mark Dawe.

Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Apprenticeships (individual) – Phil White

Phil White was recognised for years of dedication to apprenticeships culminating in his role in the development of new employer-led training programmes.

He started with United Utilities in 1997 as a mechanical engineer apprentice, and worked his way up to head of learning and development.

The judges recognised that trailblazer apprenticeship standards “for water process technician and utilities engineering technician were only ready for delivery thanks to his unique, sustained input”.

And the outstanding contribution to the development of apprenticeships – an individual prize – goes to … Phil White!! #FEWeekAAC18 pic.twitter.com/edK5Kka97R

— FE Week (@FEWeek) March 22, 2018

Promoting Apprenticeships Campaign of the Year – Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group

NSCG’s application covered both their annual apprenticeships marketing campaign plan and promotion activity for National Apprenticeship Week.

The judges said: “They demonstrated a planned and effectively carried out a campaign, showing how teams had worked together to deliver, providing evidence of apprenticeship achievement above the national average, with data showing high rates of positive outcomes. Their activity covered a range of media, events and recruitment activity.

Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Apprenticeships (employer or provider) – Learning Curve Group

This award went to Learning Curve in recognition of its “all-encompassing” support for the roll-out of the apprenticeship levy from April last year.

Their entry stressed the importance of “investment, insight and innovation”.

“IT demonstrated a partnership relationship with employers to support it with the introduction of the levy, but also continuing those relationships beyond the levy, where apprenticeships were not the right avenue,” the judges said.

Apprenticeship provider of the year – Gen 2

Cumbria-based Gen2, part of the City & Guilds Group, was praised for commitment to apprenticeships across its whole business.

“They provided data that demonstrated the quality of their provision, including through the employer satisfaction survey, which gave high scores, significantly above national average,” the judges said.

“Timely success rates are consistently high and in 2016/17, 94 per cent of apprentice learners had a positive destination outcome.”

Apprentice Employer of the Year – Clarkson Evans

Gloucester’s electrical specialists Clarkson Evans employs over 230 apprentices, which were recognised for being “the lifeblood” of the company.

“They demonstrated how they have been extending apprenticeship opportunities, broadening the range of subjects over the last two years,” the judges said.

Their training programme was actively developed “to support business growth”. It provides “exceptional support services” to learners.

 

Apprenticeship Provider of the Year: Business and Administrative – DBC Training

This provider stood out because of its special efforts to work in partnership with every customer.

“It demonstrated high employer-satisfaction scores, timely achievement rates and high levels of learner satisfaction,” the judges said of Derby-based DBC Training.

It designs all its apprenticeship programmes with the employer, learners and parent or carer in mind, and “continually monitors feedback throughout the programmes”.

Apprenticeship Provider of the Year: Construction – Construction Industry Training Board

CITB was recognised for its unwavering commitment to employers.

It designs its apprenticeships programmes “specifically to enable the construction industry to be as efficient and effective as possible”.

“We are relentless in our efforts to improve learner retention and success rates and have sector leading achievement rates across nations,” it wrote in its entry.

Judges also recognised its “well-developed recruitment and selection strategy for learners”.

Apprenticeship Provider of the Year: Digital – Firebrand Training

The London provider was credited for impressive skills training in support of the UK’s digital sector.
Firebrand is “dedicated to delivering apprenticeship training to small, medium and large enterprises”.

“The provider boasts 87- to 92-per-cent achievement rates for apprenticeship frameworks and a 95-per-cent retention rate for trailblazer apprenticeships, paying testament to high-quality delivery provided throughout the duration of an apprenticeship,” judges said.

Apprenticeship Provider of the Year: Engineering & Manufacturing – Babcock Skills Development & Training

The judges were impressed with Babcock’s “exceptional” success rates and commitment to diversity.

“Success rates are exceptional, 95 per cent timely success for 2016-17, with the bespoke technical solution delivering work-ready year three apprentices to their workplace,” they said.

Impressive dedication to increasing diversity was also demonstrated, while its approach to training is “an extension of the employer’s place of work, inducting the apprentices into a work ready ethos”.

Main pic: The award winners from Learning Curve

The chair of the Commons education select committee has urged the government to “deliver” on its election promise to cut travel costs for apprentices.

Robert Halfon made the call in his speech on the final morning of FE Week’s Annual Apprenticeships Conference in Birmingham.

“In its manifesto the government pledged to help apprentices with transport costs – it must deliver on this,” he said.

“That is why our committee challenged the education secretary on this when he appeared before us this week,” Mr Halfon said.

The former skills minister, who was elected chair of the influential House of Commons education select committee following last year’s general election, used his speech to outline the five rungs that would help “more people climb the ladder of opportunity that apprenticeships offer”.

The first rung, he said, was social justice, “because for many people an apprenticeship is not simply a job, not simply training – it’s a chance for them to build a better life”.

Delivering on the travel pledge was just one way that social justice could be achieved through apprenticeships, Mr Halfon said.

Other proposals put forward included calls for a specific social justice fund for disadvantaged apprentices, and for the government to “commission a social impact study into how the benefit system helps or hinders people becoming apprentices”.

To ensure that “everybody knows about” apprenticeship opportunities the second run on Mr Halfon’s ladder of opportunity was “high-quality careers advice”.

The current system is “still far too complex and confusing”.

Instead, he urged the government to create a “unified national careers and skills service” and to deliver on its election promise for a “UCAS-style system for FE and skills”.

The third rung on the ladder, Mr Halfon said, was the government’s three million target – which he said he supported “because it concentrates the minds of the treasury”.

“But these starts must be high quality,” he said.

Mr Halfon said he was “particularly concerned about subcontracting”, and welcomed a pledge made yesterday by Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman for the education watchdog to crack down on providers that subcontract purely for the money without taking responsibility for the quality.

Progression was the fourth rung on the ladder, Mr Halfon argued.

Research had shown that too many people were “getting stuck” at level two.

“Instead there should be an expectation that people keep learning and keep moving from level to level: increasing their skills and deepening their knowledge year after year,” Mr Halfon said.

Degree apprenticeships were “an incredibly important part” of enabling people to “keep climbing the ladder of opportunity”.

He urged the government to “incentivise” the growth of degree apprenticeships, and to do more to promote them.

The final rung on the ladder, Mr Halfon said, was job security.

“The aim should be to help everyone in this country, no matter their background, gain the skills that will get them a good, secure job,” he said.

“That is what this is all about – an apprenticeships and skills nation of rising productivity with social justice for all. A ladder of opportunity not just for individuals but for the whole country.”