1. Introduction

Welcome to this learning resource which has been written and developed to support you in engaging with the Ofsted inspection process and methodology.

Each section will give you key information about preparing for your inspection of Apprenticeships.

Background

Since 1 April 2021, Ofsted has been responsible for inspecting apprenticeship training at levels 6 and 7 (both degree and non-degree) as well as at levels 2 to 5.

Have a read below about the different categories and make sure you know which one you and/or your trainer provider partner fall into.

If you are not sure, ask the senior leaders or the quality team to talk to you about where you are in your inspection cycle. This will help you understand how long until your next inspection.

This information can also be found if your provider has a published inspection report: see if your provider had a published inspection report.

2. Ofsted Reference Material For Use With This Toolkit

This toolkit will refer to this document below:

It is called the Further Education and Skills Handbook.

Please save a copy or have it accessible as the paragraphs used in this Toolkit will provide signposts to futher reading.

(The Inspection Handbook used to inspect Further Education and Skills, which includes Apprenticeships).

3. Ofsted Reference Material For Use With This Toolkit

This toolkit will refer to this document below:

It is called the Further Education and Skills Handbook.

Please save a copy or have it accessible as the paragraphs used in this Toolkit will provide signposts to further reading:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-and-skills-inspection-handbook-eif/further-education-and-skills-handbook-for-september-2021

(The Inspection Handbook used to inspect Further Education and Skills, which includes Apprenticeships).

4. Is my Apprenticeship Programme In Scope For An Inspection?

Ofsted have always inspected Apprenticeship training at all levels: that is, levels 2 to 7 funded by the ESFA and/or through the apprenticeship levy in whatever type of provider they are delivered.

This now includes, (from 1 April 2021) apprenticeships at levels 6 and 7 (whether degree or non-degree)

Please remember that all your apprenticeships will be inspected collectively, whatever the level or subject or funding.

The whole of a provider’s apprenticeship provision is inspected, graded and reported on collectively, irrespective of the level(s) of provision delivered.

Note: The inspection of the level 5 learning and skills teacher apprenticeship standard and level 6 teacher apprenticeship fall under the initial teacher education inspection framework and handbook. and not the education inspection framework and so not on inspections covered by this handbook.

Now, let’s look at what is additionally ‘in scope’ i.e., what falls into the type of provision that Ofsted inspect, since April 2021:

(Taken from ‘Guidance: Further Education and Skills Handbook, para 46-53.)

*Providers with level 6/7 apprenticeship provision that have already received a full inspection

48. This relates to existing providers that have already received a full Ofsted inspection (whether under the EIF or previous inspection frameworks) and that deliver level 6/7 apprenticeship training. When they next receive a full or short inspection or monitoring visit, we will inspect their level 6/7 apprenticeship provision alongside any level 2 to 5 apprenticeship provision and any other provision they deliver subject to Ofsted inspection (as set out in paragraph 99). The timing of their inspection will depend on their overall effectiveness grade, as usual and as set out above.[footnote 21]

*Providers with level 6/7 apprenticeship provision and no other provision subject to Ofsted education inspection.

49. Providers that only deliver apprenticeship provision at levels 6 and 7 and have been delivering no other provision subject to Ofsted inspection will be regarded as a new provider from April 2021. Currently, they will receive their first new provider monitoring visit within 24 months of 1 April 2021, when our extended remit came into effect. From April 2022, this will change; new providers of level 6 and 7 only provision will normally receive their first new provider monitoring visit within 18 months of 1 April 2021.

50. These providers will then receive a full inspection within 24 months of the monitoring visit report being published. From April 2022, a new provider of this kind will normally receive its first full inspection within 18 months of the publication of its monitoring visit report. That will apply to providers whose monitoring visit reports were published from 1 April 2022 onwards. When a provider receives one or more insufficient progress judgements at its monitoring visit, it will normally receive a full inspection within 6 to 12 months of the publication of the monitoring visit report.

*New providers with level 6/7 apprenticeship provision that have not yet received their monitoring visit or full inspection

51. New providers that deliver apprenticeship provision at levels 6 and 7 as well as at levels 2 to 5 and have not previously received a monitoring visit or a full inspection will normally receive a monitoring visit within 36 months of the date they started to deliver apprenticeship provision (on account of COVID-19). New providers starting to deliver any apprenticeship provision (or other relevant funded provision) for the first time from April 2021 onwards will normally receive their new provider monitoring visit within 18 months of starting to deliver (see paragraph 43). The monitoring visit will take account of apprenticeship provision at all levels.[footnote 23]

52. These providers will then receive a full inspection within 24 months of the monitoring visit report being published. From April 2022, a new provider of this kind will normally receive its full inspection within 18 months of the publication of its monitoring visit report. That will apply to providers whose monitoring visit reports were published from 1 April 2022. When a provider receives one or more ‘insufficient progress’ judgements, the full inspection will usually be within 6 to 12 months. Paragraph 45 will also apply where a provider has made insufficient progress in safeguarding.

*New providers with level 6/7 apprenticeship provision that have received a new provider monitoring visit but not a full inspection.

53. New providers that have received their first new provider monitoring visit but have not yet received their full inspection will normally receive this within 40 months of the date of publication of their new provider monitoring visit.

Also note: Paragraph 45: If a provider has made insufficient progress in safeguarding, it will normally receive one further monitoring visit to review only its safeguarding arrangements within 4 months of the publication date of its previous monitoring visit report.

NB Finally, always check the most up-to-date guidance on how Apprenticeships (Further Education and Skills providers) will be inspected by following the links to the gov.uk website.

5. Getting Familiar With The Core Documents Used By Inspectors

In this section, you will learn about what the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (EIF) and the Handbook specifically says about how leaders manage the apprenticeship curriculum.

What is an Inspection Framework?

A set of criteria used by inspectors to inspect against.
A coherent set of judgements are made across the different education, skills and early years settings. So, Apprenticeships fall into the ‘Further Education and Skills’ part of these documents.

Ofsted sets out a range of evidence they look for that show how apprenticeship providers engage with employers and meet the principles of an apprenticeship.

It is a public document published on the gov.uk website for providers to use to understand what inspectors use to determine judgements.

Here is an extract from the Education Inspection Framework and the section of the Handbook used for Further Education and Skills by inspectors when looking at Apprenticeships:

“Inspectors will consider how well leaders and managers ensure that the apprenticeship curriculum meets the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship.

Evidence will include the extent to which the provider’s staff engage with employers to:

complete the apprenticeship commitment statement
plan the initial assessment, training, assessments, review points and milestones throughout
agree any additional qualifications to be included
monitor and support apprentices, including those with SEND and those who have high needs, to progress quickly, gain new knowledge, skills and behaviours and achieve to their full potential.

Inspectors will judge how well trainers, assessors, coaches, and mentors communicate up-to-date vocational and technical subject knowledge that reflects expected industry practice and meets employers’ needs.

Inspectors will determine whether apprentices acquire that knowledge effectively so that they demonstrate the required skills and behaviours that enable them to complete their apprenticeships, contribute to their workplace and fulfil their career aims by progressing to their intended job roles or other sustained employment, promotion or, where appropriate, moving to a higher level of apprenticeship or qualification.

Inspectors will also consider whether arrangements for safeguarding young people and vulnerable apprentices are appropriate and effective.”

**6. What Is The ‘Handbook’* Used Alongside The Education Inspection Framework?**

The EIF gives the overarching principles for all its remits including early years and schools;
The further education skills Handbook* unpacks the principles and provides guidance on the methodology for inspection and sets these out in context.

The graded judgements remain the same for your Apprenticeship provision:

Grade 1 (Outstanding)
Grade 2 (Good)
Grade 3 (Requires improvement)
Grade 4 (Inadequate)

7. What Is Included For An Apprenticeship Inspection If I Work At A College Or University In Just One Area Of Apprenticeship Delivery?

The whole of a provider’s apprenticeship provision is inspected, graded and reported on collectively, irrespective of the level(s) of provision delivered.

Apprenticeship training at all levels: that is levels 2 to 7 funded by the ESFA and/or through the apprenticeship levy in whatever type of provider they are delivered.[footnote 41] This includes, from 1 April 2021, apprenticeships at levels 6 and 7 (whether degree or non-degree).

So, the Apprenticeships provision (known as a ‘Provision Type’) will be awarded its own stand-alone grade, alongside other grades given in your setting, for example, Education Programmes for Young People.

8. The EIF In More Detail

In this topic, we will explore the sections of Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework and associated Handbook and become familiar with the Key Judgement Area called Quality of Education (Intent, Implementation, Impact)

On a full inspection, inspectors will also make an Overall Effectiveness judgement for the entire College or provider. This is the grade published on the report that colleges then have as their rating.

Let’s look at what the main section ‘Quality of Education’ concerns for providers of Apprenticeships.

8a) Quality of education

You can remember the Quality of Education section as having the three Is:

III – Intent, Implementation and Impact. We will look at each one in turn now.

8b) Intent (quality of education)

The handbook sets out what the ‘first conversations’ about the Intent of the Curriculum are looking for:

Inspections will normally begin with in-depth discussions with provider leaders and managers about the provider’s curriculum to establish the intent of the curriculum.

Inspectors will ask about:

What leaders intend learners to learn;
what are the end points and next steps they wish them to reach through this;
what are the key concepts that they need to understand;
And in what order they will learn them. You may hear the words ‘logical’ or ‘sequenced’ used in questions about how you set out a clear and coherent set of knowledge ‘components’ .

Although meetings with leaders are important, inspectors’ first priority during inspections is to collect first-hand evidence.

Inspectors will primarily do this through a range of inspection activities, grouped into focused curriculum reviews, known as ‘deep dives’. These will provide evidence of the effective implementation of the curriculum and its intent, but they will also gather evidence which may be relevant to the other key judgement areas and progress judgements.

These activities will be focused on curriculum areas selected by the lead inspector.

8c) The ‘intent’ discussion

Now you have read the section above about what Inspectors are looking for in the Intent meeting.

Before the inspection, it is a good idea to think about who the best members of staff would be to discuss the Intent of the curriculum and gather useful information you already have about the rationale and intention of the apprenticeships you offer.

8d) Activity on intent (quality of education)

Now we will look at how to prepare an Intent statement and evidence that will help you respond to the Intent criteria in the EIF.

Think about why your apprenticeship programme is important. What is the rationale for offering the apprenticeship?

Consider:

The ‘big picture’: How does this programme reflect the overall strategic aims of the College?

The strategic intention, that could include employer needs, skills surveys, local labour market information, local regional and national economy skill needs for your vocational or technical area.

(Your College or University will have a strategic document you can use – this is likely to discuss skills needs, plans for jobs, economic development and growth, and how the apprenticeships contribute to all that).

How the programme fits into the overall offer of your College. Can learners from lower levels progress up into Apprenticeships from existing programmes? Where would they move on to what they complete? Show how it is part of a ‘progressive’ curriculum.

Try and pinpoint what is this programme preparing the apprentices for; think about the work they will be able to carry out, the wider industries they will be ready to work in, and other application for the skills and knowledge they will gain.

Have you created clear and attainable progression routes that apprentices could move on to?

You should also be in a position to explain:

What influences the sequencing of the curriculum, the order that you and your team have set out topics and knowledge, projects and activities over the programme.
If the curriculum ambitious in meeting the needs and aspirations of apprentices – the right course for the needs and goals of the employees.
The curriculum design, its organisation and how you review and update it.
How it is informed by and supported by the industry ( how do you stay aware of and prepare for changes and future needs in vocational areas).

For example, you may have employer sponsors, partners or skills academies with good employer involvement.

8e) What could you include?

Make a few notes and then practice a short ‘pitch’ that aims to encapsulate some of the key reasons and intentions for the apprenticeship.

It is useful to think how you can summarise and clearly explain the Intent and will be useful preparation for the Intent interview with inspectors.

8f) How will inspectors explore intent?

Next, as a development activity, work in pairs or small teams to explore some typical lines of questioning in a Deep Dive of Apprenticeships thinking about Intent.

Examples of questions inspectors might explore when conducting inspections:

Why does the provider choose to offer what it offers?
How suitable are the courses on offer?
Now does the curriculum respond to local, regional or national priorities?
Is it clear what the curriculum is preparing apprentices for?
Does the curriculum provide clear opportunities for developing suitable knowledge, skills and behaviours?
Does the curriculum sequencing enable apprentices to acquire new knowledge and skills?

8g) Finally, here is a simple summary to cross-check you have covered Intent

Self-Assessment: ‘Can I articulate my Apprenticeship in these terms?’

A curriculum that develops knowledge, skills and behaviours
Rationale for why we are offering programmes
Addresses skills gaps and local, regional national needs.
I can talk about the strategic positioning of the programme.
The apprenticeship we offer is designed for progression
I am clear what the curriculum is preparing apprentices and learners for.
I can talk about the broader curriculum outside the standard we offer.

9) What is Implementation (Quality of Education)?

Implementation is how teachers, trainers or assessors set out knowledge, plan and deliver sessions; and how they are assessed. Here are some bullet points from the EIF- use this section to make notes against each bullet point as your initial responses to how you meet these criteria:*

Teachers enable learners to understand key concepts, presenting information clearly and promoting discussion.
Teachers check learners’ understanding effectively, and identify and correct misunderstandings.
Teachers ensure that learners embed key concepts in their long-term memory and apply them fluently and consistently.
Leaders and teachers have designed and they deliver the subject curriculum in a way that allows learners to transfer key knowledge to long-term memory.
The curriculum is sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what learners know and can do and learners can work towards defined end points.
Teachers use assessment to check learners’ understanding in order to inform teaching.
Teachers use assessment to help learners to embed and use knowledge fluently, to develop their understanding, and to gain, extend and improve their skills and not simply memorise disconnected facts.

*Tips and keywords:

How you design tasks, set up activities, select which part of subject knowledge you are doing to present in lessons; the amount of new knowledge you’re going to try to secure; the order you do it in, and how you help learners remember; how you check apprentices can re-explain and apply what they’ve been taught; how they apply knowledge and skills and retain this content over the long-term.

10) Activity on Implementation (Quality of Education)

In this section you will look in more detail at the Implementation part of the Key Judgment ‘Quality of Education’.

Apprentices will attend sessions at your provider as well as work on their own.

Ofsted are interested in how your teachers and trainer help learners to ‘transfer knowledge into long term-memory. Or more simply, what teaching and learning methods we use to help learners remember what we have taught them.

11) Here Are Some Key Phrases And Approaches You May Have Heard

Retrieval of information,
Long-term memory
Embedding knowledge
Interleaving
Spaced or blocked practice
Elaboration
Re-explanation
Applying to new Scenarios
Chunking
Scaffolding
Spiralling
Recall and Repetition
Summarising.

Curricular *sequencing*: logical, ordered, build up, complexity, increasing load; schema, connecting KSB towards composite/mastery.

They all relate to techniques to help apprentices remember more.

12) Reflection

Do you and your teachers consider how learners will best remember the knowledge and skills they cover?

How do we remind learners of past learning we’ve covered and build on what they know?

Here are some named Learning Strategies to help with retrieval and remembering:

Tests, quizzes, exams, professional discussions
Re-reading and re-presenting past learned information
Note taking and summarising, highlighting
Getting apprentices and learners to re-explain concepts
Questions that encourage complexity/deeper thinking and connections**
Creative ways to organise and present knowledge (mind maps, spiders etc.)
Activities are planned so that apprentices and learners are asked to transfer and apply knowledge to new concepts/problems

**You can use a variety of question types (fact-based, conceptual, complex or higher order, etc.) to ensure that students are not memorising, but using information flexibly.

This all helps to individualise learning (planning learning using apprentices different starting points).

Next, discuss some of these concepts with your colleagues with a focus on how we help apprentices to:

Know More ---Do More---Remember More----Apply what they know to their work

13) The Forgetting Curve

Have a look at this graph. It shows how quickly we typically forget information and the ‘decay’ of what we can take in and what we forget:

14) Summary of Implementation

Do apprentices learn, understand and remember sufficiently?
Do teachers and assessors structure and sequence the curriculum to enable apprentices to develop and apply their knowledge, skills and behaviours?
Do teachers use assessment effectively to help inform teaching and check for deficits in knowledge?

Recap of key terms used when inspectors discuss Implementation:

Sequences and ordering
Logical order of knowledge and skills set out over time
Teachers find ways to ensure learners transfer key knowledge to long-term memory.
Connecting and embedding key concepts in long term memory
Learners can apply these concepts fluently and consistently
Your curriculum is sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what learners know and can do
Using assessment to help learners to embed and use knowledge fluently, to gain, develop and extend skills
Not simply disconnected, memorised facts
Composite and components of knowledge, skills and behaviours

15) Cognitive Load Theory

What is Cognitive Load Theory?

In this section we briefly look the at idea of Cognitive Load Theory and how Ofsted inspectors consider how CLT and its use to support learning.

First, follow this link to read more about the theoretical direction that Ofsted use to look at the learning science of Cognitive Load Theory to underpin the EIF:‍

Ofsted used CLT in the development of the current Education Inspection Framework and the DfE Early Career Framework cites that teachers should be supported to develop and learn how to explicitly teach pupils in metacognitive strategies:

Long-term memory consists of a range of schemata. These are complex structures that link knowledge, create meaning and allow skills to be performed. They are built up over time.
Learning is about developing those schemata through acquiring knowledge and making connections with different schemata.
However, before information enters long-term memory, it needs to be processed by the short-term or working memory.
This has limited capacity. It is not able to retain knowledge or develop schemata if it is overloaded i.e., if we are given too many things to think about at once.
CLT is becoming increasingly important in colleges and universities. Teachers who successfully manage their students cognitive load can help to reduce the demands on their student’s working memory so that they can learn more effectively.
CLT suggests that if the cognitive load exceeds our processing capacity, we will struggle to complete the activity successfully.

Working memory should be seen as short term and finite, whereas long-term memory can be seen as infinite. The aim should be to move knowledge to long-term memory because when a student is exposed to new material, they can draw on this previous knowledge and the cognitive load is reduced.

CLT suggests that teachers should consider what cognitive load they are asking from apprentices and whether that is appropriate at that particular stage of learning a topic.

Willingham’s model of Cognitive Load Theory Involves

Managing the Load on Working Memory.

However, if subject knowledge is incomplete, the student is unable to fall back on the long-term memory and the working memory becomes overloaded, leading to working memory failures.

CLT is about the architecture and memory in the brain; in particular, the capacity of the short-term memory to process information.

16) Activity: Short Film

Finally, please watch this short clip from BBC Teach which looks at the underpinning theory of Cognitive Load that Ofsted use to set the focus on judging how well teachers plan, deliver and assess learning.

17) Activity On Sequencing Learning

The Ofsted handbook requires learning to be well-organised and logical:

Read these two extracts from EIF handbook:

Paragraph 236: Inspectors will draw evidence about leaders’ intent for the curriculum principally from discussion with senior and subject leaders. Inspectors will explore:

how leaders have ensured that a subject curriculum includes content that has been identified as most useful and that this content is taught in a logical progression, systematically and explicitly for all apprentices to acquire the intended knowledge, skills and behaviours.
how carefully leaders have thought about the sequence of teaching knowledge and skills to build on what apprentices already know and can do.

Paragraph 239: Leaders and teachers have designed and they deliver the subject curriculum in a way that allows apprentices to transfer key knowledge to long-term memory.

The curriculum is sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what apprentices know and can do and apprentices can work towards defined end points.

Now, have a look at some of these statements on sequencing learning from recent Ofsted reports on Apprenticeship provision:

Leaders have carefully planned the order in which they teach the project management curriculum content. They use their knowledge of the different stages of a project to build apprentices’ understanding of how a project is run from start to finish and how each stage relates to the next.
Tutors adapt the ordering of topics taught to ensure that apprentices’ new learning matches their employers’ business needs. For example, apprentices studying at level 3 have been taught about VAT returns at a time of year when clients are most likely to need such work completed.
Teachers provide ample opportunities for young people to revisit and practice practical skills. Learners develop fluency and produce a high standard of practical work. For example, in make-up artistry learners study basic special effects techniques in bruising, then they progress on to using latex, scar wax and adding prosthetics.
Tutors use their excellent subject knowledge to teach a curriculum that enables apprentices to build their knowledge effectively over time. For example, level 7 apprentices first learn the principles of financial accounting and company valuation, before learning how to apply these techniques in a strategic financial environment. Consequently, apprentices can manage complex activities confidentially.
Apprentices work successfully with high-profile clients on a wide range of projects. They make rapid progress in their jobs, and take on greater responsibility and increasingly complex tasks and projects. For example, apprentices quickly move from project team roles focused on administrative tasks to roles that involve analysing data and informing the implementation of new technologies.
Apprentices benefit from the highly specialist sector and curriculum knowledge of the trainers. Trainers skilfully teach apprentices about the skills and attitudes needed for the sector. Then they move on to more complex and specialist insurance products. This helps apprentices to become extremely knowledgeable industry specialists and invaluable to their organisations.

Trainers liaise with line managers and apprentices very effectively to help design the training programme. For example, trainers expertly link the research apprentices carry out on the impact of external factors to insurance models. This allows apprentices to practise frequently in their workplace the knowledge they gain in their theory lessons.

Make a note of the key elements and themes you notice about successful sequencing of learning that were given positive evaluations.

18) Activity: Talking To Teachers

In this part of the toolkit, we look at what Ofsted Inspectors want to discuss with teachers, trainers, assessors and tutors.

We look at : Trying out some of the discussion points an inspector might set out.

Practice: Some of the key things to explore with those staff that deliver to apprentices are listed here.

Rather than long graded observations, the EIF methodology allows Ofsted inspectors to visit lessons and spend time talking to teachers about the choices they have made in planning and delivering (implementation) of knowledge.

Inspectors will want to talk to apprentices and learners and learners in much more detail about the work they are doing in the lesson rather than just ‘observe’.

Inspectors are interested in how teachers help apprentices remember more, retain and apply knowledge over the long-term.

A useful ‘mantra’ to help teachers think about this could be – ‘

How do teachers help apprentices do more, know more, remember more and apply more’? Question themes to help hour staff focus on in an Ofsted lesson visit:

Check that training staff and assessors understand the curriculum intent and plan with this in mind – they have a clear idea about what your all want apprentices to be able to do by the end of the programme.
Can delivery staff explain the planned sequence and content? It would be good to think about the order, the build-up to complexity, the reason why certain topics are set out across the year, perhaps to align with site visits or projects at work.
You may want to see if they can discuss why they might space out theory and practical sessions; or provider study skills; or perhaps they plan confidence-building activities to support apprentices to gain self-esteem.
Ask teachers to explain how their scheme is built on individuals’ different prior learning and ‘starting points’.
Discussing the purpose, timing and impact of planned assessments – do teachers use assessment to revisit gaps; and to adjust how they teach topics to improve the experience next time?
How does this lesson support the planned sequence and is it logical and helpful in building up content for apprentices?
Discuss the pedagogical choices (Ofsted has no preferred style) and why they are best to help learners remember and assimilate knowledge.
Discuss teachers’ content choices for the stage and level of apprentices.

19) Checkpoint

Is this substantive new learning planned and delivered for apprentices?
Is the learning getting more complex over time? (cognitive load)
Do the apprentices know their own deficits, gaps and areas of development?

20) What is ‘Impact’ (Quality of Education)?

Have a look at this extract from the Handbook on what inspectors mean by Impact:

Paragraph 244. When inspectors evaluate the impact of the education provided by the provider, they will focus on what apprentices have learned, and the skills they have gained and can apply.

Paragraph 245. Inspectors will focus on the following factors.

A well-constructed, well-taught curriculum will lead to apprentices learning more and so achieving good results. There need be no conflict between teaching a broad, rich curriculum and achieving success in examinations and tests or assessments.
Disadvantaged apprentices and apprentices with SEND acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life.
End-point assessments and examinations are useful indicators of apprentices’ outcomes, but they only represent a sample of what apprentices have learned. Inspectors will balance this with their first-hand assessment of apprentices’ work.
All learning builds towards an end point. Apprentices are being prepared for their next stage of education, training or employment at each stage of their learning. Inspectors will consider whether apprentices are ready for their next steps.
Inspectors will also consider whether apprentices are ready for the next stage and are going to appropriate, high-quality destinations.

What we notice here is that Impact is much wider than just the vocational or technical qualification:

The impact could be based on: what is the value the apprentices bring, does their employer recognise real growth and development in technical, vocational, academic, behavioural elements of the employee contribution?

What impact do they have on their colleagues, do they bring innovation or share any aspect of new learning; do they bring efficiencies to the workplace; do they secure project leadership roles, and does the employer want to grow its apprenticeships.

21) Checkpoint For Impact

Are apprentices producing work that demonstrates increasing understanding over time, so that if we look at different work they completed we see more detail and better standards?
Are apprentices being prepared suitably for any final assessment and the next stage of their study? (this could be their End Point Assessment or their exams.)
Are apprentices aware of the opportunities available to them once they complete the course?
What do employers say about how apprentices have a valuable impact at work?

Impacts:

Apprentices enhance their chances of sustained employment in their relevant industry.
Apprentices can show examples of projects they have developed in the workplace that represent new skills and expertise that are meaningful to the business..
Their work meets or exceeds the requirements of the standards, learning goals and industry standards
They are exceptionally well-prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment, with skills, knowledge.
Typically able to articulate their knowledge and understanding clearly and demonstrate the skills they have acquired convincingly.
Apprentices brings new ideas and ways of thinking to teams and colleagues at work. In this way they update the workplace. Apprentices are innovative and create positive new approaches.
Apprentices progress to higher levels of training.
Apprentices are promoted, get pay rises, more responsibility and make a difference in the eyes of their workplace.

22). What Is The Deep Dive Methodology?

In this part of the toolkit, you will find out about the inspection methods used for gathering evidence.

During Deep Dives, inspectors will ask curriculum staff to accompany them to a range of activities.

It is reassuring for staff to know that inspectors will not award their session a grade. Inspectors will visit lessons, reviews and workshops and focus on talking to the teacher, tutor, trainer or assessor and the apprentices.

23) What Happens On A Deep Dive?

The lead inspector will select the curriculum area (s) for a deep dive, which is a ‘slice’ of the provision to look at in detail. This could be provision at a certain level or within a subject area. This takes up one or more day of the inspection.
An initial meeting happens with a curriculum leader - a member of your team who knows the provision and can speak about the intent, implementation and impact of a particular curriculum.
Evidence is collected during the deep dive. The leader will accompany the inspector but maybe not in every situation.
Joint scrutiny of work: taking a range of work made over a longer period and seeing the quality of interventions, observations, plans, feedback, progress over time.
Emerging judgements come from a range of activities during the session, workplace visits.
The process can be more disruptive than previous methodologies and everyone needs to know this.

How does a Lead Inspector decide on the ‘Deep Dive’ areas on each day of the inspection?

Let’s look at the EIF for the details:

Paragraph 122. Inspectors will select the ‘deep dive’ curriculum review areas they will focus on (and associated inspection activities, such as which learners and employers are being visited). They will take into account a range of factors, including:

the types of provision
the courses on offer, their subjects and levels
the relative performance on different courses
the number, spread and coverage of sites
the value of the provider’s contract(s) with funding agencies or with employers
the geographical spread of learners
the geographical spread of employers
the mode of delivery and attendance, including remote and/or online delivery/attendance
information from the provider’s nominee, learners and employers
information from commissioning or funding bodies

24) Have A Look Through These Activities To Expect On A Deep Dive

Meetings with apprentices as much as possible, in lesson visits, in the workplace, and in groups.
Talking to teachers, trainers, coaches, assessors, co-ordinators, including using the selected sample of apprentices inspectors will choose from your lists.
Lesson visits, workshops visits, theory, practice or classroom based sessions.
Sitting in on reviews, sitting in on assessor visits.
Workplace visits with provider representatives, not graded observations but talking to apprentices and tutors about their work and observing teaching/ training

(do, know, remember more)

Joint visits to employers, looking at workplace activity and discussions with employer managers/supervisors/business owners/apprenticeship co-ordinators.
Visit apprentices at work, to observe their on-the-job skills development and speak to employers and their staff.
Joint scrutiny of documents – also known as ‘work scrutiny’.
Essentially, this all equates to a longer look at the journey and experience of selected, sampled apprentices to look at progress over time through a range of these activities above.

25) A Note On Work Scrutiny

Read the following from the Handbook about Work Scrutiny:

Paragraph 150. Inspectors may scrutinise learners’ work across the provider and aggregate insights to provide part of the evidence for an overall view of quality of education, primarily around the impact of the education provided. Inspectors will not evaluate individual pieces of work. Inspectors will connect work scrutiny to lesson observation and, where possible, conversations with learners, staff and, where appropriate, with employers.

Paragraph 51. Inspectors may invite appropriate staff from the provider to take part in joint scrutiny of learners’ work.

Paragraph 52. Work scrutiny is useful primarily for gathering evidence about the curriculum impact of the quality of education. Inspectors can use work scrutiny to evaluate learners’ progress and progression through their course of study. Work scrutiny will show whether learners know more and can do more, and whether the knowledge and skills they have learned are well sequenced and have developed incrementally. Inspectors will synthesise what they find in order to contribute to their overall assessment of the quality of education across the provider.

26) Checkpoint On Work Scrutiny In Deep Dives

Work scrutiny will be a look at a range of information you have about apprentices. An inspector will sit with you and you may look at paper or computer-based record and samples of marked work, reviews, feedback and apprentice plans. The inspectors will also want to see employer plans and commitment statements.

An example of activities carried out for work scrutiny may be:

Tracking from initial entry to the apprenticeship to now: a longitudinal look at a sample of your apprentices’ journeys and experience and associated documents
Initial assessment and how it is used to structure a learning plan
Quality of CIAG throughout
Quality of planning for individuals, using their starting points; and the sequence and build-up of their KSBs given their prior knowledge and experience.
Quality and standards of work and improvements made
The complexity of work apprentices and learners produce
Quality of feedback and do apprentices and learners know what to do to improve
How the review deeply reflects on learning and sets out future goals; identifies any gaps or weaker spots; provides clear actions for improving standards of work and plans future opportunities for apprentices to practice and apply skills in the workplace.
Does the apprentice’s work show what new things they do, know, and remember?

27) Employers Role in Apprenticeship Inspections

We need to show how you employers work with College partners to plan the apprenticeship, including work-based activities, and plan for opportunities to apply new knowledge and skills at the workplace. Inspectors will also look for well-sequenced, concrete on-the-job and OTJ projects and tasks to show that enhanced, accelerated and more advanced skills are evident in apprentices.

28) Top Lines of Enquiry With Employers

How the apprenticeship is meeting your company’s kills needs; is it providing your staff with what you value in the industry and your future needs.
Do employers work with the apprenticeship provider to plan and influence curriculum content?
How well the employer gets involved to ensure the quality and availability of opportunities at work and for off-the-job training
If they can measure the impact of the apprenticeship and how they value and encourage their staff to develop their skills and use their KSB and training within the workplace
Are employers participating in meaningful high-quality reviews
Inspectors will be interested in the impact of the apprenticeship in the workplace.

29) Sourcing Evidence from Employers - Planning Questions

How do you plan learning with your training provider? What are the forward plans and targets for your apprentices for the next few weeks/months?
Is learning has been planned logically? Does the content make sense in relation to what apprentices are doing at work?
How do you organise development time in the workplace? Do they have specific time during work for off-the-job training?
What are your apprentices learning next in the workplace? How is this linked to what they are learning off-the-job?
When an apprentice learns something new how often do, they practice the skill before you or the provider trainer assess them?

30) Sourcing Evidence From Employers: Impact And Business Benefits Questions

Can employers see/explain how the knowledge that apprentices have learned and the skills that they have developed can be transferable in other situations to help the business?

What do employers say apprentices do now do, which they could not do before; and what impact is this having on their work and on the business?
What are the plans for these apprentices when they have completed their programme?

31) Reviews

A progress review is the regular tri-partite discussion that should take place between the employer, training provider and apprentice, to review the progress of the apprentice in relation to the planned programme of learning set out in the commitment statement.

The review should be focussed and meaningful, not simply ticking off what the apprentice has done to finish off units or modules.

32) A Look

Have a look at the basics and then sample some of your current reviews and scrutinise them to see if they help the employer, apprentice and college have a shared picture of the development of skills, knowledge and behaviours.:

Do employers take part in reviews?
Do they help you check on learning so far and co-plan next steps?
Do they help decide what the apprentice(s) need to do next?
Are the right people attending the reviews?

33) What Makes A Quality Review?

Are reviews more than simply transactional, or confirmatory, describing what has been done and what needs to be completed, rather than exploring the depth of knowledge? ✘

Do reviews have relevant forward facing and development

feedback, setting clear tasks for intensifying learning or

addressing misconceptions or gaps in knowledge? ✓

Are reviews used to properly plan and interleave for the apprentice, the practicing, applying and assessing of skills in the workplace, so that forthcoming work projects can be well-organised with employer staff?

34) Do Reviews Provide Academic Staff With Good Enough Information From The Employers?

e.g., Information emerges from the review about their workflow, their business priorities, how they will deploy apprentices at work;
As a result, do employer and academic staff share information about the curriculum or the workplace, helping the efficiency of the programme.
Is the company driving/ adapting the skill needs, providing effective forward planning.

35) Checkpoint

Reviews document and share key information that is shared by the curriculum team and employers and is used to plan for the cumulative build-up of skills, as well as chart the units completed in the standard. It also covers the Personal Development of the apprentice.

36) Look At The Section Of The EIF To See What Ofsted Mean By ‘Personal Development’

Here is an extract to help you familiarise with what inspectors are looking for:

How well do teachers enable apprentices to explore themes relevant to their situation around citizenship and British values?
How well do staff and apprentices foster and promote a culture and appreciation of equality and inclusivity?
How effective are strategies teachers adopt to help raise apprentices understanding of their physical and mental well-being?
To what extent do careers advice and guidance ensure that apprentices can make informed decisions about their next steps?

And

How effective are the support or activities are in place to apprentices stay healthy, both physically and emotionally?
How meaningful /beneficial are enrichment activities do apprentices get involved in? What is the impact?
How well do you develop apprentices’ understanding of the Fundamental British Values of democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law and mutual respect and tolerance at college/provider?
How successfully has the support (further learning, self-employment, careers guidance and advice) apprentices received prepared apprentices for next steps?
How well do apprentices understand and recall the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism? How do you gather the evidence?
How well do apprentices understand how to keep themselves safe online? What is the evidence?
How successfully do you build an appreciation of diversity, celebrating what we have in common, and promoting respect for the different protected characteristics as defined in law?

37) Checkpoint: Here Is A Summary Of The Themes In Personal Development

Fundamental British values.
Inclusion.
Equality of opportunity.
Confidence, resilience, character.
Health and wellbeing.
Age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.
Supporting readiness for the next stage of learners’ lives.
Next steps such as careers and/or employment.

Personal development, behaviours and attitudes:

Themes and lines of questions to expect for employers to consider-

Describe the behaviours and attitudes apprentices need to develop to be successful in their apprenticeship. Have they developed these behaviours/attitudes during the apprenticeship?

Can you give any examples of positive behaviours/attitudes that apprentices have demonstrated at work?

38) Inspection Meetings With Employer Staff

In this section we will look at how to select the best staff to hold discussions with the inspection team.

Ofsted will want to hold a range of meetings with employers.

Organise and select the employer meetings so that the types of questions can be best responded to, depending on the level or role in the employer setting. This way, people can talk to their strengths and provide good solid evidence about what is happening in the workplace.

It would be good to have a range of people at the employer who carry out different responsibilities to do with the apprenticeship so that questions can be well considered.

Depending on the member of staff, you could think of the questions as being set out under:

Intent, Planning/Implementation, Reviewing and Impact of the Apprenticeship.

So, if it a senior leader working with you to set up programmes then it would look at the skills and workforce development (intent, L and M) that the employer is looking for. The Commitment Statement, if the employer understands the wider apprenticeship is more than the standard it also covers Personal Development and Behaviours and Attitudes.
If it’s an apprenticeship manager or supervisor it would be more around the practical planning and interleaving, and their knowledge of the standard and if they use it to plan (implementation)
If it is an employer staff member who supporting the planning and implementation in the workplace, we ask about the quality and entitlement to off the job, how well it’s supported, what employers could offer as part of purposeful OTJ. (implementation)
If it is an employer staff member who supporting the planning and implementation in the workplace, we ask about the quality and entitlement to off the job, how well it’s supported, what employers could offer as part of purposeful OTJ. (implementation)
If it’s someone who attends reviews, the conversations will be around the quality of the review, the progress and the communication with the College. (Implementation)
Inspectors will want evidence of impact, i.e., what is the value the apprentices bring, does the employer recognise real growth and development in technical, vocational academic, behavioural elements of the employee contribution? What impact do they have on their colleagues, do they bring innovation or share any aspect of new learning; do they bring efficiencies to the workplace; do they secure project leadership roles, does the employer want to grow its apprenticeships. (Impact)

Use this space to note which staff could contribute to the inspection meetings and discussions:

39) Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement Or Weak Evaluations From Recent Apprenticeship Inspections

Here we can view some actual statements from strong and weak provision, so you can see how inspectors write up and summarise the findings from inspection activity.

Activity: see if you can identify and match if some of these judgements are about Intent, Implementation and Impact from the ‘Quality of Education’ criteria above?

40) Positive Inspection Statements

Coaches work closely with employers to ensure that the work apprentices do at matches closely with the tasks they undertake for their employer. This includes being mindful of the times of the year when apprentices are particularly busy, such as the financial year-end, or deadlines for tax returns. This results in apprenticeship programmes that are all slightly different, and reflect each apprentice’s working environment.
Apprentices develop an excellent breadth and depth of knowledge, skills and behaviours through their apprenticeship, for which many are rewarded by increased levels of responsibility at work. Apprentices talk confidently about how they are being trained to be financial professionals. This has led to apprentices covering their line managers’ responsibilities or mentoring more junior auditors.
Apprentices benefit from expert tuition from specialists in the various areas of accountancy, supplemented by professionally produced study materials.
Apprentices put into practice the knowledge that they gain in their daily work with highly prestigious accountancy firms. As a result, they feel confident and enthusiastic about their future career opportunities.
Apprentices demonstrate an exceptional awareness about the risks of working in high security and risk industries. They ensure they follow organisational security procedures and use equipment safely, conforming to expected organisational protocols. Apprentices are very aware of the importance of not sharing documents outside the business.
Apprentices are very well-informed and articulate about the potential threats and dangers of radicalisation and extremism. They have a thorough understanding of how these pose an additional threat because of the sensitive nature of their work in the defence and security sector.
Apprentices quickly become a valuable asset to their employer on completion of their apprenticeship. For instance, level 3 maritime engineering apprentices have been deployed to aircraft carriers in international waters to repair gas turbines. Many apprentices become mentors for new apprentices.
Senior leaders and staff are aspirational for their apprentices. They provide encouragement and opportunities for apprentices to successfully take part in skills competitions and projects. For instance, apprentices have won awards in World Skills competitions and the Royal Academy of Leaders scholarship programme.
Leaders have created apprenticeship programmes that are ambitious for their learners. Leaders work highly effectively with employers to establish their needs in terms of knowledge, skills and behaviours. They use this information to create programmes with the appropriate professional accountancy qualifications based on the apprentice’s job role integrated into the apprenticeship.
Tutors work very closely with apprentices’ line managers to ensure that apprentices have planned opportunities to practise their skills in the workplace and develop them further. Light vehicle technician apprentices learn about servicing gearboxes and replacing clutches in vehicles and become skilled at doing this in the workplace, with support from their mentors and other technicians.
Apprentices develop substantial new skills rapidly and use these skills confidently in the workplace. For example, light vehicle technician apprentices who have recently completed the first year of their programme confidently carry out vehicle services, fault diagnostics, tyre changing and brake system replacements with minimum supervision.
Trainers promote equality and diversity effectively as part of the apprenticeship and explore British values well with apprentices. Apprentices successfully develop their knowledge of these topics and apply it in the workplace. They promote different protected characteristics at work and apply their knowledge of legislation, including GDPR, in their job roles. They demonstrate a high level of respect for their customers and take into account the needs of customers from all backgrounds when communicating with them.
Leaders have a clear vision to support individuals to gain career opportunities in the finance sector. They have responded extremely well to the changes in the finance sector from one that was primarily a graduate-entry career to one that increasingly attracts school leavers. This has led to the introduction of apprenticeships at levels 3 and 4.

41) Less Positive inspection Statements

Now look at these less positive judgements where Inspectors have judged that the Apprenticeship ‘Requires Improvement’ or is ‘Weak’:

Although apprentices do learn some new knowledge, such as how to hang a new door, managers and lecturers do not plan well enough with employers so that apprentices can then practise their new knowledge and apply it within the workplace. Assessors do not plan on- and off-the-job learning. Apprentices do not get frequent enough opportunity to apply new knowledge and develop new skills in the workplace. Apprentices make slow progress as a result.
Managers and lecturers do not make clear at the beginning of apprenticeships what apprentices will learn. They do not identify clearly enough what apprentices already know and need to know. As a result, all apprentices undertake the same programme of learning.
Lecturers do not have or use sufficient information to plan learning so that apprentices could better develop the knowledge and skills they need most urgently within their relevant job roles.
Assessors do not track sufficiently well the progress apprentices are making in developing new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Assessors do not complete frequent enough reviews with apprentices. Employers are not regularly involved in the reviews that do take place between assessors and apprentices. As a result, apprentices are not clear on what they need to do to improve the standard of their work.
Employers have too little involvement in individual progress reviews of apprentices. As a result, apprentices do not receive adequate feedback on the progress that they are making and do not know what they need to do to improve.
Trainers do not use assessment effectively. They carry out little assessment, other than recording apprentices’ completion of units of the qualification. In too many cases, apprentices do not receive guidance or feedback about the quality of their work, which means that they do not know how well they are doing or how to improve their work.
Leaders have not ensured that apprentices’ line managers are sufficiently involved in apprentices’ learning. Line managers have not been supported to ensure they understand what apprentices need to know and do to be successful in their apprenticeship and are not involved in reviews of apprentices’ progress. As a result, they are unable to support apprentices fully in their learning and ensure that opportunities in the workplace allow apprentices to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they will need to be successful.
College trainers do not always make employers sufficiently aware of what they need to do to link apprentices’ learning taught by the training academy to the range of work occurring at waste recycling centres where apprentices are based. Some employers do not have a good enough understanding about, or give sufficient priority to, supporting the development of apprentices’ skills in the workplace, further delaying apprentices’ progress.
Apprentices often spend significantly longer periods in learning then they expect to. This is because apprentices are not supported effectively to learn and progress beyond the requirements of their qualifications. They do not extend their knowledge through meaningful discussions with assessors on their performance at work. This inhibits their progress.

42) Off-The-Job Training (infographic)

43) What Is Off-The-Job Training (OJT)?

The importance of off-the-job training to a quality apprenticeship was emphasised in the Richard Review of Apprenticeships and more recently in Taking Training Seriously, a report by the Gatsby Foundation which compared English apprenticeships to those in other countries. This report reinforced the need for off-the-job training and concluded that 20% should be the bare minimum if England is to compete with the strongest apprenticeship programmes internationally

Off-the-job training can be delivered in a flexible way. This can be at the apprentice’s usual place of work, or at an external location.

It can include for example, the teaching of theory, practical training and writing assignments.

Off-the-job training is a statutory requirement for an English apprenticeship. It is training which is received by the apprentice, during the apprentice’s normal working hours, for the purpose of achieving the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the approved apprenticeship referenced in the apprenticeship agreement.
By normal working hours we mean paid hours excluding overtime.

44) Examples of OTJ

The teaching of theory
Online learning
Manufacturer training
Masterclasses
Work-shadowing
Industry or academic research
Completing projects, essays or workbooks
Lectures, role playing,
Simulation exercises
Practical training and activity such as mentoring, industry visits
Participation in competitions
Learning support and time spent writing assessments and assignments.
Research and building of prototypes
Research projects.

45) Can You Identify Some Current Off-The-Job Training And How Well Apprentices Use It To Enhance Their Role At Work?

Remember, it has to be outside their actual work but still in their paid working time, as they are entitled to the minimum of 20% of their time over the whole apprenticeship programme.

46) Note On The Careers Information, Advice And Guidance We Give To Apprentices

Part of the Personal Development judgements cover how well we as a College or provider ensure that apprenticeship receive timely, impartial and up-to- date, relevant careers information, advice and guidance.

Statutory careers provision and the Gatsby Benchmarks

In 2017, the ‘careers strategy’ was published as part of the government’s plan to make Britain fairer, improve social mobility and offer opportunity for everyone.

The strategy outlines 8 benchmarks, otherwise known as the ‘Gatsby Benchmarks’.

Colleges are expected to use the benchmarks to develop their careers provision.

The benchmarks ensure that schools fulfil their statutory duty to provide excellent careers guidance which informs students and their families about the full range of education and training options available.

47) Safeguarding Apprentices

Manchester Metropolitan University operates apprenticeship schemes and has developed the following advice:

Employers should familiarise themselves with relevant government legislation and take appropriate steps to understand what safeguarding means in practice at their organisation, in the context of the responsibilities they have for the people they employ.
Ensure that any staff working with apprentices in a position of trust are appropriate for the role and do not present any danger or threat.
Ensure that any people working with young or vulnerable people have had an appropriate check completed with the Disclosure and Barring service.
If possible, identify a person to coordinate safeguarding across an organisation.
Demonstrate a commitment to the principles that underpin the Prevent Duty. Seek specialist support if any concerns are raised.
Demonstrate a commitment to Fundamental British Values (FBV)
Adhere to the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
Ensure apprentices are made aware of your organisation's policies on using the internet and technology in the workplace.
Understand the dangers apprentices may face using technology in the workplace and act to minimise risks.

48) Resulting Judgements On Safeguarding From Ofsted Reports

Governors and senior leaders place a high priority on keeping apprentices and apprentices safe.

Staff clearly understand their responsibilities to safeguard apprentices and apprentices. Designated safeguarding leads are appropriately trained. They manage and resolve disclosures diligently. Leads use links to external agencies to help apprentices and apprentices access additional help, such as counselling.

Managers ensure that staff are recruited safely. Staff receive regular training and updates on safeguarding and safeguarding-related matters.

Apprentices and apprentices feel safe in their learning and work environments. They learn about safe working practices in work and when working online. For example, construction apprentices explain about the dangers of drink and drug misuse on construction sites.

49) What Is Prevent?

In this section we will look at the Prevent Duty. It is our responsibility to ensure that apprentices understand what potential dangers exist around extremism.

Read this from the government guidance on Prevent in Further Education:

Prevent Duty Guidance.

Section 26(1) of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (“the Act”) imposes a duty on “specified authorities”, when exercising their functions, to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. There is an important role for further education institutions, including sixth form colleges and independent training providers, in helping prevent people being drawn into terrorism, which includes not just violent extremism but also non-violent extremism, which can create an atmosphere conducive to terrorism and can popularise views which terrorists exploit. It is a condition of funding that all further education and independent training providers must comply with relevant legislation and any statutory responsibilities associated with the delivery of education and safeguarding of learners.

“We would expect appropriate members of staff to have an understanding of the factors that make people vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism and to challenge extremist ideas which are used by terrorist groups and can purport to legitimise terrorist activity. We define extremism as “vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs. We also include in our definition of extremism calls for the death of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas.”

50) Look At This Extract From The ‘Personal Development’ Section Of The Handbook

“The provider prepares apprentices for life in modern Britain by: teaching them how to protect themselves from radicalisation and extremist views”.

Let us look at what this means for us in terms of providing good support to apprentices about radical threats.

Prevent Duty Guidance

This outlines what further education institutions need to consider when exercising their functions, to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
There is an important role for further education institutions, including sixth form colleges and independent training providers, in helping prevent people being drawn into terrorism, which includes not just violent extremism but also non-violent extremism, which can create an atmosphere conducive to terrorism and can popularise views which terrorists exploit.
It is a condition of funding that all further education and independent training providers must comply with relevant legislation and any statutory responsibilities associated with the delivery of education and safeguarding of learners.

51) Prevent Outlines

Your college or university will have very clear outlines and training about Prevent and how you can ensure your apprentices understand the risk of radical activities, ideas and the ways in which they may be groomed or drawn into these groups.

52) Summary Of The Themes Your Institution Will Have Materials About, To Share With You And Your Staff

External speakers or events
Balancing your legal duties for freedom of speech and protecting apprentices and staff
Engagement with partners involved with Prevent
Partnerships
IT policies and being safe online tutorials
Risk assessment
Policies for whistle blowing and complaints
Any subcontracting
Understanding living in modern Britain
Knowledge of leaders at the university– priority areas

53) Note From Home Office On The Statutory Guidance For FE On Prevent**

In complying with this duty, we would expect active engagement from governors, boards, principals, managers and leaders with other partners including police and BIS regional higher and further education Prevent co-ordinators. We would expect institutions to seek to engage and consult students on their plans for implementing the duty.

Activity – Find out who the Prevent Coordinators are at the College and at the employer if they have one.

What materials and support can they provide?

54) Notes On COVID And Inspection

The pandemic created a challenging time for providers. Leaders and staff were making adaptations and trying to ensure that as much learning and assessment could still take place and that apprentices were able to stay on programme.

As a result, and in recognition, Ofsted added some statements into the Handbook to reflect that their judgments would take into account what additional things provider staff had to do.

Inspectors will always take into account how well provider staff help and protect apprentices so that they are kept safe, including when learning remotely.

Here are some of the relevant the extracts from the current Handbook.

a) In this section, the Inspectorate is pointing out that remote interviews are now a part of inspection methodology. It is good practice to ensure that you can set this up for the inspection team and also think about how you could work with employers to arrange this beforehand:

Remote elements of the inspection: As with our practice before the pandemic, we will continue to carry out some elements of the inspection or monitoring visit using video or telephone calls, where that is the most effective means of gathering information. We may use these calls to involve staff, learners, employers, those responsible for governance, subcontractors and others.

b) Here, Ofsted sets out the plan to consider inspection timings so that the pressure can be lessened on providers. Ofsted also ask providers if staff absence due to COVID is a serious factor and could lead to a deferment in a provider feels strongly that staff absence means that an inspection would have key people missing and as such disadvantage the provider:

There is a clear section on COVID-related factors in the Deferral Policy:

Frequency of inspection: Inspection intervals have been extended where necessary due to the suspension of routine inspections during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020.

c) In this section, the Handbook points out that the Provider may want to show how the curriculum was adapted or adjusted due to the pandemic- it would be a good idea to be able to show that you took measures to support apprentices to stay on programme and to catch up if they needed to:

The curriculum intent takes into account the needs of learners, employers, and the local, regional and national economy, as necessary. Curriculum planning takes account of delays and gaps that arise as a result of the pandemic.

d) Under Personal Development, the Ofsted Handbook also notes that the pandemic will have reduced opportunities you offer and wants to explore what you did instead:

Where the usual opportunities have been disrupted by the pandemic, the provider has found alternative approaches to providing a rich range of personal development opportunities.

e) The Handbook has added points that considers how you and staff kept a focus on safety online and protected the most vulnerable apprentices.

Always having effective arrangements and to always act in the best interests of children^{[footnote 66]} and learners to protect them online and offline, including when they are receiving remote education or self-isolating due to COVID-19.

Inspectors will consider to how leaders and managers adapted approaches to safeguarding during the pandemic to make sure that:

vulnerable learners were prioritised for face-to-face education as necessary
safeguarding procedures remained effective for those receiving remote education and those in self-isolation, as well as those attending the provider
Inspectors will discuss how safeguarding arrangements have changed over time due to the pandemic, and how leaders and managers have made sure that they remain effective.

55) Themes Around COVID That Ofsted Inspectors Might Want To Explore With Apprentices and Staff

Remote education and/or blended learning: How Apprenticeship providers managed to implement their curriculum: did you keep what was good?
Lost learning and strategies to cope (assessment schedules, seminars, clinics, catch ups, streaming, university library/study skills programmes?)
Covid safety and keeping college policy aligned with legal updates from the government.
How vulnerable learners kept safe;
Online protocols for safety and integrity.
Mental health for all
How prepared teachers and support staff were – Did leaders implement relevant CPD?
How staff welfare was considered
Employers and parents kept up to date
Whether you are reviewing your curriculum moving forwards.

56) If You Are In A Leadership Position, Please Look At This Statement From The ‘Good’ Grading Criteria For The Leadership And Management Judgement Section Of The Handbook

Leaders engage with their staff and are aware and take account of the main pressures on them. They are realistic and constructive in the way they manage staff, including their workload, and have acted proactively in response to COVID-19 and beyond/during the transitional period.

57) Summary

We can see that the Handbook consider how COVID has created changes and inspectors will be interested in your responses – and talk to your apprentices about how everyone coped. However, as we move back to more normality, keep an eye on the latest versions of the Handbook as circumstances change once again.

58) Short Recap And Quiz About The EIF

What are the four key judgement areas?
Where will we find the impact of leadership and management?
What are the critical things for our apprentices/learners to be able to demonstrate?
What key thing should we all be thinking about in relation to the EIF?
What is important about continual professional development in the eyes of the EIF?
What is the fundamental methodology for inspecting against the EIF?
Who has responsibility for safeguarding and what new concerns have arisen nationally over the last year?
What are the Provision Types Ofsted inspect across a college?

59) Suggested Answers

Quality of Education, Behaviours and Attitudes, Personal Development, Leadership and Management
The impact of leadership and management is found in the practice and work with apprentices; the apprentices’ learning experience; the impact of the programme; and in the skills of the teaching staff

It is critical that apprentices demonstrate substantive new learning; that they can do more, the know more, they can remember and apply what they know. That they understand the Prevent Duty and the Fundamental British Values; that they know how to work and learn safely; that they have very positive attitudes to work; that they behave very well and show excellent conduct.
The key thing we should all be thinking about is curriculum.
Continual professional development is important in the eyes of the EIF where we see the skills and expertise of teachers strengthened and their practice is making a difference. They have up-to-date specialist and pedagogic knowledge and tools.
The fundamental methodology for inspecting against the EIF is the Deep Dive.
Everyone has responsibility for safeguarding; the new concerns that have arisen nationally in 2021 are about sexual harassment and also around mental health post-lockdown.
The Provision Types are Adults, Apprenticeships, Education Programmes for Young People; and High Needs.

Discover Weston College

Provider Name: Weston College

Good Practice Subject: World Skills Participation and Success

Apprenticeship Standard: Digital and Technology Solutions Professional Degree Apprenticeship

Discover Weston College

Provider Name: Weston College

Good Practice Subject: World Skills Participation and Progression To Employment

Apprenticeship Standard: Motor Vehicle L3

Discover City College Plymouth

Provider Name: City College Plymouth

Good Practice Subject: Using Digital Technology to enhance Welding Skills

Apprenticeship Standard: Level 3 Plate Welder Apprenticeship

Discover City College Plymouth

Provider Name: City College Plymouth

Good Practice Subject: Innovation with Employers to develop the curriculum

Apprenticeship Standard:Engineering Technician Level 3

Discover Weston College

Provider Name: Weston College

Good Practice Subject: Engagement with Functional Skills English for Bricklaying Apprentices

Apprenticeship Standard: Bricklayers L

Discover City College Plymouth

Provider Name: City College Plymouth

Good Practice Subject: Using Drone Technology

Apprenticeship Standard: Construction Quantity Surveying Technician L4

Discover Weston College

Provider Name: Weston College

Good Practice Subject: Collaborating With Employers To Sequence the Curriculum around strategic work projects

Apprenticeship Standard: Operations Department Manager L5

Discover Weston College

Provider Name: Weston College

Good Practice Subject: Advice and Guidance; Preparing Learners for National Competitions

Apprenticeship Standard: Engineering Technician; Machinist Pathway

Discover Weston College

Provider Name: Weston College

Good Practice Subject: Overview of how an apprentice used the Pomodoro technique to help develop organisation and time management.

Apprenticeship Standard: Customer Service Specialist L3

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Assessors worked with a young learner making the transition from school to a work-based apprenticeship. In early conversations it was identified they wanted to explore and develop their confidence in organisation and time management which they hoped would help them with this transition and to learn new skills, develop confidence in role and help develop responsibility and ownership.

Staff explored organisational and time management techniques in one of our sessions and the Pomodoro approach resonated.
I asked him to try adapting this technique, using this approach to break down tasks and apply given timescales, ensuring that he gave himself time to digest and reflect on any new learning and to factor in breaks. Initially the learner applied this to home organisation, using this approach to lay out a morning and evening plan to aid his preparation for work and to ensure all preparation was done timely so he could relax and have some down time in the day. The feedback was that this seemed to work, he felt more organised and prepared for work and less stressed.

I then asked him to apply this to work. To look at the tasks he was required to undertake, to see if he could apply the same approach. I asked him to consider whether he could apply this when learning new tasks so that he could manage the amount of new information he was processing. During this time, I also asked him to seek feedback from the team. When we got together, we explored this and he had been able to identify opportunities in his shift pattern where he could plan his day but also recognised where he was able to break down specific tasks. This seemed to be working for him and believe he felt more in

control which was having a positive impact on his ability to manage his day more effectively.
The feedback he had received was positive, but a suggestion was made was around quality checking his work during busy periods. Again, exploring this together he identified that he could use the Pomodoro approach again to plan in time after each activity to review what he had done prior to completing. Amazing.

In a subsequent session with his line manager and mentor we reflected on all the above and the positive impact this has had on him and his role. We then went on to discuss how he could use his learning to date to identify any areas of improvement within his role. This is a criterion of his main aim. It became apparent that as part of the above planning and organisation he had already suggested to his manager implementing a hand over sheet which would help him with planning his day but may also help with general team communications. This idea was being explored and I suggested that the learner picked this up as a project. This has been done, the idea has been explored and implemented and feedback received on this to date has been positive.

Discover City College Plymouth

Provider Name: City College Plymouth

Good Practice Subject: R and D within MASS (Marine Autonomous Surface Ship)

Apprenticeship Standard: Marine Engineering Level 5; Project Module delivered across: FdSc Marine Engineering, Naval Architecture, Marine Autonomous Vehicles, Mechanical

Discover Weston College

Provider Name: Weston College

Good Practice Subject: Maths Clinics For degree Apprentices In Engineering

Apprenticeship Standard: HE Engineering Degree Apprenticeships all pathways and HNC Engineering qualification

Discover Weston College

Provider Name: Weston College

Good Practice Subject: Peer Learning Apprenticeship Shadowing and Cross - Workplace Collaboration

Apprenticeship Standard: L2 Community Activator Coach & L3 Community Sport and Health Officer

Discover City College Plymouth

Provider Name: City College Plymouth

Good Practice Subject: Creating and Accessing Recorded Instructional Video /Streaming Live and Hybrid Use and Remote Learning, showcasing well-narrated and annotated video content for higher apprentices

Apprenticeship Standard: Marine Engineering L5

Discover City College Plymouth

Provider Name: City College Plymouth

Good Practice Subject: Using Projects to develop group goals and valuable professional behaviours for industry.

Apprenticeship Standard: Electrical and electronic engineering higher apprenticeship

Discover Weston College

Provider Name: Weston College

Good Practice Subject: Avon Fire and Rescue Service Apprentices Workshops and Enrichment for Wellbeing, Mental Health and Public Speaking

Apprenticeship Standard: Operational Firefighter Apprenticeship L3

Understanding Framework Files

Catchup Toolkit Published Resources

CCF Catchup Toolkit

Employer Plan CCF Example

Employer Plan CCF Template

Planing for Learning Resource external

SoL Template

Training Coordinator CCF

Systems Published Resources

Design Thinking Workshop Presentation - Template

Digital Strategic Example

Example of a First Stage Systems Review Questionnaire

Example Tender Document- Student Records System CCF

Systems Toolkit

Wellbeing Toolkits

CCF Wellbeing Toolkit (Feb 2022)

CCF Wellbeing Toolkit for Employers (Feb 2022)

Glossary

Common Acronyms

AELP - Association of Employment and Learning Providers
BIS - Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
CIMA - Chartered Institute of Management Accountant
CLT - Cognitive Load Theory
CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility
CVET - Continuing Vocational Education and Training
DfE - Department for Education
EAS - Employer Apprenticeship Survey
EIF - Education Inspection Framework
EHCP - Education, Health and Care Plan

Understanding the Education Inspection Framework

Jump to Section

1. Introduction

2. Ofsted Reference Material For Use With This Toolkit

3. Ofsted Reference Material For Use With This Toolkit

4. Is my Apprenticeship Programme In Scope For An Inspection?

5. Getting Familiar With The Core Documents Used By Inspectors

6. What Is The ‘Handbook’* Used Alongside The Education Inspection Framework?

7. What Is Included For An Apprenticeship Inspection If I Work At A College Or University In Just One Area Of Apprenticeship Delivery?

8. The EIF In More Detail

8a) Quality of education

8b) Intent (quality of education)

8c) The ‘intent’ discussion

8d) Activity on intent (quality of education)

8e) What could you include?

8f) How will inspectors explore intent?

8g) Finally, here is a simple summary to cross-check you have covered Intent

9) What is Implementation (Quality of Education)?

10) Activity on Implementation (Quality of Education)

11) Here Are Some Key Phrases And Approaches You May Have Heard

12) Reflection

13) The Forgetting Curve

14) Summary of Implementation

15) Cognitive Load Theory

16) Activity: Short Film

17) Activity On Sequencing Learning

18) Activity: Talking To Teachers

19) Checkpoint

20) What is ‘Impact’ (Quality of Education)?

21) Checkpoint For Impact

22). What Is The Deep Dive Methodology?

23) What Happens On A Deep Dive?

24) Have A Look Through These Activities To Expect On A Deep Dive

25) A Note On Work Scrutiny

26) Checkpoint On Work Scrutiny In Deep Dives

27) Employers Role in Apprenticeship Inspections

28) Top Lines of Enquiry With Employers

29) Sourcing Evidence from Employers - Planning Questions

30) Sourcing Evidence From Employers: Impact And Business Benefits Questions

31) Reviews

32) A Look

33) What Makes A Quality Review?

34) Do Reviews Provide Academic Staff With Good Enough Information From The Employers?

35) Checkpoint

36) Look At The Section Of The EIF To See What Ofsted Mean By ‘Personal Development’

37) Checkpoint: Here Is A Summary Of The Themes In Personal Development

38) Inspection Meetings With Employer Staff

39) Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement Or Weak Evaluations From Recent Apprenticeship Inspections

40) Positive Inspection Statements

41) Less Positive inspection Statements

42) Off-The-Job Training (infographic)

43) What Is Off-The-Job Training (OJT)?

44) Examples of OTJ

45) Can You Identify Some Current Off-The-Job Training And How Well Apprentices Use It To Enhance Their Role At Work?

46) Note On The Careers Information, Advice And Guidance We Give To Apprentices

47) Safeguarding Apprentices

48) Resulting Judgements On Safeguarding From Ofsted Reports

49) What Is Prevent?

50) Look At This Extract From The ‘Personal Development’ Section Of The Handbook

51) Prevent Outlines

52) Summary Of The Themes Your Institution Will Have Materials About, To Share With You And Your Staff

53) Note From Home Office On The Statutory Guidance For FE On Prevent**

54) Notes On COVID And Inspection

55) Themes Around COVID That Ofsted Inspectors Might Want To Explore With Apprentices and Staff

56) If You Are In A Leadership Position, Please Look At This Statement From The ‘Good’ Grading Criteria For The Leadership And Management Judgement Section Of The Handbook

57) Summary

58) Short Recap And Quiz About The EIF

59) Suggested Answers

Understanding Framework Files

Catchup Toolkit Published Resources

Systems Published Resources

Wellbeing Toolkits

Glossary

Apply or find out more

One Message, Different Voices

**6. What Is The ‘Handbook’* Used Alongside The Education Inspection Framework?**