An Ofsted inspection report for Smart Training and Recruitment was released last week.
It showed that improvements have been made to the ‘Overall effectiveness’ of the organisation as a learning provider to young people on the Isle of Wight.
The inspection carried out by Ofsted in January 2013 considered the organisation should move up two levels from Inadequate (as judged in March 2012) to Good.
The report by Martin Hughes found that the provider is good because:
- Ambition, commitment and expectation are particularly high, ensuring all learners and staff will be successful in training and extend expertise into the workplace.
- Overall success rates are very much improved, and now high on all apprenticeships programmes.
- Progression rates for Foundation Learning learners into employment and full-time learning are good.
- First time pass rates for learners completing functional skills are very high.
- Teaching and learning are good or better with sessions well planned, structured and very effective in developing vocational skills to improve learners’ promotion opportunities at work.
- The standards of learners’ work are good and clearly demonstrate work-place skills and expertise, with very progressive use of e-portfolios to record and monitor learner achievement.
- The reviews of learner progress are good and set meaningful targets for Foundation Learning learners.
- Technologies are used very well to support learning, record learner progress and provide detailed and easily accessible independent learning resources.
- Strategic management focuses on learning to meet the needs of learners and targeted employers.
- Data are used very well to monitor the performance of learners, providing a very clear picture of progress and the impact of learning and assessment.
- Partnerships with employers, volunteer groups and the local authority are outstanding, promoting progression, learning, and employer development.
More improvements needed
The inspector went on to highlight areas that the organisation need to improve on in order to become ‘Outstanding’.
- A small proportion of apprentices fail to complete their qualification in a timely manner.
- Success rates, which have improved significantly recently, do not yet demonstrate sustained and consistently high performance.
- Training advisers do not always sufficiently challenge and extend the learning, most especially for learners at advanced levels or make best use of the available online resources and the recently introduced mobile applications to most effectively promote and follow up independent learning with learners.
- Insufficient opportunities for Foundation Learning learners to engage in practical or vocational training.
The full report is embedded below for your convenience.
