Ofsted: ‘Reasonable’ progress at Learndirect Apprenticeships

Ofsted has inspected Learndirect Apprenticeships, set up by the controversial firm to deliver levy-funded provision
31st May 2018, 10:59am

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Ofsted: ‘Reasonable’ progress at Learndirect Apprenticeships

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/ofsted-reasonable-progress-learndirect-apprenticeships
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Learndirect Apprenticeships - the training provider set up by controversial firm Learndirect - is making “reasonable progress”, according to Ofsted.

The inspectorate visited the provider in one of its monitoring visits to assess a sample of new apprenticeship training providers funded through the levy.

In 2016, the directors of Learndirect - the country’s largest FE provider - set up two separate companies: Learndirect Ltd for adult learning, and Learndirect Apprenticeships Ltd (LDA) for apprenticeship and traineeship provision. Both companies are overseen by the board of directors of a holding company, Pimco.

LDA currently trains around 3,900 apprentices; over half of them in retail and commercial enterprise, with a quarter in business, administration and law.

In the report published today, Ofsted has concluded that LDA is making “reasonable progress” in three areas: ensuring it is meeting all the requirements of successful apprenticeship provision, ensuring apprentices benefit from high-quality training that leads to positive outcomes; and ensuring that effective safeguarding arrangements are in place.

‘Clear strategy’

This comes after the inspectorate last year graded Learndirect inadequate. The report resulted in lengthy legal proceedings and an investigation by the National Audit Office.

The report highlights progress made at LDA. It states that leaders have “implemented a clear strategy to provide apprenticeships in carefully selected subject areas”. The “vast majority of apprentices are receiving their entitlement to off-the-job training”, and managers “monitor carefully the proportion of apprentices who receive their entitlement, and are acutely aware of apprentices who are not yet receiving their full entitlement”.

“Most” apprentices learn “new skills and knowledge as part of their programme; they gain in confidence and add value to their employers”, the report adds. However, a “small minority of apprentices who were employed prior to starting their programme are not developing new skills”.

Leaders have created a “management structure with clear lines of accountability to evaluate the quality of training”, and “have a sound understanding of key strengths and weaknesses”.

However, the report points out that “too many apprentices do not develop higher-level English and mathematics skills relevant to their job roles”.

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