University of Greenwich Ofsted Report

Full report

Information about the provider

• The University of Greenwich is a higher education provider. It is based on three sites two in south-east London and a site in Kent. Since September 2017, the organisation has started to deliver level 4 and 5 apprenticeship standards to approximately 35 apprentices in nursing associates and science laboratory technicians. In addition, the provider also delivers degree-level apprenticeships, which are not in scope for this inspection. It offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses to approximately 20,000 students, which are also not in scope.
• The University of Greenwich recruits the majority of its apprentices from London and the south-east of England. All of its apprentices are employed in either the National Health Service (NHS) or companies requiring a scientific specialism. They undertake an apprenticeship in order to gain the qualifications and skills necessary to secure long-term employment in the local area.

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that senior leaders have a more comprehensive overview of the quality of the provision by:
  • using their knowledge of the quality of teaching and learning in different departments to provide teachers with effective support to help improve teaching practice.
  • ensuring that their own evaluation of the quality of provision is evaluative and identifies where there are specific areas of practice which need to be improved across the range of courses offered.
• Ensure that leaders and managers have sufficient oversight of the progress that apprentices make towards their qualification and the skills that they develop.
• Ensure that leaders and managers in science have rigorous systems to check that apprentices receive their entitlement to off-the-job training.
• Improve the support provided to apprentices who need to achieve functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and managers have a clear and ambitious vision to provide high-quality apprenticeships to meet the needs of employers in London and Kent. Leaders set high standards and have high aspirations for the organisation. They have established a professional and respectful working environment. They have a well-considered strategic plan, which articulates their ambitions to their staff and strategic partners and informs the development and growth of apprenticeships.
• Leaders’ strategic plan has a good focus on developing technical and vocational skills. Staff at all levels of the organisation have a good understanding of the organisation’s mission, vision and values and how they shape the apprenticeship programmes.
• Leaders work well with strategic partners to ensure that they have a sound understanding of the vocational areas from which apprentices are recruited. This includes collaboration with the local skills board, Health Education England and science companies that the university has worked with for many years. Leaders match their curriculum well to the needs of employers and regional priorities. They provide courses that support learners from the local community to progress into sustainable employment in nursing and science.
• Leaders and managers gather feedback from apprentices and employers frequently and they use this information well to improve their service. They listen carefully to feedback from learners, and managers identify improvements based on module evaluations.
• Leaders and managers support staff well to develop the quality of their teaching. They have established a comprehensive training plan which enables tutors to gain relevant teaching qualifications to improve their teaching skills.
• Managers of different apprenticeship programmes evaluate well the quality of provision, including teaching, learning and assessment, on the programmes for which they are responsible. However, senior leaders do not use this information to gain a secure overview of the apprenticeships programmes as a whole. For example, they do not have enough detail on the progress that apprentices on different programmes make towards achieving their apprenticeship, especially on science programmes. As a result, they do not have a precise enough knowledge of what needs to improve further. The governance of the provider

• Governors have an appropriate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the apprenticeship provision. They are aware of the importance of apprenticeships and how they fit into the vision and mission of the organisation.
• Governors have high aspirations for apprenticeship provision and for attracting local apprentices to the university. Many of these apprentices would not have previously considered higher education.
• When managers started the provision, the information they provided to governors focused on the recruitment of apprentices. They gave insufficient information about the quality of the provision. Governors do not ensure that their meetings cover all aspects of the provision in sufficient detail, for example they do not monitor closely enough how well leaders make improvements. As a result, governors do not know what impact leaders and managers have on the quality of the apprenticeships.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders and managers put the safety and welfare of apprentices as a high priority within the organisation. Apprentices feel safe and feel confident that they could report incidents if necessary.
• Staff receive frequent training on safeguarding and have a good understanding of issues affecting apprentices. Managers provide relevant and personalised support to meet individual apprentices’ needs, such as through referrals to external agencies. As a result, apprentices feel safe and are safe.
• Leaders and managers have put detailed policies and procedures in place for safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty, including a ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment. Staff and apprentices in nursing understand the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism and how to report any concerns that they might have. These issues are less well understood by apprentices in science.
• Managers carry out appropriate pre-employment checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with apprentices. They keep accurate records of training and suitability checks.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Staff assess accurately what apprentices can and cannot do at the start of their programme. They take account of apprentices’ existing skills and their job roles. As a result, apprentices enrol on the right programmes at the right level.
• Staff are well qualified in their subject areas. In nursing, tutors maintain their licence to practise as nurses. In science, staff are engaged in research and work with industry partners. This contributes well to their teaching. They plan programmes well, including tailoring subject theory to learners’ work contexts. They motivate and challenge learners to achieve their qualification aims and career aspirations. As a result, apprentices make at least the progress expected of them.
• Tutors give good support to apprentices so that they develop new skills and knowledge. Apprentices in nursing discuss the different readings obtained when taking a patient’s blood pressure, and how to move patients safely. Apprentices in science explain the development of their skills in understanding the chemical construction of acids and alkalis. As a result, apprentices present evidence of their competency at work with confidence.
• Tutors support apprentices well to develop their written English and mathematical skills in lessons, and through their written work. Apprentices also receive good support with their mathematics from research students who provide study sessions when apprentices are in university. However, leaders and managers do not provide a comprehensive programme of support for those apprentices who need to gain qualifications in English and mathematics. As a result, a small minority of apprentices do not develop the skills they need to further their study.
• Tutors provide helpful feedback to apprentices on their work, and apprentices know what they need to do to improve. For example, tutors give precise feedback to apprentices on how to achieve higher grades.
• Staff have developed effective relationships with apprentices’ employers. They involve employers well in planning apprentices’ programmes. This results in tutors providing learning which meets apprentices’ and employers’ needs.
• Apprentices benefit from high-quality resources which support them to learn new skills. In nursing, apprentices have access to fully equipped, simulated hospital wards, where they practise their clinical skills. In science, apprentices benefit from laboratories which are of the same standard as those in their workplaces.
• Tutors in science do not monitor frequently enough the progress that apprentices make in developing the skills they need in order to complete assignments. They also do not monitor effectively enough apprentices’ entitlement to off-the-job training. As a result, apprentices make slower than expected progress with the tasks they need to complete.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

• Apprentices enjoy their courses and appreciate being able to bring their experience from their jobs into the classroom to extend their skills and knowledge. Apprentices’ experience of work benefits other students in the group who are not employed. Apprentices talk confidently about what they learn and the progress they are making towards the apprenticeship. This includes how they have gained confidence in academic writing and improvements to their communication and research skills.
• Apprentices have a good attitude towards learning and work. Apprentices’ attendance is high, and they are punctual and ready to learn. They have a good understanding of the expectations that staff set for them, in particular how to work safely. As a result, employers value the contribution apprentices make to their businesses.
• Apprentices in nursing have a good understanding of British values, equality and diversity, and the dangers of radicalisation and extremist ideology, and how to apply these to their work settings. For example, nursing apprentices know how these values improve their attitudes towards patients. Apprentices in science have a less well-developed understanding of these topics.
• Apprentices feel safe and know how to keep safe. However, apprentices are not given enough guidance on online safety, particularly given that much of their work and submission of assignments is done online.
• Staff have effective processes for assessing learners for potential additional learning needs. When necessary, tutors make appropriate adaptations to their lessons to meet apprentices’ needs. For example, they provide additional time for apprentices to complete examinations, and support to develop their skills. These contribute to apprentices making the progress of which they are capable.
• Staff refer apprentices to an appropriate range of external agencies to support any additional needs. For example, they have access to organisations providing support on mental health, disabilities or financial assistance.

Outcomes for learners Good

• At the time of inspection, no apprentices had achieved their apprenticeship. The proportion of apprentices who remain on their course is very high.
• The majority of apprentices make expected progress towards completing their apprenticeship. They quickly develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to be competent in their job roles. Apprentices are aware of the progress they are making towards achieving their qualification.
• Apprentices’ work is of a good standard. Their written work is well organised and neat, and appropriate for the level of the course that they are studying.
• Leaders and managers are right to be aware of the shortcomings in English and mathematics teaching. They have put in place actions to rectify these. By the time of the inspection, no apprentices had taken examinations in functional skills English or mathematics.

Provider details

Unique reference number 133876 Type of provider Higher education Age range of learners 16–18/19+ Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 35 Principal/CEO David Maguire Telephone number 020 8331 8000 Website www.gre.ac.uk

Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+

• Intermediate Advanced Higher 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+
• 1 34 16–19
• 19+
• Total
• Number of traineeships Number of learners aged 14 to 16 Number of learners for which the provider receives high-needs funding At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors:

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of research and enterprise, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

Inspection team

Steve Lambert, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Graham Cunningham Ofsted Inspector