Sheffield Hallam University Ofsted Report

Full report

Information about the provider

• Sheffield Hallam University began direct delivery of higher apprenticeships in engineering in 2015 and introduced the level 5 operations/departmental manager standard in 2018. At the time of the inspection, 55 apprentices were following engineering apprenticeships and 40 were following operations/departmental manager apprenticeships. Two apprentices were on the facilities management framework, which is being phased out.
• Subcontractors deliver the NVQ component of engineering apprenticeships. Derby College and JCB Academy also deliver the foundation degree component. The university directly delivers the foundation degree for apprentices undertaking their NVQ at Barnsley College and The Sheffield College. Around half of the engineering apprentices are at Derby College, with just over a quarter at The Sheffield College and just under a quarter at JCB Academy. Two apprentices are at Barnsley College.

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

• Increase the proportion of apprentices who complete their apprenticeship successfully, by ensuring that all apprentices and employers are well informed about, and committed to, all components of the apprenticeships.
• Improve the effectiveness of assessments and reviews on the NVQ component of engineering apprenticeships by:
  • ensuring that apprentices and employers are aware of the timing and planned content of assessments and reviews so that they can participate fully
  • providing more robust quality assurance of subcontracted provision
  • ensuring that staff set and communicate challenging targets based on apprentices’ starting points, and give helpful feedback that enables apprentices to make the progress of which they are capable.
• Ensure that reports to governors accurately evaluate the quality of all aspects of apprenticeship provision, to enable governors to hold leaders to account for all aspects of the provision.
• Ensure that management information in relation to all components of apprenticeships is used well to inform robust self-assessment and rapid quality improvement actions.
• Ensure that all apprentices on operations/departmental manager apprenticeships receive their full entitlement to off-the-job training.
• Improve the quality of careers information, advice and guidance to ensure that all apprentices are enrolled on the most appropriate programmes.
• Ensure that operations/department manager apprentices develop the skills and knowledge that they and their employers need by:
  • using information about apprentices’ starting points to plan and provide teaching, learning and assessment that meet their individual needs
  • monitoring more effectively the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that any necessary improvements can be rapidly identified and addressed
  • improving attendance.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Leaders and managers do not use management information and self-assessment well enough to improve the quality of several important aspects of the provision. They do not consider sufficiently all indicators of the performance of apprenticeship provision, including apprentices’ progress in relation to the NVQ component. Leaders and managers do not focus well enough on the progress that apprentices make in developing new knowledge, skills and behaviours. They have recently implemented new procedures to address these issues, but it is too early to see the full impact from these actions.
• Leaders and managers do not ensure that apprentices and employers benefit from sufficiently helpful careers information, advice and guidance about all aspects of apprenticeship programmes. Too many engineering apprentices and employers do not value or understand the need for the NVQ component of the programme.
• Leaders and managers do not manage subcontracted provision well enough. They review adherence to university regulations but do not focus sufficiently on the quality of provision at all subcontractors. Consequently, teaching, learning and assessment and outcomes for apprentices are of inconsistent quality across subcontracted provision. For example, apprentices at Derby College do well while apprentices at JCB Academy and Barnsley College are less successful. Leaders have recently appointed new staff to improve the coordination of engineering NVQs, and this is beginning to have a positive impact on apprentices’ progress. It is too soon to see the full impact of these new appointments.
• Leaders and managers do not act quickly enough to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment on too many aspects of the provision, especially on the operations/departmental manager apprenticeships. Too many employers are disappointed in the delivery of teaching, learning and assessment on these apprenticeships. They consider that the programmes do not meet the needs of their apprentices and businesses well enough. Too many apprentices on these programmes leave their apprenticeship early.
• Leaders and managers ensure that the large majority of apprentices are on programmes that meet the principles and requirements of apprenticeship provision. However, a small proportion of apprentices on operations/departmental manager programmes do not receive their full entitlement to off-the-job training.
• Leaders and managers use labour market intelligence accurately to plan areas for curriculum development that match local skills gaps. They involve employers in curriculum design. Leaders and managers work well with external partners, including schools and colleges, to engage disadvantaged and under-represented learners and widen participation in learning. The apprenticeship provision has a relatively high proportion of learners who are the first in their family to enter higher education.
• Leaders and managers successfully promote an open culture characterised by tolerance, respect, support for equality and celebration of diversity. For example, they ensure that engineering marketing materials feature female apprentices prominently. Female apprentices make at least as much progress as male apprentices.

The governance of the provider

• Governors do not have sufficient awareness of all aspects of apprenticeship performance. They understand apprentices’ progress in terms of their foundation degrees. They hold leaders and managers to account for this aspect of the apprenticeship provision and support them to make improvements. However, they do not provide rigorous enough challenge to leaders and managers in relation to apprentices’ progress from their starting points on the NVQ component of engineering apprenticeships.
• Governors work closely with leaders and managers to shape the strategic direction of apprenticeship provision. They ensure that leaders and managers receive sufficient investment to develop the apprenticeship curriculum to address local and regional skills gaps. They ensure that university facilities and resources, such as engineering workshops, are of a high standard.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Senior leaders work closely with external partners to ensure that apprentices are safe. They play significant roles on local safeguarding boards, sharing helpful information across the city region.
• Leaders and managers provide appropriate safeguarding policies, training and procedures that staff understand and follow. Staff and apprentices know how to use these procedures to report any concerns that they may have.
• Designated safeguarding leads have appropriate training for their role. They act upon and follow up any concerns appropriately and refer concerns to external safeguarding agencies when required.
• Leaders and managers provide staff, employers and apprentices with helpful information about how to stay safe from the general risks of radicalisation and extremism. Staff have completed mandatory training in relation to the ‘Prevent’ duty. Leaders and managers have produced a ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan. This requires further development to ensure that apprentices develop a deeper understanding of the local risks of radicalisation and extremism.
• Leaders and managers do not ensure that apprentices have an in-depth understanding of how to stay safe online. Although inspectors did not find any apprentices who were at risk, this aspect of safeguarding requires improvement.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is variable and, in too many instances, is not high enough. Apprentices benefit from effective teaching, learning and assessment at subcontracted provision at Derby College and in academic provision at the university. However, the quality of subcontracted delivery at JCB Academy and at The Sheffield College is not as high. Apprentices do not make as much progress from their starting points at JCB Academy and The Sheffield College as they do at Derby College.
• Engineering assessors, apart from those at Derby College, do not plan their visits to apprentices well enough. Too many assessors do not give sufficient notice of their visits to enable apprentices to prepare fully or to facilitate the involvement of employers in assessments. Apprentices do not have sufficient opportunities to demonstrate or consolidate their knowledge and skills. As a result, they do not progress as quickly as they could towards completion of the NVQ component of their apprenticeship framework.
• Most assessors in engineering, apart from those at Derby College, do not set specific enough targets to guide apprentices towards completing their learning goals. Targets are often too generic, lack time constraints, and do not reflect the level of challenge required for the programme. Consequently, too many apprentices do not make all the progress of which they are capable in relation to their NVQs.
• Too many tutors on operations/departmental manager apprenticeships do not use information about apprentices’ starting points to plan and deliver teaching, learning and assessment that meet the needs of individual apprentices. In these cases, apprentices do not develop the skills and knowledge required by their employers.
• Too many assessors, apart from those at Derby College, do not undertake thorough enough assessments of, or provide helpful enough feedback on, apprentices’ work for the NVQ component of their engineering frameworks. In a few instances, they pay cursory attention to the content of apprentices’ work and give poor advice about how to improve it. In these cases, apprentices do not know what they need to do to improve their work.
• Other than at Derby College, too many progress reviews are too infrequent and do not focus sufficiently on the development of apprentices’ new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Too often, reviews simply confirm what apprentices already know and can do. Employers are not sufficiently involved in assessments and reviews. Consequently, too many apprentices do not make as much progress as they could from their starting points.
• The very few apprentices who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities do not receive prompt enough support to enable them to make progress at the same rate as their peers.
• Workplace mentors provide valuable on-the-job coaching that enables most apprentices to practise and develop the skills that they need in employment. For example, operations/departmental manager apprentices gain the confidence to lead team meetings. However, a small proportion of apprentices do not receive all their entitlement to off-the-job training or receive off-the-job training that is not well matched to the needs of their employers. Consequently, these apprentices do not reach their full potential. Too many do not complete their apprenticeships.
• Well-qualified, experienced academic staff use their expertise effectively to provide engaging teaching on the foundation degree components of engineering apprenticeships. Apprentices value the tuition that they receive on this part of their programmes. They develop a good understanding of the theoretical aspects of their courses.
• Academic staff in engineering plan and deliver an effective curriculum that incorporates the mathematical knowledge that engineers need. Consequently, the large majority of engineering apprentices develop a good understanding of mathematics and use this well to solve a range of complex problems in the workplace. For example, they know how to interpret data to determine the breaking point of metals.
• Engineering apprentices benefit from well-equipped learning environments at the university and at subcontracted provision at Derby College. Expert technical staff ensure that apprentices develop a good understanding of how to use the high-quality resources. For example, in electrical engineering, technicians demonstrate automated machinery and specialist software effectively. This helps apprentices to understand how to operate equipment that they use at work. Engineering apprentices develop industry-standard skills that enable them to contribute at work and improve their career prospects.
• Apprentices benefit from high-quality, online resources that support their learning well between learning sessions. This helps them to improve their independent learning skills and prepare well for their next steps in education and training.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

• Attendance is too low on operations/departmental manager apprenticeships, especially on the project development module.
• Apart from on subcontracted provision at Derby College, too many engineering apprentices do not value all components of their apprenticeships. Although they value their foundation degrees, a large proportion of apprentices do not understand why they are also enrolled on apprenticeships. They are not committed to the NVQ component of their frameworks.
• Apprentices at subcontracted provision at Derby College have positive attitudes towards their apprenticeship programmes. They take pride in their work and in their status as apprentices. Their work is of a high standard.
• Apprentices feel safe and are safe. They know how to report any concerns they may have. They understand the importance of health and safety at work and they follow health and safety guidelines well. They have an adequate understanding of the general dangers of radicalisation and extremism. However, their understanding of particular local risks relating to radicalisation and extremism is superficial, and they have only a basic understanding of how to stay safe online.
• Apprentices behave well. They are courteous, mature and articulate. They treat each other, staff and visitors with respect.
• Apprentices develop good skills of personal and professional reflection as a result of well-planned reflective modules that are effectively sequenced throughout their programmes.
• Apprentices benefit from regular curricular opportunities to consider the importance of equality and diversity. For example, operations/departmental manager apprentices study the Equality Act 2010 and its implications for recruitment practices at work. They develop a good understanding of the importance of equality and diversity in work and in general. This prepares them well for life and work in modern Britain. They have an adequate understanding of wider British values.
• Engineering apprentices develop good mathematical skills that employers value. Apprentices develop English and digital skills that meet the requirements of their qualifications.

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

• Around two fifths of engineering apprentices do not complete their programmes within planned timescales. Apprentices’ achievement rates at Barnsley College and The Sheffield College are too low. Leaders and managers have recently implemented a range of improvement actions, including the appointment of new staff, to address low achievement. Most current apprentices at these providers now make better progress, but it remains too soon to see the full impact of these actions.
• Engineering apprentices at subcontracted provision at JCB Academy make slow progress in relation to the NVQ component of their frameworks.
• Two fifths of the operations/departmental manager apprentices have already left the programme early. Leaders and managers recognise that retention on this programme is too low and have implemented a range of improvement actions, but it is too early to see their full impact. Apprentices who started very recently, approximately one third of the operations/departmental manager cohort, remain on their programmes so far. Most of the apprentices who remain on their programmes are making at least the expected progress on the academic aspects.
• A small minority of operations/departmental manager apprentices do not develop well enough the skills that they need for work. Their skills and knowledge do not meet their employers’ expectations and do not prepare them well for career progression or further study at a higher level.
• The very few apprentices who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities do not make as much progress as their peers.
• The very small number of facilities management apprentices make good progress against planned timescales.
• Engineering apprentices at Derby College make good progress and the large majority complete their apprenticeships successfully. They develop useful new skills and knowledge that are valued by their employers.
• Engineering apprentices develop useful and relevant new mathematical knowledge. Almost all apprentices already have level 2 qualifications in mathematics and English when they start their programmes. The curriculum is planned carefully to ensure that they acquire the mathematical knowledge that they need as a foundation for successful engineering careers. Most apprentices produce written work that meets the academic requirements of their courses.
• Engineering apprentices develop useful knowledge as a result of the foundation degree component of their apprenticeships. They make good progress on this aspect of their programmes and the majority achieve high grades.
• Almost all engineering apprentices who complete their programmes remain in employment, often in promoted positions and with higher salaries. A high proportion of these apprentices progress to further study at a higher level. For example, many progress to degree apprenticeships on completion of their level 4 programmes. Operations/departmental management apprenticeships have not yet been running long enough for any apprentices to have completed their programmes.

Provider details

Unique reference number 133871 Type of provider Other further education and skills Age range of learners Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 19+ 97 Principal/CEO Professor Kevin Kerrigan Telephone number 01142 254461 Website www.shu.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 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:

16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+

• Intermediate Advanced Higher 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+
• 97 16–19
• 19+
• Total
• Derby College JCB Academy Sheffield College Barnsley College

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of work-based learning, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans. Inspectors used 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

Rebecca Clare, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Tracey Mace-Akroyd Her Majesty’s Inspector Ian Frear Christine Blowman

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector