Ofsted blasts Wigan borough social care training provider over poor success rate

Ensis Solutions Ltd had 164 apprentices at levels two to five, mostly for the health and social care sectors when Ofsted visited its Hope Care Road business between October 22 and 24.

The team’s report said that too many apprentices fall behind in their training.

“Where apprentices fall behind, they do not receive the support that they need to help them to catch up swiftly,” it said. “Too few apprentices achieve their apprenticeship.”

But it said apprentices demonstrate “positive professional attitudes to their workplace roles”.

“They are passionate about, and committed to, providing person-centred care,” the report said.

“Apprentices adhere to the standards required in the care sector.

"Employers value the contributions that apprentices make to their organisations.”

However, the report adds: “Leaders have been too slow to rectify the areas for improvement from the previous two inspections, when inspectors judged the provision to require improvement.

“They have presided over a continued decline in the quality of education. This has led to very low achievement in the previous year. Leaders’ self-assessment of the provision is too positive.

“They do not identify accurately the reasons for apprentices leaving their apprenticeships early, nor do they put in place appropriate actions to stem the decline in quality of the apprenticeship provision.

“Leaders have not remedied weaknesses that have existed for several years. Leaders and skills coaches do not ensure that apprentices make good progress in their studies. This is because they rely on apprentices teaching themselves for most of their apprenticeship.”

In the sub-categories of assessment including the quality of education, leadership and management and apprenticeship, the outcome was “inadequate” in each one.

For behaviour and attitudfes and personal development the Ensis performance was judged "requires improvement”.

Ensis Solutions Ltd has been contacted for comment.