Flexible New Deal: TNG will never change
Post Categories: DWP • Flexible New Deal • Flexible New Deal complaints • New Deal • TNG • Training Network Group • jobcentre Plus • ofsted • uk government
Tags: DWP, Flexible New Deal, Flexible New Deal complaint, jobcentre Plus, New Deal, New Deal Essex, ofsted reports, TNG, TNG Grays, TNG Inspection Reports, Training Network Group
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We recently reported about a TNG Flexible New Deal complaint about:
- Faking paperwork – forcing participants to sign to say TNG have done stuff they haven’t.
- Lack of equipment – didn’t have a cd/dvd drive to obtain someones CV from CD ROM.
- No contact details – Jobcentre Plus not giving address or phone number of the provider.
- Told by phone to attend interview – didn’t give any details about it and said particulars are in the post. No letter arrived.
- Poorly trained staff – very basic computer skills of how to use mouse and open the jobcentre website.
- Four and a half hour induction course – mostly paperwork related i.e. questionnaires
We have some very bad news for those in a TNG region.
Flexible New Deal Scandal has obtained an Ofsted report from January this year (23rd January 2009) regarding TNG’s New Deal contract in Grays, Essex and the results are very worrying.
Summary:
“Effectiveness of provision” Grade 4 (Inadequate)
“Achievement and Standards” Grade 4 (Inadequate)
“Quality of Provision” Grade 4 (Inadequate)
“Leadership and Management” Grade 4 (Inadequate)
“Preparation of life and work” Grade 4 (Inadequate)
For those who are unaware:
Key for inspection grades
Grade 1 Outstanding
Grade 2 Good
Grade 3 Satisfactory
Grade 4 Inadequate
Grade 4 is the lowest possible grade. So how did TNG get Flexible New Deal contracts when they performed so badly for New Deal in the same year as they started Flexible New Deal contract?
Effectiveness of provision
Inadequate: Grade 4
5. The overall effectiveness of the TNG prime contract for Essex is inadequate.
Achievement and standards are inadequate. The rate of positive job outcomes
has recently improved but remains low.
6. The quality of provision is inadequate overall. While teaching and learning are
satisfactory the extent to which participants’ needs are met are inadequate as are
the guidance and support for participants. Leadership and management are
inadequate, overall although the company arrangements for equality of
opportunity are satisfactory.
CAPACITY TO IMPROVE
Satisfactory: Grade 3
7. TNG demonstrates a satisfactory capacity to improve. Job outcome rates
improved in the six months before the inspection, but have been consistently
below contract requirements. The management of the contract improved
significantly in the six months before the inspection.
8. TNG undertook a review of all aspects of its quality improvement arrangements in
2007. Not all of the new company procedures have been implemented in the
prime contract area. A number of developments have very recently been
introduced, but it is too early to fully judge their effectiveness.
9. Self-assessment is inadequate. The self-assessment report is accurate in its
identification of some of the strengths and satisfactory aspects of the provision,
however not all areas for improvement were identified. Inspection grades differed
from all the grades awarded in the self-assessment report. Some progress has
been made in addressing the areas for improvement in the self-assessment
report.
Key strengths
- Good teaching and support for participants’ literacy and numeracy needs
- Significant recent improvements to the monitoring and supervision of the
contract - Effective management of change of the structure of the business
Key areas for improvement
- Low, but improving job entry rates
- Inadequate planning and review of participants’ activities
- Insufficient resources at Grays
- Ineffective use of work-placements (TNG)
- Late implementation of performance improvement strategies
- Ineffective management control of the quality of provision
- Insufficient reinforcement and monitoring of equality of opportunity
Achievement and standards
Inadequate: Grade 4
10.Overall achievement and standards are inadequate. However participants make
some gains in confidence and skills, particularly during work-placements. They
produce a satisfactory standard of work during jobsearch activities. The positive
job outcome rates are low but recent data shows improvement in the six months
before the inspection. This area for improvement was recognised in the selfassessment
report.
11.Progression into employment for New Deal for Young People programmes has
improved to 32% in the current year, from 21% in 2007/08. However, New Deal
25+ job outcomes have risen more slowly from a very low 11% in 2007/08 to
21% in the current year. Outcomes on a few programmes are better with around
42% of participants on full time education and training (FTET) programmes
gaining employment in the current year.
12.Currently 73% of participants who progress to jobs are still in employment after
13 weeks. Too few participants leave their programmes with qualifications. A
small number of participants achieve security and lift-truck driving qualifications
whilst a slightly larger proportion of participants achieve literacy and numeracy
qualifications.
Quality of provision
Inadequate: Grade 4
13.The quality of the provision is inadequate. Teaching and learning is satisfactory
overall, as identified in the self-assessment report. Teaching and support for
participants with identified literacy and numeracy needs is good. A good range of
activities and projects are used with participants on the FTET programme. These
sessions are well managed and have clear objectives which are shared with
participants. Relevant equality and diversity points are used effectively and
related to employment. Informal individual support is empathetically given to
participants during activities. ATS refer to their own learndirect provision or
provide other appropriate informal support. ATS uses good quality presentations
with stimulating visual and auditory content. In weaker sessions, the relevance of
literacy and numeracy skills to participant’s employability skills is unclear.
14.Good quality, recently introduced, TNG induction booklets are used effectively
with groups of participants who have a wide variety of skills and abilities. Centres
are easily accessible by public transport. Both TNG and ATS have recently
increased the numbers of rooms used for programmes at Basildon, however,
resources at Grays are insufficient to support participants’ learning and
development. Staff are keen to support their participants and empathetic to their
needs. Too few staff have relevant qualifications and prior experience of working
with participants seeking employment. Sessions held in the main room at Grays
are often disrupted by noise from other participants. Participants at Grays have
limited access to information technology resources for jobsearch. Learning
materials are generally over-reliant on dense text and too few alternative aids are
used to stimulate and support learning.
15.The programmes and activities do not adequately meet the needs of participants.
ATS clearly identifies with participants their barriers to employment and offers
appropriate training to help overcome these. Clear targets are agreed which are
then effectively reviewed. At TNG the barriers to employment of participants are
not adequately identified and therefore the time they spend on training is not
used effectively. This area for improvement was not recognised in the selfassessment
report. TNG does not use initial assessment sufficiently to plan
participants’ individual needs. Dyslexia support needs are not sufficiently
identified. Too many participants are unclear how their employability can be
improved by attending TNG. Prior attainment and experience are not analysed
sufficiently to identify realistic job aspirations. Participants spend many hours
carrying out unguided and unproductive jobsearch activities. There is too little
support in developing participants’ effective jobsearch and job application skills.
16.There is insufficient differentiation and challenge for most participants. TNG
identified target-setting with participants as inadequate in the self-assessment
report. Individual learning plans show insufficient detail of identified barriers to
employment. Progress reviews focus simply on activities undertaken. Targets lack
detail and do not relate to the specific barriers participants need to overcome to
gain employment.
17.Work-placements are not used effectively. This area for improvement was partly
recognised in the self-assessment report. ATS have developed a range of
placements relevant to participants’ identified barriers to employment. Regular
reviews focus on participants’ employability skills and identification of new
development needs. There are too few placements available for the number of
participants on programmes at TNG. The range of placements is very limited.
Participants in work-placements are not set clear targets against which progress
can be effectively reviewed. Participants are unclear how placements are
intended to improve their employability.
18.Guidance and support for participants are inadequate. TNG rely too heavily on
informal peer support from more experienced participants to guide new
participants through the programmes. An external mentor service is used
appropriately to provide additional support for participants with significant
additional needs. Participants benefit from some informal guidance and pastoral
support from their tutors.
Leadership and management
Inadequate: Grade 4
Equality of opportunity
Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3
19.Leadership and management are inadequate. This is not recognised in the selfassessment
report. Significant recent improvements have been made to the
monitoring and supervision of the contract. A recently appointed business
manager is receiving good support to become effective in her new role. An
improved management information system now provides managers with accurate
data about the performance of all sections of the contract. A much greater
oversight of all programmes is now taken by senior managers. The centre
manager is easily accessible and very responsive to the needs and suggestions of
staff. A much improved focus has been placed on the experience of participants
and the intended programme outcomes. Monitoring of participants following the
programme has improved and a greater number of job outcomes have been
recorded.
20.TNG has effectively managed recent changes to the structure of the business.
Immediately before the inspection TNG implemented a new regional structure. A
new regional director, operations manager and local business manager, with
responsibility for the management of the contract have been appointed.
Management of the TNG centres is now combined. Job roles and line
management arrangements are clear and team work is strong. Clear staff targets
are set for progression of participants into employment and reviewed at
management meetings. Management of the subcontracted provision is
satisfactory. Understanding and use of management information at centre level is
now sufficient.
21.The implementation of performance improvement strategies has been late. Few
strategies to improve outcomes and the quality of the provision were applied in
the first two years of the contract. Monitoring and supervision of the contract by
senior managers has been inadequate until the introduction of recent
improvements.
22.The quality of the provision varies too much. A range of revised quality
improvement arrangements have been rolled out across TNG since 2007. Many
aspects of these systems are insufficiently established into the day-to-day running
of the Essex contract and it is too early to measure their impact. For instance
observations of teaching and learning were first undertaken in Essex in December
2008 and the results of these have yet to be used to agree staff development
needs. Compliance with TNG company procedures is inconsistent across the
centres. Outcomes for different groups of participants vary between the two TNG
centres and the subcontracted programmes.
23.Self-assessment is inadequate. The self-assessment report is accurate in its
identification of some of the strengths and satisfactory aspects of the provision.
Inspection grades differ from all the grades awarded in the self-assessment
report and not all areas for improvement were identified. Involvement of staff
and the use of participant feedback in the preparation of the self-assessment
report are satisfactory. Some progress is being made towards tackling the areas
for improvement identified in the self-assessment report.
24.Equality of opportunity is satisfactory overall. The proportion of participants is
reasonably representative of the local population. Participants from minority
ethnic groups or with disabilities achieve qualifications or other learning
milestones broadly in line with other groups of participants. All staff complete
mandatory training in equality and diversity. The procedures for safeguarding
children and vulnerable adults meet current government requirements. The
company has a designated safeguarding officer and clear safeguarding policy and
procedures. Participants feel safe and respected. A company equality and
diversity forum has recently been formed and initial action plans have been
developed to deal with relevant areas for improvement. However, it is too early to
accurately judge their effectiveness. Reinforcement and monitoring of equality of
opportunity is insufficient. Induction programmes generally provide satisfactory
coverage of equality and diversity however, the language used in some induction
materials does not meet the needs of all participants. Challenges to inappropriate
language and behaviour in formal sessions are insufficient. Progress reviews
insufficiently check participants understanding of equality and diversity. Equality
and diversity data are systematically collected and analysed for starts and
progression into employment but are not yet used effectively to plan programme
developments.
What learners like about TNG:
- Friendly, pleasant staff
- The extra space and new rooms at Basildon
- Help and support by Skills for Life staff
- Centres are easy to get to by train and bus
- Good training sessions at ATS
What learners think TNG could improve:
- Staff talk down participants in some sessions
- Participants do not understand how the work-placements help them to get
jobs - More interview practice
- TNG need to plan the programmes more usefully
- Better access to computers at Grays
- Reduce the amount of unproductive jobsearch time
Popularity: unranked
- Flexible New Deal: TNG can't spell success - Jobseekers doomed!
- Flexible New Deal: TNG Complaint - we dont know how to get there
- Flexible New Deal: TNG
- TNG uses Open Source Joomla but hides copyright notice
- Flexible New Deal: TNG & YMCA Training approve someone with serious mental health issues to Dencora House
- New Deal ends in half of Great Britain
i have a problem with the rating system, 3 good 1, bad. thats biasing the ratings to being rated as good
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Exactly…
Grade 1 Outstanding = Very good
Grade 2 Good = above average / not doing too badly
Grade 3 Satisfactory = average (contracts are worded and awarded in a way that all providers targets are a grade 2 or above)
Grade 4 Inadequate = poor
In theory, an overall Grade 3 means a contract review … a meeting with DWP asking them to improve and an overall Grade 4 means contract termination as a breech of contract. They all got away with it though…
More on Ofsted reports…
http://newdealscandal.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/ofsted-reports-are-meaningless/
Very good article if I may say so myself, also contains a link about how certain schools exploit the system of getting a good grade i.e. not calling the police when an assault has happened etc.
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Another TNG New Deal Ofsted report:
Overall judgement
Effectiveness of provision
Inadequate: Grade 4
3. The overall effectiveness of the TNG prime contract for Luton, Bedford and Waltham
Cross (TNG) is inadequate. Achievement and standards are inadequate. The rate of
positive job outcomes is improving but remains low. The quality of provision is
inadequate. Although guidance and support for participants is satisfactory, teaching and
learning and the extent to which participants’ needs are met, are inadequate. Leadership
and management are inadequate, as are the arrangements for equality of opportunity.
Key strengths
- None identified
Key areas for improvement
- Low rate of positive job outcomes
- Poor identification of individual barriers to employment
- Weak action planning and target-setting
- Poor planning and structuring of jobsearch
- Insufficient employer engagement
- Poor management of the prime contract in its first year
- Inadequate, but improving, management of subcontractors
- Insufficient use and analysis of data
- Inadequate quality assurance arrangements
- Inadequate arrangements to implement and evaluate equality and diversity policies and
procedures
Main findings
Achievement and standards
Inadequate: Grade 4
5. Achievement and standards are inadequate. Participants develop a satisfactory range of
employability skills while in work-placements. They develop their self-confidence,
motivation, self-esteem and team working skills. Participants gain a good understanding
of the requirements of the workplace and they improve practical employment skills such
as attending regularly and being punctual. Participants attending the Gateway to Work
gain good team working skills and grow in confidence during an outward bound activity
day, albeit in the final phase of the programme. Just over one-third of participants achieve
a vocational award during the programme. The awards participants gain include
construction site safety certificates, fork lift driving licences and food hygiene certificates.
6. The rate of positive job outcomes is low, but improving. In 2006/07 the job outcomes rate
for both the New Deal for Young People and the New Deal 25+ was just 10%. In the first
third of the 2007/08 year, job outcome rates for the New Deal for Young People and the
New Deal 25+ programmes across all of TNG’s centres rose to 20% and 29%
respectively. Performance varies between the three centres for New Deal for Young
People from 19% in Luton, to 29% at Waltham Cross. The self-assessment report
identifies the low job outcomes rate as an area for improvement. TNG does not analyse
performance by particular groups of learners.
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(continued…)
Quality of provision
Inadequate: Grade 4
7. The quality of provision is inadequate. Overall, teaching and learning are inadequate.
Teaching and learning in the jobsearch modules are satisfactory. Inspectors observed a
number of sessions which ranged from good to inadequate. Some staff are new to teaching
and working towards a relevant qualification. The better sessions are well planned and
structured. In the weaker sessions, insufficient attention is given to the effective
development of participants’ literacy skills to improve curriculum vitae, speculative letters
and job applications. In some sessions, there is lack of attention to ensuring that learning
materials promote equality and diversity issues positively.
8. Support for participants is satisfactory. Inspectors did not agree with TNG’s own
assessment that this aspect of its work is good. The friendly and approachable staff take a
close interest in the welfare of the participants. They give helpful personal and pastoral
support for participants on an individual basis and refer them to appropriate external
agencies to help them to overcome barriers such as homelessness and drug or alcohol
misuse. Where issues are identified, support to help participants’ overcome personal
barriers is good. Where neccessary, participants are well supported with help to open a
bank account, advice about housing, and financial problems or provided with hygiene
packs and clothes.
9. The identification of participants’ individual barriers to employment is weak. Participants
complete a detailed initial assessment and have an individual interview at the start of the
programme. However, the assessment tools used, and the questions asked, are insufficiently probing to identify particular barriers to employment. Those barriers which
are identified tend to be generic, repetitive and insufficiently personalised. There is no
formal process to ensure that any subsequently occurring barriers to employment are
effectively identified at appropriate points during the programme. The need to acquire
work related qualifications is usually identified, but this is not always linked to
appropriate vocational areas.
10. Action planning and target-setting is weak. Poor individual learning plans do not reflect
the individual nature of a participant’s programme as they lack sufficient relevant detail to
be useful documents. Most individual learning plans are the same, regardless of the
individual participant’s needs or aspirations. Individual learning plans are seen as a
document to be completed in compliance with the contract rather than something which
will aid the participant. Weekly action plans and reviews are repetitive and, in some cases,
documentation is incomplete. Targets are imprecise and do not reflect the individual
nature of the participant’s programme or foster the development of skills. Reviews are
often superficial, do not always sufficiently involve the participant and do not measure
participants’ progress or achievement. Participants are not fully aware of the milestones
they must reach to achieve awards or gain employment. For those participants who are
attending for a second or third time, there is no attempt to build upon previous experience
when setting targets.
11. The planning and structure of jobsearch is poor. This area for improvement was not
identified through self-assessment. Jobsearch activities are not always relevant to the
individual participant and do not always accommodate their job aspirations. Advisers do
not use individual learning plans or targets to focus participants on an individual approach
to jobsearch which is not challenging or innovative. There is insufficient planning, support
and direction to help participants improve their jobsearch skills. Most participants share
the same set of weekly jobsearch activities, for example, by being directed to follow up 15
job leads every week. There is little monitoring or questioning of participants regarding
their jobsearch activities and staff do not provide sufficient help to participants who need
to develop their letter writing and telephone skills during jobsearch sessions. Participants
find jobsearch activity boring and spend too much time searching the internet and
newspapers with insufficient support or direction. Resources for jobsearch are insufficient.
For example, some newspapers are out of date and some participants have to wait a
lengthy period of time before they can access a computer. Some accommodation is
cramped & overcrowded. There is little analysis of the reasons underlying unsuccessful
applications. Participants record jobsearch activities in a job log. However, these are not
completed or monitored effectively. The jobsearch training modules are satisfactory. They
cover a wide range of relevant topics including interview and telephone techniques and
the completion of application forms.
12. The extent to which the programmes meet the need of participants is inadequate.
Employer engagement is insufficient. For many participants, a lack of work experience is
a significant barrier to employment. TNG has been unsuccessful in securing enough
suitable work-placements for participants, many of whom await a relevant opportunity.
TNG rarely uses employers to enhance participants’ jobsearch, to develop interview skills
or to enliven the modules taught by tutors. TNG has identified this as an issue and has
recently recruited two employment development consultants to improve links with
employers and to expand work-placements. Employer engagement is now improving and
beginning to have an impact on job outcome rates. TNG’s training centres are easily accessible by public transport. The range of programmes and additional awards offered to
meet the needs of participants is satisfactory.
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(continued…)
Leadership and management
Inadequate: Grade 4
Equality of opportunity
Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4
13. Leadership and management are inadequate. This judgement agrees with the most recent
self-assessment report. Communications are satisfactory. The strategy for the development
of TNG has been communicated well to staff by the holding company, Avanta. Regular
team meetings, access to the intranet and other electronic communications enable TNG
staff to be kept up to date with programme developments. Staff appraisal processes and
access to training are also satisfactory.
14. In 2006/07, its first year of operation, the management of this prime contract was poor.
Staff turnover was very high, actions to improve job outcome rates were ineffective,
accommodation was insufficient for the unexpectedly high number of participants and
little sharing of good practice was undertaken. The strong strategic direction set by the
board of the holding company had insufficient impact upon the operation of this contract.
However, in the first four months of the second year of operation, the board has taken
significant steps to bring about improvements. TNG has appointed a director of human
resources and a head of quality improvement. This has resulted in much recent action to
address areas for improvement identified before inspection.
15. The monitoring of subcontractors is inadequate, although actions are now being taken to
improve it. Service level agreements between TNG and the subcontractors have only
recently been agreed and little common understanding of shared challenges and issues
exists. Recent changes to the management structure at TNG have been welcomed by the
subcontractors and plans to assure the quality of the subcontracted provision are at an
advanced stage. Development plans have recently been agreed with subcontractors to
improve a number of aspects of their work, including their rates of progression to
employment.
16. The collection and analysis of data for the prime contract is insufficient. TNG and its
subcontractors have experienced significant difficulty in establishing, with the DWP,
systems and criteria for claiming outcomes for successful progression to employment or in
clarifying which accredited qualifications are eligible for work related development of
participants. These difficulties have prevented an accurate and comprehensive analysis of
the true performance rates of the contract. However, in the two months before inspection,
systems and procedures for the analysis of data improved.
17. Quality assurance arrangements relating to the prime contract are inadequate. Recent
actions relating to quality improvement are beginning to have an effect, but it is too early
to judge the likely impact of the significant changes planned. Observations of the key
processes are undertaken and moderated and staff are given feedback and receive
development advice to improve their working practice. However, the systems for feedback
and grading are not sufficiently rigorous to address all of the areas for improvement. The
self-assessment report produced in January 2007 did not adequately identify the areas for improvement relating to this prime contract. An updated self-assessment report, involving greater consultation with local staff, was produced shortly before inspection. Although this more accurately anticipated inspectors’ findings, the strengths identified were, in fact, no more than satisfactory practice. TNG’s development and improvement planning
processes are regularly reviewed but, as they appear in many formats, it is difficult for the
organisation to use them effectively to bring about improvement. The sharing of good
practice throughout this prime contract is poor. Participants’ feedback is collected, but it is
not analysed in a way which could influence programme improvement or raise standards.
18. Arrangements to implement and evaluate equality and diversity policies and procedures
within TNG and its subcontractors are inadequate. During the year before inspection, the
main holding company established an equality of opportunity representatives’ group. This
group has established its terms of reference and agreed an immediate action and
development plan to improve the organisation’s approach. However, due to staff changes,
this group has not met sufficiently regularly or recently to achieve its aims and objectives.
19. The analysis of data in relation to participation rates by gender, ethnic group and disability
has been undertaken only very recently. The analysis of progression rates to employment
has not yet started. A well designed electronic learning package for the development of
staff understanding of equality of opportunity and diversity has been introduced but it has
not yet been completed by many of the staff working on this prime contract. The use of
some inappropriate language and images by both TNG and subcontractor staff was noted
by inspectors.
What participants like:
- Help with CVs and speculative letters
- Access to the internet
- ‘Staff are good at helping with queries’
- Access to resources for jobsearch such as stamps, envelopes, newspapers
- ‘Staff are helpful’
- ‘They have made me look harder for a job’
- ‘I am more motivated’
- ‘TNG has helped me to build my confidence after being long-term unemployed’
- Learning useful skills while on placement
- ‘Improving my skills at meeting people’
What participants think could improve:
- ‘The lift at Kennedy Scott Luton office’
- ‘Brighten up the walls with posters and learners’ work’
- The unstructured jobsearch activity
- The long days spent in the centre
- ‘We need a clearer structure for our time spent in the centre’
- The fact that too many people are in the centre at one time
- The access to PCs
- ‘We need more feedback on how we are doing with job applications’
- Better information about the courses TNG offer
- Provide a step by step guide for ICT for beginners
- ‘Computers are slow and often crash’ (Luton)
- ‘TNG use some unsuitable placements’
- Better use of placements to help people develop the skills they need
- More time with employers
- Newspapers relevant to other local areas
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