Welfare and Duty of Care in Armed Forces Initial Training Ofsted’S Report to the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans
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Welfare and duty of care in Armed Forces initial training Ofsted’s report to the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans Contents Ministerial foreword 3 Preface 4 Background 6 Key findings 7 Key recommendations for improvement 9 Detailed findings 10 The progress made by each establishment since its previous inspection 10 Impact and effectiveness of the arrangements for welfare and duty of care 10 Impact and effectiveness of management systems for welfare and duty of care 13 The development and impact of self-assessment 17 Summary reports in date order 18 Royal Armoured Corps Training Regiment, Bovington 18 HMS Raleigh 20 The Officer and Aircrew Cadet Training Unit 22 14th Regiment Royal Artillery (RA), 24 (Irish) Battery 24 Defence Medical Services Training Group 26 Royal Air Force (RAF) Cosford 28 2 (Training) Regiment, Army Air Corps 30 3 Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME) Regiment 32 Infantry Training Centre, Catterick 34 RAF Honington (RAF Regiment) 36 Armed Forces Careers Offices 38 Annex A: Summary of overall inspection judgements 40 Annex B: Inspection dates 41 Annex C: Ofsted’s terms of reference 42 Ministerial foreword Every year, many people are attracted to train to Resource is not infinite and in order to remain become members of the Armed Forces. During initial efficient we need to review how we operate and act training, recruits and trainees rely on the support on the findings. The locations inspected and reported of their families, friends, their instructors and those in this report are judged to be satisfactory or better, around them to help them get to grips with managing and I note that two establishments are judged as their time, new equipment, learning and development outstanding in the care and welfare they provide. The and generally beginning to understand the nature of detailed report findings include some key observations the Service they have joined and their roles within it. which can be drawn on to further improve the training and the environment in which those new to the Initial training provides the foundation for recruits and Service learn and develop. trainees to learn new skills to use in their specialist trades and professions and there is an expectation in I value the work of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector and the Armed Forces that personnel will continue to learn his team and I am grateful for the contribution they and develop their skills throughout their careers. It make in supporting the Armed Forces to continue to is therefore important to recognise that a supportive improve the way in which initial training is delivered. training environment – one that promotes good training and learning – is the best way to effectively prepare our people. Rt Hon. Mark Francois MP Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans 3 www.ofsted.gov.uk Preface I am pleased to present Ofsted’s fourth report – and a failure to ensure that the recruits have sufficient my first report as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector – on basic skills to complete their training successfully. the effectiveness of welfare and duty of care for The establishment has not yet secured a sufficiently recruits and trainees in Armed Forces initial training. I consistent approach to managing welfare and duty of would like to thank the Ministry of Defence, Training care. Headquarters and the training establishments and All the establishments inspected had developed Armed Forces Careers Offices inspected for their good systems for recording welfare concerns, but cooperation during this inspection cycle. not all of them were using their systems consistently. The overall effectiveness of welfare and duty of care is The recruits and trainees to whom inspectors spoke at least good in six of the 10 establishments inspected said that staff from within and outside the chain for this report. Two establishments were judged to of command met their personal welfare needs well. be outstanding: HMS Raleigh and the Officer and However, in three establishments inspected, the Aircrew Cadet Training Unit. This is the first time since communication of information concerning vulnerable these inspections began in 2008 that more than one trainees was not well coordinated, with the result that establishment has been judged outstanding – and personnel who needed important information did not the first time for an officer training establishment. always receive it. Both establishments were impressive in the attention Quantitative data were not used sufficiently to they paid to supporting each trainee’s personal, measure success. Although senior staff interviewed training and learning needs. The combination of during the inspections frequently knew the strengths high expectations of trainees and a coaching and and weaknesses of their provision, this knowledge mentoring programme which builds successfully was not reflected clearly and succinctly in the self- on their prior experience provides a very good assessment reports and the resulting action planning. foundation for their progress and achievement. Both establishments have been very successful in ensuring Instructors play a vital role in ensuring that recruits’ that as many recruits as possible are supported to and trainees’ personal and educational needs are met remain in training. Both reports highlight much effectively. A well-planned professional development good practice that could be used by establishments programme for these key personnel is an important that are finding it difficult to improve their overall driver in sustaining improvement, as shown for effectiveness from being satisfactory to good or from example by the 14th Regiment Royal Artillery (RA), being good to outstanding. 24 (Irish) Battery. However, most of the establishments inspected did not have an effective Inspection is having a positive impact on system for improving the quality of training through establishments previously judged to be satisfactory structured instructor observations, although some or inadequate. RAF Honington (RAF Regiment) have started to introduce arrangements for coaching is a good example. At its inspection in 2010–11, and mentoring to provide better support for the overall effectiveness of welfare and duty of instructors. care was judged to be satisfactory. This year, the provision had improved and was judged to be good. Such improvement, however, has not always been replicated in the establishments inspected. One Army establishment, Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, was judged to be satisfactory for the fourth time. The same problems remain: high wastage rates and 4 Welfare and duty of care in Armed Forces initial training I want more to be done for young people and adults joining the Armed Forces training establishments. The establishments prepare and support young people to meet the challenges and demands of their role and to enter the Armed Forces as highly professional, highly skilled and well-motivated individuals. I believe that all establishments therefore must be at least good and that this must be viewed as the minimum acceptable standard. I realise that this journey of improvement may take longer for some than for others. Sir Michael Wilshaw Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector 5 www.ofsted.gov.uk Background This is Ofsted’s fourth report into welfare and duty Most of the establishments inspected in 2011–12 of care in Armed Forces initial training. It draws either had not been inspected previously or their on evidence from the inspection of 10 training previous inspections had been more than five years establishments between June 2011 and February earlier, by the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI).1 It 2012 and visits to five Armed Forces Careers Offices was not possible to compare judgements made against (AFCOs). Two of the 10 training establishments the current inspection framework with those made were revisited, following up their inspection visits in during the establishments’ previous inspections. 2010–11. Inspectors spent more time in Army training Ofsted’s detailed inspection remit is specified in establishments, reflecting the larger size and scale of a Memorandum of Understanding and Schedule this service compared with the Royal Navy and Royal between the Secretary of State for Defence and Her Air Force (RAF). Five of the establishments inspected Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s were Army training establishments, three were RAF Services and Skills. This includes a requirement for establishments, one was a Royal Navy establishment Ofsted to: and one was a tri-service establishment. QQ determine the extent to which progress has Each training establishment received no more than been made in addressing issues of care, 24 hours’ notice of its inspection visit. Inspections welfare and support for recruits and trainees lasted for two days. Inspectors applied the principles during initial training in the Armed Forces, in Ofsted’s Common inspection framework for further including examination of self-assessment by the education and skills 2009 to guide the inspection establishments process. 2 Each inspection focused on: QQ evaluate the effectiveness of the strategic and QQ the impact and effectiveness of arrangements for operational management of the care, welfare and welfare and duty of care for recruits and trainees support for recruits and trainees during initial QQ the impact and effectiveness of management training in the Armed Forces systems for welfare and duty of care QQ take account of the national care standards and QQ the development and impact