Vidal Sassoon INSPECTION REPORT
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INSPECTION REPORT Vidal Sassoon 04 November 2002 VIDAL SASSOON Grading Inspectors use a seven-point scale to summarise their judgements about the quality of learning sessions. The descriptors for the seven grades are: • grade 1 - excellent • grade 2 - very good • grade 3 - good • grade 4 - satisfactory • grade 5 - unsatisfactory • grade 6 - poor • grade 7 - very poor. Inspectors use a five-point scale to summarise their judgements about the quality of provision in occupational/curriculum areas and Jobcentre Plus programmes. The same scale is used to describe the quality of leadership and management, which includes quality assurance and equality of opportunity. The descriptors for the five grades are: • grade 1 - outstanding • grade 2 - good • grade 3 - satisfactory • grade 4 - unsatisfactory • grade 5 - very weak. The two grading scales relate to each other as follows: SEVEN-POINT SCALE FIVE-POINT SCALE grade 1 grade 1 grade 2 grade 3 grade 2 grade 4 grade 3 grade 5 grade 4 grade 6 grade 5 grade 7 VIDAL SASSOON Adult Learning Inspectorate The Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) was established under the provisions of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 to bring the inspection of all aspects of adult learning and work-based training within the remit of a single inspectorate. The ALI is responsible for inspecting a wide range of government-funded learning, including: • work-based training for all people over 16 • provision in further education colleges for people aged 19 and over • learndirect provision • Adult and Community Learning • training funded by Jobcentre Plus • education and training in prisons, at the invitation of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons. Inspections are carried out in accordance with the Common Inspection Framework by teams of full-time inspectors and part-time associate inspectors who have knowledge of, and experience in, the work which they inspect. All providers are invited to nominate a senior member of their staff to participate in the inspection as a team member. Overall judgement In those cases where the overall judgement is that the provision is adequate, only those aspects of the provision which are less than satisfactory will be reinspected. Provision will normally be deemed to be inadequate where: • more than one third of published grades for occupational/curriculum areas, or • leadership and management are judged to be less than satisfactory This provision will be subject to a full reinspection. The final decision as to whether the provision is inadequate rests with the Chief Inspector of Adult Learning. A statement as to whether the provision is adequate or not is included in the summary section of the inspection report. VIDAL SASSOON SUMMARY The provider Vidal Sassoon is an international hairdressing company with salons in London, Manchester and Leeds. The foundation and advanced modern apprentices in hairdressing are all employees of the company. Overall judgement The quality of the provision is adequate to meet the reasonable needs of those receiving it. The quality of learning in hairdressing is good. The leadership and management of Vidal Sassoon are satisfactory, as are equality of opportunity and quality assurance. GRADES Leadership and management 3 Contributory grades: Equality of opportunity 3 Quality assurance 3 Hairdressing & beauty therapy 2 Contributory grades: Work-based learning for young people 2 KEY STRENGTHS • outstanding practical training • high attainment of practical skills by learners • good training resources • good health and safety practices • outstanding staff development in hairdressing • good range of progression opportunities • effective complaints procedures • strong commitment to continuous improvement © 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 1 VIDAL SASSOON KEY WEAKNESSES • poor retention rates for foundation modern apprentices • poor implementation of key skills • inadequate initial assessment • poor use of data • insufficient monitoring of equal opportunities • inadequate quality assurance procedures . OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED • more consistent written feedback on assignments • better use of promotional materials 2 © 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE VIDAL SASSOON THE INSPECTION 1. Four inspectors spent a total of 20 days at Vidal Sassoon in November 2002. They visited all nine salons (excluding Glasgow) in the United Kingdom (UK) during which 36 salon managers, trainers and artistic directors were interviewed. Sixty-five learners were interviewed. Fifty-nine portfolios and 52 individual learning plans were examined. Inspectors observed and graded 16 learning sessions. Inspectors watched a video and examined photographs of learners’ work. They examined a range of documents including business plans, management information, minutes of meetings, staff details, appraisals, and learners’ questionnaires. Inspectors studied the August 2002 self- assessment report which was the first produced by the company. Grades awarded to learning sessions Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Total Hairdressing & beauty therapy 3 10 2 100 0 16 Total 3 10 2 1 0 0 0 16 © 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 3 VIDAL SASSOON THE PROVIDER AS A WHOLE Context 2. Vidal Sassoon opened his first formal private school in 1969. The company has always maintained a thriving business in training other hairdressers from around the world, as well as operating a chain of hairdressing salons. The salons and schools organisation was sold to two of his colleagues in 1983. The company still maintains the same hairdressing philosophy and standards. The organisation has grown to incorporate 11 schools/education centres and 25 salons throughout England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Canada and the United States of America. Vidal Sassoon produces technical teaching tools through mail order and over-the-counter sales. It runs shows and a seminars business, which teaches new techniques to other hairdressers, supports product launches and aids the training programmes of other hairdressing companies. Vidal Sassoon hair professionals are in demand to provide hair support to magazines, photo shoots and fashion shows. 3. Vidal Sassoon maintains a dedicated staff training salon and a large number of training staff devoting between 20 to 100 per cent of their time, to training of foundation and advanced modern apprentices. The modern apprentices are considered to be future staff, predominantly in UK salons, but also around the world. The inspection included the single salons in Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester, as well as six salons and the staff training salon in London. The UK company employs approximately 400 staff. Each week, approximately 3,000 clients and 140 fee-paying students are serviced by these businesses. 4. The company has a formal management structure which comprises the UK executive team of managing director (co-owner), director of colour and technical research (co- owner), international human resources director, international creative director and international marketing director. The regional management team is made up of the general manager of salons, general manager of schools, UK creative director, and UK head of colour and technical research. The team in each salon or school is made up of a manager, creative director and head of department (tinting and perming), stylists, tinter/permers, modern apprentices (assistants) and a reception team. Several Vidal Sassoon staff are internationally known and a number of ex-staff have also gone on from the company to establish international reputations. There are 117 modern apprentices funded through a national contract with the national contracts service of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Vidal Sassoon draw staff from all over the country, from a range of educational backgrounds. 4 © 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE VIDAL SASSOON Work-based learning for young people 5. Practical training for young people in hairdressing is outstanding. There are good progression opportunities in the company, and learners can participate in many events to enhance their training. Particularly good attention is paid to health and safety by learners and trainers. Initial assessment is not adequate to form the basis of the individual learning plans. Training in key skills is not started until several months into training. The retention rates for foundation modern apprentices were poor, but are improving. © 2003 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 5 VIDAL SASSOON LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Grade 3 6. Vidal Sassoon is a privately owned international hairdressing company, which the present owners bought in 1983. In addition to its hairdressing salons, the company is also involved in the training of fee-paying students and the teaching of new techniques to established hairdressers. They train many of their own staff through modern apprenticeships. The managing director and director of colour and technical research are the owners, and there are four executive directors. The executive director for human resources has overall responsibility for training. Two senior managers in the UK headquarters and a training co-ordinator oversee and co-ordinate the modern apprenticeship programmes. All learners are employed by the company and are trained in the hairdressing salons where they work. The training is given by salon staff and management, who have been trained in-house for the role. National vocational qualification (NVQ) assessors are also based in the salons and have appropriate assessor qualifications. There are a range of policies and procedures in place related to equal