MESMA’S QA RESOURCE DRIVES CHANGE AT TRAINING PROVIDER TPM

One of first adopters of an online quality assurance resource has seen the benefits of shifting from time-consuming paper-based SARs to Ofsted-ready information at the press of a button.

tpm (Training Plus Merseyside) Ltd provides training and apprenticeships in business and administration, hairdressing and early years’ teaching and helps more than 200 learners a year achieve nationally recognised qualifications and secure full time employment.

The Liverpool-based firm has seen the benefits of using new developments as part of its approach to learning and training provision, so it was among the first in the independent training sector to adopt new quality assurance technology from online specialists Mesma.

After an initial peer review project, tpm opted long-term for the software to improve the visibility of and access to important performance data.

Part of the plan to drive self-assessment report (SAR) improvements and current and future evaluative activities, the investment in Mesma supports a framework that will secure TPM’s future quality assurance requirements. These are around safeguarding, CPD, inspection notification, communications planning and observation processes, filing systems and accessibility, securing stakeholder views, and managing requisite outsourced contractor arrangements. 

Mesma is accessible and utilised by all of tpm’s 30 members of staff enabling operations director Brian Quinn to stay up-to-date with progress relating to specific tasks and actions that have been set-up and assigned to individual staff across all areas of the business.

This provides the reassurance, together with the supporting qualitative evidence, to show that people are performing their duties diligently and accurately.

A versatile and cost effective web-based resource, Mesma enables important areas of the self-assessment process and the associated improvement plan activities to be allocated to authorised people within a training environment. Its key purpose is to drive accountability to improve educational provision for students and learners. 

Using the software has provided improvements in tpm’s ability to undertake self-assessment, securing greater managerial control and bringing efficiencies to time intensive processes – the information required for Ofsted inspections is readily available at the press of a button. 

Brian Quinn has no doubt Mesma is now an integral and beneficial management tool, providing peace-of-mind. He said: “Mesma gives us an advantage, providing an affordable and tailor-made management resource that puts us in control of vital processes.

“It also engages the team, connecting them so much better than paper-based systems, enabling people to benefit from shared ownership of the system and see the critical information about achievement and improvements right across the business simply at the press of a button.

“This helps to make quicker and better informed decisions about the business as we move forward in the light of the Ofsted changes.”

TPM’s systems must comply with the requirements of the Common Inspection Framework (CIF), alongside safeguarding arrangements; specifically those focused on monitoring the impact of activities to ensure they have a beneficial impact on improving operational practices.

“We can keep more centralised records of where we are and focus on developments that directly impact on people right across the organisation. Greater transparency enables us to see easily what areas need improving and why, and we are now so much more better prepared for an Ofsted inspection.

“The management team benefit from shared ownership of the system, easily seeing the critical information about achievement and improvements throughout the organisation. This helps to make quicker and better informed decisions about the business as we move forward in the light of the Ofsted changes.”

In short, Mesma has proven to be a significant strategic investment for tpm. Easy to use, well designed and fully supported with good user guides, it has helped move Brian Quinn and his colleagues to the new CIF. “Quality improvement assessment and measurement is no longer an annual ordeal for us,” Brian concluded.

“It’s been transformed into a highly manageable daily process thanks to Mesma, which has added real value and has huge potential for use by other training providers looking to boost QA.” 

Mesma was set-up in response to changes implemented by education watchdog Ofsted, which led to schools, colleges and independent providers receiving reduced notice of inspection. It is owned and operated by three directors – Neil Donkin, Carole Loader and Louise Doyle – who between them have more than 30 years experience in business and working in with the education sector.

ENDS

Note to editors

Enquiries: Louise Doyle, Mesma Ltd, The Axis Building, Maingate, Kingsway North, Team Valley, Gateshead NE11 0NQ. Tel 0845 6588370. More at www.mesma.co.uk

Media enquiries: Andy Bruce, EdgyPR Ltd. Tel 07749750971. Email [email protected]