HETA Ltd

Further Education and Skills inspection report Date published: December 2013 Inspection Number: 52410 URN: 423753 HETA Ltd

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Summary of key findings for learners

 The majority of learners gain their qualifications very well with some pockets of outstanding success rates.  They develop extremely good vocational and personal skills and many gain promotions at work and go on to further and higher education.  Teaching, learning and assessment are good with practical workshop training being very good. Clear objectives are set and learners’ knowledge and understanding are checked regularly.  Information, advice and guidance are excellent, with particularly good open days for employers, learners and parents, and guidance that matches learners to employers extremely well.  Very supportive employers and trained company mentors provide very good opportunities for apprentices to develop the skills required to produce high quality commercial work.  Training programmes are flexible, well planned and managed to meet the needs of employers and apprentices. The company is growing well to respond to sector needs.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Particularly knowledgeable staff and managers from the engineering sector respond extremely well to learners and employers. Progression routes to extend learners’ knowledge and competency in the sector are particularly well managed.  The company has a highly inclusive and supportive culture that celebrates success and achievement well and results in a highly aspirational organisation.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Success rates, particularly those gained within agreed timescales for non-employed apprentices require improvement.  While there are some pockets of outstanding teaching and learning, particularly in practical workshops, not enough classroom teaching is consistently good.  Some aspects of strategic planning and quality improvement processes are not completely developed. Inspection dates 4–8 November 2013

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good-2 Outcomes for learners Good-2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good-2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good-2

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Improve success rates, particularly those gained within planned timescales especially for non- employed learners by: - ensuring the curriculum design meets the needs of learners and continuing to match learners to the right programme - improving the system for identifying learners who require support so that all learners with support needs are identified and receive support early.  Develop teaching, learning and assessment by: - implementing a virtual learning environment that provides increased contact and support for learners - increasing staff development on the use of information learning technologies and giving written feedback - using the observation of teaching and learning process in a focused way to assess the impact of actions in, for example, equality and diversity developments.  Further develop quality improvement and planning processes by: - creating effective action planning that encompasses longer-term strategic and business

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

planning, particularly for the proposed site in Leeds - using data more effectively to assess the impact of actions on particular groups of learners - completing a cycle of the revised observation process, extending this to on-the-job training, evaluating the results and putting into place company-wide training and development in response to identified needs - ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are consulted and involved in the self-assessment process.

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Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners Good  Overall success rates for apprentices and those gained within planned timescales for the three years prior to 2011/12 were consistently high. They declined in 2011/12, although they remained above national averages. In the following year they both regained their previously high levels and are good. The small numbers of learners on traineeships have not been on their programme long enough to gain qualifications.  Success rates, both overall and those gained in planned timescales, for apprentices aged over 19 are outstanding. For 16 to18-year-old employed apprentices success rates are good. However, for apprentices who joined programmes hoping to find work through an apprenticeship, success rates have been historically low. They have been rising but still require improvement.  Retention overall is very good. It has been consistently high for employed apprentices. However,

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Inspection judgements

non-employed apprentices’ retention rates, which were poor, have risen well over the life of the programme and now match those of employed learners. Last year, 92% of all non-employed learners stayed until the end of their programme. All of these learners went into employment, which is outstanding.  Attendance and punctuality of apprentices and those on traineeships is very high. Humberside Engineering Training Association Ltd (HETA) makes effective use of electronic key fobs for off - the-job training sessions that allows them to identify quickly when learners are missing or late.  Managers have access to a range of information to understand achievement gaps for learners and have taken some actions to address these, including improving the programme design for non-employed apprentices. However, managers are not yet using management information in a fully effective way to understand all achievement gaps.

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Inspection judgements

 Many learners gain additional training from their employers and/or gain extra skills by careful rotation within employers’ and subcontractors’ premises so that they gain a very wide experience within their engineering roles. Training staff very carefully match units of the qualifications within the frameworks to the needs of individual learners or change them where employers and trainers see extra value to both learner and employer.  Apprentices and learners on traineeships develop very good skills which they use well. For example, one learner on a manufacturing line developed an improved, more durable part. This cut costs for the employer and improved efficiency. Many learners gain very high profile jobs in prestigious companies, some going on to high-level management roles. A number of apprentices have received awards from well-respected industrial organisations.  Learners progress from HETA’s successful schools programmes into the apprenticeship

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Inspection judgements

programme well, despite having lower educational starting points than most HETA learners. A good number of learners progress from apprenticeships to higher education. Learners’ progress within their qualifications is good. Of the 24 learners on traineeships, 10 progressed into full time apprenticeships within two months of starting.  Apprentices develop their understanding of mathematics very well, appropriate for the demands of engineering courses. They develop English skills at a reasonable level, with good input particularly at reviews. However, HETA is aware that this is an area for improvement.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good, reflecting the learners’ good outcomes. Staff have high expectations of learners. They are encouraged to progress through their framework requirements, enjoy their training and gain additional qualifications. A high number progress on to higher-level qualifications. Attention to health and safety is generally good, all learners are encouraged to wear correct personal protective equipment. However, in some workshops, equipment storage requires attention.  Training programmes are highly flexible and well planned to meet the needs of employers and apprentices. In HETA’s workshops, extremely knowledgeable instructors train learners using an extensive range of good quality resources. On employers’ premises, training takes place using modern industry standard equipment. Throughout their training, apprentices and learners on

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Inspection judgements

traineeships gain a high level of vocational and employability skills equipping them well for their future roles.  The good, and sometimes excellent, practical sessions in HETA workshops include a good range of stimulating activities to meet the learners’ needs in developing their skills and knowledge. For example, they modify industrial equipment to build more complex process machinery. This allows them to extend their understanding of different processes to meet the needs of employers. Learners are clear about what they have to achieve and remain highly engaged throughout these sessions.  In the better classroom sessions, trainers set clear objectives and use a good range of interesting activities to engage learners. They check learners’ knowledge and understanding regularly. The well-paced sessions clearly meet the needs of the learners who participate well throughout.  However, in the weaker classroom sessions, learners do not work independently or participate

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Inspection judgements

enough. Teaching methods are limited and trainers do not use questioning techniques effectively to assess understanding and to check learning. Trainers use of information learning technologies in classroom sessions requires improvement.  Portfolios are very well organised and presented to a high standard. Evidence is accurate and indicates a good level of knowledge and understanding of engineering topics. Learners produce photographic evidence, engineering drawings and graphs well to enhance their presentation.  Learners receive good individual support from HETA staff. For example, trainers paired a dyslexic learner with an advanced learner who helps with the development of knowledge and understanding of complex engineering processes and skills improvement. Peer support during group activities is good. For example, learners of different engineering disciplines are grouped together to share their knowledge and experience. However, the process for systematically

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Inspection judgements

identifying specific needs requires improvement.  Information, advice and guidance for learners throughout the programme are outstanding. Learners benefit from a particularly thorough and effective recruitment process that matches them extremely well to employers. During the very regular progress reviews, learners receive particularly good information, advice and guidance to prepare them for their next steps and to realise their potential to progress to higher-level programmes.  Reviewers set relevant, short-term and challenging targets and monitor progress carefully. Apprentices receive clear advice on how to achieve their goals and improve their performance. Good attention is paid to health and safety and safeguarding during the review.  Verbal feedback in the engineering workshops is regular, extensive and provides the learner with a detailed assessment on their progress. During progress reviews, verbal feedback is very

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Inspection judgements

effective in summarising completed work and actions learners need to take to improve performance. However, written feedback is brief and does not outline to learners clearly enough how to improve.  Engineering apprentices develop a high standard of mathematical skills, enabling them, for example, to deal with and convert imperial and metric measurements easily. During reviews their punctuation, grammar and spelling are checked thoroughly and advice given on how to improve sentence construction in written assignment work. HETA staff have been teaching mathematics in classroom sessions for many years but sessions in English skills are underdeveloped.  Employers give very effective support to learners and provide very good opportunities for apprentices to develop the skills required to produce high quality commercial work. They take great interest in their apprentices’ progress and provide a high level of relevant input during the

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Inspection judgements

very frequent progress reviews. Some employers sponsor apprentices to complete further qualifications relevant to their training and work. Trained company mentors give another, highly effective, layer of training for apprentices.  Staff promote equality and diversity well in progress reviews with learners answering probing questions on their knowledge and understanding. Learners have a good understanding of equality and diversity issues that they apply well, both within their companies and with their customers. However, trainers/assessors insufficiently record this knowledge on progress review paperwork. Trainers do not always incorporate equality and diversity sufficiently during classroom sessions.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Managers are highly ambitious for all learners and inspire them to achieve excellence in their work. HETA sets very high standards of behaviour and attendance, and punctuality is very good. Many staff were apprentices themselves with HETA. They have very good vocational training skills and provide excellent role models for learners. The general manager effectively promotes a clear vision for HETA: to develop learners, staff and employers within a culture of respect and mutual support.  The company is proactive and highly flexible and consequently has been very successful in attracting funding from a variety of sources, which has seen it grow significantly in a period of recession. Programme development is responsive to the needs of the region, although the production of formal business and strategic plans requires further development.  Members of the board have an excellent range of skills and experience, particularly in relation to

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

the engineering industry, which enable them to challenge the management team effectively. Board members are both committed and enthusiastic and understand the responsibilities of governance. Although they have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement, at present board members have a very limited role in the self-assessment process.  In most cases, performance management is thorough and effective and has a clear focus on continuous improvement. Some inconsistencies remain, particularly in recording the outcomes of meetings. Professional development of staff is extensive and ensures that they have the benefit of developing skills and sharing best practice. Currently, half of all staff are enrolled on courses leading to qualifications at graduate or postgraduate levels sponsored by HETA. Staff are highly competent in their jobs and have particularly good technical/vocational skills.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Managers have been strengthening quality assurances processes over the last two years and these are now effective. The self-assessment report accurately identifies strengths and areas for improvement, but not all stakeholders are actively involved in its preparation. The quality improvement plan covers themes arising from management and quality improvement meetings. Individual staff take on specific themes with agreed end targets; however, no action plans are in place detailing how staff will reach these targets and no interim milestones have been set.  Staff have redeveloped the lesson observation process to further improve its accuracy and effectiveness. They are conducting these more thorough observations within classroom and other off-the-job training sessions. They do not yet cover on-the-job training although managers intend to include this as the system develops. The process is broadly accurate and is having a

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

positive impact on improving individual performance; however, it has not yet completed a full cycle.  Learners’ views are collected and considered in a number of ways, including questionnaires, learners’ feedback to staff and a learner council that meets at each of the three sites every fortnight. Learners, parents and employers are overwhelmingly positive about HETA and the role it plays in changing lives for the better and sustaining the regional economy in difficult times.  Curriculum management is particularly effective. Staff plan the curriculum well, and review it regularly to ensure that the company meets the needs of learners and employers. The provider has excellent relationships with employers which results in training and assessment that matches business needs well. Learning programmes include a good range of additional qualifications that further enhance learners’ skills and their desirability to employers.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 A particular strength of the apprenticeship programme is the planning of provision to enable learners to progress easily from schools programmes to the apprenticeship and traineeship programmes and then onto higher education. HETA has excellent links with the university and high expectations of apprentices to attend the foundation degree there. In addition, the company has recently begun its own higher national certificate pathway that is providing another good route for learners into higher learning.  Innovative project activity, for example with offshore wind and other energy providers, ensures that current and prospective learners have access to information and debate about new energy resources. Very strong partnerships with schools and sixth-form colleges ensure that learners compete well for places on the apprenticeship programme.  The company places a high priority on equality and diversity. Staff have developed effective

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

strategies to increase participation by young women in engineering. Five percent of learners are now female. Appropriate policies are in place to secure and promote equality and diversity. Staff deal with any incidents of bullying or harassment promptly and effectively.  The provider meets its statutory requirements for safeguarding learners and staff are supported by regular and appropriate staff training. Clear policies, including a social networking policy, are in place to protect learners from cyber bullying. Arrangements to promote health and safety are good.

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HETA Ltd

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

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HETA Ltd

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate Overall Traineeships Apprenticeships

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HETA Ltd

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment 2 2 2

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HETA Ltd

The effectiveness of leadership and management 2 2 2

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Provider details

Type of provider Independent learning provider

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Eric Collis Date of previous inspection February 2008 Website address www.Heta.co.uk

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programme level

Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 and above

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(excluding apprenticeships)

Full-time N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Part-time N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total 15 N/A N/A

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Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ N/A N/A 499 71 N/A N/A

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Number of learners aged 14-16

Full-time N/A Part-time N/A Number of community learners N/A Number of employability learners N/A Funding received from Skills Funding Agency (SFA)

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Contextual information

HETA is a group training association based in Hull. It has three main training sites in Hull, Scunthorpe and Stallingborough recruiting mainly, but not exclusively, from the Humberside region. It works with a range of both large and small engineering/manufacturing companies and specialises in advanced engineering apprenticeships and has recently begun a small programme for learners on traineeships. The proportion of school leavers in the Hull/Humberside region achieving GCSE passes at grades A* to C is generally lower than that found nationally; deprivation rates are high as are unemployment rates.

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Information about this inspection

One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and five additional inspectors, assisted by the General Manager as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on learners’ achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all of the provision at the provider. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the provision and graded the sector subject areas listed in the report above. What inspection judgements mean

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Grade Judgement

Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Handbook for the inspection of further education and skills 2012, Part 2:

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Grade Judgement

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/handbook-for-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills- september-2012

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Grade Judgement

guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Grade Judgement

Learner View is a new website where learners can tell Ofsted what they think about their college or provider. They can also see what other learners think about them too.

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Grade Judgement

To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Grade Judgement

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Grade Judgement

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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