Finning (UK) Ltd.

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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Summary of key findings

 Leaders and managers are ambitious in providing a high-quality skills development programme which is closely aligned to business needs, ensuring that apprentices gain world- class engineering skills.  Apprentices benefit from well-coordinated practical and theory skills development in their off-the-job training blocks. Apprentices are well equipped to prepare for their blocks and subsequently apply their learning.  Trainers support apprentices well to improve their English, mathematics and digital skills. This enables apprentices to complete complex technical reports for customers to the standards required by the company.  Apprentices’ behaviour is exemplary. They attend well, take pride in their work and highly respect each other, their managers and tutors. As a result, apprentices are highly valued by the wider workforce.  Almost all apprentices achieve their apprenticeship framework, enabling them to

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Summary of key findings

become fully qualified field engineers and to progress within the organisation.  Staff do not make sufficient use of the information about the starting points of learners or from further assessments. Trainers do not sufficiently challenge the most able apprentices to excel or undertake more complex work.  Apprentices are not sufficiently aware of fundamental British values or the risks of radicalisation, extremism and e-safety. They are not able to discuss confidently how these risks could affect their welfare.  Leaders have not provided sufficient managerial oversight since the previous inspection and the overall effectiveness of the provision has declined.

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Information about the provider

 Finning (UK) Ltd. is the sole Caterpillar dealer in the UK and Ireland. The role of the business is to sell Caterpillar equipment and provide a product and support system for the entire Caterpillar line. Apprentices work as part of the service engineering function. They are based across branches in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Since the previous inspection, the company has undergone a considerable re-structure.  Finning (UK) Ltd. has its apprentice training academy and headquarters in Cannock, Staffordshire. All apprentices start their programme on a two-year intermediate framework and then progress to advanced level in their third year. They attend the academy in three- to four-week residential blocks with the remainder of their training undertaken in their workplaces.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the current governance and management oversight of the provision by: – developing the very recently established partnership working to ensure that staff are clear about and promote to apprentices topics that prevent them from harm of radicalisation, extremism and exploitation, and risks associated with the use of personal communications digital equipment – ensuring rigorous self-assessment against the most recent version of the common assessment framework – establishing development plans, which can be easily monitored, for the introduction of the new standards-based apprenticeship.  Enable the programme to be better individualised to meet the needs of all apprentices by: – using information gained at initial and subsequent assessment to challenge the most able – further using this information to plan and deliver learning activities that sufficiently meet the development needs and prior attainment and aptitudes of all apprentices

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

– improving target setting in reviews and assessments to ensure that apprentices make the progress they are capable of.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders and managers are ambitious to provide sustainable high-quality skills training. They are successful in running good-quality provision in maintaining plant and machinery apprenticeships. The employer’s high expectations of their staff and commitment to award-winning health and safety, and a fair, open and respectful culture are ensuring that apprentices gain world-class engineering skills.  Leaders are committed to the future of apprenticeships at Finning (UK) Ltd. After significant organisational change, there is a clear vision to increase the number of apprentices entering the sector and introducing new employer-endorsed apprenticeship standards. Managers have been proactive in shaping these new apprenticeships, ensuring that future apprentices will develop the specific skills, knowledge and behaviours required by the sector in the UK.  The leadership team has prioritised significant levels of investment and provided

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

apprentices with high-quality training resources, including an online learning library with extensive learning activities that link directly to practical skills assessments on giant, modern plant machinery.  Apprenticeship programmes are well planned and aligned closely to the needs of the sector. Programmes include many opportunities for apprentices to apply engineering theory in practice. As a result, apprentices develop advanced practical and employability skills in addition to the essential qualifications required by the employer and their customers. Managers recognise the importance of raising apprentices’ skills and ensure that they acquire English, mathematics and digital skills essential for working effectively and achieving future career aims in the plant-machinery maintenance sector.  Managers carefully monitor apprentices’ career progression after completing their qualification. They make good use of this information to improve the provision and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

increase the range of career opportunities open to apprentices. For example, the apprenticeship programme is being extended to a four-year programme that includes a variety of progression opportunities specialising in marine, electrical and hydraulics disciplines.  Leaders promote a strong culture of all forms of equality and diversity through their expected organisational values and behaviours. Leaders and managers do not tolerate behaviours that undermine organisational principles. They expect conduct that is both respectful and inclusive of others. As a result, apprentices’ behaviour is exemplary in both the employer’s and customers’ premises.  Managers aim to improve the apprenticeship provision continually. However, the development of improvement actions and the subsequent self-assessment report are insufficiently well informed and lacking in evaluative judgements. Managers have not collated information on apprentices’ starting points or from observation of teaching and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

learning records sufficiently well to analyse and inform their self-assessment. For example, managers do not routinely evaluate the evidence obtained from these observations to improve further the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. As a result, the overall effectiveness of the provision has declined since the previous inspection.

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The governance of the provider

 Due to organisational changes, leaders recognise that governance and oversight of provision have weakened since the previous inspection. Managers and trainers have not received the appropriate level of challenge to ensure that the programme fully meets the current requirements of government-funded contracts. For example, leaders have been slow to introduce the ‘Prevent’ duty and develop apprentices’ better understanding of fundamental British values.  Leaders are highly responsive; they have quickly devised remedial plans to ensure that they understand the current requirements to ensure staff and apprentices receive the appropriate training and support for greater personal skills development.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Managers place a strong emphasis on the safeguarding arrangements for their apprentices. These are an enhancement of the existing arrangements for those in the wider workforce. Managers recognise the vulnerability of apprentices when they are away from home while attending block-release training and have established very safe practices for apprentices when they are travelling and staying in hotels.  Managers set exceptionally high standards to ensure the health and safety of apprentices at work and they, in return, display sound behaviours and knowledge of health and safety procedures and requirements.  All training staff have received appropriate employment checks and are well trained and experienced in working with young people. Each apprentice is allocated a ‘buddy’ in the workplace. These staff are well trained to support the safety, personal development and

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Safeguarding

welfare of apprentices. As a result, learners feel safe and at any point understand who they can talk to if they have safeguarding concerns; they are confident these will be acted on.  Managers and staff have been slow to organise and receive training in the prevention of risks posed by radicalisation and child sexual exploitation. They are not yet confident in their understanding of these issues and apprentices have undertaken little training to raise their awareness of them.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Managers and staff have high expectations of apprentices. Staff challenge apprentices to develop high-quality technical skills and work independently. Apprentices use the skills they acquire to complete challenging technical tasks in their workplace. For example, one apprentice repaired a complex power train system on a large plant machine.  Apprentices benefit from high-quality e-learning and practical training resources. Apprentices use online materials at home and at work to learn the underpinning knowledge and principles of maintaining plant machinery and working in the industry. For example, apprentices learn about the use of electronic test equipment, customer service and sales. Apprentices value highly the opportunity to develop their practical skills on state-of-the-art giant construction plant machinery. As a result, they arrive well prepared for their off-the-job training blocks and acquire good-quality technical knowledge and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

skills.  Apprentices benefit from well-coordinated practical and theory training in their off-the-job training blocks. Trainers closely link theory training with challenging practical workshop training tasks. For example, first-year apprentices learned about engine systems then were challenged to strip, re-assemble and run a diesel engine in the workshop. Apprentices use their good understanding of construction plant machinery to be able to diagnose and repair faults well.  Staff assess apprentices’ work accurately, rigorously and fairly. Trainers identify accurately where apprentices’ work has met the required standard or needs to be improved to do so. Apprentices produce good-quality assessment evidence that demonstrates their competence well.  Apprentices receive comprehensive and constructive verbal feedback. Trainers discuss in detail with apprentices how they could improve their technical work. Trainers support

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

apprentices to present work, including job reports, in appropriate technical formats. Apprentices acquire high-quality practical skills, often produce high-quality technical reports and are able to complete customer documentation professionally.  Staff communicate effectively with workplace managers. Trainers update workplace managers through discussions and email about the training their apprentices have undertaken. Where possible, workplace managers shape on-the-job training to reinforce the theory and practical skills that apprentices have acquired during their block-training weeks. For example, one apprentice spent time on-site repairing plant machinery in the field to reinforce his diagnostic skills. Apprentices quickly become confident and effective engineers able to tackle challenging repair tasks.  Trainers support apprentices well to improve their mathematics and English skills. Trainers help apprentices learn how to produce daily service reports that are shared with

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

customers. Apprentices apply advanced-level mathematics skills to their job role to, for example, measure bearing backlash. Apprentices improve their digital skills through their frequent use of Finning (UK) Ltd. online resources and learning materials. Apprentices make good use of the mathematics and English skills they acquire in their roles as service engineers.  Staff make insufficient use of information about the starting points of their apprentices to individualise apprenticeship programmes to enable them to be challenged fully according to their potential. Staff collect comprehensive diagnostic information about apprentices’ starting points including prior qualifications, mathematics and English levels and mechanical aptitude. However, staff do not use this sufficiently to plan individualised programmes focused on each apprentice’s specific development needs. All apprentices progress at the same pace and the most capable are not consistently challenged to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

extend their skills as far or as quickly as they could.  Trainers do not sufficiently plan or deliver individualised learning activities that challenge all apprentices. Most apprentices complete the same training tasks for theory and practical topics as their peers. Trainers do not sufficiently plan tailored learning activities to meet the individual skills and abilities of their apprentices. The most capable apprentices are not sufficiently challenged to excel, prepared to take on more complex tasks or equipped to take on more diverse job roles in the future.  Assessors do not sufficiently help their apprentices plan their workplace assessment and broader learning. Assessors agree too few specific targets in progress reviews to enable apprentices to reflect on and plan their learning and assessment. Apprentices rely too much on ad hoc opportunities to gain assessment evidence. The most able apprentices do

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

not make the progress of which they are capable.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

 Apprentices’ attendance at work and off-the-job training is very high. They become very confident in their learning and job roles, take pride in their work and adopt a consistently positive attitude to their studies and work tasks. For example, apprentices are required to work through extensive online training materials. These are valued by apprentices who complete them and prepare them well for off-the-job training both within and outside their working week. Apprentices work to a high standard in their workplace as valued members of the workforce. For example, one third-year apprentice independently manages the service contract for a large utility company. This includes diagnostics, reporting, service and return to site. Such development opportunities ensure that apprentices become productive members of their work team in relatively short periods of time.  Apprentices’ behaviour is exemplary. They work productively together, demonstrate good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

interpersonal skills and show high levels of respect for each other. When apprentices attend their residential block training they are given responsibility to manage their own expense accounts using company credit arrangements. They do this judiciously, further demonstrating their very good behaviours and attitudes.  Trainers make good use of bespoke assignments to extend apprentices’ English and mathematics skills. Apprentices value these skills and use them effectively in their workplace. Apprentices complete extended written assignments for each technical certificate unit and use complex calculations accurately for measuring tolerances and wear to moving parts, to predict service intervals.  Apprentices routinely use mathematical calculations to convert imperial to metric measurements and record and aggregate test results. English language skills are developed well for use in service reports for customers, to enable them to check the work

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

that has been undertaken.  Apprentices know how to work safely with plant and machinery and apply this in practice. The provider prioritises their personal safety when they attend residential off-the-job training. Apprentices speak positively about the key value that the company places on safety; the use of ‘stop and think cards’ in risk assessments continually reinforces their awareness of the importance of safe working.  Apprentices are not sufficiently aware of fundamental British values or the risks of radicalisation, extremism or e-safety in relation to the safe use of their personal digital equipment. Staff have not included, during induction or quarterly reviews of progress, sufficient opportunities for apprentices to discuss and reflect on the risks associated with these topics. Apprentices are not able to discuss sufficiently or confidently how associated risks could affect their welfare.

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Outcomes for learners Good

 Apprenticeship achievement rates within the planned duration of the programme have remained very high since the previous inspection. Almost all apprentices who started their programme have remained in learning and achieved their planned framework.  Apprentices receive much additional skills development over and above the framework requirement; for example, industry-recognised qualifications in health and safety, air conditioning and welding. This additional skills development enables apprentices to progress to a wide variety of service engineering roles within Finning (UK) Ltd.  Apprentices’ work meets and quite often exceeds the requirements of the apprenticeship framework. For example, they produce service reports for customers to company standards which demand high levels of English and mathematics. This is significantly adding to the value that the company places on the contribution apprentices make to

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Outcomes for learners Good

business needs.  Almost all apprentices who commence a programme at Finning (UK) Ltd. progress through the three-year programme acquiring the skills required to gain more responsibility and experience along the journey to become qualified engineers. Analysis of company data demonstrates that the vast majority of apprentices move into sustained employment and are promoted within the business.  All different groups of apprentices broadly achieve as well as each other. Apprentices are White British and mainly male. Given that the majority of apprentices live and work in locations which are a considerable distance from the Finning (UK) Ltd. Academy, this does not affect their ability to have the same access to learning and assessment as any other apprentices.  The most able learners, given their prior attainment, fail to acquire knowledge, skills and experience at a faster pace. All apprentices progress on the same programme within the

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Provider details

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year Director Kevin Parkes

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

- - - - - - - - Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age Intermediate Advanced Higher

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 15 2 - 10 - - Number of traineeships 16–19 19+ Total - - - Number of learners aged 14 to -

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Number of learners for which the provider receives high- needs funding -

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Funding received from: Education and Skills Funding Agency

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors: -

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the learning and development technical skills manager, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls, webinar and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions, assessment and progress review documentation. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

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Inspection team

Maxine Mayer, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Christopher Bealey Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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