S&B Automotive Academy

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Mr Richard Belton Training and Education Director S&B Automotive Academy Princess Street Bedminster BS3 4AG

p.1

Short inspection of S&B Automotive Academy

Following the short inspection on 23 and 24 January 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since the provider was judged to be good in February 2014.

p.1

Short inspection of S&B Automotive Academy

The actions of the leaders and managers of S&B Automotive Academy (‘the academy’) since the previous inspection have ensured continuity and stability and maintained the good quality of the provision. Most learners develop good practical and theoretical skills which they use well in their workplaces. The academy’s partnerships with employers remain strong and its well-equipped apprentice training centre provides a very good environment for teaching and learning. Academy leaders have worked closely and very effectively with apprenticeship levy-paying employers, providing good support for the development and implementation of new standards-based apprenticeship programmes. The academy’s leaders and managers are in the process of improving aspects of the provision, including ensuring that a much higher proportion of learners aged 16 to 18 complete their programmes and improving the range of careers advice for the same age group.

p.1

Short inspection of S&B Automotive Academy

The academy’s leaders and managers have ensured that safeguarding arrangements are thorough, fit for purpose and that they take appropriate actions to safeguard all learners. Leaders and managers focus strongly on reviewing and continually improving the effectiveness of these arrangements.

p.1

Short inspection of S&B Automotive Academy

Managers have developed particularly good practice for the ‘homestay’ arrangements where learners stay at the homes of families in the Bristol area during learners’ week-long block release training at the academy. Homestay providers have a good understanding of safeguarding, having had effective training from academy managers. Academy staff liaise very closely with homestay providers; together they promptly identify and quickly resolve any concerns about learners. Learners and homestay providers are fully aware of the clear protocols to be followed in case of learners’ sickness or domestic emergencies. Learners spoke very highly of the homestay system and most are content to return to the same families during successive periods of block release training.

p.1

Short inspection of S&B Automotive Academy

Learners feel safe and are safe at work. Managers pay very close attention to ensuring the good health and safety of learners in employment and in the academy’s training centre; risk assessments of apprentices’ workplaces and the academy’s training centre are thorough. Inspectors saw many examples of apprentices working safely; for example, competent use of specialist lifting, jacking and access equipment when working on heavy vehicles and very good awareness of how to manage the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning or avoiding ingesting diesel particulates when working in vehicle inspection pits.

p.2

Short inspection of S&B Automotive Academy

Learners have a reasonable understanding of fundamental British values. Academy staff and homestay providers have received good training concerning the ‘Prevent’ duty. Employers’ and learners’ understanding of the duty is mostly good. Academy managers have established effective systems to monitor and log any inappropriate use of the internet by staff or learners working at the academy’s training centre.

p.2

Inspection findings

 My first line of enquiry reviewed how well learners are attaining skills and qualifications and the effectiveness of managers’ actions to reduce the number of learners aged 16 to 18 who leave the programme early without achieving their qualification.  Most learners have completed their apprenticeships successfully in the past two years, but on a minority of programmes too few did so in the time expected. Nearly all current learners are making the progress expected, and the progress of a few is more rapid. Over the past three academic years, the proportion of learners achieving functional skills qualifications was high in English and information and communication technology (ICT) but was too low in mathematics.  Learners are all aware of the progress they are making and the skills they are acquiring. Employers have a good understanding of how well their learners are doing. Learners demonstrate what they have learned with confidence; for

p.2

Inspection findings

example, transportation learners show good diagnostic skills, and use probes and multi-meters correctly to determine voltages and current flow. Vehicle body repair learners work to very tight tolerances for body panels and doors to ensure correct ‘shuts’ and panel gaps in accordance with manufacturers’ specifications. Most learners develop tenacity and problem-solving skills when faced with complex vehicle faults.  Leaders and managers have identified a number of reasons why learners between 16 and 18 years of age leave early. They have taken effective action in response, including introducing more rigorous selection and induction arrangements. The academy’s own data indicates that the retention of learners in this age group has improved over the past six months and is now high. However, it is still too early to be certain that retention will remain high for the duration of these learners’ programmes.

p.2

Inspection findings

 My next line of enquiry reviewed whether the quality of planning and teaching of functional skills in the classroom had improved since the previous inspection. Classroom teachers’ planning and teaching of these subjects has improved. Consequently, current learners are engaging well in their studies and most are making good progress, particularly in English. Learners’ attendance at functional skills lessons has improved and is now good.  Academy instructors in workshops focus well on ensuring that learners develop good written English skills. As a result, learners’ jobsheets are legible and contain clear instructions. Most instructors integrate mathematics seamlessly into the theoretical and practical teaching and training. While most learners receive good support for learning functional skills, the range of support for the few learners with additional learning needs, such as dyslexia, is not broad enough. As a result,

p.3

Inspection findings

these learners do not make progress as rapidly as their peers.  Academy managers have worked closely and effectively with employers and learners to help them understand and accept the necessity and value of good functional skills in English, mathematics and ICT. Academy managers’ formal and informal session observations now routinely include evaluation of the quality of functional skills teaching and learning in workshop and classroom sessions.

p.3

Inspection findings

 My next line of enquiry reviewed the effectiveness of teaching and learning in the context of the transition from apprenticeship frameworks to the new standards- based programmes. Around 60% of the academy’s learners are now on these programmes. Academy leaders have taken a strong and early lead in implementing the new programmes with apprenticeship levy-paying employers. Learners moving from intermediate apprenticeships to advanced-level new programmes have a good understanding of what to expect and what further skills they will gain.

p.3

Inspection findings

 Employers clearly understand and welcome the standards-based programmes. As the new programmes are introduced, they are taking increasingly more active and supportive roles in their learners’ apprenticeships and providing more tailored, individualised programmes for learners.  Academy teachers and instructors all have high expectations of learners during their periods of block release training. As a result, most learners strive to do their best. Instructors and teachers plan sessions well, setting clear and measurable objectives. Learners take careful and detailed notes in theoretical lessons and complete good-quality job cards in the workshops . Working relationships between teachers and instructors in classrooms and workshops are positive. Learners’ behaviour in the academy training centre is good.  Learners are employed in high-quality workplaces which provide good facilities for training and learning and support a wide range of skills development. The

p.3

Inspection findings

working relationships between academy account managers, employers and workplace mentors are good. They ensure that learners are well-supported to complete their programmes. However, on-the-job training in workplaces does not always provide good opportunities for learners to use the skills they have learned during block release.  My next line of enquiry reviewed whether learners’ understanding of equality and diversity had improved. Since the previous inspection, academy managers have focused well on improving learners’ understanding of equality and diversity in the workplace, and in society more generally. They have produced a good range of practical teaching and learning resources including prompts and visual aids to use during reviews of learners’ progress. Some employers are ex-academy apprentices and provide good role models for learners. The great majority of learners have at least an adequate understanding of equality and diversity but

p.3

Inspection findings

the understanding of a small minority is too shallow.  My next line of enquiry reviewed the quality and impact of careers guidance for learners aged 16 to 18. Despite recent improvements, the academy’s current arrangements have yet not had sufficient impact.  A new manager is implementing revised recruitment and induction systems which are attracting more and better-informed young people into transportation apprenticeships in particular. Academy managers attend many local schools’ careers fairs annually where they successfully outline career opportunities in transportation and other sectors to young people. They run successful and well- attended open days at the academy training centre.  Most learners have a reasonable and realistic understanding of their apprenticeship programme and most are doing what they want to do. However, most learners do not yet have a sufficiently detailed understanding of the career

p.4

Inspection findings

paths open to them beyond their immediate programmes.  My final line of enquiry reviewed the quality and impact of the academy’s off-the- job training centre. Employers are very supportive of the block training learners receive at the academy. The academy’s training centre in Bristol is very well- equipped with resources matching, or in many cases exceeding, those to be found in commercial environments. Intermediate and advanced learners develop skills well by working and learning on a very good range of vehicles that involve modern working practices and technical expectations.

p.4

Inspection findings

 The academy’s virtual-reality facility for vehicle paint and welding learners is state of the art and provides highly effective training. The system provides a comprehensive record of learners’ progress using digital photography and graphs and charts that enable learners and instructors to see their progress instantly and chart improvements in their technique.

p.4

Next steps for the provider

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

p.4

Next steps for the provider

 the retention of learners age 16 to 18 remains high  learners’ achievement of qualifications in mathematics is high  they provide more support for learners with additional learning needs  careers advice for 16- to 18-year-olds focuses on ensuring that they understand the full range of career paths available to them beyond completing their current qualification.

p.4

Next steps for the provider

I am copying this letter to the Education and Skills Funding Agency. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.5

Information about the inspection

One of Her Majesty’s inspectors and three Ofsted Inspectors, together with the academy’s training and education director as nominee, conducted the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self- assessment report, improvement plan and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on learners’ achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements about learners’ attainment of qualifications. Inspectors met with, and gathered the views of, employers and learners following apprenticeship programmes at all levels in the subject areas offered; these views are reflected throughout the report. Inspectors met with the academy’s leaders, managers, assessment and training staff. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

p.5