London Underground Ltd

Lul Nominee Bcv Limited

Name of lead inspector: Jacquie Brown, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Lul Nominee Bcv Limited

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

123 Gunnersbury Lane London W3 8JR Monitoring visit: Lul Nominee Bcv Limited, 26–27 June 2019

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Context and focus of visit

From October 2018, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision which began to be funded from April 2017 or after by ESFA and/or the apprenticeship levy. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Providers newly directly funded to deliver apprenticeship training provision’ and ‘Monitoring visits’. The focus of these visits is on the three themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Lul Nominee Bcv Limited is a training provider based in Action, London. It began offering funded training programmes as a subcontractor in 2009 with main providers Redwood Education and Skills and City of Westminster College. In 2017, Lul Nominee Bcv Limited gained a contract to provide levy-funded apprenticeship programmes. Currently, 68 apprentices are enrolled on the following standards-based apprenticeships: level 2 railway engineering operative; level 3 civil engineering technician and level 3 railway engineering design technician.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have a clear vision for their apprenticeship provision and ensure that they adhere to the principles of the apprenticeship programme. Managers ensure that apprentices benefit from good quality off-the-job training that enables them to develop new skills and knowledge. Most apprentices have good skills in English and mathematics, having achieved level 2 qualifications prior to starting the apprenticeship. For the small minority who do not, leaders ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for them to gain these skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers monitor the performance of staff effectively through a robust performance management process. Managers have accurately identified the areas requiring improvement and implemented a suitable improvement plan.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that staff are appropriately trained and have relevant vocational experience. Staff use this expertise and knowledge well to develop the engineering skills, knowledge and behaviours of apprentices. Monitoring visit: Lul Nominee Bcv Limited, 26–27 June 2019 Managers ensure that they place people onto an apprenticeship for whom it is an appropriate form of training. All apprentices are new to the engineering industry and for many it is their first job.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders recognise that they did not have sufficient oversight of the full breadth and quality of the apprenticeship provision when it was first introduced. As a result, leaders and managers were initially slow to ensure that there were enough staff in place to ensure good-quality provision and support for managers.

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Reasonable progress

Managers initially set apprentices unrealistic timescales in which to complete their programmes. As a result, too few apprentices achieved their apprenticeships in this timescale. These apprentices are now making good progress towards meeting their revised end date.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders have been slow to develop effective oversight of the quality of provision. However, they recognise this and have developed suitable quality processes which enable them to monitor and improve the apprenticeship programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Staff provide good guidance to apprentices at the start of the programme to ensure that they enrol on a course which will meet their career aspirations. They accurately assess the skills and knowledge that apprentices have at the start of the course to develop an appropriate programme in vocational areas and mathematics and English.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers use their vocational knowledge and expertise effectively to support apprentices. As a result, apprentices improve their knowledge, skills and behaviours and make valuable contributions to their workplace. Apprentices attend off-the-job training for several months at the start of the programme before going on-site for their job. Apprentices also attend off-the-job-training at college once they have started in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices discuss confidently the new skills, knowledge and behaviours they have developed as a result of the training, for example soldering, stripping compressors and using the correct tools.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are clear about their career goals and understand how their apprenticeship will help them to achieve these and to progress to further qualifications. Monitoring visit: Lul Nominee Bcv Limited, 26–27 June 2019 Apprentices benefit from receiving regular progress reviews with their tutors. Tutors provide helpful feedback to apprentices about what they need to do to improve. Most apprentices make the progress expected of them.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have not adequately explained to the apprentices on the level 2 programme that some of the work they have completed can be used to accredit prior learning when they progress to the level 3 programme. As a result, apprentices are concerned about the increase in the length of the level 2 programme and the time it will take to complete the level 3 apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have appropriate policies and procedures in place to safeguard apprentices. Staff receive appropriate training to ensure that they understand safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty and to whom they should report them.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have ensured that staff are safe to work with apprentices through the recruitment process.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding officer (DSO) has completed appropriate training to be effective in their role. The DSO has implemented suitable reporting procedures but, as yet, no safeguarding incidents have taken place.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty through induction and progress reviews and are aware of local issues. Apprentices know how to keep themselves safe and whom to report safeguarding concerns to. Apprentices have a good understanding of health and safety in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers recognise they have been slow in implementing their ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan. As a result, it is too soon to see the impact of the action plan. Monitoring visit: Lul Nominee Bcv Limited, 26–27 June 2019 the 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 . Learner View Learner View is a 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. To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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Reasonable progress

Employer View Employer View is a website where employers can tell Ofsted what they think about their employees’ college or provider. They can also see what other employers think about them too. To find out more go to www.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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Reasonable progress

regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to

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Reasonable progress

the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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