Meat East Anglia Trades (Ipswich) Limited

Meat East Anglia Trades (Ipswich) Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sambit Sen, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 31 July – 1 August 2019

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

203 Rosehill Ipswich IP3 8HF Monitoring visit: Meat East Anglia Trades (Ipswich) Limited, 31 July – 1 August 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 themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Meat East Anglia Trades (Ipswich) Limited (MEAT), is a private training provider which operates nationally. It specialises in delivering butchery apprenticeships. Currently there are 114 apprentices, most of whom are on the butcher apprenticeship standard. MEAT predominantly works with small and medium enterprise butcher retailers across the country. They were awarded ‘best meat training provider’ by the Institute of Meat in 2018.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have established an excellent reputation to provide specialist apprenticeship training within the butchery sector.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have excellent partnerships with employers. They work together to design and deliver customised training. This close partnership helps apprentices to gain excellent skills that are valued by the industry. Where employers are unable to offer parts of training, managers work with other employers to ensure that apprentices receive the full range of training required.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers recruit highly qualified and specialist staff who have thorough and current industry knowledge and experience. Leaders and managers ensure that trainers maintain up-to-date industry knowledge by completing significant ongoing industry-based training.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers carefully recruit apprentices in partnership with their employers. They ensure that apprentices fully understand the challenges and expectations of the sector very quickly. Monitoring visit: Meat East Anglia Trades (Ipswich) Limited, 31 July – 1 August 2019 Leaders and managers ensure that trainers update and discuss the requirements of end- point assessments with their employers and apprentices. This is done at induction, and in every visit to apprentices. Employers are clear about how their apprentices can achieve the highest grades for their programme.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers track and monitor apprentices’ performance and progress extremely thoroughly. In addition, highly effective fortnightly one-to-one support for the apprentices with their trainers allows the apprentices to make excellent progress in their learning and the trainers to maintain a strong overview of their safety and well-being.

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Significant progress

Currently the provider has no formal governance arrangements. Leaders have recruited external consultants who challenge and support them to improve quality assurance and staff development further. Leaders intend to set up a board in October 2019 which will include employer representatives.

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Significant progress

Trainers provide high-quality training for apprentices. As a result, most apprentices develop new and significant knowledge, skills and behaviours to benefit their employers’ businesses. They are active and valued members of their teams. For example, apprentices who are being trained as artisan butchers create new and high-quality sausage recipes.

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Significant progress

Apprentices make excellent progress in their learning. Trainers use their extensive industrial experience and expertise effectively to plan personalised learning and assessment to fast track apprentices’ progress. Trainers have high expectations of their apprentices and constantly motivate them to achieve external accolades such as ‘butcher of the year’ awards.

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Significant progress

Apprentices receive sufficient time to undertake off-the-job training. This training is of a consistently high standard and prepares apprentices very well for the rigours of the industry.

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Significant progress

Most apprentices are on course to complete their training within planned timescales. Apprentices have a clear understanding about further training and career opportunities. They have guaranteed jobs with their existing employers.

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Significant progress

Apprentices develop good English and mathematics skills. Trainers thoroughly embed English and mathematics skills through sector-based training materials. In addition, they mark and comment on the level of English for all written work that apprentices submit. As a result, apprentices significantly improve their English writing skills. Monitoring visit: Meat East Anglia Trades (Ipswich) Limited, 31 July – 1 August 2019 Trainers discuss and explain British values to the apprentices on a regular basis. As a result, the apprentices apply it to their working environment effectively.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and staff look after the welfare and well-being of their apprentices very effectively. This is done through fortnightly one-to-one support sessions with each apprentice. As a result, apprentices feel safe at their workplace and they know who to contact in case of any issues. They know how to keep themselves safe when working online. In addition, trainers embed a strong and rigorous culture of health and safety from a very early stage with the apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have put in place a fully qualified designated safeguarding officer. Safeguarding policies and procedures are appropriate and up to date. Leaders and managers implement safe recruitment practices when appointing new staff. Staff are appropriately trained and know how to respond to any concerns raised by apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders take sufficient steps to fulfil the requirements of the ‘Prevent’ duty. However, trainers do not always reinforce sufficiently apprentices’ understanding of the potential impact on their everyday lives and work by those who hold radial or extreme views. Monitoring visit: Meat East Anglia Trades (Ipswich) Limited, 31 July – 1 August 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

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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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