Port Of Tilbury London Limited

Port of Tilbury London Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Rebecca Perry Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Leslie Ford House Tilbury RM18 7EH Monitoring visit: Port of Tilbury London Limited, 7–8 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

The Port of Tilbury London Limited is based in the United Kingdom’s third largest port. It began delivering directly funded standards-based apprenticeships at foundation and intermediate level in June 2017. There are currently seven apprentices employed by the port on the foundation level warehousing standard. One apprentice is employed by an external organisation on the intermediate standard for supply chain operatives. All are over 19 years old. In addition to apprenticeships, the Port of Tilbury London Limited also offer higher apprenticeships and a range of other commercial specialist training in port operations. It is part of the Forth Ports Group, which owns and operates eight ports across the UK.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have planned the apprenticeship programme carefully, taking into consideration the needs of the busy environments in which apprentices work. Apprentices quickly develop new skills as a result of leaders’ planning and highly effective work with employers. They systematically progress to more complex tasks at work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders meet the requirements for apprenticeship programmes in full. For example, they ensure that apprentices receive a plethora of training to further their skills through off- and on-the-job training, including additional qualifications. Apprentices receive useful tuition where they require functional skills qualifications and make appropriate progress towards this element of their programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices and their employers are well informed about the requirements of their final examinations. Staff prepare apprentices fully for their assessments. As a result, apprentices complete their final examinations successfully on their first attempt. Monitoring visit: Port of Tilbury London Limited, 7–8 August 2019 Leaders ensure that apprentices benefit from using up-to-date resources. Apprentices contribute in a real way to the daily operations of the port and learn about planned future developments such as artificial intelligence. Apprentices work in different areas of the port in which they quickly hone their skills and build on their previous learning and knowledge.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work effectively with employers to recruit apprentices who will benefit greatly from the apprenticeship programme. Staff assess apprentices’ skills and knowledge at the start of the programme, including in English and mathematics. This information is shared with workplace trainers and used successfully to inform their training.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders’ and managers’ arrangements for reviewing the quality of the apprenticeship provision are not robust. Leaders’ reports to directors are limited to numbers of starts and completers. Consequently, they are not challenged on the quality of the programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Managers carefully monitor the progress apprentices make in developing skills and knowledge. However, apprentices’ progress is not shared with directors. While managers intervene swiftly to ensure that apprentices remain on track if they fall behind, they do not review the overall quality of the apprenticeship programme. As a result, there are no strategic actions set, monitored or reviewed to make improvements.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices make swift progress in developing new skills and knowledge. They progressively develop substantial new skills which benefit the employer. For example, they quickly learn to drive large forklift trucks for moving goods around warehouses and tugs for unloading cargo from ships.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices gain additional skills and qualifications valued in the industry. These include working in confined spaces, signalling and fumigation. Trainers give health and safety and security a very high priority, which reflects the high-risk nature of the port.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from the high level of skills and experience of the trainers within their specialist areas. Trainers ensure that off-the-job training is directly relevant to apprentices’ job roles. They successfully encourage apprentices to work effectively as a team. Apprentices quickly become valuable members of the workforce.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices quickly develop their vocational mathematics skills. For example, they accurately calculate how many pallets can be safely stowed in one warehouse area. Monitoring visit: Port of Tilbury London Limited, 7–8 August 2019 They calculate start-up costs associated with equipment needed to set up a warehouse operation. Apprentices also develop useful vocational English skills. However, staff do not give sufficient attention to the standards of apprentices’ written English. They do not correct apprentices’ spelling or encourage them to take pride in the presentation of their written work.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are highly motivated and very proud of their achievements and the skills they have gained. They understand the career opportunities open to them in the industry.

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Reasonable progress

Staff do not use reviews of progress or individual learning plans effectively to record apprentices’ progress. While staff frequently meet with apprentices, they do not take sufficient account of apprentices’ on- and off-the- job training to inform the review discussions.

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Reasonable progress

The training academy operates within a port environment that has an overt culture of safety and protection. The port’s own police and border force provide contextualised training for all staff, including apprentices, on relevant issues related to the environment, counterterrorism and security.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have put in place appropriate safeguarding policies in which they accurately define and identify vulnerable adults. The designated safeguarding officer has completed relevant training. All staff have completed mandatory safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training. Staff and apprentices are highly knowledgeable about the risks associated with the port in which they work and the mechanisms available to report concerns.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders follow safer recruitment practices when employing staff. These include numerous checks, such as the security clearance required to work in the port.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are safe and feel safe in their work environment. They understand the risks posed by working within the port and receive regular updates from the on-site police force about real threats when on shift. However, their understanding of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism in other contexts is less well developed. Monitoring visit: Port of Tilbury London Limited, 7–8 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

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Reasonable progress

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