Keolis Amey Docklands Limited

Keolis Amey Docklands Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Jane Hughes, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address:

Castor Lane Poplar London E14 0BL Monitoring visit: Keolis Amey Docklands Limited, 1–2 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

Keolis Amey Docklands Limited (KAD) operates the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) on behalf of Transport for London and is based in Poplar and Beckton. In February 2018, KAD was granted employer provider status. In September 2018, KAD started a management level 3 framework apprenticeship programme, and in November 2018 the first cohort of apprentices on the level 2 passenger transport on-board and stations team member standard started. Currently, they have 24 passenger service agent apprentices and five management apprentices have recently completed their programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have a clear rationale for implementing the apprenticeship programme, to ensure that employees within KAD develop the right skills to enable them to offer a professional and safe service to passengers. Leaders have adapted their passenger service agent (PSA) training programme to meet the requirements of the apprenticeship standard.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices receive their entitlement to off-the- job training. Through the 13-week block-training course, work shadowing and study days, apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours that enable them to progress quickly to working on the trains. Leaders track apprentices’ attendance closely and apprentices have good attendance.

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Reasonable progress

Heads of service and apprentices’ managers value the benefits of the apprenticeship. They clearly identify how the technical training PSA apprentices receive at the beginning of the programme leads to a reduction in recorded faults. They rightly recognise that they have not been sufficiently involved in apprentices’ progress reviews.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and staff recruit apprentices with integrity. They use a thorough assessment of apprentices’ prior knowledge, skills and behaviours to ensure that Monitoring visit: Keolis Amey Docklands Limited, 1–2 August 2019 apprentices are on the right programme. As a result, almost all apprentices remain on their programme.

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Reasonable progress

Quality assurance activities are underdeveloped. Leaders have put in place a variety of activities, such as observations of teaching, standardisation meetings and learner feedback. However, the outcomes of these do not focus enough on improving the experience for apprentices. Staff are not trained sufficiently to carry out observations of training sessions.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have rightly identified that staff did not promote the benefits of the apprenticeship programme well enough to the first cohorts of PSA apprentices. As a result, these apprentices do not understand fully how the 13-week course links to their programme or how the programme benefits them in their future careers.

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Reasonable progress

PSA apprentices enjoy their training, particularly during the 13-week course. They benefit from trainers’ extensive knowledge and experience of the job role and make very good progress during this period. As a result, they learn quickly about safety on the railways, how to operate the DLR trains and how to meet KAD’s professional expectations for customer service. Trainers have high expectations of their apprentices and motivate apprentices well.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors support the small number of apprentices on level 3 management frameworks very effectively. Apprentices have gained skills in project management and delegating, and have increased their confidence to challenge their teams. As a result, apprentices have gained additional responsibility at work and achieved their qualifications.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers and assessors give apprentices helpful feedback about their work. Management apprentices receive feedback that helps them correct their written work and that directs them to further research. PSA apprentices receive clear feedback on how they performed in their theory tests. Trainers use a range of very good resources, such as videos taken on the railway, to support learning.

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Reasonable progress

In functional skills lessons, tutors support apprentices well to develop in confidence when talking about an unfamiliar topic and to prepare for their online mathematics assessment. The majority of apprentices pass their functional skills tests at the first attempt.

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Reasonable progress

Too many PSA apprentices do not understand what progress they make or how to collect on-the-job evidence for their journal that shows how they complete specific tasks. Apprentices are assessed frequently on their competency at completing tasks during their shifts. However, trainers have not worked closely enough with Monitoring visit: Keolis Amey Docklands Limited, 1–2 August 2019 apprentices’ line managers to support apprentices to use these assessments as evidence. Managers have identified this and recently put in place new progress review procedures.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe at work and in training. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including when online, and who to speak to if they have any concerns. Apprentices understand the importance of recognising the dangers associated with extremism and radicalisation while working on the railway.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have put in place appropriate policies and procedures for an employer provider. A senior manager on the board of governors has overall responsibility for safeguarding and two designated support officers have attended appropriate training. Staff ensure that apprentices receive thorough training on how to work safely.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have engaged well with the local authority. The local ‘Prevent’ duty coordinator has attended the centre to train staff. Trainers have also received training on safeguarding adults. Monitoring visit: Keolis Amey Docklands Limited, 1–2 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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