Skanska UK PLC

Name of lead inspector: Gerard McGrath, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address: Maple Cross House Denham Way Maple Cross Rickmansworth WD3 9SW Monitoring visit: Skanska UK Plc, 14–15 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

Skanska UK PLC (Skanska) received a direct contract to be a provider of apprenticeships in June 2017. It offers a highways maintenance apprenticeship framework programme at level 2 to its employees working in the construction industry across England. At the time of the inspection, Skanska had 18 apprentices funded through the employer levy. Most are aged 19 years and over.

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Reasonable progress

Managers and staff are ambitious for their apprentices. Leaders, managers and all staff have high expectations of apprentices and their ability to meet demanding work standards that support the business aims of the company.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders participate in influential boards and strategy groups to further develop the provision. For example, they have contributed to the development of a range of qualifications up to level 6. They are well prepared to deliver these apprenticeship programmes later this year.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices receive their full entitlement to training away from work. As a result, apprentices make effective progress towards their academic qualifications, as well as significantly improving their work-related skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers know their provision well. The very recently produced self- assessment report is sufficiently self-critical. For example, it accurately identifies the need for further development of additional support for apprentices with low levels of English and mathematics skills.

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Reasonable progress

Senior managers have yet to develop fully the processes needed to make continual improvements. For example, trainers and managers regularly increase the support Monitoring visit: Skanska UK Plc, 14–15 August 2019 provided to individual apprentices whose progress with their learning slows. However, managers have not ensured that sufficient measures are agreed with apprentices and their workplace supervisors to monitor the effectiveness of the additional support provided.

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Reasonable progress

Senior managers have not developed robust systems to monitor the progress apprentices make with all parts of their learning. They are over-reliant on trainers reporting the progress of individual apprentices towards their main qualification.

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Reasonable progress

Governance arrangements for the apprenticeship programmes are effective. Apprenticeship training is now regularly discussed by directors, who have recognised the need to be more challenging to managers about the quality of training and the outcomes of the programme.

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Reasonable progress

Well-planned on- and off-the-job training helps apprentices make good progress in their learning. Trainers use the results of initial assessments of apprentices’ work- related and personal skills, as well as relevant previous vocational experience, to plan training that meets their needs effectively.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers’ and apprentices’ line managers work closely to support apprentices in their learning. They make excellent use of a wide range of work opportunities across different sites to ensure that apprentices develop and demonstrate new skills, well beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship programme.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers and workplace mentors provide very useful individual coaching and guidance to apprentices and ensure that they understand the high standards of work expected of them.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices enjoy their learning and apply their theoretical learning effectively to their work roles. For example, apprentices regularly make use of a wide range of complex information and accurate map-reading skills to plan and carry out work tasks without interrupting local utility supplies.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices understand the contribution that English and mathematics skills make to their personal and career aspirations and continue to develop these skills throughout their training. Apprentices produce written work of a good standard.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers and workplace mentors provide accurate, detailed feedback that motivates apprentices to improve the quality of their academic and practical work. Apprentices and their line managers know where they are in the programme and what they need to do to make good progress and achieve their aims. Monitoring visit: Skanska UK Plc, 14–15 August 2019 Trainers ensure that apprentices receive appropriate advice and guidance to help them make choices about their next steps in learning, particularly within Skanska and the construction industry. Apprentices complete a wide range of additional employment-related training and gain valuable extra qualifications alongside their apprenticeship programme. These include temporary traffic management, emergency first-aid certificates, small-plant training and banksman training.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel and are safe. Managers and trainers promote good standards of health and safety throughout the training programme. Comprehensive ‘risk and method’ assessments are completed for all worksites. Consequently, apprentices demonstrate safe working practices in busy, high-risk environments. For example, apprentices are given training in how to deal with sharps and the dangers arising from the discovery of used hypodermic needles on worksites.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices have a good recall of the Skanska code of conduct. They clearly recognise the risks arising from radicalisation and extremism. Apprentices are confident about discussing their concerns with their line managers, mentors or trainers. Monitoring visit: Skanska UK Plc, 14–15 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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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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the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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