Nationwide Energy Training Services Ltd

Nationwide Energy Training Services Ltd Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector:

Alison Cameron Brandwood, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Name of lead inspector:

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Name of lead inspector:

Address: Martland House 7 Kilbuck Lane St Helens Merseyside WA11 9SZ Monitoring visit: Nationwide Energy Training Services Ltd, 25–26 February 2020

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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 ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Nationwide Energy Training Services Ltd (NETS) currently has 49 apprentices. All of them are on standards-based apprenticeships at levels 2, 3 and 5. Over half study business-related apprenticeships. The remaining apprentices follow apprenticeships in junior energy manager (JEM) and safety, health and environment technician (SHETec). The provider subcontracts the training of 21 apprentices to Equals Training. Conquest Training delivers functional skills training on behalf of NETS to customer service practitioner apprentices. Almost all apprentices are aged over 19 years. NETS works with 19 employers across England.

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Reasonable progress

NETS’ mission is to offer apprenticeships that support a sustainable and energy- efficient society. This meets the needs of local, regional and national businesses as well as the government’s low carbon agenda. Leaders plan to stop offering business- related apprenticeships to focus on energy-related apprenticeships. They are developing with employers a level 4 apprenticeship standard in community energy.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use their expertise to develop a relevant and engaging curriculum. Apprentices build their knowledge and skills successfully over time. The content and order of what they learn links in with what they are doing at work. For example, through working with employers, tutors delivered the transport energy efficiency unit earlier in the programme so that apprentices developed their project management skills sooner.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive good support from their managers and employers at work. They complete their studies in work time. They extend their knowledge beyond the apprenticeship standards by visiting other areas of the business. Apprentices contribute positively at work and are an asset to their employers’ businesses.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders manage the quality of subcontractors effectively. Leaders took on 21 apprentices who were displaced because their training provider had closed partway Monitoring visit: Nationwide Energy Training Services Ltd, 25–26 February 2020 through their apprenticeship. They agreed to train these apprentices in partnership with the subcontractor, Equals Training. During frequent subcontractor meetings, leaders and managers discuss in detail the progress apprentices are making, including their preparation for end-point assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders know what they do well and what they need to do better. They have identified correctly that they need to improve their systems to achieve their strategic aims to increase their apprenticeship numbers. Leaders are right to recognise that they need to have a greater oversight of apprentices’ progress. However, they have not thought through how they are going to do this.

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Reasonable progress

Governance arrangements are in place, but they lack sufficient focus on reviewing the quality of training. The provider has no independent board members to challenge the directors or hold them to account.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors are well qualified and have considerable professional experience. They use their expertise to support apprentices to achieve their best. Apprentices benefit from dedicated tutors who help them to learn new knowledge and skills. Employers are impressed by what their apprentices know and can do. Tutors plan the training well, and it develops the skills apprentices need for their specific job roles. For example, tutors teach apprentices how to interpret electrical drawings. They added this skill to the curriculum in response to a specific employer need. SHETec subcontracted apprentices work in a diverse range of sectors, such as prisons and cash centres. Their curriculum includes training from experts in health and safety, the police and human resources.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices use information from their workplaces, such as data sets, to link together their on- and off-the-job training. For example, JEM apprentices accurately complete data analysis on energy use for the rail industry. They identify where they can make energy efficiencies. Employers value this work and use the information as part of their training for train drivers.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use a range of teaching activities to ensure that apprentices increase their knowledge. They use well-devised training resources. Tutors use assessment days to test apprentices’ knowledge effectively. They introduce more difficult topics, such as complex formulas. Apprentices use these formulas to calculate heat exchange in different buildings at work.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide useful feedback that develops apprentices’ academic writing skills. Apprentices use these skills well in their job role and it prepares them well for their next steps. They understand the importance of validated and empirical research. JEM apprentices develop research and presentation skills over and above the requirements of the apprenticeship standard. As a result, they produce high-quality work. Monitoring visit: Nationwide Energy Training Services Ltd, 25–26 February 2020 Too many subcontracted apprentices will not complete their apprenticeships on time. Currently, one third of apprentices have gone past their planned end dates. This was due to delays in getting evidence that apprentices had completed their functional skills before they transferred to NETS.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have in place appropriate arrangements for safeguarding. They have developed suitable policies and procedures, including the ‘Prevent’ duty. They have not tested out these processes so far. Leaders have established links with external organisations across the country.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe and know whom to go to with a problem. They understand how to keep themselves safe from the risks of radicalisation and extremism. Apprentices on subcontracted programmes do not have a good enough understanding of local risks, such as right-wing extremism.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices put into practice at work what they learn about health and safety. For example, SHETec apprentices use the ‘Swiss cheese’ model as the basis for risk assessments and reporting near misses. They have learned that even with policies and practices in place, there may still be holes which could lead to an accident. Monitoring visit: Nationwide Energy Training Services Ltd, 25–26 February 2020 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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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