London Design and Engineering UTC

London Design and Engineering University Technical College Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Rebecca Jennings, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

15 University Way London E16 2RD Monitoring visit: London Design and Engineering UTC, 13‒14 October 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 the education and skills funding agency (ESFA) and/or the apprenticeship levy. This provider received a monitoring visit under these arrangements and was found to be making insufficient progress against one or more themes.

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Context and focus of visit

On 17 March 2020, all routine inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. As part of our phased return to routine inspections, we are carrying out additional monitoring visits to new providers that were judged to be making insufficient progress against one or more themes at their previous monitoring visit and would have been due their full inspection up to or during the interim phase but have not received it because of the suspension of routine inspections. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements as outlined in the interim phase operational note for further education and skills and with reference to the further education and skills handbook and is focused on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

London Design and Engineering University Technical College (LDE UTC) is an independent learning provider based in the London Borough of Newham. This monitoring visit report relates solely to the UTC’s apprenticeship provision. Ofsted inspected the full-time provision at the UTC, for learners aged 14‒19, separately in October 2018 under the school inspection framework.

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Context and focus of visit

LDE UTC has been running apprenticeship provision since 2017. The UTC offers level 3 apprenticeship standards in engineering to learners aged 18+. At the time of inspection, there were 33 apprentices on programme, most of whom are studying towards civil engineering technician or digital engineering technician standards.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have identified a labour market need for engineers, which aligns with the strategic objectives of the UTC. They use their governors’ professional engineering insight well to design the curriculum for each apprenticeship standard. As a result, apprentices gain knowledge and skills to perform competently in their job roles. Monitoring visit: London Design and Engineering UTC, 13‒14 October 2020 Leaders have recruited new managers who bring the necessary expertise to deliver a successful apprenticeship programme. Managers acknowledge that they are in the early stages of piecing together a fully coherent programme and have made several improvements. For example, managers now agree the apprentices’ learning plan with employers and apprentices, and assessors discuss apprentices’ progress with their managers. As a result, apprentices understand what they need to do to achieve their apprenticeships.

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Reasonable progress

Managers explain the requirements of the end-point assessments to apprentices and employers. As a result, the majority of apprentices understand what they need to do to achieve high grades. For a few apprentices, this is too late in their programme, and they do not feel that the college has suitably prepared them for the final assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Managers monitor well the quality of teaching of qualifications. They use feedback from awarding bodies and apprentices to review the curriculum for each apprenticeship standard and make appropriate changes to better meet apprentices’ needs. For example, they moved theory exams to later in the programme so that apprentices have time to experience the examination topics in the context of their jobs.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers rightly recognise that they need to work with employers more effectively and are starting to do this. They have considered apprentices’ responsibilities at work and enrolled them onto a more appropriate apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have revised apprentices’ plans of learning to include information on apprentices’ progress and targets. As a result, most apprentices and employers now have an understanding of what apprentices need to do to achieve their apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices’ employers provide high-quality on-the-job training. Consequently, apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to perform well in their job roles. Employers allow apprentices time to attend their weekly off-the-job teaching sessions and provide regular feedback on apprentices’ performance. They take part in reviews of apprentices’ progress and workplace observations alongside assessors.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive high-quality technical training at college. However, leaders and teachers do not work closely enough with employers to ensure that what apprentices learn in college is linked closely enough to what they do at work. As a result, Monitoring visit: London Design and Engineering UTC, 13‒14 October 2020 apprentices too often are not sure how to apply what they learn in college in their jobs.

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Reasonable progress

Skilled teachers use effective approaches to online and classroom teaching. They use techniques such as live demonstrations and work-based examples to build on apprentices’ knowledge and introduce new concepts. For example, civil engineering apprentices in the third year of their programme learn about the application of 4‒5 concurrent forces on complex objects. Teachers build on apprentices’ earlier learning about simple forces and 2‒3 concurrent forces on objects to resolve problems. As a result, apprentices develop a deep knowledge and understanding of the key concepts they need to know.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers give apprentices useful feedback with guidance on how to achieve high grades. As a result, apprentices achieve high grades for the component qualifications in the apprenticeship standard.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices learn relevant knowledge of English, which they can apply in their roles, such as delivering effective presentations to different audiences. They also know how to communicate effectively with the public when doing field work. Teachers make sure that apprentices understand complex mathematical principles such as trigonometry, which they need to know to be able to design and construct models.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have appropriate safeguarding policies in place. A suitably trained safeguarding lead trains all staff and apprentices on relevant topics, including the dangers of radicalisation. Leaders are aware of local risks that might affect apprentices, such as county lines and a rise in threat from far-right extremists. Apprentices understand these potential risks and know how to keep themselves safe.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders promote a culture of safeguarding through clear information to apprentices on how they can access support. They encourage apprentices to raise any concerns should they have them. The safeguarding lead takes appropriate action on any safeguarding issues as they arise. As a result, apprentices know who to go to if they have any concerns and feel safe at the college and at work.

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Reasonable progress

Managers conduct appropriate checks on staff and follow suitable recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices do not have a fully developed understanding of how to keep themselves safe online, as teachers and assessors do not revisit the topic frequently enough. Monitoring visit: London Design and Engineering UTC, 13‒14 October 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 and child protection.

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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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