Mayer Environmental Ltd

Mayer Environmental Ltd Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Stuart Collett, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: MET Academy 4 Barling Way, Nuneaton CV10 7RH Monitoring visit: Mayer Environmental Ltd, 15–16 April 2021

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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

Mayer Environmental Ltd - under the name MET Academy - is a private training provider based in Nuneaton in Warwickshire. The provider has held a contract to deliver apprenticeships since 2018. At the time of the visit, there were 23 apprentices in learning. Of these, 17 were studying the metal recycling technical manager level 5 apprenticeship standard, and the remaining six apprentices had begun studying the metal recycling general operative standard at level 2 during the week of the visit.

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Context and focus of visit

The impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) has been taken into account in the findings and progress judgements below.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have developed apprenticeships in response to an identified need for the development and recognition of skills in the metals recycling industry. They have worked with industry stakeholders to offer apprenticeships at levels 2 and 5 to an industry sector which – until recently – had no industry-specific, work-based skills programmes.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers are not sufficiently aware of the progress apprentices are making. As a result, they are not ensuring tutors take the appropriate action to help apprentices who have fallen behind with their work to catch up. For example, the current group of level 5 apprentices complete workbooks remotely. Tutors do not review these workbooks sufficiently to provide leaders with a clear understanding of the progress apprentices are making. As a result, too many level 5 apprentices are behind with their learning at an early stage in their apprenticeship. Monitoring visit: Mayer Environmental Ltd, 15–16 April 2021 Leaders and managers have not ensured that all apprentices receive their entitlement to time away from the workplace to complete their learning. Managers work with employers to make certain that they understand the requirements of an apprenticeship. However, as a result of the significant pressures on the industry

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Insufficient progress

brought on by the effects of COVID-19, some employers are not currently allowing level 5 apprentices time to complete their off-the-job learning. Leaders were aware of these pressures when enrolling this group of apprentices but do not have a clear plan of how they will rectify this issue.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have not taken the appropriate steps to ensure that their apprenticeships offers all apprentices the opportunity to develop significantly new knowledge or skills. A significant number of level 5 learners have considerable industry experience and identify this at enrolment; however, tutors do not take this into account. As a result, too many apprentices are merely accrediting their existing skills, rather than developing significantly new knowledge.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have recently appointed a new member of staff to lead their apprenticeships. This appointment has led to a sharp focus on the quality of education apprentices receive and a detailed improvement plan. However, the impact of this attention cannot yet be seen.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and tutors have developed a delivery plan which clearly details how knowledge, skills and behaviours will be linked to the activities apprentices perform in the workplace. However, tutors do not take into account the skills and knowledge apprentices already have. As a result, too many apprentices are repeating prior learning.

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Insufficient progress

Tutors have not sufficiently planned how they will teach the apprenticeship to ensure apprentices rapidly develop new skills and knowledge. They have developed a clear plan of the content of teaching; however, it is not clear how this content will be taught or how apprentices will be supported to revisit information to rectify misunderstandings or gaps in their knowledge.

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Insufficient progress

Tutors do not ensure that apprentices receive timely, precise feedback on their work. In the small number of cases where work has been submitted by apprentices, tutors have not provided apprentices with prompt feedback which is sufficiently focused on what they have done well, or what they need to do to improve. As a result, apprentices do not have the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge to reach their full potential. Monitoring visit: Mayer Environmental Ltd, 15–16 April 2021 Tutors do not ensure that reviews are sufficiently developmental or set targets which give apprentices enough information on what they need to do. Targets are task- orientated and do not clearly define the knowledge and skills apprentices need to acquire. As a result, learners are not sufficiently clear on the work they need to complete.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and tutors have not placed sufficient emphasis on apprentices’ development of skills and knowledge in English and mathematics because too few apprentices have been requested to complete assessment work to show what they already know and can do, and what they need to learn, in these subjects. This is despite them being a number of months into their learning. As a result, tutors do not have a baseline from which to consider the needs of individual apprentices when planning their teaching.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have appointed suitably qualified members of staff as their designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy. The DSL has close links with the local authority, which ensures that the provider is kept up to date with local topics.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured all apprentices have completed training on the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism, and apprentices are able to share how this has changed their normal way of working. For example, they discuss how the awareness of changes in someone’s attitude and behaviour could help identify a significant issue, such as the risk of being radicalised.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices told us how their understanding of safe working practices had improved. For example, they have reviewed noise policies and procedures during their first module of learning and share how the changes they have made are helping to improve relationships with their local community on the issue of noise pollution.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are clear on where to go to report any concerns about their safety and well-being and have contact details of the relevant staff within the training provider to do this. Monitoring visit: Mayer Environmental Ltd, 15–16 April 2021 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

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