Northern Regeneration CIC

Northern Regeneration CIC Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sarah Lonsdale, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Construction Skills Village High Eastfield Farm Scarborough YO11 3PP Monitoring visit: Northern Regeneration CIC, 13–14 May 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

At the time of the visit, there were 50 apprentices on level 2 standards-based apprenticeships in construction. There were 18 apprentices enrolled on bricklaying programmes, 13 on carpentry and joinery programmes, seven on groundworker programmes, six on plastering programmes and six on property maintenance programmes.

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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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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have designed and implemented vocational programmes in construction that meet the requirements of successful apprenticeship provision. They work with employers to identify clearly and agree the knowledge, skills and behaviours that apprentices need to develop, as well as the support that apprentices will receive.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work closely with stakeholders to support regional employment and skills needs. They have developed effective links with local employers and use these well to develop apprenticeship programmes for construction. Leaders collaborate with the local enterprise partnership to support the green agenda through low and carbon- negative construction.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers support social inclusion and successfully raise the aspirations of unemployed adults and young people who are not in education, employment or training. They develop learners’ skills and instil in them positive workplace behaviours before matching them to apprenticeship opportunities with local employers. Monitoring visit: Northern Regeneration CIC, 13–14 May 2021 Leaders have appropriate governance arrangements in place to provide challenge and scrutiny. Board members have extensive experience in construction and in the field of employment and skills. They use their knowledge and experience well to ensure that the curriculum effectively meets local and regional needs.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers recognised the need to improve functional skills English and mathematics training by providing dedicated lessons alongside teaching in the workshop. However, their recent actions have not had sufficient impact for a few apprentices who make slower than expected progress in developing the technical English and mathematics skills that they need to prepare themselves for examinations.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers do not have a thorough enough oversight of how well tutors implement the curriculum. Managers focus too heavily on assessment practice without considering what tutors do to ensure apprentices know more and can do more. Managers have recently changed their approach to monitoring and supporting staff, but it is too early to see the impact of their actions.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors are suitably qualified and skilled for their roles. They share their knowledge of the industry successfully so that apprentices learn new ways of doing things at work. For example, tutors teach apprentices alternative ways of making mitre joints for skirting boards. As a result, apprentices can apply their skills in different situations, such as making skirting boards for older houses where walls may not be straight.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors ensure that employers are fully involved in apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training. Employers value the support that tutors provide to ensure apprentices develop the relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours that they require for work. For example, apprentices learn how to use tools proficiently and build brick walls correctly.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors check apprentices’ understanding thoroughly in practical sessions. Apprentices carefully evaluate their own practical skills to identify any issues with their work and find solutions to faults. For example, carpentry and joinery apprentices check their stud walls for measurement inaccuracies before tutors formally assess the quality of their work.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors plan learning activities effectively and adapt the curriculum in response to apprentices’ needs. On carpentry and joinery programmes, tutors set increasingly challenging activities as apprentices complete their work. As a result, apprentices increase their knowledge of mitred joints and develop their skills in creating them. Monitoring visit: Northern Regeneration CIC, 13–14 May 2021 Tutors who teach functional skills use successful mathematics activities in vocational sessions. They help apprentices to understand key mathematical concepts in the context of their work, such as calculating measurements for cutting lists and calculating the value of materials.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors are not specific enough about the precise knowledge, skills and behaviours that apprentices need to develop. They do not provide apprentices with sufficiently constructive feedback on their written work or in reviews. This means that apprentices do not receive clear enough instruction on how to improve their work or address weaknesses before moving on to the next steps in their training.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers use appropriate recruitment practices to ensure that staff are safe to work with young people and vulnerable adults. Staff receive safeguarding training at induction and regular refresher training to keep their knowledge up to date.

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Reasonable progress

Staff work closely with external agencies to help apprentices with their well-being and support needs. For example, staff work with support workers for children looked after to provide apprentices with guidance on the appropriate use of text messaging.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide helpful, weekly personal development sessions that address any emerging concerns. They delivered a training session on appropriate and professional behaviour to help educate apprentices, following an incident of inappropriate behaviour off site.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe. They have a detailed understanding of risks and threats to their industry, including protesters and theft from construction sites. Tutors emphasise and re-enforce health and safety requirements in workshops. As a result, apprentices operate machinery and power tools safely and proficiently. Monitoring visit: Northern Regeneration CIC, 13–14 May 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

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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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