London and South Eastern Railway Limited

London and South Eastern Railway Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Jane Hughes, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address:

2nd Floor 4 More London Riverside London SE1 2AU Monitoring visit: London and South Eastern Railway Limited, 2–3 June 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 the Education and Skills Funding Agency 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

London and South Eastern Railway is a train operating company that operates the London and South Eastern rail franchise. Its headquarters are in South London. Training centres are based at depots in Ashford, Tonbridge, Orpington and Ramsgate.

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Context and focus of visit

The employer has held a contract for teaching apprenticeships since January 2020. It enrolled its first apprentices in April 2020. It works with one subcontractor, who teaches the functional skills in English, mathematics and information communication technology (ICT). At the time of the visit, 198 apprentices were studying the level 3 train driver standard and 166 apprentices were studying the level 2 passenger transport onboard and team member standard.

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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 put in place appropriate apprenticeship programmes. The programmes clearly meet the needs of the business and the criteria of the highly regulated railway industry. Leaders have ensured that staff supporting and training apprentices have the right qualifications and experience.

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Reasonable Progress

Leaders and managers have designed an effective curriculum that includes a range of on- and-off-the-job training activities. Topics are taught in a logical order. For example, apprentices attend intensive six or ten weeks’ off-the-job theory training at the start of their programme. This gives them the essential knowledge of topics such as health and safety, the rules on the railways and specific technical processes. Monitoring visit: London and South Eastern Railway Limited, 2–3 June 2021 Apprentices then spend time at their depots and on the trains completing supported work shadowing and practical skills development to help them apply their knowledge. Leaders have not broadened the curriculum sufficiently to help apprentices develop their individual personal skills beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship standard.

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Reasonable Progress

Apprentices are recruited appropriately. The vast majority are new to the industry and need to develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices understand well the career opportunities available to them within the company when they complete their apprenticeship. Most apprentices know what to expect at their end-point assessment. Managers have planned activities during the programme, such as professional discussions, to help apprentices prepare for their assessment.

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Reasonable Progress

Leaders work closely with their subcontractor to ensure that those apprentices who need qualifications in English, mathematics and ICT start learning these subjects at an appropriate point in their programme. However, leaders do not check sufficiently the quality of teaching and assessment at the subcontractor.

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Reasonable Progress

Apprentices’ line managers recognise how their apprentices have improved their performance over time. Apprentices training to be onboard team members have more confidence in dealing with tricky scenarios on board. They improve their communication skills in dealing with the public when checking tickets. Line managers feel well informed about apprentices’ progress. However, they do not take part directly in apprentices’ progress reviews.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers and learning coaches set high expectations and standards of apprentices. They help keep apprentices motivated to learn and to present themselves professionally. Apprentices show commitment to their learning and attend face-to- face and remote learning sessions in uniform. They enjoy their learning and feel very well supported by their trainers and coaches.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers use their expertise and knowledge skilfully to teach apprentices complex topics. For example, in train driver sessions, trainers comprehensively explain technical processes, such as how to implement a last-minute strategy when two or more signals fail. Trainers create good-quality teaching resources, such as interactive presentations. They use these effectively, so that apprentices understand incidents such as the derailment of a train, and then simulate the actions they would take.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers and learning coaches use effective questioning techniques to check apprentices’ understanding and get them to reflect on their practices at work. Apprentices receive helpful and supportive feedback on their work and in training sessions. For example, apprentices practising their passenger announcements get Monitoring visit: London and South Eastern Railway Limited, 2–3 June 2021 encouraging prompts from their trainers to ensure that they pronounce their words correctly and clearly.

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Reasonable progress

The majority of apprentices who have taken qualifications in English, mathematics and ICT have passed. However, too few apprentices pass on their first attempt. Apprentices receive helpful one-to-one support so that they achieve on the second attempt. Leaders recognise that a minority of apprentices were not prepared sufficiently to take their examinations. They are working with the subcontractor to make improvements.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive frequent updates on their progress through a range of activities. These include professional discussions with their learning coaches and end of topic assessments. However, leaders have not ensured a consistent approach to progress reviews. As a result, a minority of apprentices have had fewer updates than others. Apprentices do not have clear action plans to help them understand how to improve, for example, their behaviours and attitudes.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers pay close attention to, and have a strong focus on, the health, safety and well-being of apprentices. They have put in place appropriate procedures and staff training. They ensure that apprentices receive comprehensive information and training to understand the dangers associated with their roles in the railway industry.

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Significant progress

Apprentices complete intensive training in health and safety and security. They develop their knowledge early in the apprenticeship programme and have a good awareness of how to keep themselves and their colleagues safe. For example, apprentices understand how to identify potential threats, how to react when dealing with aggressive passengers and how to look out for vulnerable passengers.

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Significant progress

Apprentices have access to a wide range of support, including a dedicated employee assistance helpline, mental health first aiders and counselling. Apprentices feel safe and know whom to speak to if they have concerns. They say that staff continually reinforce the importance of safety during their programme. Monitoring visit: London and South Eastern Railway Limited, 2–3 June 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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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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

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