Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Kim Bleasdale, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Training and Development Academy Storrington Avenue Croxteth Merseyside L11 9AP Monitoring visit: Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, 10-11 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

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority began to deliver apprenticeships in September 2019. Apprentices work in 23 fire stations across Merseyside. Currently, 93 apprentices are studying the level 3 operational firefighter apprenticeship standard. All apprentices are over 19 years of age.

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Context and focus of visit

Throughout the period of national COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions, despite being key workers, leaders and managers ensured that apprentices continued with their learning programme without interruption.

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Context and focus of visit

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

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Significant progress

Senior leaders and managers have a robust strategy for the curriculum they offer. They ensure that it fully meets the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship. Leaders provide apprenticeships to local people to improve their career choices, their mobility and, ultimately, their lives. It is the unwavering intention of governors and leaders to provide the best operational firefighters in the country.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have developed an ambitious and challenging curriculum. Apprentices receive additional trauma, breathing apparatus and fire behaviour training. As a result, apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours that extend beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship.

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Significant progress

Leaders ensure instructors and watch managers are highly experienced and well qualified in their roles. They support these staff to continually update their Monitoring visit: Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, 10-11 June 2021 occupational knowledge and skills. For example, instructors undertake watch manager roles and attend incidents as firefighter crew. However, instructors and watch managers do not receive additional training to develop their teaching skills further.

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Significant progress

Governors are passionate about their apprenticeship provision. They speak enthusiastically about the positive impact apprentices have had on their organisation. Governors state that apprentices have ’enthused’ their workforce and made it a better place to work. Governors are visible and approachable, and apprentices value this greatly.

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Significant progress

Governors know their provision very well. They care about their apprentices and put them at the heart of everything they do. Governors receive appropriate information from senior leaders and firmly hold them to account. They set clear and measurable targets for senior leaders to improve the quality of education. Governors are very quick to authorise any resources needed to enhance the quality of apprentices’ training.

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Significant progress

Leaders and staff support apprentices to volunteer within the local community. Apprentices deliver shopping and prescriptions to vulnerable people and people who are self-isolating. They recently raised £30,000 for charity.

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Significant progress

Apprentices routinely develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. They learn how to skilfully manage marauding terrorist attacks, as well as a wide range of chemical, biological and radiological incidents. Apprentices become highly skilled, confident firefighters who are making a difference in their community.

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Significant progress

Managers and staff who lead on the delivery of the apprenticeship programme coordinate on- and off-the-job training very well. Leaders provide comprehensive training to watch managers so that they fully understand their roles and responsibilities in supporting apprentices. Apprentices benefit from routine on-the- job training from their watch manager, crew members and instructors. This enables apprentices to practice what they have learned. For example, how to remove a casualty trapped in a car seat.

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Significant progress

Instructors and watch managers teach topics in a logical order to progressively build apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours over time. At the start of the programme, apprentices learn about the basics of firefighting and how to test and maintain equipment. They then learn how to work sensitively with people in the community to increase their awareness of safety and prevent accidents in the home. Apprentices then progress to more complex activities, such as contributing to fire safety inspections. Monitoring visit: Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, 10-11 June 2021 Instructors skilfully develop apprentices’ English and mathematical skills. Apprentices calculate ratios when using pumps to ensure the correct water pressure. They confidently speak to vulnerable people in their homes to give them safety advice. Apprentices skilfully complete a community profile report for their station area.

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Significant progress

Apprentices know what grades they are aiming for in their end-point assessments and work diligently towards this. Instructors routinely help apprentices to practise their skills. Where necessary, instructors simulate road traffic collisions. As a result, apprentices are very well prepared for their final assessments.

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Significant progress

Apprentices who aspire to management positions within the fire service can progress to higher levels of learning, for example in business management.

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Significant progress

Governors and leaders support a strong culture of safeguarding and protection within their organisation. Leaders complete a range of appropriate checks when appointing new staff to make sure they are suitable to work with apprentices.

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Significant progress

The safeguarding team, staff and apprentices receive highly effective training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. All members of the safeguarding team are suitably qualified, including at board level. As part of their curriculum, apprentices gain a mental health first-aider qualification. Apprentices routinely report safeguarding referrals from incidents they have attended, for example apprentices refer vulnerable adults at risk of harm from hoarding, self-neglect and suicide.

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Significant progress

Leaders provide an extensive range of support to apprentices to help them with their mental health and well-being. In particular, after attending a traumatic incident, leaders spend time speaking in depth with apprentices to help them cope. Apprentices have access to a counsellor, a nutritionist, fitness instructors and a chaplaincy team.

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Significant progress

Apprentices enjoy their learning. They work safely and are considerate of their colleagues at all times. Monitoring visit: Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, 10-11 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 and child protection.

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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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