Merit Skills Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Merit Skills Limited is a specialist independent learning provider, based in Yaxley near Peterborough, working nationally with apprentices in the water industry. It also provides a range of commercial training for this industry. It is owned by a large recruitment company, The Shorterm Group. Merit Skills was established in 2010 and began offering apprenticeships through a directly funded contract in 2017.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 69 apprentices from three large employers on the various pathways within the level 3 Water Process Technician standards- based apprenticeship. Five apprentices remained on the Water Industry apprenticeship framework at either level 2 or 3. Seven apprentices were under the age of 19. No apprentices had high needs. Leaders do not work with any subcontractors. 12–15 October 2021

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices value the training they receive through Merit Skills and in the workplace. They benefit from the experience of their trainers and highly qualified technicians at work. Apprentices are enthusiastic about their learning and their future careers. They have high aspirations for themselves and understand the scope of careers available to them in the water industry.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices swiftly become valued members of their teams at work. They appreciate that their role is critical in ensuring clean water supplies. They often deal with high- pressure situations where water services may be interrupted or customers’ property damaged. Consequently, their confidence and resilience develop significantly through dealing with complex technical issues in challenging circumstances.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Most apprentices are new to the water industry. They quickly develop a range of essential skills which enables them to actively contribute to their workplaces. They improve their skills and deepen their understanding of their job roles as the programme progresses. Apprentices gain the specific skills they need to succeed in their different roles.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices are safe in their learning environments and in their work locations. They have a high regard for health and safety. Apprentices work in complex and often dangerous environments; they understand fully the critical nature of safe working practices.

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better?

Leaders work collaboratively with employers and other water industry representatives to successfully inform the content of the apprenticeship curriculum. Leaders ensure that they maintain their current knowledge of the requirements for the workforce. They provide training that meets these needs very effectively.

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better?

Leaders and tutors ensure that programmes are well structured and purposeful. Apprentices gain valuable additional skills required by their employers. Consequently, apprentices develop a broad range of technical knowledge and skills.

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better?

Leaders carefully assess the skills and specialisms of their highly qualified and experienced tutors. They ensure that tutors’ expertise is matched to teaching the elements of the apprenticeship where they can add the most value to apprentices’ acquisition of skills and knowledge. Consequently, apprentices gain a broad understanding of the water industry and their career options. Tutors ensure that apprentices learn from their peers effectively. They regularly enable apprentices to share their experiences and views with each other to further this understanding.

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better?

Apprentices gain a good understanding of the fundamental process of water transmission, distribution, and treatment. Tutors ensure that apprentices have good 12–15 October 2021 technical and theoretical knowledge. They frequently recap previous learning to ensure that apprentices repeat and retain essential knowledge.

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better?

Apprentices make good progress. Leaders and employers communicate very effectively together on apprentices’ progress. Employers intervene quickly and effectively where issues are raised with apprentices’ performance, speed of progress or welfare concerns.

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better?

Apprentices develop useful English and mathematics skills throughout the apprenticeship. Apprentices use technical vocabulary consistently and accurately. They develop relevant and useful mathematics skills which they use in their day-to- day work, such as analysis of sound patterns at different times of the day to measure water usage and wastage.

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better?

Tutors do not provide good support for the small proportion of apprentices with a learning difficulty or disability (LDD). Leaders identify swiftly those apprentices with a potential LDD need. Tutors, however, do not have sufficient knowledge about how to support those apprentices. As a result, apprentices with LDD make slower progress than their peers.

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better?

Tutors do not routinely involve apprentices’ line managers in planning the training for apprentices. Apprentices receive high-quality training, both at work and in lessons with tutors, but the two are not coherently linked. Consequently, apprentices do not consistently apply their learning to their work, or routinely hone their practical skills in the workplace.

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better?

Apprentices achieve their final examinations and a significant minority achieve distinctions. Leaders ensure that apprentices who require functional skills English or mathematics as part of their programme achieve these qualifications.

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better?

Apprentices have a good understanding of fundamental British values. In classes, they confidently discuss and debate tolerance and respect for others. Apprentices understand the diversity of both the workforce and the customers they deal with. Consequently, they deal with challenging situations at work appropriately and with confidence.

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better?

Employers highly value the benefits of the apprenticeship programme. They recognise that apprentices gain technical knowledge and abilities quicker than employees who have not completed an apprenticeship. As a result, most apprentices gain further responsibility sooner into their employment than their colleagues, such as undertaking night-time standby duties and lone working in the field.

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better?

Apprentices’ behaviour is good. Tutors set clear expectations of appropriate professional behaviour from the start of the programme. These are discussed during workplace visits and reinforced by employers. Apprentices’ managers recognise the improvements to behaviour at work and increasing maturity, particularly in younger apprentices. 12–15 October 2021 Leaders work effectively with staff and the board of directors at the Shorterm group to accurately identify areas for development. They act quickly to make improvements. Leaders ensure that staff continue to improve their skills in teaching and assessment effectively. They provide focused development activities for tutors through monthly standardisation days. Tutors benefit from useful, topical development sessions in specific aspects of pedagogy, such as providing appropriate challenge, using effective questioning techniques, and understanding the different

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better?

Leaders responsible for governance understand the strengths and weaknesses of the provision accurately. They use their knowledge of the provision to support and challenge leaders to make continued improvements. They are involved in strategic discussions with employers to ensure that they understand fully the responsibilities of training their apprentices.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that there is an effective culture of safeguarding. Those responsible for safeguarding remain up to date with current safeguarding issues and disseminate these to staff effectively. Staff are appropriately trained and understand fully their responsibilities to ensure the safety of apprentices.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices have a secure understanding of safeguarding in relation to their job roles and their industry. They understand the high-threat levels to their industry as a utility supplier from those who may seek to harm the general public through malicious acts. Apprentices understand the measures required to stay safe and alert to risks, including potential threats of contamination to the water supply.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders need to ensure that tutors involve apprentices’ line managers in all aspects of the apprenticeship programme. Tutors must communicate more readily with managers to ensure that workplace activities complement off-the-job learning coherently.  Leaders must ensure that tutors provide effective help for apprentices with an identified LDD need. Tutors must help these apprentices develop appropriate learning strategies to enable them to make good progress. 12–15 October 2021

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Provider details

Address Broadway Business Park Broadway Yaxley Peterborough PE7 3EN

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors N/A 12–15 October 2021

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the quality manager, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Perry, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Claire Griffin Ofsted Inspector David Baber Ofsted Inspector 12–15 October 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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