LRTT Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding 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

LRTT is part of the Resource Group of companies that recruits and trains employees for the aviation industry. LRTT provides aircraft engineering training for apprentices and commercial clients employed in the aviation industry. Apprentices come from all over the United Kingdom, with many working for well-known aviation companies. Apprentices spend the first eight months of their apprenticeship in training workshops before working in their employers’ facilities. LRTT provides training at their centres in Cotswold Airport and Humberside Airport, as well as in employers’ maintenance facilities in other airports.

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Information about this provider

At the time of inspection, 124 apprentices were following apprenticeships in engineering at level 3 and seven at level 4. A very high proportion are aged over 18. Very few apprentices started during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic due to a significant reduction of employment and activity in the industry. Recently, 30 level 3 apprentices started at the Cotswold centre and 12 at Stansted Airport. All level 4 apprentices started in August 2020 and are based with their employers. 2–5 November 2021

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

Learners strongly appreciate that they are following an apprenticeship that prepares them well for a career in aviation engineering. Leaders take good account of apprentices’ individual needs, including any learning difficulties and disabilities, when deciding how best to help them make progress towards becoming a fully qualified aviation engineer. Leaders’ commitment to their apprentices is illustrated by their success in working with employers to prevent many apprentices from losing their jobs during the pandemic.

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

Trainers provide apprentices with the substantial knowledge and outstanding resources that enable them to become successful engineers. Trainers are well qualified and experienced, and employers are closely involved in deciding the content of the apprenticeship.

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

Apprentices learn more than just the technical skills needed by an aviation engineer. They learn to behave with the high levels of integrity demanded by an industry which is the custodian of people’s safety. They develop their independence and confidence very well by living away from home. Trainers are excellent role models for apprentices as a result of the high standards they set and their passion for aviation.

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better?

Leaders and trainers draw successfully on their rich knowledge and experience to teach apprentices the professional behaviours they need to become successful aviation engineers. Leaders and trainers are steeped in the aviation industry. They have worked their way up from the jobs they are now training apprentices to fill and understand their industry’s needs. They stay singularly focused on training aviation engineers and keep themselves very well informed about developments in their field of expertise. This leads to training that concentrates very closely on the specific skills needed by the aviation industry. Employers are rightly positive about the training LRTT provides for their apprentices.

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better?

Leaders collaborate effectively with employers to train apprentices for the particular needs of each company. For example, they provide additional modules for apprentices who work on helicopters as opposed to fixed-wing aircraft. Leaders frequently review the curriculum to keep up to date with changes to regulations and technology. For example, leaders responded quickly to a large airline that wanted their apprentices to develop greater manual dexterity early in the apprenticeship. This then enabled the apprentices to carry out the delicate work demanded by increasingly sophisticated electrical systems in aircraft.

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better?

Trainers plan the curriculum well. They teach apprentices fundamental theoretical knowledge at the start of their programme and then enable apprentices to apply this to practical tasks in workshops. They provide clear and valuable feedback to apprentices which helps them improve the standard of their work before putting their skills into practice on their employers’ aircraft. For example, apprentices learn the 2–5 November 2021

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physics of forces and movement before applying this knowledge when practising repairs on decommissioned aircraft. Apprentices nearing the end of their apprenticeship explain clearly how they apply their early learning about physics in their day-to-day work.

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Leaders and trainers create a culture in which safety and professional standards are paramount. Trainers skilfully instil in their apprentices a sense of responsibility for safety, including a relentless focus on following procedures. Apprentices fully understand the catastrophic consequences of getting something wrong and confidently recognise when they need to ask for help and advice. By learning and adhering to high safety standards in the training centres, apprentices are very well prepared for working in their employers’ maintenance facilities.

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Leaders provide apprentices with a good breadth of information and experiences that enrich their knowledge of the aviation industry. They provide information about career paths for aviation engineers at the start of the programme and activities that extend apprentices’ knowledge of the industry. For example, apprentices visit a company that takes apart redundant aircraft so they can see the wear and tear on the components they learn about during their training.

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Trainers mostly use effective teaching methods to help apprentices make progress on the qualifications that form part of the apprenticeship. They use the outcomes of assessments well to identify and then revisit topics where apprentices have gaps in knowledge. When training is less successful, trainers provide too much information through presentations. They do not provide apprentices with enough guidance on how to revisit and learn from these. Leaders have recognised and responded well to a need to develop further their trainers’ skills and resources. They have provided them with training in teaching methods and are in the early stages of providing apprentices with a high-quality set of self-study materials.

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Too few apprentices obtain quickly enough the licence that defines the maintenance tasks an engineer can carry out on an aircraft. This is because trainers do not monitor apprentices’ progress towards gaining this licence as closely as they monitor other aspects of their apprenticeship. Until they have the licence, the level of responsibility apprentices can take is restricted.

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The small number of apprentices studying at level 4 do not get the same high-quality experience as the level 3 apprentices. At the start of apprentices’ training, leaders and managers did not provide comprehensive advice and guidance on the structure and content of the apprenticeship. This has resulted in confusion for apprentices and employers. Leaders were initially slow to deal with these issues but are now taking the necessary steps to bring about improvements. 2–5 November 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders liaise closely with employers to provide apprentices with high levels of support on personal or welfare matters while living away from home. Apprentices feel safe and know who to contact if they have any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have demonstrated their commitment to preventing apprentices from becoming radicalised by taking effective action when they have been concerned about particular individuals. However, they have not told apprentices enough about the specific risks of radicalisation faced by employees in the aviation industry. They do not reinforce this topic sufficiently after the initial stages of the apprenticeship.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Agree the length and content of the level 4 apprenticeship with employers. Clearly communicate these arrangements to apprentices.  Ensure that a higher proportion of apprentices more rapidly obtain their licence to carry out and certify certain maintenance tasks by assessing and monitoring their progress on this more rigorously.  Reinforce throughout the apprenticeship the dangers of radicalisation and extremism.  Provide trainers with further training to improve their teaching skills. 2–5 November 2021

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Provider details

Address Hangar K4 Kemble Airfield Kemble Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 6BA

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 2–5 November 2021

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of operations and training, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent development plans, and the previous monitoring visit 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

Steven Tucker, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector David Baber Ofsted Inspector Steve Battersby Her Majesty’s Inspector Tina Pagett Her Majesty’s Inspector 2–5 November 2021

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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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