Construction Works (Hull) Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Construction Works (Hull) Limited

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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Information about this provider

Construction Works (Hull) Limited was established in 2005 and received a contract to deliver apprenticeships in 2017. The company provides apprenticeships mainly in engineering operations and fabrication and welding across the city of Hull.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 46 apprentices in training. Of these, eight were on a level 2 standard in engineering operative, five were on level 2 and level 3 standards in engineering technician. The remaining apprentices were completing level 3 frameworks in advanced manufacturing or fabrication and welding, a level 3 standard in welding, a level 5 standard in leadership and management or level 2 standards in warehousing, customer service, business administration, lean manufacturing operatives and metal fabrication.

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Information about this provider

A further 11 apprentices were receiving training from a subcontractor and were following a level 3 standard in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps. Most of these apprentices were at the end of the programme. The subcontract is due to end very shortly once all apprentices have completed. 12–14 October 2021

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

Apprentices do not benefit from an effectively sequenced or ambitious curriculum. The management of the programmes is very disorganised, and there is insufficient integration of what apprentices learn on the job with their employers and what they learn with their tutors. Too often, apprentices have very little understanding of the progress they are making towards their qualification.

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

Tutors do not use initial assessment to identify accurately apprentices’ starting points. They do not use the information that they gather at the start of the programme to plan an appropriately individualised programme for each apprentice. Apprentices are not clear about what knowledge, skills and behaviours they should be developing and are not able to identify what they need to do to complete their apprenticeship, fulfil their potential, and attain high grades in their final assessment.

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

Most apprentices develop an understanding of fundamental British values, such as respect and tolerance. However, they do not benefit from any activities beyond their vocational training in order to ensure that they can consider or explore personal interests and talents.

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

Apprentices feel safe and know how to stay safe both in the workplace and training centres. They enjoy going to work. They know who to go to should they have any concerns.

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better?

Leaders have not maintained the stronger aspects of the provision identified at their previous monitoring visit in June 2019. Temporary changes to leadership over the last 15 months have contributed to a significant decline in standards.

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better?

Leaders and managers have been too slow to respond to the weaker aspects of the provision identified at the monitoring visit. They still do not use professional development activities effectively in order to improve the quality of provision. Feedback that tutors provide on apprentices’ written work remains a weakness and does not identify clearly enough what apprentices need to do to improve their writing. Progress reviews still do not identify the progress that apprentices make in developing new knowledge, skills and behaviours.

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better?

Leaders do not take action to assure themselves of the quality of the provision that they offer or that apprentices are making at least expected progress. They have little understanding of the quality of the training, many aspects of which are not good enough. Leaders have not developed a sufficiently coherent curriculum, and they are unclear about what provision they offer and the number of apprentices on each programme. 12–14 October 2021

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Leaders have not ensured that tutors, including those recently recruited, are sufficiently prepared to deliver training effectively to support apprentices. Leaders do not provide enough guidance or adequate professional development to staff. In addition, they have not been able to secure enough teachers to develop and deliver their programmes. This means apprentices do not benefit from adequate training or training that is of a high quality. Leaders do not have sufficiently high expectations of staff for the standard of training that tutors will provide.

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Leaders and managers do not liaise effectively with employers. Managers do not keep employers informed of the progress that apprentices make. Where apprentices do develop new skills and knowledge, this is often due to the support that they receive from their employers rather than the training that tutors provide. The lack of support from tutors means that apprentices do not develop their skills or knowledge rapidly enough.

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Apprentices do not receive impartial careers advice to help them better understand their future employment options. They do not learn about opportunities for national and overseas employment or more senior roles with their own or other organisations. As a result, apprentices do not know enough about potential employment opportunities across the sectors in which they currently work.

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Tutors do not ensure that apprentices continue to develop English and mathematical skills. Most apprentices start their programme with the required qualifications. However, tutors do not support apprentices to further develop the English and mathematical skills that they need for their roles and beyond.

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Tutors do not support apprentices to demonstrate a high level of commitment to their training programme. They do not challenge employers sufficiently to improve the attendance at training sessions of apprentices who are required to stay at work or work away for long periods. The attendance of these apprentices is too low. Tutors have been too slow to ensure that apprentices make the expected progress, which has had a negative impact on apprentices’ attitude to their studies. As a result, too many apprentices are significantly beyond their planned end date.

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Although apprentices demonstrate a reasonable understanding of equality and diversity and its impact in the workplace, tutors do not discuss these topics routinely in learning sessions and progress reviews. Too often, tutors ask closed questions to apprentices about their knowledge and do not provide further information to enable apprentices to develop a deeper understanding of these and other related topics.

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Leaders and managers work effectively with a subcontractor to offer a programme which meets the needs of apprentices completing the level 3 refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps apprenticeship. They meet regularly to discuss the progress apprentices are making. However, they do not have sufficient oversight of the quality of the provision at the subcontractor. 12–14 October 2021

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Leaders have established appropriate apprenticeship programmes, predominately in engineering, to meet the skills needs of local employers. Employers value the opportunity to recruit apprentices who can make a contribution to their business.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have appropriate policies in place that describe how they keep apprentices safe on their programmes. They have suitable systems in place to enable apprentices to report any cause for concerns. When apprentices raise concern or issues, staff take appropriate action.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead holds appropriate qualifications and liaises with the local safeguarding and Prevent coordinators. Staff complete basic safeguarding training and are responsible for delivering training about safeguarding to apprentices.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide tutors with useful information about local risks and safeguarding issues. However, they do not ensure that tutors use this information effectively with their apprentices. Therefore, apprentices only have a basic understanding of local risks and the potential impact on them.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that apprentices benefit from a well-sequenced, planned and organised curriculum which enables them to develop and build substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Prepare teachers fully and effectively to plan and deliver high-quality training.  Ensure that apprentices and their employers understand the requirements of the apprenticeship programme and that trainers and employers work closely together to plan training and prepare apprentices for their end-point assessment.  Ensure that tutors take full account of the skills and knowledge that apprentices already have at the start of their programme to plan training that meets their individual needs.  Ensure that tutors carefully review apprentices’ progress in developing new knowledge, skills and behaviour so that they can provide helpful feedback and identify accurately what apprentices need to do next.  Ensure tutors continue to improve the English and mathematical skills that

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

apprentices need to be successful in their apprenticeship and beyond.  Ensure that apprentices benefit from high-quality careers information, advice and guidance to support them to make informed choices about their careers. 12–14 October 2021

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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 Airco Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Ltd 12–14 October 2021

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of skills and employment, 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

Hayley Lomas, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Andrew Scanlan Ofsted Inspector Lynne Paxton Ofsted Inspector 12–14 October 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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