Greenlight Training Limited

Greenlight Training Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Tracey Zimmerman, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 January 2022

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Unit 8 Darklake View Estover Plymouth PL6 7TL Monitoring visit: Greenlight Training Limited, 19 and 20 January 2022

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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

Greenlight Training (GLT) is an independent training provider based in Plymouth, Devon. It was established in September 2020. GLT provides training to apprentices across the construction industry, including in fenestration, roofing and groundworks trades. At the time of inspection, there were 299 apprentices, almost all studying on the level 2 standard apprenticeship within the construction industry.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have worked effectively with employers to ensure that their apprenticeship offer meets construction industry requirements. The construction industry has struggled to recruit appropriately qualified and skilled employees in many trades, particularly in the roofing sector, where nationally over a quarter of roofing apprentices are trained by GLT. Employers are complimentary about the high quality of apprentices’ training and rightly value the new skills which apprentices demonstrate at work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have supported apprentices to gain beneficial additional qualifications. For example, apprentices develop their understanding of health and safety when studying courses in harness training, asbestos and mental health awareness. These additional skills and knowledge help apprentices to gain promotions within the workplace and improve their future employment prospects.

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Reasonable progress

Staff work closely with employers to ensure that they understand fully the expectations of the apprenticeship and their role within it. Staff have monthly discussions with employers which ensure that apprentices have timely opportunities at work to practise the skills taught by GLT. As a result, apprentices can clearly Monitoring visit: Greenlight Training Limited, 19 and 20 January 2022 articulate and demonstrate how they have developed substantial new skills, knowledge and behaviours.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have recently implemented an appropriate new quality system. Managers now undertake frequent observations of training sessions, which are designed to support all new and developing tutors to improve their teaching and assessment skills. However, tutors’ development plans do not always ensure that they understand why and how to improve. Consequently, a few sessions are not as well planned and executed as they could be. Leaders have ensured tutors receive additional training to support them to plan and deliver effective sessions but have yet to revisit sessions to see the impact of this training on the progress apprentices make in their learning.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors have access to a wide range of high-quality training, including topics such as improving teaching and the functional skills qualifications. Most tutors still work within the construction industry and use their current knowledge well to enliven theory sessions. Apprentices rightly value this industry knowledge, and the anecdotes tutors use effectively to help them to remember key information.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders rightly recognise that the governing board needs expanding to secure additional expertise and knowledge of apprenticeship training. The board has focused on ensuring the new company is fit for purpose and compliant with statutory regulations. Board members are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision but recognise they do not challenge senior leaders well enough on the quality of apprenticeships.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have planned and provided apprentices with a curriculum that ensures that they develop relevant skills quickly and make a rapid contribution to their employers’ business. Apprentices can recall key aspects of their training and are often surprised by the speed of their own development. For example, they are able to build a wall successfully without supervision after a short period of training.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are developing significant new skills, knowledge and behaviours. They are able to apply these very effectively within their workplaces. For example, roofing apprentices have learned about the importance of marking out and batten spacing and are able to apply this when at work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have planned on- and off-the-job training well. Apprentices attend three days per month at the GLT training centre. They participate in theory and practical sessions with skilled and experienced tutors. Workplace supervisors Monitoring visit: Greenlight Training Limited, 19 and 20 January 2022 continue the GLT training on site, which enables apprentices to practise the necessary skills to do their job to a high standard.

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Reasonable progress

Prior to starting an apprenticeship with GLT, apprentices participate in a comprehensive interview to ensure that they make informed choices about the construction sector that they want to work in. GLT offer apprentices taster days before they start their apprenticeships, which help to highlight the realities of their chosen trade. Apprentices rightly feel this helps them understand and cope with the demands of the job. Staff assess apprentices’ skills, knowledge and behaviours effectively at the start of their course to identify their individual training needs and expectations. As a result, few apprentices leave the programme as they are aware of the demands and benefits of their chosen career.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices rightly enjoy their learning in the classrooms, workshops and at work. They benefit from short, targeted ‘toolbox’ talks about issues such as health and safety, weather warnings and site-specific issues. Apprentices understand that health and safety is extremely important to their trade. However, a few apprentices would like to see their assessor more frequently to assess the progress that they are making in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recognise that some apprentices with additional learning needs or disabilities would benefit from additional support from staff. They have recently appointed a specialist tutor, who has started to identify and support apprentices with additional needs. However, some apprentices are not yet in receipt of the specific help that they require.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices have a good understanding of safeguarding issues which may affect them at work and in their communities. They know whom to talk to, and when, if they have any concerns. They are confident that staff will provide help when they need it.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices’ understanding of health and safety is very good. They can explain clearly how they have used their new knowledge to prevent incidents and accidents at work. For example, they understand the occupational health issues associated with dust and asbestos, and how to best avoid these.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices who are under 18 years of age feel particularly supported by GLT staff and their employers. They told inspectors about the additional care they receive from staff regarding how they travel to work and mental health issues.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors do not reinforce topics such as the ‘Prevent’ duty and fundamental British values well enough throughout the apprenticeship programme. Therefore, some Monitoring visit: Greenlight Training Limited, 19 and 20 January 2022 apprentices studying in their second year cannot recall some of the previous subject knowledge.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers recruit, check and train staff appropriately. However, the recording of this information is not systematic or detailed enough. It is not accessible easily enough for senior leaders to conduct the necessary checks.

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Reasonable progress

The staff safeguarding team members are relatively new to their posts within the organisation. They are developing new monitoring systems to ensure that they know what safeguarding checks have taken place for apprentices. Staff understand how to report incidents, and to whom. Senior leaders check the log of apprentice welfare and safeguarding issues frequently and ensure that all cases have been reported swiftly to the appropriate authorities where necessary. Monitoring visit: Greenlight Training Limited, 19 and 20 January 2022 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

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

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

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