Eastern Region Roof Training Group Limited

Eastern Region Roof Training Group Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Chris Bealey, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Unit 6 Lower Street Baylham Business Park Ipswich IP6 8JP Monitoring visit: Eastern Region Roof Training Group Limited, 8 and 9 March 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

Eastern Region Roof Training Group Limited (ERRTG) is a training provider based in Baylham, Suffolk. ERRTG was established in 2001 and has had its own contract for apprenticeship training since 2020. ERRTG trains apprentices in roofing. At the time of the visit, there were 21 apprentices working towards apprenticeship standards at level 2. ERRTG has recently been awarded a contract to provide traineeships in Traineeships in Warehousing and Construction Multi-skills. However, no learning was taking place at the time of this visit.

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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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Reasonable progress

Leaders and staff make good use of their experience and knowledge to provide high-quality apprenticeships in roofing. Leaders and managers have developed a responsive curriculum, which matches the training needs of apprentices and employers. As a result, apprentices work effectively with supervision within a range of commercial and domestic settings, adding value to their employers’ businesses.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from a good range of complex roofing rigs that develop, extend and challenge their technical skills and knowledge. Leaders and managers have created high-quality, specialist, off-the-job training resources. These include a conical roof rig to enable apprentices to practise cutting and fixing plain and slate tiles.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers understand the additional needs of apprentices and how to motivate apprentices to excel. Leaders and managers ensure that trainers and assessors are Monitoring visit: Eastern Region Roof Training Group Limited, 8 and 9 March 2022 well qualified. They support tutors to extend their teaching and vocational skills through targeted development.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders effectively analyse the education and training they provide. They improve their provision through continuous review, monitoring carefully and in detail the way training is provided. Staff hold frequent team meetings to take action to improve the curriculum, such as setting clear standards for assessment practices. Leaders rightly recognise the need to include employers more actively in this process.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have not ensured governance arrangements are yet fully effective. Leaders have recently established a new process for governance of the provision. The governance group includes all members of the senior team and outlines in detail their roles and responsibilities. Leaders recognise that the current process lacks external oversight and is not yet fully operational.

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Significant progress

Apprentices in roofing develop new and substantial occupational knowledge, skills, and behaviours. Apprentices are proud of their new skills and are enthused to challenge themselves further. Apprentices learn to understand the importance of gauging the right number of tiles to use on a roof. They accurately calculate the tile overlap to ensure a weathertight finish without wasting tiles.

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Significant progress

Apprentices make rapid progress. Staff ensure that apprentices receive high-quality on- and off-the-job training. Apprentices usefully record the range and quantity of off-the-job activity they complete, which employers and assessors review frequently. This supports apprentices’ swift progress.

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Significant progress

Trainers skilfully extend apprentices’ prior learning, breaking down new learning into achievable stages. Staff record in detail apprentices’ starting points and review apprentices’ knowledge, skills development and experience at each stage of the programme. As a result, apprentices are clear about their own progress and remain motivated to achieve high standards.

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Significant progress

Trainers use highly effective verbal questioning to check apprentices’ understanding of new knowledge and to inform further learning. Apprentices are required to explain how they calculate measurements while completing practical tasks. As a result, apprentices feel confident about their acquired skills and their ability to transfer their new learning into the workplace.

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Significant progress

Apprentices develop further their knowledge of mathematics and digital skills through the vocational curriculum. Apprentices who require functional skills qualifications to Monitoring visit: Eastern Region Roof Training Group Limited, 8 and 9 March 2022 complete their apprenticeship benefit from dedicated lessons, provided by skilful specialist tutors. However, apprentices written English skills are underdeveloped. Trainers do not routinely correct the mistakes apprentices make in their written work.

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Significant progress

Staff, apprentices, and employers have a clear understanding of the requirements for end-point assessment. Apprentices can explain the structure and assessment methods of their programme and are well prepared for them.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed a positive safeguarding culture. The designated safeguarding lead has appropriate qualifications and experience. All staff undertake updated training frequently and show a good understanding of safeguarding-related themes, such as the risks of extremism, sexual exploitation, and mental well-being.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices have a good understanding of health and safety in the workplace. Apprentices commence new learning on health and safety at the beginning of the apprenticeship programme and develop their understanding further through each stage of the curriculum. As a result, apprentices apply incrementally their new knowledge to the workplace and keep themselves safe. Monitoring visit: Eastern Region Roof Training Group Limited, 8 and 9 March 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 and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council

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Reasonable progress

children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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