North Wales Training Ltd.

North Wales Training Ltd Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Elaine Price, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

St Davids House Swan Road Mochdre Business Park Colwyn Bay LL28 5HB Monitoring visit: North Wales Training Ltd, 30 and 31 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

North Wales Training Ltd (NWT) is an independent learning provider that provides education and training programmes across Wales. In 2019, NWT were accepted onto the register of apprenticeship training providers to offer apprenticeships in England. NWT began providing non-levy and levy-funded apprenticeships in March 2021. There are currently 27 apprentices enrolled on the level 2 bricklaying apprenticeship standard. NWT work with approximately 20 employers across the north west and east of England.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clearly defined rationale and strategy for providing high-quality apprenticeship training in England. They have implemented the bricklaying apprenticeship to meet an identified national shortage of bricklaying skills within the construction industry.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed effective links with employers to design a curriculum that helps apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours employers demand.

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Reasonable progress

Through a collaborative arrangement with another training company, leaders have secured purpose-built bricklaying training centres in the north west and east of England. Highly skilled and experienced tutors provide off-the-job training to apprentices in these centres.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship are met. They communicate effectively with employers so that they are fully aware of the demands of the programme and how they can support their apprentices. Leaders ensure employers understand their commitment to the apprenticeship programme. Monitoring visit: North Wales Training Ltd, 30 and 31 March 2022 Leaders and staff have high expectations for apprentices. They provide effective support to apprentices, including those who may need additional support such as help with their English. This ensures apprentices stay on track to make the best possible progress they can.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders frequently monitor the progress of apprentices. They quickly identify when apprentices are falling behind and put in place actions to help them can catch up quickly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use effective quality assurance processes to monitor the quality of education. This helps leaders accurately identify key strengths and areas for improvement. For example, the need to improve the quality of feedback to apprentices on their written work. Leaders have accurately identified the need to develop further the careers advice and guidance apprentices receive.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have put in place effective governance arrangements. A specialist advisory board has oversight of the apprenticeship provision. The board provides challenge to senior leaders. For example, to improve the quality of the information and reports that they provide to the board so that they can scrutinise and hold leaders to account for the quality of the education and training that apprentices receive.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. Apprentices gain additional skills and qualifications that meet the needs of employers. They complete a range of courses, including how to work safely at height and manual handling.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors carefully plan the curriculum so that apprentices develop their knowledge and skills through a well-designed sequence of progressively more difficult tasks. Apprentices start with basic bricklaying techniques and quickly progress to tasks such as straight wall with returns, then more demanding tasks such as cavity walls with insulation. Tutors include Flemish bond and English bond to broaden apprentices’ experience of different types of construction.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop significant new knowledge and skills in bricklaying as a result of their training. Most apprentices are new to the trade or have limited prior experience. Apprentices complete an assessment of their current knowledge, skills and behaviours at the outset of their programme which is revisited during reviews to monitor their progress. Leaders plan to better coordinate the on- and off-the-job training that apprentices receive with more frequent workplace visits.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors assess apprentices’ skills in English and mathematics at the start of the programme. They support apprentices to improve their skills by focusing on areas Monitoring visit: North Wales Training Ltd, 30 and 31 March 2022 that require further development. Apprentices improve their skills in these subjects and apply them in their vocational learning. For example, they confidently estimate and calculate the numbers of bricks required in a given size of wall.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors deliver planned ‘talking points’ workshops to promote apprentices’ personal development. They discuss and debate topics such as mental well-being and healthy relationships.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors carry out frequent assessment of apprentices’ work. However, feedback from tutors on apprentices’ written work does not always identify how apprentices could improve their work further.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices apply themselves well to their training and value the knowledge and skills they are developing. However, poor behaviour is not always dealt with quickly enough by tutors in taught sessions to limit the impact on the learning of others. Leaders have developed a disciplinary procedure to help tackle poor behaviour. However, this has not yet been implemented.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure staff receive a comprehensive induction into NWT’s safeguarding policies and procedures. Staff understand their responsibilities for keeping apprentices safe.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders carry out thorough employment and safeguarding checks to ensure staff appointed are suitable to work with apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding leads have received appropriate training to deal with safeguarding concerns swiftly and thoroughly. They provide staff with frequent training on safeguarding issues such as knife crime and bullying and harassment. Staff use this training to teach apprentices how to keep themselves safe. Tutors ensure apprentices have a thorough understanding of the importance of health and safety in the construction industry.

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Reasonable progress

Staff work with a range of agencies to help apprentices stay safe in the areas in which they live and work. For example, in the north west, police community support officers provide apprentices with workshop discussions on local issues such as county lines and drug crime. Monitoring visit: North Wales Training Ltd, 30 and 31 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 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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