Northern Trains Limited

Northern Trains Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Kim Bleasdale, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 4 th Floor, Boulton House Chorlton Street Manchester M3 3HY Monitoring visit: Northern Trains Limited, 17 and 18 August 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

Northern Trains Limited is an independent learning provider based in Manchester. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 371 apprentices. Two hundred and eleven apprentices were studying the level 2 passenger transport operative standard, and 160 apprentices were studying the level 3 train driver standard. One subcontractor delivers functional skills training to apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have a clear strategy for the curriculum that they offer. The curriculum meets the needs of the rail industry to provide skilled train drivers and passenger transport operatives.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that trainers have the appropriate experience and qualifications to teach their subjects. They provide trainers with a range of effective training. For example, effective questioning techniques for assessment of learning. Trainers are members of professional bodies such as the Rail Safety Standards Board. They routinely update their professional knowledge by attending conferences, webinars and podcasts. This includes safety briefings, industry regulations updates and end-point assessment training. This helps trainers to develop their subject knowledge and teaching skills further.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders understand what they do well and what they need to do to improve. They have effective processes to monitor the quality of their provision and their subcontractor. Managers carry out observations of training and review the quality of feedback trainers give to apprentices. As a result, most apprentices are making at least their expected progress towards developing substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Monitoring visit: Northern Trains Limited, 17 and 18 August 2022 Managers carefully consider the well-being and workload of staff. They acknowledge that coaches’ caseloads are too high. To rectify this, managers are in the process of recruiting more coaches. Managers ensure that trainers have sufficient planning and marking time.

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Reasonable progress

A small number of level 2 passenger transport operative apprentices have not completed their apprenticeships on time. This is because the end-point assessment organisation recently returned to face-to-face assessments after the pandemic. As a result, there is a backlog of apprentices waiting to take their final assessments. Trainers continue to work with apprentices to ensure they are prepared for their final assessments.

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Reasonable progress

Those responsible for governance have appropriate experience to carry out their roles. They carefully monitor the progress that leaders make in improving the quality of education for apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Curriculum leaders and trainers plan the curriculum in a logical way to build apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours over time. This helps apprentices to recall their learning and apply it at work. Level 2 passenger transport operatives learn about safety protocols. They then apply this knowledge to ensure that passengers get on and off trains safely. Level 3 train drivers firstly learn about health and safety. Later in the programme, they learn about emergency procedures so that they can apply this when driving a train. For example, apprentices effectively and efficiently perform an emergency stop when they spot dangers on the train track. As a result, apprentices quickly develop the occupationally specific knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to be successful at work.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers provide apprentices with effective oral feedback that helps them to quickly improve their practical skills. However, trainers do not give feedback to apprentices on their written work. This means that apprentices do not know specifically what they need to do to improve their written work. As a result, too many apprentices continue to make the same mistakes in their written work.

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Reasonable progress

The planning of on- and off-the-job training is effectively coordinated. Trainers routinely involve apprentices’ managers in the process. Managers routinely provide opportunities at work for apprentices to practise and hone their skills. As a result, most apprentices are on target to complete their apprenticeships on time.

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Reasonable progress

Most level 3 train driver apprentices who need to complete their level 2 functional skills English, mathematics and information and communication technology examinations pass at their first attempt. However, only around half of the level 2 transport operative apprentices pass their level 1 functional skills English and mathematics examinations at their first attempt. For those level 2 and level 3 apprentices who have prior attainment, Monitoring visit: Northern Trains Limited, 17 and 18 August 2022 trainers do not routinely support them to further develop their English and mathematical skills.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders and managers place a high priority on keeping apprentices safe. They ensure that all members of the safeguarding team are suitably qualified. Leaders complete a range of appropriate checks when appointing new staff to make sure they are suitable to work with apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

All staff, including the designated safeguarding lead, receive appropriate training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Leaders provide a range of useful support for staff and apprentices. This includes mental health first aiders and counselling and chaplaincy services.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have strong links with external agencies such as the British Transport Police which they use to ensure that apprentices know the most up-to-date risks on trains. Level 2 passenger transport operative apprentices manage incidents of unwanted sexual behaviour, such as frottage or up skirting, from passengers on trains effectively. Level 3 train drivers know how to identify potential terror threats and suspicious activity at work. They learn to deal confidently with fatalities, evacuations and emergencies. Monitoring visit: Northern Trains Limited, 17 and 18 August 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

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

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