Huddersfield Textile Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Huddersfield Textile Training Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Huddersfield Textile Training Limited is a not-for-profit group training organisation. It was founded in 1976 in Huddersfield and operates under the trading name of Textile Centre of Excellence. Its provision centres around serving the textile industries in the north of England. At the time of the inspection, there were 24 apprentices studying on the level 2 textile manufacturing operative standard and 12 apprentices on the level 3 team leader standard. Fewer than five apprentices were enrolled on each of the level 4 textile technical specialist standard, level 2 sewing machinist standard, level 3 laboratory technician standard, level 3 garment maker standard and level 3 business administration standard. 12 to 14 October 2022

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

Apprentices enjoy their training, and they demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning and their work. They have high levels of motivation to do well and progress in their careers in the textile industry. Apprentices are ambitious about what they can achieve on their programmes, such as achieving high grades and responding to promotion opportunities. They engage well in their studies and have high levels of attendance. Employers are keen for apprentices to progress to roles with additional responsibility.

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

Staff and employers set clear expectations, which apprentices understand well. Apprentices are always courteous and respectful to staff in the workplace and at the provider. They demonstrate a high level of respect towards their peers and visitors. Apprentices adhere closely to the organisation’s health and safety policy by, for example, wearing the correct clothing and personal protective equipment.

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

Apprentices feel well supported by their assessors. They benefit from the industry- specific knowledge and skills that their assessors have. Apprentices learn significant new skills that help them to carry out their job roles effectively and to gain promotion. Assessors have frequent one-to-one meetings with apprentices to guide them, and are available to provide extra support if apprentices need it. Dedicated learning spaces are available in the workplace, and apprentices understand how to use these spaces effectively.

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

Apprentices feel safe in the workplace and in the training centre. They have a good understanding of safeguarding and can identify who they can go to, both in the workplace and in the training centre, if they have any safeguarding concerns. All staff, apprentices and employers receive contact cards with safeguarding and support contact details. Apprentices have not seen or experienced any form of bullying, harassment or discrimination while on their programme, and they are clear about how they would respond if they were to do so.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a very clear intent to provide training that meets skills needs in the textile manufacturing industry, both locally and nationally. Leaders and managers focus on providing training that draws on the expertise of staff in textile and garment production. On the level 2 textile manufacturing operative standard, apprentices learn how to operate a range of machinery to produce fabrics, through processes such as carding, spinning, warping, weaving, dyeing and finishing. Assessors conduct training in the workplace on the machines that the apprentices use in their work to ensure that the training is relevant.

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better?

Leaders and managers have recruited staff who have suitable expertise to teach the apprenticeship standards that they offer. All staff have assessor qualifications, and most have teaching qualifications. Staff receive support to carry out further training relevant to their roles on topics such as health and safety in the workplace, mental 12 to 14 October 2022

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health awareness, safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Staff who already have the required English and mathematics qualifications have taken functional skill examinations so that they can support their apprentices more effectively in working towards these qualifications. However, leaders and managers do not provide staff with sufficient opportunities to develop their pedagogical skills and knowledge to enhance their teaching delivery.

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Leaders and managers provide appropriate support to enable apprentices to succeed on their programmes. They have put in place an approved employer standard to which employers need to register in order to employ an apprentice. The standard ensures that the employer has the correct mentoring and support network in place to help their apprentices develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours required of the apprenticeship standard.

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Leaders and managers have a clear oversight of the apprenticeship provision. They carry out appropriate quality assurance checks, such as lesson visits and monthly reviews of the progress of apprentices in each cohort.

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Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of apprentices who achieved was consistently high for a number of years. Since then, however, on a number of programmes the progress of apprentices and the proportion who complete their programme successfully have been too low. Apprentices have been furloughed, put on breaks in learning and made redundant as a result of the pandemic, and there have been many changes in staffing at the provider which have had a negative impact on apprentices’ progress. Leaders have begun to tackle these issues, and a consistent staff team is now in place. They have begun to implement actions to help apprentices who have fallen behind to catch up and achieve their qualifications.

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Assessors use their technical expertise and knowledge effectively to help apprentices to make good progress. They plan and sequence the curriculum well to build apprentices’ skills and knowledge and to prepare them to work effectively in their job roles. Apprentices on the level 2 textile manufacturing operative gain valuable work-related skills and knowledge, both at work and in the training centre. They master skills such as weaving and loom tuning in the workplace and how to set up and run machines to produce fabric. In the training centre, apprentices complete the theoretical aspects of their apprenticeship programmes and develop an understanding of the wider processes involved in textile production, which helps them to apply their skills and knowledge in the workplace and progress into other job roles.

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Employers benefit from the skills, knowledge and behaviours that apprentices develop during their programmes. Apprentices on the level 3 team leader standard develop their leadership skills and confidence and, as a result, managers are able to delegate tasks to them, such as running the team briefing sessions for the staff for whom they are responsible.

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Assessors successfully help apprentices to improve their English skills. They provide useful feedback on apprentices’ work to help them improve, which apprentices act 12 to 14 October 2022

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on. However, in a few instances, assessors do not ensure that apprentices who need to achieve a mathematics qualification improve their skills swiftly enough. In addition, assessors do not plan to develop further the mathematical skills of apprentices who have already gained the required qualification. As a result, too many apprentices do not improve these skills well enough during their programme.

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Assessors ensure that apprentices have a good understanding of fundamental British values. They discuss these values at the beginning of the course and throughout the programme in progress reviews. Apprentices can confidently talk about the local risks that might affect them, such as knife crime, and they are aware of gang culture being an issue locally.

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Staff actively promote skills competitions to apprentices and encourage them to participate. Some apprentices take part and often achieve awards in prestigious regional and national skills competitions, such as the Lord Barnby’s Foundation award and the Golden Shears competition.

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Assessors provide good support for apprentices to enable them to understand potential next steps on completion of their apprenticeship. However, the advice that apprentices receive focuses solely on roles with their existing employers. Consequently, too few apprentices are aware of the wider career opportunities available to them.

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Members of the board of non-executive directors are all very well experienced in the textile industry. Some of the board members worked on the ‘Trailblazer’ standards and helped to write the level 2 textile operative standard. Consequently, many have a very good understanding of apprenticeship requirements and take a keen interest in apprentices’ training and development. Board members are fully informed of how the apprenticeship provision is performing. The managing director provides informative papers at meetings that cover all aspects of the business, including the apprenticeship provision. As a result, board members are able to hold leaders and managers to account for the success of the programme.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have fostered a culture of safeguarding that includes governors, employers and apprentices. They carry out suitable pre-employment screening to check that staff are safe to work with young or vulnerable adults. They require staff to register with the Disclosure and Barring Service to ensure that information they have about any convictions is current. Leaders and managers keep staff well informed of important changes to safeguarding legislation.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers work successfully with other organisations to keep up to date with the latest risks and information. They receive frequent updates on local and national risks from the regional ‘Prevent’ coordinator and make good use of the information provided by the Kirklees adult safeguarding website. The designated 12 to 14 October 2022

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safeguarding officer (DSO) has a thorough understanding of local risks, such as knife crime, and can identify the areas where there are high numbers of ‘Prevent’ referrals. The DSO is suitably qualified to carry out the role.

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Leaders and managers have clear processes in place for staff to report any low-level concerns or safeguarding issues and referrals. Staff check frequently on apprentices’ well-being and record any issues thoroughly.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that apprentices whose progress was limited due to the pandemic are fully supported to achieve their qualifications swiftly.  Develop the mathematics skills of all apprentices, and provide more effective support for those who need to achieve a qualification in this subject.  Ensure that staff receive appropriate training and are well supported to improve their pedagogical skills.  Provide apprentices with effective advice and guidance to prepare them for future education, training and employment. 12 to 14 October 2022

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Provider details

Address Textile House Red Doles Lane Huddersfield HD2 1YF

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Bill MacBeth

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 4 to 7 July 2016

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 12 to 14 October 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of training, 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

Joanne Stork, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Steven Ankers Ofsted Inspector 12 to 14 October 2022

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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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