Lynher Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 21 to 23 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Lynher Training Limited (Lynher) is an independent training provider based in Cornwall. It has been training people employed in forestry and arboriculture for over 30 years. Lynher became a registered apprenticeship training provider in 2018, offering level 2 apprenticeships in arboriculture. Currently, around 25 apprentices are studying this apprenticeship. In the previous two years, it has also provided level 2 apprenticeships in forestry and horticulture. Apprentices and employers are all based in Cornwall and Devon. 21 to 23 September 2022

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

Apprentices are taught the skills they need to work in the arboriculture and forestry industries by knowledgeable and skilled tutors. These include up-to-date skills, such as using drones to carry out tree surveys. As part of the apprenticeship, they gain a wide range of qualifications that recognise these skills. For example, arboriculture apprentices achieve several awards in using a chainsaw and working at height. Apprentices use these skills well in the workplace to increase the range of tasks they can do for their employer. As a result, most apprentices become highly valued employees, and employers are very happy with the training their apprentices receive.

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

Leaders plan a curriculum for arboriculture apprentices that contains more than the qualifications embedded in the apprenticeship. However, they do not consult employers sufficiently when planning the curriculum, nor do they consider the personal development of each apprentice sufficiently when planning their apprenticeship. Where appropriate, apprentices have additional training in specialist skills that are relevant to the needs of their jobs.

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

Apprentices do not get enough useful feedback from their tutors on what they have done well or what they need to do to improve. They are kept well informed about the work they need to complete for their qualifications and assessments but not about the knowledge they have learned or their personal and career development.

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better?

Leaders use effectively their excellent connections and the wealth of gardens, properties and commercial woodlands in the local area to provide meaningful apprenticeships. Through these, apprentices have many opportunities to learn from industry practitioners, gain a good knowledge of the types of jobs available and see a very wide range of ecosystems.

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better?

Tutors in arboriculture know their subject and the equipment used in the industry well. As a result, apprentices quickly learn how to contribute to the workplace by taking on new tasks, identifying tree diseases and pests, and identifying solutions to customers’ problems. They are also well prepared for their final assessments.

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better?

Apprentices are highly committed to their apprenticeship. They attend training sessions regularly and with great enthusiasm. They are keen to learn the skills that the apprenticeship affords them. Apprentices have a very positive attitude to studying. When they need more information, or want to extend their knowledge, they take on additional research independently.

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better?

Leaders do not have a good enough knowledge of how well the curriculum is taught. They rely too heavily on elements of the horticulture curriculum being taught by people who are not specialists in this subject. Leaders do not monitor closely the 21 to 23 September 2022

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content or quality of this teaching. On the arboriculture and horticulture apprenticeships, leaders and do not ensure that apprentices are assessed thoroughly on what they are taught.

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Leaders have an overly positive view of the quality of their apprenticeships and, during the inspection, were unaware of many of the weaknesses inspectors found. They are not sufficiently self-critical and do not have enough support and challenge from outside the company to help them focus on the questions they should be asking themselves about what is, and is not, working well.

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Tutors do not assess what skills and knowledge apprentices have when they start their apprenticeship and do not monitor closely enough the progress that apprentices make in learning the content of the curriculum. They do not review sufficiently the knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices have developed or set them enough useful targets. As a result, apprentices are unclear about the progress they are making on their apprenticeship and what they need to do to improve.

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The horticulture apprenticeship, which was set up in response to a request from a local employer, was poorly planned. Several key projects that were to be part of the apprenticeship have not happened. Leaders have not secured the support of the employer for these apprentices. This means apprentices are not given the opportunities to fulfil their considerable potential. Links between the apprentices’ training and the work they do are not close enough. Leaders have not provided enough teaching about topics that are specific to horticulture. As a result, apprentices are not confident in their knowledge and have had too many experiences and teaching sessions that are not part of the horticulture apprenticeship.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that their staff understand their responsibilities to keep apprentices safe and to identify those in need of help. Leaders check that new staff working with 16- to 18-year-old apprentices are safe to work with young people. A director oversees arrangements for safeguarding well and is suitably qualified and experienced. Leaders place a substantial emphasis on health and safety because of the risks posed by working at height and with dangerous machinery.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are aware of the potential dangers online, but do not build any training on online safety into the curriculum.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Increase the oversight leaders have of the quality of the apprenticeships. This should include supporting and training tutors to develop further their teaching skills. 21 to 23 September 2022

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 Construct a clear curriculum for each apprenticeship that includes how tutors will provide for apprentices’ personal development.  Secure the critical support and challenge leaders need to help them identify and make improvements.  Review apprentices’ progress in developing their knowledge and set them clear targets for improvement. This should be done collaboratively by tutors and employers.  Improve the assessment and feedback apprentices receive to ensure that all aspects of their apprenticeship are assessed, and apprentices are given feedback that encourages them to achieve and aspire to the highest standards. 21 to 23 September 2022

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Provider details

Address Oakleigh House Hoopers Lane Gunnislake PL18 9NN

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Karen Howell

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 21 to 23 September 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans. 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 apprentices’ work, seeking the views of apprentices, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Steven Tucker, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Lowenna Bradley His Majesty’s Inspector Stephen Battersby His Majesty’s Inspector Martin Bennett Ofsted Inspector 21 to 23 September 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 apprentices 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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