Corserv Limited

Name of lead inspector: Russell Shobrook, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 14 to 15 December 2022

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Type of provider: Independent Learning Provider

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Address:

Notter Bridge Training Centre Notter Bridge Cornwall PL12 4RW Monitoring visit: Corserv Limited, 14 to 15 December 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

Corserv Limited is an apprenticeship provider that delivers the level 2 highways maintenance skilled operative apprenticeship. It has been providing the apprenticeship since November 2021. All apprentices are employed by Cormac Solutions Ltd, which is part of Corserv group of companies and is based in Cornwall. At the time of the inspection, there were 10 apprentices on programme, two of whom were under the age of 19. Apprentices attend block training sessions at Corserv’s training centre in Cornwall.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have designed and implemented an apprenticeship that meets Cormac’s current and future requirements for skilled staff to maintain the county’s roads while operating lawfully and legally. For example, apprentices learn how to set up traffic controls and repair highways and infrastructure correctly. Apprentices can also progress on to other roles within Cormac, such as civil engineering, quantity surveying, become chargehands or team leaders. However, the careers guidance that apprentices receive is too narrow and only provides information about the progression routes possible to them within the company.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have worked with employers to design and develop an ambitious curriculum. This includes additional training to meet identified local needs, such as fence erection and post hole digging and reinstatement. Apprentices are taught by knowledgeable and highly experienced tutors. They develop apprentices’ skills and knowledge of highway maintenance. Tutors work with Cormac’s liaison officer to coordinate on- and off-the-job training to ensure apprentices swiftly consolidate skills learned. For Monitoring visit: Corserv Limited, 14 to 15 December 2022 example, apprentices learn how to install kerbing and are then allocated to a team to carry out this activity in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recruit apprentices with integrity. The employer helps shortlist and interview apprentices. Leaders use the information they have on apprentices’ experience in highways maintenance well to plan the curriculum. However, leaders do not check English and mathematics certificates systematically. As a result, they do not identify early enough if apprentices have any English and mathematics development needs.

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Reasonable progress

Arrangements for governance are effective. Those responsible for governance have a sufficient understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the training apprentices receive. However, leaders are aware of the need to formalise arrangements as the provision grows and have started to put plans in place to achieve this.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and trainers plan training in a way that allows apprentices to recall important concepts. For example, health and safety is taught in induction and then revisited throughout the programme. The curriculum is clearly ordered and linked to the apprenticeship standard, allowing each block of off-the-job training to build on the previously taught skills and knowledge. For example, traffic management is taught in week seven to ensure apprentices have sufficient site experience to set up and operate equipment correctly. As a result, apprentices swiftly become active team members at work. However, apprentices who need qualifications in English and mathematics are not specifically taught these subjects. As a result, a minority of apprentices do not make substantial or sustained progress in mathematics and English.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers have expert knowledge of the subject and courses they teach and regularly return to the workplace to upskill their practical knowledge. For example, with apprentices, trainers undertake road repairs in the county, using new equipment. As a result, apprentices respect and admire their trainers and are keen to learn from their experience.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices understand what they will need to know and do to complete their apprenticeship. However, meetings to review apprentices’ progress are not recorded in detail. As a result, a few apprentices are unclear how much progress they are making in their apprenticeship and what they need to do to progress their learning.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are well prepared for end-of-course assessments. Practical activities are designed to mirror assessment tasks, such as kerbing and setting up traffic controls. Occupational competency assessments used in training are like those used for final assessments. As a result, apprentices achieve successful outcomes because of the Monitoring visit: Corserv Limited, 14 to 15 December 2022 training and preparation they have received. However, it is unclear how trainers record and use the outcomes of assessment during the programme to help apprentices recall knowledge and embed this in their long-term memory.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a culture of safeguarding within the organisation, and they follow their processes and procedures well. The designated safeguarding lead is appropriately qualified and experienced. Teaching staff understand safeguarding and the role they have within the wider community. For example, some staff have noticed activities associated with county lines, spotted children at risk and identified explicit graffiti, which they have referred to the appropriate safeguarding lead.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices understand who to report concerns to in the workplace and at the training centre. Staff know their apprentices well and are alert to any issues that might be of concern. Apprentices receive additional training if tutors identify any safeguarding concerns. For example, training on healthy relationships and coercive control. However, trainers have not ensured apprentices have a full enough understanding of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism, with too many not able to explain the risks they might face locally. Monitoring visit: Corserv Limited, 14 to 15 December 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

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Reasonable progress

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

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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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