Essential Site Skills Ltd

Essential Site Skills Ltd Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Vicki Locke, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 January 2023

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Ground Floor Monarch House Eastwood Nottingham NG16 3RY Monitoring visit: Essential Site Skills Ltd, 18 and 19 January 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision funded 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

Essential Site Skills Ltd (ESS) is a national training provider based in Nottingham. It provides commercial training courses and qualifications for the construction sector, directly and as a subcontractor. ESS started to deliver apprenticeships in October 2020. At the time of the visit, there were 5 apprentices on level 3 business administrator or team leader courses.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear rationale for their curriculum offer. They aim to meet the training needs of the administrative workforce of construction employers.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recruit skilled staff. Tutors have extensive experience and qualifications in business and training. Managers have appropriate backgrounds in curriculum and quality.

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Reasonable progress

Recruitment of apprentices is rigorous. Leaders check that apprentices have suitable job roles in order for them to develop new knowledge and skills. Leaders visit employers to discuss apprenticeship requirements. As a result, employers have a sound understanding of their commitments.

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Reasonable progress

In most cases, the curriculum is designed well. The training helps those apprentices who stay on course to become more skilled in their job roles.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders communicate well with employers, who are consequently satisfied with the course organisation. Informative progress review meetings are held every three months, which employers rightly value. However, a small number of employers would understandably value a more explicit overview of apprentices’ training requirements between workshops. Monitoring visit: Essential Site Skills Ltd, 18 and 19 January 2023 Leaders are ambitious for the success of their provision. Leaders have purposefully kept numbers low until the first group of apprentices successfully complete their final external assessments.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have high expectations for standards of training and monitor quality well. They conduct observations and identify relevant follow-on training for staff. Leaders attend training on curriculum design, pedagogy and preparing for success in final assessments. In a few instances, quality assurance approaches limit the ambition of the curriculum, such as the expectation that tutors should set more complex work for the most able apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

The board meets bi-monthly. Board members scrutinise pertinent information, including apprentice progress, reasons for withdrawal, and safeguarding. As a result, leaders have an accurate understanding about provision, including why a significant number of apprentices left courses early.

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Reasonable progress

There is appropriate external scrutiny through consultancy and informal peer review work. Leaders have recently invested in governance training to further strengthen arrangements.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders provide an informative induction that lays out the apprentice learning journey, including training requirements and support available.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use skills scans effectively to identify apprentices’ existing knowledge and skills, plan the curriculum and monitor progress.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors plan logical and well-thought-out courses for apprentices. Apprentices are taught via online training workshops and structured workplace activities.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors introduce key concepts clearly. They use resources such as case studies, quizzes, and videos well to help apprentices learn. Tutors provide helpful feedback that identifies what apprentices have done well and where to improve. Apprentices’ work is at, or above, expected standards.

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Reasonable progress

However, apprentices who need to gain functional skills qualifications as part of their course do not receive enough teaching to improve these skills well. Apprentices study these subjects independently via online resources.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from enrichment topics that link to workshop learning. For example, after the customer service workshop, apprentices then learn about how to deal with challenging situations. Monitoring visit: Essential Site Skills Ltd, 18 and 19 January 2023 Tutors meet every three months with apprentices and their employers to discuss progress. As a result, most employers know how and when support is required.

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Reasonable progress

In most cases, apprentices carry out well-planned activities to apply and practise what they have learned in the workplace. For example, they use GANTT charts to improve productivity and undertake warehouse work shadowing to build product knowledge. However, in a few cases, tutors’ planning of these activities could be more proactive.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices have a suitable understanding of their final assessments. At the time of the visit, no apprentices had taken these external tests.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices use their new knowledge and skills to make a valuable contribution in the workplace. For example, business administrator apprentices complete projects that improve customer satisfaction.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices who remain on the course carry out more challenging work and often gain promotion.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders adopt a thorough approach to safer recruitment. Staff undertake frequent safeguarding training, including ‘Prevent’ duty, county lines and peer-on-peer abuse.

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Reasonable progress

Comprehensive policies help staff and apprentices to understand safeguarding vulnerabilities and how to make or manage a referral.

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Reasonable progress

There is a range of initiatives to support health and safety and well-being. These include site safety visits, mental health champions, and resources and counselling through the Lighthouse Construction Industry charity.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors teach apprentices about safeguarding at induction and revisit the topic throughout the course. There is a dedicated safeguarding email to report any concerns. Apprentices feel safe, both during training and in the workplace. They know who to contact if they have concerns, both for themselves or a peer.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders plan to introduce e-safety learning topics such as cybercrime, cyber-bullying, sexting, and online profiles. However, this was not yet available for apprentices at the time of the visit. Monitoring visit: Essential Site Skills Ltd, 18 and 19 January 2023 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

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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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