Merlin Supply Chain Solutions Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Merlin Supply Chain Solutions Limited

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Merlin Supply Chain Solutions Limited (Merlin) was awarded an apprenticeship contract in 2017. It is part of KNP Group Ltd which specialises in road freight and logistics. Merlin is the training arm of the business, initially focused on driver and logistics training, but in 2021, expanded their offer to include childcare and other apprenticeships. They work with one subcontractor who trains gas engineering operative apprentices.

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Information about this provider

Merlin trains adult apprentices across the whole of England through a mixture of face-to-face and online lessons. At the time of the inspection, there were 59 level 2 large goods vehicle driver, 15 level 3 transport and warehouse supervisor, 16 level 4 children, young people and families practitioner, three level 5 children, young people and families manager, three level 3 gas engineering operative and two level 4 assessor coach apprentices. 10 to 12 January 2023

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

The learning experience varies considerably at Merlin depending on the apprenticeship course studied.

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

The few apprentices in childcare, young people and families practitioner (CYP) courses are not given appropriate advice at the beginning of their course. Many join the apprenticeship only to meet employer needs, rather than their own personal development goals.

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

While apprentices on the CYP course value the positive relationship they have with their skills coaches, they do not benefit from a curriculum that is sufficiently well planned or teaching that supports them to undertake level 4 study. Apprentices find the course overwhelming and make slow progress. A high proportion leave the course early without achieving.

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

Apprentices on driver training courses benefit from open days and recruitment days. This enables them to make informed decisions about their future careers. They enjoy their experience with Merlin and are very satisfied with the training that they receive.

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

The driver training curriculum is well planned and ambitious. Driver apprentices gain valuable insight into the role of driving and operating a commercial vehicle. They gain an in-depth understanding of the logistics sector and a keen awareness of safer driving.

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

Driver apprentices benefit from good advice on relevant health and well-being topics such as healthy eating and rest breaks while on the road. On completion of the apprenticeship, they achieve professional commercial driver status and make a valuable contribution to their organisation.

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better?

Childcare, young people and families practitioner apprentices do not benefit from a well-planned or sequenced curriculum. Apprentices primarily study the course to support their employers to gain external accreditation. Leaders and managers do not ensure that enough apprentices acquire new knowledge and skills to support progress in their chosen careers.

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better?

CYP apprentices do not benefit from sufficient teaching. They receive around two hours of tuition per month. Apprentices then work through several subject-based assignments but do not have a good enough grasp of how each topic relates to another. They are unclear on how the wider curriculum impacts their job roles or relates to their workplace practices.

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better?

The CYP skills coaches are not sufficiently qualified or experienced to teach courses at levels 4 and 5. While they draw on their own sector experiences effectively, this 10 to 12 January 2023

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does not help apprentices to understand and meet the academic rigour needed to study at this level.

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Leaders and managers work with employers to develop an effective driver training curriculum. This supports employers to fill the vast number of vacancies in the commercial vehicle driver sector. Apprentices gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to become professional drivers.

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The driver training curriculum is well planned and effectively sequenced to enable apprentices to build on their knowledge over time. For example, apprentices become competent in carrying out a vehicle safety check prior to setting out on any journey.

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Driver training skills coaches use effective questioning to ensure apprentices understand new learning. They use debate and discussion well to enable apprentices to understand key aspects. Skills coaches ensure that the taught subject is related to the apprentices’ job roles.

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Leaders ensure that skills coaches benefit from a range of professional development opportunities. They are supported to undertake training, coaching and quality assurance qualifications. However, skills coaches do not undertake sufficient teaching, learning and assessment training to improve their teaching practice.

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Leaders carefully consider the workload and welfare of the vast majority of staff. Skills coaches’ caseloads are effectively managed, and staff are offered support for mental health or financial issues if required. On a small number of occasions, leaders have given extra responsibilities to staff who do not have sufficient time to complete these. This means that they have not had enough time to fully support their apprentices.

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Skills coaches develop good working relationships with apprentices and their employers. As role models, skills coaches expect and receive good behaviour from their apprentices. Apprentices know how to conduct themselves in the workplace and understand well the professional behaviours they need in their job roles.

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Fundamental British values and the ‘Prevent’ duty are effectively planned for and taught by skills coaches throughout the apprenticeship courses. This includes training on cybersecurity, signs of extremism and risk management. Apprentices are encouraged to respect and tolerate each other’s views. They are polite and respectful of each other.

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New courses lack rigorous quality assurance procedures. As a result, the CYP apprenticeship has several weaknesses. These weaknesses have been recognised by leaders and managers. Leaders have plans in place to improve the course, but it is too early to judge the impact.

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Leaders and managers undertake a range of activities to monitor the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. The activities do not always help inform other parts of the quality process. This means that on occasion, areas of concern are not 10 to 12 January 2023

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identified or acted upon swiftly enough.

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Leaders have a positive partnership with their subcontractor, Ignite Training Limited. They have monthly meetings to discuss apprentices’ progress and provide appropriate support when necessary. Apprentices training with Ignite are on track to achieve their apprenticeship.

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Leaders and managers recognise the benefits of a board of governance. They have recently appointed board members with the appropriate knowledge, skills and experience to provide scrutiny and challenge. However, it is too early to judge the impact of this newly formed governance committee.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have suitable safeguarding policies and procedures in place. They undertake appropriate pre-employment checks. The designated safeguarding lead, deputies and staff complete relevant training.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices receive suitable training on safeguarding and have access to a range of useful resources on topics including mental health support, sexual exploitation and drugs and alcohol awareness. This supports their understanding of potential risks and how to seek help.

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Safeguarding

Staff record safeguarding issues in a timely manner and ensure appropriate support is put into place. A referral is made to outside agencies for issues as appropriate, including mental health support, citizens advice and welfare organisations. Information is shared with employers and action plans are agreed to help ensure the apprentice is appropriately supported in training and while working.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Managers and skills coaches should urgently develop and implement a well- planned and sequenced curriculum for the CYP apprenticeship. Sufficient time must be available to ensure apprentices have the opportunity to learn and practise new knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Leaders and managers should support CYP skills coaches to develop their teaching, learning and assessment practice. All skills coaches should have frequent professional development to develop their teaching skills.  Leaders and managers should review how they develop new courses, ensure they are fit for purpose and recruit apprentices appropriately.  Leaders and managers should review how they monitor the quality of training to ensure areas of concern are identified quickly and improved. 10 to 12 January 2023

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Provider details

Address Kettering Parkway Kettering Venture Park Kettering Northamptonshire NN15 6XU

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Ignite Training Limited 10 to 12 January 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the apprenticeship manager as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous monitoring visit 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

Angela Twelvetree, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Steve Hunsley Ofsted Inspector Steve Kelly Ofsted Inspector 10 to 12 January 2023

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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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