Birmingham Electrical Training Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Birmingham Electrical Training Ltd

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Inspection dates: 21 to 24 February 2023

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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

Birmingham Electrical Training Limited is an independent learning provider based in Birmingham. It was founded in 1991 and provides a range of accredited electrical- related training to employers and their workforce in and around the West Midlands. At the time of the inspection, 488 apprentices were in learning, studying the level 3 installation electrician and maintenance electrician apprenticeship. Most apprentices are aged 19 or over. The provider does not work with any subcontractors. 21 to 24 February 2023

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

Apprentices have a positive attitude to their studies. Leaders and staff set high expectations, particularly in practical skills development and with examination success. Apprentices are motivated to complete their apprenticeship, which supports their career development within the electrical industry.

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

Apprentices swiftly develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours that they can use within their work to ensure they work safely and effectively. They develop their confidence because of their apprenticeship. Apprentices recognise the knowledge and experience of their tutors and training officers and the high level of support they receive to ensure they are successful in their studies. Employers recognise the benefit that their apprentices bring to their organisations and the skills they develop as a result of their apprenticeship.

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

Most staff create a positive and respectful learning environment for apprentices, encouraging open discussions during their training. However, senior leaders recognise that on a few occasions they have been too slow to respond to concerns raised by apprentices and staff. For example, when apprentices and staff raised concerns about the use of CCTV in the training centre, this was not acted on quickly enough by leaders. As a result, apprentices and staff do not always feel that their views are listened to.

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

Apprentices have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe within high-risk workplaces. They have a good understanding of personal protection and risk assessment, and the importance of safe isolation when working. Apprentices start their learning with health and safety, and this is reviewed and refreshed regularly, ensuring that staying safe remains a high priority.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear rationale for providing apprenticeships in a skills shortage area, both for the local area and nationally. They have created strong partnerships with local employers and with external organisations to ensure the curriculum is up to date, ambitious for all apprentices and highly valued by employers.

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better?

Leaders have planned a curriculum that develops the knowledge, skills and behaviours that apprentices need to be effective workers. Starting with health and safety and scientific principles of electricity and ending with testing and inspection and fault diagnosis. Apprentices complete the training and testing for their Electrotechnical Certification Scheme site safety card early in their apprenticeship, increasing the contribution to their employer’s businesses.

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better?

Leaders have recently developed an effective initial assessment process which measures apprentices’ prior knowledge and their confidence regarding the skills needed in the electrical sector. For apprentices with additional support needs, an 21 to 24 February 2023

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individual development plan is produced and communicated to all tutors and training officers so that reasonable adjustments can be made to support their learning. As a result, all apprentices make good progress. As this process is new, it is not yet used well enough with all apprentices to identify skills gaps and plan learning to quickly fill them.

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Tutors use a variety of effective strategies to teach apprentices. They break learning down into small steps that apprentices understand. Tutors provide clear explanations and good examples to illustrate key knowledge and relate it to apprentices’ previous learning, for example relating fuse box fitting to previous installation steps. As a result, apprentices’ knowledge increases over time.

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Tutors focus on assessment practices to ensure that apprentices understand each topic. They use meaningful activities, such as recap exercises, discussions and mock exam questions, to help apprentices remember what they have studied. They adapt the curriculum where needed to give apprentices additional time and support. However, in a few instances, tutors do not ensure that all apprentices have a secure understanding of a topic before moving on.

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Leaders ensure that employers have a clear understanding of on- and off-the-job training requirements at the start of apprentices’ study. Training officers review learning regularly with apprentices to ensure they have the appropriate opportunities within their work. However, employers are not routinely invited to apprentices’ progress reviews and therefore do not always have a clear understanding of how on- and off-the-job learning might be linked.

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Tutors place a strong emphasis on developing the mathematics skills of apprentices. Apprentices practise higher level mathematical skills and are given helpful support by tutors to perform complex calculations, for example in calculating current demands of a circuit and earth fault loop impedance. However, too little emphasis is put on the development of apprentices’ English skills. While tutors identify spelling and grammar mistakes, they do not support apprentices to develop the report writing and communication skills needed to progress their career.

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Training officers set challenging targets for apprentices. They review apprentices’ progress frequently. As industry experts, they can identify opportunities to support and direct apprentices to apply new classroom learning into practice rapidly. This ensures that most apprentices link theoretical and practical concepts confidently and make strong progress in developing their portfolio.

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Leaders, tutors and training officers put a strong focus on both unit and end-point assessment from the start of the apprenticeship. Apprentices have a clear understanding of what they need to do for their end-point assessment and have put in place additional support and revision sessions ahead of this. As a result, a high proportion of apprentices achieve distinction grades.

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Most apprentices are given useful career guidance from tutors and training officers to understand the continuing professional development required in the electrical 21 to 24 February 2023

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industry. Leaders have recognised the need for broader careers development, including self-employment, and have recently launched a programme to support this. However, as not all apprentices have had this training, too many do not understand their career and progression opportunities at the end of their apprenticeship.

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Leaders work to continually develop discussion topics around safeguarding, ‘Prevent’ duty and fundamental British values. They have introduced some challenging conversations around equality and diversity into the curriculum, for example around objectification of women. Apprentices are introduced to new ideas and have open discussions to develop their understanding. However, apprentices are not able to explain how other aspects of fundamental British values apply to them or to their work.

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Leaders prioritise apprentices’ mental health and well-being. Training officers highlight the importance of maintaining and improving apprentices’ mental health during progress reviews. They stress the importance of not suffering in silence. They make good use of relevant podcasts and topical videos that explore very well the mental health crisis affecting young men. They signpost apprentices to external support agencies where needed. As a result, apprentices feel well supported.

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Leaders ensure that staff are well supported with a programme of continuing professional development both for their vocational and teaching skills. Tutors and training officers maintain their electrical practice and qualifications and develop new skills as the industry develops. Established tutors share effective teaching practice through peer observations and new tutors are encouraged to complete teaching and training qualifications. Tutors use the teaching strategies they have learned to good effect with apprentices because of the training they have received.

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There are no governance arrangements in place for apprenticeships. Leaders are not held to account, nor are there clear process in place to track and monitor quality assurance arrangements. Leaders do not routinely seek feedback from staff, and in some cases apprentices’ feedback has not been well considered. Though leaders can recognise many of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision, the rate of improvement in some areas is too slow and concerns raised by staff and apprentices have not been rectified swiftly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have recruited and suitably trained staff to support the safeguarding and well-being of apprentices. They ensure that all staff undergo enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks and that these are recorded in sufficient detail to assure staff’s suitability to work with younger apprentices.

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Safeguarding

Staff benefit from appropriate training and development in all aspects of safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. The designated safeguarding lead ensures that 21 to 24 February 2023

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there are appropriate policies and processes in place for the tracking of safeguarding, welfare and well-being concerns and these are acted on rapidly. Safeguarding is reported at management meetings in order to ensure that the process is followed effectively.

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Apprentices know to whom they should report any concerns about their safety. They report feeling safe and work safely both in the workplace and while at the training centre.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should ensure that employers are involved in the regular reviews of apprentices’ progress.  Tutors and training officers should improve the development of apprentices’ English skills, beyond spelling and grammar, considering what skills may be needed as apprentices move through their careers.  Leaders should implement clearer processes for the monitoring of quality assurance to ensure that they have an effective oversight of the quality of training that apprentices receive. 21 to 24 February 2023

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Provider details

Address 34 Brearley Street Hockley B19 3NR

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Provider details

Website www.birminghamelectricaltraining.co.uk

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection May 2018 21 to 24 February 2023

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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, 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

Helen Morgan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Maggie Fobister Ofsted Inspector Joel Dalhouse His Majesty’s Inspector Patricia Rogers Ofsted Inspector Mary Younan Ofsted Inspector 21 to 24 February 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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