Time2Train Ltd

Time2Train Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Glenise Burrell, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Bizspace Ltd Design Works Unit 101 William Street Felling Gateshead NE10 0JP Monitoring visit: Time2Train Limited, 22 and 23 March 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

Time2Train is an independent learning provider based in Gateshead. It has been delivering apprenticeships through its own contract since 2022 and currently provides an apprentice standard at level 3 in transportation operations and maintenance, with two separate pathways. The large goods vehicle pathway has 62 apprentices enrolled, and the urban driver pathway has 50 apprentices. There are also nine apprentices enrolled on a warehouse and distribution apprenticeship who are working towards the express delivery driver pathway.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have in place a governing board that provides appropriate support and challenge to ensure that they meet the requirements of effective apprenticeship provision. Leaders have identified that the board needs to be strengthened and have taken steps to appoint three additional members. They have identified specialists in quality improvement, logistics and funding.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers recruit staff who have relevant experience and qualifications. Staff benefit from frequent professional development on topics that include safeguarding, awarding body updates and sector-specific knowledge. However, their professional development does not have a pedagogical focus that would enable them to provide training that draws on current research in teaching strategies.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have in place a relevant curriculum that supports employers’ needs well and is responsive to a gap in a sector where employers are struggling to recruit. Trainers work in partnership with employers to ensure that training sessions are tailored to fit with work priorities. Off-the-job training activities are planned with the employer and include opportunities for apprentices to work shadow more experienced colleagues. Employers receive monthly updates on apprentices’ Monitoring visit: Time2Train Limited, 22 and 23 March 2023 progress, which enables them to provide further support for apprentices in the workplace when required.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders provide a curriculum that is logically planned and sequenced. Apprentices progress through units sequentially, covering aspects of safe driving, vehicle preparation, route planning, customer services, and health and safety. They cumulatively develop knowledge, skills and behaviours to improve their future employment prospects.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers closely monitor individual apprentices’ progress towards achieving all elements of the programme, including preparation for vital driving tests, to allow for effective intervention if needed. However, they do not track closely enough how well apprentices are prepared for their end-point assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have relevant quality assurance processes in place to monitor the provision. They carry out a range of activities to evaluate the quality of training that apprentices receive. These include observations of training and standardisation meetings. These activities have resulted in improvements in assessment practice. However, observations of training do not focus sufficiently on measuring the impact of teaching on apprentices’ progress. Leaders are aware of this and have plans to focus on the effectiveness and impact of teaching strategies in the observation and feedback procedure.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors accurately measure the initial starting points of apprentices and gather information about their prior qualifications. At the start of the programme, they check apprentices’ levels of English and mathematics and their existing driving skills and work experience to ensure that apprentices are recruited onto the correct programme and are able to gain new skills, knowledge and behaviours.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use their expertise well to enable apprentices to develop new, occupationally relevant skills and knowledge. For example, apprentices on the transportation operation and maintenance large goods vehicle pathway achieve C1+E driver entitlement, learn to load and unload vehicles safely, and learn how to tow specialist lighting trailers for working on the road network. Apprentices on the warehouse and distribution express delivery pathway learn how to manage customers and plan their routes of travel. The skills, knowledge and behaviours that apprentices acquire mean that they become multi-skilled and can work flexibly in their highway maintenance gangs.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices take part in frequent reviews with their employer and trainer. However, developmental feedback at these reviews is not consistently effective, and in too many instances, apprentices are not encouraged to reflect on their progress. Monitoring visit: Time2Train Limited, 22 and 23 March 2023 Trainers make effective use of training materials and resources to support the delivery of the curriculum. They use materials that establish key definitions, introduce new concepts, and include activities to test apprentices’ understanding of the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to complete the apprenticeship programme successfully. These activities are augmented with English and mathematics improvement tasks, such as placing an apostrophe in the right place in a word and understanding ratios. As a result, apprentices develop their knowledge and skills effectively, including in English and mathematics.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers provide apprentices with locally relevant careers information, advice and guidance. Apprentices understand internal careers opportunities in their existing workplace and the transferability of their training to different vehicles they can drive. However, trainers do not ensure that apprentices are aware of wider employment or training opportunities.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have in place effective policies and procedures for safeguarding, including in relation to the ‘Prevent’ duty. The designated safeguarding lead and deputy safeguarding lead have completed appropriate safeguarding training to ensure that they are effective in their roles.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have useful processes in place to monitor safeguarding concerns. Apprentices feel safe and know to whom to report concerns if they need support both at the provider and in their workplace. They are confident that anything that they report will be taken seriously.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have introduced suitable safer recruitment processes to ensure that staff are appropriate to work with apprentices. Checks include the taking up of references and ensuring that applicants have the right to work in the United Kingdom.

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Reasonable progress

Staff complete effective training on safeguarding topics, including the ‘Prevent’ duty. Although apprentices receive safeguarding training, including the risks of radicalisation and extremism, they cannot recall the local risks that they might encounter. Monitoring visit: Time2Train Limited, 22 and 23 March 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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