Mineral Products Qualifications Council

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Mineral Products Qualifications Council

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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 Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Mineral Products Qualifications Council (MPQC) was established in 1983 to respond to the extractive industry’s training needs. They are a not-for-profit organisation whose members come from the quarrying, mineral products, mining, construction, and related manufacturing sectors. MP Skills, the training arm of MPQC, began to offer apprenticeships in 2020. At the time of the inspection, MPQC had 17 apprentices, all of whom were studying the level 2 mineral processing mobile and static plant operator standard. 28 to 30 June 2023

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

Apprentices are enthusiastic about their courses. They enjoy their lessons, which they find interactive and engaging. They value the things that they learn and feel that the knowledge and skills that they gain help them at work and enhance their career prospects.

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

Apprentices develop positive relationships with their learning mentors. Learning mentors are flexible, supportive and approachable. Consequently, apprentices feel able to ask questions and explore topics in detail. Their knowledge, expertise and confidence develop well as a result.

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

Apprentices benefit from a rich curriculum that is informed by the frequent conversations that MPQC staff have with a range of employers in the sector. However, learning mentors and apprentices’ line managers do not work closely enough to ensure that all aspects of apprentices’ courses are well coordinated.

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

Apprentices feel safe. They work in extremely hazardous environments, and staff from both their employer and MPQC take health and safety very seriously and ensure that apprentices know how to keep themselves safe. Apprentices also receive frequent updates about broader safeguarding topics, including those associated with the risks of radicalisation and extremism.

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better?

Leaders and managers use their extensive industry experience to select the course content that is most useful to apprentices. They include themes that extend beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship that help apprentices to become more productive. The curriculum also includes topics related to how the industry might have an impact on the environment and the local community. Apprentices learn, for example, how to ensure that sites have safe boundaries and the importance of timing deliveries so that they do not affect the school run for local children.

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better?

Tutors, who are known as ‘learning mentors’, logically organise the teaching of topics. For example, they provide training on the basics of logistics before detailed training on the management of hauliers. This enables apprentices to gradually increase their knowledge as the course progresses.

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better?

Managers rely on employers to provide suitable, well-organised practical training that complements classroom instruction. This practical training is extensive and contributes substantially to apprentices’ development. However, learning mentors do not work closely enough with apprentices’ managers to ensure that practical training aligns well with classroom studies. As a result, the apprenticeship as a whole is often not as well sequenced as it could be.

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better?

Learning mentors are suitably qualified and have good experience in the sector. They explain topics thoroughly and clearly, drawing on their personal experiences to 28 to 30 June 2023

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add colour and detail. They answer apprentices’ questions well and help them to relate their own work experiences to the topics they study.

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Learning mentors use questioning and group discussions to ensure that apprentices understand the material taught in lessons. In addition, apprentices complete a range of workbooks, answer written questions and complete other exercises related to their workplaces. These tasks usually provide apprentices with a suitable level of challenge but occasionally lack clarity and precision. For example, several tasks require apprentices to respond to vague instructions such as ‘find out more about aggregates in concrete’. Consequently, the standard of apprentices’ written responses is quite variable and occasionally incomplete.

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Learning mentors revisit topics throughout the apprenticeship. They hold online recall sessions in which they review topics with apprentices. This helps apprentices to remember what they have been taught. However, these sessions only include content that has been taught since the previous recall session and do not help apprentices to think about earlier topics.

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Managers have struggled to make suitable arrangements to support the few apprentices who need to gain functional skills qualifications. They have recently developed new plans for current apprentices. However, these arrangements have not yet been implemented.

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Apprentices develop their knowledge and skills well and become valued employees with several gaining promotion and additional responsibility. They engage in a broad range of useful practical training activities at work and often become competent in a wider range of plant operations than is required by the apprenticeship standard. They develop a range of useful theoretical knowledge in lessons.

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Staff have produced a clear code of conduct that all apprentices sign at the beginning of their courses. Apprentices are fully aware of expectations and usually adhere to them. When they do not, for example by returning to class late following a break, teachers challenge them firmly.

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Managers monitor apprentices’ attendance closely, and few apprentices miss lessons. When they are absent, it is for good reason, and they notify staff. Learning mentors make suitable arrangements for apprentices to catch up on what they have missed.

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Learning mentors provide good training on the health risks of working in extractive industries. They explain, for example, the risks associated with dust and vibration. They also help apprentices to appreciate other common health risks for workers in the industry such as obesity, stress and the dangers of substance misuse when working with heavy equipment.

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Learning mentors provide apprentices with suitable information about the careers available to them in the industry. They provide opportunities for apprentices to visit a range of sites so that they can learn about environments, working practices and 28 to 30 June 2023

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job roles across the whole sector. This helps apprentices to develop a broad understanding of the industry and to consider their future career options.

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Managers work closely with staff to complete a range of suitable actions to improve the quality of the course. They have taken appropriate steps to rectify the areas for improvement identified during the new provider monitoring visit.

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Managers arrange suitable training for staff. For learning mentors, this includes industrial updating, teacher training and personal development. All learning mentors have completed training in mental health, and some undertake management qualifications or training on sustainability.

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The board of MPQC is supportive of the apprenticeship. Managers inform members about the progress of apprentices and any emerging concerns about quality. Board members offer appropriate support and challenge to managers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead is suitably qualified and understands their role well. Managers have developed suitable safeguarding policies and have implemented effective systems to track and monitor safeguarding disclosures and referrals. Apprentices know to whom they should go if they have a concern. Managers implement safer recruitment processes and conduct appropriate pre-employment checks on staff. Staff receive training in a range of safeguarding topics, including those related to radicalisation and extremism. The ‘Prevent’ risk assessment is appropriate. Learning mentors have a good understanding of the health and safety risks of the industry and provide apprentices with extensive guidance throughout their training.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Managers and staff should work more closely with employers to ensure that the elements of the apprenticeship that are taught in the workplace align well with the elements taught in the classroom so that both contribute to a more coherent overall programme of learning.  Managers should review the activities that they ask apprentices to complete to ensure that they only include tasks that are clear, precise and contribute well to apprentices’ understanding of topics.  Learning mentors should review the nature and content of recall sessions to ensure that apprentices have opportunities to review topics from every stage of their studies. 28 to 30 June 2023

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Provider details

Address MP House 4a Meadowbank Way Nottingham NG16 3SB

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Viv Russell

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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 None 28 to 30 June 2023

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Information about this inspection

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

Russ Henry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Jo Brodrick Ofsted Inspector 28 to 30 June 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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