Trade Techs (Northern) Ltd

Trade Techs (Northern) Ltd Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Jonny Wright, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

32-34 Grange Road Middlesbrough TS1 5AU Monitoring visit: Trade Techs (Northern) Ltd, 26 and 27 July 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection. 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

Trade Techs (Northern) Ltd began to deliver adult learning provision funded by the Tees Valley Combined Authority in March 2022. At the time of the monitoring visit, 32 learners were on adult learning programmes. Learners follow a level 3 advanced scaffolder programme to support progression within the workplace. The provider delivers learning from their centre in Middlesbrough and in learners’ workplaces.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have a clear purpose: to provide training in advanced scaffolding in the Tees Valley region that provides learners with the knowledge and skills they need to gain additional responsibilities, pay rises and promotions at work. Managers have used their extensive experience in the construction sector and have collaborated closely with employers to design the scaffolding curriculum to fill skills gaps created by an ageing and often transient workforce.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have effective oversight of the quality of the level 3 scaffolding programme. They conduct a range of useful activities to inform their view of the quality of education, including observations of training, reviewing the work that learners produce, and seeking feedback from learners. They use this information well to identify areas for improvement and have recently provided support to trainers on giving constructive feedback and effective classroom teaching.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have an accurate understanding of the progress that learners make. When learners fall behind, leaders and managers ensure that trainers support them to catch up through the provision of additional training sessions and one-to- one coaching. As a result, a very high proportion of learners complete their training successfully and gain the level 3 advanced scaffolding qualification. Monitoring visit: Trade Techs (Northern) Ltd, 26 and 27 July 2023 Leaders and managers monitor the progression of learners to their next steps appropriately but do not use the information they collect well enough to analyse the full impact of the training on learners.

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Reasonable progress

Trade Techs (Northern) Limited is a subcontractor for another provider, and leaders make use of this relationship to provide scrutiny and challenge for their provision. They recognise that they need to ensure that they are held to account suitably for the quality of education they provide to learners on the level 3 advanced scaffolding course.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers teach the programme in a logical way that builds on learners’ knowledge and skills over time. They ensure that learners develop a secure understanding of health and safety, which is paramount within the scaffolding industry. Learners learn how to interpret design drawings effectively and use their knowledge well to plan and implement the installation of scaffolding structures.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers do not consistently use information about learners’ starting points well enough to plan learning for a few learners. Learners undertake an initial assessment to identify their levels of literacy and numeracy and discuss with trainers their prior knowledge and experience in scaffolding. However, a few learners with existing health and safety knowledge have to repeat training they have already completed.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers assess learners’ knowledge and skills accurately and provide helpful feedback on how to improve. Learners act on feedback and make good progress through their programmes. Consequently, a very high proportion of learners gain their qualification and progress to their next steps.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers provide helpful support to help learners compile their portfolios. They encourage learners to include a wide range of evidence of appropriate quality to demonstrate their knowledge and skills to gain their advanced scaffolding qualification.

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Reasonable progress

Learners continue to develop their occupationally specific mathematics skills during their programmes. Trainers ensure that learners are able to interpret design drawings and accurately set out bracing for scaffolding installations.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers do not support learners sufficiently to further develop their writing skills. They do not encourage learners to produce written work above the minimum requirements of the qualification or identify the common spelling and grammatical mistakes learners often make. Monitoring visit: Trade Techs (Northern) Ltd, 26 and 27 July 2023 Trainers provide helpful informal careers advice to learners about progression opportunities within the scaffolding industry. Where appropriate, they refer learners to the National Careers Service for additional advice and guidance.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have in place effective policies and procedures, which they use to keep learners safe.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that staff are suitable to work with adult learners. They conduct appropriate background checks on staff. Staff complete useful training in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty to ensure they have a good knowledge of how to keep learners safe.

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Reasonable progress

Designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) have completed relevant training for their role. They keep up to date on emerging risks through frequent communication with local networks and from the regional ‘Prevent’ coordinator. DSLs share this information with staff and learners periodically.

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Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe. They benefit from a helpful presentation on mental health, as poor mental health is a risk in the scaffolding industry, particularly when working offshore. Trainers cover the risks of radicalisation and extremism during the course induction. However, learners are not fully aware of how these can appear within their communities or at work. Monitoring visit: Trade Techs (Northern) Ltd, 26 and 27 July 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

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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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