Greenlight Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Greenlight Training Limited

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Greenlight Training (GLT) is an independent training provider with training centres in Plymouth and Bristol. It was established in September 2020. GLT provides training to apprentices in the construction industry, including in roofing, carpentry and joinery, bricklaying, and groundworks trades. At the time of inspection, there were 550 apprentices studying standard-based apprenticeships. Almost all were studying the level 2 construction industry apprenticeship, with five studying at level 3. Around half of all apprentices were aged between 16 and 18. Six apprentices had Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP). 1 to 4 August 2023

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

Apprentices value highly the apprenticeships they study because staff and trainers provide a supportive and collaborative culture for their training. Consequently, apprentices enjoy their training and most gain the skills they need to be successful in their workplaces. Apprentices behave professionally and attend well. A significant minority take on additional responsibilities and complete increasingly complex activities in their workplace. For example, plasterer apprentices carry out jobs independently and take responsibility for key aspects of their employer's work. Most apprentices stay with their employer. For those that move on, the vast majority remain in the construction industry. However, too few apprentices stay on their apprenticeship and achieve their qualification.

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

Apprentices grow in confidence and resilience because of the training they receive. Apprentices reflect critically on the quality of their practical work, and most understand what they need to do to improve their practical skills. A small minority of apprentices take part in community projects, such as installing dugouts at a local football club. A few apprentices have also enjoyed success in local and national apprenticeship awards. Many apprentices take part in additional training opportunities that give them greater career options and additional responsibilities. For example, apprentices studying the interior installation systems apprenticeship are trained in asbestos awareness.

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

Apprentices feel safe at work and during their training at the centre. They have a good understanding of safeguarding risks, including bullying, harassment and online safety. Most know how to recognise signs of concern in others and who to report it to. However, apprentices who are nearing the latter stages of their apprenticeship struggle to recall wider topics covered in induction because they are not frequently revisited during their training or reviews.

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better?

Leaders design relevant training programmes that meet local, regional and national skills priorities and it is clear what most apprentices are being prepared for. Apprentices attend monthly three-day training sessions at either the Plymouth or Bristol centre during which they learn knowledge and skills required for their jobs. However, leaders do not make sure that all programmes are designed to give apprentices all the skills they need. For example, carpentry and joinery trainers rely too heavily on apprentices working with power tools. As a result, apprentices’ hand tool skills are weak, and they are unable to build on these fundamental skills to assist with more complex tasks.

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better?

Managers and trainers do not effectively plan or sequence the training sufficiently well for all programmes. Trainers conduct an assessment of apprentices’ existing skills at the start of their programme but do not then use the results of these to plan teaching. For example, a significant number of the apprenticeships operate on a roll- 1 to 4 August 2023

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on roll-off basis, where apprentices join the training at the next available class, regardless of their prior skills and knowledge. These apprentices, therefore, do not have a clear starting point followed by a programme of activities to build the basic skills before moving on to more complex tasks. As a result, apprentices and employers do not know what is learned and when it is learned. They are, therefore, unaware of the skills that need to be further developed or practiced in the workplace.

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Leaders and trainers do not involve employers in the planning of the apprenticeship sufficiently well. Employers do not contribute to the design of the curriculum for their apprentice and, therefore, opportunities for employers to ensure training is relevant to the apprentice's workplace are missed. Employers are not routinely involved in the forward planning of the apprentices' training programme to address any gaps in their knowledge and skills. As a result, for a significant majority of apprentices, training is disjointed, with their training in the workplace happening in isolation of the training at the training centre.

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Most trainers are industry experts and have significant experience in their trade, which they pass on to the apprentices. For example, plastering trainers correct the methods that apprentices use when practising skimming and plastering techniques to improve the finish of their work to industry standards. However, a small minority of trainers lack suitable industry knowledge and experience to teach the apprentices the skills and knowledge they need. As a result, they give apprentices information that is out of date, or incorrect.

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The majority of teaching the apprentices receive is effective. Most trainers plan practical and theory sessions well to include useful demonstrations, effective questioning, relevant videos and quizzes that help apprentices remember what they have learned. As a result, most apprentices can demonstrate their understanding of key concepts and put them into practice in the workplace. However, trainers do not develop their teaching skills beyond their initial teacher training. Leaders do not provide continuous professional development opportunities for trainers to improve and develop their teaching techniques. As a result, a minority of trainers are not confident to use techniques that help apprentices to remember more over time.

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Most trainers use assessment techniques well. They assess apprentices’ practical skills in purpose-built workshops and assess their knowledge using well-designed workbooks and quizzes. However, too few trainers provide apprentices with feedback about the progress they are making. For example, workbooks are not fully completed by apprentices and are not routinely marked or assessed to identify misunderstandings and inaccuracies. As a result, a significant minority of apprentices are unaware of these inaccuracies and mistakes and do not know what they need to do to improve their work to successfully complete their apprenticeship.

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Managers do not ensure that all apprentices and their employers contribute to effective progress reviews. Trainers provide information to employers on the progress their apprentices are making in their formal training. However, most employers do not contribute to this progress review process. As a result, trainers do not have a clear understanding of the skills, knowledge and behaviours apprentices are developing at 1 to 4 August 2023

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work. Consequently, they cannot plan training to focus on gaps in apprentices’ knowledge and skills or ensure that the training the apprentice receives is relevant to the work they are doing for the employer.

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Trainers use appropriate strategies to support apprentices with additional learning support needs and, in most cases, apprentices receive the support they need. For example, trainers teaching the roofer apprenticeship photograph each step of the work completed by apprentices to document techniques used. For apprentices with speech related difficulties, trainers ensure that they do not use direct questioning with them in front of their peers. Apprentices with EHCPs have their support needs reviewed annually and receive the support they need to achieve in line with their peers.

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Leaders plan a curriculum for the majority of apprentices that includes additional training beyond the requirements of their apprenticeship. For example, plant operator apprentices attend courses in slinging, signalling and working in confined spaces. Other courses include asbestos awareness, health and safety, and street works courses. As a result, these apprentices gain the relevant knowledge and skills they need to work on construction sites with experienced personnel. However, this is not consistently offered to all apprentices.

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For a minority of apprentices, leaders are slow to put in place the training they need to achieve the functional skills qualifications they require. These apprentices do not receive regular or sufficient teaching to improve their knowledge and skills in these subjects. Leaders recognise this and have recently employed suitably qualified and experienced staff to begin a structured programme of functional skills teaching. However, it is too soon to see the impact of these changes.

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Trainers develop apprentices’ mathematical skills relevant to their industry skills very well. For example, roofer apprentices learn how to estimate the cost of roofing jobs based on the materials needed for the area to be covered. Apprentices complete reflective reviews, which develop their written English skills. However, too few trainers correct apprentices’ spelling errors and progress in developing apprentices’ written English is, therefore, too slow.

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Trainers and managers do not have a sufficient overview of the progress apprentices make. They monitor the knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices develop at the training centre. However, they do not accurately capture what the apprentice has learned in the workplace because employers are not involved sufficiently in apprentices’ progress reviews. Therefore, leaders and trainers monitoring of apprentices’ progress is not reliable enough to identify gaps in apprentices' knowledge and skills. As a result, leaders and trainers do not intervene quickly enough to fill these gaps.

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Trainers give most apprentices the information, advice and guidance they need to work successfully in their industry at the end of their apprenticeship. Trainers use their industry experience well to inform apprentices about the expectations of working on site. They understand the importance of teaching the knowledge and skills that 1 to 4 August 2023

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apprentices need to become self-employed, a route that the majority intend to take in the future. For example, apprentices in carpentry and joinery have a good understanding of how to set up a business and learn about money management for tax contributions. However, the impact of this is inconsistent. A minority of apprentices, including those who are nearing the end of their apprenticeship, do not know what they need to do to support their own business and are, therefore, unclear about their next steps.

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Leaders and trainers do not teach all apprentices well enough about how to prepare themselves for life in modern Britain. Too few apprentices have a good understanding of fundamental British values and the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. Training is planned but not revisited sufficiently frequently to ensure that apprentices remember what they have been taught. As a result, too many apprentices do not know how British values relate to their own lives or workplaces or how to keep themselves safe from radicalisation and extremism.

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A significant number of apprentices do not complete their apprenticeship in the timescales set by leaders. Trainers continue to support these apprentices through their assessments. In addition, a significant proportion of apprentices withdraw from their apprenticeship early. Leaders have put in place effective actions to reduce this by introducing more robust initial advice and guidance. For example, they have introduced a pre-apprenticeship course, which provides prospective apprentices with an overview of different trades, engagement with potential employers and an opportunity to discuss career aims. Leaders also extended the duration of work-based trials to ensure apprentices have realistic expectations of the industry. This has resulted in an increase in apprentices staying on their programmes this year, but it is too soon to fully understand the impact of these actions.

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Leaders do not evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the apprenticeship provision well enough to improve the quality of the training the apprentices receive. Leaders have prioritised the improvement of employer involvement and improving their onboarding process to ensure apprentices and employers are better informed about their commitment and responsibilities. However, these processes are new and have not yet had an impact on the training apprentices receive.

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Governors are experienced in commercial training but lack experience of apprenticeship provision. They have undertaken training and joined sector networks to support their understanding of apprenticeship requirements. However, they still lack the expertise to scrutinise the information they receive from senior leaders sufficiently well. Governors know and understand their statutory responsibilities and duties, including in safeguarding and are appropriately trained. 1 to 4 August 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff responsible for safeguarding are appropriately qualified. Managers use effective resources and external links with agencies, such as Livewell, to update their knowledge and gain support with difficult safeguarding cases. Leaders identified that a large proportion of safeguarding concerns related to mental health problems. As a result, they have trained staff to further support apprentices’ well-being and address this growing area of concern.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff are recruited appropriately. Leaders do not give employers detailed information regarding the safeguarding of apprentices and they do not routinely plan to visit all employer sites. As a result, a minority of employers are not sufficiently aware of their role in safeguarding apprentices aged 16 to 18.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Work with employers to involve them in the design and implementation of the curriculum for apprentices, including progress reviews.  Increase the number of apprentices who stay and achieve.  Ensure that apprentices receive the functional skills training they require.  Ensure that all employers are aware of their role in safeguarding young apprentices.  Ensure all apprentices receive feedback giving them clear direction on what they need to do to improve.  Ensure all apprentices’ starting points are fully assessed and taken into account when planning training.  Ensure that trainers’ teaching skills are routinely developed to continuously improve the quality of the teaching apprentices receive.  Improve the expertise of governance to sufficiently scrutinise information from leaders.  Ensure that all apprentices know and understand the risks associated with extremism and radicalisation. 1 to 4 August 2023

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Provider details

Address Units 1-5 Huxley Close. Plympton Plymouth PL7 4JN

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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 1 to 4 August 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 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 apprentices' work, seeking the views of apprentices, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider's documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Sarah Alexander, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector Lowenna Bradley His Majesty's Inspector Lyn Bourne Ofsted Inspector Dr Agathine-Louise Ofsted Inspector Cliff Shaw His Majesty's Inspector Steve Battersby His Majesty's Inspector 1 to 4 August 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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