Skills Recruitment Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Skills Recruitment Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Education programmes for young people Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Skills Recruitment Limited trades under the name of Skills Construction Centre (SCC). The company was formed in 2008 and received its funding contract to provide traineeships for learners aged 19 to 24 in March 2020, and those aged 16 to 18 years in November 2021. SCC started offering apprenticeships under its own funding contract from December 2022. It was previously an apprenticeship subcontractor.

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Information about this provider

SCC has two construction centres based in Preston and Manchester. There are currently 24 learners following traineeship programmes, of whom 19 are aged 16 to 18, and the remainder are aged 19 to 24. Learners are enrolled on programmes across a range of construction trades, which include qualifications at level 1 and 2 in bricklaying, multi-trades, and plastering.

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Information about this provider

There are currently 39 apprentices completing a range of apprenticeships in building and construction subjects, including roofing, groundworks, tiling and bricklaying. Almost all apprentices are completing an apprenticeship at level 2. Seventeen apprentices have transferred to SCC, having started their apprenticeship with another provider. 7 to 9 November 2023

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

Learners and apprentices are well supported to develop the confidence and resilience they need to learn, train and develop new skills. Learners and apprentices value the training and support that they receive. They enjoy their courses. They benefit from a calm and comfortable learning environment in classrooms and in workshops. Learners and apprentices are polite and respectful to their tutors and each other in learning sessions and on work placements.

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

Learners and apprentices develop the vocational skills and professional behaviours they need to progress and achieve. For example, traineeship learners learn about the importance of teamwork and effective communication, which they apply successfully when working at height on narrow scaffolding. Learners and apprentices take pride in their practical work and feel a sense of achievement when they complete work to a high standard. For example, roofing apprentices feel proud of their new practical skills, which allow them to mark out, cut and lay tiles precisely to achieve a straight roof edge.

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

Learners are well supported to develop their applied English, mathematical and digital skills in ways which are relevant and contextualised to their future job roles. For example, they learn to measure the dimensions of a room and to cost materials and labour, factoring in profit, to generate a quote for a client. This helps to prepare learners to be successful in their next steps.

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

Learners and apprentices feel safe. They understand how to work safely and which personal protective equipment they need to keep themselves safe. Learners on traineeship programmes develop their understanding of risks, including avoiding online scams, gambling, and managing their money. They explore practical strategies to minimise these risks and, as a result, are more equipped to identify risks they may face now and in the future.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear vision for the curriculums that they offer, which is to provide routes into construction trade employment for learners and apprentices. Leaders and managers have selected and designed ambitious curriculums that effectively prepare learners and apprentices for their next stage of training or employment, meeting local and regional skills shortages in the construction sector. They work effectively with local partners and employers to create ambitious and bespoke training programmes for young people and apprentices, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds and with a history of negative previous educational experiences.

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better?

Leaders and tutors use their subject expertise to sequence learning logically so that learners and apprentices develop and deepen their knowledge and skills over time. For example, groundwork apprentices first learn about the basics of setting up a safe work area before moving on to laying bricks and progressing to laying block. 7 to 9 November 2023

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Leaders and tutors accurately establish learners’ and apprentices’ starting points and use this information well to plan the curriculums that they teach.

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Leaders, managers and tutors have forged strong relationships with employers to ensure that learners and apprentices can access working environments where they can apply and practise new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Learners on traineeships work on construction sites, attend health and safety inductions, shadow tradespeople and attend project briefings. As a result, they develop a good understanding of the workplace and the behaviours required to be successful.

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Leaders ensure that tutors are well qualified for the subjects that they teach. Tutors are experienced tradespeople with a range of multi-trade skills. Tutors use their expertise to support learners and apprentices to know and remember more. They model construction techniques clearly, which learners observe, apply and repeatedly practise in practical sessions or on work placements. Tutors provide learners and apprentices with specific and useful feedback that help them to improve their skills. As a result, learners and apprentices develop and refine their skills over time.

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Tutors accurately review apprentices’ progress regularly and set useful targets that help apprentices to improve their skills over time. This helps apprentices to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours their employers need. For example, roofing apprentices learn about wet and dry roofing systems and how to point brickwork with sand and cement. They quickly develop skills in cutting tiles, and laying patterns, batons and felting. As a result, they build their confidence and can take on more responsibilities at work.

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Leaders, managers, tutors and advisers know their learners and apprentices well. They work together effectively to help support and encourage learners to take on responsibilities for their development and overcome barriers to learning and progression. Tutors support learners well in developing professional behaviours such as attendance, timekeeping, communication and teamwork through meaningful work placements. This helps tackle social disadvantage, equipping learners and apprentices with the tools and behaviours they need to move into employment or further study, or to obtain a promotion. A few apprentices have left their apprenticeship early, before completing their end-point assessment.

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Most learners and apprentices attend their lessons regularly and understand the importance of maintaining good attendance. Leaders and managers work collaboratively with other agencies, such as social workers, care home managers, and youth justice and probation service teams, to support learners who were previously disengaged from education or persistent absentees from school. These learners now attend training more regularly and are engaged in learning suitable construction skills for future employment. A few apprentices have low attendance and do not attend their training regularly enough.

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Tutors support learners well to understand the range of roles and training opportunities available to them upon completion of their traineeship. They work with them to develop the skills to access these opportunities. For example, learners 7 to 9 November 2023

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develop their skills in CV writing, applying for jobs and interview techniques, and increasing their motivation and confidence to apply for further training and employment. Apprentices do not receive formal, planned careers advice and guidance to ensure they fully understand the range of employment and other possibilities after the completion of their apprenticeship.

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Senior leaders are ambitious and committed to provide high-quality training for learners and apprentices. They are passionate about making a positive difference to the lives and life chances of all those that they train. Senior leaders have strengthened their self-assessment and quality improvement processes. They know the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and take action to bring about improvements where needed.

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Those responsible for governance are the provider’s most senior leaders. While they have made significant efforts to recruit external expertise to the board of governors, this has yet to materialise. Those responsible for governance have a clear oversight of the progress that learners and apprentices make. However, management reports do not always provide sufficient data on learners and apprentices. Although reporting arrangements have recently improved, they still require further improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Put appropriate actions in place to ensure learners and apprentices with low attendance attend regularly.  Provide apprentices with appropriate careers information, advice and guidance.  Ensure those responsible for governance have access to sufficient data about learners and apprentices. 7 to 9 November 2023

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Provider details

Address Selby Mills Selby Industrial Estate Richard Street Kirkham Preston PR4 2HU

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Sonya Daley

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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 7 to 9 November 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

Steve Ingle, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Alastair Mollon His Majesty’s Inspector Candice Downie Ofsted Inspector Alison Dennis His Majesty’s Inspector 7 to 9 November 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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