LI Europe Limited

LI Europe Limited Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Malcolm Fraser, His Majesty’s Inspector

p.1

Inspection dates: 31 January and 1 February 2024

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

Unit 4, The Stables Newby Hall Ripon HG4 5AE Monitoring visit: LI Europe Ltd, 31 January and 1 February 2024

p.1

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.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

At the time of the visit, 21 apprentices were on programmes with LI Europe Limited, of whom 16 were on the level 4 improvement practitioner and five were on the level 5 improvement specialist standard. All apprentices are aged 18 years or over. Apprentices work for one of six employers that all operate in the country’s fast- moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturing sector. Employers are located in the East and West Midlands, the North East, and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders have extensive experience in providing lean manufacturing consultancy and employer funded training in the FMCG sector. They used their experience and contacts well to design and provide apprenticeship programmes after they identified a specific need that employers had for improvement practitioner and improvement specialist apprenticeships in this sector.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders took sensible decisions about the initial scale of the apprenticeship provision, planning a gradual start with small cohorts. They used their early experiences to learn about and develop the apprenticeship in a controlled way without putting other aspects of the business at risk. This helped them to respond quickly to the early challenges that they experienced. For example, after analysing the reasons why too many of the first cohort of apprentices left early, they strengthened procedures for recruitment and the initial assessment of the starting points of apprentices, including any additional support needs.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Employers highly value the support that they receive from leaders and trainers to help them to understand the requirements of apprenticeships. They appreciate the time that leaders and trainers take to understand their business needs and how they use this to tailor apprentices’ programmes to meet these needs. Monitoring visit: LI Europe Ltd, 31 January and 1 February 2024 Leaders ensure that apprentices are recruited appropriately and that the requirements of apprenticeships are met. As a result of the knowledge and skills that apprentices gain, they make valuable contributions to their workplaces by leading on projects that result in marked improvements to business productivity, efficiency and financial viability.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders maintain an effective oversight of all aspects of apprenticeship programmes. They have a detailed understanding of the progress and support needs of all current apprentices. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the main strengths of the provision and areas that require improvement. However, they rightly recognise that their self-assessment and accompanying improvement plans need to focus more than they currently do on the quality of education that apprentices receive.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that trainers have significant industrial experience gained through working with high-profile international manufacturers. For example, trainers have experience of delivering cost savings through the application of lean manufacturing principles. Employers value the expertise of the trainers.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Trainers plan programmes that take good account of apprentices’ individual starting points and work circumstances. They work with employers to ensure that apprentices receive sufficient off-the-job training time.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Trainers teach apprentices well, setting them challenging projects based on their specific circumstances and their employers’ needs. They map the requirements of the apprenticeship well to the planned training. As a result, apprentices gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to be successful. For example, apprentices engage in projects such as implementing a fuel efficiency model that could result in significant savings for an employer through reduced energy costs. They use complex data sets to compare options to identify the suitability of actions that employers could consider.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Trainers and the development coach carry out frequent and useful progress reviews with apprentices and their employers. They record apprentices’ progress in relation to completion of learning modules and assignments effectively. However, they do not record precisely enough the specific knowledge, skills, and behaviours that apprentices are gaining or actions they need to take if apprentices are behind target in acquiring these.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Trainers frequently assess apprentices’ completed work and assignments. They confirm if the work apprentices submit meets required standards. However, they do Monitoring visit: LI Europe Ltd, 31 January and 1 February 2024 not routinely provide apprentices with guidance about how they could attain higher grades.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Trainers ensure that apprentices have plentiful opportunities to discuss future career options within the industry and how their learning on the apprenticeship can help them to achieve their aspirations.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Trainers prepare apprentices well for end-point assessment. They plan practice presentation sessions that help apprentices to gain confidence prior to their final assessment.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders understand well their responsibilities to safeguard adult apprentices. Along with staff, they promote a culture of safeguarding and well-being. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and the deputy DSL are both suitably qualified. They have established clear policies and procedures to safeguard apprentices, including to protect them from the dangers of radicalisation.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that trainers have completed appropriate training in safeguarding. Trainers understand how to recognise concerns and report any safeguarding concerns. DSLs maintain secure records, which include details of support provided and any referrals to external agencies in relation to the very few safeguarding concerns that trainers have raised. Monitoring visit: LI Europe Ltd, 31 January and 1 February 2024 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

p.4

Reasonable progress

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.5

Reasonable progress

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Reasonable progress

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.5

Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.5