Groundwork Greater Manchester

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Groundwork Greater Manchester

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Adult learning programmes Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Groundwork Greater Manchester (Groundwork) is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. It was formed through a merger in August 2020 between the former Groundwork Trust that covered Bury, Bolton, Oldham and Rochdale and the Trust that covered Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford. Groundwork Greater Manchester operates across all nine boroughs of Greater Manchester and has three offices based in Trafford, Rochdale and Tameside. The focus of its adult learning provision is to support adults to reach their full potential, particularly those with significant barriers to learning and those who are experiencing challenge and hardship in their lives.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 16 adult learners. Ten learners were on a 12-week level 2 Skills Bootcamp course in construction multi-skills and retrofit skills that was taught by Groundwork staff for learners in a prison setting. The remaining six learners were taught by a subcontractor (B4Box), which provides a 15-week level 2 Skills Bootcamp construction multi-skills course for building repair and retrofit in Stockport. 24 to 26 January 2024

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

Learners enjoy attending their training classes because tutors use their industry insight and experience of the construction industry to make learning and skills training enjoyable. Learners look forward to attending their training classes and, as a result, their attendance and punctuality are high.

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

Learners benefit from a respectful provider culture where they develop positive relationships with tutors. They say that they feel comfortable in classes. This has a positive impact on learners developing their confidence to learn and acquire new knowledge and skills. This is reflected in their conduct in classes, such as respecting each other’s views and closely following the guidance and instruction provided by tutors.

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

Learners’ attitudes to learning are good. They are keen to learn, demonstrating genuine enthusiasm for the topics that they study. Learners work well in small groups and support each other during planned learning, including theoretical and workshop activities.

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

Learners feel safe and are given relevant information such as who to contact if any issues arise at the start of courses. They receive appropriate training on the importance of using personal protective equipment when working with specific tools and products.

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better?

Senior leaders have a clear and well-considered rationale for providing the courses that Groundwork offers. They provide courses to improve the skills and employment opportunities for learners who are marginalised or have social barriers, such as those nearing the end of their custodial sentences. They use funding from the Greater Manchester Mayoral Combined Authority to fund level 2 Skills Bootcamps in construction multi-skills and retrofit to support learners to move closer to the labour market.

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better?

Senior leaders work effectively with a range of stakeholders, including national and regional employers and government departments, to help inform the curriculums that they offer. They use this insight to develop curriculums to teach learners essential construction skills that are in high demand across Greater Manchester, such as plastering, tiling, and painting and decorating. These courses provide learners with the opportunity to improve their social mobility.

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better?

Managers and staff have ordered the content of curriculums in a logical way so that learners develop their knowledge and skills incrementally as their course progresses. Learners develop their core knowledge and skills before moving on to more complex tasks. For example, initially, learners gain confidence in how to use a range of hand and power operated tools safely, as well as the importance of accuracy and precision in marking and measuring. They then move on to checking that their work is 24 to 26 January 2024

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compliant with building codes, construction site plans and how to interpret architectural drawings.

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In most cases, leaders and tutors ensure that they identify learners’ starting points before the start of the course. They use this information to plan curriculums that allow learners to develop new knowledge and skills swiftly. However, tutors do not support a few learners who have pre-existing construction skills well enough. These learners are not challenged sufficiently to develop the skills for which they are capable and do not achieve their potential.

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Tutors use their construction knowledge very effectively to plan learning that engages and motivates learners. They skilfully teach learners to develop their theoretical understanding of construction techniques and principles. Tutors use questioning effectively to check on learners’ understanding of what they have taught and to extend learners’ knowledge and skills. Learners respond to this questioning positively and subsequently improve their work.

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Tutors provide regular opportunities for learners to revisit and consolidate topics through recapping what they have learned in previous lessons. This leads to learners being able to recall what they have been taught throughout their course. The effective links between theoretical and workshop-based learning allows learners to develop a thorough understanding of the foundational knowledge that underpins the practical activities that they complete in the workshop.

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Tutors’ use of assessment is frequent, fair and effective. They mark learners’ work promptly and provide constructive feedback on how to improve the standard of their work. This helps learners to have a clear understanding about what they need to do to improve the standard of their work, which in most cases they do.

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A high proportion of learners successfully complete their course, achieve their personal learning goals and go on to positive destinations such as employment. However, care-experienced young people do not progress to further training or employment at the same rate as other learners.

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Trainers develop learners’ understanding of fundamental British values, including respect, tolerance and the importance of positive attitudes at work and in their communities, effectively.

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Tutors provide learners with effective careers education, information, advice and guidance throughout their course. Tutors on the prison bootcamp and those taught by B4Box work closely with employers and other stakeholders to give learners useful careers and progression advice. These activities include meeting employers from construction businesses who are looking to recruit staff.

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Tutors expertly develop learners’ confidence throughout the course. Most learners arrive on the course with very little confidence. Through skilfully tailored curriculums, tutors help to build learners’ confidence, which in turn has a positive effect on their lives. For example, they develop effective interpersonal and team 24 to 26 January 2024

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communication skills and the behaviours that they will need to be successful at work.

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Leaders and tutors have high expectations for learners. They set clear rules and boundaries regarding acceptable behaviour and conduct in lessons. Learners are consistently polite, courteous and respectful to peers, tutors and visitors.

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Those responsible for governance have a suitable understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. They receive an appropriate range of information to allow them to have an effective oversight of the quality of the provision. However, on occasion, the actions that leaders have taken do not align with what is recorded in papers provided. This means that those responsible for governance do not have an accurate oversight of what progress has been made against key objectives.

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Leaders work closely with their subcontractor to assure themselves of the quality of education that they provide to learners. They work with the subcontractor to jointly evaluate the curriculum and, where appropriate, share ideas of how the curriculum could be improved. The subcontractor feels supported by Groundwork.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that all learners, including those with previous experience, are assessed at the start of the course and that this information is used by tutors to plan a challenging curriculum.  Improve the accuracy of reports provided to those responsible for governance to provide clear oversight of the progress that they are making against improvement targets.  Improve the proportion of care-experienced learners who progress on to training and employment. 24 to 26 January 2024

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Address

Trafford Ecology Park, Lake Road, Stretford Manchester M17 1TU

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Website

https://www.groundwork.org.uk/greaterm anchester/

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Website

Principal, CEO or equivalent Deborah Murray

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Website

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Website

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Website

Main subcontractors B4Box 24 to 26 January 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of employment and enterprise, 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

David Towsey, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Victor Reid His Majesty’s Inspector 24 to 26 January 2024

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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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