Martec Training

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 20 to 23 February 2024

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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 Provision for learners with high needs Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

Martec Training is an independent learning provider based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. The provider specialises in the training of motor vehicle and catering programmes. At the time of the inspection there were 96 learners enrolled on full- time study programmes and 56 on apprenticeships. Most learners who attend come from local areas of significant deprivation, almost half of all learners have a declared learning difficulty or disability. Thirty-two learners were in receipt of high-needs funding. The provider does not work with any subcontractors.

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Information about this provider

At the time of inspection, most learners were working towards a qualification in the motor vehicle sector. Fifty-six learners were enrolled on a level 1 study programme in car vehicle maintenance, and 26 were studying a level 2 or level 3 programme in vehicle accident repair, vehicle maintenance or qualifications in motorsport. The remaining 16 learners were enrolled on study programmes in catering at levels 1 and 2.

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Information about this provider

There were 39 apprentices on the level 2 auto care technician apprenticeship, 12 on the level 3 vehicle damage paint technician apprenticeship, and five on the level 3 vehicle damage mechanical, electrical and trim technician apprenticeship. 20 to 23 February 2024

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

Learners and apprentices enjoy their learning. They improve their motivation because of their studies, and they value greatly the support they receive from provider staff. Learners and apprentices have access to additional one-to-one support from external motivational coaches to improve their motivation and ambition further. Learners and apprentices have positive attitudes to their education and training. They are proud of the work they produce, and what they can do. Those learners and apprentices who were previously disengaged with education develop resilience and determination to achieve. Learners and apprentices work well together. Tutors ensure that learners and apprentices understand the importance of collaboration, they respect each other’s opinions, and feel able to make positive contributions to group activities and discussions. Learners and apprentices learn to prioritise and improve their mental and physical

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

health. Tutors provide effective support for those learners who need to overcome anxiety and stress. Learners and apprentices develop a clear understanding of the importance of self-regulating their behaviours. Learners and apprentices learn how to improve their personal safety further. They understand the dangers of peer-on-peer abuse and grooming. They know and appreciate how to stay safe online, as well as the risks they may face in their locality, for example the dangers associated with localised protests and the importance of civilised behaviours. Learners and apprentices have access to a wide range of activities which serve to enrich the curriculums that they study. For example, learners collect donations for local food banks and a local animal trust. Similarly, catering learners bake cakes to fundraise for a local cancer charity. However, the number of learners and apprentices who engage frequently with these activities is not consistently high.

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better?

Leaders and managers are very clear on what their curriculums set out to achieve. They select and develop curriculums which serve to widen participation for those learners and apprentices whose prior experiences of education have been poor. Leaders work with stakeholders, such as local authorities, to ensure that the curriculums offered meet individual learners’ and apprentices’ circumstances successfully.

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better?

Leaders ensure that the curriculums they offer are sufficiently ambitious. Curriculums often contain additional qualifications for the benefit of the learner or apprentice. For example, auto care technician apprentices study additional qualifications in electric vehicle maintenance. These apprentices can isolate electric vehicle systems in a safe and controlled manner, as well as carrying out routine repairs. Similarly, catering learners complete an additional qualification which 20 to 23 February 2024

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teaches them how to deal with instances of extreme allergic reactions safely. As a result, learners and apprentices develop additional skills which make them more desired employees in modern-day automotive and hospitality sectors.

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Leaders ensure that tutors plan and sequence curriculums sensibly and logically. For example, catering learners learn the importance of food preparation and storage, before they progress on to more complex processes, such as working with customers and following intricate recipes. Consequently, learners and apprentices build upon their prior understanding well over time.

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Leaders ensure that tutors have the knowledge and expertise to teach their subjects well. Tutors build on their teaching and learning skills effectively over time and learn how to support those learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and high needs more effectively. Tutors undertake worthwhile training to better support learners who require emotional and behavioural support. Learners benefit from this subject expertise and it supports them in gaining a sounder grasp of the taught curriculum successfully.

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Tutors ensure that learners and apprentices have many opportunities to further develop and practise their skills. Motor vehicle learners have numerous opportunities to remove and replace a range of mechanical components, for example alternators and cylinder heads. Through regular practise learners and apprentices retain these skills in their long-term memory and can recall them fluently and competently.

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Tutors present new information clearly. Work-ready skills tutors use thought-through visual imagery and prompts to support learners in their understanding of hazardous substances. As a result, learners grasp new knowledge and skills quickly.

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Tutors ensure that learners with high needs have access to assistive technologies and use these successfully. Learners with high needs who study automotive maintenance use handsfree video recording headsets, so that physical actions can be recorded and then rewatched to support more detailed note writing. As a result, learners use these assistive technologies to good effect, and they ably support the retention of information in their long-term memory.

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Tutors, in nearly all cases, link apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training effectively. Tutors and employers work together well to ensure that apprentices can reinforce taught curriculum content within their daily roles. For example, auto care technician apprentices gain the knowledge to inspect and fix wiring looms in the classroom before employers ensure that apprentices encounter similar tasks in the workplace.

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In most instances, tutors support learners and apprentices to develop their English and mathematics skills successfully. Motor vehicle learners learn to interchange between the units of pressures in car tyres fluently. Likewise, they can communicate confidently while diagnosing engines with fuel and ignition problems. As a result, learners learn to problem-solve effectively. However, those apprentices who are exempt from studying English and mathematics qualifications as part of their 20 to 23 February 2024

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apprenticeship do not routinely develop new and worthwhile English and mathematics skills as they move through their studies.

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Tutors routinely provide learners and apprentices with useful and worthwhile oral feedback. This oral feedback serves to reinforce taught content well. However, tutors do not always ensure that the quality of written feedback that learners and apprentices receive is sufficiently developmental. Written feedback often lacks precision and the quality of this feedback is too dependent on the individual tutor providing it. As a result, too few learners and apprentices are clear on the actions they need to take to improve the quality of their work.

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Leaders and managers have successfully improved their quality assurance processes since the previous inspection. These processes now serve to improve the quality of education that learners and apprentices receive. Leaders now suitably self-assess and determine their strengths and areas for further development effectively. However, in a few cases, quality assurance processes concentrate too much on the completion of actions, rather than assessing the intended impact on learners’ and apprentices’ skills development over time.

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Leaders ensure that learners and apprentices understand the career options available to them after they complete their studies. Tutors ensure that suitable careers advice and guidance is woven seamlessly into taught lessons. Motor vehicle learners develop a clear appreciation of the benefits of studying additional further qualifications, for example the advantages of becoming an MOT tester.

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Leaders ensure they are held to account fully by governors. Governors have a wide range of relevant expertise and skills that they use to support leaders effectively. Governors and leaders work well together to make sure that curriculums are sufficiently demanding and useful. Governors are proactive in responding to the skills needs of employers, and they ensure that the curriculums offered closely mirror local and regional skills needs.

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Leaders, using increased scrutiny and support, have acted to increase the number of learners and apprentices who remain in active study. Nearly all learners and apprentices who complete their studies achieve qualifications.

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A high number of learners and apprentices move on to a destination which meets their interests or talents, including those learners with SEND and high needs. Nearly all learners who complete their studies progress to either further full-time study or employment. Most apprentices remain with their employer after their studies, often taking roles with further or additional responsibilities.

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Learners with high needs receive the support they need to develop their independence successfully. For example, learners who previously suffered from severe anxiety can travel to the study centre independently on local bus systems. 20 to 23 February 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Improve the quality and rigour of written feedback that learners and apprentices receive to ensure they are fully aware of the actions they need to take to improve their work in the future.  Improve engagement in activities which serve to extend learners’ and apprentices’ personal development beyond that of the taught curriculum.  Improve the support offered to those apprentices who are exempt from studying English and mathematics qualifications as part of their apprenticeship, so that they better develop their everyday English and mathematics skills.  Further improve quality assurance processes so that they are used to fully assess the impact on learners’ and apprentices’ skills development over time. 20 to 23 February 2024

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Provider details

Address London Road Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 1LZ

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Tracey Holland

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 3 to 5 November 2021

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 20 to 23 February 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the operations manager, 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

Mark Parton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Victor Reid His Majesty’s Inspector Rachel Clark His Majesty’s Inspector Beth Selwood Ofsted Inspector Jack Bullock Ofsted Inspector 20 to 23 February 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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