Simian Risk Management Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Simian Risk Management Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

Simian Risk Management Limited (SIMIAN) is an independent learning provider specialising in training apprentices in scaffolding and roofing for the construction industry. SIMIAN is based in Warrington, Cheshire and provides off-the-job training from two training centres located in Warrington and Waltham Forest, London. Apprentices attend off-the-job training for either one- or two-week training blocks throughout their apprenticeship. At the time of the inspection, there were 270 apprentices in learning. There were 217 apprentices on the level 2 scaffolder and 53 on the level 2 roofer apprenticeships. Seventy-one apprentices were under the age of 18. 9 to 12 April 2024

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

Apprentices speak with pride about their achievements. They explain how they have developed their confidence and resilience, and how they are now better able to communicate with colleagues in the workplace because of the training they receive.

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

All staff now have high expectations of apprentices and do not tolerate poor conduct. Staff challenge stringently any apprentice who uses inappropriate language or behaviour. As a result, apprentices’ conduct has improved significantly since the previous inspection.

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

Apprentices work in safe and calm environments on building sites and during off- the-job training. Instructors and coaches develop professional relationships with apprentices both in the workshop and classroom. Apprentices have positive attitudes to learning. They understand and comply with the health and safety requirements for specific practical tasks. They value and respect the views and opinions of their peers.

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

Staff encourage apprentices to maintain healthy lifestyles. Apprentices learn about balanced diets and the importance of keeping fit. Apprentices learn about seasonal eating patterns and food to eat in the winter, such as a high carbohydrate diet that will help them to keep warm. They understand the importance of diet and fitness in their physically demanding job roles.

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

Apprentices feel safe and know how to report any concerns they may have. They work safely in workshops, wearing the correct personal protective equipment and adhere to health and safety legislation, particularly when working at height.

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better?

Leaders have a clear rationale for the apprenticeships they offer. They work with employers to develop ambitious curriculums that meet local and national skills needs and help to ease the national shortage of roofers and scaffolders in the construction industry.

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better?

Following the previous inspection, senior leaders were too slow to identify the underperformance of managers, which meant that apprentices did not receive consistently good quality training. Following the monitoring visit, senior leaders restructured the leadership and management team. The new team is already making swift improvements to the quality of training that apprentices receive. Leaders recognise that there is still further work needed to continue to improve the quality of education, such as developing the teaching skills of instructors to improve the quality of training in theory lessons. This weakness remains from the previous inspection.

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better?

In practical lessons, apprentices quickly develop their knowledge and skills. Scaffolding and roofing apprentices learn about the importance of health and safety 9 to 12 April 2024

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in workshops and the workplace, working at height and working as a team before moving on to more complex topics. For example, in scaffolding, apprentices learn how to construct scaffolds with loading bay and ladder access using single, double, swivel and sleeve fittings to secure the structure. In roofing, apprentices learn how to construct simple slate roofs early in the apprenticeship and with minimal supervision.

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Instructors skilfully use a range of teaching strategies such as small-group workshops and practical tasks to help apprentices incrementally build on their knowledge and skills and apply their learning in the workplace. For example, scaffolding apprentices construct birdcage scaffold structures using different techniques and adjust and adapt the structure in industrial environments.

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In practical lessons, instructors provide apprentices with frequent oral feedback on their work. They regularly check the quality of apprentices’ work and question the decisions that apprentices make. Apprentices learn from their mistakes, such as the correct handling and fitting of scaffolding materials in workshops, so that they do not repeat these in the workplace. As a result, apprentices quickly learn and practise new skills safely and competently.

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Instructors’ written feedback to apprentices in theory lessons does not inform apprentices what they need to do to improve the quality of their work. Instructors do not always identify or correct spelling and grammatical errors in apprentices’ work and, as a result, apprentices continue to repeat their mistakes. This weakness remains from the previous inspection.

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Tutors skilfully support apprentices to prepare for their final assessments. Apprentices use apps to systematically record evidence of activities completed in the workplace. They incorporate these into the portfolios for their final assessments. Most apprentices pass their final assessments with distinction grades.

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Skills coaches on roofing apprenticeships do not plan and coordinate on- and off- the-job training for apprentices well enough on a few occasions. Employers are not always sufficiently aware of what apprentices complete in their off-the-job training to align this to the tasks and activities they complete in the workplace. Conversely, in scaffolding, the planning and coordination of on- and off-the-job training is highly effective. Apprentices and employers know what they need to do in advance of the next block of off-the-job training.

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Most apprentices benefit from impartial careers advice and guidance. Apprentices attend ‘job fests’, listen to guest speakers and discuss career goals with skills coaches. Roofing apprentices benefit from talks about career pathways with health and safety consultants. Scaffolding apprentices discuss further study, working overseas and working offshore.

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Leaders closely monitor the workloads and the well-being of staff. They have weekly supervision meetings with staff to ensure that they receive appropriate support. 9 to 12 April 2024

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Where they may need it, leaders signpost staff to occupational health or to local charities that can help with the concerns or worries they have.

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Governors have appropriate expertise and experience to carry out their roles. They have a range of experience across the education sector. Governors have a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement. Governors use their experience skilfully to challenge senior leaders.

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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 instructors’ teaching skills in theory lessons.  Improve the written feedback instructors provide to apprentices following assessment.  Improve the coordination of on- and off-the-job training for roofing apprentices. 9 to 12 April 2024

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Provider details

Address Wallis House Birchwood Birchwood Park Warrington WA3 6FW

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Simon Hughes

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Dates of previous inspection 26 to 28 January 2022

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Provider details

Main subcontractors none 9 to 12 April 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the commercial 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 lessons, 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

Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Alison Humphreys His Majesty’s Inspector Danny Braithwaite Ofsted Inspector Andrew Ross Ofsted Inspector Darren James-Mitchell Ofsted Inspector 9 to 12 April 2024

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