Greenlight Training Limited

Greenlight Training Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Sarah Alexander, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Units 1-5, Huxley Close, Plympton, Plymouth PL7 4JN Monitoring visit: Greenlight Training Ltd, 30 and 31 May 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Greenlight Training Limited was inspected in August 2023. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

Greenlight Training (GLT) is an independent training provider with training centres in Plymouth and Bristol. It was established in September 2020. GLT provides training to apprentices in the construction industry, including in roofing, bricklaying, carpentry and joinery and groundworks trades. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were approximately 550 apprentices. Almost all were studying at level 2, with eight studying at level 3. Around half of apprentices were aged between 16 and 18.

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Reasonable progress

Following the previous inspection, leaders took swift action to establish a programme of stakeholder events to involve employers in planning and teaching the apprenticeships. Leaders thoughtfully brought together employers from the roofing industry. They have contributed to the design of the provider’s roofing workshop so that apprentices can now be taught about solar panel installation and recent legislative changes affecting the industry. Roofing apprentices learn important new knowledge, beyond the content of the apprenticeship, in industry-standard workshops. Leaders recognise that this initiative is less well-developed for the remaining apprenticeships, such as bricklaying, carpentry and plastering. Although there are a few examples of employers contributing to the content of these curriculums, this is not as well established as it is in the roofing programme.

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Reasonable progress

Senior staff have strengthened the process for reviewing the progress that apprentices are making. The targets that trainers set for apprentices now clearly state the knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices need to apply at work. Tutors now involve employers in reviews of apprentices’ progress. Most tutors do not plan well enough with employers when apprentices will be given the opportunities at work to apply the knowledge and skills they are taught in the training centre. Monitoring visit: Greenlight Training Ltd, 30 and 31 May 2024

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have implemented a process that helps them identify when an apprentice is at risk of leaving their apprenticeship before completion. Staff ensure that apprentices get the help they need to stay on their course, such as helping apprentices to secure work with another employer when their employment has ended. Leaders now have a thorough understanding of the reasons why apprentices may want to leave, such as a previous lack of understanding of their support needs. Staff now make sure that apprentices who need extra help get this promptly, so that they can achieve their apprenticeship.

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Significant progress

Leaders have introduced a thorough induction programme for apprentices that is tailored to the construction trades. This includes an assessment of their current skills, such as using hand tools, and a two-week work trial with an employer. This ensures that apprentices gain experience of working on site and see the various trades in action to help them decide which they would like to study. Managers use well the information from the work trial and the practical aspects of the induction to establish apprentices’ starting points and plan training. Apprentices are placed on the right subject and level to enable them to extend their talents and interests. This, alongside the new withdrawals process, has led to a considerable reduction in the number of withdrawals, from approximately two thirds in the previous year to around one third of those who started this year.

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Significant progress

Leaders have made the difficult decision to reduce the number of apprenticeships they offer to concentrate on the most successful. This has streamlined the overall curriculum so that managers can direct their teaching and physical resources towards the remaining courses. Apprentices who need extra help to achieve their apprenticeship now receive this from their tutors and specialist support staff. Almost all apprentices who stay until the end of their training achieve their apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors now ensure that apprentices receive constructive and useful feedback on the knowledge, skills and behaviours they are learning. Leaders have recently improved the process for reviewing the progress that apprentices are making with their apprenticeship. The targets set for apprentices now clearly set out the knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices need to apply in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have put in place very effective processes to assess what apprentices know and can do at the start of their apprenticeship. They use this information to increase Monitoring visit: Greenlight Training Ltd, 30 and 31 May 2024 or reduce the length of apprentices’ training programmes. Leaders use their professional assessment of apprentices’ abilities to challenge employers in the very few instances where there are unsubstantiated requests for apprentices to have a shorter training programme.

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Reasonable progress

Specialist support staff assess well the learning support apprentices need for their studies, including for English and mathematics. They identify appropriate practical strategies for tutors to use to provide apprentices with the specific support they need to overcome barriers to learning, such as dyslexia. Tutors are yet to evaluate how effective the support they provide to apprentices is. Consequently, tutors do not know if apprentices are making the progress of which they are capable.

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Reasonable progress

Senior staff have implemented a relevant programme for apprentices to develop the mathematics and English skills they need to achieve functional skills qualifications. They have employed more English and mathematics tutors, making carefully considered appointments to ensure that apprentices get good teaching. Tutors present information to apprentices clearly using links to the construction industry, such as the shape and faces of bricks, to help them understand surface area and nets. Apprentices enjoy the lessons and value the teaching they receive in small groups. Most apprentices now begin their English and mathematics training at the start of their apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

However, tutors do not track apprentices’ progress sufficiently well so that they can plan future training. Managers do not use the information from apprentices’ initial assessments to plan training so that apprentices learn the knowledge and develop the skills that they need to fill gaps in their learning.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors do not yet provide apprentices studying English and mathematics with sufficiently developmental feedback to help them know what they need to practise to improve their skills. The feedback they do provide is overly congratulatory and does not help apprentices make the progress of which they are capable. Tutors do not currently record apprentices’ progress in developing English and mathematics skills well enough to plan future training. Approximately one third of those who sit the level 2 mathematics examination pass, and approximately one quarter of those who take the level 2 English examination pass. Managers rightly recognise that this rate is still too low, and agree it is too soon to see the impact of the actions that they have put in place to rectify this. However, almost all apprentices who take level 1 functional skills examinations in English and mathematics pass at their first attempt.

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Reasonable progress

Monitoring visit: Greenlight Training Ltd, 30 and 31 May 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 and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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