First for Apprenticeships Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of First for Apprenticeships Limited

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

First for Apprenticeships Limited is an independent learning provider based in Newcastle upon Tyne. At the time of the inspection, there were 108 apprentices, all of whom were adults, studying a level 2 lead traffic management operative programme. Apprentices work for employers operating across the country. The provider enrolled its first apprentices on this standard in December 2023. 19 to 21 June 2024

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

Apprentices are motivated to develop new knowledge and skills in traffic management. They improve their confidence and independence during the apprenticeship and, as a result of their training, take on more responsibility at work and increase their earning capacity. Tutors develop positive relationships with their apprentices, who value their tutors’ industry experience.

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

Tutors provide limited training beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship standard to support apprentices’ broader personal development. They help apprentices to develop their knowledge about key aspects of working safely in dangerous situations, such as on motorways. However, they do not consider how the curriculum can be improved to support apprentices’ personal development. For example, tutors do not teach about the impact of misuse of drugs and alcohol, which are pertinent topics as apprentices can be subject to drug and alcohol tests by their employers.

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

Tutors provide appropriate information for apprentices about the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. They receive monthly bulletins, which include information about topics such as the Manchester Arena bombing, and use these in teaching sessions to raise apprentices’ awareness of risks and their vigilance. A few apprentices know that colleagues who display unusual erratic behaviour may be at risk of radicalisation and would report instances like this to their line manager. However, most apprentices cannot remember what they have learned about radicalisation and extremism.

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

Tutors provide apprentices with useful careers advice and guidance. They discuss future career opportunities with apprentices, such as progression to driving crash cushions and promotion to supervisor roles. As a result, apprentices are clear about what they want to do on completion of their training.

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

Apprentices feel safe. Tutors and managers support apprentices so they know where they can go for help should they need it. They provide clear information about staying safe during induction. Apprentices know how to keep themselves safe in emergency situations at work and to remain calm when dealing with members of the public.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a thorough understanding of the traffic management industry. They engage well with employers to provide a curriculum that is up to date and supports employers to recruit and retain staff. Employers recognise how the knowledge, skills and behaviours that apprentices develop enable them to make a positive contribution in the workplace.

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better?

Leaders and managers have sequenced the curriculum appropriately. Apprentices first gain an understanding of how to keep themselves, their peers and the general 19 to 21 June 2024

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public safe when planning and executing traffic management operations. They then learn how to adjust risk assessments when road layouts change, such as when tarmacking roads and dealing with inclement weather.

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Leaders have appointed tutors who do not have sufficient experience of teaching. Tutors’ teaching skills are not consistently effective, particularly when delivering theory sessions. Leaders and managers have prioritised the recruitment of staff with considerable industry expertise. This means that tutors have credibility with apprentices and their managers because they know the industry well. However, leaders have been slow to provide tutors with training on how to teach the curriculum effectively. As a result, tutors do not have the necessary skills to be able to identify accurately the progress that apprentices are making. For example, they do not effectively check learning in teaching session. Too often, tutors answer themselves the questions that they put to apprentices without checking that apprentices have understood.

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Tutors equip apprentices with new knowledge, skills and behaviours, which they can then apply in the workplace. They support apprentices well to develop their practical skills during training. For example, apprentices learn how to set out road signage correctly and how to narrow roads safely so that the taper is of a correct size to move traffic in a manner that keeps everyone safe.

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Managers have developed workbooks which tutors use in lessons and which apprentices diligently complete. These workbooks then form part of a well-organised portfolio of work for apprentices. However, the assessments included in the workbooks are not challenging enough. In most cases, apprentices provide only very brief answers to assessment questions which do not demonstrate a full understanding. Tutors do not provide apprentices with sufficiently useful or timely feedback and, as a result, misconceptions are not swiftly addressed.

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Leaders do not ensure that the teaching of functional skills courses is effectively coordinated. They rely too much on downtime periods in the industry to deliver these aspects of the programme, which can be some time after apprentices have started their programme. Leaders have recently appointed an experienced tutor to teach functional skills courses and are reviewing their delivery model to enable functional skill teaching to start earlier. They are also developing the skills of tutors to enable them to support apprentices more effectively in the development of their English and mathematics skills. However, it is too soon to see the impact of these developments.

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Apprentices do not benefit from effective enough off-the-job training. Tutors do not routinely check what apprentices learn from training activities and, too often, that guidance that they provide for apprentices is not specific enough. For example, apprentices are asked to carry out research into risk assessments without being given specific information on how to go about this. Apprentices spend a lot of time shadowing colleagues, but it is not clear what they are expected to learn. Leaders have begun to work more closely with employers to link off-the-job training more effectively with the training that apprentices receive at work. 19 to 21 June 2024

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Leaders and managers support tutors well to manage their workloads and, in particular, the complexities of apprentices working in different locations across the country. Recent additions to the team, including a quality manager, are now supporting improvements in the quality of teaching and learning.

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Leaders have in place an external advisory board to provide oversight of the provision. Members of the board are highly experienced in the traffic management industry with strong links to employers. They have worked effectively with leaders and managers to develop a curriculum which meets the needs of employers and have provided support with business planning. The board has recently appointed a member who can provide a greater focus on the quality of provision.

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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 the teaching of functional skills is sequenced appropriately so that apprentices who need to achieve functional skills qualifications have timely access to high-quality teaching and the support that they need.  Provide training for tutors so that they quickly improve their teaching skills.  Ensure that tutors use assessment appropriately to identify the progress that apprentices are making and to provide apprentices with helpful feedback on how they can further improve their work.  Work effectively with employers so that off-the-job training is of high quality.  Improve the personal development curriculum so that it meets the needs of apprentices. 19 to 21 June 2024

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Provider details

Address Bizspace Amber Court Newcastle Business Park Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7YW

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Michael Bray

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 19 to 21 June 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing 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 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 Keen, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Philippa Firth His Majesty’s Inspector 19 to 21 June 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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