DMR Training and Consultancy Limited

DMR Training and Consultancy Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Suzanne Wainwright, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider Address: 87–89 Church Street Leigh Greater Manchester WN7 1AZ Monitoring visit: DMR Training and Consultancy Limited, 24 and 25 July 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

DMR Training and Consultancy Limited is an independent learning provider based in Leigh, Greater Manchester. It started to receive funding for adult learning programmes from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Greater London Authority in August 2023. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 120 adult learners on a wide variety of construction courses at levels 2 and 3. These learners were spread equally across both regions. Almost half of learners follow an NVQ diploma in insulation and building treatments at level 2 or 3. A further quarter follow the level 3 NVQ diploma in occupational work supervision. Other learners follow NVQ certificate and diploma courses in decorative finishing and industrial painting, roofing and woodwork occupations, and industrial systems.

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Reasonable progress

Directors are passionate about providing an ambitious curriculum to meet local, regional and national skills shortages in the construction industry. They support employers to train staff to become highly skilled so that they can respond quickly to their customers’ needs for traditional construction trades, such as roofing, plastering and joinery. Courses also help employers to retrain their staff to retrofit existing properties to support sustainability.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders support learners to gain additional qualifications and/or new skills through their courses. For example, learners achieve accreditation in passive fire protection, different levels of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme and manufacturers’ endorsements for their understanding and use of specific building materials. This meets employers’ specific needs.

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Reasonable progress

Employers recognise the enhanced contributions that their newly trained staff bring to their businesses. Learners on the level 2 diploma in associated industrial services occupations develop the skills to carry out repairs that they were previously unqualified to perform. They identify independently what materials they need to use for each job to insulate around windowsills skilfully. Monitoring visit: DMR Training and Consultancy Limited, 24 and 25 July 2024 Staff are well qualified and experienced in the construction industry. They keep abreast of industry updates by undertaking research independently on websites, such as the British Board of Agrément for updates in the insulation industry. However, assessors do not receive sufficient support to help them to further improve their training skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established an effective governance function. They meet monthly with an experienced external associate who provides appropriate scrutiny and challenge and holds leaders to account for the quality of their provision. However, leaders recognise that a few of their quality improvement processes require further development to be fully effective. For example, observations of teaching and learning focus predominantly on assessment practice rather than the quality of training that learners receive. Leaders do not yet monitor the impact of quality improvement actions sufficiently to ensure that they rectify identified weaknesses swiftly.

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Reasonable progress

Most learners are motivated and keen to learn. They aspire to improve their knowledge and skills so that they can achieve promotion or pay increases at work. However, around one fifth of learners do not complete their qualifications on time. This is often due to their employers not providing them with enough time to undertake training due to staff shortages and inclement weather.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors plan the topics that learners need to learn in an order that builds on their previous learning. On the level 3 diploma in occupational work supervision, learners learn initially about site safety and personal protective equipment. They then move on to learn about how to arrange plant machinery on site, who is qualified to use it and the order of work. This helps to prepare learners for a supervisory career in their chosen sector.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors use helpful strategies to support learners to remember more over time. They use reflective discussions and probing questions to reinforce learning. This helps assessors to identify any gaps in learning. As a result, learners make at least their expected progress.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors know their learners well. They accurately monitor learners’ progress. Assessors can explain which learners are making good progress and which learners have gaps in knowledge. However, they do not formally record this information. Therefore, leaders do not have an up-to-date record of all learners’ progress.

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Reasonable progress

Learners become confident and skilled in their trades as they progress through their courses. They benefit from opportunities to practise skills, such as delivering site inductions, before applying this on site with their teams. Learners’ practical work is Monitoring visit: DMR Training and Consultancy Limited, 24 and 25 July 2024 of a high standard. They pay attention to detail when repairing dents and holes in doors and painting door frames.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have implemented comprehensive safeguarding processes and policies to keep their staff and learners safe from harm. They ensure that staff receive relevant training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Leaders carry out appropriate pre- employment checks to ensure staff’s suitability to work with their learners.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recently appointed a new designated safeguarding lead and deputy to strengthen their safeguarding team. The new team has relevant qualifications and experience for these key roles.

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Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe on their courses and at work. However, a few assessors do not promote the importance of safeguarding sufficiently during their visits to learners. Monitoring visit: DMR Training and Consultancy Limited, 24 and 25 July 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 looked after children, 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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