Time2Train Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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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 Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Time2Train Limited is an independent learning provider based in Gateshead. It has been delivering apprenticeships since 2022. At the time of the inspection, there were 27 apprentices on a level 2 apprenticeship in large goods vehicle driving (LGV), 121 on level 2 lead traffic management operative (LTMO) and 67 on level 2 urban driver. Leaders work with employers across the country, providing training in the workplace. 13 to 16 August 2024

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

Apprentices are highly motivated. They value their learning and are keen to complete their apprenticeship. Apprentices take pride in their work and take care over the presentation and accuracy of their written work. They demonstrate responsible attitudes to their work roles, to their employers and to the road users with whom they come into contact.

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

Apprentices attend well at their training and are punctual to sessions. Trainers stress the importance of high attendance and punctuality at training and work. If apprentices cannot attend for any reason, trainers swiftly arrange to cover any learning that they have missed.

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

Apprentices benefit from working with trainers who have significant industrial experience. Trainers use their skills and experience to help apprentices develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours by making learning relevant to apprentices’ job roles and aspirations. Trainers on the level 2 urban driver apprenticeship use their knowledge about legislation regarding practical vehicle checks to ensure that apprentices understand the importance of carrying these out thoroughly.

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

Trainers provide apprentices with impartial careers advice and guidance that is relevant to their employment and aspirations. For example, on the level 2 LGV apprenticeship, trainers discuss opportunities within apprentices’ employers such as progressing to supervisory or management roles. Apprentices also gain an understanding of other roles that they can move into, such as with Highways England in road gritter and other traffic management operations.

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

Trainers provide support to apprentices to gain an understanding of the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. Most apprentices understand the risks to individuals of being influenced into taking part in unlawful activities such as right-wing extremism. However, a few apprentices on the level 2 LTMO apprenticeship do not have a sufficiently developed understanding of the potential risks that they may encounter in the workplace and in their home community.

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

Apprentices understand the requirements for their end-point assessment, and trainers support them well to prepare for this. They complete mock tests and practical assessments over the course of the apprenticeship. A high proportion of apprentices remain on their programmes and achieve their qualifications. The proportion of apprentices who successfully complete their apprenticeship has increased significantly during the current year.

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better?

Leaders have a clear strategy to provide apprenticeships in traffic management and associated industries, including LGV and urban vehicle driving. They took over ownership of the provider in July 2024 following a short process due to the previous owner leaving the industry. Leaders have a wealth of experience in traffic 13 to 16 August 2024

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management and have developed a sister company as an end-point assessment organisation to complement the training that they provide. They have streamlined the curriculum to focus solely on LTMO, LGV and urban driving apprenticeships to meet the requirements of the employers with whom they work.

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Leaders and managers work closely with employers to develop the curriculum in response to the employers’ needs. For example, employers have asked them to include developing apprentices’ people management and supervisory skills in the curriculum. Leaders and managers responded positively to this request which has helped apprentices to improve their confidence when liaising with colleagues at work.

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Trainers plan and deliver the curriculum with appropriate content and in a logical order to enable apprentices to develop their knowledge and skills incrementally. They think carefully about apprentices’ job roles and what apprentices need to learn and when. Apprentices on the level 2 LTMO programme begin by learning about health and safety, which is fundamental to what they do to keep themselves and others safe during traffic management activities. They then learn about the equipment that they need to use, how to load and unload it safely and how to install it correctly to meet legal requirements in traffic management.

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Trainers use a range of teaching methods effectively to help apprentices learn. They demonstrate practical activities, break information and instructions into small steps and explain information carefully to help apprentices understand. Trainers recap information from previous sessions to help apprentices remember. For example, trainers on the urban driver apprenticeship recap and repeat training on the importance of why and how to check external and internal tyres on a lorry before moving on to wheel nut checks.

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Trainers use a wide range of assessment methods well to check apprentices’ understanding. They ask questions, mark workbooks and observe apprentices completing practical tasks. Trainers provide apprentices with clear verbal and written feedback to help them improve. On the level 2 LGV driver apprenticeship, trainers ensure that apprentices write accurate responses in their workbooks to questions related to driving theory. Trainers then assess apprentices using an online application to check that they can recall theory. This helps apprentices improve their results in practice test questions over time and prepares them well for the LGV driving theory test.

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Trainers support apprentices effectively to improve their skills in English and mathematics and to gain the qualifications that they need to be successful in their apprenticeship. They use their industry and occupational experience to make learning in English and mathematics relevant to apprentices. Trainers focus their teaching on aspects of the job roles where good English and mathematics skills are essential, such as accurate report writing and stock checking. Employers speak positively about how the development of apprentices’ English and mathematics skills helps in their job roles at work. 13 to 16 August 2024

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Trainers provide appropriate support to the very few apprentices who declare an additional support need. For example, apprentices with dyslexia benefit from support from a scribe and additional time to complete their work. Trainers support apprentices with a hearing difficulty by providing them with auditory aids to help when taking driving theory and hazard perception tests. Leaders and managers rightly recognise that they need to improve further the methods that they use to identify apprentices’ additional needs and are exploring online assessments that they can use to make this improvement.

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Trainers teach apprentices about the importance of embodying and demonstrating fundamental British values when at work and in their daily lives. On the level 2 LTMO programme, apprentices apply the concepts of tolerance and respect when closing motorway exits and dealing with often confused motorists from a range of backgrounds. For example, when motorists encroach into cordoned-off areas on a closed slip road, apprentices deal with drivers respectfully, being mindful to explain why roads are closed for safety purposes.

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Leaders and managers have in place appropriate quality assurance processes that they use to ensure that apprentices receive effective training and assessment. They conduct activities such as observations of training and assessment and audits of apprentices’ work. They use the results of these activities to make improvements in areas such as promotion of British values and accurate recording of progress reviews.

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Staff complete relevant training to update their vocational knowledge through working with a land-based sector awarding body. Leaders support staff by providing time to complete mandatory industry-specific training and maintain fitness for medicals. Trainers are qualified in assessment and receive training in how to improve their training and assessment skills. They have recently completed training to improve their teaching skills. However, trainers do not complete sufficient training in supporting apprentices who are working towards English and mathematics functional skills qualifications.

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Leaders and managers have set up effective arrangements through an advisory board to provide external scrutiny on the quality of education and the progress that apprentices make. External advisory board members have considerable experience in the traffic management and LGV industry. They also have experience of working with the industry awarding body as external quality assessors. Advisory board members use their extensive experience to provide support in curriculum development, advice on the quality of training and scrutiny and challenge the progress that apprentices make.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 13 to 16 August 2024

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that trainers gain English and mathematics knowledge and skills at a level high enough to provide apprentices with effective support up to level 2.  Implement a rigorous approach to identifying apprentices’ additional learning needs.  Ensure that all apprentices develop a sound understanding of the risks of radicalisation and extremism and how these can affect them at work and home. 13 to 16 August 2024

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Provider details

Address Bizspace Ltd Design Works Unit 54 William Street Felling Gateshead NE10 0JP

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Paul Thomson

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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 13 to 16 August 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

Jonny Wright, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Jacquie Brown His Majesty’s Inspector Chloe Rendall His Majesty’s Inspector Cath Jackson Ofsted Inspector 13 to 16 August 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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