Trade Techs (Northern) Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Trade Techs (Northern) Limited

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Trade Techs (Northern) Limited offers free courses for jobs for adult learners who do not have level 3 qualifications. Courses are funded by the Tees Valley Combined Authority. At the time of inspection, there were 25 learners on a level 3 NVQ diploma in accessing operations and rigging (construction) – scaffolding and offshore scaffolding. All learners are employed and live in the Tees Valley area, with a few working offshore or on construction sites across the country. 15 to 17 October 2024

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

Learners have positive attitudes to their training and are committed to their jobs. They value their practical training, attend the practical workshops well and successfully complete this aspect of their course. They appreciate the opportunity to gain a scaffolding qualification that enables them to provide evidence of new skills so that they can progress with their careers. However, too many learners do not attend their theory sessions well enough, which often slows their progress in developing new knowledge.

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

Learners develop a good understanding of fundamental British values. Tutors hold topical discussions with learners, such as the impact that the recent riots in the region had on the wider community and economy. Learners work together respectfully and tolerantly, and understand the importance of the rule of law linked to legislation in the workplace.

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

Tutors have meaningful discussions with learners about their career prospects and the wider opportunities in the construction sector. Learners develop a good understanding of the careers available to them on completion of the course. Almost all learners consider promotion into supervisory roles and higher paid positions, such as working offshore or on large national construction projects.

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

Learners benefit from helpful guidance on how to look after their mental health and well-being. They are provided with online resources and access to local support groups such as ‘mates in mind’, a mental health support agency bespoke to the construction industry.

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

Tutors successfully develop learners’ written communication and mathematical skills in the context of their job roles. For example, learners are taught how to take note of faults accurately when completing risk assessments for a job. They learn how to calculate a cantilever equation and how to find an angle using a band and plate coupler. As a result, learners use their English and mathematics skills with greater confidence in the workplace.

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better?

Leaders have a clear intent to support adult learners to progress with their careers in the construction industry. They work in partnership with local stakeholders and employers to design a curriculum that is responsive to the local skills priorities, such as the development of the Teesworks freeport and the increased requirement for housing in the region. Employers value the scaffolding programme because it enables them to upskill their employees and address the concern of an aging workforce.

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better?

Leaders and managers do not have a clear enough oversight of the programmes that they provide. They do not analyse or use data about workplace visits and learners’ progress and destinations effectively. This means that they do not have 15 to 17 October 2024

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information to enable them to make improvements where needed. Managers do not discuss with tutors in sufficient depth or early enough in the programme how well learners are progressing. Therefore, they cannot identify accurately those learners at risk of falling behind.

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Leaders and managers do not set clear enough expectations for learners’ attendance and do not ensure that learners consistently attend all aspects of their programme. Staff do not plan precisely enough the sessions that learners should attend or involve employers well enough to encourage attendance. Managers are unclear which learners work offshore at any given time and are unable to plan effective programmes for these learners.

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Tutors teach topics beyond those required for the qualification to develop learners’ skills in areas such as shoring and temporary roof scaffolds, which employers value. Learners benefit from industry recognition through, for example, gaining the construction industry scaffolders record scheme (CISRS) card that is required on most construction sites. Tutors revisit learners’ health and safety knowledge and teach current health and safety standards to ensure that learners are up to date with new legislation. As a result, learners improve their knowledge and understand current health and safety requirements that they need to apply as a supervisor.

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Managers have reviewed the delivery of the curriculum for recently recruited learners to enable learners to become qualified to work as advanced scaffolders. They have also recruited new tutors with appropriate experience and expertise. New tutors sequence the curriculum logically to cover key theoretical topics, such as how to construct overhead and cantilever scaffolds, health and safety and relationships at work. They ensure that learners understand underpinning knowledge before teaching the methods that support existing scaffolding structures, such as false work and shoring. Learners apply their knowledge in practical training at a specialist facility before practising their skills in the workplace.

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Learners who started the course prior to March 2024 did not experience a well- planned curriculum. Tutors provided limited teaching and relied solely on workplace mentors to provide learners with the required knowledge and skills. As a result, these learners made slow progress in developing new knowledge and skills, and some have not yet gained their CISRS card.

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Learners benefit from useful and supportive on-site training from colleagues in the workplace that helps them to develop fluency in their technical knowledge and skills. They work alongside advanced scaffolders to interpret drawings and erect complex scaffolds such as temporary ‘dead shore’ scaffolds to support the safety and stability of structures. Learners complete additional employer-led training to complement their knowledge and skills, such as working at height and safe evacuation processes. As a result, learners strengthen their basic scaffolding skills and develop new knowledge and skills which they can use as an advanced scaffolder. 15 to 17 October 2024

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Tutors do not set precise enough targets in progress reviews or consider learners’ progress beyond the completion of qualification criteria. They do not routinely involve employers in reviews to enable them to support learners fully to develop their skills at work. Leaders have recently introduced professional discussions and employer witness statements so they can review more effectively learners’ understanding of complex scaffolding systems and their retention of knowledge and skills.

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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 oversight of the quality of provision and use of data to highlight concerns and swiftly intervene to address concerns, including those relating to attendance and the quality of teaching and assessment.  Set high ambitions and clear expectations for learners’ attendance to ensure that attendance rates improve.  Further embed the new approach to teaching and assessment to ensure that all learners receive a good quality of education.  Ensure that tutors work closely with employers to review attendance and the progress that learners make in the development of new knowledge and skills, and set precise targets that identify clearly what learners need to do to improve. 15 to 17 October 2024

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Provider details

Address Unit 14F Queensway House Queensway Middlesbrough TS3 8TF

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 15 to 17 October 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the 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

Sarah Lonsdale, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Alison Dennis His Majesty’s Inspector Steve Hunsley Ofsted Inspector 15 to 17 October 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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