Alt Valley Community Trust

Elevate Knowledge Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection dates: 23 and 24 October 2024

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 18 Hammond Avenue Whitehill Industrial Estate South Reddish Stockport SK4 1PQ Monitoring visit: Elevated Knowledge Limited, 23 and 24 October 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Elevated Knowledge Limited was inspected in October 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

Elevated Knowledge Limited (EKL) is a national training provider based in Stockport. EKL specialises in training for the lift and escalator industry and the engineering sector. Most apprentices work in the North West of England for local and national engineering and lift and escalator companies. At the time of the monitoring visit, EKL had 182 apprentices in learning. Almost all apprentices study at level 3, with the largest enrolments on lift and escalator electromechanics and, maintenance and operations engineering technician apprenticeships. The remaining apprentices study a range of engineering and lift electromechanics apprenticeships at levels 2 and 3. Forty-two apprentices are aged 18 or below.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have recently put processes in place to ensure that there is a consistent approach to using the information gathered about what apprentices know and can do at the start of the apprenticeship. Leaders now make sure that apprentices complete a comprehensive assessment of their current knowledge and skills. These assessments are closely aligned to the knowledge, skills and behaviours of each apprenticeship standard. Training advisors (TAs) and instructors use this information to plan each apprentice’s individual programme of learning. TAs and instructors routinely monitor apprentices’ progress from their starting points during reviews of apprentices’ progress. Most apprentices are on target to achieve their apprenticeships on time.

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Reasonable progress

For new apprentices who already have prior experience or knowledge of engineering or lift and escalator electromechanics, instructors carry out a range of activities in the practical workshops so that they can accurately assess apprentices’ knowledge and skills. Once instructors determine what apprentices can already do and what they need to learn, they provide these apprentices with appropriate extension tasks that challenge them to demonstrate higher-level skills. For example, tasks such as using a tee slot cleaner, mechanical fastening plate, drill drift, and tap wrench precisely and competently. Apprentices work to a higher tolerance and demonstrate higher-level Monitoring visit: Elevated Knowledge Limited, 23 and 24 October 2024 skills when using drawing specifications that include first- and third-degree angle projections.

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Reasonable progress

Most TAs and instructors continue to provide effective oral and written feedback to apprentices so that they improve the quality of their work.

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Reasonable progress

Following the previous inspection, leaders undertook a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of feedback to apprentices. They carried out a range of activities such as reviewing the quality of apprentices’ work, and the feedback provided in apprentices’ reviews of progress and on written and practical tasks. Leaders visited classroom and workshop sessions to listen to the feedback that instructors give to apprentices. From these activities, they identified TAs and instructors who needed further support such as training and working with peer mentors to help them to improve the quality of feedback that they provide to apprentices. This supportive approach has resulted in improvements to the written and oral feedback that apprentices receive.

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Reasonable progress

Most instructors now use a range of effective strategies to check and consolidate apprentices’ learning. They use methods such as quizzes, discussions, and activities in the classroom environment to test apprentices’ knowledge and skills.

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Reasonable progress

Most instructors use effective questioning techniques to check what apprentices know and what gaps they have in their knowledge. They ask questions to elicit deeper knowledge, for instance about the differences in symbols used in engineering. Instructors direct questions to individual apprentices to make sure that they identify any gaps in apprentices’ knowledge. Most apprentices can, for example accurately recall aspects of programmable logic controllers (PLCs), such as optic isolator, typical plc, input terminals to a modular plc, modular plc, and rack mounted plc. Monitoring visit: Elevated Knowledge Limited, 23 and 24 October 2024

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have very recently implemented an electronic careers advice and guidance information platform that provides apprentices with technical advice and guidance about careers in the engineering, and lift and escalator electromechanics sectors. Apprentices have started to use the careers platform, but it is too soon to measure how effective this is in helping apprentices make informed decisions about their next steps in employment, education and training.

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Reasonable progress

TAs and instructors discuss the wide career options open to engineering, and lift and escalator electromechanics apprentices. Apprentices know what career opportunities are available to them, such as in the petrochemical, aerospace, civil, construction and defence sectors. Most apprentices are clear about their next steps to becoming supervisors or more highly qualified in their specialist sectors. Apprentices often take on extra responsibilities with their employer such as assembly and service engineers in specialised engineering companies, and maintenance engineers on shift systems.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have been too slow to improve the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. The quality assurance and quality improvement processes such as self-assessment are weak and do not help leaders make the necessary and rapid improvements to the quality of education. Improvements have been made to a few weaknesses such as written feedback to apprentices, following assessment and planning training based on what apprentices know and can do. Leaders have not carefully considered the prioritisation of actions for improvement. For example, the provision of careers guidance has been a recurring weakness since EKL’s first inspection in September 2021, but leaders have only recently dealt with this. Leaders do not evaluate the effectiveness of improvement actions well enough.

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Insufficient progress

Managers’ observations of TAs’ and instructors’ teaching do not help TAs and instructors to improve their teaching. Leaders do not ensure that managers are trained adequately to observe and report on the quality of training that apprentices receive. Observations of teaching do not focus sufficiently on teaching and learning or how apprentices apply their learning in practical workshops. Observers’ written feedback to TAs and instructors is brief and does not provide a clear, evaluative overview of the quality of teaching or the knowledge and skills that apprentices Monitoring visit: Elevated Knowledge Limited, 23 and 24 October 2024 develop. Action points from observations do not align with the key improvements identified. TAs and instructors do not benefit from personalised action plans that help them know what they need to improve or how to do this.

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Insufficient progress

Board members have not challenged leaders about their actions for improvement quickly or effectively enough. Leaders still do not provide the board with sufficiently detailed reports about the quality of education. The board has only very recently requested further detail in reports. Board members have failed in their responsibilities in supporting and challenging leaders to improve. Monitoring visit: Elevated Knowledge Limited, 23 and 24 October 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

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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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