Peterborough Environment City Trust

Peterborough Environment City Trust Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Georgina Ager, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Ham Lane House Ham Lane Peterborough PE2 5UU Monitoring visit: Peterborough Environment City Trust, 6 and 7 February 2025

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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

Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) is a charity in Peterborough. Leaders started offering Skills Bootcamps in environmental sustainability in March 2024. They offer these for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and Leicester City Council. At the time of the visit, 31 learners studied on Skills Bootcamps. Leaders subcontract parts of the teaching and support for learners to another charity, Change Agents UK. PECT teaches the environmental management parts of the Skills Bootcamps. Change Agents UK teaches the sustainability and carbon literacy elements of the course. They also provide careers support to learners. All teaching and support are online.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established Skills Bootcamps to develop the leadership skills of environmental sustainability required in a wide range of different job roles. Learners value highly the opportunity to achieve accredited environmental qualifications. These enhance learners’ employment and future career prospects.

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Reasonable progress

Staff have considerable technical expertise in environmental management and sustainability. Staff undertake extensive technical training to keep their sector skills up to date. However, leaders do not provide professional development to improve their teaching skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a good understanding of the quality of training and support learners receive. Leaders make changes swiftly in response to their quality assurance activities. Following learner feedback, leaders now invite industry professionals and alumni to visit lessons to talk about their job roles. This informs learners of the widely differing career pathways they can take.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have effective oversight of the subcontracted elements of their Skills Bootcamps. They have a strong and long-established relationship with Monitoring visit: Peterborough Environment City Trust, 6 and 7 February 2025 their subcontractor. Leaders have drawn on both organisations’ areas of expertise when designing the Skills Bootcamps. This close partnership ensures that learners on the Skills Bootcamps benefit from continual high-quality support.

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Reasonable progress

Trustees do not receive sufficient information from leaders to assure themselves of the quality of the training learners receive. When deciding to offer Skills Bootcamps in environmental sustainability, trustees ensured that this met the ethos of PECT to protect and enhance the environment. They ensure that Skills Bootcamps are sufficiently resourced.

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Reasonable progress

Learners benefit from high-quality training lessons. Trainers use their expertise effectively to give informative introductions to topics. They skilfully manage learning activities, where learners share their experiences and learn how different companies work. Learners gain considerable new knowledge and skills. They understand about carbon footprints and the laws relating to sustainability. They understand better what a carbon zero strategy is. They feel more confident when applying their new knowledge to different situations.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers carefully consider what learners know already when planning activities and lessons. Trainers use scenarios from industries and businesses that learners are unfamiliar with. Learners practise applying new knowledge to different businesses and challenges. This helps to develop their analytical skills. They understand how to approach different challenges as a sustainability professional.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers skilfully check learners’ understanding of new theories and concepts in lessons. Trainers use multiple choice quizzes, directed questioning and discussions effectively, checking that learners have understood the concepts taught. Trainers support learners effectively if they fall behind or miss a lesson. They have additional helpful lessons with their trainers where they can ask questions. This helps them understand concepts that they have missed. However, trainers do not monitor closely how individual learners are developing their knowledge across all parts of the Skills Bootcamps.

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Reasonable progress

Staff support learners effectively with their efforts to secure new job roles. Staff complete mock interviews with learners and provide feedback. Learners understand better the wide range of areas where sustainability jobs exist. Most learners achieve the accredited parts of their course. Of the few learners who enrolled in the wave four Skills Bootcamps, almost half of the learners achieved positive outcomes. Most of these learners secured new relevant job roles. Monitoring visit: Peterborough Environment City Trust, 6 and 7 February 2025

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have ensured that safeguarding leads and staff have been suitably trained. There are appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

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Reasonable progress

Learners value the welcoming and safe online learning environment at PECT. Most learners understand the challenges of extreme and radical views in the environmental sector. They consider these when looking at a values-based approach to environmentally sustainable leadership. However, too few learners are aware of the wider risks of radicalisation in the areas in which they live and work. Monitoring visit: Peterborough Environment City Trust, 6 and 7 February 2025 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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Reasonable progress

children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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