Fullagar Construction Skills Centre Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Fullagar Construction Skills Centre Ltd

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Fullagar Construction Skills Centre Ltd (FCSC), is an independent learning provider based in St Helens, Merseyside. FCSC provides training to apprentices in floor laying. At the time of the inspection, there were 37 apprentices following the level 2 floorlayer apprenticeship. Nine apprentices were aged under 19 years old.

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Information about this provider

Apprentices work for specialist floor laying or facilities management companies based across the north of England. Apprentices attend the training centre for four- day block periods throughout the year. FCSC also provides commercial training in floor laying and other construction-related courses. This commercial training was out of scope for this inspection. 25 to 27 March 2025

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

Apprentices are proud of the skills they gain, which helps them to become successful at work. They safely and accurately cut vinyl and carpets and make internal and external welded joints. Most apprentices, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, remain in learning and almost all achieve their apprenticeship. However, apprentices are not provided with useful feedback or challenging targets by their tutors to help them achieve the highest possible grades that they are capable of in their apprenticeship.

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

Apprentices improve their confidence as they progress through their apprenticeship. They speak to colleagues and customers in a professional and courteous manner about the jobs they are doing.

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

Most apprentices are professional, articulate and respectful. They display positive attitudes to learning. Apprentices regularly attend their training at the centre, which contributes to them gaining the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to be competent, skilled floor layers.

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

Most apprentices are aware of local risks posed to themselves near where they work and live. However, most apprentices do not have a deep understanding about the risks associated with extremism and radicalisation or the signs that may alert them to be concerned about someone.

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

Apprentices feel safe and know who to contact should they have any concerns.

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better?

Leaders have not yet fully rectified all of the areas for improvement identified in the new provider monitoring visit. They do not place sufficient priority on the development of tutors’ teaching skills. As a result, tutors do not use assessment well enough. Tutors do not ask sufficiently probing questions in order to check what apprentices remember. This means that they do not know where apprentices’ gaps in learning are so as to help them gain the best possible grades in their assessments.

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better?

The quality of the feedback that tutors give to apprentices requires improvement. Tutors’ feedback on written work is congratulatory and cursory and does not tell apprentices specifically what they need to do to improve the quality of their written work. They do not focus sufficiently on the development of apprentices’ skills and behaviours in progress reviews. Tutors do not set apprentices targets that challenge them to achieve their full potential. Too few apprentices achieve distinction grades in their final assessments.

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better?

Leaders do not have sufficient oversight of the quality of the provision. Their analysis and use of information and data are underdeveloped. For example, they do not gather data on the destinations of apprentices or analyse the feedback they 25 to 27 March 2025

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receive from employers to make improvements to the quality of education that apprentices receive.

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Most apprentices know what they want to do next through discussions with their tutors. However, too many apprentices do not know the full range of options available to them beyond their apprenticeship.

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Leaders have planned an appropriately sequenced curriculum that makes sure apprentices build their knowledge, skills and behaviours as they progress on the programme. For example, apprentices first learn about health and safety before they use a range of tools such as knives, welders and hammers. Finally, apprentices learn the more complex aspects of floor laying, such as cap and cove and screeding using spike rollers.

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Apprentices benefit from a wider personal development curriculum. Most apprentices know about fundamental British values and how they relate to their lives, such as the importance of adhering to regulations, for example the control of substances hazardous to health. Apprentices gain a deep understanding of the importance of health and safety when working in the industry. They are aware of the risks when working with asbestos and the use of correct personal protective equipment to keep them healthy and safe.

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Tutors have appropriate industry-related experience to teach floor laying skills to apprentices. Leaders provide tutors with useful professional development to ensure that they update their industry skills and knowledge. For example, tutors attend trade shows and receive updates from suppliers on new products and how to use them. Most tutors remain employed within the industry. As a result, they gain up-to- date knowledge and skills in floor laying, which they use when working with apprentices in the training centre.

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In practical workshop sessions, tutors do provide useful oral feedback to apprentices, which helps them to fine tune their techniques and swiftly advance their floor laying skills.

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Since the new provider monitoring visit, leaders have put in place functional skills support for all apprentices. Apprentices who are required to achieve these qualifications to complete their end-point assessment now do so well and in the planned time. Apprentices apply their mathematical knowledge during practical workshop sessions successfully. For instance, apprentices measure vinyl accurately before cutting and check their measurements carefully to avoid wastage and reduce costs at work.

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Employers value the contributions that apprentices make at work. Apprentices become trusted members of their teams at work. The apprenticeship meets employers’ needs for skilled floor layers. 25 to 27 March 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Provide useful feedback and set suitable targets so that apprentices improve the quality of their work.  Provide a personal development curriculum for apprentices that includes unbiased careers advice and guidance so that apprentices know what options are available to them beyond their apprenticeship.  Improve quality assurance processes so that leaders gain an accurate oversight, and put in place appropriate actions, to improve the quality of education apprentices receive. 25 to 27 March 2025

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Provider details

Address Unit 14 Lea Green Business Park, Eurolink St. Helens Merseyside WA9 4TR

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Provider details

Website www.constructionskillscentre.co.uk

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Maurice Fullagar

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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 n/a 25 to 27 March 2025

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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 new provider monitoring visit 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

Elaine Price, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Kim Bleasdale His Majesty’s Inspector 25 to 27 March 2025

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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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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