Wetherby Training Limited

Wetherby Training Limited

Address: Unit 1a, YO26 7QJ Unique reference number (URN): 2772948

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, learners are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect providers for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The provider has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The provider has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have developed an inclusive culture where the needs of all learners, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are fully met. Leaders champion the participation of females in the transport and logistics sector and have supported a significant number of female drivers to achieve and gain employment. However, they do not analyse the progress made by learners from disadvantaged groups thoroughly enough.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify learners’ needs early and plan effective individual training programmes. They ensure that examiners are aware of learners’ needs so that learners receive appropriate examination adaptations. Learners with SEND are given access to audio recordings for theory test questions to aid their understanding. Tutors adapt and modify support successfully. Following assessment, they quicken the pace of training where learners show increased confidence or expertise. Staff are astutely aware of learners’ changing needs. They successfully support learners who witness traumatic events, like fatal road traffic collisions, to reflect on what they have seen and process their experiences.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have recently developed their SEND policy. In addition to the current training they provide on supporting learners with SEND, they plan to offer more specialist training to develop tutors’ skills further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders successfully fulfil their vision to address the shortage of heavy goods vehicle drivers locally and regionally by delivering purposeful Skills Bootcamps. They successfully support disadvantaged adults into employment. Leaders have developed effective partnerships with local employers to support employees to enhance their skills and develop their careers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of their provision. They moderate learners' practice tests and use external examiners' reports to review the effectiveness of teaching and identify gaps in learners’ knowledge and skills. Leaders work swiftly to help tutors improve their skills where needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governing agencies hold leaders to account for providing a safe learning environment, effective teaching and appropriate driving examinations. Leaders are responsive to feedback and act quickly to make improvements to their provision in the minor areas that governing agencies identify. Leaders and staff are experts in the transport and logistics sector. They invest in their tutors and care about their well-being. Leaders ensure that tutors are well trained to understand the professional competencies and legal frameworks that drivers must operate within. Tutors keep their industry knowledge up to date through testing accreditation, workplace visits and trade body conferences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Employers and stakeholders are highly satisfied with the training that learners receive. They are impressed by learners’ driving skills and the standard of their work. Employers find the additional support and aftercare that staff offer very helpful. Tutors willingly deliver refresher training to learners following tests and prior to interviews to boost learners’ confidence and skills further.

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Achievement Strong standard

Learners, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning, consistently make extensive progress from their starting points and achieve very well.

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Achievement Strong standard

Learners develop a thorough and secure understanding of new concepts and demonstrate skills of a very high standard. They expertly apply the technical skills that they learn, such as reversing precisely within the tolerances set for them. Learners develop fluency with technical language so they can communicate effectively with fellow drivers and other professionals. They demonstrate the professional skills and behaviours that they need to maintain and drive large vehicles safely, including how to keep themselves, pedestrians and other road users safe.

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Achievement Strong standard

Learners are very well prepared for their future roles. Those learners who are employed quickly and successfully use their new skills at work. Those who were unemployed at the start of the programme secure employment rapidly on completion.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have created a curriculum that aligns very closely to regional employment priorities. They evaluate the quality of provision accurately. A team of highly skilled tutors expertly plan

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Expected standard

and personalise the curriculum to meet learners’ individual needs. Learners understand the theory underpinning the operation of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), before successfully applying their knowledge when driving and practising manoeuvres on private and public roads.

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Expected standard

Tutors use highly effective teaching and assessment strategies to build and strengthen learners’ knowledge and skills. They use realistic scenarios to test how well learners can apply these in different contexts, such as vehicle loading, maintenance and load security. Tutors teach mnemonics to help learners recall quickly critical processes, such as coupling and uncoupling a trailer from a tractor unit. They explain and demonstrate concepts very clearly. Tutors adapt their approach very effectively to support learners who need extra help. They use visual prompts and hand gestures to teach manoeuvres to learners with dyslexia.

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Expected standard

Tutors teach beyond the competency requirements of driving tests, so that learners are confident and highly proficient in the practical skills they need to drive HGVs. They train learners to navigate and refuel in busy service areas, perform complex parking manoeuvres and manage adverse weather conditions.

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Expected standard

Tutors ensure that learners develop relevant English, mathematical and digital skills. Learners can calculate braking distances in different weather conditions and parking tolerances when reversing. They know to use appropriate terminology, such as ‘correct’ instead of ‘right’ to avoid any ambiguity when communicating with others.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors successfully develop learners’ confidence and resilience. Their patient and empathetic approach motivates learners and fosters a positive mindset. As a result, learners understand the importance of making mistakes and using failure as an opportunity for growth.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors set high standards for behaviour and conduct so that learners can train safely and with focus. They teach learners the risks posed by drug and alcohol consumption and the importance of prioritising well-being, particularly when working alone. Learners have a sound understanding of fundamental British values and the role they play in promoting public safety. They understand the importance of keeping their vehicle secure by removing keys, conducting walkarounds and checking for contraband.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders ensure that learners receive appropriate guidance for their next steps. They help learners to prepare job applications and find suitable employment opportunities. Tutors offer additional refresher training at no cost to learners to help them refresh their skills or prepare for interviews. Leaders understand the pressures facing adult learners to balance the demands of training alongside their work and personal lives. They work flexibly with learners to plan training around their commitments to ensure that attendance is high.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners enjoy their training and are highly motivated to attend. Tutors create a welcoming and nurturing training environment where learners, including those who are disadvantaged, overcome personal challenges and develop in confidence and ability. Learners are proud of their development of new skills and are well prepared for work.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners receive high-quality training and significant opportunities to practise their skills. They master new driving techniques and are very well prepared for driving examinations. Learners develop their theoretical knowledge for the transport and logistics sector, which enables them to quickly pass their driving theory tests.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Leaders use their strong and well-established relationships with employers to support learners quickly to enter employment after training. Learners benefit from job security through gaining permanent job roles, which helps them significantly in their personal and family lives. Those already in employment quickly advance their careers by progressing from warehouse operatives to drivers in the companies in which they work.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners receive effective support with their personal development beyond their skills training. They discuss the stigma that exists around mental health, particularly for men, in the sectors they may work, such as farming or logistics. Tutors explain why mental resilience and physical stamina are vital when learners are faced with the realities of working long hours and frequent lone working. Learners understand the importance of diet and sleep for mental alertness when driving for work.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners know where to seek support should they need it and how to report a concern. They know about the risks of extremist behaviour and understand that their vehicles may be targeted to be used as a weapon. Learners develop their understanding of human trafficking and have a heightened awareness of how to protect themselves and their vehicles from being used to transport people illegally when working internationally.

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Next steps

• Leaders should analyse more thoroughly the progress of learners, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to measure fully the impact of the curriculum and the training that they receive. • Leaders should provide tutors with additional specialist training to develop further their knowledge in supporting learners with SEND.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with leaders, staff, tutors, learners and stakeholders during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider: Wetherby Training Limited began offering commercial heavy goods vehicle, forklift truck, driver certificate of professional competence and a range of other vehicle training courses in 2020. Since January 2025, it has held a contract with the Mayoral Combined Authority to deliver adult Skills Bootcamps. The provider operates from a base in Tockwith, North Yorkshire.

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About this inspection

At the time of inspection, there were 23 adult learners on courses in HGV driving. Learners were either unemployed and looking to gain employment or employed and looking to develop their skills for work.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standards expected of them.

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Expected standard

The provider is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standards set out in statutory and non-statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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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Urgent improvement

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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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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