KMF Precision Sheet Metal Limited

KMF Precision Sheet Metal Limited

Address: Millennium Way, High Carr Business Park, Newcastle, ST5 7UF Unique reference number (URN): 2528803

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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 identify apprentices’ individual needs appropriately through clear, established processes. Staff receive useful guidance and share information consistently, which ensures that support is, in nearly all cases, timely and well targeted. When new needs emerge, staff respond and adapt the support they offer so that it remains appropriate and effective for those apprentices facing barriers to learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing through considerate actions. For example, they thoughtfully adapt work conditions and shift patterns for apprentices experiencing hardship or ill health. This support removes barriers effectively and enables apprentices to participate fully and thrive in their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders monitor the support that they provide and apprentices’ progress closely. They check that staff understand and implement adjustments correctly and review the impact of support using staff insight and apprentice feedback. This helps leaders to refine interventions and strengthen their effectiveness in most cases.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders train staff suitably so that they can identify apprentices’ emerging needs. They recognise the value of strengthening this professional learning further so that staff feel more confident in offering a wider, more proactive range of support for apprentices who face barriers to learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the provision. They use well ‑ established quality processes to identify weaknesses precisely and act on them quickly. For example, they know that a small number of apprentices do not yet benefit from timely workplace learning and have established plans to remedy this.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors share a coherent and ambitious vision that reflects local, regional and national skills priorities. They design curriculums that develop the technical skills required by key industries, including the food technology and electrical sectors. Their clear purpose leads to sustained employment for apprentices and the development of valuable skills over time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors hold leaders to account effectively. Leaders provide governors with clear, timely information that enables constructive challenge and informed decision ‑ making. Governors contribute meaningfully to strategic direction and support leaders extensively. Leaders and governors make decisions that place apprentices’ interests at the centre of their work, ensuring that apprentices receive timely support and experience a sense of belonging. For example, they resource the curriculum with state ‑ of ‑ the ‑ art machinery and technology. This serves to substantially enrich apprentices’ learning experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders take purposeful actions to develop the skills of their staff. Professional learning programmes are structured well and, in most cases, build expertise. However, leaders do not yet ensure that staff benefit from highly tailored development that strengthens trainers’ pedagogical knowledge and skills to a consistently high standard.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders monitor staff wellbeing and manage workload with care. Staff feel valued, respected and supported because leaders set fair and achievable expectations.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices achieve very well. They make rapid and sustained progress from often very low starting points. Many begin with no engineering experience, yet quickly gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to work confidently in the sector.

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Achievement Strong standard

The quality of apprentices’ work is consistently excellent. Apprentices produce workplace articles that demonstrate mastery of complex engineering principles and are of a high professional standard.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices build advanced technical and mathematical skills at pace. They rapidly progress to completing complex welds and programming machinery, and manipulating sheet metal with fluidity and high competency. They routinely apply mathematical concepts such as calculating resistivity and use 2D and 3D modelling software with confidence.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices are very well prepared for their next steps. The vast majority complete their studies and secure sustained employment, and many progress quickly into roles with greater responsibility. They leave their learning fully equipped for further study and long ‑ term career success.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders set very high expectations for apprentices’ professional behaviour, attendance and participation. Apprentices consistently meet these standards throughout their studies. They attend extremely well, engage enthusiastically in learning and show mature attitudes towards both their work and study. Apprentices from all backgrounds thrive in an inclusive environment where they feel valued and respected, and develop a strong sense of belonging.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities that build apprentices’ confidence and independence. For example, apprentices take part in outward ‑ bound activities such as rock climbing and kayaking. They also contribute positively to their communities by volunteering in local schools and supporting charity events. These experiences strengthen communication and teamwork skills and significantly enhance apprentices’ confidence and self ‑ belief.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Trainers teach apprentices effectively about the risks of radicalisation and extremism. Apprentices can identify key warning signs and know clearly how to report any concerns.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Staff offer well ‑ tailored careers advice and guidance that helps apprentices understand the opportunities available to them after their studies. They work closely with apprentices to explore their aspirations and provide well ‑ judged advice on the steps needed to achieve their goals.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and trainers implement curriculums that directly meet local and national skills needs. They plan curriculums carefully so that they focus on the skills that the advanced engineering and manufacturing sector urgently requires. As a result, apprentices develop the essential practical skills they need to succeed in the workplace.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers are advanced engineering and manufacturing experts. They use their vocational expertise to help apprentices build their knowledge and skills over time. For example, trainers demonstrate excellently the machining and sheet-metal manipulation skills that apprentices require.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers plan and teach the curriculum logically and appropriately so that apprentices build securely on their prior knowledge over time. In computer ‑ aided design, apprentices first learn how software functions to create simple shapes. Trainers then introduce more advanced software principles and commands, enabling apprentices to design more complex components using a range of tools. Finally, apprentices learn to apply geometry accurately to produce high ‑ quality drawing templates.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers provide apprentices with clear and constructive feedback that helps them understand exactly how to improve their work. This enables apprentices to refine their skills and produce work of a higher quality.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff coordinate apprentices' on- and off-the-job training well in most cases. Staff identify opportunities for apprentices to practise what they learn in the classroom within the workplace. However, in a few cases, apprentices wait too long for these opportunities to reinforce and apply their skills at work.

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

Apprentices enjoy their training and feel positive about their futures. They are highly motivated, attend well and make rapid progress from their starting points. They quickly develop high ‑ quality engineering skills, produce professional ‑ standard work and almost all successfully complete their programmes. Employers value them highly because they demonstrate strong technical ability and professional conduct.

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

Apprentices grow in confidence as they master new skills and take pride in the high ‑ quality work they produce. They develop wider personal skills through outward ‑ bound activities, volunteering and team ‑ building experiences, which further strengthen their confidence, resilience and self ‑ belief. By the end of their training, they move seamlessly into sustained employment and feel very well prepared for their next steps. They are ambitious and clear about their future goals.

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

Apprentices learn how to maintain healthy lifestyles and positive relationships. They understand the risks they may face in everyday life and benefit from teaching that helps them avoid these risks. For example, they learn about the dangers of gambling and the importance of managing money well. As a result, apprentices become increasingly independent and self ‑ assured.

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

Apprentices benefit from a welcoming and respectful culture that helps them settle quickly and feel a genuine sense of belonging. They feel safe, respected and included, and they trust staff to respond quickly and effectively to any concerns about behaviour, bullying or harassment.

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

Skilled staff identify barriers to learning quickly and put simple, effective support in place. As a result, apprentices stay on track, achieve highly, feel well supported and continue to make progress throughout their studies.

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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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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that apprentices receive timely and sufficient opportunities to practise newly learned skills in the workplace, so that learning from the classroom is consistently reinforced. • Leaders should strengthen professional learning opportunities so that staff can further develop their teaching skills and deliver consistently high ‑ quality training. • Leaders should broaden the range of staff training available so that staff are better equipped to provide effective support for apprentices who face a wide variety of learning barriers and support needs.

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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 the managing director, people and culture manager, governors, training staff and apprentices during the inspection.

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About this inspection

KMF Precision Sheet Metal Limited is a large manufacturer of precision sheet metal components based in the north of Staffordshire. At the time of the inspection, there were 26 apprentices in learning. Of these, 20 were studying the level 3 metal fabricator apprenticeship, with the remainder studying either the level 2 engineering and manufacturing foundation apprenticeship or the level 3 machining technician apprenticeship. There were 16 apprentices aged under 19.

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About this inspection

Managing Director: Gareth Higgins This data is from 27 January 2026

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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 standard 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 standard 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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