Silver Trowel

During the monitoring inspection, inspectors focused on the following themes:

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 leadership and governance - specifically the progress leaders and managers have made in designing and delivering relevant adult learning provision that has a clearly defined purpose, and in identifying and supporting the needs of adult learners

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 inclusion - specifically the progress leaders have made in identifying the needs of individual learners putting suitable support in place, in particular for those who are disadvantaged, those with SEND or high needs, those who are known (or previously known) to social care, and those who may face other barriers to their experiences and opportunities, including those without level 2 English and/or mathematics

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 curriculum, teaching and training - specifically the progress leaders and managers have made in ensuring that learners benefit from high-quality adult education that prepares them well for their intended job role, career aim and/or personal goals

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 safeguarding arrangements - specifically whether leaders and managers have ensured that effective safeguarding arrangements are in place

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Leadership and governance

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Leadership and governance

Leaders work effectively with Hampshire County Council and have thoughtfully and carefully designed a construction Skills Bootcamp course to support adult learners in their current or future careers. They have refined their curriculum offer over time to better meet the needs of their learners and their preparedness for jobs or enhancement of career opportunities. They have moved from a wider construction offer to a plastering focus. This sensibly enables adults to move into a broader range of plastering work and Silver Trowel Unit G6 Glorious Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive, Lee-On-The-Solent PO13 9FX

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monitoring inspection report:

25 and 26 February 2026 Monitoring inspection report: Silver Trowel 25 and 26 February 2026

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employment opportunities or to offer additional services for those that are already self- employed.

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Leaders identify and support adult learners with barriers to learning well. For example, for learners who may face financial or travel difficulties, they provide transport each day so learners are able to attend. Leaders support learners with extreme anxiety through additional one-to-one time and extra support to help them to achieve.

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Leaders provide Skills Bootcamp learners with a learning environment that is well resourced so that they can practise and apply the skills they are learning to prepare for assessments and their future careers.

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Leaders have plans in place for staff to benefit from professional development activities, although currently this is not in place and staff do not yet benefit from focused or targeted training to help them in their roles.

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Inclusion

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Inclusion

Leaders recruit learners with a wide range of needs and interests from their locality. They work well with a range of stakeholders in the community, including probation services, youth hubs and Jobcentre Plus to promote this provision. They are committed to inclusive practices and have established a culture where learners feel confident and comfortable to share their support needs.

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Inclusion

Leaders are sensitive to the needs of their learners and have a good understanding of more subtle indicators of need including lack of confidence or resilience and practical support needs. Together, the team create a nurturing and supportive ethos. Learners appreciate this consistent focus on their wellbeing.

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Inclusion

Leaders’ approach to inclusion is at an early stage, and leaders recognise there is more to do to refine this. Leaders and the staff team are particularly effective in their support for those with anxiety, socio-economic disadvantage, confidence challenges and other vulnerabilities. However, training for staff about additional support needs is not in place. This means that support strategies for learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities is not always consistently in place or as effective as the support for other vulnerabilities. While staff are very supportive to learners, they do not always review intervention strategies for impact.

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Curriculum, teaching and training

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures. Monitoring inspection report: Silver Trowel 25 and 26 February 2026

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Leaders have ensured that their sequencing of the curriculum meets the needs of learners and their intended job role, career aim and personal goals. They start with a detailed insight into health and safety, legislation and practices before moving into elements of practical work which builds over time and is bespoke to learners’ individual progress. Learners develop their knowledge and skills with confidence. They enjoy their learning and value the specialist new knowledge and skills they are developing.

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Learners benefit from very helpful support in the theory and practical workshops. Most trainers check learning with skilled questioning and provide helpful feedback. They reinforce key learning with a clear focus on employment skills. For example, use of technical vocabulary and awareness of the importance of working ‘cleanly’ especially when learners will be working in private homes.

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Trainers provide plentiful specialist advice and prompts to refine and extend learners’ skills and their ability to judge their own plastering work. For example, trainers provide advice and ask questions about next steps between first coat and second coats of plaster, the importance of understanding when is too soon and too late to second coat. Learners become skilled ‘early stage’ plasterers.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Leaders use appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures to keep learners safe, which includes e-safety and health and safety combined with appropriate risk assessments. Leaders follow safer recruitment processes to make sure that the staff they recruit are safe to work with learners.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Leaders make sure staff, including governors are appropriately trained in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty so that they know how to identify signs of concern and record and report appropriately. Staff discuss welfare concerns at weekly meetings so the support that learners need is quickly put in place.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Leaders set high expectations for professional behaviours in the classroom and the workshop. Learners respectfully adhere to these which creates a safe and inclusive learning environment where all feel welcome.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Learners feel safe on site and know how to report any safeguarding concerns they may have. They value the very nurturing and positive ethos and appreciate the care and support from all staff which motivates them to attend well and achieve. They develop a secure understanding of working safely and receive effective prompts to remind them when necessary. Monitoring inspection report: Silver Trowel 25 and 26 February 2026

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About this inspection

Ofsted carries out monitoring inspections to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this monitoring inspection was not to determine grades for any of the evaluation areas set out in the further education and skills inspection toolkit. The purpose was to report on the provider’s progress in relation to the 4 themes set out above.

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About this inspection

Silver Trowel is an independent learning provider in Lee-On-The-Solent, Hampshire. Silver Trowel provides Skills Bootcamps for adults, focused on training for the construction sector. At the time of the monitoring inspection, there were 88 adults at the different stages of the programme. All learners are 19 years of age or older.

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Lead inspector

Jo-Ann Henderson His Majesty’s Inspector

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programmes at time of inspection

Monitoring inspection report: Silver Trowel 25 and 26 February 2026

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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