OnPointTrac

OnPointTrac

Address: Unit Q Mosspark, Dairy Farm Road, Rainford, St Helens, WA11 7JH Unique reference number (URN): 2761332

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have created a welcoming and inclusive environment for learners to complete their construction Skills Bootcamp. Managers and trainers take time to get to know their learners and understand their motivations and aspirations for applying for the course.

p.2

Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have developed an individualised learning plan that all learners complete at the start of their Skills Bootcamp. This encourages learners to identify their strengths, areas for development and potential support requirements. However, trainers rarely use or review this plan and do not adapt their training sufficiently for individual learners. Learners who need support with English and mathematics do not consistently receive help from trainers to improve these skills.

p.2

Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have not ensured that trainers have an adequate understanding of learners' special educational needs and/or disabilities. Managers are aware of this and have begun developing a series of workshops to improve trainers' understanding and teaching practice.

p.2

Inclusion Needs attention

Managers have recently begun to ensure that appropriate adjustments and adaptations are in place before learners complete their written competency tests. This includes providing learners with extra time or mentors to assist with reading and comprehension.

p.2

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have worked closely with Liverpool City Region combined authority to develop Skills Bootcamps that enable unemployed adults to gain and sustain employment. They have actively collaborated with local construction companies to enable learners to enter the construction industry and gain the skills to fill much needed vacancies.

p.2

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Although managers are passionate about the success of their learners, they do not have a clear understanding of the provision’s strengths and areas for development. They have strategic action plans in place, but some of these lack precision and detail. Despite this, managers have ensured that, in a period of change, learners’ achievement has remained high, with the majority of learners gaining industry recognised qualifications and progressing to paid employment.

p.2

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders and those responsible for governance do not have sufficient oversight of the provision and do not adequately provide managers with support or challenge to ensure that courses are of high quality. Although leaders have invested in heavy plant machinery to enable learners to gain valuable industry related skills, some learning environments need updating.

p.2

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have begun establishing a board of advisers to support managers in developing the curriculum and overseeing quality. However, this development has not progressed quickly enough. Managers currently rely too heavily on feedback from awarding bodies, which focuses on trainers’ specific industry related competencies rather than on improving teaching. Leaders have recently developed a professional learning programme to ensure that all trainers develop their teaching practice. However, it is too early to assess the impact of this work.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Learners make substantial progress from their starting points, as many have not previously worked in the construction sector. They develop practical skills to operate large industrial machinery and gain industry recognised qualifications.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Learners complete their level 1 award in construction health and safety and obtain their Construction Skills Certification Scheme card. They also achieve additional qualifications that prepare them for work on site. These include telescopic handler training and plant machinery marshal awards. As learners progress through their course, they demonstrate competence in working with others and using heavy plant machinery safely.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

In their assessments, learners often achieve their competency tests at their first attempt and leave the programme as qualified, multi-skilled construction workers. Most learners confidently apply for new roles and gain employment quickly.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed curriculums that meet regional priorities in construction. They have worked in collaboration with Liverpool City Region combined authority to develop specialised construction Skills Bootcamps.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed a comprehensive curriculum that equips learners with a wide range of skills and experiences, which enable them to gain employment in the construction industry. Trainers sequence learning well, so learners progress from having little or no knowledge and experience to becoming competent operators of plant machinery. Leaders have a limited understanding of the quality of the training that learners receive and are over-reliant on spot checks by external awarding bodies. As a result, they do not know if the quality of teaching is consistently high or how to bring about improvements.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Trainers use a range of strategies to teach learners to develop new knowledge and skills. They carefully explain safe working practices and the layout and controls of vehicles in the training centre. Trainers provide continuous verbal feedback to learners while they operate machinery, which learners use to quickly rectify their mistakes. Learners practise their skills in specially controlled environments, enabling them to use plant machinery with confidence.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Although trainers develop learners’ technical vocabulary, they do not support them well enough to develop their written English skills.

p.4

Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders and managers support learners’ wellbeing by promoting men’s mental health and encouraging open conversations. Managers are mental health first aiders and offer one-to- one support when needed.

p.4

Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders have high expectations for learners’ attendance, participation and behaviour in lessons. However, they do not routinely reinforce these standards beyond the classroom. As a result, some learners ignore their responsibilities in shared spaces. For example, some do not clean up after themselves and track mud into buildings without cleaning their boots.

p.4

Participation and development Needs attention

Learners respect their peers and trainers. Staff encourage learners to treat everyone equally, regardless of their background. Learners know how to identify the signs of bullying and harassment.

p.4

Participation and development Needs attention

Trainers introduce British values at the start of the course and promote mutual respect and tolerance. However, staff rarely revisit or contextualise these in their training. As a result, learners struggle to apply these values to sector-specific situations in the construction industry.

p.4

Participation and development Needs attention

Trainers do not routinely provide learners with structured careers guidance that develops their understanding of further training and the wider career opportunities available to them. However, they have established a partnership with an employment agency that helps learners apply for jobs on completing their Skills Bootcamp.

p.4

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

Learners enjoy participating in their construction Skills Bootcamp and benefit from their trainers' experience and technical expertise. Almost all learners who complete their course achieve industry recognised qualifications.

p.4

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

Learners use diggers and excavators and gain confidence in their abilities to drive and manoeuvre large machinery. In most cases, those who complete their Skills Bootcamp gain employment shortly after completing their programme.

p.4

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

Trainers teach learners in small groups and individually, which helps learners to develop positive relationships. However, although trainers have sound industry knowledge and experience, they lack the training to develop learning strategies for individuals with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.5

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

Trainers gradually build on learners’ skills and knowledge so that learners progress from novices to competent operators of plant machinery. Learners develop their technical knowledge of complex equipment and its safe use. They confidently demonstrate their ability to operate machines while performing tasks, such as trench digging and excavating. Learners apply their learning well and know how to assess and manage obstructions that they encounter, such as tree stumps or large rocks. They can explain site safety practices and are very aware of the regulations that they must follow.

p.5

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

Leaders do not adequately provide learners with career advice and guidance, limiting learners' ability to plan beyond their Skills Bootcamp. This includes progressing to undertaking further study or applying for alternative roles in the construction industry.

p.5

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

Learners who complete their Skills Bootcamp achieve a level 1 health and safety award and gain a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card. They also have the option to select from a wide range of industry recognised qualifications to complement their training, including 360-degree excavator and forward-tipping dumper qualifications.

p.5

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

Leaders do not maintain effective oversight of the provision and do not have sufficient understanding of its quality. They have not yet completed the work to put in place governance arrangements.

p.5

Next steps

• Leaders and governors should ensure that they have clear oversight of the provision, so they can support managers in developing the quality of the curriculum. • Leaders should quickly complete the work to put in place governance arrangements so that they can benefit from support and challenge from the new advisers. • Leaders should continue to develop professional learning programmes to ensure that trainers provider high-quality teaching to their learners. • Leaders should ensure that trainers have the skills and training to support learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who need to improve their English and mathematics skills. • Leaders should ensure that all learners benefit from individualised careers advice and guidance, so they are aware of the wider opportunities available to them in the construction industry. • Leaders should ensure that tutors continue to develop learners' professional behaviours,

p.5

Next steps

so learners understand the behaviours expected of them when they start work on professional construction sites.

p.5

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.

p.6

About this inspection

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

p.6

About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with learners, trainers, representative from Liverpool City Region combined authority and managers. Inspectors also visited practical training sessions in the provider's training facility.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

p.6

About this inspection

OnPoint TRAC is an independent learning provider based in St Helens, in the north west of England. It receives funding from the Liverpool City Region combined authority to provide courses that enable learners to enter the construction industry. The majority of learners are unemployed and are new to the construction sector.

p.6

About this inspection

OnPoint TRAC provides Skills Bootcamps in construction, rail and telecommunications. At the time of the inspection, the provider had 12 learners enrolled on the construction Skills Bootcamp, of whom six were on the excavator pathway and six on the telescopic handler pathway.

p.6

Exceptional

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

p.7

Strong standard

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

p.7

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.

p.7

Needs attention

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

p.7

Urgent improvement

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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 .

p.7

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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Urgent improvement

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

p.8