UK Power Networks (Operations) Limited

UK Power Networks (Operations) Limited

Address: 237 Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 6NP Unique reference number (URN): 1278641

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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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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and managers have a vision to provide excellent training to apprentices to enable them to work in the power distribution industry, which is suffering a shortage of skilled individuals due to increased demand on the electricity network. They have created a culture where staff, including apprentices, are encouraged to raise concerns, however small, so that they can be dealt with. This helps leaders and managers maintain a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision, including aspects that are taught by subcontractors. This has resulted in apprentices raising problems with protective clothing, which has led to a new, lighter version being tested by apprentices.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have established an apprenticeship governance group that reports to the company's executive. This group receives reports from a range of committees that focus on different aspects of the apprenticeship. This ensures that there is sufficient scrutiny on the apprenticeship provision and that leaders and managers are held to account for the quality of apprentices' experience.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff are valued and have a workload that is appropriate and manageable. They support trainers at times of significant stress by giving them time off or providing support from qualified therapists. Trainers are provided with opportunities to develop their teaching skills as well as maintaining their professional competencies through a well-structured programme of professional learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have created a positive culture of inclusion in the organisation, where equality, diversity and inclusion are core values.

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Inclusion Needs attention

In most cases, leaders have suitable arrangements to identify the needs of apprentices with barriers to their education, through self-declaration or staff identification. However, these arrangements are not consistently applied, and staff do not identify some apprentices with additional learning needs promptly enough. When they do identify a need, staff take positive actions to reduce barriers. Information and support needs for apprentices with additional learning needs are not consistently shared with trainers and subcontractors. As a result, some apprentices do not receive the support they require.

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Inclusion Needs attention

While trainers and staff responsible for supporting apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged complete general inclusion training, they do not routinely receive specific training on the graduated approach or supporting apprentices with dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which are the two main barriers identified by leaders.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Although leaders and managers have strategies to support apprentices to achieve in line with their peers, staff do not consistently follow them. As a result, apprentices’ needs are not, in some instances, identified quickly or accurately.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices' achievement is consistently high. Almost all apprentices who start their apprenticeship pass, and about a quarter achieve a distinction in their end-point assessment.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices make considerable progress from the start of their apprenticeship. This is demonstrated through their secure understanding of the principles of working with high- voltage electricity as well as the practical skills they develop in workshops and in their on- the-job training. Apprentices consistently produce written and practical work of a very high standard.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices who need to achieve qualifications in English and mathematics do so consistently well. This is because they are taught the skills and given sufficient time to practise them so they become fluent in what they need to achieve.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices are very well prepared for their next steps, with almost all remaining with the company. Many go on to secure more senior roles in the organisation, such as team leaders or field engineers.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders and managers place significant emphasis on developing apprentices beyond the technical requirements of the apprenticeship. All apprentices participate in outdoor team- building events, which help them to develop their communication, teamworking and leadership skills. Following this, most apprentices complete the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, receiving their certificate at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Staff provide apprentices with a wide range of advice on careers, both at work and in training. This includes details of higher-level qualifications, as well as specialist training, which enables them to move into power system design. Apprentices also benefit from external visits to control centres where they learn about the diverse range of career pathways open to them. This contributes to most apprentices staying with the company once they pass their course.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Staff ensure that apprentices are supported with age-appropriate advice to help themselves keep physically and mentally well. Where needed, the provider pays for counselling and therapy to help apprentices maintain their mental wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and managers have constructed a well-sequenced course that enables trainers to teach apprentices to work in the power distribution industry. Apprentices quickly become skilled in working on overhead power lines, cable jointing or electricity substation installation. They first gain an understanding of the dangers of working on live electrical systems and the principles of electricity, such as Ohm's law, before quickly moving into their specialist pathway.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Through leaders' careful planning, apprentices learn skills in their classroom and workshop lessons that they apply effectively in their on-the-job training. This is because apprentices are taught by trainers who have current experience of working in the sector. Trainers provide apprentices with meaningful feedback on their work that enables them to work at a consistently high standard. Apprentices with additional needs, such as dyslexia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, make the same progress as their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The training that apprentices receive at some of the subcontractors is not consistently high. Too often, apprentices do not receive helpful enough feedback from lecturers at subcontractors. This results in apprentices often not knowing what they need to do to achieve a higher mark.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders understand the strengths of the teaching that apprentices receive. However, their own observations of their trainers' teaching do not provide adequate information on how trainers can improve. Leaders recognise the inconsistencies in the quality of the training that apprentices receive between the provider and their subcontractors and are taking action to rectify it.

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

Apprentices enjoy their training, where they learn the skills needed to become confident and skilled in working on the high-voltage power networks across London, the south-east and east of England regions. Staff help apprentices to develop quickly the skills needed to not only install new power distribution systems, such as electricity substations, but also maintain existing legacy equipment. Apprentices learn practical craft skills, such as making new cables to replace worn or damaged ones, to ensure that existing power systems remain functional and continue to provide residential and commercial customers with electricity.

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

Apprentices particularly value the way that staff support them to develop beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship. For example, apprentices who work on overhead power lines participate in rock climbing activities to help them become confident when climbing electricity pylons, while those who install the electricity substations receive training on working in confined spaces. Apprentices value gaining these additional skills as it helps them become confident in their jobs.

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

Apprentices have high expectations of themselves. They want to do well and meet their employers' expectations. They are aware that they were successful in gaining a place on a highly competitive apprenticeship course and do not want to let the company or themselves down. Staff provide extensive support for apprentices to help them succeed on their apprenticeship. Apprentices feel confident about asking for help if they are unsure of any aspect of their training or if they have concerns outside the classroom. This helps apprentices feel safe. They are confident to raise any concerns, knowing staff will take them seriously.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that staff consistently identify apprentices' needs, that appropriate support is put in place from the outset of the training and that this is communicated to all relevant stakeholders. • Leaders should further strengthen the quality of teaching across all aspects of the course, particularly the subcontracted elements, so that apprentices benefit from consistently high- quality teaching. • Leaders should ensure that staff receive the specific training they need to be able to support apprentices who have additional needs.

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Team inspectors:

Ramin Narimani, His Majesty's Inspector Errol Ince, Ofsted Inspector Paul Breheny, Ofsted Inspector

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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

Inspectors spoke with apprentices, managers and training staff during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

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About this inspection

UK Power Networks is an employer provider based in Sevenoaks, providing apprenticeships for their own staff in London, the south-east and the east of England. The provider offers level 3 power industry apprenticeships. At the time of the inspection, there were 105 apprentices, most of whom were over 18. The provider works with 3 subcontractors.

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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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