L.I.T.S. Limited

L.I.T.S. Limited 19 Fairway, Orpington BR5 1EF

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report:

At the most recent full inspection, the following areas were identified as needing to improve:

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report:

 Improve achievement rates for the lift and escalator electromechanics apprenticeship.  Plan and teach the off-the-job element of the apprenticeships effectively.  Give apprentices developmental feedback on their written work so they are clear about what they have done well and how their work can be improved.  Provide apprentices with information about their final apprenticeship assessments so they are well prepared for these tests and know how to achieve a distinction grade.

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report:

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

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report:

 What progress have leaders and managers made in improving achievement rates for apprentices on the lift and escalator engineering apprenticeship? (Achievement)  What progress have staff made in planning and teaching the off-the-job element of the apprenticeships effectively? (Curriculum, teaching and training)  What progress have leaders made in supporting staff to give apprentices developmental feedback on their written work so they are clear about what they have done well and how their work can be improved? (Curriculum, teaching and training)  What progress have leaders made in supporting staff to provide apprentices with information about their final apprenticeship assessments, so they are well prepared for these tests and know how to achieve a distinction? (Achievement)

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(Achievement)

Monitoring inspection report: L.I.T.S. Limited 26 and 27 February 2026

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Leaders and managers’ actions since the previous inspection have started to improve the proportion of apprentices who now remain on their course until the end and who achieve their qualification.

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Leaders have been involved in the restructure of the level 3 lift and escalator engineering standard, including changes to the end-point assessment, to remove the mandatory qualification as a requirement to enter gateway. The removal of the mandatory qualification has helped to substantially reduce the proportion of apprentices who leave without completing their end-point assessment.

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Leaders have been proactive in ensuring that apprentices and their employers fully understand what is expected of them during their apprenticeship. They have reinforced the importance of the end-point assessment and of completing the entire apprenticeship.

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Where an apprentice is not sure whether they want to work in the lift and escalator industry, then leaders encourage them to delay the start of their apprenticeship to confirm that this is what they want to do.

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The proportion of apprentices who pass is high and continues to increase.

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Training)

Since the previous inspection, leaders have taken suitable steps to improve the planning and teaching of the off-the-job elements of the apprenticeship. They have strengthened the programme’s structure and relevance by introducing an embedded level 3 vocational engineering qualification, taught by new subcontractors. Both the curriculum and teaching now better meet the needs of apprentices and employers. For example, leaders select optional units most relevant to lift engineering, including mechanical systems and electrical machines, ensuring alignment between academic content and industry requirements.

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Training)

Where employers request additional content, staff incorporate extra courses, such as three-day sessions on electrical isolation, control circuits, pumps and couplings. In addition, staff add optional escalator modules where these are relevant, ensuring that apprentices learn the knowledge, skills and behaviours required in their own workplace.

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Training)

Leaders have planned the curriculum well so that there are suitable opportunities for apprentices to practise and apply new knowledge and skills. Tutors set a range of suitable tasks to help apprentices develop their practical skills between progress reviews.

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Training)

Tutors teach apprentices well. They explain technical terminology clearly, check apprentices’ understanding and set consolidation tasks such as designing flow charts to Monitoring inspection report: L.I.T.S. Limited 26 and 27 February 2026

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support safe engineering practice. Apprentices have sufficient time to apply and remember new vocabulary and theory.

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Leaders have suitable arrangements in place for checking the quality of the subcontracted teaching. Managers attend lessons frequently and conduct observations of teaching. As a result of their observations, tutors are provided with the support needed to improve their teaching. This helps tutors to ensure that apprentices develop the knowledge and skills they need for their job roles.

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Teaching and Training)

Lift and escalator engineering apprentices say that assessors give them useful oral feedback after they submit each piece of portfolio work. This is followed up with a written report that further helps them to remember how to improve the next piece of work.

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Teaching and Training)

Further work is needed to ensure that the quality of written feedback provided by tutors on apprentices’ work is of a consistently high standard. Too often, tutors do not provide sufficient detail of what has been done well and how apprentices could improve their work. When apprentices do not meet the required standard, tutors provide clear, albeit brief, feedback on what they need to do to improve their work.

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Teaching and Training)

Tutors occasionally do not identify errors in apprentices’ written work. This does not help apprentices improve their work, leading to them making the same mistakes repeatedly.

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Teaching and Training)

Tutors provide apprentices with helpful feedback after each theory assessment. In online sessions, tutors go through the questions that apprentices answered wrong and explain clearly the correct steps, signposting apprentices to a useful online textbook where necessary.

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(Achievement)

Leaders have been proactive in ensuring that apprentices and their employers fully understand what is expected of them during their apprenticeship, particularly about the end-point assessment (EPA) and the importance of completing the entire apprenticeship.

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(Achievement)

From the start of their course, tutors help apprentices to understand the requirements of the EPA. Tutors prepare apprentices well for their final assessments by giving Monitoring inspection report: L.I.T.S. Limited 26 and 27 February 2026

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apprentices the chance to practise mock knowledge tests and practise observations. By the time they sit the assessments and observation, apprentices have a sound understanding of what they need to do to achieve their best.

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This is reflected in the high pass rates for the individual assessment areas. Almost all level 3 lift and escalator apprentices pass their knowledge test on the first attempt.

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While many apprentices achieve distinction grades for individual elements, few apprentices achieve distinctions overall. Nevertheless, leaders have high expectations and are ambitious for their apprentices. Continuing to improve EPA preparation to increase the number of apprentices who gain distinctions remains a focus.

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Additional next steps

Leaders should continue to work to address the areas identified as needing improvement in the full inspection report.

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About this inspection

This is the first monitoring inspection following publication of the inspection report on 3 July 2025 which found the provider to be requires improvement overall.

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About this inspection

The provider’s previous full inspection was carried out under the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) at that time. The renewed EIF took effect from 10 November 2025. The areas for improvement identified at the provider’s full inspection have been cross- referenced to relevant evaluation areas in the inspection toolkit for consideration on this monitoring 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 identify and report on the provider’s progress in addressing the areas identified as needing to improve since the provider’s previous inspection.

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Team inspector

Claudia Harrison His Majesty’s Inspector Monitoring inspection report: L.I.T.S. Limited 26 and 27 February 2026

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needs funding at time of inspection

Monitoring inspection report: L.I.T.S. Limited 26 and 27 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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