Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority

Address: Service Headquarters, Nissan Way, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 3QY Unique reference number (URN): 2674171

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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 have developed a culture which is inclusive and welcoming to apprentices with additional support needs and barriers to learning. Leaders are committed to encouraging applicants into apprenticeships in the fire and rescue service who reflect the diverse communities it serves. They ensure that prospective apprentices are not excluded from applying by any aspects of the recruitment process.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff quickly identify and assess apprentices’ individual needs. They put suitable support in place for both the initial training period and once apprentices are based in workplace settings, such as community fire stations or the emergency contact centre.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff provide timely supportive interventions, such as the use of text-to-speech applications and extra time for assessments. Trainers use alternative assessment strategies where appropriate, such as professional discussions. Trainers carefully monitor the progress of apprentices with additional support needs. Apprentices who need extra help or support achieve in line with their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Trainers have had appropriate training to identify needs not disclosed during recruitment and know how to support apprentices well. They regularly review apprentices’ needs and make suitable adjustments. Leaders are further formalising their processes so that they can review the effectiveness of support more precisely.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have dealt with the recommendations from the previous inspection. Leaders and those responsible for governance understand their strengths and areas for development well. In a very few cases, their analysis of areas for development lacks precision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The education and learning group provides oversight and challenge to leaders for apprenticeship provision. However, the group has limited education expertise.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors have a clear vision for the provision. Through the operational firefighter apprenticeship, they help overcome the challenge of an ageing workforce and provide an accessible route for local people to train in the role.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders engage with a range of stakeholders to develop their apprenticeship provision and make a wider contribution to the community. They provide opportunities for education providers to visit their headquarters so that young learners can participate in practical activities such as hose running and working in confined spaces.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that trainers are highly skilled. Trainers have appropriate teaching qualifications and the necessary training to remain competent in the fire and rescue service. Trainers have recently benefited from training in neurodiversity and the effective use of formative and summative assessment techniques. Leaders place a high focus on staff's emotional and physical wellbeing. Staff can access gym sessions as part of their working schedule and have access to a range of support services for their emotional wellbeing, including specialist trauma support. Leaders have taken appropriate steps to ensure trainers' workloads are manageable.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices make sustained progress from their starting points, including those with identified additional support needs. Apprentices develop and demonstrate high levels of occupational competence required in their jobs. Firefighter apprentices competently undertake ‘safe and well’ checks in people’s homes. A very high proportion of apprentices achieve their apprenticeships.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices produce work of a consistently high standard. They develop essential English and mathematical skills well. Firefighter apprentices calculate water pressures for hoses and use standardised words of command during casualty extrication in road traffic collisions. Emergency contact handler apprentices stay calm and communicate clearly when taking emergency calls.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices remain in employment on completion of their apprenticeship. Many go on to specialist and senior roles, including watch managers. Leaders ensure that firefighter apprentices are carefully matched to community fire stations based on their interests and skills.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders ensure that training and learning environments are safe and inclusive. They are relentless in their promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion. This is embodied by apprentices, who understand their responsibilities for working with members of the public who may be experiencing high levels of distress during emergency situations.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Apprentices develop very well their understanding of different cultures and religions in the region the fire and rescue service serves. Firefighter apprentices respect religious practices

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Expected standard

when undertaking ‘safe and well’ checks at local mosques and synagogues, including removing their footwear and being aware of prayer times when scheduling visits.

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Expected standard

Apprentices develop a sound understanding of the risks posed by extremism and radicalisation. They recognise how this can impact on their day-to-day work in the community, appreciating that they may be at risk as a representative of a public body and have to ensure they take appropriate actions to remain safe.

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Expected standard

Apprentices are provided with rich opportunities to participate in activities which benefit the local community. For example, apprentices take part in first response emergency care training taught by the local ambulance service. They are involved in the fire cadet programme for children in the local community.

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Expected standard

Apprentices benefit from effective careers advice and guidance through structured career conversations with their mentors. Firefighter apprentices gain an informed understanding of other potential progression routes, including fire safety officer or fire control operator roles.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders understand their provision well. They ensure that their curriculums are well planned and reflect the needs of the fire and rescue service, which serves densely populated urban areas as well as rural areas. Trainers plan on- and off-the-job training logically so that apprentices can progressively develop knowledge and skills, preparing them well for their job roles. During the initial training period, trainers teach firefighter apprentices how to use breathing equipment and how fire spreads, before developing apprentices’ more specialist knowledge and skills, such as rescues from heights.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers are highly knowledgeable and experienced. They use demonstrations effectively in training sessions to enhance apprentice firefighters' understanding of how to gain entry to a vehicle involved in a road traffic collision, and how to safely extricate a casualty from a vehicle using a spine board stretcher to minimise further injury. Trainers give emergency contact handler apprentices a range of scenarios to practise how to take emergency calls before taking genuine calls from the public.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers mostly use assessment effectively to identify apprentices’ strengths and areas for development. In a very few instances, where the initial training period has been shortened, firefighter apprentices are not provided with sufficient time to consolidate key aspects of learning in preparation for assessment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers support apprentices well, including those with additional support needs and barriers to learning, so they can access the curriculums. Trainers work closely with the inclusion team to make reasonable adjustments for apprentices who need them.

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

Apprentices develop the skills and knowledge they need to become competent in the responsible job roles they hold as firefighters and emergency call handlers, as well as the professional behaviours members of the public expect. Through scenario-based learning, firefighter apprentices become competent in how to deal effectively with casualties in road traffic collisions, including the use of pneumatic cutting tools for casualty extrication. They understand clearly their responsibilities when working with members of the public in emergency situations.

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

As a result of their training, apprentices take on more responsibility at work. Firefighter apprentices become specialists in a range of areas, including heavy rescue, boat rescue and animal rescue. A few apprentices go on to become fire engine drivers, while others gain promotion to more senior roles, including crew and watch managers.

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

Leaders focus highly on apprentices’ emotional wellbeing, providing effective and supportive intervention where required. This includes specialist trauma support for those apprentices affected by dealing with fatal road traffic collisions and dwelling fires. Apprentices are very well prepared by their trainers to work in the diverse communities the fire and rescue service serves.

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

Apprentices are highly committed and dedicated. They make a considerable contribution to their local communities, representing the fire and rescue service professionally. Apprentices visit local schools, where they deliver fire safety sessions to children, including how to stay safe on Bonfire Night, and participate in charity events to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that all future cohorts of apprentices have an initial training period of an appropriate length so that apprentices have enough training time to consolidate their knowledge before assessment. Leaders should develop the education expertise of those responsible for governance. Leaders should strengthen their analysis of the provision’s areas for further development so that it is more precise. Leaders should ensure that their well-considered plans to strengthen their inclusion practices are fully implemented.

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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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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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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

Inspectors spoke with apprentices, trainers, leaders and managers during the inspection.

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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority is an employer provider based in Sunderland.

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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

At the time of the inspection, there were 60 apprentices in training. There were 55 apprentices on the level 3 operational firefighter apprenticeship, and fewer than 5 on each of the level 3 community fire safety advisor and level 3 emergency contact handler apprenticeship. All apprentices are adults.

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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

Assistant Chief Fire Officer: David Leach

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national average

'This provider' and 'national average' figures are taken from the publicly available DfE achievement rates. Where the DfE have supressed the figures, usually due to small cohorts, this has been mirrored in the Report Card and will be shown by an 'S'.

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Year This provider National average

'This provider' and 'national average' figures are taken from the publicly available DfE achievement rates. Where the DfE have supressed the figures, usually due to small cohorts, this has been mirrored in the Report Card and will be shown by an 'S'.

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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

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Urgent improvement

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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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