Robert Bosch Limited

Robert Bosch Limited

Address: Robert Bosch, Merchants Court, Suite 302, 23 Castle Gate, Nottingham, NG1 7AQ Unique reference number (URN): 59202

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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

During the previous year, leaders ceased the outsourcing of learning support and introduced their own internal arrangements. As a result, the vast majority of apprentices now benefit from suitable arrangements.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders carefully assess whether apprentices require any adjustments or adaptations during their training. They hold informative pre-course telephone calls, promote learning support at open events and carry out in-depth learning support assessments as required.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Learning support officers develop comprehensive individual support plans for apprentices with additional needs. These provide clear and precise detail about support strategies required, both in taught classes and within additional support sessions.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Trainers and employers know apprentices’ support needs well and implement appropriate strategies to meet them. For example, they use visual cues, provide extra time or more frequent breaks, break down explanations and provide access to computers during work time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Trainers have attended relevant and useful training about how to identify apprentices' support needs and what techniques to use in their teaching.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Learning support officers and trainers frequently review the effectiveness of strategies to support apprentices. They thoroughly discuss apprentices' learning support arrangements during their joint monthly team meetings. On a monthly basis, learning support officers carefully review the content of individual support plans with each apprentice, agreeing any changes needed.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Although leaders broadly understand the key strengths of the provision, such as their employer-informed curriculum and safeguarding arrangements for young apprentices in hotel accommodation, their oversight of the quality of teaching is not accurate enough to enable them to take swift action to drive improvements where required. Leaders acknowledge that too many apprentices due to complete their qualifications this year are well beyond planned timescales. They are taking sensible steps to reduce this number. However, at the time of inspection, it was too early to evaluate the impact of leaders’ actions.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors have relevant expertise in safeguarding, finance and quality. They support leaders’ intent to strengthen the curriculum and improve quality. However, as governance arrangements are relatively new, it is too soon to see the impact of their oversight.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders generally make decisions in apprentices' best interests. They have, for example, strengthened inclusion processes to ensure that apprentices with barriers to their learning are well supported.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders take suitable steps to support staff to manage their workload and wellbeing. Staff feel valued and supported.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders provide suitable opportunities for staff to develop their industry skills, particularly for manufacturer-specific technical training. They make effective use of funded programmes to help experienced industry professionals gain teaching qualifications. However, beyond this, they do not do enough to help trainers further develop their pedagogical skills.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders work closely with employers to shape their curriculum content and introduce new pathways aligned to industry needs. Through partnerships with employers, they ensure that apprentices gain relevant technical occupational experience.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders generally have a secure understanding of their curriculum and learner performance through the use of data dashboards, employer feedback and structured monitoring meetings.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have devised a well-structured curriculum for their motor vehicle apprenticeships. They logically plan course content, which they teach through week-long training blocks. Leaders ensure that the curriculum remains aligned to employment priorities. They include content that includes emerging automotive technologies, manufacturer specific requirements and the fast-evolving diagnostic and service landscape.

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Needs attention

Leaders and trainers ensure that the curriculum is accessible. Apprentices with additional needs and/or barriers to learning are well supported. They rightly value adaptations, such as coloured overlays and additional time for assessments.

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Needs attention

Most trainers and mentors plan and use suitable strategies to develop apprentices' knowledge and skills. Trainers mostly explain technical concepts clearly, making effective use of resources and relevant tasks, such as vehicle fault-finding simulation tasks. Mentors break explanations into manageable chunks and provide informative demonstrations of practical techniques.

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Needs attention

Most trainers make thorough and frequent checks of apprentices' understanding. They use directed questioning, group and individual tasks and interactive game-based learning. However, in a few cases, this happens less effectively.

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Needs attention

In between taught lessons, apprentices access online resources to revisit complex concepts, such the measurement of power, current and voltage. Generally, this deepens apprentices' understanding, although occasionally they find the amount of information and level of detail overwhelming.

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Needs attention

Trainers mostly provide concise and helpful feedback that enables apprentices to improve. For example, they give tips about how to carry out fault finding logically on electrical vehicle systems and ways to improve write-ups on job cards.

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Needs attention

On- and off-the-job training is generally well aligned. Managers or mentors attend well- structured progress reviews which mostly help them to know what topics apprentices learn about in their block weeks and to understand apprentices' progress.

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Needs attention

Mathematics trainers provide high-quality teaching. They use presentations and vocational examples so apprentices develop an improved grasp of mathematical processes. Trainers closely monitor apprentices’ work and swiftly identify and correct any misconceptions.

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Achievement Needs attention

Apprentices due to complete this year are making slow progress, with a significant minority currently exceeding their planned end date. In the previous year, most apprentices successfully completed their studies. Level 3 motor vehicle apprentices achieved notably well and significantly above national rates.

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Achievement Needs attention

As they progress through their training, apprentices mostly demonstrate improved competence and confidence. They work to industry requirements. Final year apprentices, for example, service cars or fit clutches independently. Apprentices correctly use and follow technical data, such as torque settings and procedures when carrying out workplace jobs.

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Achievement Needs attention

Apprentices develop relevant mathematical, English and digital skills throughout the programme. For example, they carry out loading calculations, pressure testing and fault diagnosis using a range of digital equipment and software. Apprentices' written work broadly meets expectations for the level at which they study.

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Achievement Needs attention

Most apprentices secure positive destinations at the end of their studies. They typically remain with the current employers and go on to further advanced training.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders have not made sure that the wider curriculum focuses carefully enough on healthy relationships and the risks of radicalisation and extremism. Leaders and trainers make content about these topics available but they do not embed it into the curriculum well enough to help apprentices, many of whom are aged 16 to 18, to gain a proper understanding of risks. This means that, too often, apprentices' recall of these topics remains superficial.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders have successfully established a safe, respectful and purposeful learning environment. Apprentices take part positively in their studies, demonstrating professional behaviours both during block training weeks and at their workplaces.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders set clear expectations for apprentices' attendance, conduct and participation in their training. Most apprentices attend block-release and online training well, participate constructively in lessons and behave respectfully towards peers, staff and visitors.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders provide appropriate wider development, including modules on life skills, careers and financial literacy. This supports apprentices’ personal development and future employability readiness. Apprentices demonstrate a sound understanding of fundamental British values and can apply these confidently in their work and everyday lives.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders provide suitable careers guidance. Apprentices understand progression opportunities, including master technician, electric vehicle and hybrid specialisms and higher-level study pathways.

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

Apprentices benefit from calm, organised and very well-resourced training workshops reflective of the motor industry. They mainly enjoy their block training weeks, attend well and demonstrate motivation for their studies.

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

Apprentices develop a breadth of expertise that prepares them well for the evolving sector demands. For example, they develop their understanding of electric vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems and other emerging technologies. Apprentices especially value their practical training and the chance to gain technical skills useful for their future careers.

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

Apprentices' theory teaching classes are generally informative and helpful. However, in a few cases, the volume of technical knowledge overwhelms apprentices and checks of their understanding are not consistently thorough enough. Sometimes apprentices struggle to recall previous learning so they can apply it in practical scenarios. At the time of inspection, a significant minority of apprentices due to complete their final assessments were behind in their studies.

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

Apprentices, including those with additional needs, develop independence and grow in confidence and professionalism throughout their studies. They readily articulate that they feel more comfortable when they communicate with customers and colleagues, such as when dealing with telephone queries and discussing technical issues.

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

Apprentices are very satisfied with their experienced workplace mentors, who help them to develop and hone their practical skills.

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

Apprentices rightly appreciate how approachable and highly supportive all staff members are. They feel safe and respected, and value the consistent focus on mental health and wellbeing support. They know well how to access help, including mental health first aiders and external wellbeing organisations linked to the automotive industry. However, apprentices are less clear about risks in relation to healthy relationships, radicalisation and extremism.

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Next steps

Leaders and governors should improve their oversight of the quality of the teaching they offer, so they can identify improvements needed precisely and act on them quickly. Leaders should strengthen professional development for trainers, so that trainers continually develop and improve their teaching skills and these are of a consistent high- quality. Leaders should continue to focus on ways to increase the proportion of apprentices who make progress in their studies in line with their planned timescales. Leaders should review and improve their personal development curriculum so apprentices, particularly those aged 16 to18, gain a secure understanding of healthy relationships and the risks of radicalisation and extremism.

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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 HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with leaders, managers, training and support staff, apprentices, employers and governance board members.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider: Leaders at Robert Bosch offer apprenticeships at levels 2 to 3 with a focus on automotive care and servicing. At the time of inspection, there were 217 apprentices in training. Most apprentices were studying the level 3 motor vehicle service and maintenance technician (light vehicle) course. The large majority of apprentices were aged 16 to 18, and 64 were

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Team inspectors:

Michael Worgs, His Majesty's Inspector Kevin Williams, Ofsted Inspector Mark Care, His Majesty's Inspector Rochelle Saneria, His Majesty's 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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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

Leaders have training sites in Doncaster and Denham where apprentices attend for block delivery weeks. There is also some online delivery for progress reviews and learning support sessions. Apprentices stay in local hotel accommodation during their block training weeks.

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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

Head of automotive training solutions: Michelle Murray

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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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