North London Garages GTA

North London Garages GTA

Address: Redburn Industrial Estate, 39 Woodhall Road, Ponders End, Enfield, EN3 4LQ Unique reference number (URN): 53591

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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 and staff work well together to establish a positive culture of inclusion. Leaders take pride in creating a learning environment where all apprentices, regardless of the challenges they face, are welcomed. Staff nurture and support apprentices, many of whom come from deprived neighbourhoods, adapting their teaching to take into consideration their diverse needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

In a few instances, leaders do not identify early enough the wide range of possible barriers to learning that apprentices may have, including special educational needs and/or disabilities. When tutors identify barriers, they work with apprentices to implement effective learning support plans, ensuring that they get the help they need.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The learning environment is calm and respectful. As part of their inclusive culture, tutors skilfully ensure that class conversations include all apprentices. This encourages apprentices to participate fully in their classes.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Tutors meet with each apprentice and their employer frequently. They carry out useful progress review meetings that help staff to ensure that apprentices have support that meets their needs. Tutors use these sessions to set specific targets for apprentices with their employers to develop the skills they need to help them progress with their course and at work.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have worked closely with local garages and national breakdown and recovery organisations to develop their apprenticeships. The curriculum's focus on the development of apprentices' skills based on the type of organisation they work for. This helps focus apprentices' learning on the specific skills employers need so that apprentices can make a valuable contribution to their businesses.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand their provision well and demonstrate this through suitable quality assurance processes, which include effective external scrutiny and challenge. They create appropriate quality improvement actions to adapt their curriculums, into which they integrate the views of apprentices and staff. For example, leaders provide staff with data on the performance of apprentices in relation to the topics they teach and ask tutors to reflect on what improvements can be made. However, in a few instances, leaders' actions for improvement are not sufficiently clear to show they will have a positive impact on apprentices' experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are proud to work for the provider because leaders motivate them to do well. Leaders are considerate of staff workload and wellbeing. They provide flexibility for working from home where possible. Leaders evaluate the quality of training accurately but do not consistently provide staff with sufficient support to develop their teaching skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices make positive progress on their course and achieve well. Leaders have improved their recruitment processes, and now most apprentices remain to the end of their apprenticeship and achieve their qualifications. Most apprentices remain with their employer after completing their course, with some progressing to take on more responsibilities. Apprentices who experience barriers to their education, such as having had a poor experience at school, achieve as well as their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices gain useful knowledge and skills, such as working safely in workshops and appropriate professional behaviours. This includes the safe use of vehicle ramps and lifts as well as how to deal with customers in a professional manner. Tutors support apprentices to develop their English and mathematical skills. For example, apprentices accurately calculate brake disc run-out using the correct mathematical formulas.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have created a curriculum offer that supports the automotive sector to train more skilled technicians. Apprentices are taught important skills, such as effectively servicing and maintaining a vehicle's braking system, by taking measurements of brake pads and comparing them to the manufacturer's specifications. Leaders have designed and sequenced the curriculums well, and tutors teach their subjects so that learners develop their knowledge incrementally.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors introduce learners to subject-specific vocabulary in lessons and support them in applying this in the workshop. This helps apprentices to be able to communicate more effectively with customers when explaining the work that needs to be completed on their vehicles.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors are experts in their subjects. They teach effectively, maintaining apprentices' interest and skilfully using questioning strategies to deepen apprentices' understanding, particularly around complex topics such as valve timings. Tutors identify where apprentices can make improvements to their work, such as including details of safe working loads in their written work. Tutors support their apprentices well in their next steps by providing guidance and support for progressing their careers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Learners produce work that is to the required standard and on time. Tutors make effective use of a comprehensive range of digital resources to support apprentices' learning. Staff set apprentices targets that reflect what they need to improve to be more successful in the workplace. As a result of feedback, apprentices become more confident in their skills, such as diagnosing faults effectively on customers' vehicles.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that apprentices study in a safe environment. Leaders have high expectations for apprentices' professional behaviours, although in a few instances, tutors do not reinforce the importance of wearing the correct clothing in the workshop. Apprentices' attendance is mostly high and if apprentices miss lessons, they catch up using the online resources available to them. Tutors establish calm and respectful learning environments in which they model appropriate professional behaviours to apprentices. Apprentices are respectful to their peers and to staff at the provider.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Staff provide apprentices with a thorough induction. This includes developing an understanding of examples of bullying and harassment, which is covered in more detail during the course. Apprentices are taught about the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace. They are well informed about online safety and how to keep themselves safe.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Throughout their apprenticeship, staff provide apprentices with talks from product manufacturers and employers on the latest developments in the sector. These talks provide practical demonstrations for apprentices which they can then use in their workplace.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices benefit from some careers advice as part of their course. However, in a minority of cases, staff do not give apprentices information about the full range of career options available to them in the automotive sector.

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

Apprentices feel well supported by staff at North London Garages. They appreciate the focus that staff have on helping under-represented groups and those with barriers to learning to achieve qualifications that will help them gain sustainable employment in the motor industry.

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

Apprentices learn in an environment that is inclusive and in which individual differences are respected. They are taught by tutors who are experts in their subject, compassionate and understanding, which helps motivate apprentices to do well. Apprentices acquire substantial new knowledge and skills in motor vehicle repair and diagnostics and quickly make a valuable contribution in the workplace.

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

Most apprentices achieve their qualifications. Those who experience barriers to their education, such as a lack of confidence or struggle with mental ill-health, receive effective support from their tutors and training officers, who adapt their teaching to ensure that apprentices receive the necessary support.

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Team inspectors:

Lucy McLeod, Ofsted Inspector Daisy Louisa Agathine-Louise, Ofsted Inspector Steve Caunter, Ofsted Inspector Apprentices develop an understanding of the importance of fundamental British values. However, they are not always clear how these values relate to their workplace environment. Apprentices know how to keep themselves safe from the risks of extremism and radicalisation. They know why this is important and what to do if they have any concerns.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that they consistently identify what support apprentices need at the start of their apprenticeship and provide this promptly. Leaders should ensure that they contextualise their training on fundamental British values so that apprentices understand the relevance to themselves and their work. Leaders should be more precise with their improvement actions so that they lead to sustainable improvements. Leaders should provide consistent high-quality support to staff to improve their teaching skills further. Leaders should provide apprentices with comprehensive information on the full range of career options available to them in the automotive industry.

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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

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with the chief executive, leaders, managers, tutors, stakeholders, employers and apprentices 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

North London Garages is an independent learning provider based in Enfield, London, providing motor vehicle apprenticeships. At the time of the inspection, there were 143 apprentices on level 2 and 3 courses in autocare and vehicle servicing and repair.

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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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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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