ATS Group Holdings Ltd

ATS Group Holdings Ltd

Address: Stacey Industrial Park, Whitehouse Farm, Silchester Road, Tadley, Hampshire, RG26 3PY Unique reference number (URN): 2832200

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect providers for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have developed an inclusive culture. They understand that many learners are apprehensive about returning to education after a long period of time. Therefore, they have implemented processes to reduce this barrier, such as transition days, where leaders share course expectations and provide opportunities for learners to discuss and resolve any concerns.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Staff identify barriers to learning quickly and effectively through discussions, interviews and monitoring learners during the early stages of their training. Experienced staff carry out these checks with learners to identify their barriers to learning accurately and discuss and agree support with them. Leaders review support to make sure that it remains effective and, where appropriate, are quick to provide more or reduce the support provided.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work with other professionals to help individuals access the provision and overcome wider challenges. For example, leaders work with the probation service to understand any restrictions and develop learning plans that enable those known to justice services to benefit from these opportunities. Leaders are determined to help some of the hardest-to-reach individuals gain the skills required to secure sustainable employment.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors understand the strengths and areas for development of their provision through a range of quality assurance activities. They use these findings to make swift improvements, which they monitor closely at board meetings.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an ambitious vision and strategy that focuses on providing effective education that supports individuals to work in the construction sector and helps meet regional recruitment demands. Governors challenge leaders effectively to make sure that their priorities are manageable.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders value staff highly. Staff enjoy working at the provider, where they feel well supported by leaders. Leaders oversee workloads and check-in with staff regularly so that staff know they are approachable should they need to raise any concerns.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders support staff with targeted training and support where individuals have specific areas for development, and they make sure that staff keep their industry knowledge up to date. Leaders provide teacher training for those new to teaching. However, they do not use their knowledge from quality improvement findings to identify common areas for development and plan tailored support for trainers ongoing development of teaching skills and knowledge.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work closely with stakeholders, such as Hampshire County Council and local employers, to understand and meet employment demands in the region. Leaders have developed a curriculum that provides the qualifications that are needed to gain sustainable work in the plant and wider construction industries.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Learners typically make rapid progress from their starting points. They produce work to at least the required standard. Learners who are very new to brickwork competently set out and construct walls that are built to match the required gauge, plumb and level. Many learners with little or no experience in the construction sector quickly gain valuable qualifications and complete their programmes successfully. Those learners who are disadvantaged or have barriers to learning typically achieve as well as their peers.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Staff support learners to develop their mathematical and English abilities. Learners improve their reading and writing on their courses and improve their confidence to apply for work as a consequence. Learners develop the technical terminology that they need to work in the construction and plant sector. They are generally well prepared for their next steps and for gaining employment. As a result, many learners achieve their goals and progress into employment in the construction sector.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders offer Skills Bootcamps to support individuals in gaining sustainable employment in the construction sector. They use a range of activities to review the quality of the curriculums and make swift improvements as required to ensure that the courses that they offer are effective. Leaders generally plan the curriculums effectively so that learners develop their knowledge logically. Learners gain a range of qualifications that enable them to access the construction industry and that are highly valued by employers.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders invest highly in learning environments and industry-specific resources that reflect those found in the sector. For example, learners benefit from learning how to operate telehandlers, forklifts, excavators, dumpers and rollers. Trainers provide appropriate time for learners to practise and master their new learning. For example, learners successfully manoeuvre telehandlers around a chicane at a steady speed, then safely lift and store pallets on shelving.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers are skilled and knowledgeable in the subjects that they teach. They use effective strategies to help learners to achieve the knowledge and skills they will need for employment. Trainers typically ask learners questions to check and extend learning, and are quick to correct any misconceptions and demonstrate appropriate practice.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors continuously assess learners’ practical work well and are generally swift in providing useful feedback on what they are doing well and where they need to improve. However, the quality of feedback is not consistently effective across all elements of the learners’ programmes.

p.4

Participation and development Expected standard

Learners benefit from a programme of learning that introduces them to a range of personal development themes and signposts them to further guidance. Trainers are considerate of learners’ wellbeing. For example, they make learners aware of the importance of staying mentally healthy and inform them of talking groups and counselling that they can access if needed. Learners broadly learn about the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism, British values and how to stay safe online. In a few instances, learners’ recall is limited and they do not know how these subjects relate to their lives.

p.4

Participation and development Expected standard

Learners typically demonstrate positive professional behaviours. They are informed about what constitutes bullying and harassment and that these are not accepted in training or at work. Learners interact very well and are respectful and supportive of each other. Leaders help learners to overcome challenges that they may face with attendance, such as reinforcing the importance of high attendance, following up quickly on non-attendance and helping with travel. Learners typically attend well and are punctual.

p.4

Participation and development Expected standard

Learners are provided with effective support to gain employment once qualified. Staff promote vacancies, provide guidance on applications and arrange opportunities for learners to hear directly from construction recruiters and employers as part of frequent job clubs.

p.4

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

Learners benefit from a friendly environment where they are supported to overcome a range of barriers to learning and work and are provided with opportunities that help them to thrive. Learners, who have often been out of learning for a long time, are helped to transition effectively back into education. Learners enjoy their learning and highly value the new knowledge and skills that they rapidly develop.

p.4

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

Learners highly value the range of qualifications and national scheme accreditations that they gain on the Skills Bootcamps. This includes abrasive wheels, first aid, construction skills certification scheme, national plant operators registration scheme and construction plant competence scheme.

p.4

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

Learners mostly achieve their goals of gaining the qualifications that they need to enter the construction sector. Learners talk highly positively about the training and skills that they develop, which substantially increases their opportunities for employment and gives unemployed learners the confidence to return to the workplace.

p.4

Lead inspector:

Richard Kirkham, His Majesty's Inspector

p.5

Team inspector:

Emma Leavey, His Majesty's Inspector Learners know how to work safely and remain healthy while working in construction. For example, they learn correct lifting techniques, the importance of maintaining 3 points of contact when accessing plant equipment and wearing seat belts to avoid injury. Learners understand the wider considerations of working in the construction sector, such as environmental factors, the risks associated with alcohol and drugs, and the dangers of being intoxicated while at work.

p.5

Team inspector:

Learners receive highly effective support that enables them to be successful in their assessments. Those learners who do not achieve their qualifications on their first attempt receive the essential guidance that they need to close the gaps in their learning and go on to achieve their qualifications. Learners are supported effectively to achieve their ambitions of working in the construction sector.

p.5

Next steps

Leaders should further strengthen the quality and consistency of feedback across all elements of learners’ programmes. Leaders should continue to improve the teaching of the wider curriculum so that learners can recall and relate these topics to their personal and professional lives. Leaders should further support trainers to develop their teaching skills and knowledge.

p.5

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.

p.5

About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the CEO, governors, leaders, staff, learners, employers and the local authority representatives during the inspection.

p.5

About this inspection

ATS Group Holdings Limited is an independent learning provider based in Tadley, Hampshire. Leaders offer Skills Bootcamps to learners who are seeking work or aspire to advance their careers. At the time of the inspection, there were 113 adult learners studying a Skills Bootcamp in plant operations or bricklaying.

p.5

Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 22 September 2026

p.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it.

p.6

Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.6

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.

p.6

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.6

Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.6

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 .

p.7

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 .

p.7

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7