CLAAS UK near Bury St Edmunds is inspected by Ofsted to monitor its apprenticeship training

A leading manufacturer of farm machinery has been praised for providing apprentices with ‘high-quality’ training as it is judged to be making reasonable progress in its provision.

CLAAS UK Limited, which has its headquarters at Little Saxham, near Bury St Edmunds, was inspected by Ofsted earlier this year as it is a newly directly-funded provider of apprenticeship training.

In 2022, the provider gained registration to receive public funding for the provision of apprenticeship training and now trains apprentices in purpose-built facilities on the site of its UK head offices.

During a monitoring visit on February 28 and March 1, Ofsted found CLAAS UK was making reasonable progress in terms of leadership and management, quality of training and safeguarding.

The Ofsted report said the the classrooms, workshops and equipment provided for apprentices were ‘outstanding’ and trainers have high levels of technical skills, which they use well to provide apprentices with ‘high-quality’ training.

The report said: “Leaders and managers have selected an apprenticeship standard that meets the needs of their employers effectively.

“They have implemented an effective curriculum through which apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours.

“Leaders and managers ensure that the requirements of an apprenticeship are met. Apprentices receive sufficient off-the-job training time.”

The strengths and areas for development leaders and managers identified align closely with the inspector’s findings, the report said. However, the inspector identified additional areas for development, such as the need for a more extensive coverage of personal development in the curriculum.

The report also said trainers explain concepts clearly and they design tasks to extend and retain knowledge taught previously.

“Apprentices learn substantial new knowledge quickly, which employers value,” the report said.

It also said apprentices produce work of an appropriate standard and the work of most apprentices improves over time.

However, Ofsted said the recording of apprentices’ reviews was too variable so it is unclear how tutors are reviewing progress against knowledge, skills and behaviours and setting appropriate targets to improve these.

The report said leaders ensure effective safeguarding processes are in place, with leaders and governors vigilant in ensuring the safety of apprentices in residential accommodation when attending block placements. Leaders and trainers also ensure that effective health and safety arrangements are in place when apprentices train in workshops and drive agricultural machinery.

While the inspector said trainers teach apprentices about the dangers of radicalisation and extremism early in the programme, they do not further develop these topics.

A monitoring visit is an interim type of inspection to assess progress and risk and to encourage improvement.

At the time of the monitoring visit, the provider was working with 31 apprentices funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. All are enrolled on a four-year programme to achieve the level 3 land-based service engineering technician apprenticeship standard.

About half of the apprentices are employed by CLAAS UK Limited at their various depots across England, and the remainder are employed by distributors of the provider’s products.

All the apprentices complete their off-the-job training on block release placements at the CLAAS Academy near Bury St Edmunds.