OFSTED Reprt Highlights HMS Sultan As Outstanding

Royal Navy engineering training establishment HMS Sultan has been awarded the highest possible grade of ‘Outstanding’ in the MOD’s third annual Ofsted report.

The base in Gosport is the first ever military training facility to achieve the grade during the Ofsted inspection which looks at the effectiveness of welfare and the duty of care for recruits and trainees in Armed Forces initial training.

The Armed Forces are one of the few employers who offer an opportunity for individuals without many qualifications to leave with valuable and marketable vocational/educational/management qualifications and skills.

It is a significant contributor to the skills base of the national workforce.

HMS Sultan trains 5,000 personnel annually, from new recruits to seasoned sailors and officers, in electrical, marine and air engineering - preparing them for the challenging roles of active service.

Trainees go on to serve in operational theatres such as Afghanistan or Libya and around the globe on warships in a variety of roles ranging from combating pirates and organised crime to disaster relief.

Commodore Mark Slawson, Commanding Officer of HMS Sultan and of the Defence College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (DCEME), said:

“I would like to pass my sincere thanks to all personnel who were involved in the recent Ofsted inspection in which Sultan received an ‘Outstanding’ assessment. Sultan staff involved in the welfare and duty of care for trainees should be rightly proud of their achievements.”

Staff at Sultan also received a personal message from Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) Rear Admiral Clive Johnstone CBE.

He said:

“The Outstanding assessment by Ofsted of the effectiveness of the welfare and care for trainees is notable in that it is the first awarded to a Service establishment since the inspections started in 2009."

“It reflects the amazing work done by all those involved with the support to trainees across the establishment”

The report stated that:

“A key factor contributing to this judgement is the attention paid to supporting each trainee’s personal, training and learning needs. The combination of high expectations of trainees’ proficiency in literacy and numeracy and a training programme which builds successfully on their prior experience provides a very good foundation for their progress and achievement. There is much good practice highlighted in the report on HMS Sultan…”