A thatched roof is sustainable, environmentally-friendly, with a low carbon footprint, and of high insulation value. There are over 100,000 thatched properties in the UK and a large proportion of these are listed, meaning that the roofs must be replaced on a like-for-like basis. Thatchers conserve our heritage, benefitting tourism and the wider economy. New properties throughout some counties in the UK are also being built with thatched roofs, due to planning restrictions requiring a proportion of all new builds needing to be thatched. Thatching work covers commercial, agricultural, domestic, new-build and historic buildings with a variety of differing roof designs and materials. The thatcher needs to have an understanding of the complexities and variants in regional style, materials, vermin control and fire safety.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with clients, suppliers and master thatchers. During the course of a typical job, thatchers may interact with architects, conservation officers, clients and members of the public. Thatchers spend the majority of their time working at height, outdoors and in varying weather conditions.
An employee in this occupation will be involved in jobs from beginning to end from sourcing materials to organising other trades to roof preparation through to final thatching works and clearing of site. Some thatchers may even grow their own straw and make their own spars and liggers. The thatcher will also be responsible for understanding and implementing the appropriate site health, safety and welfare conditions.
| Duty | KSBs |
|---|---|
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Duty 1 Manage resources ready for use including thatching materials, tools, equipment and vehicles. Check prepared and fit for purpose. |
K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 K8 K9 K12 K16 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 |
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Duty 2 Establish daily and weekly tasks and organise own work with emphasis on efficiency and safety. |
K4 K5 K6 K16 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 |
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Duty 3 Establish the suitability of the work area including PPE equipment, scaffolding, ladders and an understanding of how any risk assessment affects them. |
K4 K5 K7 K10 K16 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 |
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Duty 4 Assess the condition of the roof per agreed works, prepare the roof for thatching, understanding the differences between the different buildings to be thatched. |
K2 K4 K5 K6 K7 K10 K11 K16 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 |
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Duty 5 Preparation of thatching materials including long straw, combed wheat reed and water reed; correct handling, checking and storage. |
K1 K2 K6 K8 K9 K11 K12 K16 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 |
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Duty 6 Fix appropriate thatching materials to basic roof structure with correct depth over fixings and adequate tension. |
K6 K13 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 |
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Duty 7 Fix appropriate thatching materials to roof features with correct depth over fixings and adequate tensions. |
K2 K4 K5 K6 K9 K13 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 |
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Duty 8 Use and maintain thatching tools and equipment; understand their correct use and maintenance. |
K3 K4 K5 K6 K9 K12 K16 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 |
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Duty 9 Manage resources after use, clearing of site, removal of excess materials and storing tools and equipment correctly for future use. |
K3 K8 K14 K16 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 |
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Duty 10 Quantifying thatching work and materials with the ability to work out how much material and time is required to complete a thatching job efficiently and safely. |
K4 K5 K6 K9 K12 K15 K16 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 |
K1: Thatching materials: how they are grown, harvested and prepared including long straw, combed wheat reed (CWR) and water reed.
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K2: Fixing methods and techniques: spars, screws and wires, crooks, pins, stitching. Understanding of spar production.
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K3: Techniques and practices for the selection, use, maintenance and storage of hand tools and equipment.
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K4: Health and safety: Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), electrical safety, Health and Safety at Work, Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER), manual handling, Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), risk assessments, safe systems of work, working at height, working in confined spaces, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
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K5: Building, conservation, trading standards and fire safety regulations affecting thatched buildings and materials.
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K6: Methods of interpreting information from drawings, specifications, the production plan and producing work instructions, utilising paper and digital methods.
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K7: Thatched building types including historic, listed, new-build and existing commercial, and residential, maintaining the local and vernacular character and thatching techniques.
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K8: Techniques and practices for moving, handling and storing materials, including protecting thatching materials from vermin and inclement weather.
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K9: Techniques and considerations for the selection of materials for thatching work.
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K10: Principles of assessing the roof condition.
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K11: Methods of preparing the roof for thatching.
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K12: Preparation of materials for installation for thatching work: architectural details and building features.
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K13: Quality assurance measures in thatching.
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K14: The importance of restoring the site area to a safe and tidy state on completion of thatching, and what this entails.
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K15: Methods of quantifying thatching materials and fixings required for roof building and repairs.
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K16: Running a thatching business: business operation considerations, efficiency, customer satisfaction, competitiveness, minimising risks to operation, ethical issues.
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K17: Methods of abutting the thatch to adjoining materials: such as lead, slate, tiles, flat roof, fiberglass, corrugated roof, brickwork and stonework.
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K18: Principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. Unconscious bias.
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K19: Verbal communication techniques. Giving and receiving information. Matching style to audience. Barriers in communication and how to overcome them. Thatching terminology.
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K20: Collaboration working techniques: colleagues and internal and external stakeholders.
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K21: Methods of safe working including risk assessments, method statements, control measures and safe systems of work.
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K22: Impact of the sector on the environment. Efficient use of resources. Recycling, reuse and safe disposal of waste.
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K23: Common issues, symptoms and warning signs of stress, anxiety and depression, including where to go for help and the resources available.
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S1: Interpret instructions and information for thatching work.
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S2: Apply planning, prioritising and time management techniques.
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S3: Apply budgetary considerations to thatching work: time, cost and waste management.
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S4: Apply safe systems of work in compliance with regulations and standards.
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S5: Select, inspect, and use working at height equipment for example ladders, scaffolding, Mobile elevated working platforms (MEWP).
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S6: Assess the condition of the roof prior to thatching work taking place: condition of existing materials, quality of materials, cover over fixings, condition of fixings, overall thickness of thatch, factors affecting the performance of the roof.
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S7: Quantify thatching work and materials required from documentation: drawings, specifications and production plan.
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S8: Select the thatching and fixing materials for thatching work.
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S9: Prepare thatching and fixing materials for installation on the roof for example damping and yealming long straw; butting and bundling combed wheat reed; trimming, splitting and twisting spars and rods.
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S10: Prepare the roof prior to thatching. Including completely stripped or stripped to a sound base coat, new structures and work surfaces prepared for subsequent thatching.
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S11: Apply thatching material to prepared roof area and features.
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S12: Fix thatching material to the roof.
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S13: Apply quality assurance measures to the finished thatching: pitch, tension, density, cover over fixings.
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S14: Carry out thatching works where it abuts with other materials such as lead and brickwork.
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S15: Communicate with others verbally for example, internal and external customers and colleagues.
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S16: Select, use, maintain and store thatching tools and equipment.
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S17: Move, handle and store thatching materials, including storing and protecting against vermin and weather conditions. Ensure materials are accessible when required.
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S18: Select materials and use thatching techniques specific to historic or listed buildings.
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S19: Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
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S20: Apply team working principles.
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S21: Maintain a tidy work area restoring it on completion of work.
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S22: Carry out and record learning and development activities.
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S23: Follow equity, diversity and inclusion rules.
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B1: Put workplace health, safety and wellbeing first.
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B2: Act ethically.
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B3: Take responsibility for work.
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B4: Committed to maintaining and enhancing competence of self through Continued Professional Development (CPD).
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English and maths qualifications form a mandatory part of all apprenticeships and must be completed before an apprentice can pass through gateway. The requirements are detailed in the current version of the apprenticeship funding rules.
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 27/02/2024 | Not set |
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