Multiverse Group Limited

Multiverse Group Limited Progress monitoring report

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Name of lead inspector: Jane Hughes, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 91 Baker Street London London W1U 6RL Monitoring visit: Multiverse Group Limited, 17–18 February 2021

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Context and focus of visit

Multiverse Group Limited received a new provider monitoring visit in June 2018. At that time, inspectors made progress judgements under three themes.

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Context and focus of visit

This monitoring visit focused on the extent to which leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action to provide education and training in the current circumstances. It was undertaken as outlined in the operational note on visits carried out from January 2021 and with reference to the further education and skills handbook.

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Context and focus of visit

These visits are to help learners, parents, employers and government understand how providers are meeting the needs of learners in this period, including those with high needs and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Context and focus of visit

Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, inspectors carried out this monitoring activity remotely. As a result, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would be the case during an on-site inspection. Therefore, this report provides a more limited level of assurance.

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Context and focus of visit

The impact of COVID-19 has been taken into account in the findings and progress judgement below. Inspectors did not evaluate leaders’ response to COVID-19 during the spring and summer of 2020, when there were no national expectations regarding remote education.

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Significant Progress

Leaders and managers have successfully implemented more apprenticeship standards in subjects such as data analyst, project management and software developer. They have also significantly increased the number of apprentices enrolled on programmes. All teaching and support sessions have moved online effectively. Leaders managed these changes highly proficiently. They ensure apprentices continue to benefit from the apprenticeship programme. Since the previous monitoring visit, the number of apprentices completing their programme and gaining high grades in their end-point assessment has increased, and is high. Monitoring visit: Multiverse Group Limited, 17–18 February 2021 Leaders pay close attention when recruiting learning coaches to ensure they have the precise skills and qualifications needed to support apprentices. They have increased the number of coaches sufficiently in line with the increase in apprenticeship numbers.

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Significant Progress

Coaches benefit from weekly training development opportunities to keep them up to date with their specific industry. Leaders have developed a supportive digital academy for new coaches to help them develop their curriculum and teaching skills.

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Significant Progress

Leaders, managers and staff have maintained their strong partnerships with employers. They ensure employers fully appreciate and understand the requirements of an effective apprenticeship programme. Employers give apprentices good support to enable them to practise what they learn at work and apply specific techniques they have developed. Employers and coaches work closely together to ensure the training that apprentices receive aligns to their jobs. For example, in digital marketer programmes, employers provide extra specialist training to help with apprentices’ professional development in areas such as search engine optimisation.

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Significant Progress

Managers and staff have planned and implemented coherent apprenticeship programmes. They have carefully considered the skills apprentices need to give them a strong platform from which to start their careers or move into higher-level roles. Apprentices follow a clearly set programme with flexibility for individualised personal objectives that relate specifically to their job roles.

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Significant Progress

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. They recognise the benefits of the apprenticeship programme and clearly recall key concepts and how they apply these in the workplace. For example, in data analyst programmes, apprentices take on more responsibility in senior leadership teams. Employers rely on them to train potential new apprentices. In digital marketer programmes, apprentices who have limited prior experience quickly gain new knowledge and skills. Apprentices learn how to use software, such as different databases that they apply in their job roles, and topics such as traffic tagging on social media platforms. They know more about email and social media marketing campaigns.

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Significant Progress

Coaches facilitate highly effective progress reviews and one-to-one sessions. Coaches skilfully encourage apprentices to reflect on their learning and development and how they apply this at work. They use probing questioning techniques to check apprentices’ understanding and continually link this to workplace activities. Apprentices are well informed on the progress they make. Coaches agree clear actions with apprentices and their line managers to help them meet their individualised objectives.

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Significant Progress

In online learning sessions, coaches are adept at encouraging apprentices to recall and build on prior learning. Coaches use the online facilities well, such as breakout rooms and the chat facility to keep apprentices’ attention and keep them motivated. In software development programmes, coaches join apprentices in breakout rooms to complete paired programming to help apprentices amend code. Monitoring visit: Multiverse Group Limited, 17–18 February 2021 Apprentices frequently question their coaches to deepen their understanding of topics.

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Significant Progress

The majority of apprentices benefit from useful and detailed feedback on their work. Coaches give apprentices feedback on assessed work which is very specific in usefully highlighting both the strengths and areas for improvement. Apprentices particularly like the hints and tips they get about how to improve their presentation and communication skills. A few coaches observed make good use of video recorded feedback to apprentices about their assignments. Most assignment work is of a high standard. However, in a small minority of cases, such as in software developer programmes, feedback is not captured in a way that helps apprentices remember exactly what they need to do to improve.

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Significant Progress

Apprentices receive effective support from their coaches. In software developer programmes, coaches work closely with the providers’ website team to improve the accessibility of resources for apprentices with visual impairments. Apprentices with additional learning needs, such as dyscalculia, benefit from well planned activities in mathematics sessions. The ‘lattice’ method the coach uses to explain multiplication, helps apprentices understand this calculation.

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Significant Progress

Many apprentices enjoy a good range of extra activities through the ‘community programme’. They attend motivational, external speaker talks which help them understand the range of opportunities available to them within their sector. Some apprentices complete a peer mentoring and leadership programme to help them develop the skills they need to progress within their careers.

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Significant Progress

Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Significant Progress

 ensure that the quality of feedback apprentices receive is of an equally high standard across all programmes. Monitoring visit: Multiverse Group Limited, 17–18 February 2021 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Significant Progress

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Significant Progress

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Significant Progress

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Significant Progress

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

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