Althaus Digital Limited

Althaus Digital Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Saul Pope, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 February 2022

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Sadler Bridge Studios Bold Lane Derby DE1 3NT Monitoring visit: Althaus Digital Limited, 9 and 10 February 2022

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Context and focus of visit

From October 2018, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision which began to be funded from April 2017 or after by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or the apprenticeship levy. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Althaus Digital Limited (Althaus) is an apprenticeship provider based in Derby. It specialises in digital and information technology (IT) apprenticeships. Apprentices study their courses online. At the time of the visit, Althaus had 56 adult apprentices, most of whom were in the East Midlands. They followed standards-based apprenticeships at level 3. The large majority of apprentices studied either information technology solutions or digital marketing. A few studied cyber-security technician apprenticeships. Althaus does not use subcontractors for any of its apprenticeship work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear rationale for their apprenticeship curriculum. They offer courses that tackle identified skills gaps, based on local labour market information and contact with employers. Leaders want their apprentices to develop successful careers within the IT and digital industries. To this end, most apprentices study additional leadership modules as part of their course.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers recruit only those apprentices who will gain significant new skills, knowledge and behaviours from their apprenticeship. Staff conduct thorough interviews with all apprenticeship candidates to gain a clear understanding of their starting points. They ensure that candidates with prior knowledge of the subjects either study a modified apprenticeship, or else receive guidance about higher level courses they could study elsewhere.

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Reasonable progress

Althaus’ staff work effectively with apprentices’ line managers. Skills coaches ensure that line managers understand apprentices’ progress and their modules of study. As a result, line managers plan work activities that match topics of study well. Monitoring visit: Althaus Digital Limited, 9 and 10 February 2022 Employers value the constructive approach of Althaus’ staff when they need to resolve issues with apprentices’ courses.

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Reasonable progress

Both senior leaders and those responsible for governance have sufficient oversight of the curriculum. Leaders use a well-considered quality improvement plan to make changes where they identify weaknesses. Althaus’ board members receive frequent information on important aspects of apprentices’ performance. They use this to challenge leaders to make improvements, such as recent changes to safeguarding procedures. Although leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weakness of the curriculum they offer, on a few occasions, their quality assurance of training sessions is not thorough enough.

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Reasonable progress

Skills coaches have suitable subject-related qualifications, as well as recent experience in relevant job roles. They benefit from scheduled time away from training commitments to research and prepare up-to-date course materials. In a few cases, skills coaches have not completed teaching qualifications.

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Reasonable progress

Skills coaches consider the curriculums that they teach carefully. They routinely include employer priorities within these. Skills coaches also arrange the order of topics well, so that in the large majority of cases, these match apprentices’ starting points.

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Reasonable progress

During live training sessions, skills coaches use assessment effectively to check that apprentices understand what they learn. They help apprentices if they misunderstand or struggle with a topic. Skills coaches also use assessment to make well-planned adjustments to curriculums. For example, they create additional resources or plan extra training time when apprentices find topics difficult. Apprentices also use high-quality online materials in their studies.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices’ written work is of at least the expected standard, and in a few cases of a very high standard. In many cases, skills coaches provide useful feedback to help apprentices improve the standard of their work. As a result, apprentices make structural improvements to written reports, or explain their answers more thoroughly. In a few cases, however, skills coaches’ feedback to apprentices is not focused enough on apprentices’ individual work, and as a result does not help them to make necessary improvements.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from ample and well-planned on- and off-the-job training. They complete an array of appropriate activities, such as work-related projects and shadowing other staff. This helps them to practise what they learn. If apprentices cannot access a broad enough range of activities, leaders take suitable actions to address this. Monitoring visit: Althaus Digital Limited, 9 and 10 February 2022 The few apprentices who require additional support for learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive useful assistance from Althaus’ staff. Apprentices who need to complete English and/or mathematics qualifications as part of their course develop their skills and knowledge well. Employers rightly value the difference that this makes at work, for example in the improvements in apprentices’ ability to communicate well in writing.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured that there is an appropriate culture of safeguarding in place at Althaus. Staff complete relevant safeguarding training, and there are adequate safer recruitment checks in place. Leaders have also developed robust measures to ensure safety during online training sessions.

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Reasonable progress

Staff with specific responsibility for safeguarding have a thorough knowledge of the local risks that apprentices face. They also focus on the impact of national concerns, such as sexual harassment, on their apprentices. However, staff have not yet taken steps to understand the regional risks for apprentices who are in other areas of the country.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are safe when they study. They rightly feel that Althaus’ staff strongly care about their welfare. Apprentices benefit from a well-planned safeguarding portal, which includes an array of contemporary materials. Staff update resources to ensure that these remain up to date, and reflect the safeguarding and well-being needs that apprentices have. Monitoring visit: Althaus Digital Limited, 9 and 10 February 2022 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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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