The Educationwise Academy Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

p.1

Inspection of The Educationwise Academy Ltd

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Apprenticeships Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.1

Information about this provider

The Educationwise Academy Limited (TEAL) recruited its first apprentices in August 2019. TEAL offers apprenticeships across England, in three vocational areas, from level 2 to level 5. At the time of inspection, 138 apprentices studied apprenticeships in sports coaching and development, 35 studied apprenticeships in leadership and management and 35 were studying rail technician apprentices. Most sports coaching and development apprentices provide learning sessions in sports for children in schools. 15 to 17 June 2022

p.1

What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices learn in high-quality, inclusive, engaging and supportive environments in which they thrive, both at work and in their training away from the workplace. They develop quickly skills that make them very valued and useful employees.

p.2

What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Tutors set apprentices clear and ambitious expectations for what they should achieve during the apprenticeship. They provide apprentices with comprehensive and highly effective feedback on their work. As a result, all apprentices expand and deepen their knowledge and skills, including those whose work already meets the criteria to achieve a high grade in their apprenticeship.

p.2

What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices’ attitudes to their learning are exemplary. They are highly positive about the content of their apprenticeships. They are very clear about how their training provides them with the skills and qualifications they need to make progress in their chosen careers.

p.2

What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices benefit significantly from studying a curriculum that leaders have designed carefully and very effectively to meet the needs of employers and apprentices. Tutors and mentors work very closely with apprentices’ line managers to meet apprentices’ needs in training and at work.

p.2

What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices achieve many useful additional qualifications throughout their apprenticeship. Many sports coaching and development apprentices gain qualifications accredited by national governing bodies for sports. Others receive excellent help and encouragement to undertake personal challenges such as when studying for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

p.2

better?

Leaders have meticulously constructed an ambitious and challenging curriculum that is highly relevant to their apprentices. The curriculum aligns very effectively with employer’s needs. Leaders have a clear strategy to ensure the high quality of their apprenticeships, only offering apprenticeships in areas for which they have excellent staffing expertise and capacity.

p.2

better?

Leaders provide a curriculum which successfully enables apprentices to apply what they learn away from the workplace in practice when at work. Workplace mentors provide highly effective training that ensures apprentices’ practical work is of very high quality. For example, in one sports setting, apprentices observed their mentors working closely with children who displayed inappropriate behaviours. The apprentices then planned and provided learning sessions for the same children, observed by their mentors. The mentors subsequently provided highly detailed and perceptive feedback on what they had observed. This feedback significantly furthered apprentices’ understanding and management of children who behave inappropriately. 15 to 17 June 2022

p.2

3

Leaders have extremely positive relationships with employers. They carefully select those they work with, prioritising those with a strong commitment to the apprenticeship and their apprentices. Leaders have high expectations of employers and insist on their continual involvement in the development and implementation of the curriculum throughout the apprenticeship. Employers work closely and collaboratively with TEAL leaders to ensure that the content of the curriculum extends beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship while remaining highly relevant to the industry. For example, sports coaching and development apprentices achieve an additional level 2 qualification in leading inclusive activities. As a result, these apprentices can establish sports events in schools which fully include all the children in their care.

p.3

3

Leaders have designed curriculums which ensure apprentices gain substantial skills and knowledge which will help them in their future careers. For example, level 4 rail technicians learn how to use signals correctly when working on the trackside. This helps them to consolidate rapidly these skills when they move into higher-level roles in the future.

p.3

3

Leaders have planned the curriculum extremely well to enable apprentices to improve their knowledge and understanding, and application, of English and mathematics skills. Apprentices receive training in English and mathematics from the start of their programme and improve in these subjects throughout their apprenticeship. As a result, apprentices are confident about being well prepared for their final assessments. They understand clearly the importance, for example, of proofreading and checking their spelling. They provide each other with very effective mutual support to ensure that their final presentations are error free.

p.3

3

Tutors assess what apprentices already know and can do at the start of their apprenticeships very thoroughly and accurately. They use this information very well to plan curriculums for individuals which extend their knowledge beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship. At the start of the apprenticeship, tutors also check carefully whether apprentices need any additional support, for example to help with dyslexia. Tutors use this information very skilfully to adapt their teaching, both with individuals and with groups. Consequently, apprentices make significant progress in learning the content of the curriculum.

p.3

3

Tutors reinforce and build on apprentices’ learning very effectively. Tutors use a wide range of methods and resources, such as discussions, video recordings and written questions, to check and consolidate what apprentices have learned. As a result, apprentices improve their grades and can retain and recall knowledge and skills more fluently. This, in turn, means they have increased confidence in the workplace.

p.3

3

Apprentices are extremely well prepared to take their next steps in employment or further training. Apprentices complete their work to a very high standard. All who have reached the end of their programme have passed their assessments, with the majority achieving the highest grade possible. All continue to work within their chosen industry or are working towards higher-level qualifications. 15 to 17 June 2022

p.3

4

Leaders are rightly proud of their apprenticeship training. They are passionate about the value of their apprenticeships to employers and apprentices. Leaders communicate extremely well with their staff, employers and apprentices. For example, leaders provide information sessions every morning for staff to ensure that they are ready for the day. Leaders actively seek guidance and support from external agencies to ensure that they provide the best possible training. For example, they have worked closely with an awarding body to ensure that newly developed standards meet the needs of the sports industry and their apprentices.

p.4

4

Tutors and managers are highly qualified and extremely diligent. Most tutors are trained teachers. Their knowledge of effective teaching practice enables them to plan and teach innovative and interesting sessions for their apprentices. All tutors have high levels of industry-related qualifications, including chartered engineering and sports degrees, which ensures their vocational expertise is strong.

p.4

4

Leaders know their provision very well. They have designed regular and accurate ways to evaluate the effectiveness of their apprenticeships. Leaders have clear, well- conceived plans which identify accurately the swift and effective actions they take to tackle issues which arise. They focus their actions directly on having a positive impact on their apprentices. For example, a recent initiative provided apprentices with information technology equipment to ensure they could use online resources.

p.4

4

Leaders successfully provide staff with innovative technologies and carefully designed training which enable them to plan and teach highly effective virtual learning sessions. Apprentices value greatly the recent addition of skills masterclasses which allow them to share experiences and learning with their peers. Rail apprentices particularly appreciate their sessions which take place on a specially equipped bus where they apply in practice what they have learned about signalling. Staff use online technologies and tools very well to make learning sessions more interactive and informative by, for example, using virtual breakout rooms and questioning platforms.

p.4

4

Senior leaders are highly reflective and continuously seek to improve their apprenticeships. They review their progress towards achieving their plans for improvement on a weekly basis to ensure they meet their aspirational targets. Leaders are currently recruiting an external chair to their governing board to increase external scrutiny and challenge. Leaders work closely and very effectively with relevant external bodies such as local training partnership networks to ensure they remain up to date.

p.4

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

Safeguarding

Apprentices demonstrate a strong understanding of health and safety as it relates to them and their workplaces. The vast majority use TEAL’s online training courses effectively to extend their knowledge of matters such as consent, bullying and 15 to 17 June 2022

p.4

5

sexual harassment. Apprentices know when and how to raise a concern and who they should speak to.

p.5

5

TEAL’s safeguarding team is appropriately qualified and has significant expertise. They make good use of the effective systems and processes which are in place to record, report and act on any concerns. They equip tutors with good resources to use when teaching safeguarding topics to apprentices. 15 to 17 June 2022

p.5

Provider details

Address RBS/NatWest Building Trinity Quay Avon Street Bristol BS2 0PT

p.6

Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

p.6

Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.6

Provider details

Main subcontractors None 15 to 17 June 2022

p.6

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the chief operating officer, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

p.7

Inspection team

Tracey Zimmerman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Christine Lacey Ofsted Inspector Gavin Murray Ofsted Inspector Gareth Luke Ofsted Inspector 15 to 17 June 2022

p.7

8

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.

p.8

8

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

8

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

8

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

8

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

p.8