Physical Education and Active Kids Ltd

Physical Education and Active Kids Ltd Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Hayley Lomas, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: BIC Enterprise Park East Business and Innovation Centre Wearfield Sunderland SR5 2TA Monitoring visit: Physical Education and Active Kids Ltd, 5 and 6 October 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

Physical Education and Active Kids was formed in 2014 and was originally established to provide sports and physical education lessons in schools. It gained a contract to deliver apprenticeship programmes in November 2020 and took on its first apprentices in April 2021. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 22 apprentices on three standards-based programmes. Eight apprentices were on level 4 sports coaching, 13 apprentices were on the level 3 teaching assistants programme, and the remainder were on level 3 business administration. The large majority of apprentices were aged 19 years and over.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear rationale for providing teaching assistants and sports coaching apprenticeship programmes. They have successfully implemented apprenticeship programmes that are responsive to the regional and national staff shortages of qualified and sports-focused teaching assistants. Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that enables apprentices to progress their careers in schools. For example, level 3 teaching assistant apprentices often progress to permanent roles in schools.

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Reasonable progress

Managers employ staff who are experienced as tutors and coaches in the sports industry. Tutors use their experience to deliver high-quality training to their apprentices and plan sessions that are relevant to what apprentices are doing at work. For example, apprentices coach children in primary schools to perform basic gymnastics routines based on what they know about the fundamentals of agility, balance and coordination (ABC).

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have recently implemented a new recruitment process to ensure that they Monitoring visit: Physical Education and Active Kids Ltd, 5 and 6 October 2022 enrol apprentices on appropriate programmes that meet apprentices’ individual needs. Apprentices quickly understand the challenges of working with children and the importance of keeping them safe. They settle into their roles well and, as their confidence develops, they are given extra responsibilities, such as planning and running small group sessions, which their employers value highly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have a realistic understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provider. They have recently taken appropriate measures to address the weaker aspects that they have identified, such as improving the processes for recruiting apprentices and for reviewing apprentices’ progress. However, it is too early to see the full impact of recent improvements.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have appointed an independent advisory board whose members are highly experienced and knowledgeable. The board meets frequently and challenges staff about the impact that they are having on apprentices’ knowledge and skills development and their progress towards achieving their apprenticeship. Board members have a realistic understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. They have provided good support for leaders in making necessary staffing changes to improve quality.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide apprentices with effective initial advice and guidance about their apprenticeship programme. Apprentices are guided and supported to access training that meets their individual needs. Assessments conducted by staff at the start of the apprenticeship ensure that apprentices’ prior experience, such as in psychology and sports science, is taken into account when allocating apprentices to teaching assistant roles.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors plan learning well for their apprentices. In level 4 sports coaching, they start by developing apprentices’ understanding of sports terminology and team practices. They introduce the ABC fundamentals in sports coaching that apprentices use when creating their session plans. However, managers and tutors do not routinely involve employers in planning the apprenticeship programme to ensure that it fully meets their needs.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors develop apprentices’ mathematical knowledge well. They introduce topics at pace and are skilled at planning interesting and engaging sessions. They recap frequently and consolidate and build new learning effectively. Teachers start sessions with topics that they have covered previously, such as learning about ratios before introducing and building new learning related to perimeters.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors do not ensure that the academic targets that they set when apprentices fall behind are achieved quickly enough. Tutors rightly intervene and set goals intended Monitoring visit: Physical Education and Active Kids Ltd, 5 and 6 October 2022 to help apprentices get back on track. However, on a few occasions, actions that started a long time ago remain unresolved or are only partially completed. As a result, a few apprentices make slow progress.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors inform apprentices well about their future career and training opportunities. Apprentices are clear about their career opportunities upon completion of their apprenticeship. They understand that progressing to initial teacher training and taking additional coaching qualifications will enhance their career opportunities further.

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Reasonable progress

Managers ensure that tutors prepare apprentices well for end-point assessment. Apprentices know the grade that they are working towards and how to achieve the best possible grades. Most apprentices are working towards an expected grade of distinction.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that the designated safeguarding staff have appropriate training and knowledge to be effective. They make sure that staff and apprentices complete suitable safeguarding training. Apprentices know how to keep themselves safe and know to whom they should report concerns, both in training and in school when dealing with children in their care. They are able to describe how safeguarding and cybersecurity relate to them in the workplace and to the children that they support. When safeguarding concerns are reported, safeguarding staff deal with them appropriately and refer them to external agencies when necessary.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have implemented suitable ‘Prevent’ duty procedures to keep apprentices safe. The risk assessment identifies the different risks that apprentices face, including local threats such as extremist groups. Leaders have implemented appropriate measures to mitigate these risks.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that staff are suitable to work with apprentices. They conduct appropriate background checks, such as the right to work in the UK, references from their most recent employers and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. These records are held securely and kept up to date. Monitoring visit: Physical Education and Active Kids Ltd, 5 and 6 October 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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