Bright Bees Nursery Ltd

Bright Bees Nursery Ltd Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Angela Twelvetree, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

394 Gipsy Lane Leicester LE4 7DA Monitoring visit: Bright Bees Nursery Ltd, 7 and 8 December 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

Bright Bees Nursery Ltd, trading as Scope Early Years, provides apprenticeship and traineeship courses within Leicester. It specialises in providing courses for those working in, or looking to work in, the early years sector. At the time of the visit, there were 63 apprentices. The majority of these study at levels 2 or 3, and a small number study at level 5. Sixteen trainees, most of whom are under 18, study traineeships.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers offer courses to help trainees and apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to work in the early years sector. Leaders prioritise disadvantaged young people from the local area. Trainees and apprentices gain valuable work experience and employment opportunities through their studies in a sector that has staff shortages.

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Reasonable progress

The curriculum takes into account the needs of employers effectively. Leaders recently created an employer forum, to better meet the needs of local employers. It is too early to assess the impact of this.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers plan and sequence traineeship and apprenticeship courses effectively. They ensure that they meet the requirements of an apprenticeship. The vast majority of apprentices are new to the sector; others are experienced and seek to enhance their skills with a higher-level course. Apprentices and trainees are carefully selected to ensure that they are placed on an appropriate course.

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Reasonable progress

Employers work well with tutors to help apprentices practise things on the job that they have learned off the job. For example, apprentices have designed assault Monitoring visit: Bright Bees Nursery Ltd, 7 and 8 December 2022 courses for children based on what they have been taught in the forest school activity.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that trainees and apprentices study in suitable learning environments which simulate nursery and childcare settings. Leaders have a new training centre in the city centre, with additional learning and development areas, which will open in January 2023.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors have significant vocational experience that they use very well to inform their teaching. All tutors have teaching and internal quality assurance qualifications. They benefit from a range of development activities to support their teaching and assessment practice, such as professional update training at local nurseries.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers understand accurately the strengths and weaknesses of their courses. They use quality assurance processes and the newly appointed board of governors well to identify areas for improvement and create appropriate action plans. However, these new initiatives have not yet made a significant impact.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have designed appropriate six and 10-week traineeship courses that allow trainees to benefit from well-planned work experience within the early years setting. Trainees have daily taught lessons on employability skills and wider skills, such as money and travel management. Additional one-to-one sessions allow trainees to focus on individual skills and target setting.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have developed a comprehensive initial assessment process to establish trainee starting points. Tutors use this information effectively to recognise prior knowledge and develop a logical curriculum plan to meet trainee needs. For example, trainees with little or no prior work experience start with modules focusing on employability and safeguarding. Those who have prior employment experience start with modules focusing on growth mindset and digital skills. However, tutors do not use initial assessment information thoroughly enough when planning for the development of trainees’ English and mathematics skills.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors identify and appropriately support trainees with additional learning support needs. All of those that need additional support receive this and they make progress in line with their peers.

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Reasonable progress

Managers and tutors ensure that employers have a clear understanding of the progress that trainees are making. They communicate frequently with employers and Monitoring visit: Bright Bees Nursery Ltd, 7 and 8 December 2022 provide comprehensive information about trainees, their support needs and targets. Consequently, employers support trainees well.

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Reasonable progress

Throughout their course, trainees gain valuable industry experience, which helps them to determine their career pathway. Those trainees that do not wish to pursue a career in early years receive useful support to explore alternative career paths. Staff support trainees well to understand the broader careers available to them. A significant number progress to childcare apprenticeships or gain full-time employment.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors create a positive and supportive learning environment. They establish professional relationships with trainees and set high expectations. Trainees rightly value the level of support that they receive.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers work very closely with employers to recruit appropriate apprentices. They carefully consider any potential barriers to apprentices’ achievement, such as the cost of travel, and actively support apprentices to reduce these barriers.

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Significant progress

Tutors work very effectively with employers to ensure sufficient, well-planned on- and off-the-job training. As a result, apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours that benefit their employer.

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Significant progress

Tutors are highly experienced, and plan well the order of topics that they teach to apprentices. At the start of their course, apprentices study health and safety, and safeguarding. As a result, apprentices quickly understand how to keep themselves and children safe.

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Significant progress

Tutors use their knowledge to plan lessons effectively, both online and face to face, including the use of case studies, to allow apprentices to understand children’s needs. For example, apprentices confidently apply their learning about special educational needs and disabilities and are able to describe and justify the techniques they use to support children.

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Significant progress

Tutors provide appropriate written feedback to apprentices, who use this effectively to improve their work. Helpful references to further learning extend apprentices’ knowledge and understanding further.

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Significant progress

Tutors for mathematics and English work closely with apprentices to build their knowledge and skills. Apprentices develop suitable technical and professional Monitoring visit: Bright Bees Nursery Ltd, 7 and 8 December 2022 language, which helps them to work effectively with colleagues and parents of the children in their care.

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Significant progress

Tutors carefully monitor the progress that apprentices make towards completing their course. Where apprentices fall behind, tutors quickly put into place additional support, which helps them to catch up with their studies.

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Significant progress

Tutors prepare apprentices well for their final assessments. Apprentices know what they need to do to complete their courses successfully and how to achieve higher grades.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and tutors take suitable steps to ensure the safety and well-being of trainees and apprentices. During their course, they study topics such as British values, the dangers of radicalisation, sexual harassment and online safety.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers also consider local risks appropriately and provide additional support for trainees and apprentices when this is relevant. For example, following recent riots in the local area, they were provided with additional information regarding safer travel and advice on how to interpret information on social media safely.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers carry out appropriate background checks on training staff. Staff receive relevant training in safeguarding, and managers provide a programme of annual updates.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding lead and deputies are suitably qualified. Where safeguarding cases arise, there is a clear process to follow. Staff with responsibility for safeguarding support trainees and apprentices that disclose safeguarding issues quickly and effectively.

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Reasonable progress

Trainees and apprentices feel safe and know whom to contact to raise any concerns or request support. Monitoring visit: Bright Bees Nursery Ltd, 7 and 8 December 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 and child protection.

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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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