Digital Native (UK) Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Digital Native (UK) Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Digital Native (UK) Limited is an independent learning provider based in Birmingham that provides digital and information technology apprenticeships. Having previously delivered apprenticeships under a subcontract, the provider secured a contract to directly deliver apprenticeships in January 2019. At the time of the inspection, there were 84 apprentices, all on apprenticeship standards. Thirty-one were on the level 4 software developer, 15 on the level 4 software tester, 14 on the level 4 data analyst, nine on the level 4 business analyst, seven on the level 3 digital support technician, five on the level 3 software technician, two on the level 3 digital marketer and one apprentice on the level 3 data analyst technician apprenticeships. 6 to 9 December 2022

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

Most apprentices enjoy their learning with Digital Native. They build effective relationships with their coaches and value their expert knowledge, which helps them to secure a career in the digital sector.

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

Most apprentices develop significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours as a result of their training. The majority of apprentices achieve on time and secure permanent, full-time employment with their employer at the end of their apprenticeship.

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

Apprentices are satisfied with the education and training that they receive. They value the flexibility to balance their learning with their work and personal life that the apprenticeship offers them.

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

Apprentices benefit from curriculum content that reflects current sector practices and technologies. Leaders and coaches establish and nurture effective working relationships with employers to help leaders design a curriculum that meets the needs of this rapidly evolving sector. As a result, apprentices develop the skills and knowledge that are most useful to their employer.

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

Apprentices develop their confidence and professional behaviours as a result of the training that they receive from their coaches. Apprentices can practise presentation skills with their coach before applying them in the workplace. As a result, apprentices can present their project ideas to their colleagues and managers with confidence.

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

Apprentices feel safe in their lessons and when at work. Coaches introduce apprentices to safeguarding topics during induction and ensure that apprentices know who to contact if they have any concerns.

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

Although most apprentices gain employment once they have completed their apprenticeship, and a few progress to higher level study, not all apprentices receive enough information about the wider opportunities available to them in the digital sector or in other careers.

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better?

Leaders have a clear rationale for the apprenticeships they offer. They have identified areas of skills shortages highlighted in national and regional skills plans and developed a curriculum to meet these skills requirements. They have carefully selected apprenticeships that they feel they have the skillset to be able to offer effectively.

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better?

Senior leaders have extensive experience and expertise in the field of digital technology. They use this expertise to work closely with employers, oversee the 6 to 9 December 2022

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curriculum design, and recruit suitably qualified and experienced coaches to ensure that apprentices receive a good standard of training.

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Coaches sequence the apprenticeship to ensure that apprentices learn the knowledge, skills and behaviours that the sector requires. They practise these skills in a safe environment with their coach before using them at work. As a result, apprentices can quickly apply their learning and make an effective contribution to their employer’s business.

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Leaders have recently taken steps to ensure that employers provide a sufficient breadth of opportunities in the workplace to support apprentices to achieve distinction grades in their final assessments. This change has resulted in more apprentices being able to develop their skills and knowledge of a wider range of software and hardware, leading to a greater proportion of apprentices being able to achieve higher grades.

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Coaches make relevant adjustments to the curriculum to meet apprentices’ and employers’ needs. They work closely with employers to identify the specific software and associated skills that employers need their apprentices to quickly develop to be productive in the workplace. For example, coaches rearranged the curriculum of the level 4 data analyst apprenticeship to develop apprentices’ skills in using a piece of software that was central to their employer’s business earlier on in the apprenticeship. This resulted in the apprentice being able to contribute to their employer’s business sooner in the apprenticeship.

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Leaders and coaches have developed a broad curriculum in order to meet the needs of employers. They have included a range of additional training and qualifications from recognised software vendors to meet the requirements of the different job roles of apprentices. This means that apprentices develop a wide range of transferable skills that go beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship.

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Most coaches coordinate on- and off-the-job training effectively. They ensure that this is monitored during monthly progress reviews with the apprentice and their employer. This means that apprentices can practise in the workplace the skills they have learned at Digital Native. For example, coaches of the level 4 data analyst apprenticeship align assessment projects with tasks that apprentices are doing at work, such as analysing data used for marketing purposes that consumers provide. However, too often in level 3 digital support technician, on- and off-the-job training is not coordinated. Coaches on this apprenticeship place a disproportionate focus on apprentices completing self-directed learning.

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Leaders do not ensure that all apprentices with additional learning needs receive the support they need. Support provided by coaches is not consistent across the curriculum; consequently, a few apprentices are not supported as well as they could be.

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Leaders rightly recognise that there is further work to do in developing the personal development curriculum. They have recently developed a curriculum of monthly 6 to 9 December 2022

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training sessions for apprentices to develop their personal skills. Where these have started, apprentices have benefited from sessions exploring issues such as sexual harassment and the importance of healthy relationships.

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Coaches introduce topics such as life in modern Britain and the risks of radicalisation and extremism as part of induction, and these are briefly discussed in reviews. However, apprentices’ understanding of these topics is inconsistent, and not all apprentices can articulate what they have learned.

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Coaches do not provide sufficient feedback to help apprentices understand how they can improve their work to the standard of which they are capable. As a result, too many apprentices are unaware of what grade they are capable of.

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The few apprentices who enrol without the required level of English and mathematics are supported to complete these qualifications. However, coaches do not routinely develop the English skills of apprentices who already have the required level of qualification. As a result, apprentices do not consistently develop higher level writing skills to prepare them for their next steps in education or work.

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Leaders place a significant emphasis on the well-being of staff. They carefully manage workloads to ensure that coaches have the appropriate time to be able to support their apprentices. As a result, apprentices benefit from being able to access support from coaches quickly when they need it.

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Leaders responsible for the curriculum have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the apprenticeships they offer. They work closely with coaches to identify and resolve issues that arise through coach, apprentice, or employer feedback. As a result, leaders are able to take swift action to resolve issues that are having a negative impact on apprentices’ experiences. For example, leaders have amended the assessment of apprentices’ vocational starting points to provide coaches with a more accurate understanding of apprentices’ existing knowledge and skills.

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Since the monitoring visit, leaders have developed the arrangements for external scrutiny through governance. However, meetings have not been frequent enough, nor have they provided sufficient challenge to hold leaders to account for the quality of education that they provide. Leaders have recognised this and have begun the process of appointing new governors to provide the level of challenge that leaders need.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed an effective culture of safeguarding across the organisation. They have appointed a suitably qualified designated safeguarding lead (DSL) who oversees all arrangements for the provider. The DSL has an appropriate procedure in 6 to 9 December 2022

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place for the referral of safeguarding concerns, including a safer recruitment policy, which is used effectively to ensure that the appropriate checks are in place for staff.

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Since the monitoring visit, the DSL has developed appropriate external links with external agencies and receives regular updates on local risks.

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Staff undertake regular training on topics relating to safeguarding, including those related to harmful sexual behaviours, ‘Prevent’ duty, and other associated topics, which they use in their discussions with apprentices. However, apprentices’ understanding is not consistently developed throughout their programmes. Consequently, some apprentices are unable to recall the detail of what they have learned.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should rapidly implement the new arrangements for external scrutiny so that they are held to account for the quality of education they provide.  Leaders should ensure that all apprentices receive unbiased careers advice so that they are fully aware of the wider opportunities available to them.  Leaders should ensure that the development of English and mathematics is systematically planned for all apprentices.  Leaders should ensure that apprentices receive feedback to improve their work to the standard of which they are capable.  Leaders should continue with the implementation of a personal development curriculum for apprentices. 6 to 9 December 2022

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Provider details

Address Innovation Birmingham Room 0.17, Faraday Wharf, Holt Street Birmingham West Midlands B7 4BB

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Martin Stilgoe

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Provider details

Provider type Independent Training Provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 6 to 9 December 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the commercial director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s position paper and development plans, and the previous monitoring 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.

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Inspection team

Rachel Clark, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Stuart Collett His Majesty’s Inspector Susan Gay Ofsted Inspector Jenny Murphy Ofsted Inspector Richard Kendrick Ofsted Inspector 6 to 9 December 2022

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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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