Aspire-Igen Group Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 12 to 15 December 2022

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Education programmes for young people Inadequate Provision for learners with high needs Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

Aspire-Igen provides education programmes for young people across West Yorkshire and Humberside, including learners who have high needs. It has centres in Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield, Dewsbury, Hull and York, with most of the provision based in Bradford. Leaders work with two subcontractors in Bradford and Hull.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 575 learners. Just under half of all learners are on health and social care and child development programmes, most of whom are studying at level 2 or 3. The remainder are on programmes at entry level, level 1 or level 2 in construction, motor vehicle, public services, business administration, hair and beauty, learning support, hospitality and catering, and information and communication technology. Aspire-Igen aims to help learners, many of whom have no prior qualifications, to progress to apprenticeships, employment or further learning. 12 to 15 December 2022

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

Too many learners do not attend their classes frequently enough, and those who do attend often arrive late to lessons, which delays the start to their learning in class. Consequently, learners fall behind, have gaps in their learning and are not well- enough prepared for employment or the next stage in their training or education.

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

In too many cases, learners’ behaviours and attitudes are poor. A few learners demonstrate poor social awareness and consideration of others in public areas. Too often, learners do not behave well enough in lessons, causing disruption to others. A few demonstrate a lack of respect for each other and for staff.

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

Learners on courses in health and social care and child development benefit from helpful careers guidance and useful work placements in appropriate settings to prepare them for employment. However, too many learners in other programme areas do not have sufficient opportunity to access high-quality work placements or timely careers guidance to prepare them for the world of work.

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

Learners, including those with high needs, feel safe and know who to contact if they have any safeguarding concerns. They understand the risks associated with using social media and can explain well the precautions to take, such as not giving out personal information to people who they do not know, not accepting ‘friend requests’ and not exchanging explicit images.

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better?

Leaders have put in place measures to drive up attendance since the last inspection. While there has been some recent improvement, this has been slow, and attendance is still too low.

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better?

Leaders have been too slow to act when they identify poor teaching. Arrangements for improving the quality of teaching are not effective enough. Leaders have appropriate processes in place for evaluating the quality of teaching and assessment. However, they have only recently put in place a programme of professional development to improve teachers’ skills, and this has yet to have an impact. As a result, learners often experience poor teaching and make slow progress in gaining new skills and knowledge.

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better?

Teachers do not use assessment well enough to identify gaps in learners’ knowledge. Consequently, learners do not have a good enough understanding of how to improve, meaning that they fall behind and do not make the progress of which they are capable. For example, in business administration, teachers do not assess learners’ work frequently enough to enable them to address any misunderstandings. In level 1 construction, teachers do not assess learners’ practical building skills well enough, meaning learners in this programme area produce poor- quality brickwork and continue to build mistakes into their work. 12 to 15 December 2022

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Teachers do not adequately support learners to improve their English skills or ensure that learners complete the written work that is set for them. In a few instances, feedback to learners from teaching staff includes incorrect spelling. This means that learners do not develop well enough their fluency in writing as they do not know how to identify or correct the spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors that they make in their assignments. Consequently, they make slow progress in improving their written English.

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While most learners with high needs make progress towards their individual learning goals, too often this is not rapid enough. Too many learners with high needs do not make the expected progress in developing their knowledge, skills and independence, due to their poor attendance.

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Leaders and staff do not adequately ensure that resources are appropriate for learners. The workshop space at the Leeds site is not suitable for the needs of the construction multi-skills programme. Bays are cramped and too small, meaning that learners struggle to construct brick walls or paint properly. In a small number of instances, teachers in childcare use online teaching resources that are not appropriate for the age of the learners.

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Although directors have oversight of leaders’ self-assessment and quality- improvement processes, they do not do enough to tackle the poor quality of education. Directors support leaders with their strategies to improve attendance but have not provided enough challenge on the factors underpinning low attendance, including poor teaching.

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Leaders have appropriate oversight of their subcontractors. They carry out suitable and timely compliance and quality checks. At both subcontractors, attendance and behaviour of learners are positive. Subcontractors’ staff set clear expectations for learners in lessons, and learning environments are calm and orderly. Learners on public services courses benefit from realistic and supportive settings that help to prepare them for roles in military service.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have appropriate arrangements to identify young people who may need early help and are at risk of harm or being harmed, including from neglect. They know those who are most vulnerable and have effective links with local authority teams. Safeguarding leads and pastoral staff secure the help that learners need and liaise appropriately with other agencies to refer any concerns to those with the expertise to help.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide training to learners on the risks of radicalisation and extremism. However, many learners do not fully understand the risks posed when living in large cities with complex social challenges. 12 to 15 December 2022

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Leaders have taken appropriate action in response to a serious safeguarding concern at one of their subcontractors. They have instigated a full investigation and identified appropriate actions in response to the concerns, which they are currently implementing.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that learners acquire new skills and knowledge and make the progress of which they are capable.  Improve approaches to assessment so that learners know how to improve and can become more independent learners.  Develop teachers’ ability to improve learners’ English skills so that learners produce good-quality written work.  Ensure that all learners have access to high-quality work placements and timely careers guidance to prepare them for employment.  Support learners to moderate and improve their behaviour.  Continue to improve learners’ attendance and punctuality.  Ensure that learners fully understand the risk of life in modern Britain, and how to protect themselves from these. 12 to 15 December 2022

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Provider details

Address City House 21–27 Cheapside Bradford BD1 4HR

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Caroline Harrison

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Dates of previous inspection 15 to 18 February 2022

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Motive8 Quality Personal Development 12 to 15 December 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of quality, data and compliance, 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.

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Inspection team

Cath Jackson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Glenise Burrell His Majesty’s Inspector Jonny Wright His Majesty’s Inspector Joanne Stork His Majesty’s Inspector Ian Frear His Majesty’s Inspector Neil Clark Ofsted Inspector Sue Martin Ofsted Inspector 12 to 15 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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