Sportscape Education Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Sportscape Education Ltd (Sportscape) is an independent learning provider based in Middlewich, Cheshire. Sportscape received its first publicly funded contract for apprenticeship training in May 2020. It specialises in apprenticeships and training in sport and physical activity. Sportscape provides apprenticeships from levels 2 to 4.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, Sportscape had 12 apprentices following standards- based apprenticeships in community activator coach (CAC) at level 2, community sport and health officer (CSHO) at level 3 and sports coach at level 4. All apprentices are based in Cheshire.

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Information about this provider

In addition, Sportscape provides training for League Football Education (LFE) to deliver a vocational qualification to LFE’s football apprentices. This work was not in scope for this inspection. 22 to 24 March 2023

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

Apprentices enjoy learning. They complete additional learning and training, including for sport-specific coaching badges that improve their employability and focus on their areas of interest. For example, they take football coaching, swimming teaching, lifeguarding and dance instructor qualifications.

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

Apprentices benefit from training and information on the professional standards and expectations for the coaching and primary-school settings where they work. Leaders and tutors set clear expectations with apprentices for attendance, punctuality and professional behaviours.

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

Apprentices consistently demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and work, and key employability characteristics of attending work on time, coaching to the best of their ability and wearing the company kit to look like a professional coach.

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

Apprentices model professional coaching behaviours with the children they coach. They have the skills and confidence to instil positive behaviours among children in their coaching sessions. Apprentices use appropriate tone, manage behaviour well, and promote positivity and peer respect.

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

Apprentices benefit from a collaborative approach at work and in training. Leaders promote a culture of care and support for apprentices. Tutors, mentors and lead coaches are easily accessible and approachable, providing guidance and modelling good practice for their apprentices.

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

Apprentices know how to keep themselves and children safe. They follow safe working practices and adhere to a ‘no mobile phone’ policy when on site with children in schools. Apprentices talk confidently about the higher level risks of both safeguarding and health and safety when coaching children to swim. They have the confidence and knowledge to identify and report child safeguarding risks outside work.

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better?

Leaders plan an ambitious curriculum that they adapt to meet the needs, aspirations and interests of their apprentices as well as the developing business needs of their employers. Leaders work well with their employer partners to plan the training that apprentices receive to meet employers’ skill requirements for community and primary-school sports provision. Employers and apprentices benefit from the coaching apprenticeships, while providing sustainable sporting opportunities for children across Cheshire. Apprentices negotiate and choose their specialist pathways in football, dance and swimming with their employers. They quickly learn the skills to make effective contributions to their employers’ businesses.

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better?

Tutors use information about what apprentices already know and can do and their levels of English and mathematics at the start of the apprenticeship to plan learning. 22 to 24 March 2023

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They embed the development of English and mathematics into the apprenticeship. Tutors provide individual workshops to support apprentices to improve their English, mathematical and digital skills throughout their apprenticeship. Tutors focus heavily on the development of the communication skills that are key to working in sports coaching and physical education teaching. However, apprentices on level 2 apprenticeships do not improve their written English skills swiftly enough. They make simple spelling errors that tutors do not routinely correct and subsequently continue to make the same errors throughout their apprenticeship.

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Tutors plan and sequence the curriculum effectively. Apprentices build on previous learning to develop the valuable knowledge, skills, confidence and resilience that they need to progress in their job roles and to become effective coaches. Level 2 CAC apprentices observe and reflect on coaching practices used by senior coaches in the early stages of their apprenticeship. They learn how to identify risks and undertake risk assessments before planning their own sessions.

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Apprentices gain significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours. They demonstrate key coaching qualities and skills and apply these fluently and consistently at work. Apprentices plan and lead varied coaching sessions that have a positive impact on their own development of skills and a rewarding impact on children’s engagement and participation in sport and physical activity. Apprentices at all levels independently and collaboratively plan, prepare and teach sessions in primary schools. They coach with confidence and competence to provide fun, interactive and engaging sessions for children.

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Tutors link theoretical learning to its practical application at work and ensure that apprentices remember what they learn. Level 4 sports coaching apprentices learn about class and group profiling after learning about child development theories. They apply their learning by producing class profiles for the children they coach, leading to better outcomes for children. Level 3 CSHO apprentices apply their project and financial knowledge and skills to apply for community funding bids and contracts.

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Tutors and employers plan on- and off-the-job training effectively to ensure that apprentices gain a broad range of experience and apply their learning in a range of settings. Apprentices routinely teach in schools, provide lunchtime and after-school clubs, and run swimming sessions.

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Tutors use assessment and feedback effectively to check learning, inform teaching and help apprentices to improve the quality of their practical and written work. Apprentices reflect on the feedback they receive, especially following practical coaching observations, and use it to improve their performance at work. They teach and coach practical sessions to a consistently high standard.

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Apprentices receive thorough careers information, advice and guidance that ensure that they are well informed about their potential next steps and career pathways. Leaders provide external speakers from industry to highlight their career progression and the key knowledge, skills and behaviours that they have developed to be 22 to 24 March 2023

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successful. Many apprentices progress to higher level apprenticeships and promoted positions on completion of their apprenticeship. Others take career breaks, with guaranteed employment on their return, to coach overseas.

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Leaders ensure that tutors are well qualified, highly experienced subject experts. They use effective quality assurance processes to inform continuing professional development. Tutors benefit from a range of teaching and vocational training to maintain their sector competence. They routinely take coaching qualifications in sports that are new to them, such as boxing, to broaden their own experience and remind themselves of the coaching and learning process. All tutors are current coaching practitioners. They use their experience to bring the curriculum to life.

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Leaders have a clear oversight of the progress that apprentices make. They ensure that tutors prepare apprentices well for their final assessments. Many tutors are end-point assessors. This provides them with insight into the assessment process and helps them to prepare their apprentices thoroughly with mock assessments prior to final assessment. Apprentices make at least their expected levels of progress. Many achieve distinction grades in their final assessments.

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Those responsible for governance recognise that leaders have been slow to strengthen governance arrangements since the monitoring visit in May 2021. However, they have an improving oversight of the progress that apprentices make and a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. Leaders recognise the need to enhance further and formalise their governance arrangements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed a strong culture of safety and safeguarding across the organisation. Apprentices feel safe. Staff and apprentices benefit from regular training on wider topics around safeguarding, including the ‘Prevent’ duty, first aid, fundamental British values and sexual harassment. Apprentices recognise the importance of this awareness and knowledge and apply it to their roles when working with children.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead and safeguarding team have extensive training and experience in the school sports and education sector. Staff across the provider prioritise the safeguarding of apprentices and the children with whom they work in schools.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding team uses appropriate procedures and systems to record, action and follow up on any safeguarding issues and incidents swiftly and effectively. 22 to 24 March 2023

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should ensure that tutors help apprentices to improve their written English skills.  Leaders should continue to formalise and strengthen governance arrangements to ensure that they receive the support and challenge they need to improve the quality of training for apprentices. 22 to 24 March 2023

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Provider details

Address Unit 4c Brooks Lane Industrial Estate Middlewich CW10 0JG

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Chris Regan

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 22 to 24 March 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the operations director, 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 sessions in the workplace, 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

Alastair Mollon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Benson-Smith Ofsted Inspector 22 to 24 March 2023

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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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