Springboard

Springboard Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Jacquie Brown, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Unit 1–2 East Way Rivergreen Industrial Estate Sunderland SR4 6AD Monitoring visit: Springboard, 26 and 27 June 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Springboard was inspected in July 2022. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Reasonable progress

Learners and apprentices are now making expected progress from their starting points. They produce work of a standard that is appropriate to the level of the programme on which they are enrolled. When learners fall behind, it is often due to personal circumstances, such as bereavement and mental health issues. Tutors run additional sessions and provide support to help these learners catch up.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors accurately assess the starting points of learners and apprentices, including in English and mathematics. They use this information well to identify targets in learners’ individual learning plans and to plan their programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors plan learning in a logical order and adapt planned learning to meet learners’ needs and understanding. They include opportunities for revisiting topics and building skills cumulatively. Tutors review the progress of learners and apprentices frequently through one-to-one reviews and encourage learners to reflect on their own learning and to identify their strengths and areas for development. They have increased the number of assessments that learners and apprentices complete, which gives them a more accurate understanding of gaps in learning.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide calm environments where they skilfully encourage learners and apprentices to build their confidence. Learners and apprentices actively engage in learning and demonstrate determination and resilience. They are willing to practise new and difficult skills with the support of their tutor.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide learners and apprentices with helpful feedback. Learners and apprentices use this feedback to improve their work and further develop their understanding. For example, apprentices use the feedback on assignments to resubmit their work and achieve an improved grade. Monitoring visit: Springboard, 26 and 27 June 2023 Tutors prepare apprentices well for their end-point assessment. Apprentices practise giving presentations and complete mock professional discussions with their tutors to give them the best chance of securing a high grade.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors have improved the structure and planning of the English and mathematics curriculums. They have reduced the length of sessions to help with learners’ and apprentices’ concentration and have increased the number of sessions. However, it is too soon to see the impact of these changes on learners’ and apprentices’ achievement in these subjects.

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Reasonable progress

Learners with high needs who are enrolled on vocational courses receive appropriate support in line with their education, health and care plans and their initial and diagnostic assessments. For example, learners with multiple needs associated with autism spectrum disorder, learning difficulties and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder benefit from a wide range of suitable support, such as tinted glasses, coloured overlays and support from a learning support assistant (LSA).

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Reasonable progress

Staff provide effective support in line with learners’ needs. For example, tutors and LSAs break information and questions down into small steps to help learners understand. They ask learners to repeat tasks to ensure that they remember what to do.

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Reasonable progress

Most learners with high needs make appropriate progress in developing their knowledge, skills and behaviours. They improve in confidence and develop their teamworking skills. A few learners do not make sufficient progress in English and mathematics, which is often due to personal issues that affect their attendance.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have improved their oversight of the quality of provision, including at subcontractors, since the previous inspection. They carry out activities, such as visits to lessons, to evaluate the quality of teaching. Following these activities, leaders and managers provide staff with development plans that are closely monitored and linked to the training that staff complete. Trustees are involved in lesson visits and attend training to develop their understanding of pedagogy.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have improved their oversight of the progress of learners. They use a monitoring system that highlights any learners who are behind or at risk Monitoring visit: Springboard, 26 and 27 June 2023 of falling behind. Leaders and managers rightly recognise the need to improve further their oversight of the progress of learners enrolled at subcontractors and plan to introduce their monitoring system at these providers next academic year.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and trustees are aware of the impact of the recent loss of tutors in motor vehicle and construction on learners’ progress and have provided interim tutors. They have recruited a new motor vehicle tutor, who will start imminently, and are in the process of recruiting a construction tutor.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have implemented a number of improvements to the careers guidance that they provide to learners and apprentices. These have had a positive impact. Learners’ and apprentices’ confidence in finding out about and planning their next steps has improved.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide learners and apprentices with useful careers guidance throughout their programme. They begin discussing career opportunities during recruitment and enrolment to ensure that learners and apprentices are on an appropriate programme to reach their goals. Tutors continue to discuss career goals with learners and apprentices at progress reviews. For example, they support apprentices to look at higher level and degree apprenticeships as a possible next step.

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Reasonable progress

Learners benefit from work experience, guest speakers and trips to relevant workplaces to help them make informed decisions about what they want to do in the future. For example, learners in health and social care visit care homes. Learners also complete taster sessions in higher level subjects before moving to the next level of their programme.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors nurture learners and apprentices carefully when giving careers guidance and help to them identify where they have transferable skills. They acknowledge that learners and apprentices may change their minds about their career goals and have developed positive links with the local careers service, which provides impartial careers advice and guidance. Monitoring visit: Springboard, 26 and 27 June 2023 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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Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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