Niyo Group Ltd. (trading as Niyo Enterprise)

Name of lead inspector: Joel Dalhouse, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 February 2024

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Zellig Building The Custard Factory Gibb Street Birmingham B9 4AT Monitoring visit: Niyo Group Ltd, 14 and 15 February 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection. 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

Niyo Group Ltd is an independent learning provider based in Birmingham. The provider was awarded a contract from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to provide Skills Bootcamps in May 2020. At the time of inspection, there were 49 learners, each studying one of four Skills Bootcamps. Nine learners were studying software development, 20 learners were studying data analytics with project management, 11 learners were studying entrepreneurship and nine learners were studying digital marketing for entrepreneurship.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear rationale for the digital Skills Bootcamp curriculums they offer. They are focused on economically upskilling Black and Asian women by providing them with advanced digital skills aligned with industry needs. Leaders aim to increase the representation of Black and Asian women within the digital industry.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work closely with a range of industry-leading multinational employers to identify the skills that learners need to gain sustained employment in the digital sector. Leaders have designed their curriculums to develop advanced analytical and coding skills. Learners are also offered corporate mentoring and support to build their digital footprint. As a result, learners are prepared well for their next steps.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have recruited vocationally skilled technology experts to teach their curriculums. However, they have not ensured that all tutors are sufficiently skilled in teaching. In some cases, lessons are too fast paced for learners to keep up and consolidate their learning. Leaders have recognised this and have plans in place to provide tutors with appropriate training aimed at improving their teaching practice. However, the impact of this cannot yet be seen. Monitoring visit: Niyo Group Ltd, 14 and 15 February 2024 Leaders recognise that their quality assurance processes do not ensure they have the information they require to understand the quality of their Skills Bootcamps effectively. In a few cases, areas to improve teaching practice are not quickly identified. This results in a small minority of learners not making swift progress from their starting point.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders frequently seek advice and support from external advisors, who help to shape the organisation’s strategic direction and use their expertise to hold senior leaders to account.

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Reasonable progress

The curriculums learners follow are well designed to support them to build on their skills over time. For example, learners studying software development first learn basic HTML skills before moving on to Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and then combine these skills to build complex websites. As a result, learners apply more complex techniques to their coding over time.

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Reasonable progress

Learners undertake thorough assessments of their starting points to ensure they have the appropriate level of digital skills knowledge required to study the course. Leaders and tutors use the results of these assessments when planning teaching. Where learners lack the required knowledge to undertake their chosen Skills Bootcamp, tutors signpost learners to courses that will help them build the skills they need.

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Reasonable progress

In lessons, tutors skilfully demonstrate coding skills, including HTML, CSS, and Java. They then provide learners with opportunities to practise their newly acquired coding skills in workshops. Tutors use technology to monitor learners’ work while they are practising their new coding skills effectively. They provide timely feedback, which tells learners how they can improve their work.

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Reasonable progress

Learners who need or want extra help and support can attend ‘code and chill’ workshops in addition to their structured learning. During these sessions, tutors work with learners to provide support for skills development, which helps learners close gaps in their knowledge and embed their new skills.

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Reasonable progress

Learners benefit from mentoring opportunities developed through links with employers, which helps them to prepare for the workplace. Leaders provide sessions that support learners to develop their CV writing and interview skills. Leaders place a focus on the work skills and behaviours learners will need to be successful in the workplace. They actively monitor attendance and respond swiftly when learners do not attend. Monitoring visit: Niyo Group Ltd, 14 and 15 February 2024

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have implemented appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures. They have appointed a designated safeguarding lead (DSL), who has implemented appropriate safer recruitment processes. The DSL has ensured that Niyo has a suitable safeguarding policy in place to protect the adults it teaches.

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Reasonable progress

Staff undertake appropriate safeguarding training for the age of the learners they teach. They understand how to provide learners with the support they need to keep themselves safe. Staff teach learners how to keep themselves safe online. Tutors teach learners how to build their digital footprints safely. Learners are also taught to be cautious when accepting invitations to connect on business-focused social networking platforms. However, staff do not ensure that learners have a secure understanding of the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. Monitoring visit: Niyo Group Ltd, 14 and 15 February 2024 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

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Reasonable progress

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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Reasonable progress

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

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