Endorphins Group Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 20 to 22 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Endorphins Group Limited is an independent learning provider based in Bradford. It provides adult learning programmes in community venues across Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham, with funding from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 32 learners on a non-accredited pre- employability programme. In the current academic year, 162 learners have so far enrolled on the programme. All learners were over the age of 25, with around half over the age of 50. 20 to 22 February 2024

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

Learners gain valuable knowledge and skills, which they use to make positive changes to their lives. They volunteer and train as peer mentors to help others facing similar challenges to their own. Those who felt isolated at the start of their programmes develop greater self-awareness and grow in personal confidence as they progress. For example, they feel more able to travel beyond their home environment and take part in other activities, such as exercise. Learners speak highly of the positive impact of their learning on their well-being long after completing their programmes.

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

Learners participate keenly in learning sessions, due to the inclusive and supportive environments created by their tutors. They share their thoughts, feelings and experiences with others who face similar life challenges, and they are considerate, respectful and empathetic when doing so.

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

Learners attend their weekly sessions well and arrive punctually. However, in a few instances, learners leave sessions earlier than planned and, while alternative sessions are arranged, a few learners miss the value of group contact with their peers and tutors.

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

Learners benefit from personalised careers advice and guidance that are appropriate to their individual circumstances. For example, those who are ready for work attend job fairs or meet with employment advisers. Those most in need of more specialist intervention are signposted to external support services, such as the NHS or charitable organisations. As a result, the proportion of learners who progress to a positive destination is high.

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

Learners feel safe in the places where they learn. They know how to report concerns and are confident that they will be listened to by leaders and tutors. Learners appreciate the support that they receive and know that they will be signposted to more specialist, external help should they need it.

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better?

Leaders and managers have designed a curriculum underpinned by the principles of inclusion and social mobility. They help learners, many of whom are the furthest away from employment and with significant barriers to participation, to develop the confidence, courage and mindset to realise their future goals.

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better?

Leaders and managers work with a range of external partners to understand and lessen the impact of barriers to participation in the areas that they teach. They locate training in community venues to reduce travel costs for learners. They teach in close proximity to other local services, including employment support, so that learners can access easily the help that they need. As a result, almost all learners complete their programmes and progress to positive next steps relative to their starting points. 20 to 22 February 2024

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Leaders and tutors assess learners’ starting points accurately. They host pre- enrolment coffee mornings in community venues to assess learners’ needs and ambitions, and to understand the context of learners’ lives. Tutors use this information to set highly individualised targets for learners to work towards and to plan learning that is relevant to their future goals.

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Tutors sequence the curriculum well to meet the varied needs of learners. They teach practical self-help techniques in a group setting, including reflective note- taking and breathing exercises. Tutors help learners to apply these skills in subsequent online one-to-one sessions. However, in a few instances, learners do not receive the one-to-one support that they are offered when they start their programme. As a result, the progress of these learners is weaker than that of their peers.

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Tutors use a variety of effective teaching strategies to help learners develop new knowledge and skills. They use mindfulness techniques, such as drawing, to help learners to interpret and express their thoughts and feelings. Tutors use analogies to help learners to visualise concepts more easily. For example, they use ‘railway tracks’ to represent learners’ incremental gains towards their future goals. They blend these techniques with group discussions to help learners to articulate and assert themselves when working with others. As a result, learners grow in personal confidence and develop valuable skills for their next steps.

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Learners with additional learning needs benefit from effective support. Tutors provide fidget toys and tactile materials to reduce learners’ anxiety in group situations and when discussing sensitive topics. As a result, learners maintain their focus and engage positively in learning sessions.

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Tutors assess learners’ progress accurately. They use self-assessment techniques to help challenge learners’ misconceptions and to develop skills of positive self-talk. They provide learners with helpful feedback, which learners use well to understand their progress and to inform their future targets.

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Learners understand the relevance of fundamental British values to their everyday lives. Tutors work with learners to explore the freedoms that exist in modern Britain, including access to education and healthcare, and help learners to appreciate the cultural diversity in their communities.

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Tutors help learners to understand prevalent local risks, including exploitation, sexual abuse, radicalisation and extremism. For example, learners who have been the victim of online scams are more able to identify the signs of exploitation and learn how to avoid similar risks in the future.

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Tutors support learners to understand the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle. They teach learners about the impact of exercise and diet on their mental and physical health. They teach about the dangers of substance misuse, including of drugs and alcohol, to help learners to make more informed choices about the lifestyle factors that affect their well-being. 20 to 22 February 2024

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Leaders have in place appropriate processes to monitor and review the quality of the programmes they offer. They carry out activities, including lesson visits, learner surveys and reviews of learners’ work. They use the information that they gather to inform improvement targets and training for tutors. For example, tutors undertake courses in mental health first aid to understand better the barriers faced by learners. However, leaders’ support for tutors to develop their teaching skills further is less well developed.

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Leaders have taken steps to improve their oversight of provision through a newly implemented senior management structure. They review performance frequently and ensure that leaders are supported and challenged to drive continued improvement. Leaders have implemented plans to create a board of directors to further enhance their oversight of quality and standards. However, it is too early to see the impact of these plans.

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Leaders and managers are considerate of the workload and well-being of their staff. Leaders provide good support for staff who are new to the organisation by, for example, creating opportunities for new tutors to shadow those who are more experienced. They use peer coaching and forums for staff to reflect on and share good practice. Staff are proud of the role they play in the organisation and feel that leaders value their expertise. As a result, they enjoy their roles and are invested in the vision of the organisation.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders gather information about learners who are considered to be vulnerable when they start their course. Tutors use this information well to contextualise support for learners. However, leaders and managers do not yet record this information systematically to ensure that all staff are clear about the potential vulnerabilities of learners. As a result, they are not able to look for trends over time or analyse whether the support that they have put in place has had a beneficial impact on learners.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Implement a systematic approach to recording safeguarding concerns so that all staff are clear about the potential vulnerability of learners.  Continue to embed processes for tracking learners’ attendance and punctuality.  Ensure that all learners receive their follow up one-to-one entitlement to help move them further towards future goals.  Provide training to help tutors develop their teaching skills. 20 to 22 February 2024

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Provider details

Address Sedbergh Community Centre Huddersfield Road Bradford BD6 1DJ

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Simon Leonard

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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 20 to 22 February 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the associate director of adult education, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous monitoring visit 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

Alison Dennis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Ian Frear His Majesty’s Inspector 20 to 22 February 2024

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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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