Aston University

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 Adult learning programmes Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Aston University is a higher education institution based in Birmingham, West Midlands. The university has been offering apprenticeships since 2017, and more recently has secured funding to offer two sector-specific Skills Bootcamps. At the time of the inspection, there were 1161 apprentices, and 64 adult learners on a Skills Bootcamp in cyber security fundamentals, with a further 64 adult learners on a Skills Bootcamp in environmental sustainability. Of the apprentices, there were 523 on level 6 and 7 business related apprenticeships, 56 apprentices studying level 6 healthcare related apprenticeships, and a further 582 apprentices studying level 6 and 7 digital, engineering, and logistics apprenticeships.

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Information about this provider

The university works with one subcontractor, Learndirect Limited, who teaches English and mathematics functional skills qualifications to 111 apprentices who are required to complete these qualifications at level 2 as part of their apprenticeship. 12 to 15 March 2024

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

Apprentices and learners are well motivated, enthusiastic and enjoy their learning. They benefit from weekly planned contact with tutors, who are highly qualified and experienced practitioners in their respective academic and vocational areas. Apprentices and learners benefit from the high aspirations that tutors have of them; as a result, they are motivated to succeed.

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

Apprentices and learners make good progress towards achieving their qualifications because tutors provide well-crafted teaching. This helps apprentices and learners to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours they need at work and for their careers.

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

Apprentices and learners have positive attitudes to their studies, they develop good academic, personal and social skills during their training. They are courteous, respectful of each other and their tutors. Learners improve their confidence and develop a wide range of valuable employment-related skills. Apprentices quickly make effective contributions to their employers’ businesses.

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

Apprentices and learners are supported well to develop a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe in the university environment, at work and in their personal lives. They have access to a comprehensive range of information on various subjects, such as bullying and harassment, sexual violence, discrimination, domestic abuse and hate crime.

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better?

Senior leaders and governors at the university have established a clear vision and ambitious strategy for the provision of higher-level apprenticeships that closely link to identified regional and national skill priorities. Members of the university council, senate and senior postholders work well together. They know the university and its context well and ensure that the views of the student representative body are appropriately considered when making decisions about the courses and apprenticeships that they offer.

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better?

Leaders, managers and tutors ensure that both the apprenticeship and adult learning curriculums are suitably informed by close analysis of up-to-date labour market intelligence and engagement with a broad range of stakeholders. In the case of apprenticeships, this includes close engagement with employers, relevant sector organisations and designated professional and regulatory bodies, ensuring that the curriculum content meets the skills needs of industry and is aligned to the sector accreditations that apprentices need for employment and progression. In relation to adult learning courses, leaders liaise closely with the West Midlands Combined Authority to develop curriculums that widen participation and extend social mobility.

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better?

Tutors use the results of initial and continuing assessment to develop personalised courses for all learners. They set appropriately challenging targets and, as a result, 12 to 15 March 2024

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apprentices and learners are supported to make rapid and sustained progress towards demanding learning goals.

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The few apprentices and learners with additional learning needs, such as dyslexia, receive prompt support because of the early assessment of their individual support needs. They make progress that is in line with that of their peers.

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Apprentices benefit from carefully sequenced and impactful teaching, which helps them to build on their knowledge over time, and to embed learning in their long- term memory. Tutors help them to work collaboratively in planned learning activities, resulting in apprentices and learners becoming more confident and extending their knowledge. For example, apprentices on the level 6 chartered manager and level 7 senior leadership apprenticeships become more reflective and self-critical regarding their leadership styles through participation in ethically-based projects.

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Tutors use a wide range of teaching activities, such as rigorous questioning, pause and recap, and case studies to ensure that apprentices and learners retain key concepts and can confidently link current learning to previous content. Apprentices and learners develop valuable knowledge and relate new information to specific practice-based skills in their chosen subject area. For example, on the level 6 digital and technology solutions professional apprenticeship, tutors use gamification activities to develop apprentices’ problem-solving techniques and to correct any misconceptions in their understanding.

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Apprentices and learners benefit from tutors who bring a wealth of industry and academic knowledge and research, which they successfully incorporate into their teaching. Tutors benefit from a range of professional development activities that support them in keeping their industry knowledge up to date for the benefit of their apprentices and learners.

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Most apprentices confidently develop their academic English and mathematical skills in line with the demands and expectations of their apprenticeship. Leaders ensure that the few apprentices who join without prior exemptions in these essential skills are supported well by the subcontractor and successfully achieve their functional skills qualifications at the first attempt. However, tutors do not routinely establish the literacy and numeracy support of learners and for apprentices who have prior qualifications in English and/or mathematics.

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Most tutors provide apprentices with helpful oral and written feedback, which helps them to know what they have done well, and what they need to do to improve the quality of their work. This means that most apprentices have a secure understanding of their development needs, and the specific actions they need to take to extend their understanding and make progress in their studies. However, on the level 6 manufacturing engineering apprenticeship and the Skills Bootcamp in cyber security fundamentals, some tutors’ written feedback is overly positive and does not help apprentices and learners to improve. 12 to 15 March 2024

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Apprentices and learners benefit from high-quality resources and learning environments. For example, in the level 6 healthcare science practitioner course, apprentices have access to up-to-date audiology laboratories that enable them to develop the skills to accurately assess the hearing of patients with cochlear implants. Learners on the Skills Bootcamp in cyber security fundamentals benefit from access to meta phishing simulation resources that allow them to evaluate the integrity of cyber security protocols.

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Employers support their apprentices’ well. They routinely attend reviews of progress, contribute to discussions of their employees’ progress and skills development, and ensure that they benefit from planned opportunities to practise their new skills in the workplace. As a result, apprentices quickly become fluent in applying the knowledge and technical skills they have gained.

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The majority of apprentices successfully achieve their apprenticeship. Almost all, remain in employment and a small minority gain promotions either during or after they complete their apprenticeship. However, leaders acknowledge that achievement rates for apprenticeships needs to improve further.

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A high proportion of adult learners achieve their qualification. However, too few progress to sustained employment in the cyber security industry on completion of their course.

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Most apprentices and learners routinely arrive at lessons on time and are ready to learn. However, apprentices’ and learners’ attendance is not high enough on the level 6 digital technology solutions apprenticeship and the Skill Bootcamp course in cyber security fundamentals.

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Tutors ensure that apprentices and learners are provided with clear information and guidance on matters, such as equality, inclusion and the values that underpin life in modern Britian. However, a very small minority of apprentices and learners cannot readily recall what they know and remember of topics, such as democracy and freedom of speech, or how such aspects apply to them in their personal and professional lives.

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Apprentices and adult learners receive good career advice and guidance and are clear about the next steps available to them. Tutors use their extensive knowledge and industry expertise effectively to provide good-quality information, advice and guidance prior to learning, on programme and for wider progression.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 12 to 15 March 2024

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that tutors on the level 6 manufacturing engineering apprenticeship and the Skills Bootcamp course in cyber security fundamentals provide apprentices and learners with precise guidance that sets out where they need to improve.  Increase the proportion of apprentices who complete their apprenticeship successfully and ensure that employment related outcomes for learners on the cyber security fundamentals Skills Bootcamp improve.  Ensure that tutors routinely identify the pre-existing starting points of all apprentices and adult learners’ skills in both English and mathematics and plan appropriate learning activities that enable them to develop and extend their confidence in these essential skills.  Improve attendance for apprentices on the level 6 digital and technology solutions professional and for adult learners on the cyber security fundamentals Skills Bootcamp.  Leaders should ensure that tutors support apprentices and learners to develop a

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

more comprehensive understanding of matters related to fundamental British values and how these apply to them in their wider lives and at work. 12 to 15 March 2024

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Provider details

Address Aston Triangle Birmingham West Midlands B4 7ET

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Professor Aleks Subic

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Provider details

Provider type Higher education institution

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Learndirect Limited 12 to 15 March 2024

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Information about this inspection

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

Victor Reid, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Rachel Clark His Majesty’s Inspector Stuart Collett His Majesty’s Inspector Zoe Ibbotson His Majesty’s Inspector Gerri Nevin Ofsted Inspector Karen Bill Ofsted Inspector Scott Cubitt Ofsted Inspector Joel Dalhouse His Majesty’s Inspector 12 to 15 March 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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