Ambition Institute

National professional qualifications (NPQ) report

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Ambition Institute 2 Bridge Wharf, 156 Caledonian Road, London N1 9UU

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Inspection judgements

National professional qualifications (NPQs) inspection

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Inspection judgements

The quality of professional development and training Outstanding

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Inspection judgements

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection N/A

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What is it like to be an NPQ participant at this lead provider?

Participants benefit from exceptional training from Ambition Institute. Experienced, knowledgeable facilitators deliver the high-quality curriculum with skill and precision. Participants are overwhelmingly positive about their experience on the NPQ programmes. The quality of the curriculum and its expert delivery ensure that participants’ existing roles, knowledge and experience are effectively used as a starting point for their training.

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What is it like to be an NPQ participant at this lead provider?

Participants value the numerous real-life examples, case studies and opportunities for reflection and discussion with peers that have been designed into the curriculum. This helps them see the progress that they are making through the programmes and to apply what they have learned in their educational settings. Participants are very well equipped with the knowledge and confidence they need to take the next step in their careers.

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What is it like to be an NPQ participant at this lead provider?

Participant experience is extremely important to the lead provider. Inclusive practices sit as core principles guiding the design and structure of the NPQ programmes. Leaders have gone to great lengths to ensure that materials and other resources are fully accessible by all participants. Bespoke adaptations are made where necessary to meet individual participant need. The NPQ programmes provide high challenge. However, participants say that their workload is well considered. They value the flexibility of the programmes to fit around their professional commitments.

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Information about this lead provider

◼ There are 20,620 NPQ participants undertaking the lead providers’ NPQ programmes. ◼ Ambition Institute delivers all nine of the current NPQ programmes. ◼ Ambition Institute works with 38 delivery partners, who deliver training to 16,514 NPQ participants. ◼ Delivery partners include 23 teaching school hubs and alliances, 14 multi- academy trusts and one local authority. ◼ Ambition Institute provides direct delivery to 4,106 NPQ participants.

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Information about this inspection

◼ The inspection was carried out by seven of His Majesty’s Inspectors. ◼ Inspectors spoke with the lead provider’s representatives, including the executive director for ECT and NPQ programmes, the director of learning design, the director of insights, the director of programmes, the director of NPQs, the director of ECF, the associate director of mobilisation and a range of other senior staff. An inspector also met with the chief executive officer. The lead inspector also met with representatives from the board of trustees, including the vice- chair. ◼ Inspectors carried out focused reviews in NPQs for headship, executive leadership, early years leadership, leading literacy, leading primary mathematics, leading teaching, leading behaviour and culture and senior leadership. For each focused review, inspectors met with delivery partners and facilitators, discussed training with a group of NPQ participants, met with headteachers and other

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Information about this inspection

senior leaders and scrutinised documentation. Inspectors also attended live training events and reviewed recorded training sessions. ◼ Inspectors visited 10 delivery partners on site and three remotely. They also carried out focused reviews in two centrally delivered NPQ programmes. ◼ The inspection team considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for NPQ participants, delivery partners and setting leaders. ◼ The lead inspector changed on day three of the inspection due to exceptional circumstances.

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better?

Ambition Institute has expertly crafted a high-quality curriculum that distils the content of the NPQ frameworks into curriculum principles with absolute fidelity. These principles have been meticulously sequenced in the lead provider’s NPQ programmes to ensure that participants robustly build their knowledge and professional behaviours over time. Stakeholders are highly positive about the quality of the curriculum and training that participants receive. Through the NPQ programmes, participants develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to apply what they have learned in their professional roles.

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better?

There is a well-considered and thorough approach to recruiting facilitators across the lead provider’s network of delivery partners. A robust recruitment and induction process ensures that facilitators have the expertise they need to deliver the ambitious curriculum. Ongoing quality assurance, training and support ensure that delivery of the programmes is exceptional. The high-quality of the curriculum and its supporting materials helps facilitators to achieve this.

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better?

Participants’ existing expertise is very carefully considered, building on their existing roles, knowledge and experience. The lead provider and its delivery partners collaborate effectively to ensure that the NPQ programme content and activities are highly attuned to the range of participant starting points. Experienced facilitators are given the training and tools that they need to support highly diverse cohorts, addressing individual learning needs and pre-empting misconceptions.

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better?

Research sits at the heart of the offer from the lead provider. High-quality, pertinent research underpins the NPQ programmes. Participants are very well equipped through the NPQ programmes to be discerning users of educational research. This empowers participants to drive evidence-based improvement in their settings and the wider sector.

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better?

Participants benefit from highly effective formative assessment processes. The curriculum includes regular opportunities for participants to reflect on their progress individually and with others. This is supported by quizzing and diagnostic assessment, which helpfully guides participants’ learning. Facilitators are skilled in using formative assessment to adapt their training to respond to gaps in participants’ knowledge or experience. This ensures that participants make secure progress through the programmes.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that there is full compliance with legislation and their statutory duties. There are clear systems in place for reporting safeguarding and other concerns. These systems are well understood. Stakeholders value frequent opportunities to provide feedback to the lead provider, which they feel is listened to and leads to improvement.

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better?

The lead provider’s mission of ‘keep getting better’ runs as a core thread through its work with delivery partners and programme participants. There is a tireless ambition from leaders and trustees to perfect the quality of curriculum, facilitation and participant experience. This desire starts from already high starting points. However, through careful and considered analysis of data and other insights, leaders are forensic and iterative in their approach to improvement. They ensure that any changes are sustainable, sensitive to workload and balanced against capacity within the wider system.

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Lead provider details

Unique reference number 2679885 Inspection number 10326113

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Lead provider details

This inspection was carried out by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) in accordance with early career framework (ECF) and national professional qualification (NPQ) framework and handbook .

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Lead provider details

The framework and handbook set out the statutory basis for ECF and NPQ inspections in England.

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Lead provider details

Lead provider programmes offered NPQ/ECF Date of previous inspection N/A

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Inspection team

Marc White, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Peter Stonier, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Mark Anderson His Majesty’s Inspector Eleanor Belfield His Majesty’s Inspector Rachel Henrick His Majesty’s Inspector Sacha Husnu-Beresford His Majesty’s Inspector Michael Pennington His Majesty’s Inspector Lydia Pride His Majesty’s Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. 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 . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-

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Inspection team

government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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