Eden Training Academy Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Eden Training Academy Limited

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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

Eden Training Academy Limited began delivering adult learning provision in 2020. Learners follow short functional skills English and mathematics courses to support them in making progress towards further learning and employment. Training is provided in community-based venues across the north east of England. At the time of the inspection, fewer than five learners were on short courses studying towards entry level qualifications in functional skills mathematics. During the current academic year, over 500 learners have been enrolled. 21 to 24 May 2024

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

Learners value and speak highly of the support and encouragement provided by tutors, who create welcoming and calm learning environments. Tutors treat learners with respect, and learners emulate this by being respectful and supportive of each other. Learners participate well in lessons, take turns to answer questions, listen carefully to each other and allow others the time to speak.

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

Learners are well motivated and display a positive attitude to their learning. Most are unemployed and are returning to education to learn functional skills in English and mathematics after long periods away from learning. They grow in confidence as a result of the good progress that they make and the positive impact of their tutors.

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

Learners are prepared well for the next stage of their education or employment. They receive useful careers advice and guidance from their tutors and from National Careers Service advisers, who help them to recognise how they interact with other people and how they make decisions at work or in their personal lives. Learners feel suitably informed about the next steps that they could take.

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

Leaders have established strong community-based links which enable learners to access learning in centres and areas that they are familiar with. Learners are confident to attend learning in their local community.

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

Learners feel safe. They know how to raise concerns and to whom they should report them. Learners are aware of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. They also have a good understanding of the local risks that they, or those in their care, might encounter, such as vape spiking, grooming and county lines.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear vision for the programmes that they deliver, which is to re-engage adults who are furthest way from the job market and who often face obstacles and barriers in life. They have developed a curriculum that enables learners to gain the essential English and mathematical skills that they need for their next steps into further learning or employment.

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better?

Leaders provide an English and mathematics curriculum based on topics that are closely linked to learners’ employment prospects. These topics include preparation for the driving theory test, the construction skills certification scheme and basic food hygiene certification. Most learners understand that their training includes both functional skills and additional topics. However, a few learners are not aware that functional skills English and mathematics are the main priorities of the courses that they are studying. They think that they are training for the additional topic only, such as learning to pass the driving theory test. 21 to 24 May 2024

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Leaders work with a range of employers and other stakeholders, such as Jobcentre Plus, to help learners get closer to employment opportunities. Leaders have recently started working with a large recruitment agency and, as a result, learners are awaiting job outcomes following interviews with a range of high-profile companies.

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Tutors place most learners on English or mathematics functional skills courses at an appropriate level based on an initial assessment of their starting points. However, in a few cases, tutors do not amend learning when learners’ coursework demonstrates that they are capable of achieving at a higher level than their initial assessment indicated. As a result, tutors do not challenge or support these learners to achieve the highest level of qualification of which they are capable.

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Tutors use a wide range of teaching techniques and resources effectively to support well-planned learning activities. They guide learners to use dictionaries and thesauruses to improve their grammar and check their spelling, and to learn how they might use similar words. Learners carry out activities to help to calculate reaction speeds and thinking times before applying the brakes of a car. They quickly gain knowledge and recognise that they are using English and mathematics skills more confidently in their everyday lives.

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When studying the driving theory test topic, tutors provide appropriate activities for learners to complete at each of the three distinct entry levels in mathematics. However, in other topics, such as food hygiene and construction health and safety, learners complete the same learning activities, regardless of their prior knowledge and skills. As a result, a few learners are not challenged at the appropriate level, and a few find the work too easy. Leaders have plans in place to ensure that appropriate activities are planned for all topics.

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Tutors use a variety of assessment methods well to check learning. They provide feedback to learners about what they have done well and where they need to reconsider their answers to improve their work. Tutors use online quizzes in lessons to check that learners have grasped key concepts sufficiently and to identify potential gaps before moving on to new or more advanced topics. Tutors skilfully identify specific techniques that learners are struggling with, such as column addition, and provide precise support so that learners consolidate their knowledge, overcome barriers to learning and make good progress.

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Leaders and managers have in place a range of quality assurance processes that they use to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their provision. Managers carry out observations of teaching and conduct frequent learning walks to assess the quality of teaching. They provide tutors with a clear evaluation of their teaching practice and identify specific actions that they need to improve. Managers have recently implemented a well-considered programme of professional development activities to improve tutors’ teaching skills. Tutors value this training and are starting to apply the new strategies that they have learned to plan lessons more effectively and improve their assessment of learners’ knowledge and understanding. 21 to 24 May 2024

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Leaders rightly recognise that they do not monitor the overall attendance and destinations of learners well enough to inform curriculum planning. They monitor attendance daily but not over time. As a result, they do not know if there are any issues with specific courses. Staff monitor destinations frequently, but the data that they produce is not accurate. Leaders have recently invested in a new data management system and have appointed a member of staff to track attendance and destinations more carefully.

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Leaders have recently put in place a governance board with members who are highly experienced in further education. They are beginning to benefit from the support and challenge that governors provide.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Strengthen initial advice and guidance procedures so that learners understand that functional skills English and mathematics are the main priorities of the courses that they intend to study.  Ensure that tutors continually review learners’ progress to make sure that learners achieve the qualification level in functional skills of which they are capable.  Ensure that appropriate activities are planned for all topics so that learners complete work that is appropriate to their level of study.  Monitor attendance more closely and gather accurate destination data to inform curriculum planning. 21 to 24 May 2024

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Provider details

Address Unit 12, Belasis Court Greenwood Road Billingham Teesside TS23 4AZ

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Dawn Skerritt

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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 21 to 24 May 2024

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Information about this inspection

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

Philippa Firth, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Malcolm Fraser His Majesty’s Inspector Debra Forsythe-Conroy Ofsted Inspector 21 to 24 May 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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