Connexin Limited

Connexin Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sarah Lonsdale, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Estuary Business Park Henry Boot Way Hull HU4 7DY Monitoring visit: Connexin Limited, 7 and 8 August 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

Connexin Limited is an independent learning provider that began delivery of Skills Bootcamps for adult learners in 2022. It works with employers to upskill existing employees to meet local skills demands and supports disadvantaged learners who are long-term unemployed or low-skilled to develop their skills and find work in the telecoms and digital industries. To date, the provider has supported around 180 learners on Skills Bootcamps in cyber security, fibre engineering, IT user and leadership and management. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 19 learners on level 4 cyber security bootcamps.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers successfully realise their ambition to support disadvantaged adult learners to develop their careers in the digital and telecommunications industry. They design and deliver effective bootcamp programmes that upskill existing broadband engineers, provide IT users with the skills they need to be better operatives of software and train adult learners in preparation for cyber security jobs.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers work closely with stakeholders to design and deliver bootcamps that meet regional skills needs and strategic priorities. They have a keen interest in future development of the region and are influential in local skills forums and employer boards. Stakeholders value the success of bootcamps, such as the fibre engineer and IT user, in supporting adults to find employment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have invested in skilled and experienced teaching staff along with well-resourced training environments. They have installed an innovative practical workshop that simulates fibre broadband installation. Leaders invest in software licences for unemployed learners who complete IT user programmes to enable them to practise their skills outside the training centre. Monitoring visit: Connexin Limited, 7 and 8 August 2024 Leaders and managers have appropriate oversight of the quality of education. They have designed helpful improvement plans, management information reports and systems to monitor learners’ progress and attendance. Staff carefully track the progress of learners to identify those who are at risk of falling behind. However, actions on the quality improvement plan do not focus well enough on teaching, learning and assessment to support ongoing improvements in the quality of

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Reasonable progress

Employers are pleased with the contribution that learners make to the workplace. They have seen improvement in employees’ professional behaviours, such as the ability to speak confidently with customers and develop more respectful and tolerant relationships with colleagues. Employers value how well learners understand how fibre broadband works and how, as new managers, they are able to delegate tasks, which makes them more efficient at work.

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Reasonable progress

Learners are well prepared for their programmes. Staff set clear expectations for behaviour and provide helpful information about course content and assessment. Tutors have designed a useful course handbook that outlines the curriculum and provides additional information about topics, such as safeguarding and well-being.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors plan effective cyber security bootcamps that enable learners to develop their vocational skills. They start the curriculum by covering the fundamentals of cyber security before moving on to topics, such as management of hazards and organisational security. They then introduce more specialist topics, such as layered security. Tutors cover topics beyond the requirements of the qualification, such as analysis of the cyber security threat landscape. They encourage learners to access learning resources through industry-specific websites to practise and develop their skills. As a result, learners are well prepared for careers in the industry.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide effective teaching, both online and in face-to-face sessions. They deliver modules of learning through informative presentations with frequent assessment tasks to test learners’ understanding. Tutors provide helpful assessment feedback so that learners know what they need to do to improve their knowledge and work. As a result, learners improve the quality of their written work and learn new concepts, such as how to apply cyber security within a legislative framework.

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Reasonable progress

Cyber security learners effectively develop their technical knowledge. They can apply their cyber security knowledge to recognise and mitigate threats. Learners know how weak security can have a significant impact on an organisation’s data security. Monitoring visit: Connexin Limited, 7 and 8 August 2024 Learners benefit from helpful careers advice and guidance. Tutors provide frequent employability sessions to help learners create job-specific curriculum vitae. They give guidance on the emerging opportunities in cyber security and digital industries. Learners on leadership and management courses are provided with information about further learning through apprenticeship programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Most learners who attend bootcamp programmes complete their course and achieve the qualification. Most fibre engineer and leadership and management learners progress to employment or take on more responsibility at work. A significant proportion of leadership and management learners have progressed to an apprenticeship. However, a few cyber security learners are yet to secure employment, although they are still being supported by staff to find work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place. They have implemented a safeguarding action plan, which carefully identifies local risks with mitigating actions. Leaders and managers follow safer recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are safe to work with vulnerable adults.

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Reasonable progress

Designated safeguarding leads are appropriately trained. They use their knowledge to provide helpful newsletters that put into context how topics, such as cyber threats, radicalisation and vulnerable adults at work, might be relevant in digital industries.

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Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe and know how to report safeguarding concerns. Tutors provide helpful advice on how to stay safe online. However, learners do not receive specific training on protecting themselves fully from risks, such as radicalisation, being drawn into extremism and being groomed online. Monitoring visit: Connexin Limited, 7 and 8 August 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 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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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