Brighter Futures Merseyside Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Short inspection of Brighter Futures Merseyside Limited

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

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Outcome

Brighter Futures Merseyside Limited continues to be a good provider.

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Information about this provider

Brighter Futures Merseyside Limited (Brighter Futures) offers 16 to 19 study programmes in performing arts, sport and animal care. It recruits learners from Liverpool, the wider Merseyside region, Lancashire and the West Midlands. Brighter Futures subcontracts its animal care provision to Merseyside Career Development and Training. This accounts for less than five per cent of the provision.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, 906 learners were studying education programmes for young people. Of the 906 learners, 794 study level 3 sport, 67 study level 3 performing arts, 45 study level 2 animal care and less than five study level 1 vocational programmes. There are no students in receipt of high-needs funding.

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

Students thoroughly enjoy their learning and take pride in their work; they have a great sense of achievement in their accomplishments . Students provide strong support for each other and celebrate the achievements of their peers. They are motivated to learn and understand the importance of attendance and punctually to lessons. They develop their confidence, resilience and character. Performing arts students learn to manage their performance nerves and occasional disappointment following auditions.

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

Tutors and students share very calm, focused classroom environments. Students are respectful, polite and considerate to their tutors and peers. They demonstrate teamwork and clear communication when working on activities. For example, sports students debate confidently and articulately why women’s and men’s football should be treated equally.

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

Students feel very well supported by staff to make informed choices about their next steps. They receive a wide range of additional information to support them with their career aspirations. Most students progress to employment or apprenticeships, and 24 and 25 September 2024

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nearly one third progress to higher education because of the skills and qualifications they have gained.

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better?

Leaders have planned and implemented ambitious curriculums effectively, with industry partners, to meet the skills needs in the sports, performing arts and animal care sectors. The curriculums instil the professional standards and behaviours expected in industry. Tutors ensure that the curriculum extends beyond the main qualification. Performing arts students participate in live performances, animal care students support local animal charities and sports students provide sports coaching to primary school children.

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better?

Leaders have robust quality assurance processes in place, including for the subcontracted provision, to ensure they have a clear oversight of the quality of education that students receive. Leaders have implemented initiatives to improve attendance at GCSE English and mathematics, such as weekly intervention classes for students and an attendance progress group for staff. These initiatives are starting to improve differences in attendance between students’ main programme and English and mathematics.

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better?

Leaders have appointed staff that are highly qualified and experienced to teach students. Leaders are dedicated to ensuring that tutors maintain the highest standards in their teaching practices and have a keen focus on continuous improvement. Tutors maintain their vocational knowledge and skills by continuing to work in industry. For example, sports tutors continue to work as coaches. This ensures that students benefit from the most up-to-date coaching practices.

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better?

Managers identify what students know and can do when they start their course. This includes assessments of students’ practical skills. In performing arts, students undertake auditions in ballet and jazz to ensure they have the skills needed for the course. Tutors use this information to plan individualised learning for students. In sport, students that wish to progress to careers in physiotherapy complete the anatomy and physiology unit to ensure that they can reflect their knowledge in university applications.

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better?

Tutors sequence the curriculum effectively. In animal care, students start with health and safety, animal health checks and animal handling before progressing to more advanced topics, such as identifying diseases, treatments and referrals. Performing arts students learn jazz and contemporary dance skills before creating their own performance material.

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better?

Tutors are skilful in helping students link theory to practice. Sports students learn about technical and tactical skills in the classroom before practising and honing their skills in dribbling, serial skills and passing techniques, such as short, long driven and reverse. In performing arts, tutors teach key topics such as breathing, posture and intonation each week so students can swiftly develop their performance skills. 24 and 25 September 2024

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Tutors provide effective feedback that helps students to improve their written work and practical skills. However, the feedback that a few sports students receive on their written work is not developmental and does not inform students how to improve.

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Students achieve very well in their main qualifications and functional skills. More than half achieve merit and distinction grades. However, leaders recognise that too few students achieve their GCSE English and mathematics qualifications. Leaders have appointed a new head of curriculum for English and mathematics and have clear plans in place to make improvements. However, it is too soon to see the impact of this.

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Those responsible for governance have a wide range of expertise and skills that they use effectively to support leaders to improve the quality of their provision. Governors receive detailed information from senior leaders that enables them to skilfully challenge and hold them to account for their actions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Continue to improve the achievement and attendance at GCSE English and mathematics.  Continue to ensure that all sports students receive developmental feedback on their written work so that they know how to improve the quality of their work. 24 and 25 September 2024

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Provider details

Address Threlfall Building Trueman Street Liverpool L3 2BA

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 26 February to 1 March 2019

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Merseyside Career Development and Training 24 and 25 September 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since Brighter Futures Merseyside Limited was judged to be good in February 2019.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing 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

Suzanne Horner, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Helen Whelan His Majesty’s Inspector Zoe Ibbotson His Majesty’s Inspector Liz Greenhalgh Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 September 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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