Elevation Academy Limited

Elevation Academy Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Steve Hailstone, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 16 and 17 July 2024 and 23 and 24 September 2024

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Address:

Unit 8, Howley Park Business Village Pullan Way Morley Leeds LS27 0BZ Monitoring visit: Elevation Academy Limited, 16 and 17 July and 23 and 24 September 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or the apprenticeship levy. 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

The inspection started on 16 and 17 July 2024. Inspectors returned to gather additional evidence on 23 and 24 September in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy.

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Context and focus of visit

Elevation Academy Limited began providing apprenticeships in September 2023. At the time of this visit, there were 62 apprentices enrolled on a level 3 fire, emergency and security services programme. Almost all apprentices are aged 19 or over. Around a third are located in West Yorkshire, with the remainder based across the country, including in York, Manchester, Nottingham, Cambridge, Peterborough and London.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders articulate a clear rationale for their provision, which is to meet a significant skills gap in the fire and security industry. They work with employers specialising in fire and security systems, and managers at these employers are positive about the experience of their apprentices. The programme enables apprentices to gain Electrotechnical Certification Scheme accreditation alongside their apprenticeship, which is a requirement for working in the industry.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not engage employers well enough in the training, including in reviews of apprentices’ progress. Employers do not have sufficient awareness of how the programme is helping their apprentices to develop new knowledge and skills. The limited involvement of employers means that too often apprentices do not have sufficient opportunity to practise and develop their new skills in the workplace. In a few instances, however, employers provide helpful feedback on aspects to include in the programme to meet their needs, such as use of most recent CCTV technology in prisons.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have recently enhanced their oversight of apprentices’ progress through the introduction of a new tracking system, enabling actions to be identified where Monitoring visit: Elevation Academy Limited, 16 and 17 July and 23 and 24 September 2024 necessary to quicken progress. However, they do not yet use this new system effectively enough, which results in uncertainty about the progress that apprentices are making.

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Insufficient progress

The quality assurance processes that leaders have introduced are still very much in their infancy. Leaders have only recently identified actions in response to areas for improvement such as employer involvement and functional skills provision. Leaders now provide teaching staff with useful feedback following the introduction of a process for observing teaching, including on behaviour management. Staff are supported to develop their skills further, including in their teaching practice.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have recently recognised the need to improve the functional skills provision for those apprentices who needs to achieve English and mathematics qualifications. They have introduced dedicated English and mathematics sessions from the beginning of the apprenticeship and have invested in an online platform to support apprentices with resources and assessment activities. However, these new arrangements are very new and are only just beginning to be implemented.

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Insufficient progress

A governing board has been established that includes an external consultant, who provides appropriate support and challenge. Although the board has only met three times, governors have accurately identified many of the improvements that leaders need to make. They have also agreed specific actions to monitor performance and make improvements.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have in place a curriculum plan that identifies the topics that will be taught and covers all the requirements of the standard. However, planning does not focus well enough on how topics will be taught and sequenced to develop and reinforce new knowledge, skills and behaviours.

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Insufficient progress

Tutors do not use the assessment of apprentices’ starting points well enough to plan learning to meet their individual needs. Apprentices who arrive with prior knowledge and skills about fire and security services carry out the same activities at the same pace as those who are new to the industry, covering topics about which they are already competent. These apprentices do not progress as swiftly as they could.

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Insufficient progress

Tutors accurately assess the written work that apprentices produce and provide helpful developmental feedback. This helps apprentices to understand what they need to do improve their work. However, tutors do not check learning well enough during lessons. They carry out tests, but when apprentices provide inaccurate answers, too often they do not address misunderstandings. Therefore, tutors are not assured that apprentices have understood the topics taught. Monitoring visit: Elevation Academy Limited, 16 and 17 July and 23 and 24 September 2024 Tutors provide helpful support for apprentices when carrying out the practical aspects of the programme. Apprentices work diligently and accurately when wiring circuit boards in units. They competently carry out tasks such as labelling wires and twisting coils to ensure neatness and can articulate why it is essential that these tasks are completed to a high standard. However, tutors depend on too narrow a

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Insufficient progress

range of approaches to deliver the theoretical elements of the programme. They rely heavily on lengthy presentations, without checking that apprentices have grasped the content.

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Insufficient progress

Tutors do not monitor apprentices’ progress well enough. The recently introduced tracking system does not enable them to identify progress accurately. Apprentices who fall behind with their work do not receive enough support to help them catch up before being given new tasks.

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Insufficient progress

Tutors successfully integrate the development of mathematics skills into the curriculum. For example, they include in the curriculum the development of mathematical knowledge relating to the Ohm’s Law formula, so that apprentices can calculate accurately the relationship between voltage, current and resistance in an electrical circuit. However, the development of apprentices’ English skills is less effective.

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Reasonable progress

Staff are appropriately trained in safeguarding. The designated safeguarding lead has a level 5 qualification in leading safeguarding and all other staff are trained and qualified at level 3. The safeguarding lead disseminates relevant safeguarding information during team meetings to keep staff knowledge current.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have effective procedures in place to safeguard apprentices. They have clear documentation for reporting safeguarding concerns. Staff are vigilant to any potential issues regarding apprentices’ safety and well-being and act swiftly to support them should a concern arise.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe at work and in the training centre. They know how to report any concerns that they may have. However, apprentices have a limited understanding of the local risks in the areas where they live and work. Monitoring visit: Elevation Academy Limited, 16 and 17 July and 23 and 24 September 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 and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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