Isales Academy Limited

Isales Academy Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sue Hasty, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 November 2024

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Myers Clark Egale 1 80 St Alban’s Road Watford WD17 1DL Monitoring visit: Isales Academy, 27 and 28 November 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

Isales Academy Limited is an independent learning provider based in Watford, Hertfordshire. They have offered apprenticeships as a subcontractor since 2017. In April 2023, leaders took on their own contract to run a range of apprenticeships for employers trading mainly in the information technology (IT) sales sector.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 38 apprentices in learning, of whom 6 had recently entered the gateway. There were 19 apprentices studying level 3 IT technical salesperson, 6 apprentices studying level 3 business administration, and 6 apprentices studying level 4 sales executive. There were a small proportion of apprentices studying level 3 information communications technician (ICT), level 3 team leader and level 3 digital marketing. There were three apprentices studying functional skills English courses and four apprentices studying functional skills mathematics courses.

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Context and focus of visit

Most apprentices were aged 19 and over. There were four apprentices aged 16 to 18.

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Significant progress

Leaders have carefully selected the apprenticeships they offer. They use information about local and national skills shortages to inform their strategic business planning decisions. Consequently, leaders have introduced the ICT technician standard in response to the growth in job vacancies in this sector.

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Significant progress

Leaders make sure that they have staff in place with the relevant vocational and subject expertise to teach the programmes they have designed. For example, leaders and tutors have previously worked in sales and employee development roles in the telecoms industry. Apprentices appreciate the insights tutors bring to training Monitoring visit: Isales Academy, 27 and 28 November 2024 sessions. Apprentices learn techniques such as successfully closing sales deals from experienced professionals.

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Significant progress

Leaders provide tutors with a wide variety of useful opportunities to develop their teaching skills. Leaders expect tutors to complete a level 3 teaching qualification. Staff meet every three months to discuss effective teaching methods and identify training needs. Tutors have recently implemented different ways to check apprentices’ knowledge recall through using quizzes and written tests. Tutors keep up to date with sector trends through networking and reading journals.

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Significant progress

Leaders work closely with new employers to make sure that they are fully aware of and committed to employing and developing apprentices. Before signing the training plan, leaders ensure that employers agree to providing off-the-job training hours, including for functional skills English and mathematics, and to attend progress review meetings.

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Significant progress

Leaders and tutors track apprentices’ progress rigorously. At monthly meetings, staff identify apprentices who are at risk of falling behind. A very high proportion of apprentices stay on the programme and are on target to complete within expected end dates.

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Significant progress

Leaders thoughtfully evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of apprenticeship programmes. They identify appropriate actions to bring about improvements. Leaders are in the initial stages of considering governance arrangements that will provide external challenge and scrutiny of their work.

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Significant progress

Tutors know their apprentices very well. At the start of the programme, tutors complete skills scans with apprentices to identify their starting points. Tutors make highly effective use of this information to plan learning that meets apprentices’ needs. Tutors take account of apprentices’ prior knowledge and experience so that they do not repeat what they already know.

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Significant progress

Tutors adeptly change what they teach to better meet apprentices’ immediate needs. Tutors identified that sales technician apprentices lacked confidence in telephone sales techniques. Tutors brought forward teaching telephone sales skills that promptly improved apprentices’ effectiveness at work.

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Significant progress

Apprentices quickly gain valuable new knowledge, skills and behaviours in training sessions. For example, apprentices practise giving presentations in a small group with their peers in a safe learning environment. The supportive feedback apprentices Monitoring visit: Isales Academy, 27 and 28 November 2024 receive helps them improve the clarity of their presentations. Apprentices learn that reducing the information on slides makes their PowerPoint presentations effective.

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Significant progress

Tutors use creative and stimulating activities to teach apprentices relevant work- related practical skills during training. For example, apprentices develop a 20-second ‘elevator pitch’ to describe their job role to others. They practise delivering their pitch in the lift at work with their tutor. As a result, apprentices gain confidence in making short, snappy sales pitches before taking part in live marketing events.

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Significant progress

Tutors regularly check what apprentices know. When tutors identify gaps in learning, they hold additional one-to-one meetings with apprentices to reinforce new knowledge.

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Significant progress

Tutors plan the on- and off-the-job training highly effectively. At progress reviews, line managers readily identify new opportunities to stretch apprentices’ skills, such as responding to complaints.

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Significant progress

Apprentices receive very helpful feedback on their work that explains clearly how to make improvements. Tutors correct spelling and grammar mistakes so that apprentices improve their knowledge of English. Leaders rightly acknowledge that they need to further develop apprentices’ mathematical skills.

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Significant progress

Leaders have robust arrangements in place to make sure that apprentices are safe in learning and at work. They carry out appropriate pre-employment checks on newly recruited staff. Leaders revise records as necessary to include updated enhanced checks.

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Significant progress

The well-qualified and experienced safeguarding lead coaches staff very effectively to identify and investigate quickly any safeguarding concerns. Apprentices feel confident to raise concerns and know that staff treat these seriously.

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Significant progress

Apprentices have a sound understanding of healthy relationships and how to themselves safe from radicalisation and extremist views.

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Significant progress

Leaders have developed useful resources to teach apprentices about a range of safeguarding topics. Monitoring visit: Isales Academy, 27 and 28 November 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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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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

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