Economic Solutions Limited (Manchester Solutions)

The Growth Company Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Zoe Ibbotson, His Majesty’s Inspector

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address: Lee House 90 Great Bridgewater Street Manchester M1 5JW Monitoring visit: The Growth Company Limited, 4 and 5 December 2024

p.1

Context and focus of visit

The Growth Company Limited was inspected in November 2023. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

The Growth Company Limited (TGC) is a very large, not-for-profit organisation based in Manchester. At the time of the previous inspection, TGC offered education programmes for young people, adult learning programmes, apprenticeships, and high-needs provision. TGC no longer offers provision for learners with high needs.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

TGC provide education and training for young people across the Greater Manchester region who may otherwise not be in education, training, or employment. They offer education and training to unemployed adults and those wishing to return to education to progress to higher education. TGC has 11 training centres across the Greater Manchester region, seven of which provide education and training for young people. Apprenticeships account for over half of TGC’s total funding and are taught in all regions of England.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, TGC had 561 learners on education programmes for young people, 706 learners on adult learning programmes and 1,450 apprentices.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have invested in a new data management system and data software. This has allowed leaders, managers, and board members to have a more accurate oversight of the progress young people make. Leaders and managers have put in place interventions to improve any areas of concern. While the data management system is in place for vocational subjects such as construction, employability, health and social care and information and communication technology, it is not currently used to monitor and track the progress learners make in their English and mathematics courses. Leaders acknowledge that this is an area for further development. Monitoring visit: The Growth Company Limited, 4 and 5 December 2024 Leaders have introduced 10 quality indicators, so leaders, managers and staff share a clear understanding of the priorities of the organisation. They have recruited quality of education managers for each training centre, including a lead for education

p.2

Reasonable progress

programmes for young people. Leaders and managers use the quality indicators effectively to inform quality assurance and improvement activities. Managers use observations and learning walks to identify strengths and areas for development for each centre and for each course. This enables them to intervene swiftly to provide support for staff and learners. Board members, including a newly appointed chair, participate in observations of taught sessions and learning walks so they can check that actions lead to desired improvements. Leaders and managers have focused on the professional development of staff to support teaching and assessment. They support tutors to become qualified teachers. Tutors receive personalised training from managers to further enhance their practice. This means most tutors plan lessons clearly and effectively. Most learners benefit from lesson activities that help them to develop their knowledge, skills, and

p.3

Reasonable progress

behaviours. Leaders and managers recognise there is more to be done to achieve consistency across centres.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Following the previous inspection, leaders have introduced a range of measures designed to improve the attendance of young people. They have revised the learner code of conduct and now introduce learners to this before they enrol on their study programme. This means learners, and the people who care for them, understand the importance of attending all lessons. Leaders have devised a new attendance policy that includes the process to be followed when a learner does not attend. Staff now make immediate contact with parents, carers, and guardians to help learners re-engage quickly. When learners do not attend their lessons, they attend catch-up sessions with their tutor. Leaders and managers use a new data tool to track and monitor attendance of groups and individuals more closely. Managers have piloted weekly attendance meetings at the two centres with the largest number of young learners. They use these meetings to review attendance by course and put in place interventions swiftly

p.3

Reasonable progress

for learners with low attendance. Managers plan to extend this initiative to all centres. Learners’ attendance to vocational courses has improved for each centre over the past 12 months. Learners’ attendance at each centre has also improved. While learners now attend their English and mathematics lessons more frequently, attendance to these lessons is an area for further improvement. Leaders and managers have introduced a new process to help them review and monitor the progress learners make over time. They complete half-termly reviews of learners’ progress in all aspects of their study programme. They provide extra Monitoring visit: The Growth Company Limited, 4 and 5 December 2024 support through catch-up sessions outside of lesson time and during holiday periods. Most learners are on track and make progress in their vocational learning and in English and mathematics. Leaders have ensured that more young people now

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers place more emphasis on finding out what learners know and can do when they start their course. They provide a more thorough interview and induction to get to know their learners. Staff discuss with learners their career aspirations, strengths, and skills. Learners then have an induction with a careers coach. This helps tutors get to know their learners and understand any barriers to learning they have. Managers use the results of early assessments to place learners in the most appropriate English and mathematics classes. Most tutors design ambitious courses that are aligned with learners’ career goals. Managers and tutors have changed the level 1 health and social care curriculum so there is more focus on early years education to better align with learners’ aspirations. Learners now study units on child development and mental health. Most tutors have high expectations for learners. Construction tutors teach learners to

p.4

Reasonable progress

meet the standards expected in the workplace. They ensure that learners adhere to strict health and safety practices. Learners wear appropriate protective clothing and consider different hazards in the workplace. Tutors teach learners the importance of using technical terminology such as ‘bolsters,’ ‘lump hammers’ and ‘half bat’ to describe a brick cut through the middle to create a half brick. Tutors of level 1 health and social care teach learners how to research topics and how to reference their work. Managers and staff create opportunities for young people to learn about a wide range of career and employment opportunities. Employability tutors arrange for learners to visit NHS career fairs to learn about employment and training opportunities in healthcare. Learners particularly enjoy their vocational learning in construction and health and social care. They are appreciative of the knowledge and skills they are learning to

p.4

Reasonable progress

Most tutors provide learners with timely feedback on their assessed work. They identify what learners do well and how they could improve further. Most learners act on the feedback they receive to make corrections and refine their work. A few tutors Monitoring visit: The Growth Company Limited, 4 and 5 December 2024 do not provide a consistently high standard of feedback to learners. In these instances, tutors provide motivational feedback on learners’ work but do not provide clear next steps to help learners improve. Most vocational tutors draw attention to learners’ spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors and stress the importance of being clear and precise in the use of technical terminology. A few tutors do not correct learners’ spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors, and a few make errors in their own feedback. Most tutors mark learners’ work accurately. Tutors who teach mathematics emphasise the importance of including relevant formulas and calculations to help

p.4

Reasonable progress

develop learners’ examination skills. Tutors of English provide learners with detailed feedback on their work. They provide frameworks to help learners structure their analytical writing effectively. Tutors encourage learners to use more sophisticated techniques in their creative writing, including the use of emotive words such as ‘desolate’ or ‘eerie,’ and to punctuate dialogue correctly. Most learners understand how to improve their work and make progress. On vocational courses such as level 1 construction multiskills, learners progress from having no knowledge of carpentry and joinery, brickwork or painting and decorating to mastering some essential multiskills. Learners improve their plastering, brickwork, and employability skills quickly because of tutors’ personalised feedback and high expectations. Monitoring visit: The Growth Company Limited, 4 and 5 December 2024 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young

p.5

Reasonable progress

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.

p.6

Reasonable progress

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Reasonable progress

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Reasonable progress

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Reasonable progress

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

p.6