Octavius Learning and Development Limited Partnership

Octavius Learning and Development Limited Partnership Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Joel Dalhouse, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: OLDP Women’s Hub Quayside Tower Birmingham B1 2HF Monitoring visit: Octavius Learning and Development Limited Partnership, 8 and 9 January 2025

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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

Octavius Learning and Development Limited Partnership is an independent learning provider in Birmingham that began offering apprenticeships in May 2023. At the time of the monitoring visit, the provider had fewer than five apprentices enrolled on the level 3 construction support technician and level 3 project controls technician apprenticeships. All apprentices were over the age of 18.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear rationale for the apprenticeships they offer. Leaders are committed to increasing the participation of women and girls in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics sectors where they are currently underrepresented.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders meet apprenticeship requirements by arranging training plans and initial assessments at the start of the apprenticeship. Apprentices have frequent progress reviews throughout their studies. However, leaders do not ensure these reviews are effective enough. As a result, teachers do not identify clearly the actions apprentices need to take or set specific targets to help apprentices improve their knowledge, skills and behaviours.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have put processes in place to monitor closely the progress apprentices make during their studies. Leaders and teachers meet weekly to review apprentices’ progress and identify any support that apprentices may need. Teachers use the information gathered from these meetings to provide tailored support that meets apprentices’ individual needs.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not routinely evaluate the quality of teaching apprentices receive. While they occasionally hold informal discussions with teachers about improving Monitoring visit: Octavius Learning and Development Limited Partnership, 8 and 9 January 2025 apprentices’ learning experiences and provide some training to improve teaching practice, this is not systematic. This results in leaders having a limited understanding of the overall quality of teaching.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have structured their curriculums logically to help apprentices incrementally develop their knowledge. Level 3 construction support technician apprentices begin by learning health and safety, enabling them to work safely from the start of their apprenticeship. They then move on to learning basic costing skills before progressing to more advanced tasks such as managing, costing and delivering their own construction projects. This helps apprentices know more and remember more over time.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers gather information on what apprentices know and can do at the start of their studies. However, this information is not complete as it does not consider all aspects of the apprenticeship. Teachers do not consider work-related skills or behaviours often enough. This limits teachers’ ability to set appropriate targets or fill skills gaps early in apprentices’ studies.

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Reasonable progress

Staff coordinate apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training effectively. Staff work closely with employers to ensure that apprentices have frequent opportunities to put the new knowledge and skills they gain in the classroom into practice in the workplace. This helps apprentices consolidate and improve their knowledge and skills over time.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers help apprentices improve their English and mathematics. Apprentices benefit from being taught by teachers who are well qualified, knowledgeable and able to motivate them. Apprentices develop a positive attitude towards their studies and are prepared well for their exams.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have appointed an appropriately trained designated safeguarding lead and deputy designated safeguarding lead.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have created a culture in which staff are alert to safeguarding concerns, and they focus on supporting apprentices’ well-being. Leaders have established effective processes to monitor and protect apprentices. Staff receive safeguarding training to help them recognise signs of abuse and keep apprentices safe. Monitoring visit: Octavius Learning and Development Limited Partnership, 8 and 9 January 2025 Leaders do not review and update key policies in line with the organisation’s guidelines or changes in legislation. During the monitoring visit, leaders revised a few of these policies, including for safeguarding, to ensure compliance with legal and organisational standards. Monitoring visit: Octavius Learning and Development Limited Partnership, 8 and 9 January 2025 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

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Reasonable progress

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

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

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