National Upskill Limited

National Upskill Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Darrell Bate, Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 January 2025

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 163 Welcomes Road Kenley Surrey CR8 5HB Monitoring visit: National Upskill Limited, 15 and 16 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

National Upskill Limited is an independent learning provider based in the London Borough of Croydon. The company was incorporated in 2023 and joined the apprenticeship training register in 2023.

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Context and focus of visit

National Upskill started teaching its first apprentices in March 2024. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 43 apprentices studying the level 2 credit controller apprenticeship, level 3 payroll administrator apprenticeship, level 3 team leader apprenticeship, level 3 business administrator apprenticeship, level 4 digital accessibility apprenticeship, level 5 operations departmental manager apprenticeship and level 3 learning and development practitioner apprenticeship. Seven apprentices were under 19 years old. There have been no completions to date.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have put in place a range of apprenticeship courses across a variety of sectors that provide the skills employers need. Apprentices gain new and relevant knowledge and skills, and this helps them develop in their roles and benefit their employers. Leaders have a strong vision to provide apprenticeship opportunities for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who need extra support. They carefully manage the growth of the business to focus on the quality of training they provide.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work well with employers to recruit and support apprentices effectively. They explain very well how apprenticeships work, and as a result, employers provide good support for their apprentices, for example by ensuring they prioritise off-the-job training hours. In a few cases, employers do not feel tutors sufficiently adapt their teaching to make content relevant to their business context. Monitoring visit: National Upskill Limited, 15 and 16 January 2025 Leaders ensure that all programmes meet the full requirements of an apprenticeship. Apprentices receive and often exceed their full entitlement to off-the-job training. Tutors have put in place frequent reviews with apprentices and their line managers. This ensures employers and apprentices know the progress they are making.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors are suitably qualified and use their industry experience to provide high-quality teaching on the apprenticeships. They undertake frequent professional development to stay abreast of current employment practice and legislation and use this knowledge to make their teaching relevant for apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders are in the early stages of evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of training and setting improvement actions. They routinely use the e-portfolio to track the progress apprentices make. However, in a few cases, they do not put in place timely intervention for the few apprentices who fall behind. Leaders do not yet have formalised governance arrangements in place.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors do not make apprentices sufficiently aware of the requirements for end-point assessments. As a result, apprentices are not familiar with the standard of work needed to achieve merit and distinction grades.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors carefully sequence the training so apprentices logically build their knowledge and skills as they progress through the course. For example, apprentices learn about communication techniques before being given the responsibility to handle customer complaints. For the few apprentices in domiciliary care settings, tutors do not make the skills and knowledge they teach sufficiently relevant to what they do in the workplace. As a result, these apprentices struggle to make good progress.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices enjoy their courses. They develop confidence and say their training prepares them to do their job better or gain more responsibility in their roles. They learn new skills on the job. For example, payroll administrator apprentices are now able accurately to calculate and administer statutory sick pay and maternity benefits. The new digital accessibility apprentices learn how the forthcoming changes in legislation will affect the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers accurately assess what apprentices know and can do at the start of the programme. This includes their mathematics and English skills. They use this information to plan the curriculum. However, leaders do not set the length of the programme to reflect the extra time apprentices who have no prior knowledge or who require additional support need. Monitoring visit: National Upskill Limited, 15 and 16 January 2025 Off-the-job learning is planned and managed well. Apprentices benefit from high- quality online teaching sessions and learning resources. Tutors use questioning effectively to check apprentices’ understanding. They have small caseloads, which allow them to give timely and individual support. Tutors provide helpful and developmental feedback on apprentices’ written assignments. This enables apprentices to improve their work over time, including the standard of their spelling,

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Reasonable progress

Line managers attend regular progress reviews and use the e-portfolio to check the progress of their apprentices. Tutors plan what apprentices need to do next at reviews. However, employers are not sufficiently involved when setting these targets. This means apprentices’ on-the-job training does not always complement what they are learning off the job.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have put in place effective policies to keep learners safe. These are updated to reflect changes in guidance. The designated safeguarding lead is appropriately trained and resolves welfare concerns appropriately.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders carry out diligent pre-employment checks to make sure staff are safe to work with apprentices. Tutors have undertaken a range of training in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders rightly recognise they have further work to do in completing their ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and increasing their understanding of the regional risks posed to apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe in their training sessions and places of work. They know how to report any concerns they may have. However, they do not understand the dangers of, or signs of, radicalisation or being influenced by those who hold extremist views. Tutors promote the importance of fundamental British values in training materials. Monitoring visit: National Upskill Limited, 15 and 16 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 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

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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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