Teesside University

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Apprenticeships Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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Information about this provider

Teesside University provides higher education courses for around 21,000 students. The university’s main campus is in the centre of Middlesbrough, with smaller, specialised campuses in Darlington and in Stratford, London. Leaders provide apprenticeships from level 4 to 7 in a broad range of subject areas on its Middlesbrough and Darlington campuses for apprentices based nationwide.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 2,542 apprentices on around 40 apprenticeship standards. Around half of apprentices are on health-related apprenticeships, such as nursing associate and advanced clinical practitioner. The remainder are on apprenticeships such as civil engineering, police constable and senior leader. The university has recently introduced some new apprenticeships, including curator and sustainability business specialist, which are aligned with strategic developments. 28 to 31 January 2025

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices demonstrate highly positive attitudes to their learning and are very motivated to succeed. For many apprentices, the experience has a transformational impact on their careers and lives. Apprentices are proud of the contribution they make to their workplaces and recognise that, without the apprenticeship, they would find it very difficult to access high-quality training that fits around their employment and personal responsibilities.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices benefit from a very professional, inclusive and supportive culture provided by staff. They meet the high expectations of leaders and staff, which are communicated clearly and consistently reinforced across all courses. Attendance is very high across all apprenticeships. On engineering apprenticeships, teachers and workplace mentors model high standards of professionalism that apprentices follow. All apprentices demonstrate consistently high levels of respect and professionalism towards their peers, colleagues in the workplace and their teachers.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge and skills and, as a result, become much more confident in applying what they have learned in the workplace. On the level 5 nursing associate apprenticeship, lecturers support apprentices to develop a broad range of professional and clinical skills. By the end of the programme, apprentices can manage a caseload of patients, administer medication safely and educate other staff and patients in health promotion activities. On the level 6 chartered manager apprenticeship, apprentices gain a much greater understanding of finances in the NHS and its relevance to their roles, such as ward manager.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices feel safe in training and at work due to the high priority staff place on apprentices’ safety and well-being. Apprentices use the university ‘Safe Zone’ app on their phones when on campus, where they can immediately seek help from the highly responsive security team. Apprentices value the free park-and-ride bus that takes them safely to their cars in the evening when they park off-campus.

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better?

Leaders and governors have very skilfully led the significant expansion of their apprenticeship provision since the previous inspection. Delivery has expanded successfully from largely health care provision to other areas, including engineering, education and leadership. Developments are carefully informed by regional strategies such as the local skills improvement plans for the north east and Tees Valley and national skills policy. Leaders ensure that their apprenticeship strategy is underpinned by a strong commitment to widening participation and improving social mobility.

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better?

Leaders work very closely with key stakeholders, such as employers and industry representatives, to design and review their apprenticeships. Leaders use their strong partnerships with further education providers through the Teesside University college partnership, employers and industry representatives to ensure the design and 28 to 31 January 2025

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delivery are appropriate to meet skills needs. For example, leaders worked with local and regional councils and prestigious national museums to create pathways into work in museums and the creative industries through the level 7 curator apprenticeship.

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Leaders have carefully selected subcontractors to work with to deliver the apprenticeship provision. They have a high level of oversight of the quality of delivery of subcontractors and monitor performance rigorously to ensure that teaching is of a high standard. Subcontracted staff access high-quality professional development provided by the university.

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Teachers skilfully sequence apprenticeships to build apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours incrementally over time. On the level 5 nursing associate apprenticeship, apprentices first learn about anatomy and physiology in systems, starting with the cardiac and respiratory systems, as these are the systems most commonly encountered in practice. Apprentices then develop knowledge of pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, as well as gain an undertaking of calculations.

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Teachers are highly skilled in developing the communication and teamwork skills of apprentices. Apprentices work exceptionally well with each other and actively seek out a range of professional networks that they can join to develop their skills further. On the level 7 solicitor apprenticeship, apprentices develop their knowledge of the sector by connecting with experienced professionals working across a range of law disciplines. On the level 7 curator apprenticeship, apprentices working in different organisations and settings nationwide share ideas and enthusiastically debate approaches to design exhibitions.

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Teachers are experts in their fields. They are actively engaged in research and use their expertise very well to provide apprentices with stimulating lessons. Teachers use high-quality technology well for those apprentices attending sessions remotely. They use lectures, seminars and tutorials to introduce key theories and concepts to apprentices, drawing on case studies and apprentices’ own experiences to link theoretical concepts to practice. For example, on the level 7 advanced clinical practitioner apprenticeship, teachers draw on their professional clinical practice to help apprentices develop their understanding of the key factors affecting the absorption and effectiveness of drugs.

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Teachers use a range of very effective assessment strategies to check apprentices’ knowledge and understanding. These include group tutorials and discussion boards, as well as peer feedback and self-evaluation. Teachers skilfully use frequent retrieval activities to assess apprentices’ progress. They provide very useful feedback on apprentices’ work to help apprentices improve. For example, teachers identify the inappropriate use of colloquial language and incorrect citation references. As a result, apprentices produce work of a consistently high standard.

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Apprentices benefit from state-of-the-art equipment, resources and facilities. The recently opened cutting-edge biosciences facility gives health apprentices access to high-quality laboratories and an immersion suite to practice real-world scenarios 28 to 31 January 2025

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using visuals, sound and simulation mannequins. The quality of resources and facilities, alongside supportive staff, ensures that the learning environment is very inclusive for apprentices with disabilities, enabling them to successfully overcome barriers to learning.

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Staff seamlessly integrate discussions and activities about career progression and talent development throughout the apprenticeship and at progress reviews. Apprentice quality coaches, alongside the university student futures team, provide very effective careers sessions, enabling apprentices to understand the opportunities available to them upon completion of their apprenticeship.

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Most apprentices achieve well and rapidly develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours to progress very successfully in their careers. Leaders and managers very carefully analyse the progress and achievements of all apprentices. They have taken very decisive actions where achievements have been too low on a few courses. These actions are having a positive impact, with achievement improving over the last three years. For example, due to the actions taken by leaders and managers, achievement on the chartered manager apprenticeship and the civil engineering apprenticeship has improved significantly, with much higher proportions of apprentices now completing the final assessments.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 28 to 31 January 2025

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Provider details

Address Borough Road Middlesbrough TS1 3BA

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Professor Paul Croney

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Provider details

Provider type Higher education institution

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 29 January to 1 February 2019

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Provider details

Main subcontractors North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust The Chief Constable of Cleveland Hartlepool College of Further Education Darlington College 28 to 31 January 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the executive director of legal and governance services and university secretary, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Mark Keen, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Joanne Stork His Majesty’s Inspector Anne Tyrrell Ofsted Inspector Tracey Baron Ofsted Inspector Ann Minton Ofsted Inspector Graham Baker Ofsted Inspector 28 to 31 January 2025

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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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