Educate 2Gether Training

Educate 2Gether Training Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Ann Potterton, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Office 20, Link Spaces Botanica Ditton Park Riding Court Road Slough Berkshire SL3 9LL Monitoring visit: Educate 2Gether, 4 and 5 February 2025

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection. 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

Educate 2Gether (E2G) is an independent training provider based in Slough, Berkshire. E2G offers Skills Bootcamps to prepare adult learners to work as learning support assistants for learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in local nurseries and schools. Staff at E2G provide a 16-week face-to-face training course at a training centre in Slough, with its first cohort starting in May 2024. At the time of the visit, there were 10 learners studying for a level 3 Skills Bootcamp for SEND professionals, funded by Berkshire local enterprise partnership. All learners were aged 19 years old or older.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work with local stakeholders closely, including the local enterprise partnership, a schools recruitment agency and schools, to design a bootcamp that meets the need for skilled and qualified learning support assistants. These assistants play a crucial role in supporting the increasing number of nursery and school children with well-being, mental health, and additional learning needs. As a result of their training, learners gain valuable, additional qualifications in mental health, supporting individuals with learning difficulties, and first aid. Leaders and staff are highly committed to enabling learners to access new career opportunities or develop in their current roles. They equip learners successfully with the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviours which employers are looking for. Learners learn to assess children’s needs carefully and propose effective strategies to help them develop, such as using communication boards for non-verbal pupils. As a

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Reasonable progress

result, most learners advance their careers through more skilled employment opportunities and some also progress to further education. Leaders have a strong understanding of the strengths and areas for development in their provision. They act swiftly to make necessary improvements. For example, leaders identified that learners did not secure interviews quickly enough after Monitoring visit: Educate 2Gether, 4 and 5 February 2025 completing their studies due to insufficient attention to required paperwork. Leaders responded swiftly to introduce helpful employability skills lessons and now more learners secure interviews and employment. Leaders recognise that too many learners left without completing their studies. Leaders have now introduced more rigorous initial guidance so that learners have a better understanding of the workload and requirements of the course. They have introduced additional support for learners to complete the course. While it is too

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Reasonable progress

early to see the full impact of these actions, more learners are continuing in their studies as a result.

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Reasonable progress

Learners develop secure knowledge and understanding of how to support children and young people with SEND. They understand how to use different strategies to help children and young people regulate challenging behaviour. They can use a range of specialist special educational needs (SEN) equipment. Learners become increasingly confident and able to work with other education professionals in the care and support of those children and young people in their care. Staff help learners enhance their employability skills, such as writing CVs and practicing for interviews. As a result, many learners secure work successfully.

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Reasonable progress

Experienced and well-qualified staff use their up-to-date sector knowledge to design and deliver engaging, informative teaching sessions. Staff explain key techniques carefully and they demonstrate effectively. For example, staff explain and model how to use specialist SEN classroom resources well. Staff ask skilful questions and check learners’ understanding effectively. As a result, learners develop valuable new skills that enable them to perform their roles competently, which employers appreciate greatly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and teaching staff track learners’ progress and achievements accurately. They provide clear feedback so that learners improve their work. Consequently, almost all learners remain on track with their studies and staff provide additional targeted support where needed.

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Reasonable progress

Staff acknowledge that some learners do not develop their essential literacy and numeracy skills sufficiently. To resolve this, they have provided helpful training to staff to ensure staff assess learners’ starting points carefully and adapt teaching to be more relevant to the skills that learners use in their jobs and daily lives. However, it is too early to assess the impact of these changes. Monitoring visit: Educate 2Gether, 4 and 5 February 2025

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Reasonable progress

The well-trained and experienced designated safeguarding lead (DSL) works well with external safeguarding agencies to stay informed about current and emerging threats. The DSL uses robust processes to make sure staff are safe to work with learners. The DSL provides staff with suitable training so that they know how to keep learners safe and raise concerns appropriately.

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Reasonable progress

Staff teach learners about the risks of radicalisation and extremism, and managing their online presence safely. However, leaders recognise they need to strengthen this work and ensure that learners understand emerging issues and local risks. Monitoring visit: Educate 2Gether, 4 and 5 February 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 and child protection.

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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 .

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

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