A New Direction London Limited

A New Direction London Limited Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Rebecca Jennings, His Majesty’s Inspector

p.1

Inspection dates: 10 and 11 February 2025

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

Unit 1-28 Echo Building East Bay Lane London E15 2SJ Monitoring visit: A New Direction London Limited, 10 and 11 February 2025

p.1

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.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

A New Direction London Limited (AND) is an independent learning provider based in East London. It teaches Skills Bootcamps in creative subjects. AND has been offering Skills Bootcamps since 2023. At the time of the visit, there were 20 learners on a Skills Bootcamp studying digital product design.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders have designed their Skills Bootcamps to help learners gain employment in the creative and digital sector and to help product design agencies to recruit from a diverse group of candidates.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders arrange for employers to teach the course, with each employer teaching a specialist topic. For example, staff from one agency teach visualisation and problem solving, and staff from another teach prototyping. This helps learners to gain valuable insight into how agencies of different sizes and client bases work.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders have created high-quality resources that help learners to consolidate what they have been taught. Learners use industry standard computers and software for their design brief projects. As a result, learners become confident users of industry standard software and hardware.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders train agency teaching staff how to create an inclusive environment and how to support learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They provide additional resources such as wider screens and noise cancelling headphones for learners who would benefit and help make sure that learners who require it have access to quiet workspaces.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders check the quality of their course closely. For example, they check all resources, attend training sessions and gather feedback from learners and employers frequently. They use this information well to improve the experience for learners. Monitoring visit: A New Direction London Limited, 10 and 11 February 2025 Leaders recognise that there are not enough job roles available for all learners on completion of their course. Employers place learners in a pool to be appointed once a role becomes available. As a result, many learners experience a delay in gaining the job roles to which they aspire.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Knowledgeable trustees with expertise in education, safeguarding and the creative sector understand the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. They challenge leaders to make progress against areas for improvement, as well as supporting leaders with policies and managers with their curriculum content.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Employers and leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that teaches learners the end-to-end design process to prepare them to take on junior designer roles. The content follows closely the process a design agency would use when approached by a new client. Trainers start by teaching learners how to set initial design briefs, followed by how to conduct research, how to solve problems and how to map a concept, before moving on to product design and how to pitch an idea to a client. Learners quickly develop new skills, for example how to conduct effective primary and secondary research and how to use the information gained to engage users in a design concept.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Before learners start the course, leaders check what they already know about product design to make sure the course will be of benefit to them. They check if learners have any additional learning needs, and make sure the course aligns with their aspirations.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Trainers teach learners the skills required to collaborate with clients and colleagues when working remotely very effectively. They teach learners about the need to adapt their work patterns when working with clients in different time zones and help learners to schedule their work effectively to meet deadlines.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders and trainers make effective use of a range of assessment methods to monitor the progress learners make. They use questioning well to check learners’ understanding of topics. Trainers plan helpful daily and weekly recap sessions, at which learners present the progress they have made on their projects to their trainers and their peers. Trainers give learners helpful written and verbal feedback, which helps them to improve their work.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders make sure that most learners are prepared effectively for their next steps. Employers give learners helpful advice and guidance on their next steps throughout Monitoring visit: A New Direction London Limited, 10 and 11 February 2025 their training. However, in previous cohorts, leaders did not make sure that learners took part in interviews with employers soon enough. Leaders have identified this problem and have planned interviews into their current course.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders have produced safeguarding policies with clear lines of reporting for learners and staff, including a ‘Prevent’ risk assessment and action plan. Suitably trained safeguarding leads link with external agencies to support learners.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders provide learners with useful safeguarding information at the start of their course. Learners know how to report any concerns. Learners feel safe, including when studying online.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders share their ‘Prevent’ policy with learners at the start of the course. Most learners understand the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. However, leaders do not revisit these topics as part of the curriculum or teach learners about the risks they might face in their local area. Monitoring visit: A New Direction London Limited, 10 and 11 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

p.4

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.5

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.5

Reasonable progress

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

p.5

Reasonable progress

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

p.5