Game Republic

Game Republic Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Ian Frear, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 February 2025

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 15 Victoria Park Shipley West Yorkshire BD18 4RL Monitoring visit: Game Republic Limited, 26 and 27 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

Game Republic Limited is an independent learning provider based in Shipley. It has provided Skills Bootcamps for the gaming industry since November 2023. At the time of the visit, there were 15 learners enrolled on the ‘graduate work ready’ Skills Bootcamp. A further 34 learners had already completed training on the same course or the ‘game studio start-up’ Skills Bootcamp. All learners were seeking full-time employment through starting their own games studio or securing contracted work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have successfully provided two Skills Bootcamps to help learners overcome barriers to securing employment in the gaming sector. The graduate work ready course is designed to help recent university graduates who have a degree in a gaming-related discipline gain the additional skills that they need to become more employable in the sector. The game studio start-up course is for learners who want to start their own business as a sole trader or contractor.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and staff are games experts and have significant links with games studios, education providers and universities. Leaders have ensured that stakeholder collaboration and participation during training is included in both Skills Bootcamps. For example, learners on the graduate work ready course pitch their ideas to games studio leaders, publishers and investors. They then receive useful feedback about their skills and what they still need to learn. In some instances, they secure work as a result of this activity.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders adapt courses based on the needs of the gaming industry. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a growing need for full-time workers in games studios. Initially, leaders structured their training to meet this need. However, since late 2023, there has been a gradual change in how games studios employ staff. Leaders have adjusted their newer Skills Bootcamps to focus on the skills that Monitoring visit: Game Republic Limited, 26 and 27 February 2025 learners need to work as contractors and sole traders, rather than full-time employees, as this is what the sector now requires.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders review the course content after each Skills Bootcamp. They record clearly what could be improved, which is often based on learners’ feedback. For example, learners expressed that they wanted more face-to-face sessions and industry guest speakers. Leaders implemented these changes on the next course. However, a few learners continue to report that they would like more face-to-face teaching.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have not been thorough enough in their overall evaluation of the provision. They have been slow to identify and implement important training for staff, such as lead safeguarding training.

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Significant progress

Staff identify learners’ starting points very accurately, which enables them to understand learners’ current skill level, experience and career aspirations. They use this information to plan helpful practical activities and live project briefs, and allocate these activities to the most suitable learner working group, where learners share and further develop their gaming skills and future employment ideas.

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Significant progress

Staff enable learners to develop the skills that they need to secure employment. They skilfully work with industry partners to co-deliver the curriculum. For example, they include industry-specialist guest speakers to talk to learners aspiring to work for themselves about highly informative topics such as business start-up costs, income tax, accountancy and how to quote accurately for contracted work.

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Significant progress

Staff are highly skilled and well qualified and have had significant commercial and teaching experience in a range of settings, including universities, multinational businesses and well-known games companies. Staff have also been award winners in their specialist subjects, and one has received an OBE for services to education and diversity in the video games industry. Staff maintain involvement with industry partners, including prestigious companies. They use these contacts to ensure that the curriculum stays aligned to the requirements of the gaming industry.

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Significant progress

Staff meet frequently to review learners’ progress. Throughout the course, tutors carry out well-structured and highly personalised reviews and mentoring sessions with learners, which focus on developing significant new knowledge, skills and confidence. In the few instances where learners miss lessons, staff provide additional one-to-one sessions or recordings of live sessions to help learners to catch up.

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Significant progress

A high proportion of learners progress successfully into employment as a sole trader, games contractor or employee of a games studio. In the first two cohorts, all Monitoring visit: Game Republic Limited, 26 and 27 February 2025 learners successfully completed the course and around three quarters progressed into employment. On completion of their course, learners continue to work with the wider Game Republic network, as this helps them with their future employment and to stay current with gaming industry practices.

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Reasonable progress

Staff ensure that learners are safe. They share information in relation to radicalisation and extremism. They make learners aware of historical incidents such as ‘gamergate’, an organised movement of hate towards women in the gaming and journalism industries, so learners are better able to understand such risks.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders very recently implemented a basic ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment. They have good controls in place to mitigate the risk to learners, including at external events where there are guest speakers and through the moderation of content in their online learning platforms.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders very recently recognised they needed to ensure that those responsible for leading safeguarding were appropriately trained. Staff have now completed relevant training so they can support learners should any safeguarding issues arise. Monitoring visit: Game Republic Limited, 26 and 27 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

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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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