James Education Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

James Education Ltd (JAM Training) is an independent learning provider based in Lambeth, south London. Leaders started teaching apprenticeships in childcare as a subcontractor to East Coast College before gaining their own contract in October 2022.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 66 apprentices in training. Twelve apprentices were studying the level 2 early years practitioner apprenticeship, 50 were studying the level 3 early years educator apprenticeship and the remaining apprentices were on the early years lead practitioner apprenticeship. Leaders no longer offered the level 3 teaching assistant apprenticeship.

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Information about this provider

Eight apprentices were aged 18 or below. More than half of the apprentices were studying towards qualifications in English and/or mathematics as part of their apprenticeship. 5 to 7 March 2025

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

Apprentices respond well to the high expectations that staff have of them as childcare professionals. They display positive behaviours towards their studies and at work. They are aware they are role models to the children they look after.

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

Apprentices enjoy their studies and are motivated to do well. They know that if they struggle with any aspects of the apprenticeship or their personal lives, staff will support them. The large proportion of apprentices who complete their studies achieve their apprenticeship, with just under half achieving distinctions.

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

Apprentices develop their knowledge, skills, and confidence well. They know the progress they make from the constructive feedback they receive. Employers recognise and value how apprentices grow in confidence and improve their skills, increasingly making more valuable contributions at work.

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

Apprentices feel safe while in training and at work. They know how to keep themselves safe online. For example, they know how to make careful use of social media.

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better?

Leaders, managers, and governors share a passion for the early years sector and have extensive experience working in it. They use their knowledge and expertise to ensure apprentices are taught appropriate and well-sequenced curriculums. This helps to ensure apprentices develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviours they need to become effective practitioners.

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better?

Staff use the information they gather about what apprentices know and can do before they start their apprenticeships to plan individualised training plans. This means that apprentices learn what is most relevant to them based on their previous knowledge, experience, and current job roles.

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better?

Staff liaise very effectively with employers to link the training they provide to apprentices’ roles at work. They adapt the order in which they teach topics so that apprentices have the knowledge and skills they need to carry out specific activities at work. For example, staff brought forward the topic of song and rhyme when apprentices needed to lead these activities at their nursery. Consequently, apprentices developed and swiftly put into practice the skills and knowledge they needed to make a positive contribution at work.

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better?

Staff use tutorial time effectively to check apprentices’ understanding, answer any queries and signpost apprentices to additional resources where appropriate. They encourage apprentices to reflect on how they apply what they learn to their jobs to improve their practice. For example, after researching different early years theorists, such as John Bowlby, apprentices were able to explain certain behaviours exhibited by children better such as crying when their parents/carers drop them off at nursery. 5 to 7 March 2025

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Staff support apprentices to understand separation anxiety and how they can use their new knowledge to help children by creating suitable activities at the start of the day.

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Staff work effectively with learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to understand how to best support them. They break down apprentices’ assessment activities to make them more accessible or plan for additional time between tasks to help apprentices remember what they have been taught. As a result, apprentices with SEND make the same progress and achieve as well as their peers.

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Leaders plan the curriculum to develop apprentices’ knowledge and skills beyond the core content of their training to include concepts such as organisation and planning skills. They link these topics to the academic content they teach well to make them relevant to apprentices. For example, they cover time management at the start of training to help apprentices liaise with their employers to plan when they will schedule their study time at work. This contributes to apprentices taking responsibility for their own learning from the start of their training.

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Staff provide apprentices with a handbook at the start of their training that contains useful guidance on topics such as radicalisation and extremism and healthy relationships. However, staff do not reinforce this content or explore apprentices’ understanding during their training. This means that apprentices do not have a good understanding of the risks that they may face in the communities where they live or of the dangers associated with radicalisation and extremism.

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Staff establish positive relationships with apprentices and know their individual circumstances very well. They use this information to support apprentices very effectively based on their age and circumstances. For example, staff raise awareness of how apprentices can keep themselves healthy by discussing with them the food they bring to work.

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Staff use their experience well to support apprentices to identify their next steps in the early years sector. Apprentices are aware of progression opportunities available to them, such as room leader or deputy manager roles. Staff focus their advice on apprenticeships, however, and do not make apprentices sufficiently aware of other potential next steps such as higher education courses.

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Governors are knowledgeable about the early years sector and support leaders well. Leaders have plans to expand the governing board. They acknowledge that they would benefit from governors with experience in apprenticeships or quality assurance who can challenge and support them to keep improving the quality of the training apprentices receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5 to 7 March 2025

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Make apprentices aware of opportunities for further learning beyond apprenticeships.  Provide sufficient training so apprentices develop a secure understand of topics such as the risks of radicalisation and extremism and healthy relationships.  Ensure that governors have relevant knowledge and experience to provide effective challenge and support to leaders on the quality of training that apprentices receive. 5 to 7 March 2025

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Provider details

Address 537 Norwood Road West Norwood London SE27 9DL

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Sarah James

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 5 to 7 March 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director, 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

Montserrat Pérez-Parent, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Anne Moynihan Ofsted Inspector 5 to 7 March 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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