Skills Edge Training Ltd

Skills Edge Training Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Mark Care, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider Address: The Union Building, 4th Floor, 51–59 Rose Lane Norwich NR1 1BY Monitoring visit: Skills Edge Training Limited, 3 and 4 April 2025

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Context and focus of visit

Skills Edge Training Limited was inspected in July 2024. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

Skills Edge Training Limited is in Norwich. Apprentices are located across the country. Leaders specialise in offering financial services, insurance, and business and management apprenticeships from levels 2 to 5. All courses are taught online.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the visit, there were 531 apprentices studying with the provider. 250 apprentices studied level 3 insurance practitioner, 81 studied level 4 financial adviser, 70 studied level 4 paraplanner and 51 studied financial services administrator. The remaining apprentices studied a range of financial services and business and management apprenticeships. Most apprentices were over the age of 18.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have an effective understanding of why apprentices leave their studies early. They have implemented a range of effective actions to improve the proportion of apprentices who remain in learning. Leaders now ensure that apprentices are suited to the roles they take on in the insurance sector and at the businesses where they work. Leaders provide clear information to employers and apprentices, so they understand the commitment needed to complete an apprenticeship. Leaders interview apprentices and check their readiness to work in a demanding working environment. More insurance practitioners now remain on their apprenticeship, although it is too early to see the full impact of these improvements on achievement rates.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have improved the quality of the management information they hold on apprentices. Leaders have a more responsive and individualised approach to monitoring apprentices’ progress. Apprentices who may be at risk of falling behind in their learning are identified by trainers and assessors early. Leaders take prompt and effective action to help apprentices be successful. They speak to apprentices and Monitoring visit: Skills Edge Training Limited, 3 and 4 April 2025 their employers to agree steps to help them progress, such as additional time to shadow staff at work.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers and assessors now work with apprentices to help them catch up if they fall behind. This helps apprentices to complete their showcase portfolio and prepare for their final assessments. Most apprentices now make progress in line with their planned end date. The proportion of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship by their planned end date has started to improve.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have taken effective action to improve the timeliness and quality of feedback that apprentices receive. Leaders now manage better the marking loads of trainers and assessors. Staff carry out marking within shorter timeframes, so apprentices receive feedback more promptly. Managers provide trainers and assessors with training to help improve the feedback that apprentices receive.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors provide apprentices with useful developmental and motivating feedback. Apprentices know what they have done well, what they need to improve and how to improve their spelling and punctuation. Apprentices’ work now improves over time and more apprentices achieve distinction grades.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors make effective use of coaching conversations, which helps apprentices to understand their next steps and progress with their learning. Assessors provide helpful guidance to prepare apprentices for examinations. Apprentices learn helpful tips to complete assessment questions. This includes improving time management, prioritising questions, reviewing answers, and remaining calm and focused. Apprentices use online quizzes and mock assessment questions to practise these approaches. More apprentices now pass their examinations first time. In a few cases, feedback is overly congratulatory and does not provide sufficient detail to identify key areas for apprentices to improve.

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possible career routes and transferable skills

they have developed as part of their studies.

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Significant progress

Leaders have taken very effective action to improve the careers information, advice and guidance that apprentices receive. Leaders have recently strengthened their senior leadership to include expertise in careers development. Leaders have implemented a comprehensive framework for careers advice. Trainers and assessors Monitoring visit: Skills Edge Training Limited, 3 and 4 April 2025 now provide purposeful activities with apprentices during onboarding and induction, and throughout the apprenticeship.

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Significant progress

Apprentices now have a good understanding of the career pathways and opportunities available to them in the financial services and insurance sectors. Apprentices make effective use of self-assessment tools to consider their own transferable skills and professional development needs. Apprentices discuss their planned next steps with trainers, such as moving on to the Chartered Insurance Institute diploma.

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Significant progress

Trainers use group workshops very effectively so that apprentices can share their experiences and explore different career roles and pathways. Apprentices understand the insurance practitioner roles. They know the duties of the broker, underwriter and claims handler, and how they relate to their own roles at work.

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Significant progress

Assessors skilfully use progress reviews to discuss career goals with apprentices. Paraplanner apprentices gain a good knowledge of the financial services and are motivated by the opportunities within the sector. Apprentices know what steps to take to become a chartered financial adviser in the future.

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Significant progress

Careers advice is provided for all apprentices who leave the programme. This includes information from the sector-relevant websites and the National Careers Service. Apprentices know where to get advice on their next career steps. Monitoring visit: Skills Edge Training Limited, 3 and 4 April 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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

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