University Academy 92 Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of University Academy 92 Limited

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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

University Academy 92 Limited is an independent learning provider located in Stretford, Manchester. The provider offers a range of undergraduate degrees in business, media, sport and digital. These were not in scope for this inspection. In January 2023, the provider received a contract to provide directly funded apprenticeship training.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 32 apprentices studying apprenticeships. Seventeen apprentices were studying on the level 4 DevOps Engineering apprenticeship, and 15 apprentices were studying on the level 3 MultiChannel Marketer apprenticeship. All apprentices were aged over 18. 9 to 11 April 2025

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

Apprentices have positive attitudes to their learning. They are keen to demonstrate their learning and constantly question their instructors to develop further their knowledge and skills. For example, they explore how data analysis and data sets are used and apply this knowledge when helping clients make decisions about their business. Apprentices work well in groups to collaborate and share information. They are respectful of staff and peers.

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

Apprentices develop their confidence and competence because of their training. They develop their presentation skills and overcome anxieties about presenting their work to their peers and large groups of colleagues in the workplace. Apprentices feel confident in teaching others how systems work. They explain and demonstrate the complex technical aspects of their work to non-technical end-user colleagues.

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

Apprentices take part in competitions such as a recent hackathon where they competed against universities to produce a website that makes online text more accessible for people with dyslexia. Apprentices are proud to receive recognition for their efforts.

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

Apprentices feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe in the real world and the digital world. They are taught about safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty as well as relevant training linked to their work such as cybersecurity, data protection, phishing and unsolicited emails.

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better?

Leaders have a clear and carefully planned strategic vision for the growth of the apprenticeships they offer. They work closely with a small group of prestigious employers in the digital sector to develop personalised apprenticeships that meet the needs of employers and their apprentices. Leaders and employers plan the curriculums to include additional qualifications that are individual to each employer and apprentice.

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better?

Apprentices, for example on the level 4 DevOps engineer apprenticeship, are taught an ambitious apprenticeship curriculum that links effectively to their next steps and development as DevOps engineers. They quickly learn skills to develop and use software to improve business performance.

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better?

Most instructors use an effective range of teaching strategies to check and consolidate apprentices’ learning and to correct any misconceptions. For example, instructors use questioning techniques to skilfully probe for additional information when discussing different types of data analysis. This enables apprentices to build the depth of their responses with appropriate guidance and, where necessary, correction. However, in a very few instances in online learning sessions, instructors do not use questioning and consolidation well enough to check apprentices’ learning. 9 to 11 April 2025

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Many apprentices have little or no knowledge or experience of the digital sector before starting the apprenticeships. They now clearly explain the new skills they have learned. For example, they build high-quality websites using complex infrastructure language. Apprentices develop databases and user-friendly systems to provide work-based solutions. They are rightly proud of their new knowledge and skills and the high-quality work that they produce. All apprentices who have completed their final assessments have passed on the first attempt, with approximately half achieving merit and distinction grades.

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Instructors provide apprentices with helpful and effective oral feedback on practical projects that help them improve the quality of their work. However, instructors’ written feedback to apprentices following assessment often lacks specificity. Occasionally, apprentices do not know what they have done well or what they need to do to improve the quality of their written work.

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Apprentices receive useful information, advice and guidance about career development and further study. For example, they attend one-to-one sessions with a qualified careers adviser and talk to teachers who have a wealth of experience and expertise in the digital sector. Apprentices find out about careers in the digital sector through listening to guest speakers and specialist sector experts.

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Leaders provide instructors with a comprehensive vocational and technical staff development programme, which enables instructors to maintain their industry expertise. Instructors have only very recently started to receive more guided training to develop and enhance their teaching skills. Instructors are industry experts; however, a few are new to teaching. All instructors observe peers’ teaching and jointly share their reflections of teaching practice regularly, but instructors new to teaching do not routinely benefit from specific training to develop strategies that help them to teach.

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Board members receive a range of reports about the apprenticeships. However, these reports focus on key performance indicators such as recruitment, retention, achievement and finance. Board members do not receive reports with enough information about the quality of provision to enable them to challenge leaders or hold them to account for the quality of training that apprentices receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Improve the specificity of written feedback that instructors provide to apprentices following assessment.  Provide instructors with specific training to develop and enhance their teaching practice. 9 to 11 April 2025

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 Provide board members with sufficiently detailed reports about the quality of training that apprentices receive. 9 to 11 April 2025

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Provider details

Address Brian Statham Way Old Trafford Stretford Manchester M16 0PU

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Sara Prowse

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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 9 to 11 April 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the operations manager, 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

Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Alastair Mollon His Majesty’s Inspector 9 to 11 April 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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