Valkyrie Support Services Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Valkyrie Support Services Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Education programmes for young people Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Valkyrie Support Services Limited is an independent learning provider in Gloucestershire, delivering apprenticeships nationwide. At the time of inspection, there were 75 apprentices enrolled on 13 apprenticeship standards. The largest groups consist of 37 apprentices on the level 3 safety, health and environmental technician apprenticeship and five apprentices on the level 4 improvement practitioner apprenticeship. 13 to 16 May 2025

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

Apprentices’ attendance is high, and leaders monitor it closely. When apprentices are absent, staff inform their employers promptly and collaborate with them to find ways to prevent further absences.

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

Apprentices show positive attitudes toward their studies. An example of this is how level 4 procurement and supply chain practitioner apprentices develop a professional approach to their work through close collaboration with their tutors and employers, identifying areas for improvement and setting purposeful targets to enhance their workplace practice.

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

Apprentices are taught the importance of fundamental British values and the dangers of radicalisation at the outset of their studies. However, this learning is not revisited enough, resulting in too many apprentices being unable to articulate how they apply this knowledge to their professional and personal lives.

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

Apprentices receive helpful career advice and guidance that informs them about further study options on completing their apprenticeship and the job roles they could pursue. However, level 3 safety, health, and environmental technician apprentices are often unaware of the professional memberships available to them on completion, which would benefit their careers.

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

Apprentices feel safe and well supported. They know how to report any safeguarding concerns. Staff frequently check on apprentices’ well-being and ensure that apprentices are not experiencing bullying, harassment or conflict at work.

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better?

Leaders carefully design curriculums to build apprentices’ skills and knowledge in a structured way. Level 3 safety, health, and environmental technician teachers begin covering key topics, including ethics, legal responsibilities, and workplace regulations. They build on this knowledge by teaching management systems that promote safe and consistent practices in the workplace. Teachers then explore more advanced topics like change management and human factors, including communication, decision-making and fatigue, linking theory to workplace scenarios. This sequence offers a solid foundation of knowledge and allows apprentices to develop their skills quickly.

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better?

Tutors accurately identify what apprentices know and can do at the beginning of their apprenticeship. While this information is used effectively to ensure that the course is suitable for those recruited, it is not consistently used to tailor the curriculums. This leads to a minority of apprentices not progressing with their studies at the rate of which they are capable.

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better?

Tutors use effective teaching strategies during lessons. This helps apprentices to understand key concepts and build on their knowledge. Level 3 improvement 13 to 16 May 2025

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technician apprentices are taught by highly qualified tutors who have extensive experience in public and private procurement. Tutors use their experience to provide apprentices with real-life examples to contextualise learning. This helps apprentices understand the topics they are taught and build their confidence in the classroom and the workplace.

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While tutors identify apprentices with additional support needs at the beginning of their studies, leaders have limited expertise in helping these apprentices to overcome the barriers they face. The support they provide to these few apprentices is underdeveloped and inconsistently applied. Consequently, the proportion of apprentices with additional support needs who complete their studies is lower than that of their peers.

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Tutors work closely with employers to coordinate what apprentices are learning in the classroom with their activities in the workplace. This allows apprentices to practise newly acquired skills and begin applying them with increasing confidence and fluency. Tutors arrange for level 3 safety, health and environmental technician apprentices to work alongside health and safety consultants while studying legislation. This experience helps apprentices to practise their newly acquired skills in using legislation to inform risk assessments and shape workplace practices.

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Tutors assist apprentices in developing the knowledge and skills necessary for success in their chosen sectors. Level 4 improvement practitioner apprentices acquire valuable skills, including identifying business needs, recognising key problems and opportunities faced by an organisation and discovering ways to deal with them. This ensures that the improvement projects they implement provide value to the organisation. The skills that apprentices acquire contribute to apprentices being valued in the workplace and, at times, receiving promotions on completion of their studies.

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Leaders have implemented various processes to gain a thorough understanding of the quality of education they provide to apprentices. Managers conduct lesson observations, collect feedback from apprentices through surveys, carefully monitor caseload reports, and analyse achievement data. This results in a secure grasp of the quality of education that they provide. In most cases, leaders and managers use this information effectively to enhance the quality of their courses.

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Leaders closely monitor the progress of apprentices. They meet monthly to discuss and analyse each apprentice’s progress against various metrics, including attendance. This data enables leaders to identify apprentices who are at risk of not completing their studies. At-risk apprentices are given action plans and their progress is measured frequently, allowing most apprentices to reach their potential.

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Governors have a clear understanding of the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses. Leaders provide governors with detailed data packs for their monthly meetings, informing them about the quality of education that apprentices receive. This provides an assessment of the progress that apprentices are making, 13 to 16 May 2025

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safeguarding trends and concerns, and the workload and morale of staff. Governors use this information to hold leaders accountable and offer strategic guidance.

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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 quality and consistency of support provided for apprentices with additional support needs, enabling them to overcome their barriers to learning.  Increase the proportion of apprentices with additional support needs who complete their studies.  Consistently use measured starting points to inform teaching.  Deepen apprentices’ understanding of fundamental British values, radicalisation and extremism. 13 to 16 May 2025

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Provider details

Address 26 Station Road Gloucestershire GL1 1EW

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Charlotte White

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 28 to 31 January 2020

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Provider details

Main subcontractors N/a 13 to 16 May 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of training, 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

Joel Dalhouse, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Steve Michael Ofsted Inspector Rachel Clark His Majesty’s Inspector 13 to 16 May 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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