Access Skills Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 25 to 28 February 2025 and 11 June

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Adult learning programmes Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Access Skills Ltd is an independent learning provider in Birmingham offering adult learning programmes, funded by advanced learner loans, and apprenticeships. The provider specialises in leadership and management in the care and children and young people’s sectors.

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Information about this provider

At the time of inspection, there were 38 apprentices and 182 learners. Of the apprentices, 28 were studying level 5 leader in adult care, and 10 were studying level 3 lead adult care worker. There were 103 learners studying level 5 in leadership and management for adult care, 26 studying level 4 adult care, 34 studying level 3 adult care, 18 studying level 5 leadership and management for residential childcare, and fewer than five studying level 3 residential childcare. There were fewer than five apprentices under the age of 19.

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Information about this provider

Adult learners are taught through a mix of webinars, workshops and ask-the-expert sessions. They complete work-based tasks and assignments independently with access to online or telephone support. Apprentices are taught through a blend of online teaching and workplace assessment. 25 to 28 February 2025 and 11 June 2025

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

Apprentices and learners feel that their courses and apprenticeships help them develop their careers. Apprentices are highly motivated. They enjoy their learning and, they participate fully. However, a minority of learners find it difficult to maintain motivation throughout the independent study of their courses alongside their demanding work roles and fall behind with their assignment submissions.

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

The relationships between learners, apprentices and provider staff are positive. Learners discuss how professional and supportive assessors are when they seek help with their assignments. They value assessors’ knowledge and expertise.

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

Apprentices have high attendance at their learning sessions. However, in adult courses, too few learners attend the optional webinars and workshops. These learners rely more on independent learning, using the extensive range of resources provided for them.

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

Learners develop their confidence in the workplace because of their studies. Learners discuss deepening their understanding of laws, legislation and policy through their assignment preparation and writing. Learners say that they use these confidently to challenge stakeholders or their staff to carry out their duties to a high standard. Through their studies, learners become more effective leaders and managers.

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

Learners and apprentices feel safe while studying online. They know who they can go to at the provider if they feel they need help.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear rationale for the courses they offer. They have specialised in offering predominantly higher-level leadership and management apprenticeships and adult courses in the health and social care and childcare sectors in response to widespread national demand.

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better?

Trainers possess the relevant qualifications and experience to teach and support apprentices. They use this experience well in their teaching, providing a range of activities, including taught sessions, where apprentices share their experiences and take part in useful trainer-led peer discussions. This helps apprentices to contextualise their learning appropriately and apply it quickly in their workplace.

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better?

During workshops, webinars and meet-the-expert sessions, trainers provide effective explanations. They draw on their workplace experiences to provide relevant examples to learners. This helps learners who attend to deepen their understanding of topics such as preparing for Care Quality Commission inspections.

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better?

Trainers use assessment well to check what apprentices have learned. They provide useful feedback which tells apprentices how to improve their work and aim for 25 to 28 February 2025 and 11 June 2025

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higher grades. However, on adult learning courses, assessors do not routinely provide feedback on spelling and grammar to improve learners’ written English or, in a few cases, highlight inaccurate academic referencing.

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In adult courses where learners fall behind with assignment submission, interventions from assessors are often too slow. Learners who actively seek help are mostly well supported by staff to catch up. However, where staff set learners actions, these do not consistently provide strategies on the steps learners need to take to catch up. Consequently, too few learners complete their qualifications on time.

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Trainers ensure that most apprentices’ employers are involved in progress reviews. Trainers carefully track apprentices’ progress, and where apprentices are falling behind, they work closely with employers to support them to catch up. However, trainers do not always ensure that employers know how to support apprentices’ workload. Consequently, some apprentices find balancing their apprenticeship and work demands challenging.

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Trainers do not always check what apprentices have learned well enough. Where apprentices have used online resources or sessions, trainers often rely on apprentices stating that they understand what they have learned. Therefore, they miss opportunities to fill gaps in apprentices’ knowledge or correct any misconceptions.

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The achievement and retention of apprentices are too low. In response to this, leaders paused recruitment to allow time for the curriculums to be redeveloped. Early signs are that these changes have made considerable improvements to the taught curriculums. Apprentices now develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours relevant to the workplace, and the quality of their work improves over time. However, the full impact on improving achievement for apprentices cannot yet be seen.

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Leaders have developed appropriate quality assurance measures for their apprenticeships. Managers sample apprentices’ work and observe teaching, learning and assessment. They provide trainers with helpful feedback to improve, which they monitor effectively.

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Most learners and apprentices recognise that their qualification leads to a career as a registered manager in the care sector, and most learners are already in leadership and management positions in their workplace. Although leaders offer careers advice, few learners access this.

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Governors receive information on the performance of the provider such as the achievement and retention of learners and apprentices. Governors understand the challenges leaders have faced with their apprenticeship provision and the actions leaders are taking to improve this area. 25 to 28 February 2025 and 11 June 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Provide good support for those learners who fall behind in their learning which enables them to catch up and pass their qualification.  Increase the proportion of apprentices who achieve their qualifications.  Increase adult learners’ attendance at online webinars. 25 to 28 February 2025 and 11 June 2025

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Provider details

Address Colbart Square, 12th Floor 83-85 Hagley Road Birmingham West Midlands B16 8QG

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Neil Crawford

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 26 February to 1 March 2019

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 25 to 28 February 2025 and 11 June 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection started on 25 to 28 February 2025. Inspectors returned on 11 June 2025 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. The inspection team was initially assisted by the chief operating officer, as nominee. For the additional visit, the nominee was the chief executive officer. 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

Stuart Collett, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Jack Bullock Ofsted Inspector Sharon Dowling His Majesty’s Inspector Rachel Jablonski Ofsted Inspector Georgina Ager, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Mark Care His Majesty’s Inspector 25 to 28 February 2025 and 11 June 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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