Let Me Play Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 30 June to 3 July 2025

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Let Me Play Limited was founded in 2004. The training arm of the organisation trades under the name of LMP Education, which was acquired as part of the LMP Group by Supporting Education Group in 2023. It continues to trade as a separate business. The provider is based in central London and has apprentices nationwide. It also offers a broad range of online short courses through adult skills funding and recently started teaching digital marketing Skills Bootcamps nationwide and in central London.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 1,747 apprentices across 15 standards from level 2 to level 5. Around two thirds study teaching assistant or early years programmes. A high proportion of apprentices work in schools and education settings. Other apprentices study a range of standards in business administration, team leading, accounting, school business professional, safeguarding support officer, digital and information technology standards. Most apprentices are adults.

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Information about this provider

There were around 2,000 adults on short courses, mostly at level 2. Just over half were on health and social care courses and around a third were on business and digital courses. There were 83 adult learners on the digital marketing Skills Bootcamp.

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Information about this provider

Approximately 800 learners and apprentices had a declared special educational need and/or disability (SEND). 30 June to 3 July 2025

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

Learners and apprentices enjoy their learning. They appreciate the high level of support and care they receive from their experienced tutors. They learn in positive and inclusive environments online and at their face-to-face teaching sessions. They particularly like the good-quality interactive online learning resources that tutors use to support their learning. As a result, they attend their teaching sessions and have positive attitudes toward their learning and work.

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

Apprentices gain substantial new knowledge and skills because tutors provide good teaching and assessment. Tutors work closely with apprentices’ line managers to ensure apprentices have enough opportunities to apply what they learn at work. Apprentices benefit from highly effective progress review meetings to reflect on their learning. They use their new skills competently at work. For example, on the teaching assistant level 3, apprentices learn about the strategies to deal with anxiety. They use these strategies to help the children in their care prepare to move up to their next year group at school confidently.

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

Adult learners, many of whom have been out of education or work for some time, develop their confidence and employability skills. Learners on the digital marketing Skills Bootcamp quickly gain essential digital skills to help them apply for relevant jobs. For example, they know how to create web pages, use social media campaigns and analytics to follow a customer’s journey. They use their skills successfully to write CVs and put together professional portfolios.

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

Learners and apprentices feel safe. They understand well the importance of keeping themselves safe. Those who work in education have a thorough understanding of how the dangers associated with extremism and radicalisation impact their work. Most learners and apprentices can relate fundamental British values to their work, particularly about tolerance and respect.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have grown the business steadily and substantially. This includes the introduction of a broad range of adult short courses and Skills Bootcamps. They have supported this growth with appropriate investment in resources, staff and online systems. They have kept a close eye on the quality of their provision during this period. They have successfully maintained the good quality of education and experience for apprentices. They ensure that adult learners benefit from an appropriate and ambitious curriculum to help them progress in their lives.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear vision and mission to bridge skills gaps, particularly in the education sector, and to enhance learners’ and apprentices’ career 30 June to 3 July 2025

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prospects. Staff share this vision passionately and have high expectations of learners and apprentices.

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Leaders have carefully considered the curriculum to allow progression opportunities for learners and apprentices. They work effectively with employers and sector experts to ensure that their curriculum is highly relevant and meets employers’ needs. Employers speak positively about the strong partnership they have with leaders and staff.

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Leaders have planned the content of their courses sensibly, so that learners and apprentices develop their knowledge logically over time. They have adapted courses where appropriate and when requested by employers. For example, on the school business professional apprenticeship, leaders agreed with employers to teach the human resources content early to help apprentices manage a potential redundancy issue at their workplace. On the adult level 2 mental health training course, learners are taught about how to recognise the signs of mental health first. This gives learners key foundation knowledge before moving on to other topics, such as the support for mental health and its potential impact on society.

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Tutors use their expertise and knowledge skilfully to make both online and face-to- face lessons interesting and engaging. They introduce and explain complex new topics clearly. They use a range of scenarios effectively to emphasise their points. For example, in early years apprenticeships, tutors use recent and topical news articles and case studies to deepen apprentices’ knowledge about serious safeguarding cases. In adult warehousing courses, tutors set learners interesting tasks on how to conduct a stocktake and how to use bar codes to help identify potential theft.

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Tutors use assessment very well. They use effective questioning to encourage learners and apprentices to give detailed answers. In many courses, tutors complete observations of learners’ and apprentices’ practical skills to check on their proficiency. As a result, learners and apprentices secure and recall new knowledge accurately. For example, in the school business professional apprenticeship, apprentices recall confidently how an independent evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses at their school could influence their plans for staff training and support.

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Tutors provide learners and apprentices with developmental and prompt feedback on their work. They identify key strengths and areas for improvement well and provide clear advice on how to improve. In addition, they gather feedback on apprentices’ performance in the workplace from employers. They use this information to set apprentices useful targets to improve their work or practices. Learners’ and apprentices’ work improves over time and is of the expected standard or higher.

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Tutors give learners and apprentices good support to prepare for their final assessments. They ensure that learners and apprentices know what to expect throughout their programme. They give them plenty of opportunities to practise for their assessments. For example, through mock examinations and professional 30 June to 3 July 2025

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discussions. Apprentices know how to gain a distinction and many do. The overall achievement rate for apprentices has increased over the past three years. While it is high on the majority of courses, it remains low on a few, such as in level 3 team leading. Most adult learners pass their courses.

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Apprentices who need to complete examinations in English and mathematics receive effective teaching and support. Tutors use initial assessment effectively to plan individual sessions for apprentices. They focus on the areas apprentices need to improve. Tutors use the online digital tools well to demonstrate the steps apprentices need to take to solve problems, such as with fractions. Tutors provide apprentices with a range of useful mock examination questions. Most apprentices pass their English examinations on their first attempt. While the achievement rate for the small proportion of apprentices who take qualifications in mathematics has improved, it is still too low.

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Staff, including suitably trained learning support tutors, provide effective support to learners and apprentices with SEND. Learning support tutors work closely with subject tutors and employers, to ensure that learners and apprentices receive the right support. For example, tutors give learners helpful support on how to use assistive technology correctly and they use suitable strategies to help learners understand complex tasks. As a result, learners and apprentices with SEND make good progress in their studies.

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Tutors and staff give most learners and apprentices helpful advice and guidance about careers and their possible next steps. Learners and apprentices have good knowledge about their options on completion of their course. Most apprentices remain in employment, gain promotion and take on additional responsibilities after their apprenticeship. A high proportion of adult learners, particularly those on the Skills Bootcamp, gain employment.

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Tutors include a range of additional content in their teaching to broaden learners’ and apprentices’ wider skills and knowledge. For example, business administration apprentices learn about emotional intelligence, self-awareness and how to balance their work and personal lives. Learners on counselling courses learn how to adapt their practices considering the diverse backgrounds of potential clients.

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Leaders have put in place sessions on topics, such as consent and healthy relationships for the small proportion of young apprentices. However, too often apprentices do not attend these sessions and have an underdeveloped understanding of these topics.

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Leaders place the development and well-being of their staff as a high priority. They offer staff comprehensive personal support and professional training. This includes ‘back to the floor days’ to help staff keep up to date with current trends and skills, teaching and assessment qualifications and leadership training. They also offer staff a range of social and health related activities, such as a running club, staff quizzes and grief and menopause support. Staff appreciate this, are proud to work at LMP and feel very well supported by leaders, managers and their colleagues. 30 June to 3 July 2025

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Leaders, managers and those responsible for governance are critical of themselves. They use the outcomes of their effective quality assurance activities and their learner progress tracking data very well to identify areas for development, as well as their strengths. This gives them clear oversight of their provision. Through these activities they recognise that while the proportion of learners and apprentices who do not complete their courses in the planned time has decreased, they need to further improve the support for a minority of learners who fall behind.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Increase the proportion of apprentices who achieve their examinations in mathematics.  Put in place a suitable personal development programme for young apprentices to ensure that they understand the importance of topics, such as consent and healthy relationships.  Give learners and apprentices who do not achieve their courses in the planned time effective support to do so. 30 June to 3 July 2025

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Provider details

Address LMP Group, Supporting Education Group 98 Theobalds Road London WC1X 8WB

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Matthew Lord and Amy Lalla

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Provider details

Provider type Independent Learning Provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 9 to 12 March 2020

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Provider details

Main subcontractors n/a 30 June to 3 July 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by one of the Co-founders and 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

Jane Hughes, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Saher Nijabat His Majesty’s Inspector Ramin Narimani His Majesty’s Inspector Paul Manning His Majesty’s Inspector Kanwaljit Dhillon Ofsted Inspector Steve Lambert His Majesty’s Inspector Susan Gay Ofsted Inspector Joanna Walters His Majesty’s Inspector Christina Christou Ofsted Inspector Viki Faulkner His Majesty’s Inspector 30 June to 3 July 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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