Aspire Sporting Academy Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Aspire Sporting Academy Ltd

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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 Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Adult learning programmes Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

Aspire Sporting Academy Ltd (Aspire) is an independent learning provider based in Haslingden, Lancashire. Aspire operates under the brand of ‘Aspire Education’. It specialises in courses for adults, particularly those who are unemployed, to support them to gain jobs as teaching assistants or in other support roles in schools and early years settings. Aspire has contracts to deliver adult skills-funding programmes with the Department for Education and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. It also has contracts to deliver Skills Bootcamps with Lancashire County Council and Liverpool City Region.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 90 adults enrolled on programmes. Nineteen were enrolled on a level 1 programme, which consists of certificates in safeguarding, preparing to work in schools and child well-being. Thirty-eight were enrolled on a level 2 programme, which consists of certificates in safeguarding, ‘Prevent’ duty and understanding behaviour that challenges. Twenty-two were enrolled on a level 3 certificate in the principles of special educational needs. Eleven adults were enrolled on a teaching assistant Skills Bootcamp funded by Lancashire County Council. 30 June to 3 July 2025

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

Learners greatly welcome the care and support they receive from staff to help them engage in learning. They value the progress that they make through participating in well-planned and taught courses. They gain the knowledge and skills they need to find employment in schools or early years settings.

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

Learners, including those on Skills Bootcamps, are highly motivated. They respond very well to staff and engage enthusiastically in purposeful, group and individual conversations that support their learning and progress.

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

Many learners join courses having been out of education or work for prolonged periods of time. Staff establish safe, well-structured and positive learning environments. Consequently, learners develop their confidence and resilience well and make good progress in overcoming barriers they have in seeking employment.

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

Learners’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary. Learners’ attendance, both to classroom and online learning lessons, is very high. Learners are punctual and ensure that they are ready to start learning promptly.

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

Learners feel safe. Staff ensure that learners know how to raise any concerns they have about their safety and well-being. If learners do not attend classes and have not provided a reason for this, staff routinely raise this as a potential safeguarding concern. The safeguarding team takes appropriate action to ensure learners are safe and well.

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better?

Leaders engage well with local and regional partners and employers to gain a clear understanding of their priorities and workforce skills needs. They use this information to design well-planned and ambitious curriculums that prepare adults for work in education settings in skills shortage roles.

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better?

Leaders and tutors plan and teach the curriculum in a logical order. This enables learners to develop their knowledge incrementally over time. For example, learners are taught how to apply their prior learning when safeguarding children. Learners build on their knowledge when they learn about more complex topics such as identifying approaches to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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better?

Leaders and tutors complete rigorous initial assessments, including learners’ existing levels in English and mathematics. However, in a few cases, tutors do not consistently check level 3 learners’ prior knowledge about SEND. In these instances, tutors are unable to plan initial teaching activities to resolve gaps in learners’ knowledge. 30 June to 3 July 2025

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Staff accurately establish any barriers to learning and additional learning needs that learners have. Tutors provide tailored support, which enables learners to participate and make progress. Learners who have additional support needs achieve in line with their peers.

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Tutors are well qualified and have extensive experience in the subjects they teach. Tutors maintain up-to-date sector knowledge through purposeful ‘back-to-industry’ visits to education settings. Tutors use a variety of effective teaching methods. They plan lessons carefully to enable learners to learn about new concepts. Tutors then link the new concepts to previous learning, which helps learners to embed the knowledge in their long-term memory.

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Tutors support learners well to improve their English, mathematics and digital skills. They plan and teach activities that relate well to the content of the courses and to learners’ everyday lives.

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Most tutors use assessment effectively. They provide learners with helpful feedback on what they have done well and how they can improve their work. In a very few instances, tutors do not consistently check learners’ understanding in lessons or correct learners’ misconceptions. As a result, learners repeat their mistakes.

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Most learners make good progress in gaining the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to progress to their planned next steps. Learners produce work of a good standard. Almost all learners, including those on Skills Bootcamps, achieve their planned qualifications and most progress to employment in schools or early years settings.

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Tutors support learners to develop their understanding of fundamental British values well. Learners develop a good understanding of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism, as well as how to stay safe online and in their communities.

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Staff provide learners with useful, impartial careers advice and guidance during their course. However, learners’ encounters with the world of work are limited. For example, they do not have the opportunity to experience what it is like in settings with large numbers of children.

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Governors have extensive educational experience. They support and challenge leaders effectively. Since the previous inspection, leaders have focused diligently on addressing the weaknesses identified. They have restructured the leadership team and increased management capacity. Leaders provide managers with clarity about what they expect of them and closely monitor their performance.

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Leaders use a wide range of quality monitoring processes to establish a well- informed view of Aspire’s strengths and areas where improvements and staff training are required. Leaders monitor staff caseloads and make sure that staff workloads are manageable. 30 June to 3 July 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?

 Make sure that tutors’ planning of teaching is based on a secure understanding of learners’ starting points.  Use assessment in lessons to check learners’ understanding and to correct any misconceptions swiftly.  Improve the quality and quantity of learners’ encounters with relevant work settings. 30 June to 3 July 2025

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Provider details

Address Link 665 Business Centre Todd Hall Road Haslingden Rossendale BB4 5HU

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Provider details

Website www.aspireeducationacademy.org.uk

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Jason Murphy

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 7 to 10 March 2023

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 30 June to 3 July 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of operations, quality assurance and engagement, 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

Malcolm Fraser, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Alastair Mollon His Majesty’s Inspector Ian Frear His Majesty’s Inspector Jonny Wright 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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