Pathway First 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 Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Pathway First Limited is an independent learning provider based in Birmingham. At the time of the inspection, there were 815 adult learners, of whom 297 were funded through advanced learner loans and studying a range of subjects, the most popular of which were level 3 diplomas in business and management, and combined beauty therapy skills. Most of the other learners were studying a foundation for learning and life programme that included functional skills English, mathematics, and employability skills or Skills Bootcamps in cybersecurity, lean manufacturing or digital technology. There were 15 learners studying a pre-apprenticeship programme. Most adult learning takes place online or at regionally based centres located across England, including Blackburn, Birmingham, Sheffield, Northampton and Stoke-on- Trent.

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Information about this provider

Since the previous inspection, leaders have not recruited any new apprentices. There were fewer than five apprentices in learning, studying subjects relating to education and early years and customer service. 30 June to 3 July 2025

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

Too few learners progress on to sustained employment or further training after their studies. This is particularly relevant to courses specifically designed to enable learners to secure employment. Too many apprentices leave their apprenticeship early.

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

Learners have positive attitudes to learning and are motivated to succeed. Tutors create a culture that is safe, nurturing and inclusive. Learners from different backgrounds and cultures participate in lessons respectfully. Learners and apprentices value this, particularly when they have not been in education for some time.

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

Learners’ attendance at lessons is high. Staff work closely with partners such as the Department for Work and Pensions, employers, charities and local communities to make courses accessible. Functional skills English and mathematics lessons are taught during the daytime, so those with family commitments and children at school can attend. Online lessons allow employed learners and apprentices to access learning.

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

Learners and apprentices successfully develop their confidence because of their studies. On the level 3 combined beauty therapy course, learners develop their confidence in working with new clients. Education and early years apprentices develop confidence and character by working with children in different development stages and in different environments. Learners on functional skills English courses can more confidently communicate with their doctor and their children’s teachers as a result of their learning. They become more integrated in their communities and build resilience.

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better?

Leaders have not ensured that the curriculums are ambitious enough for all learners and apprentices. The level 3 business and management curriculum, for example, is not sufficiently challenging. Tutors do not sequence learning effectively. Learners first learn about the stakeholders of a business before learning about fundamental aspects such as the business environment. They do not build their knowledge incrementally or deepen their knowledge as their learning progresses. As a consequence of curriculums that are insufficiently ambitious and challenging, too many learners and apprentices do not achieve their qualifications in the planned time.

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better?

Tutors do not consistently use information about what learners already know and can do to plan and adapt their teaching. In functional skills mathematics, tutors do not plan lessons that focus sufficiently on the topics learners need to improve. Too frequently, learners study concepts that they have already mastered. Too few learners on entry-level mathematics courses who speak English as an additional language improve their mathematical skills. 30 June to 3 July 2025

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Tutors do not use assessment well enough to check learning and inform further teaching. Too often, the targets that tutors set for learners are based on generic objectives from the qualification specification and do not focus on specific gaps in knowledge and skills to help learners make rapid progress. Tutors do not routinely set personalised learning goals based on developing the personal and work-related skills and attributes that learners need.

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Tutors’ feedback on learners’ work is inconsistent in quality. In a few cases, feedback does not identify what learners need to do to improve their work, and so learners continue to make the same mistakes. Tutors on level 3 business and management courses do not pick up on the high proportion of learners’ work that is paraphrased or copied from external sources. Tutors do not provide sufficient opportunity for learners to demonstrate their understanding of topics, which slows learners’ progress.

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Most tutors use a sufficient range of teaching methods to teach difficult concepts. In functional skills, tutors use clear explanations and appropriate resources and diagrams. When teaching about time, tutors clearly demonstrate how to tell the time on analogue and digital clocks. In functional skills English, tutors provide useful examples of simple, compound and complex sentences that help learners to construct sentences.

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Tutors provide effective support during lessons for learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They provide learning resources such as assistive technologies to support learners through their course.

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Tutors teach most learners and apprentices useful subject-specific terminology. Learners on cybersecurity Skills Bootcamps learn about multi-factor authentication and can confidently explain how to protect data and the reasons why measures such as encryption may not be useful. Apprentices studying education and early years quickly become familiar with the language used in the early years foundation stage framework when caring for young children.

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Most learners gain useful new knowledge and skills. Learners studying level 3 combined beauty therapy can link their learning on skin types and massage techniques for facials when undertaking body massage. Learners on functional skills English courses learn to construct simple sentences using the present simple tense to describe habits.

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Staff provide most learners and apprentices with helpful careers information, advice and guidance. Pre-apprenticeship learners in hospitality are aware of their potential next steps, such as level 2 chef qualifications or apprenticeships. Education and early years apprentices can make informed decisions about their next steps. They consider further training to become special educational needs coordinators.

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Leaders have recently strengthened their governance arrangements with newly appointed governors. Governors spend time getting to know the provider, the 30 June to 3 July 2025

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curriculums they teach and the business values and culture. Governors know the provider well and are clear on the strengths and areas for improvement. They have begun to support leaders and managers and have already influenced positive changes in quality monitoring and staff performance management.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Plan curriculums that prepare learners well for progression to sustained employment or further training, particularly on courses designed to get learners into work.  Design ambitious curriculums that challenge learners, build on their knowledge and skills incrementally and enable them to recall and apply their learning effectively.  Use information about what learners and apprentices already know and can do to tailor learning that addresses identified skills and knowledge gaps.  Use assessment to check learning, identify learners’ misconceptions and plan further teaching and learning.  Give learners helpful feedback that tells them how to improve their work so that they do not continue to make the same mistakes.  Ensure that learners and apprentices achieve their qualification in the planned time. 30 June to 3 July 2025

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Provider details

Address Amington House 95 Amington Road Birmingham B25 8EP

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Safaraz Ali

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 21 to 24 February 2023

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Not applicable 30 June to 3 July 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the chief projects officer, 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

Rachel Clark, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Maggie Fobister Ofsted Inspector Rachel Jablonski Ofsted Inspector Georgina Ager His Majesty’s Inspector Steve Kelly His Majesty’s Inspector Alison Humphreys 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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