Semester Learning and Development Limited

Semester Learning and Development Limited Reinspection monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Helen Morgan, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Santis House, Curriers Close, Charter Avenue Industrial Estate, Coventry, CV4 8AW. Monitoring visit: Semester Learning and Development Limited 12 and 13 August 2025

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Context and focus of visit

This is the second reinspection monitoring visit to Semester Learning and Development Limited following publication of the inspection report on 27 February 2025 which found the provider to be inadequate overall.

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Context and focus of visit

At the previous inspection, current leaders had recently acquired the provider and had begun to take steps to improve the quality of education apprentices receive. However, it was too soon for the impact of these actions to be seen.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of this visit, there were 67 apprentices, 19 of whom were under 19 years of age. Apprentices were enrolled across 11 engineering and safety-related apprenticeships at levels 2 to 4. The courses with the most apprentices were the level 3 compressed air and vacuum technician with 18 apprentices and the level 3 fire emergency and security systems with 13 apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have continued to develop safeguarding arrangements to ensure that apprentices and staff are keenly aware of how to raise concerns. Apprentices feel safe both with tutors and their employers and are confident any concerns they raise would be dealt with swiftly. Leaders ensure that safeguarding is a regular agenda item in apprenticeship staff meetings. Designated safeguarding leads bring emerging safeguarding matters to these meetings to ensure staff have a sound understanding of safeguarding topics. Leaders have plans to include safeguarding as a regular item in governance meetings, so that governors have oversight into patterns in apprentices’ well-being and welfare issues, as well as the progress made in addressing safeguarding concerns.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have put in place effective quality processes to evaluate the quality of education apprentices receive. They observe staff teaching, Monitoring visit: Semester Learning and Development Limited 12 and 13 August 2025 assessing and reviewing apprentices’ work and identify areas for improvement. Where weaknesses have been identified, such as in the assessment of apprentices’ work, leaders have taken swift action to make improvements. Leaders and managers now track apprentices’ progress effectively, through quality meetings with tutors and coaches and the use of accurate data about the progress apprentices are making. Where apprentices fall behind in their studies, coaches put action plans in place to carefully break down the tasks needed for apprentices to catch up. Leaders track the impact of these plans carefully. Leaders have reduced the number of apprentices who leave their studies early and

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Reasonable progress

increased those who achieve their apprenticeship. They have reduced the number of apprentices past their planned end date, through additional support from coaches to identify and fill the gaps in knowledge, skills and behaviours that were preventing apprentices from achieving. Leaders have created a teaching quality assurance process that identifies weaknesses effectively. Leaders have processes in place to identify the extent to which tutors meet expectations in terms of the teaching of specified content, such as fundamental British values, reminders of safeguarding contacts or their use of visual aids. However, this process does not clearly enough identify how tutors can continue to improve the quality of their teaching. Leaders have recently recruited new teaching staff to support apprentices. Tutors are industry experts and have been trained to be able to use online systems effectively. However, not all tutors have had training to support their teaching. While leaders

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Reasonable progress

have plans in place for this, it is too soon to see the full impact of this work.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have continued to develop apprenticeship curriculums to ensure that apprentices develop the knowledge and skills needed to be useful at work quickly. They ensure that employers provide apprentices with the opportunity to work with experienced mentors. Apprentices develop their knowledge and skills by completing activities, such as shadowing. As a result, many apprentices can now work on small independent tasks, such as programming and wiring control boards.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors now use various teaching strategies well to resolve gaps in apprentices’ learning. They use targeted questions, short tests and reviews of apprentices’ report writing effectively to understand apprentices’ prior knowledge and to challenge any misconceptions. Tutors use their experience well to contextualise learning, making it relevant to the apprentice. However, because of previous staffing challenges, many apprentices have not received enough structured learning, which has slowed their progress through their apprenticeship. Monitoring visit: Semester Learning and Development Limited 12 and 13 August 2025 Apprentices and employers recognise the provider’s recent improvements to the apprenticeship provision. Apprentices now have access to frequent learning and support sessions with a tutor and coach. Tutors track apprentices’ progress and provide beneficial support on generating and logging evidence. They set smart

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Reasonable progress

targets that help apprentices to understand what they need to do to make progress. Most apprentices now know what they need to do to succeed.

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Reasonable progress

Too many tutors do not routinely use apprentices’ starting points to guide the learning process. In some instances, apprentices repeat content they have already covered. Recently, leaders have implemented a more effective skills assessment to identify and document the knowledge and skills apprentices possess at the beginning of their course. However, it is still too early to determine the impact of this change.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have ensured that staff use apprentices’ review meetings to reinforce topics related to safeguarding and broader personal development themes. These topics include radicalisation and extremism, healthy lifestyles, managing stress and maintaining mental health. Coaches emphasise the importance of healthy workplace relationships, linking this to the employer’s whistle-blowing policy, and ensuring that apprentices know how to deal with any workplace relationship problems they may encounter. Young apprentices now have a solid understanding of healthy relationships. Many apprentices are familiar with workplace policies and know who to approach if they face difficulties in workplace relationships. They understand the concept of consent and can provide detailed and accurate descriptions of both healthy and toxic relationships. However, a few apprentices have difficulty recalling the lessons on

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Reasonable progress

healthy relationships. Recently, leaders have introduced a more structured approach to the personal development curriculum. New apprentices are now enrolled in a short qualification that covers topics, such as safeguarding awareness, fundamental British values, radicalisation, personal resilience, forming positive relationships, and CV writing. This curriculum is taught using various teaching strategies and reinforced through the review process. Monitoring visit: Semester Learning and Development Limited 12 and 13 August 2025 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

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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