Education and Skills Training & Development Limited

Education and Skills Training and Development Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Malcolm Fraser, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Unit F South Quay Lakeside Boulevard Doncaster DN4 5PL Monitoring visit: Education and Skills Training and Development Limited, 1 and 2 October 2025

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Context and focus of visit

Education and Skills Training and Development Limited was inspected in November 2024. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Reasonable progress

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have strengthened their arrangements for monitoring the progress of apprentices and for holding tutors to account for this. The head of operations, who had only recently been appointed at the time of the last inspection, has established clear lines of accountability for lead tutors and tutors. Leaders and managers have successfully implemented procedures to provide focused and timely support when apprentices are identified as being at risk of falling behind schedule.

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Reasonable progress

Where apprentices have fallen behind or are identified as at risk of falling behind, tutors take timely action to support apprentices to continue in learning and, where possible, catch up. They adapt apprentices’ curriculum plans and, where necessary, their approach to teaching and the provision of personal and learning support so that apprentices can continue to make progress through their apprenticeship. For example, apprentices who struggle to learn through online lessons receive more frequent face-to-face sessions with their tutors. Where apprentices have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) such as dyslexia, tutors take time to verbalise complex written technical language into terms that apprentices understand.

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Reasonable progress

As a result of their actions, leaders and managers have successfully reduced the proportion of apprentices who do not achieve within the planned time. Over the last 12 months, the proportion of apprentices who are past their planned end date has halved. Leaders and managers have also reduced the length of time that apprentices who do go beyond their planned end date take to reach their end-point assessment. Leaders and managers recognise that they need to reduce further the proportion of apprentices who do not complete within the planned time. Monitoring visit: Education and Skills Training and Development Limited, 1 and 2 October 2025

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have implemented a number of actions to improve all aspects of the delivery of functional skills. These include the appointment of a functional skills manager and an increase in the number of specialist functional skills tutors from three to five.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have brought about improvements to apprentices’ attendance and learning experiences through implementing a change to the delivery model for functional skills from small group online sessions to one-to-one sessions. A few apprentices were reluctant to engage in group sessions due to a lack confidence or anxiety. As a result, they missed sessions or did not engage fully in learning. Apprentices welcome the individual sessions with functional skills tutors. Tutors successfully tailor their approach to teaching and assessment to meet apprentices’ needs and circumstances. As a result, apprentices are better motivated to attend.

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Reasonable progress

At the time of the previous inspection, leaders and managers did not have in place a rigorous system for monitoring apprentices’ attendance at functional skills sessions. As part of their strategy to improve the quality of the functional skills curriculum, they have established a new system to record apprentices’ attendance accurately. Tutors are required to record the reasons for any non-attendance and managers use this information to identify actions they need to take to bring about improvements. For example, the information has enabled them to work with employers to try to minimise the occurrence of non-attendance due to work issues. As a result of these improvements, attendance has improved. However, to date this has been modest, and managers recognise that they need to improve attendance further, particularly for mathematics.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders now provide frequent and varied opportunities for employers to be involved in shaping the design and content of the curriculum. Employers willingly give their time to contribute, and leaders listen carefully. Employers discuss with leaders the latest sector developments and how the curriculum can best match the reality of their settings. Leaders ensure that apprentices’ programmes are suitable for the realities of the education sector and include coverage of current issues.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have taken action to involve employers in qualification planning meetings at the start of apprentices’ programmes. At these meetings, they agree a sequence and content of each apprentice’s programme that meets the requirements of the apprentice’s job role and setting and takes account of their prior experience. For example, employers can add additional units such as working with children with Monitoring visit: Education and Skills Training and Development Limited, 1 and 2 October 2025 SEND. In response to the needs of one setting, leaders have added units about older children to an early years educator apprenticeship because the setting provides care for children who are both nursery and reception age.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors skilfully adapt the curriculum during programmes to support apprentices’ development. For example, they introduced a module on reflective practice much earlier in the curriculum than they had originally planned when employers indicated that their apprentices needed to become more self-reflective.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have reinforced their expectations for employers’ continued commitment to apprentices for the duration of their time on the programme. More employers or mentors now attend progress reviews, although leaders acknowledge that this remains a work in progress. Employers are well informed about the progress of their apprentices. Supported by their employers, apprentices apply their learning and grow in confidence in their settings. Apprentices study programmes which are well matched to their role in the workplace.

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Significant progress

Following the previous inspection, leaders rapidly introduced strengthened procedures to ensure that apprentices receive high-quality feedback across all apprenticeships. Leaders apply rigorous quality assurance procedures to ensure that feedback on all apprenticeship standards, including the early years educator, is of a consistently good standard. This includes monitoring of tutors’ practice by line managers, internal quality assurance and standardisation meetings. Leaders also review the quality of feedback during their lesson observations.

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Significant progress

Early years educator tutors now provide high-quality, clear and helpful feedback. Apprentices know exactly how to improve and make the improvements quickly. They can articulate how they have improved their knowledge and day-to-day practice as a result. Tutors carefully assess improvements that apprentice make and then set new targets for them. Apprentices value the assessment and feedback that they receive and are motivated to continue to develop their knowledge and skills in their roles.

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Significant progress

Tutors provide valuable feedback to help apprentices to improve the quality of their written English. Apprentices generally produce high-quality written work. Tutors guide them skilfully to improve their style, such as writing in the first person to clarify their contribution. This prepares apprentices well for the end-point assessment.

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Significant progress

Almost all early years educator apprentices who have started since the previous inspection have been retained on the programme, which is a significant increase from previous years. The improved quality and consistency of feedback has Monitoring visit: Education and Skills Training and Development Limited, 1 and 2 October 2025 contributed to this, with apprentices able to see more clearly the progress that they are making. Apprentices are highly motivated, not only to gain high grades but to be the best they can be for the children in their settings. Monitoring visit: Education and Skills Training and Development Limited, 1 and 2 October 2025 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

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Significant progress

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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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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