The Coders Guild Ltd

The Coders Guild Ltd

Address: Avenue HQ, LS1 2BH Unique reference number (URN): 2626854

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, learners are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect providers for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The provider has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The provider has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established an effective culture to support inclusion. They have a mission to increase diversity across the digital sector and to provide personalised support for learners and apprentices to enable them to thrive.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff undertake relevant training to help them to identify learners' and apprentices’ needs and to provide appropriate support. Training has included autism awareness, mental health first aid, health and wellbeing coaching, dyslexia awareness and understanding care- experienced learners.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff collect relevant information from learners and apprentices at the recruitment stage on areas such as any special educational needs and/or disabilities, deprivation factors, caring responsibilities, and employment status.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Through frequent review meetings and as needs arise, staff identify changes in learners' and apprentices' circumstances that prevent them from making progress. They provide appropriate support and link with relevant agencies as necessary. They review the support given regularly to ensure learners and apprentices still need it.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff identify potential barriers and put in place appropriate support for learners and apprentices to help them succeed on their programmes. Staff review the support they provide at frequent intervals. Where learners' and apprentices' needs change, staff adjust the support as appropriate.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors make sure the programmes they provide for learners and apprentices enable them to progress in their careers in the digital industry. They have kept their provision relatively small to ensure the quality of training which learners and apprentices receive meets their needs and matches the demands of the industry.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors have a mostly accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement in their provision. They conduct appropriate quality assurance, including gathering feedback from learners and employers. They use the information collected to set actions for improvement and they review these monthly.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and managers provide helpful training to most staff through sharing best practice, peer shadowing, and standardisation meetings. Managers provide frequent curriculum and teaching updates through one to one and team meetings. Trainers keep their subject knowledge current through continuing to work in the digital sector.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors use their sector expertise to provide helpful support to leaders in curriculum design. They hold leaders to account to ensure the delivery of the curriculums meet the needs of employers, learners, and apprentices. They receive helpful reports and challenge leaders to make improvements where necessary.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel very well supported with their workload and wellbeing. They talk positively about how leaders are particularly supportive and flexible when they have caring commitments and when facing challenging circumstances such as bereavement.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners typically make steady progress from their starting points and achieve their intended goals. They quickly gain the practical and technical skills they need to have careers in project management, coding, cyber security, and web development.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners produce work of at least the expected standard, and often of a high standard. Those with little or no prior experience develop functional coding skills that allow them to create and test simple programmes. Learners apply new skills well in collaborative tasks, including managing complex, multi-stage projects.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners are generally well prepared for their next steps. Most secure relevant job interviews and progress into employment linked to their course.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculums and update them suitably so that they reflect current industry practice. They draw effectively on feedback from employers and tutors, who are industry specialists, to refine course content.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed Skills Bootcamps that typically meet local and national priorities in the digital sector, in areas of significant future skills demand. Leaders adapt scheduling and delivery so that learners with barriers to participation, including those with childcare commitments, can access training. Leaders plan the curriculums carefully so that learners build secure foundational knowledge before moving on to specialist content. In web development, tutors teach fundamental principles of logic first so that learners can apply these concepts confidently across different programming languages and work settings. The curriculums cover the technical knowledge for careers in project management, artificial intelligence, cyber security, and software development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors mostly draw well on their up-to-date sector expertise to model complex processes, explain technical concepts clearly and demonstrate practical skills effectively such as coding, troubleshooting errors and how to use project management tools. Learners then practise these skills in structured activities and receive useful and timely feedback that helps them refine their work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors mostly use effective teaching strategies to sustain learners’ engagement. They frequently use demonstrations, peer discussion, online breakout groups, and reflective tasks in which learners participate fully. Tutors reinforce learning through frequent recaps of key terminology and by providing recordings and transcripts, which are particularly useful for learners who need extra help.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors set clear expectations for professional behaviour in online learning. Learners respond well to this and develop mature communication skills. They engage positively in online sessions, listen attentively and encourage their peers.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Most learners attend well. Teachers follow up any unexplained absences promptly. Leaders know that attendance for the few learners on the artificial intelligence bootcamp needs to improve and are taking reasonable steps to deal with this.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Learners feel safe and know how to report concerns. They can explain how to stay safe from risks such as extremism and unsafe online activity.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders remove barriers to participation wherever possible. For example, they adjust the schedule to support learners with childcare responsibilities.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Learners typically benefit from wider development beyond the technical curriculums. They explore themes such as health and wellbeing through projects including designing fitness apps and practising workplace communication through activities such as budgeting exercises. They understand fundamental British values, online safety, and the ethics of artificial intelligence.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders provide appropriate careers advice and guidance through webinars, employer talks and sessions with recruiters to help learners understand career routes. They also provide learners with one-to-one support to set and pursue individual goals, including progression into green technology and sustainability roles.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices make steady progress from their starting points. Staff accurately assess these and confirm any prior learning. Where required, staff reduce apprentices’ programme length, such as if apprentices have previously completed a Skills Bootcamp in digital skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge and skills and progress well through their apprenticeship. They acquire skills in developing software using a range of coding languages and valuable workplace skills, including time management and team working.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices secure jobs as a result of their apprenticeship. However, the proportion of apprentices who gain distinction at their final assessment is low.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices produce work of a high standard. They consistently show how to put their learning into practice, including using effective presentation skills when talking about the outcomes of complicated coding tasks.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices mostly improve the quality of their written English during the apprenticeship. They also learn the mathematical skills needed to improve their coding skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders maintain a clear purpose for the curriculums and revise them to align with current industry standards. They make good use of feedback from employers and tutors, who bring useful sector expertise, to enhance and adapt course content.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders offer curriculums relevant to the skills needs in the digital industry. Employers value how the curriculums ensure apprentices gain the required skills and knowledge to progress in the workplace.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors plan and sequence the curriculums well. They provide an individual curriculum plan for each apprentice. Tutors plan relevant off-the-job training with the apprentices’ employers. Apprentices learn technical skills in using coding language and using varying platforms for software development before applying these skills as part of workplace projects.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors are experts in the digital industry. They typically provide effective training to apprentices through one-to-one and group sessions taught online. In one-to-one coaching sessions tutors use real-life scenarios based on their own experience in the industry. They demonstrate specific skills such as problem-solving and time management which enables apprentices to recognise how they can then apply these at work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors use assessment very well. They use effective questioning and set apprentices well- designed tasks to complete to check their knowledge and skills. Apprentices highly value the feedback they receive on their work. This helps them to improve the standard of their work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors support apprentices with barriers to learning very well. Apprentices have comprehensive support plans in place. Tutors meet with the apprenticeship manager monthly to review the support.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices benefit from supportive pastoral care. They meet with staff frequently to discuss their work-life balance, safeguarding and progress at work and in their apprenticeship.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices attend lessons and meetings on time and are fully prepared to learn. They complete tasks in a timely manner and achieve the goals set for them. They develop professional workplace behaviours and become valuable employees.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors provide apprentices with training in fundamental British values, but do not consistently revisit topics, resulting in a few apprentices not sufficiently retaining their knowledge. However, apprentices treat each other and their tutors with respect and tolerance and understand legislation and ethics related to the digital industry.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors provide apprentices with effective support to help achieve their career goals. Apprentices set career goals early in their programme and can attend tech fairs to enhance their options. However, tutors do not consistently provide apprentices with activities or tasks to help them to understand how to gain distinctions in their final assessment.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices feel safe and know how to report concerns. During induction they complete training on safeguarding and understand how to identify vulnerable people and report concerns. However, tutors do not consistently provide the very small number of younger apprentices with information on healthy relationships.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners develop secure knowledge and skills in software development, cyber security, project management and in using artificial intelligence at work. These prepare them well for careers in the digital industry. Most learners who complete Skills Bootcamps secure relevant job interviews and progress into employment linked to their course.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices develop significant new knowledge and skills in coding, software development and testing techniques. They apply their skills confidently in the workplace and become valued team members. Most apprentices secure employment as a result of their apprenticeship.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners and apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive helpful support to enable them to participate fully in their programmes. Staff provide personalised support and review this frequently to ensure that learners and apprentices make at least the expected progress.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Staff identify circumstances, including unemployment, health issues, or housing, which prevent learners and apprentices from making progress. They provide appropriate support and link with relevant agencies, and review this on a frequent basis to ensure learners and apprentices still need it.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners and apprentices receive effective training from industry experts. Trainers continue to work in the digital industry and ensure that curriculum content is current. They adapt it appropriately to enable learners and apprentices to develop up-to-date skills.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Tutors provide learners with helpful opportunities to improve their health and wellbeing. Learners contribute to projects such as online digital fitness applications and practise their communication skills through group activities.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices benefit from supportive pastoral care. They meet with staff frequently to discuss their work-life balance, safeguarding and progress at work.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Tutors provide apprentices with initial training in fundamental British values but do not consistently reinforce these. Consequently, a few apprentices lack confidence in talking about how British values affect them at work or at home.

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Team inspectors:

Rebecca Clare, His Majesty's Inspector Glenise Burrell, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure younger apprentices receive guidance on how to maintain healthy relationships and trainers revisit this and other topics, such as fundamental British values, more frequently to help apprentices to deepen their understanding. • Leaders should provide further training to staff to make sure that the quality of teaching is consistently high across provision types and in all subjects. • Leaders should further strengthen the support that tutors provide to apprentices to enable a higher proportion to gain distinctions at their final assessments.

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About this inspection

Following our updates inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the chief executive, the operations manager, the chair of the board of governors, staff, learners and apprentices.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

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About this inspection

The Coders Guild Ltd is an independent learning provider located in Leeds. It provides Skills Bootcamps and apprenticeships in the digital sector that are taught online. It provides Skills Bootcamps in project management, software development, cyber security, and artificial intelligence. At the time of the inspection, there were 58 learners on Skills Bootcamps in project management, software development, cyber security, and artificial intelligence. The provider had 15 apprentices, with most on the level 4 software developer apprenticeship and fewer than 5 on the level 4 associate project manager apprenticeship.

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About this inspection

CEO: Crispin Read This data is from 10 December 2025

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national average

'This provider' and 'national average' figures are taken from the publicly available DfE achievement rates. Where the DfE have supressed the figures, usually due to small cohorts, this has been mirrored in the Report Card and will be shown by an 'S'.

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Year This provider National average

'This provider' and 'national average' figures are taken from the publicly available DfE achievement rates. Where the DfE have supressed the figures, usually due to small cohorts, this has been mirrored in the Report Card and will be shown by an 'S'.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The provider is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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