JCL Skills Solutions Limited

JCL Skills Solutions Limited 1 Lupus Way, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH66 2RE

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monitoring inspection report:

During the monitoring inspection, inspectors focused on the following themes:

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monitoring inspection report:

 leadership and governance - specifically the progress leaders and managers have made in designing and delivering relevant adult learning provision that has a clearly defined purpose, and in identifying and supporting the needs of adult learners

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monitoring inspection report:

 inclusion - specifically the progress leaders have made in identifying the needs of individual learners, putting suitable support in place, in particular for those who are disadvantaged, those with SEND or high needs, those who are known (or previously known) to social care, and those who may face other barriers to their experiences and opportunities, including those without level 2 English and/or mathematics

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monitoring inspection report:

 curriculum, teaching and training - specifically the progress leaders and managers have made in ensuring that learners benefit from high-quality adult education that prepares them well for their intended job role, career aim and/or personal goals

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monitoring inspection report:

 safeguarding arrangements - specifically whether leaders and managers have ensured that effective safeguarding arrangements are in place

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Leadership and governance

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Leadership and governance

Leaders have carefully considered how the development of the Skills Bootcamp provision will help to reduce skills shortages in the early years, education and health and social care sectors. They work closely with employers to develop ambitious curriculums so that learners develop the skills they need for employment. Learners in early years and education select specific pathways in special educational needs and/or disabilities, Monitoring inspection report: JCL Skills Solutions Limited 18 and 19 February 2026

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curriculum development or social and emotional wellbeing to help them to make decisions about the areas in which they want to specialise.

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Leaders understand the strengths and areas for improvement across the Skills Bootcamps. They generally have effective quality assurance processes in place. Leaders monitor the progress of learners carefully. They use the results from frequent learner surveys to inform improvements to the curriculums. Self-assessment processes are thorough. The self-assessment report and quality improvement plan prioritise key areas for improvement. Leaders monitor actions closely to ensure that weaknesses are rectified.

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Leaders have recently appointed external governors who have expertise in education, quality improvement and finance. However, the new governors have not yet attended a governance meeting. Leaders recognise that governance is in its infancy.

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Inclusion

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Inclusion

Leaders have developed a supportive culture where they identify learners’ individual needs swiftly. They use a range of assessments to identify learners’ starting points. Leaders encourage learners to disclose barriers to learning, including disadvantage and special educational needs and/or disabilities prior to joining the course. They quickly put appropriate support strategies in place so that courses are accessible to learners.

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Inclusion

Development coaches meet frequently with learners to plan and review strategies designed to help learners overcome barriers to their learning. These include the use of translation apps for learners who speak English as an additional language, more frequent breaks and shorter activities for learners who have difficulty concentrating for long periods and asking and answering questions in the chat box during online lessons for learners who have high levels of anxiety.

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Inclusion

Leaders monitor closely the support that learners receive. Leaders meet frequently with development coaches and learners to review levels of support. They maintain, reduce or increase support according to learners’ individual needs.

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Curriculum, teaching and training

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Curriculum, teaching and training

Leaders have developed high-quality Skills Bootcamps in priority skills areas, including early years, teaching assistants and health and social care. Learners mostly develop substantial new knowledge and skills, which prepares them well for their next steps. Monitoring inspection report: JCL Skills Solutions Limited 18 and 19 February 2026

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Leaders have included useful qualifications, including paediatric first aid, which improves learners’ opportunities for employment. Most learners aspire to secure permanent employment or an apprenticeship.

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Experienced and knowledgeable development coaches teach interesting lessons. They use assessment effectively to check and consolidate learners’ understanding of topics. Development coaches use questioning skilfully to prompt learners for more detail so that they can build on their answers, such as how risk assessments are used in early years settings.

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Development coaches meet frequently with learners to review progress. They explore what learners have learned and where they have gaps in their knowledge and skills. Development coaches set learners specific action points to help them to meet their learning goals.

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Learners produce work of an appropriate standard. Development coaches provide learners with structured feedback on their written work. They identify errors, including spelling, grammar and punctuation, so that learners do not repeat these mistakes. This is especially important when supporting children to develop their English skills.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Safeguarding arrangements

The safeguarding team is appropriately trained for its roles. The team has significant experience and expertise in safeguarding in the further education, health and social care and early years sectors. The team promotes a positive culture of welfare and wellbeing across the provision.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Leaders have suitable processes in place for development coaches to report concerns about learners, including an online referral form and the use of QR codes. The secure safeguarding tracking system ensures that incidents are recorded appropriately. Follow-up actions are monitored closely. Leaders work with external agencies such as police, housing charities and wellbeing agencies.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Learners feel safe and demonstrate a secure understanding of, and adherence to, safeguarding protocols in their work placements. Development coaches make safeguarding and welfare relevant and relatable to learners’ lives and their work with children and clients. Monitoring inspection report: JCL Skills Solutions Limited 18 and 19 February 2026

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About this inspection

Ofsted carries out monitoring inspections to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this monitoring inspection was not to determine grades for any of the evaluation areas set out in the further education and skills inspection toolkit. The purpose was to report on the provider’s progress in relation to the 4 themes set out above.

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About this inspection

JCL Skills Solutions Limited is an independent learning provider in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. It specialises in Skills Bootcamps for the early years, education and health and social care sectors. The provider offers 3 pathways for early years and teaching assistant Skills Bootcamps. Learners study on the special educational needs and/or disabilities pathway, the curriculum development pathway or the social and emotional wellbeing pathway. The health and social care Skills Bootcamp was not offered at the time of the monitoring inspection. The provider currently holds contracts for Skills Bootcamps with Liverpool City Region, Greater London Authority and Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington.

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About this inspection

At the time of the monitoring inspection, the provider had 100 learners enrolled on learning programmes. There were 83 learners enrolled on Skills Bootcamps in early years and 17 were enrolled on the teaching assistant Skills Bootcamp.

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Lead inspector

Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones His Majesty’s Inspector

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Team inspector

Mark Keen His Majesty’s Inspector Monitoring inspection report: JCL Skills Solutions Limited 18 and 19 February 2026

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funding at time of inspection

Monitoring inspection report: JCL Skills Solutions Limited 18 and 19 February 2026

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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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