The Small Business Academy

The Small Business Academy

Address: Peel House (UNIT 8), Peel Hall Business Village, Peel Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 5JX Unique reference number (URN): 2791030

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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 accurately identify learners’ support needs at the beginning of the Skills Bootcamp. They ensure that learners with identified needs benefit from support that is personalised to the individual. Leaders ensure that actions or interventions are monitored appropriately to check that they remain relevant and purposeful and help learners to make progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff implement effective actions to reduce learners’ barriers to their learning. They make adaptations to ensure that learners with limited mobility are able to access and participate fully in their training. Leaders provide a designated safe space so that learners with social anxiety can take time out when attending face-to-face sessions. They provide learners with licences for software that they need to access their learning. Leaders pay for transportation for learners on low incomes to enable them to attend face-to-face training.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff support current learners with additional learning support needs well. They introduce learners to adaptive software and applications at the start of the Skills Bootcamp. Staff provide learners with access to recordings of each session and electronic presentation slides. However, leaders recognise the need for further staff training to support future learners with specific needs, such as dyslexia.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders offer Skills Bootcamps in digital marketing to align closely with their areas of expertise. They use their business insight to ensure that learners acquire the specific knowledge and skills required in industry. Leaders ensure that learners are trained in social media advertising, search engine optimisation and copywriting so that they can run successful digital marketing campaigns.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Since the monitoring visit, leaders have formalised governance arrangements and have appointed an external governor. Governors provide appropriate support and challenge and work with leaders to identify priorities for improvement. Leaders are aware of most key strengths and areas for improvement. They have implemented actions to improve the quality of provision. However, in some instances, the pace of leaders’ actions is too slow. Leaders provide tutors with access to training to help them to maintain the currency of their industry knowledge and skills. Tutors attend regional business network meetings and conferences. In addition, they manage their own commercial marketing companies. Tutors teach learners up-to-date concepts such as voice technology trends and the use of artificial intelligence voice cloning in marketing. However, leaders do not provide training to support tutors to improve their teaching skills further.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff feel proud to work for The Small Business Academy and appreciate that leaders take steps to make them feel valued. Leaders offer flexible working arrangements. They have recruited a training manager to help reduce staff workload.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners mostly complete the Skills Bootcamp and acquire the knowledge and skills that they need to be successful. Self-employed learners use their new marketing knowledge to structure valuable online communication. They use effective marketing hooks to compel consumers to engage with their content and optimise call-to-action conversion. Learners use search engine optimisation effectively to boost sales on a range of online platforms.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners produce work that is meaningful and of a high standard. They calculate product and advertising costs accurately. Learners then use lifetime value to determine the estimated total revenue a business can expect from a single customer.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners are mostly prepared well for their next steps. They generate industry-standard marketing plans at the end of the Skills Bootcamp. Learners use these plans to improve their business efficiency and identify wider commercial opportunities.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders design Skills Bootcamps carefully to meet local and regional priorities. They ensure that the curriculum provides employed learners with the skills and knowledge that they need to gain additional responsibilities at work. Leaders plan training so that self-employed learners can create a greater online presence to grow their business.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders sequence the curriculum sensibly. Learners are first taught how to connect marketing activities to revenue generation. They then use these skills to complete sales planning, where learners consider lead generation and conversion.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders ensure that the curriculum is accessible for learners. They install transcription software so that learners who are deaf can participate fully in online sessions. Leaders ensure that learners receive personalised support to build digital proficiency. Learners use online platforms competently to create marketing plans.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Tutors use their subject-specific expertise to demonstrate practical applications of concepts effectively. They teach learners how to use graphic design platforms and video editing tools accurately. Learners apply their new knowledge and skills to create, schedule and post their own digital content. They become proficient in using social media to benefit their business.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Tutors do not use assessment strategies sufficiently well to identify and correct misconceptions or gaps in learners’ knowledge and skills. They do not use information gathered about learners at the start of the course to plan learning. Tutors do not track the progress that learners make during the Skills Bootcamp. They do not put actions in place to ensure that learners optimise their progress.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders and tutors establish clear expectations for learners at the start of the Skills Bootcamp. Learners attend almost all of their lessons. Where learners are unable to attend, staff contact them swiftly and arrange alternative sessions to help them to catch up.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Learners are courteous and considerate in their interactions with others. In online sessions, they listen carefully to their peers, use the raise hand function to ask questions and ensure their cameras are switched on. On the very few occasions where learners do not demonstrate professional behaviour, leaders take steps to intervene swiftly.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that learners benefit from careers advice and guidance. Learners are not informed about the occupational choices or wider training that is available to them.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders provide learners with opportunities to attend additional workshops to support their wider business acumen. Learners can attend training in topics such as business-to-business lead generation and self-leadership. However, leaders do not encourage learners to access these opportunities.

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Participation and development Needs attention

At the start of the Skills Bootcamp, tutors introduce learners to the fundamental British values, wellbeing and the risks associated with radicalisation. However, tutors do not revisit these subjects during the course. Too few learners are able to recall information about these topics.

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

Learners enjoy their training because leaders have established a culture where they feel welcomed, supported and respected. Learners quickly establish positive relationships with their peers. They particularly appreciate face-to-face sessions at the start of the Skills Bootcamp that help them to form strong bonds with others. Learners create support systems with their peers and follow each other on social media platforms to generate wider networks for their businesses.

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

Learners, many of whom are self-employed, are committed to their studies and motivated to acquire the digital marketing skills that they need to ensure their businesses flourish. They value the training that they receive from tutors with industry expertise. Learners are taught to use a range of digital media tools confidently. They create images competently using artificial intelligence technologies so that they can generate additional marketing content.

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

Learners mostly complete their Skills Bootcamp and use their training to be successful in their employment. They produce useful marketing plans to benefit their business. However, tutors do not routinely check the progress that learners make throughout the course. They do not ensure that learners make sustained progress from their starting points.

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

Learners are prepared well to gain additional responsibilities at work or to access new business opportunities. However, leaders do not ensure that learners are informed about potential career pathways or wider training that is available to them. While leaders provide learners with access to additional business training, too few take up this offer.

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

Learners feel safe online and in the training centre. Tutors teach health and wellbeing and the risks associated with radicalisation at the start of the Skills Bootcamp. However, tutors do not revisit these topics to help learners to remember them.

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Next steps

• Leaders should put in place a programme of training that develops tutors’ teaching and assessment skills. • Leaders should ensure that the information they gather at the start of the course accurately identifies what learners already know and can do so that learners make extensive progress from their starting points. • Leaders should ensure that tutors use assessment to identify learners’ gaps in knowledge so that they can support learners to make the progress of which they are capable. • Leaders should ensure that learners receive tailored advice and guidance so that they can make informed decisions about their next steps and potential career pathways. • Leaders should ensure that they include relevant topics throughout the curriculum on subjects such as the risks of racialisation and extremism and health and wellbeing.

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Team inspector:

Alison Humphreys, 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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About this inspection

Following our renewed 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 leaders and managers, governors, learners and tutors during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

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About this inspection

The Small Business Academy is an independent learning provider in Blackpool. It specialises in Skills Bootcamps in digital marketing for residents of Lancashire. Learners access a mix of online training and face-to-face training from its training centre.

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About this inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were 14 learners, 7 of whom were employed and 7 were self-employed. No learners were unemployed.

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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn . Store Street Manchester M1 2WD

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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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