Octopus Energy Group Limited

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

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 progress in leadership and governance – this means how much progress leaders and those responsible for governance have made in ensuring that the provider is meeting all the requirements of successful apprenticeship provision, and is identifying and supporting the needs of apprentices

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 progress in inclusion – this means how much progress leaders have made in identifying the needs of individual apprentices and 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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 progress in curriculum, teaching and training – this means how much progress leaders and managers have made in ensuring that apprentices benefit from high-quality training that leads to positive outcomes for apprentices

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 progress in ensuring effective safeguarding arrangements – this means how much progress leaders and managers have made in ensuring 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 and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures. Leaders have a clear rationale for providing the level 3 low carbon technology installation apprenticeship. They have responded positively to the forecasted skills shortage of heat pump installers. Leaders have set up the apprenticeship to recruit and train apprentices in-house. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the apprenticeship provision. They have worked well with external consultants to identify these and to put effective actions in place. Leaders have reviewed the reasons for the small number of apprentices leaving the course early and have improved the information Octopus Energy Group Limited Octopus Energy Services, Unit 2, Britannia Way, Sheffield S60 5BD

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monitoring inspection report:

24 and 25 February 2026 Monitoring inspection report: Octopus Energy Group Services 24 and 25 February 2026

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they give to apprentices at the start of the course to ensure that apprentices fully understand the physical nature of the work involved. Leaders ensure that apprentices receive useful careers information to enable them to plan their next steps. They provide opportunities to apprentices to shadow staff in other roles such as electrical installation. Line managers discuss potential careers with apprentices, but leaders plan to formalise this by embedding it in the curriculum. Leaders refer apprentices to an external organisation for advice if they wish to leave the provider. Leaders support tutors to complete appropriate teaching qualifications. They recognise the need to provide more training to tutors to further improve their teaching skills and to link training to observations of training sessions.

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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. Leaders support apprentices with barriers to learning to access the curriculum successfully and to make the progress of which they are capable. Leaders identify apprentices’ support needs in a timely manner and provide effective support quickly. They use external specialists to assess the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) that apprentices have. However, leaders recognise that they do not identify the full range of barriers that apprentices may have and plan to amend enrolment documentation to capture them fully. Leaders actively recruit apprentices who have barriers to learning. Staff review the support in place for apprentices frequently to ensure it remains appropriate. They reduce support where possible to promote independence. Leaders plan

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Inclusion

to provide training to staff on SEND to enable them to have a better understanding of how to recognise learning support needs and how to support apprentices with SEND effectively. Staff support apprentices with mental health problems well. They check on apprentices’ wellbeing frequently and managers arrange for apprentices to have time out of the workplace with their mentors to allow apprentices time to process and complete outstanding work. Most apprentices progress well. Leaders recognise the need to analyse retention, attendance and eventually achievement data for apprentices with barriers to learning to measure the impact of the support given.

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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. Monitoring inspection report: Octopus Energy Group Services 24 and 25 February 2026

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Tutors have significant industry experience. They work well with technical experts across the group to provide effective teaching to apprentices. Tutors sequence the curriculum effectively. Apprentices complete valuable training at the start of the course to prepare them well for their on-the-job training. They make good progress in developing their knowledge of health and safety to enable them to work on site. They then learn how to install heat pump systems before learning about fault finding and rectification methods. Tutors use a range of effective teaching strategies during training sessions. They demonstrate practical tasks clearly to enable apprentices to understand how to complete them. Apprentices then complete practical tasks repeatedly to master the skills they need. Tutors use questioning well to test apprentices’ understanding. Apprentices produce written and practical work to a high standard. Tutors provide clear feedback to

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apprentices’ which enables apprentices to identify and correct mistakes when equipment malfunctions in customers’ homes. Leaders provide high-quality training resources and learning facilities such as engineering bays and technical equipment. This enables apprentices to learn the skills they need when working in on-site. However, apprentices do not have access to their own tools during the apprenticeship. This slows down their learning when they need to seek out and borrow from colleagues.

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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. Leaders have created a culture of safeguarding in which apprentices feel safe. They implement appropriate safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty policies to keep apprentices safe. Leaders have clear procedures to follow if there is an allegation against a member of staff. They implement appropriate safer recruitment processes to ensure staff are suitable to work with apprentices. Leaders make apprentices aware of the potential risks they may encounter when completing training in Sheffield. However, they recognise the need to provide this information to apprentices for the areas in which they live and work. Leaders have an appropriate safeguarding staffing structure in place to keep apprentices safe. The designated safeguarding lead and their deputies have completed suitable

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Safeguarding arrangements

training to make them effective in their safeguarding roles. Tutors teach apprentices to be alert to safeguarding concerns when working in customers’ homes. Apprentices are aware of potential risks to themselves and can recognise signs of abuse to others such as domestic abuse or neglect. Apprentices know to whom to report concerns. Apprentices feel safe during training and onsite. They are well supported by tutors and mentors to work safely and are free from bullying and harassment in the workplace. Monitoring inspection report: Octopus Energy Group Services 24 and 25 February 2026

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About this inspection

Ofsted carries out monitoring inspections to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision where the provision offered is in scope for 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

Octopus Energy Group Limited is an employer provider offering level 3 apprenticeships in low carbon technology installation. It started delivering apprenticeships in October 2024. At the time of the monitoring inspection, there were 28 apprentices. Most apprentices were aged over 19. Apprentices are located nationally and attend training at the centre in Sheffield.

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Team inspector

Chloe Rendall His Majesty’s Inspector Monitoring inspection report: Octopus Energy Group Services 24 and 25 February 2026

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funding at time of inspection

Monitoring inspection report: Octopus Energy Group Services 24 and 25 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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