Showcase Training

Showcase Training

Address: Unit 77 Merlin House, 4 Meteor Way, Lee-On-The-Solent, Hampshire, PO13 9FU Unique reference number (URN): 1276528

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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 Strong standard

Leaders have created a highly ambitious and effective culture of inclusion where the needs of learners and apprentices with barriers to learning are consistently prioritised. Leaders have embedded inclusion seamlessly into training so that these individuals thrive in their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are highly effective in identifying learners with barriers to learning. Apprentices’ and learners’ strong relationships with staff mean they confidently disclose challenges impacting their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders provide comprehensive training to help staff carefully identify and provide excellent support to those with barriers to learning. They adapt resources to help those with dyslexia read text more efficiently. For those facing financial pressures, staff teach budgeting skills sensitively. Leaders collaborate closely with external agencies, such as working with local authorities to review training for care-experienced learners.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders use data very carefully to monitor the progress of those with additional needs. For example, they use postcode data to confirm there are no performance gaps for those from low-income families.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders take highly informed, considered decisions to adjust support. For example, staff set short, frequent milestones that gradually extend as they help learners with poor mental health become more resilient. This has a significant positive impact on apprentices’ and learners’ confidence and independence.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a clear vision to support recruitment, training, and retention in the early years sector. Their secure understanding of the quality of provision helps them take effective action to make improvements. Governors support and challenge leaders well. Since the previous inspection, leaders have significantly enriched opportunities for apprentices’ wider development. Leaders’ redesign of apprenticeship curricula, alongside sharper intervention when apprentices’ performance dips, has successfully increased the proportion of apprentices who remain in training. However, it is too early to judge if these improvements are sustained.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders value staff highly. They prioritise wellbeing, and ensure staff have manageable workloads. Leaders and staff are rightly very proud of their work.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders develop staff through a coherent training programme aligned closely to strategic priorities. They support all trainers to achieve teaching qualifications, which contributes positively to apprentices’ and learners’ experiences and outcomes. Leaders’ training on inclusive practices has significantly improved staff’s ability to support those with barriers to learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a significant role in the early years sector at regional and national levels. Leaders’ work with a local college on employability projects has helped to lower regional unemployment rates. They collaborate closely with awarding bodies to design national qualifications.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners achieve their personal and professional goals. Many learners begin with limited confidence or previous negative experiences of education and grow in self-belief and independence. Learners produce work of a typically high standard and in line with their age and levels of study. They become increasingly confident and able in using pedagogical theory to plan engaging and effective teaching activities. They are highly professional in the workplace and look after those in their care diligently. Learners are well prepared for their next steps. Most learners remain in employment, and many progress to management roles in their settings.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders recognised that the proportion of adults who remained in learning and achieved in the 2023/24 academic year was too low. As a result of leaders’ rapid intervention, the proportion of adults who remain in learning and achieve has increased substantially. Achievement for adults is now well above the national average.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of the quality of adult provision which enables them to make effective improvements. For instance, following lower-than-average examination results, leaders successfully improved assessment activities, and so now more learners achieve better results.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders make sure that the curriculum offer is well aligned to the early years sector so that learners are suitably qualified to work with babies and young children. By introducing the level 5 programme, leaders have planned a suitable pathway for those learners who aspire to management.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed highly individualised curriculums that responds effectively to the specific needs of learners, including those with additional needs, and their workplace settings. They ensure that key topics, such as safeguarding and the care of children with special educational needs, are carefully woven into all aspects of training so learners develop these essential knowledge and skills well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Appropriately qualified and experienced tutors plan and teach effectively. Teaching is typically of a high standard. Tutors explain subject knowledge clearly and use specialist language carefully. Generally, staff demonstrate child-care practices effectively, which learners then apply in their settings. However, on occasions, trainers use resources that do not reflect best pedagogical practice. This stymies learners’ ability to develop their own teaching practices.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff use assessment to identify gaps in learners' knowledge effectively. However, trainers do not consistently provide feedback that helps learners to become steadily more independent in their learning, and so learners often require multiple submissions of their work to meet the required standard.

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Participation and development Expected standard

A significant proportion of learners face barriers to learning. Many have had negative educational experiences. Because of the highly effective culture of care and support, learners enthusiastically commit to their learning. They attend well and participate actively in their studies. Learners become increasingly confident and competent. They develop professional behaviours that demonstrate they can responsibly and safely look after babies and young children. Level 5 learners model leadership behaviours and competencies.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Since the previous inspection, leaders and trainers have prioritised the development of the personal development curriculum. They have produced excellent resources and training on a range of topics relevant to the early years sector. They adapt this training appropriately to meet the specific needs of adult learners, such as mental and physical health. Trainers have embedded opportunities for learners to develop their understanding of fundamental British values. Learners model these values in their workplaces, and so act with respect, tolerance, and in accordance with legal requirements.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Staff ensure that learners have a secure understanding of their next steps. Leaders have sensible plans in place to help learners deepen this understanding. Learners have a highly developed understanding of safeguarding. They feel safe and know how to report concerns.

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Participation and development Strong standard

A significant proportion of apprentices face barriers to learning and have had previously negative educational experiences. Because of the nurturing and empowering culture that staff create, apprentices rapidly become highly motivated and committed to their studies. Apprentices meet the very high expectations that staff set for attendance and participation in training sessions. Apprentices model excellent professional behaviours in the workplace. They become trusted to complete important activities such as overseeing children’s sleep and feeding regimes safely. Apprentices have a keen understanding of British values, and demonstrate these throughout their work. For example, they plan activities that build children’s awareness and tolerance of different faiths.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Since the previous inspection, leaders have made significant and rapid improvements to the wider personal development curriculum. Personal development training resources are excellent. Leaders have carefully prioritised topics such as domestic violence, equality and diversity, and online safety. Leaders provide apprentices with rich and varied opportunities that teach them to play an active role in modern Britain.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders have carefully embedded careers advice and guidance throughout apprentices’ learning journey. Consequently, apprentices have a detailed understanding of their next steps.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Apprentices have a highly developed understanding of safeguarding. Apprentices feel safe and know how to raise concerns.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices produce work of a good standard and sometimes higher. They work confidently and skilfully in the workplace and quickly develop professional behaviours needed to work with vulnerable children. They plan and implement age-appropriate activities for children in their care. They develop the English and mathematical skills that prepare them well for their next steps, such as becoming nursery managers. Apprentices are typically well prepared for their next steps. Most apprentices continue working in the sector. Many take on new responsibilities in their settings. The proportion of apprentices who remained in learning and achieved in previous academic years was too low. Leaders’ intervention has led to an increase in the proportion of apprentices who remain in learning, and achievement is now above national rates. Apprentices who achieve often do so very well, and many achieve distinction grades.

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Achievement Expected standard

However, it is too early to judge whether these improvements are sustained.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders’ appropriate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculums has helped them to make improvements to teaching. When leaders identified that too many apprentices were leaving their courses early, they successfully revised the curriculums to give apprentices more opportunities to consolidate their learning. They strengthened employer awareness of their responsibilities. This has greatly improved the proportion of apprentices who remain in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have selected early years apprenticeships that closely meet the recruitment needs of the sector and qualify apprentices to work in early years settings.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Suitably qualified and experienced trainers effectively plan and sequence the curriculums so that apprentices build the knowledge, skills, and professional behaviours to work responsibly with babies and young children. Trainers' detailed understanding of apprentices with barriers to learning helps them to carefully plan how best to support these apprentices.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, trainers provide purposeful and well-paced teaching sessions. In some instances, the quality of teaching is very high. Trainers model industry vocabulary accurately. Trainers use a suitable range of teaching activities and resources that help apprentices to understand child development and pedagogical theories and apply these to working with children. Trainers typically use assessments well to identify apprentices’ gaps in knowledge and skills. Too often, trainers do not use questioning well enough to develop and reinforce apprentices’ learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the principles and requirements of apprenticeships are met successfully. They recruit apprentices with integrity. Typically, trainers carefully align teaching with employers’ needs. Leaders rigorously ensure apprentices have sufficient off- the-job training time.

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

Many apprentices and learners at Showcase Training have barriers to learning and have had negative experiences of education previously. They quickly come to thrive in a strong culture of support and care. Staff use their comprehensive understanding of those apprentices and learners with additional needs to put in place strategies that rapidly and significantly reduce any challenges they may face in their learning.

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

Apprentices and learners demonstrate excellent professional behaviours. They learn to work safely and responsibly with babies and young children. Through the respect and tolerance they show, apprentices and learners support the development of those in their care. They develop a secure understanding of child development theory and pedagogical practice. Apprentices and learners become better in their jobs because of their training.

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

In previous academic years, too many apprentices and learners did not remain in learning. As a result of leaders’ actions, many apprentices now remain in learning and achieve. Where apprentices complete their studies, many achieve merit and distinction grades. Leaders’ actions have improved learners’ outcomes to well above the national average.

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

Apprentices and learners have excellent opportunities to learn about topics beyond their qualifications. Leaders and staff have made significant improvements to the quality and depth of the personal development curriculum. Apprentices and learners now have opportunities to benefit from a wide range of carefully curated and relevant topics. Apprentices and learners understand British values and the role these play in preparing them for life in modern Britain. They demonstrate these very successfully in their interactions in their workplaces.

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

Apprentices have a deep understanding of their next steps because of well-embedded careers advice and guidance. Learners have a secure awareness of the opportunities available to them after their training, but leaders recognise that there is more to do to embed this aspect of their training.

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Next steps

• Leaders should continue to strengthen the quality of training in both apprenticeship and adult learning provision and so sustain the improvements made to apprentices' and learners' achievement outcomes. • Leaders should ensure that adult learners benefit from highly tailored careers advice and guidance that enables them to build deep knowledge and understanding of their next steps. • Leaders should ensure that staff provide feedback and support to adult learners that enables them to build the skills they need to become increasingly independent. • Leaders should ensure that staff in apprenticeship provision develop their questioning techniques to help apprentices develop and reinforce their learning.

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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 the manging director, senior leaders, governors, managers, training and business staff, learners, apprentices, employers and other stakeholders during the inspection.

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Team inspectors:

Viki Faulkner, His Majesty's Inspector Kate Wills, Ofsted Inspector Janet Smith, Ofsted Inspector Charlotte Corfield, Ofsted 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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Adult learning programmes

Showcase Training provides specialist early years education to apprentices and a smaller cohort of adult learners. The provider operates in the South East, predominantly in Portsmouth, Southampton, and the surrounding area.

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Adult learning programmes

At the time of the inspection, there were 264 apprentices studying level 2 early years practitioner, level 3 early years educator or level 5 early years lead practitioner. Of these, approximately 20 were 16 to 18 years old. Approximately 70 apprentices were working towards achieving level 2 English qualifications and 100 in mathematics. There are were also 50 adult learners. Most were studying level 3 early years educator and a small proportion were studying level 5 early years senior educator.

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Adult learning programmes

A substantial proportion of apprentices and learners faced one or more barriers to learning, including special educational needs and/or disabilities, financial challenges, care experience or other challenges.

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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

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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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