Banham Academy Limited

Banham Academy Limited

Address: 20 Thornsett Road, Earlsfield, London, SW18 4EF Unique reference number (URN): 1278639

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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

The board of directors and leaders have created a highly inclusive culture and learning environment for apprentices, particularly for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who are disadvantaged. Their highly effective approach to inclusion is shared by well-trained staff who make learning environments and the curriculum accessible to reduce any barriers that would disadvantage apprentices.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff swiftly identify apprentices who have SEND or who are disadvantaged. They use very effective initial and ongoing assessments to make sure apprentices receive timely help and support. Tutors are highly attentive to apprentices' emerging needs and swiftly provide adjustments to their teaching, assessment, equipment and additional support. For example, they provide helpful assistive equipment to apprentices who require adjustments due to a physical need, such as the provision of automatic wire strippers. This reduces the manual force and coordination needed when stripping wires.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff frequently monitor the effectiveness of support and the progress that apprentices make. They act swiftly when they need to adapt support. This makes sure that needs are fully met and apprentices make substantial progress. Employers value highly the additional and wraparound support that staff provide to their apprentices. Apprentices who have SEND or who are disadvantaged achieve slightly better than their peers.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Members of the leadership team have extensive experience and knowledge of the industry and apprenticeships, which they draw on very well to shape and develop the provision. They work cohesively with employers to design a curriculum that is ambitious, well structured and closely aligned to current and emerging sector requirements. Leaders have high expectations of apprentices, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are disadvantaged.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders frequently review the effectiveness of the provision with employers to ensure that it remains highly relevant for the industry. They take very effective and timely action to make improvements. Leaders use feedback from employers thoughtfully to inform strategic decision-making, such as opening new training centres in Derby and Essex to reduce travel time for apprentices, meet growing employer demand and increase capacity across the programme.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Directors receive useful information from leaders that enables them to maintain effective oversight of the quality of the provision and the experiences of apprentices and employers. They closely monitor the impact of leaders’ actions to ensure apprentices flourish and thrive. Feedback from apprentices is used well to make improvements, including the introduction of quiet spaces for those with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders provide targeted professional development for staff that has a positive impact on classroom practice and maintains vocational expertise. Staff use their expertise to differentiate teaching strategies and make informed adaptations to ensure the curriculum is fully inclusive. Tutors value the peer shadowing process, which helps them to reflect on and improve their own practice. Staff feel highly valued and well supported by leaders.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have a very accurate understanding of the quality of their curriculum and teaching. They understand the sector they serve very well and have put in place a very well-planned and sequenced curriculum. Leaders work very effectively with employers to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of apprentices and the sector. On- and off-the-job training is largely well coordinated, and employers are closely involved in reviewing apprentices' progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Tutors are highly experienced and experts in the fire and security sector. They have up-to- date subject knowledge which they use very well to enable apprentices to extend the breadth and depth of their knowledge. Tutors understand very well the different needs of apprentices, including those with SEND and those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged. They adapt their teaching and provide highly effective and well-tailored support for apprentices.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Tutors very skilfully teach highly complex topics to apprentices, such as access control systems. They use very successful strategies to make sure that apprentices understand and remember what they have been taught. For example, they recap previous learning and ask probing questions that strengthen apprentices' critical-thinking and professional reasoning. They present concepts clearly, such as the reasons for and impact of voltage drops on the quality of pictures on video surveillance system cameras. They make effective use of scenario-based design briefs that mirror real workplace expectations. Apprentices value the constant recaps, tests, quizzes and practical application tasks which help them to remember new learning and apply this in the workplace.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Apprentices very successfully develop the personal qualities and skills they need to succeed. They collaborate well with each other, and develop critical-thinking and problem-

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Expected standard

solving skills beyond the expectations of the apprenticeship. Apprentices rapidly develop the qualities they need to succeed at work, such as a compliance mindset, awareness of risk and attention to detail.

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Expected standard

Apprentices are polite and respectful, and show maturity and confidence. They participate enthusiastically in lessons, asking questions to clarify their understanding and taking notes to help them recall what they are taught. They listen attentively to each other’s contributions and engage enthusiastically in challenging learning activities.

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Expected standard

Leaders provide a wide range of high-quality opportunities that support apprentices in their personal and work lives and their careers. These include national skills competitions and highly relevant resources on topics such as inclusion, sustainability, British values, physical and mental health, relationships and online safety.

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Expected standard

Leaders have put in place a high-quality online course for apprentices to support their career development. Apprentices receive comprehensive guidance on, for example the qualities they need to succeed in their careers, preparing for interviews and career planning. Tutors provide very useful advice on self-employment, which covers business planning, accountancy, start-up costs and business banking.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices develop the English and mathematics skills that they need to achieve their goals. A high proportion of the small number of apprentices who study English and mathematics achieve their qualifications. Through the curriculum, apprentices develop their mathematics skills by, for example, using profit and loss measures when they plan and quote for systems, and when calculating cable sizes and battery backup requirements. They develop English skills that enable them to write documentation professionally.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices produce work of a high standard. For example, they produce complex, costed design plans for access systems. Their work demonstrates their critical-thinking, as they provide detailed justifications for their choices rather than simply installing systems by rote.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices are well prepared for their assessments. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted how well apprentices achieved their qualifications. Since then, leaders’ actions have led to positive improvements, with a much higher proportion now achieving. However, too few apprentices achieve a distinction.

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

Apprentices, including female apprentices, feel very welcome at their training centre and as a part of the Banham family. They show great commitment and determination to manage work, training and their other interests. Apprentices, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and barriers to learning, are highly motivated to learn, succeed and achieve their goals. This is because of the thoughtful and very effective support and care they receive from tutors and staff.

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

Throughout their apprenticeship, apprentices achieve valuable and essential certification beyond the apprenticeship standard to accredit their skills and expertise in the electrotechnical industry. Early on in their training, apprentices gain certification so they can work safely on site. At the end of year 1, apprentices achieve industry-recognised certification to demonstrate to colleagues and clients their competence in electronic principles. Learning in the classroom is linked effectively to apprentices’ responsibilities at work. This helps accelerate the development of apprentices' key competencies.

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

Apprentices, many of whom are in their first jobs or early in their careers, thrive at work and in learning, making positive progress from their starting points. They understand and develop complex knowledge and skills in areas such as wiring diagrams, regulations, fault- finding and system integration. Employers highly appreciate the contribution that apprentices make at work as they swiftly grow in confidence and independence to apply their new knowledge and skills.

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

Most apprentices achieve their apprenticeship. A high proportion of the small number of apprentices who study English and mathematics gain qualifications in these subjects. Most apprentices remain with their employer once they complete their training and some progress into mentoring, supervisory or managerial roles.

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Next steps

• Leaders should identify and implement actions to increase the proportion of apprentices who achieve a distinction grade in their final assessments.

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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

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke to leaders, managers, tutors, apprentices and employers during the inspection.

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About this inspection

Banham Academy Limited is an independent learning provider, part of the Banham Group, that specialises in the security and fire systems sector. The company is based in Earlsfield, London and works with employers nationally to provide the level 3 fire, emergency and security technician apprenticeship.

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About this inspection

Apprentices attend week-long blocks of training throughout their programme at training centres in London, Derby and Colchester. At the time of the inspection, there were 320 apprentices in learning. Of these, 130 apprentices were aged 16 to 18 years. Most

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Team inspectors:

Jon Bowman, His Majesty's Inspector Ian Goodwin, Ofsted Inspector Kat Morris, Ofsted Inspector Jackie Rossa, 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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national average

2023/24 50 61 Below apprentices are males aged under 24 and in the early stages of their career. A small but increasing number of apprentices are female.

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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. 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

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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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