Economic Solutions Limited (Manchester Solutions)

The Growth Company Limited

Address: Lee House, 90 Great Bridgewater Street, M1 5JW Unique reference number (URN): 53233

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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 learnerss for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The learners has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The learners has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

After the previous inspection, leaders reaffirmed their vision to focus their provision on young people who may otherwise not be in education, employment or training, and on unemployed adults and those furthest from job the market, while maintaining an employer need and demand focus for their apprenticeships. They no longer offer provision for learners with high needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders generally know the strengths and areas for development across the provision, including in their subcontractors. After the previous inspection, they focused initially on the recommendations to make the improvements needed. Leaders now use strengthened quality assurance and quality improvement processes to focus on areas of concern, areas that require further improvements or those in need of greater consistency. They have completely revised education programmes for young people that make the curriculums ambitious, reflective of need and of improved quality.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors use their knowledge, experience and expertise to provide the support and challenge that senior leaders need to improve the experience of learners and apprentices.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders recruit sector and industry experts to training and teaching roles. Tutors benefit from company wide, departmental and bespoke professional development that generally helps them to maintain their vocational expertise and to enhance their teaching skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders value staff highly and prioritise their welfare and wellbeing. They work hard to create a collegial supportive culture across the organisation. Staff benefit from a comprehensive employer assistance programme. Most feel that managers are considerate of their workload and wellbeing and are proud to work at The Growth Company.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Although leaders provide staff with training to identify learners’ and apprentices’ learning and support needs, inconsistent practices mean that curriculum learning support for learners with special educational need and/or disabilities is insufficiently structured or monitored. This means that leaders cannot fully evaluate the impact of their support strategies on the progress that learners and apprentices make. Staff do not yet implement a graduated approach to support that promotes learners’ and apprentices’ independence. While the inclusion team closely monitors learners and apprentices with education, health and care (EHC) plans, this information is not routinely shared with tutors. As a result, adaptations to teaching are often informal, inconsistent and not clearly linked to EHC plan outcomes.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders implement effective welfare, care and pastoral support for their many disadvantaged learners and apprentices across the organisation. Learners and apprentices feel safe, respected, cared for and well supported. Staff work hard to meet learners’ and apprentices’ personal needs. They identify changing and emerging vulnerabilities swiftly. Leaders and staff provide a range of support, including laptops for learners without access to computers, a free minibus service to transport learners and apprentices to centres for training, free breakfasts and a food bank for learners, apprentices and their families.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of the curriculum, teaching and training and the areas requiring greater consistency. They have moved from a roll-on/roll-off model to fixed termly enrolment points. This is having a positive impact on group coherence and has enhanced tutors’ ability to sequence learning effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders remain committed to supporting disadvantaged and hard to reach learners. They work with local authorities, agencies and schools, using labour market intelligence to shape a curriculum offer that meets local and regional needs. Leaders prioritise learners at risk of becoming not in education, employment or training. They make learning accessible, with centres located in areas of social and economic disadvantage across Greater Manchester and Merseyside, ensuring that young people with barriers to learning can participate. Learners generally follow appropriate curriculums aligned to their needs and aspirations.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors ensure that vocational curriculums are sequenced clearly and learners build on what they have already been taught. On level 2 health and social care, tutors build on the foundations that learners gain at level 1.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors are suitably qualified and maintain their industry practice. Teaching strategies are mostly effective, especially in workshops where learners develop practical, employment

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Needs attention

focused skills. Tutors support the development of learners’ vocational vocabulary effectively. They encourage learners to reflect on and improve their knowledge and skills.

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Needs attention

In English and mathematics, tutors usually explain concepts clearly and structure lessons well. Learners generally make progress. However, on written work, tutors do not consistently correct the basic errors learners make, and learners do not consistently act on feedback.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Learners receive useful information and careers guidance from progression coaches and tutors. They take part in events, including careers fairs, higher education open days and visits from the apprenticeship team to inform them of potential next steps. Learners mostly know what they want to do next and articulate aspirations for their future and their long-term goals.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Learners benefit from a range of work-related learning, including external work placements and volunteering projects in the community. This helps them build confidence, improves their communication skills and enables them to experience the world of work.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Through a comprehensive tutorial and pastoral curriculum learners develop and deepen their understanding on how to keep themselves safe and make positive choices about their wellbeing. They learn basic first-aid skills and about car and water safety. External guest speakers inform learners about the dangers of drug and alcohol misuse, safe sex and positive relationships.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Attendance remains variable. Leaders quickly follow up non-attendance. They work with learners to understand the reasons for poor attendance, so they can provide support to remove barriers to attendance. Many learners with low school attendance or those previously not in education, employment or training have substantially improved their attendance since starting their course.

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Achievement Needs attention

Too few learners achieve their qualifications. Learners’ GCSE English outcomes are broadly in line with national rates, but GCSE mathematics performance remains too low. Achievement in functional skills English and mathematics remains very low because too many learners leave their courses early. Leaders have taken positive action to improve retention, which has improved.

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Achievement Needs attention

Learners produce work of an appropriate standard and make sustained progress in developing their practical skills. Learners in level 1 hairdressing learn and practise braiding techniques, progressing from blocks to live models to develop their fluency.

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Achievement Needs attention

Learners generally develop their English and mathematics skills, including using technical vocabulary and structuring their writing. In mathematics, learners recall different types of triangles and confidently use mathematical terms such as equilateral and isosceles.

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Achievement Needs attention

Most learners are suitably prepared for their next steps. They typically progress to positive destinations, including further education, training and employment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Adult learners, including those with barriers to learning or special educational needs and/or disabilities, mostly complete their course and achieve their qualifications. Most learners on access to higher education courses achieve merit and distinction grades.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners typically develop new skills and knowledge based on their starting points. For example, in access to higher education, learners use research articles to consolidate prior learning and to discuss and debate the impact of economic globalisation, power and vulnerability.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners’ written work is mostly of the standard and quality expected. In many cases, the standard and depth of work is higher than that expected for the level of the course.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners are generally ready for the next stage of their careers. They achieve additional qualifications, such as using cable avoidance tools and link rail trollies in rail engineering, which make them more employable. Learners mostly find employment, start apprenticeships or progress to higher education.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a thorough understanding of the quality of the adult curriculums, teaching and training. They use observations of tutors to monitor the quality of teaching and assessment. Where teaching is below the standard expected, tutors receive supportive feedback and mentoring to improve.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed curriculums that meet the needs of employers and learners, particularly those who are furthest from the job market. For example, the pre-security industry authority course provides fundamental knowledge to prepare learners for work in the security sector.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors sequence learning appropriately to help learners develop their knowledge and skills progressively. In brickwork, learners start by building a pyramid wall, progress to building a stop end wall, and then a return quoin before building solid walls with decorative brick patterns using a Flemish bond.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors are appropriately qualified, experienced and knowledgeable in the subjects they teach. They use effective teaching techniques to support learners to practise and repeat activities to hone their practical skills. In painting and decorating, learners practise skills such as matching patterns on wallpaper and priming walls until confident the quality is to a good standard. Tutors provide supportive oral feedback. They identify where learners could improve their work, such as using a smoothing tool to smooth out wallpaper more evenly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors mostly provide learners with helpful written feedback so that learners know what they have done well and what they need to do to improve their work. Learners routinely revisit their work to correct errors.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Learners mostly benefit from suitable careers information to develop an understanding of their potential careers and next steps. Tutors use recent industry updates to ensure that learners have the most current information and to help learners link their current study with their desired future careers. On a few courses, successful learners benefit from direct progression into employment. In other areas, learners access effective support about university choice and preparation for applications and interviews.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders and tutors provide a welcoming and safe learning environment where learners feel valued and comfortable. Learners demonstrate professional behaviours, are respectful and considerate of each other and enthusiastically participate in learning. They listen and question appropriately and considerately, developing effective communication skills. Attendance on many courses is high. Tutors routinely follow up absences, providing catch ups and access to online resources so that learners stay on track.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors contextualise information effectively on fundamental British values, the risks of radicalisation and extremism and keeping healthy for adult learners. Learners understand the importance of maintaining their mental and physical health to help them keep safe from risks. They learn about the risks of loneliness and isolation and discuss topics such as suicide awareness in the construction trades, and security access and the risks of terrorism on the rail network.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprenticeship achievement rates have generally increased in recent years. Apprentices make steady progress from their starting points, and those who remain on their apprenticeship, mostly achieve their apprenticeship in the expected timeframe. Around one third achieve distinction grades in their final assessments. Apprentices mostly produce work of an appropriate standard and become fluent in the technical language of their industry. After completing their apprenticeship, most remain in employment, gain promotion, take on additional duties or progress to further learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices develop the substantial knowledge and practical skills that they need for work. Apprentices in automotive apprenticeships interpret and follow complex electrical diagrams, showing the automated switches and sensors, when repairing electrical faults on vehicles. Apprentices in finance assistant apply the principles of costing and cost centres in their calculations and accurately calculate casual payroll and overtime. Apprentice team leaders develop their self-awareness using psychological tools and techniques, SWOT analysis, meditation and self-reflection.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of their apprenticeship provision. They provide apprenticeships that meet regional and national skills needs and shortages. Leaders continuously review their apprenticeship offer to make sure it remains relevant. For example, they have recently introduced content on the maintenance and replacement of electric vehicle batteries into their automotive apprenticeships.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors are well qualified with extensive vocational expertise. They make sure that apprentices’ curriculums are generally well planned and taught in a logical order so that apprentices develop their knowledge and refine their skills. Most apprentices make at least their expected progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors explain topics clearly in a way that helps apprentices to understand. Insurance professional apprentices firstly learn about the insurance market, its risks and regulations. They go on to apply these foundation principles and concepts to more complex and challenging topics, such as corporate governance, accounting standards and claims reserving, then sources of law and the legal systems, legal personality and law of torts. Apprentices become competent professionals in their chosen sector

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors generally use a range of effective teaching and assessment strategies. They provide useful feedback so that apprentices know what they have done well and what they need to do to improve.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors ensure that apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training links well and supports their development at work. Apprentices’ line managers routinely attend progress reviews and help to identify opportunities for apprentices to practise and hone their skills at work.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices receive appropriate careers education and tailored guidance. They are generally clear on their next steps once they have completed their apprenticeship. Tutors routinely embed careers information into apprenticeship curriculums.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors provide a welcoming and supportive learning environment. Apprentices are motivated, keen to learn and their attendance to their training is high.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors contextualise and embed the teaching of fundamental British values in the curriculums. Apprentices work respectfully and empathetically with colleagues and customers. Apprentices in multi-channel marketer develop secure knowledge of marketing ethics, data protection and compliance responsibilities while finance apprentices learn about ethical practices and apply them at work.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices benefit from access to wider opportunities, such as subject-related competitions and additional learning. Apprentices have won local automotive apprentice of the year awards and completed additional learning on air conditioning and an introduction to electric vehicles.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors provide apprentices with age-appropriate teaching and content on the dangers and threats of radicalisation and extremism, staying safe and on keeping mentally and physically healthy. They discuss the benefits of taking regular breaks away from screens and desks and having hobbies to help unwind after work and how to ask for help if they are struggling with their mental health.

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

Learners and apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not routinely benefit from a sufficiently well planned, implemented and reviewed approach to the learning support that they need.

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

In the previous year, learners on education programmes for young people did not achieve well enough. Over a third did not complete their qualification as they left early. Leaders have changed how they recruit and enrol learners. They ensure that learners understand the commitment they need to make to their learning and the support that is available. As a result, retention has improved significantly in the current year.

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

Leaders and staff create a caring, supportive and respectful environment for learners and apprentices, prioritising their welfare and wellbeing. They provide free transport to training centres as well as breakfast, fruit and food for learners and apprentices before the start of lessons and throughout the day.

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

Leaders make sure that tutors provide learners and apprentices with effective one-to-one pastoral support to help them deal with personal issues and concerns. Many learners and apprentices are disadvantaged or face barriers to learning. This support helps in making learners and apprentices feel safe and valued and to develop the confidence and resilience to succeed.

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

Learners and apprentices develop positive attitudes to learning and work. They work industriously in classrooms, workshops and online, producing work of a generally high standard. Learners and apprentices enjoy their learning.

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

Learners and apprentices feel well cared for and that they belong. Young learners say that the Growth Company is a safe space and that staff make them feel more like a human than a statistic. Every member of staff knows their name and knows them.

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

Young learners study a range of topics beyond the requirements of their qualifications. They benefit from a broad curriculum and are satisfied with the education and training they receive. Learners appreciate how tutors go the extra mile to support them. They find staff approachable and friendly.

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

Adult learners appreciate the support and feedback they receive from tutors. They explain how tutors mark their written work every day so that they know what they have done well, what they need to do to improve and how to elevate the quality of their work. Adult learners enjoy coming to classes. They are enthusiastic about their learning and aspire to progress, for example, to the full security industry authority course and get a job in the security sector.

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

Apprentices are motivated and keen to learn. In online sessions, they have their cameras on, answer questions, raise their hands to speak and treat each other with respect. Apprentices explain how they now have the confidence to ask questions and contribute to meetings at work, to take on more responsibility and feel like valued members of their team.

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Next steps

Leaders should structure support and/or adapt teaching strategies sufficiently to meet the needs of learners and apprentices, including taking education, health and care plan outcomes into consideration when planning learning. Leaders should continue to improve the retention of learners and apprentices, particularly those on education programmes for young people, and make sure that they achieve their qualifications. Leaders should strengthen professional learning so that staff develop their vocational and teaching knowledge and skills to a high standard. Leaders should enhance curriculum, teaching and training to ensure that they are of a consistently high quality for learners and apprentices. Leaders should ensure a consistent and persistent focus on attendance and participation for learners and apprentices. Leaders should enhance and embed high-quality careers education and guidance so that learners and apprentices develop a detailed knowledge of their potential future careers

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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 governing board members, leaders, centre managers, inclusion coordinators, tutors, skills coaches, learners, apprentices, line managers and employers 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 Growth Company Limited is a large not-for-profit independent learning provider based in Manchester. The Growth Company provides education programmes for young people, adult learning programmes and apprenticeships. It no longer offers provision for learners with high needs.

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About this inspection

The provider has 11 training centres across the Greater Manchester region, 8 of which provide education and training for young people. Apprenticeships from level 2 to level 6 account for approximately 40% of The Growth Company’s total funding and are taught in all regions of England.

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About this inspection

The Growth Company provides education and training for young people across Greater Manchester and Merseyside who may otherwise not be in education, training or employment. Leaders have redesigned study programmes since the previous inspection with a focus on English, mathematics and employability skills along with a localised vocational offer across the different sites. Vocational specialisms include automotive, carpentry and joinery, construction multi-skills, electrical installation, engineering operations, hairdressing, health and social care, plastering and plumbing.

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About this inspection

The Growth Company offers adult learning programmes for unemployed adults, those furthest from the job market and those wishing to return to education to progress to higher education. Courses include sector-based work academy programmes, English and mathematics, access to higher education, digital and information technology skills, construction and the construction trades.

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About this inspection

The Growth Company provides 51 different apprenticeships from level 2 to level 6. There are apprentices in all age groups. The largest apprenticeships include 163 apprentices on level 4 insurance professional, 82 on level 3 pensions administrator, 77 on level 2 autocare technician, 71 on level 3 business administrator, 51 on level 4 associate project manager and 44 on level 2 carpentry and joinery and level 3 heavy vehicle service and maintenance technician. Other apprenticeships cover sectors, including automotive, business, childcare, construction, digital, engineering, finance, and health and social care.

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About this inspection

The Growth Company works with subcontractors to provide specialist provision where they do not have the required expertise. At the time of the inspection, this included adult learning programmes in rail and track maintenance, teaching assistant, autism awareness, special educational need and/or disabilities, and English for speakers of other languages. There were 18 apprentices completing refrigeration apprenticeships with a subcontractor.

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Lead inspector:

Alastair Mollon, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Kim Bleasdale, His Majesty's Inspector Suzanne Wainwright, His Majesty's Inspector Helen Whelan, His Majesty's Inspector Ruth Stammers, His Majesty's Inspector Elaine Price, Ofsted Inspector Liz Greenhalgh, Ofsted Inspector Alex Lang, Ofsted Inspector Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones, 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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1,199

At the time of the inspection, there were 589 learners on education programmes for young people, 567 learners on adult learning programmes and 1,199 apprentices.

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1,199

Managing director of education and skills: Jon-Paul Rimington

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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

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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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