Cognition Evolve UK Ltd

Cognition Evolve UK Ltd

Address: Holmfield Mill, Holdsworth Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX3 6SN Unique reference number (URN): 1278655

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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 and programme leaders have established a positive and inclusive culture in which apprentices’ needs are well understood and effectively met. Apprentices build strong and trusting relationships with staff, feel well supported and engage positively with their learning. Programme leaders identify potential barriers to apprentices’ progress with accuracy and insight. Leaders acknowledge the need to strengthen these processes further to ensure that any additional disadvantages which apprentices face, beyond their identified learning needs, are recognised and support provided.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Programme leaders complete thorough assessments of apprentices’ starting points during the onboarding stage. They carry out detailed initial assessments, evaluate apprentices' prior knowledge and determine their readiness for substantial new learning. Where additional support needs are identified, programme leaders provide appropriate and timely interventions, including one-to-one support and assistance with reading and interpreting written questions. This support is implemented consistently and reviewed systematically, with support gradually reduced as apprentices gain confidence and independence.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Programme leaders receive training from appropriately qualified and experienced colleagues on the barriers adult apprentices may encounter, including the impact of previous poor learning experiences. They apply this knowledge effectively to inform their practice and ensure that apprentices' barriers are minimised.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Programme leaders maintain constructive and ongoing dialogue with apprentices to identify emerging needs throughout their programme. When significant life events occur, such as increased caring responsibilities, they respond swiftly by adapting assessments and offering flexible formats, including written, video and audio options, to ensure apprentices can continue to learn.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Since the previous inspection, leaders and senior managers have implemented a range of effective measures that have strengthened the apprenticeship provision considerably. As a result, achievement rates have improved markedly and are now high.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate and well-informed understanding of the organisation’s strengths and areas for development. They take purposeful and timely action to secure further improvement. Leaders use data intelligently to monitor apprentices’ progress. Leaders scrutinise managers and programme leaders' performance through a well-structured cycle of meetings, where they hold them to account effectively.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and senior managers with responsibility for oversight provide a clear and ambitious strategic vision for high-quality management education. They ensure that staff receive the support they need to achieve this vision and strike an appropriate balance between professional challenge and consideration of staff's wellbeing and workload. Leaders maintain an accurate understanding of curriculum quality and employ a small but committed teaching team with relevant qualifications and sector expertise. Staff work effectively with employers to ensure that training aligns closely with workplace expectations. Leaders and senior managers ensure that staff provide targeted support that enables apprentices, including those with additional learning needs, to achieve their qualifications and progress in their careers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders foster a strong culture of professional development. They respond positively to staff requests for further training and have recently delivered development sessions on artificial intelligence to support marking and feedback. New programme leaders benefit from structured coaching and shadowing opportunities, which strengthen their understanding of apprenticeship standards and expectations.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices make extensive progress from their starting points. Operations manager apprentices develop excellent self-reflection abilities that help them to improve their leadership skills. Team leader apprentices demonstrate the confidence and assurance needed to present to senior people across their organisation and to cascade key strategic messages from national meetings. Achievement rates are high and most apprentices achieve distinction grades in their final assessment.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices are offered the opportunity to gain qualifications in English and mathematics. Those who undertake these qualifications achieve them. All apprentices develop these essential skills throughout the apprenticeship.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices consistently produce high-quality written work in which they demonstrate a strong understanding of underpinning leadership principles and theories. Apprentices show that they can apply theoretical approaches confidently in their job roles.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices are prepared well for their next steps. Many remain with their employers, taking on enhanced responsibilities or gaining promotion.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate and well-informed understanding of the quality of their curriculums, teaching and training. They monitor provision rigorously through thorough internal quality assurance processes, including regular sampling of apprentices’ work, gathering apprentices’ feedback and holding team standardisation meetings. Leaders act promptly on areas for improvement and now sustain consistently effective practice across both apprenticeships.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed and sequenced the curriculums carefully so that apprentices build knowledge, skills and behaviours progressively over time. Programme leaders draw on their current industry experience in their teaching, using relevant workplace examples to simplify complex concepts. In most cases, programme leaders explain concepts effectively and use a wide range of activities and resources to support apprentices’ understanding of leadership theory and professional practice. However, in a few instances, programme leaders do not use questioning effectively in online sessions to check apprentices’ understanding before moving on to new topics.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Programme leaders build assessment opportunities into workshops and projects, allowing them to check apprentices’ understanding and provide apprentices with helpful feedback. Apprentices value the feedback and act on it diligently.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Programme leaders support apprentices effectively to develop their English skills. They reinforce subject-specific vocabulary, enabling apprentices to communicate confidently and improve the technical accuracy of their written and presentation work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Employers and programme leaders provide highly effective support to apprentices. They ensure apprentices are placed on the most appropriate level and check with employers that they will provide plentiful opportunities for apprentices to apply their theoretical knowledge in the workplace.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Programme leaders set clear expectations for apprentices' attendance, behaviour and participation. Attendance at workshops is high. Through regular progress reviews with employers and apprentices, leaders monitor engagement closely. Working collaboratively, programme leaders and employers help apprentices to identify barriers to learning and provide timely, targeted support to prevent them from falling behind.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Programme leaders prepare apprentices effectively to recognise and respond to bullying, discrimination and harassment in the workplace. They incorporate realistic workplace scenarios in learning activities, enabling apprentices to understand how to challenge inappropriate behaviours and support colleagues. Apprentices develop a sound awareness of respect, inclusion and professional conduct through their training.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Programme leaders promote apprentices’ wider personal development well. Through modules such as developing self-awareness and personal effectiveness, apprentices explore themes including emotional intelligence and unconscious bias. This helps them appreciate different perspectives and develop their empathy as leaders.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Programme leaders provide apprentices with effective one-to-one careers guidance that supports them to move on to new roles, either in their current organisation or with other employers. However, leaders recognise that the careers programme is not fully developed to enable apprentices to explore a broader range of progression opportunities.

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

Apprentices study a well-structured programme that integrates online learning with personalised one-to-one sessions. Programme leaders work closely with employers to design purposeful opportunities for apprentices to practise and apply their management skills in the workplace. This approach enables apprentices to develop confidence and resilience, equipping them to take on new responsibilities and make positive progress in their roles.

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

Apprentices feel well supported and valued throughout their training and employment. Programme leaders establish clear expectations for both apprentices and employers from the outset and model the professional behaviours required. Apprentices’ progress is reviewed frequently with programme leaders and employers, who set precise targets that identify the specific knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices need to develop in training and at work.

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

Apprentices benefit from learning with experienced programme leaders who draw on extensive managerial expertise during one-to-one and taught sessions. This supports apprentices to develop a secure and nuanced understanding of management theory and effective performance practices.

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

Apprentices are motivated, participate well in training and achieve strongly. They take pride in developing new professional knowledge and skills, which employers recognise and value.

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

Apprentices with additional learning needs receive effective and tailored support. Programme leaders make appropriate adjustments, such as encouraging the use of voiceover tools to reduce written demands, ensuring that all apprentices can participate in training fully.

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

Leaders promote apprentices’ wider personal and professional development effectively. Programme content includes topics such as health and wellbeing, online safety, and understanding British values, diversity and equality. Apprentices reflect thoughtfully on these themes and consider their relevance to their work, personal lives and wider societal responsibilities.

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Team inspectors:

Pauline Hughes, Ofsted Inspector Tracey Baron, 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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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that apprentices have access to a comprehensive and well- structured careers programme that equips them to make well-informed decisions about their future pathways. Leaders should ensure that programme leaders further enhance their teaching practice by employing effective strategies to check and extend apprentices’ learning thoroughly. Leaders should strengthen the processes they use to identify the barriers to learning that apprentices may experience beyond their specific learning needs, ensuring that they provide appropriate support promptly.

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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 to leaders, programme leaders, apprentices 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

Cognition Evolve UK Limited is an independent training provider based in central Manchester owned by a global management company. Leaders offer apprenticeship programmes at level 3 in team leader and level 5 in operations manager. The majority of training is online. At the time of the inspection, there were 24 apprentices enrolled on the level 3 apprenticeship and 8 on the level 5 apprenticeship, with an additional 18 apprentices in gateway awaiting their end-point assessment. All apprentices were aged 19 or above.

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About this inspection

Sally Turgoose: Director Leadership and Management Academy This data is from 4 March 2026

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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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