Cherith Simmons Learning & Development LLP

Cherith Simmons Learning & Development LLP

Address: G05, Rourke House, Watermans Business Park,, The Causeway, Staines, TW18 3BA Unique reference number (URN): 1280348

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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 Needs attention

Leaders accurately identify the special educational needs and/or disabilities that apprentices may have. Staff have helpful discussions with apprentices and their employers to identify emerging needs. Leaders have recently strengthened the way that they assess the needs of apprentices. They have introduced more rigorous screening which covers a range of challenges that apprentices may face, including financial pressures, caring responsibilities and wellbeing needs.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff provide appropriate support for apprentices. They adapt teaching by allowing additional time for assessments or flexibility in deadlines. However, leaders have not provided staff with appropriate training to enable them to identify fully apprentices’ barriers to learning. They have not ensured that staff understand properly the range of strategies they might use to meet all apprentices’ needs.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders do not formally review the impact of the support that staff provide to identify whether it can be reduced over time. They have plans in place to review the impact of support more accurately, but these have not yet been implemented.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have not planned frequent enough contact with the few apprentices with barriers to learning. These apprentices have not had the support that they need to complete their programmes in the planned timescales.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have sensibly used their vocational and technical expertise to improve the curriculums and ensure that apprentices develop relevant knowledge and skills. However, despite some progress in supporting apprentices to work towards final assessments, their actions have not been swift enough to have a positive, demonstrable impact on the proportion of apprentices who complete their programme and achieve.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have begun to develop governance arrangements by engaging with suitably qualified and experienced professionals who understand education and training. Leaders and those responsible for governance have an adequate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. Leaders’ approach to quality assurance and improvement is, however, still in its infancy.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders do not accurately identify staff's individual development priorities. They do not provide staff with a useful programme of professional development to help them refine their teaching skills or fully implement inclusive strategies.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have developed their curriculum strategy to align more closely with their specialist expertise in management and digital industries. They work with appropriate stakeholders and external organisations to enhance the content of the curriculums. They chair sector standards groups in digital technology and work with digital companies to ensure that apprentices benefit from up-to-date knowledge and skills to benefit their career in a rapidly developing sector. Leaders have close oversight of staff wellbeing and workload. They ensure that staff have manageable caseloads and offer appropriate support if needed.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for apprentices' attendance and professional behaviours. Apprentices attend well and contribute willingly in lessons. Staff follow up absence and support the few apprentices who miss sessions to catch up by accessing recorded lessons and additional resources.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders provide apprentices with reasonable opportunities for wider personal development. Apprentices are encouraged to join professional bodies to take advantage of networking opportunities. Tutors teach apprentices about suitable topics that help them develop their appreciation of equality and diversity, such as how to consider ethics, values and diversity as part of the critical thinking.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices mostly benefit from advice and guidance about their next steps. Those on higher-level apprenticeships know that they can complete a masters degree next. Cyber security technician apprentices understand career routes such as risk and compliance, security analyst and penetration tester roles because tutors successfully link learning to a range of job roles.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices generally have discussions with staff about how to stay mentally healthy. Tutors check on apprentices’ wellbeing at the end of sessions and in reviews. However, leaders have not ensured that planned learning on health and wellbeing is targeted well enough to meet apprentices’ individual needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

In most cases, tutors ensure that curriculums are aligned to apprentices’ job roles. However, they do not use the results of initial assessment well enough to agree what apprentices need to do to develop their skills. They do not ensure that on- and off-the-job training is coordinated effectively or that apprentices consistently receive frequent reviews of their progress. This means that, too often, apprentices are not supported well enough to apply their knowledge and skills at work.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders work well with most employers to develop curriculums that support apprentices to gain appropriate vocational skills. They have made appropriate improvements such as developing the curriculum for the operations manager apprenticeship to bring the content up to date. Leaders have recently improved knowledge-based training resources for apprentices studying artificial intelligence.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Tutors have appropriate technical expertise. They use their knowledge to help apprentices understand how to use technical terminology accurately. Apprentices studying cyber security talk confidently about data protection legislation and can explain security protocols.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Tutors provide opportunities for apprentices to revisit and reflect on their learning. They facilitate helpful learning groups where apprentices collectively discuss workplace challenges and propose solutions. Apprentices value the opportunity to apply their learning to real work scenarios and to learn from their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Tutors provide apprentices with helpful developmental feedback. Apprentices on operations manager and senior leader apprenticeships use this feedback to improve their work. They develop their analytical and evaluative skills so that they can identify the best theories to apply in management situations.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Too few apprentices complete their apprenticeship. The proportion of apprentices who achieve is low and has declined over recent years. Apprentices who remain on their programme generally develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for their jobs. Apprentices on level 7 apprenticeships lead challenging projects such as business restructures.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

The few apprentices who complete the level 5 operations manager apprenticeship achieve well, with a high proportion achieving distinction grades. These apprentices remain in work after their apprenticeship.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Apprentices' work is of an appropriate standard for the level of study. Most apprentices apply theory well and can evaluate and analyse core concepts in their assignment work. Apprentices broadly develop the English, mathematics and digital skills that they need to be successful. Apprentices on the system thinking practitioner apprenticeship understand methods of statistical modelling and the associated pitfalls.

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

Too few apprentices are supported to remain on their programme and achieve. Of the few apprentices who do complete their courses, a significant proportion achieve distinction grades. These apprentices value the specialist knowledge and skills that they develop, which help them to grow in confidence. Apprentices on senior leader apprenticeships significantly develop their resilience to setbacks by leading challenging change projects.

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

Until recently, apprentices and employers have not benefited from useful reviews of progress. Apprentices have not been supported effectively to identify what they need to do to develop their knowledge and skills. As a result, too many apprentices have fallen behind with their training or left their programme early.

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

Leaders ensure that curriculums are accessible to those with additional needs. Apprentices can access recorded lessons in their own time if they wish to revisit content. Those with additional learning needs or other barriers to learning are provided with individual sessions with their tutors or extra time in assessment if needed. However, leaders do not monitor closely enough this support or its impact. They have not provided staff with appropriate training to support apprentices with additional needs.

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

Tutors set clear expectations for professionalism and encourage apprentices to support each other. Apprentices are motivated and demonstrate highly professional behaviours. They feel safe in learning and foster good relationships with other apprentices, which provides a broader support network beyond their own company.

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

Apprentices develop their understanding about fundamental British values. Tutors reinforce these through the taught content, putting them into context for the workplace. For example, apprentices studying cyber security have an accurate understanding of the rule of law, particularly in relation to the use of sensitive data.

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

The actions that leaders have taken to increase the proportion of apprentices who complete their programme and achieve have not been rapid enough. Leaders do not provide appropriate training opportunities to enhance tutors' teaching skills.

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Next steps

Leaders should identify and implement actions to increase substantially the proportion of apprentices who stay on their programme and achieve their qualification. Leaders should ensure that on- and off-the job training is coordinated effectively through frequent progress reviews that accurately identify what apprentices need to do to apply their knowledge and develop their skills in the workplace.

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Team inspectors:

Emma Leavey, His Majesty's Inspector Alison Humphreys, His Majesty's Inspector Jo Dyson, Ofsted Inspector Richard Kirkham, His Majesty's Inspector Leaders should ensure that apprentices' starting points are accurately identified and precise targets are set to inform apprentices what they need to do to improve. Leaders should continue to accurately identify and assess barriers to learning that may indicate an apprentice is disadvantaged or vulnerable, and ensure that the impact of support is closely monitored and adapted as required. Leaders should accurately identify staff development priorities and provide effective professional development to support staff to develop their teaching skills, including how to adapt teaching and support to meet apprentices’ individual needs successfully. Leaders should ensure that apprentices benefit from targeted training on health and wellbeing that meets their individual needs.

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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 leaders, governors, apprentices, employers and staff 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

Cherith Simmons Learning and Development LLP is an independent learning provider based in Surrey. They began offering apprenticeships in 2017. In May 2025, new leaders took over the business. They specialise in training apprentices in health and social care, digital technology, business management, water treatment and catering. Most apprentices study at level 5 or level 7, with the remainder studying at levels 3 and 4.

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About this inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were 196 apprentices in learning. All apprentices were over 19 years old.

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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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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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