Premier Books Ltd

During the monitoring inspection, inspectors focused on the following themes:

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 progress in leadership and governance – this means how much progress leaders and those responsible for governance have made in ensuring that the provider is meeting all the requirements of successful apprenticeship provision, and is identifying and supporting the needs of apprentices

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 progress in inclusion – this means how much progress leaders have made in identifying the needs of individual apprentices and putting suitable support in place, in particular for those who are disadvantaged, those with SEND or high needs, those who are known (or previously known) to social care, and those who may face other barriers to their experiences and opportunities, including those without level 2 English and/or mathematics

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 progress in curriculum, teaching and training – this means how much progress leaders and managers have made in ensuring that apprentices benefit from high-quality training that leads to positive outcomes for apprentices

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 progress in ensuring effective safeguarding arrangements – this means how much progress leaders and managers have made in ensuring that effective safeguarding arrangements are in place

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Leadership and governance

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Leadership and governance

Leaders have taken appropriate steps to ensure they fulfil the requirements of an apprenticeship. Staff ensure that employers understand what is expected of them. They work closely together to plan individualised learning pathways and to coordinate on- and off-the-job training. Premier Books Ltd 304 Pelham Road, Immingham DN40 1PT

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monitoring inspection report:

24 and 25 June 2026 Monitoring inspection report: Premier Books Ltd 24 and 25 June 2026

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Leaders have an accurate understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement. They take effective action to plan apprenticeship provision appropriately. Leaders rightly recognise that there is further work to do to strengthen their governance arrangements to ensure they have sufficient support, challenge and oversight at governance level.

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Leaders have recently implemented appropriate measures to assure themselves of the quality of training that they provide. They carry out lesson observations, standardisation meetings and review apprentices’ progress to monitor closely the quality of their teaching and training. They have also introduced the use of a learning and management platform so they can monitor apprentices’ progress closely and accurately.

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Leaders are considerate of staff workload and wellbeing. They monitor coaches’ workload and keep class sizes for tutors manageable. Leaders rightly recognise that this will need to be monitored closely as they realise their ambitions to grow their apprenticeship numbers.

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Inclusion

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Inclusion

Leaders have in place suitable processes to identify apprentices’ support needs or barriers to learning. Coaches carry out initial assessments and have a targeted discussion to identify apprentices’ personal circumstances, such as if they have caring responsibilities or limited access to technical equipment at home. Coaches and tutors use this information to identify the most appropriate support for apprentices.

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Inclusion

Leaders and staff implement support that meets the needs of their apprentices effectively. This includes additional one-to-one sessions at work or at the provider’s premises for apprentices that require additional processing time. Leaders arrange examination concessions for apprentices going through temporary vulnerabilities such as a close family bereavement.

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Inclusion

Leaders and staff ensure that apprentices are supported well, including when they are at work. They communicate apprentices’ support needs or barriers to learning to employers to ensure that work environments are suitable. Staff ensure that employees who work with apprentices receive information on their individual needs. This includes quiet spaces to work and appropriate allocation for off-the-job training, including being broken down into smaller sessions for those that struggle to process large amounts of information.

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Curriculum, teaching and training

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures. Monitoring inspection report: Premier Books Ltd 24 and 25 June 2026

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Leaders recruit staff who are highly experienced in their industries. Staff are provided with training that keeps their sector knowledge and skills up to date. Staff recently accessed artificial intelligence in accountancy training through the Association of Accounting Technicians.

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Leaders structure the curriculums to ensure apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that prepare them well for their final assessments and employment. Apprentices, including those with additional needs, develop new skills that they apply at work. Apprentices produce a good standard of work and in most cases, they receive useful feedback which includes areas for improvement. However, leaders recognise that feedback does not always include strategies for apprentices to work towards higher grades such as merits or distinctions.

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Tutors use effective teaching methods during online sessions. They carry out continual assessment to check apprentices’ knowledge and understanding. When apprentices on the level 3 assistant accountant apprenticeship work on book-keeping controls, tutors ask them to discuss and demonstrate how they balance a T account by separating financial transactions into 2 distinct sides to track how they affect a company’s financial position. Tutors discuss incorrect answers with apprentices ensuring that they fully understand the cause of any errors or misconceptions.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Leaders have put sufficient processes and training in place to ensure staff are trained in how to work safely with apprentices, including those aged between 16 and 18. All staff complete relevant training including safeguarding, the ‘Prevent’ duty and keeping children safe in education. Staff who work directly with apprentices undergo enhanced DBS checks and safer recruitment practices are in place, including for staff who are previously known to the provider.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Leaders have implemented appropriate safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty policies. They provide staff with clear reporting processes and procedures and ensure any concerns are followed through to completion. Leaders have an appropriate structure in place for safeguarding to keep apprentices safe. The designated safeguarding lead, the deputy and safeguarding officers complete suitable training to be effective in their safeguarding roles.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Leaders recognise the need to ensure they keep up to date with local risks and threat levels nationally as they grow as a provider. They have plans in place to expand relationships with external agencies such as all regional ‘Prevent’ duty coordinators and increase the number of local authorities who they work with to ensure they remain abreast of current activity. Monitoring inspection report: Premier Books Ltd 24 and 25 June 2026

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About this inspection

Ofsted carries out monitoring inspections to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this monitoring inspection was not to determine grades for any of the evaluation areas set out in the further education and skills inspection toolkit. The purpose was to report on the provider’s progress in relation to the 4 themes set out above.

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About this inspection

Premier Books Ltd is an independent learning provider based in Immingham. They specialise in providing distance learning courses in AAT and accountancy working with companies nationally. Leaders started delivering apprenticeships in 2025, offering level 2 accounts or finance assistant, level 2 credit controller and collector, level 3 assistant accountant and level 4 professional accounting technician. At the time of the monitoring inspection, there were 12 apprentices enrolled across their apprenticeships. Most apprentices were aged over 19, are located nationally and attend their sessions online.

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funding at time of inspection

Monitoring inspection report: Premier Books Ltd 24 and 25 June 2026

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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