Alpha Care Agency Limited

Alpha Care Agency Limited

Address: Suite 5, Tottenham Town Hall, Town Hall Approach, London, N15 4RY Unique reference number (URN): 58538

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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

Staff use initial assessment well to identify apprentices and adult learners who may have barriers to learning or special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have appointed a specialist SEND assessor who trains tutors and gives targeted support to learners and apprentices. Tutors have had training in how to identify and support apprentices and learners with a range of SEND characteristics. They use suitable strategies to support these learners.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have a sound understanding of the range of challenges that adult learners and apprentices face. They identify learners at risk of falling behind. Tutors adapt their teaching strategies well to help learners and apprentices keep up. For example, tutors provide additional one-to-one sessions on clinical reasoning and use helpful writing templates for level 3 sports learners who need help. Staff and learners have suitably frequent review meetings. This enables tutors to remove support appropriately from learners who have caught up. Generally, learners or apprentices who fall behind catch up and complete successfully.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have not yet developed effective systems to measure the impact of their work on inclusion. Leaders do not provide governors with useful data about the impact of their inclusion work that could inform ongoing strategic development.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders do not have a good enough understanding of the significant weaknesses that affected a small number of learners on the level 3 business and management diploma course. For example, they did not check the accuracy of initial learning plans, nor did they assure the quality of learners' written work. Having identified some of the problems, leaders were too slow to establish the root causes and implement improvements.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

In general, leaders make good decisions in the best interest of their learners. This has had a beneficial impact on all apprentices and most adult learners. For example, decisions that leaders took to improve apprenticeship provision have contributed to a considerable increase in achievement rates over the past 2 academic years. Leaders have a clear vision for their offer which is to develop skills in the care workforce and other sectors. Leaders engage well with employers to develop their curriculum offer, which meets workforce skills needs in London and the north east.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders help teaching staff to improve their professional practice. The recent addition of SEND training has contributed to high achievement rates for most adult learners and apprentices, regardless of their barriers or starting points.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders make sure that they prioritise assessors’ wellbeing. Staff speak highly of wellbeing emails, a manageable caseload and enjoyable annual strategy days. Staff feel a sense of belonging and they feel valued.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have strengthened the governance of the provision since the previous inspection. Leaders have added employer, learner and specialist educational governors to broaden the board’s expertise. Governors celebrate improvements and provide suitable challenge in areas that still require improvement.

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Achievement Expected standard

The vast majority of adult learners pass their courses regardless of barriers to learning. Achievement rates are high across all courses.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners quickly develop new knowledge and skills as they progress through their training. For example, health and social care learners rapidly develop their communication skills. They speak to clients and their families with empathy and compassion.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners typically produce written work of the expected standard for the level 3 qualifications offered. Assignments are generally well structured and include suitable analysis, research and referencing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders ensure that adult learners are set and achieve their personal targets, such as achieving their qualifications and building confidence. In a few cases, trainers do not record learners' targets clearly enough.

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Needs attention

Adult learners are well prepared for their next steps. The majority progress into positive destinations such as further and higher education. A few learners progress into work.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Since the previous inspection, leaders and governors have significantly improved their personal development programme for adult learners. They now provide a range of appropriate topics such as keeping safe online and healthy eating.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders provide learners with well-planned careers information, advice and guidance. Personal trainer learners attend useful sessions called ‘my future vision’ to learn about opportunities, find their right path and build an online profile. Tutors help them to create business plans and introduce them to gym owners. Health and social care learners receive helpful support with university applications and preparing for interviews.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors embed fundamental British values effectively. For example, in health and social care, they link the 6 safeguarding principles to the rule of law and the individual freedoms of service users. Most learners demonstrate a sound understanding of the fundamental British values.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders set high expectations for learners' attendance and participation in lessons. Learners' attendance is generally high. Learners join online sessions promptly and are well prepared for learning.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors ensure that learners have cameras on and participate in online activities. They model respectful behaviours to create a supportive and inclusive environment. Learners are respectful to each other. They treat each other fairly and they have not experienced bullying or harassment.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Across most courses, leaders check the quality of teaching and assessment effectively and know the strengths and weaknesses of their adult provision. However, in a small area, leaders do not have effective quality checking processes in place. They have not identified serious weaknesses in the level 3 business and management diploma course, such as learners' work generated by artificial intelligence and poor initial assessment practices. In a few cases, learners on the level 3 business and management diploma are not on the correct course.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders makes sure that the curriculum they offer aligns to stakeholders' needs. Leaders provide courses that help adults to retrain into high demand sectors. For example, fitness learners aim to become personal trainers and work in the fast-growing fitness industry.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders and trainers plan and teach courses in a sensible order. Fitness courses begin with maximising customer service in gym facilities. This provides learners with knowledge of gym products, staffing structures and develops their analysis and research skills. They then have the knowledge they need to move on to learning about nutrition and planning gym sessions.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teachers are suitably qualified and experienced. They teach adult learners well, explaining topics clearly using appropriate technical terminology. For example, when discussing principles of safeguarding, teachers explain what is meant by prevention, proportionality and stakeholders. Learners learn specialist language and apply it accurately. Learners who have barriers such as illness or caring responsibilities benefit from additional one-to-one sessions, catch-up classes and a flexible approach to lesson timings.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teachers generally provide helpful feedback to learners. Feedback identifies strengths and areas for improvement and helps learners to improve their written and practical work. In a few cases, feedback is only congratulatory and does not give clear guidance that would help learners to improve their work.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders have taken effective steps to improve the proportion of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship. Apprentices, including those with barriers to success, now largely achieve their qualifications within the planned timeframe. A high proportion of those who achieve their apprenticeship gain a merit or distinction grade. Apprentices who choose to complete level 2 English and/or mathematics qualifications qualifications achieve them very well.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices apply their new knowledge and skills adeptly in the workplace. For example, level 5 operations manager apprentices use research skills well to produce projects that lead to improvements at work.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices’ work is mostly at the required standard for the level of their programme. Employers report that their practical work is of a high standard.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices who complete their apprenticeship remain in employment with their current employer. A small proportion have gained a promotion or moved to new jobs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders offer a curriculum that meets local and regional needs in the care sector. They develop care workers, leaders and managers, and a small number of associated roles. Leaders plan and sequence the curriculums well so that apprentices gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to pass their final assessments and prepare for their next steps.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors are experienced and knowledgeable about the care sector. They teach apprentices well. Tutors skilfully introduce new topics and technical language. They explain vocational language clearly and encourage apprentices to use correct terminology. For example, in adult care, apprentices learn how to talk fluently about the ‘triad of impairments’ and ‘person- centred care’ when discussing how best to support people. Tutors support apprentices well to gain the knowledge and skills they need at work, including developing their English and mathematical skills. Adult care worker apprentices learn how to use different methods of communication to support service users with complex needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors know their apprentices well. They understand their potential barriers to learning. They make suitable adaptions to their teaching and assessment methods to ensure apprentices can learn in a way that meets their needs. Tutors adapt assessments for apprentices who struggle with writing. For example, they sometimes use professional discussions as an alternative to written assignments. The curriculums are inclusive and accessible for the wide range of apprentices studying at the provider. It includes workshops, one-to-one session, reviews, online resources, in person classes and online learning. This means that all apprentices can find ways of learning that suit them.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Most apprentices are adults working in the care sector. They have busy work and home lives. Leaders have taken a sensible approach to promote wider opportunities and learning for apprentices in this context. Apprentices have access to a range of range of monthly hot- topic activities through workshops, professional discussions and newsletters. Topics are highly relevant to adult apprentices. They include digital safety, financial wellbeing and mental health and resilience.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Staff give apprentices suitable information and guidance to help them make informed choices about their next steps such as future learning and career progression. Most apprentices know about the options open to them such as the different management options in the care sector. A small number of apprentices nearing the end of their apprenticeship are not aware of the further learning they could do.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders and staff promote safeguarding and inclusion throughout the programme. Apprentices feel safe. They work in supportive workplaces and learning environments where they have not experienced bullying or harassment.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders set clear expectations with apprentices, both at induction and in the code of conduct, about their behaviour and attendance. Employers speak positively about apprentices’ attendance and professional behaviours at work. Apprentices attend their training and work well.

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

Apprentices enjoy their learning and are highly motivated. Tutors make lessons interesting and relevant. Apprentices secure, retain and recall their knowledge well and apply it effectively at work. For example, content creator apprentices talk confidently about the methods used to segment and understand audiences and how to plan content for these. Adult care apprentices explain their knowledge about infection prevention and how to support individual service users to stay safe.

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

Most adult learners are proud of their achievements. Fitness trainers gain the confidence to take on new challenges. For example, some of them volunteer to run menopause fitness groups and groups for clients suffering from poor mental health. Learners have the skills to develop personal training plans for clients with medical conditions, considering their blood pressure, heart rate and medication. Adult learners on sports, fitness and care courses thrive during their time at the provider.

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

Apprentices and learners are very well supported by their tutors. The support helps apprentices and learners meet the demands of the training, keep up to date with their work and overcome barriers such as returning to study after a long break. Tutors help apprentices and learners to keep themselves healthy and safe. During lessons, tutors cover wider 'hot topics' such as keeping healthy and online safety in an age-appropriate way. The topics relate to apprentices' and learners' interests and careers.

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

In a very few cases on the level 3 business and management diploma, learners do not understand the requirements of the course. Staff have not used initial assessment accurately and so learners are not on the correct course. In these cases, learners do not engage with wider learning opportunities and are not having a positive experience.

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Next steps

Leaders should rapidly improve the accuracy of initial assessment and course allocation to adult learning programmes so that all learners are on the course that is right for them. Leaders should swiftly improve their oversight of the level 3 business management course for adult learners so that they pick up and deal with concerns, such as the quality and veracity of learners’ work. Leaders should provide governors with coherent information about the impact of their inclusion work so that leaders and governors can work together to make evidence- informed adaptations to their inclusion strategy. Leaders should improve the consistency of tutors' feedback on adult learners' assignments so that all learners know how to improve the quality of their work.

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Lead inspector:

Claudia Harrison, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Jane Hughes, His Majesty's Inspector Paul Manning, 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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About this inspection

The inspection started on 14 July 2026. It was paused in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence. Inspectors returned on 17 July 2026 to complete 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

Alpha Care Agency Limited, trading as Alpha Gateway College (AGC), is an independent training provider that provides training to apprentices and adult loans learners. Leaders specialise in workforce development for the care sector. AGC is based in Tottenham in the London borough of Haringey, with learners and apprentices located in London and the north east of England. Apprentices are taught online with a small amount of apprenticeship training taking place in the workplace.

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About this inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were 95 apprentices across 8 apprenticeships at levels 3 to 5. The largest apprenticeships were the level 3 team leader, level 4 children, young people and families practitioner, and level 5 operations manager. There were fewer than 10 apprentices on each of level 4 children, young people and families manager, level 3 content creator, and level 5 leader in adult care apprenticeships.

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About this inspection

There were approximately 40 adult learners, funded through advanced learner loans. The largest courses were level 3 sports diploma, level 3 diploma in personal training and level 3 diploma in adult care. There were small numbers of learners on level 3 diploma in business and management, level 5 residential childcare and level 3 combined beauty.

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About this inspection

Managing Director: Audrey Meguille-Soyam

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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

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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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