MetaGedu Apprenticeships Ltd

MetaGedu Apprenticeships Ltd

Address: Norfolk House, Smallbrook, Queensway, Birmingham, B5 4EG Unique reference number (URN): 2626864

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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 Strong standard

Leaders place inclusion at the heart of their work. They have created a supportive environment, where apprentices feel confident, respected and able to succeed. Staff promote high aspirations for all apprentices and ensure that those who face barriers to learning, participation or wellbeing receive timely and effective support. Apprentices feel highly valued and supported to achieve their goals.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff identify apprentices’ needs swiftly and develop a detailed understanding of their circumstances and potential barriers to success. They maintain close oversight of apprentices’ progress and wellbeing and review support arrangements frequently. Staff respond quickly to changing or emerging needs and adjust support well.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders implement very effective support strategies that meet a wide range of needs. Staff receive well-tailored training and guidance so they can provide consistent and well-targeted support. Apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face disadvantage benefit from personalised support that helps them access learning, build confidence and strengthen their wellbeing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders evaluate the impact of the support they offer carefully and adapt their approach smartly. They work closely with employers to ensure that support remains effective and proportionate to apprentices’ needs. As apprentices develop greater confidence, resilience, independence and self-worth, staff reduce support carefully. This helps apprentices to take increasing ownership of their learning, overcome barriers successfully and achieve positive outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and purposeful vision for apprenticeships in financial, digital and professional services. They set high expectations and ensure that each apprenticeship equips employers with a skilled workforce. They have an accurate understanding of the strengths and priorities of the provision and recognise where further improvement is needed. For example, they are aware that the quality of teaching across curriculums is not yet uniformly expert. Governors have extensive experience and expertise in education and finance. They support and challenge senior leaders effectively and fulfil their statutory responsibilities. Governors use their expertise to highlight strengths and identify priorities for improvement. When leaders identify a priority, governors support them well and hold them to account for the impact of their actions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders provide coaches with training that keeps them up to date with industry developments and strengthens their teaching practice. When leaders identify a development need, they provide well-considered training and coaching to support improvement in practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders place a high priority on staff wellbeing. They take careful account of work-life balance and ensure that coaches manage realistic caseloads. Leaders thoughtfully adjust caseloads for new coaches and for those with additional responsibilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work with employers to strengthen learning opportunities for apprentices. In most cases, they secure opportunities that extend beyond the apprenticeship curriculum, including advanced management qualifications and postgraduate certifications.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices make excellent progress from their starting points, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face disadvantage. Achievement rates are high, and a notable proportion of apprentices achieve distinction grades in their end- point assessment.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices build a thorough and secure understanding of their learning. They apply this knowledge consistently in the workplace and take on tasks with confidence. Data technician apprentices use data analytics accurately to identify trends, check quality and provide reliable information that supports business decisions.

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Achievement Strong standard

Apprentices produce work of a high standard that has a positive impact in the workplace. They apply their knowledge and skills with confidence and make valuable contributions to their employers. Finance apprentices design and introduce systems that improve efficiency, strengthen business performance and support growth.

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Expected standard

Apprentices are very well prepared for their next steps. A very high proportion secure permanent employment, achieve promotion or progress to roles with greater responsibility through the knowledge and skills they gain.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders maintain a clear understanding of the quality of the curriculum, teaching and training. They ensure that the curriculums that they offer align with local, regional and national employment priorities and meet the needs of employers in the digital, financial and professional services sectors. They monitor the quality of teaching and training closely and provide coaches with suitable targeted professional development to strengthen their teaching practice.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders work closely with employers to design curriculums that meet industry needs and help apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that employers require. They structure the curriculum logically so that apprentices build their learning over time. Coaches and employers coordinate on- and off-the-job training effectively and use progress reviews to identify clear next steps. As a result, apprentices routinely practise, refine and apply their learning in the workplace and grow in confidence in their job roles.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Coaches, in most cases, teach apprentices effectively. They use a range of carefully planned activities that help apprentices to develop relevant industry knowledge and skills. For example, coaches use interactive and collaborative tasks, problem-solving activities and real-world scenarios to maintain apprentices’ interest and participation in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and coaches ensure that the curriculum is accessible and inclusive. Apprentices who need additional support receive highly effective help to overcome barriers to learning. For example, apprentices who are neurodivergent benefit from considered learning sessions that reduce cognitive overload and help them access learning more successfully. Apprentices engage confidently in learning, participate fully and make sound progress towards their goals.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders promote apprentices’ wider development, character and wellbeing effectively. They ensure that apprentices benefit from suitable opportunities beyond the core curriculum that support their personal and professional development. However, they recognise the need to expand these opportunities so that apprentices can make more frequent and meaningful contributions to their workplaces and communities.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have established a positive and inclusive culture in which apprentices feel valued and supported. Staff know apprentices well and respond to their needs. Leaders do not tolerate bullying, discrimination, harassment or victimisation. As a result, apprentices feel safe and welcome. Apprentices attend well and engage positively in their learning. They build confidence, resilience and strong professional relationships with their coaches and each other. Coaches help apprentices understand workplace expectations, such as business etiquette, professional conduct and time management. Apprentices become more self-assured and better prepared for their current roles and future careers.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices benefit from appropriate careers information, advice and guidance throughout their programmes and have a suitable understanding of the career pathways available to them. However, coaches do not routinely help apprentices to develop a detailed understanding of future career pathways or to feel fully confident about taking their next steps.

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

Apprentices apply their learning confidently to sector-specific challenges. They develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to succeed in financial, digital and professional roles. Finance apprentices confidently analyse real-world client scenarios, weigh financial risks and benefits and recommend appropriate solutions. They develop analytical and decision-making skills that employers value highly.

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

Apprentices achieve very well. A substantial proportion achieve a distinction grade in their apprenticeship, and almost all progress on to positive destinations that reflect their high ambitions and planned next steps.

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

Apprentices benefit from a highly supportive learning environment and value the training they receive greatly. Coaches and leaders know apprentices well and quickly identify gaps in knowledge and understanding. Through the teaching, individual support and constructive feedback that they receive, apprentices strengthen their understanding successfully.

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

Apprentices develop confidence in their abilities, build resilience and learn how to respond positively to challenges and setbacks in their learning.

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

Apprentices feel safe, valued and well supported. Staff support their wellbeing effectively and ensure that they understand the risks they may face in their everyday lives, including radicalisation and extremism and the risks posed online. Apprentices know how to report concerns and have confidence in staff to respond effectively.

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Next steps

Leaders should take action to ensure that the quality of the curriculum is consistently high, so that all apprentices receive the same high standard of teaching and training. Leaders should strengthen careers education, information, advice and guidance, so that apprentices develop a more detailed understanding of their future pathways and feel more confident about taking their next steps.

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Team inspectors:

Jack Bullock, Ofsted Inspector Jacqueline Ecoeur, Ofsted Inspector Greg Dugdale, Ofsted Inspector Joel Dalhouse, 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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Total learners

Leaders should broaden the range of wider opportunities available to apprentices, so that apprentices develop greater confidence, independence and personal and social responsibility.

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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, coaches, 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

MetaGedu Apprenticeships Ltd is an independent learning provider based in Birmingham that specialises in apprenticeship training in financial services, digital services and professional services. The provider works with employers nationally. A substantial proportion of apprenticeship training takes place online. At the time of the inspection, there were 177 apprentices in learning, 6 of whom were aged between 16 and 18.

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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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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