Genius Software Solutions Limited

Genius Software Solutions Limited

Address: 1439, CUMBERNAULD ROAD, GLASGOW, G33 1AN Unique reference number (URN): 1280339

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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 have established an inclusive culture and know their apprentices very well. They are fully aware of any needs their apprentices have before and during their apprenticeship.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Tutors identify reasonable adjustments and support that apprentices may need and put in place useful strategies and actions that they agree with the apprentice and their employer. They then review the support provided with apprentices and their employers during progress reviews and make relevant changes as required, including reducing support where appropriate.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders acknowledge that they do not currently explore the full range of apprentices’ needs systematically. These include checks on whether apprentices are care experienced or known to youth justice services. Leaders have plans in place to rectify this.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff with responsibility for arranging additional support for apprentices have appropriate experience. They provide staff with helpful training and resources to support apprentices with a range of needs. These include the effective use of artificial intelligence to create podcasts that cover essential reading materials for apprentices who struggle to retain information through reading.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have in place effective governance arrangements. External governors provide useful support and sensible challenge to leaders. Leaders ensure that governors monitor important topics such as safeguarding, achievement and employer relationships at board meetings. As a result, leaders and governors are aware of the organisation’s strengths and areas for improvement and are able to take action to resolve these.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Senior leaders are very respectful and considerate of the welfare and wellbeing of their staff. They ensure that tutors have manageable workloads.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders recruit highly skilled tutors to teach their apprentices. Tutors are qualified up to degree level and hold fellowships and chartered status with professional bodies. Leaders support tutors to keep their knowledge current. They provide updates on teaching, assessment and coaching practices relevant to apprentices’ needs. This includes understanding neurodiversity and autism.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and staff work closely with employers to ensure that apprentices made adequate progress through their apprenticeships. Employers value the useful meetings and updates, which include topics such as individual and cohort attendance and progress towards end- point-assessments. Employers appreciate that at any given time they are aware of their apprentices' learning journey and can intervene quickly should there be a need. Leaders use subcontractors appropriately and manage these provision closely. They are aware of the progress and attendance of their apprentices. Apprentices in the subcontracted provision progress well and achieve in line with their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices achieve well and make sustained progress from their starting points. This includes apprentices in subcontracted provision and those with barriers to learning. Although the number of apprentices achieving distinction grades is low, the actions that leaders have taken to improve this are beginning to have an impact.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices develop significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours. As a result of their learning and increased knowledge, level 4 project management apprentices are now able to manage large infrastructure projects, such as upgrading sections of the M4 motorway.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices develop their English, mathematics and digital skills well. Level 3 customer service apprentices improve their oral communication skills for dealing with customers, improve their writing skills when completing technical assignments and use software systems confidently.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices are prepared well for their next steps. For example, level 3 accountancy apprentices are working toward chartered accountant status and a high proportion of level 3 customer service apprentices progress to degree level apprenticeships.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders understand their curriculum offer well and work closely with employers to plan training that meets specific sector needs. For example, on level 4 project management apprenticeships, an employer identified that tutors were using technical language that did not align with theirs. In response, tutors adapted the terminology they use in that curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors plan and sequence curriculums carefully. For example, level 3 accountancy apprentices learn about breakeven and safety margins before moving on to more complex topics such as asset disposal and lagged receipts that impact on customer account balances.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors are experienced, highly qualified practitioners. They use a range of effective teaching strategies, including breaking down learning activities into smaller parts, effective discussion topics and using apprentices’ own findings to work through mock examination questions. Tutors routinely recap previous learning using starter activities and quizzes and use break- out rooms successfully during virtual lessons. However, a few apprentices are unaware of the grade they are currently working at and may miss the opportunity to work to distinction level.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff accurately identify apprentices' additional support needs, making reasonable adjustments for them as required. For example, they ensure that apprentices receive extra time in examinations and have frequent breaks during learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Employers value the communication with the provider's staff to ensure that any concerns about an apprentice’s performance are raised and dealt with promptly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders review lessons, including in the subcontracted provision, as part of their quality assurance cycle. However, managers acknowledge that they do not assess the effectiveness of the teaching strategies tutors use as part of this process.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders provide apprentices with a helpful suite of short courses which are well attended and help to improve apprentices' workplace behaviours and skills. Tutors promote the benefits of positive physical and mental health using a wide range of resources. Younger apprentices receive helpful support to develop their understanding of what constitutes a healthy relationship. They learn about consent, and the risks of coercive control, domestic violence and toxic masculinity.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices attend their training to a consistently high level. Staff set high expectations for apprentices' attendance, who inform the apprentice's employer and tutors promptly if they will not be attending.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices benefit from frequent and helpful impartial careers advice and guidance. Tutors discuss apprentices’ next steps with employers, such as progression opportunities with the employer and further opportunities, including degree apprenticeships. Level 3 accounting apprentices know that they can progress, as an employed assistant accountant, to level 4 pathways that lead to chartered accountant status and business partner opportunities.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders ensure that apprentices work in safe and secure learning environments. Apprentices consistently follow a clear set of professional standards as set by their employer and reinforced by tutors. They have not experience any bullying or harassment.

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

Most apprentices, including those with the subcontractor, achieve well and build successful careers due to the new knowledge and skills they gain. They develop significant confidence from the start of their training, asking questions during lessons, taking part in workplace discussions and seeking support when required. Apprentices learn about the benefits of positive physical and mental health from a wide range of resources. Tutors provide helpful guidance during regular one-to-one meetings, equipping apprentices with strategies to counter workplace stress and other concerns.

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

Apprentices develop a secure understanding of the risks associated with radicalisation, extremism and local threats. For example, tutors on the level 3 customer service apprenticeship reinforce during progress reviews content on these topics that learners covered at the start of their training. Apprentices have a good understanding of county lines and knife crime and where they are prevalent in their local area.

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

Throughout their training, apprentices exemplify fundamental British values and model these in the workplace. They apply this understanding to their customer service roles by respecting differences and demonstrating a clear understanding of how the rule of law protects customer data and confidentiality.

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

Apprentices who have additional support needs or require adaptations receive these early in the course. For instance, customer service apprentices who speak English as an additional language receive effective support from tutors that is reviewed and amended over time. They benefit from specific written feedback on assignments, which tutors further reinforce with detailed verbal explanations.

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

Apprentices benefit from a varied suite of short courses, including time management, stakeholder management and digital research. A high proportion of apprentices use these resources effectively to enhance their workplace skills.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that they evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching strategies tutors use so that they can make any necessary improvements through their quality assurance arrangements. Leaders should put in place arrangements to understand the full range of potential barriers that apprentices could have faced prior to commencing their apprenticeship so they can put appropriate support in place. Leaders should continue to implement their plans to increase the proportion of apprentices who achieve distinction grades.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspectors 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 senior leaders, managers, tutors, employers, subcontractors and apprentices during the inspection.

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Lead inspector:

Glenise Burrell, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Ian Frear, His Majesty's Inspector Jonny Wright, 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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Apprenticeships overall achievement rate

Genius People, the training arm of Genius Software Solutions Limited, is based in Glasgow. Leaders offer a range of apprenticeships including level 3 senior financial services customer adviser, level 3 customer service specialist, level 3 team leader/supervisor, level 5 coaching professional, level 4 associate project management and level 3 business administration. Leaders work with one subcontractor to offer the level 3 assistant accountant and level 4 professional accountant apprenticeships. At the time of the inspection, there were 40 apprentices based in England across these programmes who were in scope for this inspection.

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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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