The Skills and Business Hub Limited (t/a Berkshire Growth Hub)

Berkshire Growth Hub)

Address: 1, Myworkspot Proxima, 1 Grenfell Road, Maindenhead, Berkshire, SL6 1HN Unique reference number (URN): 2814698

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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 fostered a culture in which learners feel confident to share their needs and request support on the rare occasions when this is required. Leaders have completed relevant training so that they can swiftly and accurately identify where learners may be experiencing barriers to their training. They ensure that trainers use the most appropriate strategies to support learners. Leaders’ expectations for all learners are consistently high, including the small proportion who experience barriers to learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff ensure that learners can access learning and thrive. When learners struggle with verbal instructions due to short-term memory challenges, staff provide additional instruction to help them participate in learning activities and complete their work. Leaders provide a range of support for learners with mobility difficulties and ensure that all face-to-face training venues are accessible. When learners encounter financial difficulties, leaders guide them to a range of charities and external organisations.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and trainers review learners’ progress, support and wellbeing frequently, enabling them to identify promptly when any adjustments may be needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of learners’ needs. However, they recognise that information about inclusion is not yet fully embedded at all levels, particularly at board level.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Through their wider partnerships with the Skills and Business Hub, leaders have an excellent understanding of regional skills gaps. They have designed Skills Bootcamps that closely meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises in Berkshire and recently introduced the artificial intelligence (AI) for business Skills Bootcamp to support the government’s digital skills priorities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders make sure that training is highly individualised to the specific business needs of learners, all of whom are self-employed. Leaders react quickly to embed industry developments into training so that learners benefit from the most up-to-date information. For instance, leaders and trainers keep pace with new AI technology and update teaching content frequently.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and members of the board have a secure understanding of the strengths of provision and areas for improvement. They make well-founded, strategic decisions to prioritise areas for improvement. For example, their review of the first cohort on AI for business led to swift adjustments so that training was more closely aligned to learners’ individual experiences and needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governance arrangements are effective. Members of the board provide clear oversight and support leaders to strengthen and maintain the high quality of provision. Members of the board ensure leaders’ full compliance with statutory requirements.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders support trainers very well. Trainers value leaders’ approachability, care and close regard for their workload. Leaders make sure that trainers have plentiful opportunities to develop their industry knowledge and remain vocationally up to date. They provide trainers with suitable help to develop their coaching skills, including their understanding of inclusive teaching.

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Achievement Strong standard

Learners, including those with barriers to learning, develop excellent sales knowledge and skills as a result of their training. Those on the sales Skills Bootcamp gain a secure understanding of key business concepts such as market research and content strategy. Learners on the artificial intelligence for business Skills Bootcamp quickly learn to use social media automation effectively. As their confidence grows, learners work more successfully with clients and increase their sales conversions. Leaders and trainers prioritise ethical sales standards, which learners quickly adopt and value. Almost all learners complete their training. They use their greater confidence and sales skills to secure new business opportunities. Learners with barriers to learning progress and achieve in line with their peers.

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Achievement Strong standard

Throughout their training, learners produce work of a very high standard. By the end of the course, they create high-quality business strategies that they use to strengthen and expand their businesses.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of the quality of provision. They take sensible steps that enhance training, such as helping trainers to make best use of online training resources. Leaders have worked closely with the Skills and Business Hub to design Skills Bootcamps that are closely aligned to regional and national skills priorities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Specialist trainers design and sequence the programmes logically, enabling learners to build a secure grasp of core sales theory. They then apply this confidently when developing business strategies and roadmaps. As a result, learners gain a clear, practical understanding of sales and artificial intelligence (AI) concepts that they use to strengthen their own businesses.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers plan and teach engaging and purposeful lessons. They use a range of interesting scenarios and activities that help learners apply their theoretical knowledge to build their understanding of sales practice. Trainers effectively facilitate discussions in which learners can share their unique experiences so that they also learn from each other. They explain key concepts clearly. Trainers model specialist language accurately. They emphasise ethical training standards and ensure that learners recognise the value of these practices in their own businesses.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

When learners need extra help, trainers put effective support in place. For example, they offer additional time and one-to-one guidance for learners with additional needs, which enables these learners to achieve in line with their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Trainers check that learners understand well. They typically provide effective feedback for learners, particularly on the AI for business Skills Bootcamp. However, in a few instances on the sales Skills Bootcamp, learners do not consistently receive feedback about their written work that helps them to strengthen their communication skills.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have carefully cultivated inclusive, respectful and highly supportive online learning environments. Learners, including those who face barriers to learning, greatly enjoy their training. They form strong professional relationships quickly, and these often continue well beyond the programme, with alumni developing active networking communities.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Learners attend and participate excellently. Staff swiftly intervene and support learners who may miss training sessions.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Staff develop learners’ understanding of fundamental British values effectively. Learners deepen their appreciation of ethical sales practices, respect and tolerance when working with clients from diverse backgrounds. For example, staff teach learners how to work with clients who may be neurodivergent. Staff provide learners with sufficient opportunities to learn about mental and physical health, particularly in the context of running their own businesses. Leaders seamlessly embed advice and guidance to help learners understand their next steps. They offer additional voluntary webinars, known as 'Business Boosters', which give learners further support in managing their own businesses, including how to use online professional networking platforms to explore potential future career opportunities.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Learners feel safe and value leaders’ care and support. Staff ensure that learners develop appropriate understanding of safeguarding, including online safety and the risks associated with extremism and radicalisation.

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

Learners, who are all self-employed with little or no prior experience of running their own businesses, greatly enjoy the opportunities they have to be taught by specialists, to share experiences with their peers and to form close professional relationships.

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

Learners develop substantial new skills and knowledge which they apply to their own businesses successfully. For instance, they learn about and apply the different methods of marketing the unique selling points of their businesses. Learners develop their understanding of different negotiation strategies and apply this to improve sales conversions.

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

Learners with barriers to their learning receive suitable support to ensure that training is accessible. They achieve very well and in line with their peers.

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

Learners develop their essential numeracy and literacy skills and use these to strengthen the accuracy of their financial strategies and communication with clients. However, in few instances, learners on the sales Skills Bootcamp do not receive high-quality support to develop their written communication skills.

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

Learners demonstrate high standards of professional behaviour. They engage and participate excellently with their training. They exemplify mutual respect and tolerance as they learn about how to work with clients from a range of different backgrounds. Learners recognise and value the importance of ethical working practices and client care and the impact that this has on long-term business success.

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

Learners develop their understanding of how to remain physically and mentally healthy. They benefit from clear and purposeful opportunities to understand their next steps, which are woven seamlessly into the training programme.

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

Learners feel safe and are confident that leaders will resolve any concerns swiftly and effectively.

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Team inspectors:

Alun Maddocks, Ofsted Inspector Kay Hedges, Ofsted Inspector

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Next steps

Leaders should provide staff with rich and highly tailored programmes of continued professional development, particularly to help them to develop their knowledge and skills in training and inclusive practice. Leaders should ensure that directors and other relevant senior leaders are well informed about inclusive practices in Skills Bootcamp provision. Leaders should ensure that learners receive feedback that helps them to develop their written communication skills. Leaders should continue to strengthen opportunities for learners to develop their understanding of staying mentally and physically health.

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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

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with leaders, trainers, learners and stakeholders 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

The Skills and Business Hub Limited, trading as Berkshire Growth Hub, is an independent learning provider based in Reading, Berkshire. It is part of The Skills and Business Hub, a not-for-profit organisation which supports businesses across the region. Leaders offer Skills Bootcamps to self-employed business owners. At the time of the inspection, there were 19 learners on the sales Skills Bootcamp and 18 on the artificial intelligence for business. These programmes are 60 hours in length and taught over approximately 16 weeks. Most of the training takes place online, with a small amount of face-to-face teaching taking place in hired venues in the region at the beginning and end of training programmes.

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About this inspection

Alison Webster: Chief Executive Officer 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. 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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