Norton Webb Limited

Norton Webb Limited

Address: Kingswood House, 80, Richardshaw Lane, Stanningley, Pudsey, West Yorkshire, LS28 6BN Unique reference number (URN): 2495246

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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

Staff assess apprentices’ support needs accurately during enrolment and induction. They very effectively identify any previously undiagnosed learning difficulties and support needs early in the apprenticeship.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and tutors work seamlessly with employers and external specialists to ensure that apprentices with a wide range of barriers to learning, such as ill health and learning difficulties, receive the support they need to complete their apprenticeships. The support that tutors provide positively impacts apprentices’ ability to do their jobs and encourages them to work inclusively in their own workplaces. Many apprentices say that they are receiving the support they need to succeed for the first time in their lives.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff use their comprehensive, expert training to provide highly effective support to help apprentices to manage their emotionally demanding work roles, for example working in secure children’s homes and adult social care. Apprentices who struggle with their wellbeing and mental health receive very constructive support that enables them to thrive in the most challenging circumstances and cope with work-related challenges such as compassion fatigue and bereavement.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Tutors provide expertly tailored resources in individual sessions with apprentices which helps to build substantial confidence because apprentices can see the actual progress that they are making. Apprentices who have support needs achieve at least as well as those who do not need support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors have a clear understanding of their provision’s strengths and areas for improvement. Governors provide effective support for leaders to help them to shape strategic direction and make decisions. They scrutinise data and reports to ensure that leaders make improvements, including maintaining a focus on retention of apprentices. Governors challenge leaders to increase the support that they provide to apprentices with barriers to learning or are at risk of falling behind. Leaders are considerate of staff wellbeing and workloads. They recognise the potential strains on tutors that may arise from teaching apprentices in very emotionally challenging work situations. Leaders are very supportive of staff and help them to prioritise their own mental health, including practices such as meditation and mindfulness. They meet with staff frequently to check on their welfare and ensure that tutors have autonomy to manage their

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and managers are committed to reducing apprentices' barriers to learning so they make sure that their staff receive up-to-date information to help them to meet the needs of apprentices. However, leaders do not use the information they gather from quality assurance processes to target staff training and development to enhance tutors' professional practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work very effectively with employers to tailor their curriculums and support for individual apprentices. Employers value the work that the provider does and are highly complimentary of their responsiveness, adaptability and flexibility, stating they go above and beyond to support them and their apprentices.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices make at least the expected progress from their starting points, including those with barriers to learning. Apprentices produce work of an appropriate standard for the level at which they are studying.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need for their work roles. For example, apprentices on the level 5 leader in adult care apprenticeship can confidently use legislation, leadership theory and professional judgement to strengthen safeguarding procedures and lead their teams more effectively.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices that complete their programmes pass their end-point assessments within the planned timescale. Approximately a third of apprentices gain distinctions. Apprentices with barriers to learning achieve at least in line with their peers and in a few cases better than those apprentices without barriers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Tutors prepare apprentices effectively for their next steps. Apprentices develop confidence, occupational competency and leaderships skills. Most apprentices gain promotions and increased responsibilities in their job roles or progress to higher level courses.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders understand the quality of the provision well. They identify weaknesses promptly and intervene swiftly to rectify them. They recruit apprentices to courses carefully and, in confirming their commitment to achieving, have improved the proportion of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and tutors plan curriculums that meet individual apprentices’ and employers’ needs. Tutors plan learning using apprentices’ starting points and fill any gaps in their essential knowledge. Apprentices on the level 3 lead adult care worker apprenticeship who struggle with communication skills complete the communication unit first so that they can better understand how to communicate with service users. They design vision boards to help service users express their needs and emotions. However, in a few cases in mathematics and English, tutors plan less effectively, giving insufficient focus to the key principles which apprentices need to learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that tutors are sector experts and many continue to be practicing professionals. This ensures that apprentices benefit from high-quality training that is responsive to their individual needs and workplace requirements. Tutors use real examples and case studies to prompt apprentices to link taught information to their job roles. On the level 4 children, young people and families practitioner apprenticeship, apprentices explore e-safety in the context of the likely impact the new social media ban will have on isolated young people and links to their friendship and support groups.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors teach the curriculum through adaptive teaching strategies that support apprentices with barriers to learning well. They use oral assessment, observations, recordings, breaking down tasks, scheduling movement breaks and bespoke resources to enable apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities to demonstrate their knowledge skills and behaviours without lowering expectations.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders provide a range of opportunities to support apprentices’ wider development. Through a fully embedded ‘safe, equal and well’ curriculum, apprentices develop their understanding of the importance of kindness in the community, which often leads to charity work and volunteering opportunities. Employers value and recognise the positive impact that this has on apprentices’ confidence and competence.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders prioritise apprentices’ wellbeing and ensure that they provide safe and respectful learning environments. There are no reported incidents of bullying, unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation. Apprentices praise the open and supportive culture and would not hesitate to speak to staff if they had any concerns. Apprentices attend well. On the few occasions where apprentices do not make contact for an absence, staff take swift action to ensure that apprentices catch up with their studies.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Empathetic tutors provide a range of pastoral support to apprentices that includes helping them to face challenges in their daily lives as well as supporting them in their studies. For example, tutors help apprentices to improve their organisational skills and time management. Apprentices receive appropriate careers guidance and know where they can get any additional advice when needed. They are positive about leaders’ and staffs' supportive approach to their career aspirations and goals.

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

Apprentices develop the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours they need for successful careers in very challenging settings such as in secure children's homes, adult residential care homes and caring for children and adults with life-limiting conditions. An increasing proportion of apprentices achieve their apprenticeship and progress to promoted positions or further training and education.

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

Apprentices benefit from highly personalised and flexible one-to-one training that meets their needs. Tutors are approachable, responsive and provide apprentices with the support that they need to be successful. Apprentices facing barriers to learning such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, or significant personal challenges have access to a range of support from specialist tutors and external experts. Those with social, emotional or mental health problems receive help with emotional regulation and coping with stress. This helps apprentices to develop strategies that have a positive impact in their professional and personal lives.

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

Apprentices have positive attitudes to their training. They are highly committed to their work and to making a positive difference to the lives of their service users.

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

Apprentices have access to a wide-ranging personal development curriculum that prepares them for challenges in their work roles and in their personal lives. They receive guidance on topics such as alcohol abuse, gambling, hate crime, housing, consent and fraud. Leaders have included topics that are relevant to apprentices’ job roles, which includes compassion fatigue and pathological demand avoidance. Apprentices feel well informed and thrive in their workplaces.

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

Apprentices belong to an inclusive community. They develop their understanding of protected characteristics, British values and cultural diversity. Apprentices on the level 5 leader in adult care develop the confidence to use their learning about the Care Act and the Equality act to challenge discriminatory language from service users.

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Next steps

Leaders should provide professional developmental to support and enhance their staff’s teaching skills, linked to the areas for improvement identified through quality assurance processes. Leaders should ensure that staff plan effective curriculums in mathematics and English to develop apprentices' skills.

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Team inspectors:

Rebecca Clare, His Majesty's Inspector Gareth Luke, Ofsted Inspector Rebecca Iverson, Ofsted Inspector Iain Glendinning, Ofsted 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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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data is from 7 July 2026 Leaders should ensure that the actions which they have taken to improve retention of apprentices continue to have a positive impact on achievement.

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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, tutors, apprentices, employers and stakeholders during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider: Norton Webb Limited provides apprenticeships nationally through face-to-face and online training with the largest proportion of apprentices in West Yorkshire. At the time of the inspection, there were 478 apprentices who were mostly over 19 years of age. Fewer than 5 apprentices were under 19. Almost half of the apprentices were studying the level 4 children, young people and families practitioner apprenticeship. There were 78 apprentices studying on the level 3 lead adult care worker apprenticeship, 74 studying on the level 5 children, young people and families manager apprenticeship, 51 studying on the level 5 leader in adult care apprenticeship and 40 studying on the level 2 adult care worker apprenticeship. A small number of apprentices are on courses that are no longer open for enrolments. There were 6 apprentices working towards English and mathematics functional skills qualifications.

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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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