Extraordinary Collective

Extraordinary Collective

Address: 1 Sherwood Avenue, Crosby, Liverpool, Merseyside, L23 7YG Unique reference number (URN): 2761328

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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 have established a welcoming and inclusive learning culture. They use effective strategies that consistently enhance learners’ experiences, including for those who are disadvantaged or have barriers to learning. Leaders quickly and accurately identify learners’ needs before they start the Skills Bootcamp. Leaders and trainers reduce barriers to learning in a timely fashion. They provide flexible teaching, mentoring and assessment methods to help learners to overcome their barriers to learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders place emphasis on accessibility through a universal design approach, ensuring that inclusive practices benefit all learners. Leaders implement a wide range of inclusive practices to support learners’ participation, progress and achievement. These include recording all training sessions for later access, using accessible presentation formats, offering flexibility around camera use, and enabling the use of closed captions. Learners also have access to assistive technologies and can submit portfolio evidence in a range of formats that best meet their needs. Leaders review the effectiveness of the training and support they offer frequently.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are proactive in making evidence-informed adaptations to their inclusion strategy. They base these on their knowledge and understanding of different learners’ needs. Leaders have appointed an inclusion lead with significant expertise in the field. Trainers receive highly relevant training to strengthen and continuously improve their inclusive practice.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are unwavering in their commitment to securing the very best experiences for learners. They have a highly accurate understanding of their strengths and areas for development. They continue to make improvements so that learners follow an expertly designed and taught curriculum that is closely aligned to learners' needs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governors bring a wealth of experience from education, marketing and finance. They play an active role in supporting the strategic development of the organisation. They contribute to informed discussions about curriculum quality and provide effective support and challenge.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders use their well-established professional networks to inform and enhance the curriculum. Trainers have been carefully selected for their credibility as successful marketing professionals. Employers provide valuable industry insight and challenge, ensuring that the curriculum remains responsive to labour market needs and equips learners with the skills required for sustained success.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Trainers engage in extensive and highly relevant professional development that strengthens their digital expertise and teaching. They attend numerous events about emerging technologies and industry developments, contribute to professional networks and share their effective practice across the sector. Trainers develop their teaching skills through training on retrieval practice, metacognition and feedback. This professional learning is translated effectively into practice through a well-established peer review process, enabling trainers to reflect on, share and strengthen their teaching approaches. Leaders ensure staff feel valued. They demonstrate genuine consideration for workload and wellbeing and create an environment in which staff are proud to work. Leaders ensure that staff are protected from bullying, discrimination or harassment.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have designed and implemented an innovative curriculum that provides learners with a comprehensive understanding of digital marketing and how this can be used in their own individual business context. The curriculum covers a broad range of relevant topics and is further strengthened by the mentoring and personalised support and guidance that trainers provide.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders ensure the curriculum fully meets the needs of employers and self-employed individuals. Trainers with extensive and up-to-date knowledge of the digital marketing sector routinely review, evaluate, and enhance the curriculum so that it remains relevant, current, and aligned with industry developments. Drawing on their substantial professional experience, trainers incorporate emerging trends, technologies and best practices. For example, when a new artificial intelligence tool was released, trainers promptly included it in the course.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Trainers skilfully teach the course. They use a wide range of carefully planned learning activities, practical tasks, and high-quality resources to engage learners and promote a deep understanding. Training is enriched through real-life examples, industry insights and workplace applications. This enables learners to develop the knowledge and skills required to succeed in the digital marketing sector.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Learners, including those who face barriers to learning, receive highly effective and individually tailored support that enables them to make sustained progress. Trainers provide helpful guidance, additional explanations and flexible approaches to learning. Learners benefit from coaching and mentoring sessions that are personalised to their specific goals, business needs and areas for development.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders devise and implement effective strategies that help learners fully take part in their training and wider development. They set high expectations for learners’ attendance and behaviour. Attendance rates are very high. Leaders monitor attendance closely and create a supportive and engaging learning experience that motivates learners to attend regularly and fully participate. Learners know leaders would not tolerate any incidents of bullying or discrimination. They consistently demonstrate high levels of professionalism and respect.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders ensure that learners explore wider topics beyond the course. They place a strong emphasis on the importance of social value. Learners consider how they can use their skills to benefit others through fundraising, supporting local charities, providing work experience opportunities or volunteering their time and expertise. These activities are often focused on the communities in which learners live and work, helping them develop a strong sense of social responsibility.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders provide high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance. This is tailored to learners’ aspirations and business goals. Learners receive support to develop business plans, identify growth opportunities, and access relevant tenders, grants and funding. They are encouraged to attend networking events and are signposted to further qualifications and professional learning opportunities.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most learners, including those with barriers to learning, complete the Skills Bootcamp and achieve positive outcomes. They secure promotions, take on greater responsibilities at work or successfully apply their learning to win bids and contracts for their businesses because of the digital marketing skills they have developed.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners make sustained progress and develop a range of new skills. They gain experience using artificial intelligence and understand how this can be used in their business to improve efficiency and productivity. They develop their understanding of customer profiling, enabling them to better understand their target audiences. This helps them to align their marketing strategies with customer needs.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders work with learners to agree ambitious targets. These encapsulate relevant professional goals, such as developing repeatable marketing systems and implementing referral incentives.

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

Learners recognise the positive impact that the digital marketing Skills Bootcamp has on their personal and professional development. They gain substantial new knowledge and skills in digital marketing, social media, artificial intelligence, branding and business development. Learners readily apply what they learn directly to their workplaces. This leads to improved performance, greater customer engagement and business growth. Learners are very well prepared well for their next steps and develop their businesses using the skills they have acquired. Many learners describe the course as one of the best training experiences they have ever had.

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

Learners are highly motivated and take pride in producing work of a high standard. They are fully committed to the course and take part enthusiastically in training. Learners collaborate effectively with their peers, particularly in breakout rooms during online training sessions, where they share experiences and learn from others' perspectives.

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

Learners feel highly valued, included and respected. They describe a welcoming and supportive learning environment where everyone is encouraged to contribute, regardless of their prior knowledge or experience. Learners appreciate how leaders and trainers successfully create a strong sense of community, with learners supporting one another during and after the course. Learners particularly value the approachable and caring nature of staff, who take time to understand their individual needs and provide personalised support.

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

Learners explore topics beyond digital marketing. They demonstrate a secure understanding of fundamental British Values. They confidently discuss how they apply these values in their training through respecting the views of others and listening respectfully to perspectives that may differ from their own.

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

Learners thrive in a culture that promotes confidence, wellbeing and aspiration. Learners report increased motivation, enthusiasm and confidence, alongside tangible improvements in their businesses. Learners value the continued support available to them long after the course ends.

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Next steps

Leaders should further improve the proportion of learners who make extensive progress from their starting points and achieve positive outcomes. Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure continued improvement to achieve and sustain exceptional standards of teaching and training in order to have a transformational impact on all learners’ achievement, particularly for those with barriers to learning.

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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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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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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it.

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Strong standard

Inspectors spoke with directors, governors, trainers, learners and employers during the inspection.

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Strong standard

Extraordinary Collective is an independent learning provider based in Liverpool. It provides Skills Bootcamps in digital marketing. At the time of the inspection, there were 9 learners studying an eight-week course online.

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Strong standard

Director : Angela McCelland 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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