Isales Academy Limited

Isales Academy Limited

Address: X M A Head Office, Unit 7 Handley Way, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL2 3QF Unique reference number (URN): 2772958

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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 created an inclusive culture enabling apprentices to achieve their learning and career goals. Apprentices highly value the supportive environment that tutors provide, including personalised support that helps them adopt effective learning strategies. Apprentices gain confidence and exceed their expectations.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Tutors use initial and ongoing assessments very effectively to identify apprentices’ support needs and set actions that meet apprentices’ individual needs. They frequently review support plans and adapt these as apprentices' needs change. They collaborate very effectively with workplace mentors to support apprentices. This contributes to enabling apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and barriers to learning to thrive.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Tutors tailor the support that they offer so that apprentices' specific needs are met. For example, they provide apprentices with frequent breaks and use assistive technology for those with dyslexia and artificial intelligence tools to support written work. Tutors sensitively use alternative assessment methods, such as professional discussions, to reduce apprentices' reliance on written tasks.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff are experienced and trained in inclusion. All staff have completed accredited SEND training. Leaders also provide frequent updates and training on inclusion and SEND, sharing best practices in meetings. Tutors apply this training very effectively to support apprentices’ needs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and governors have a strong grasp of the quality of their provision. They effectively apply rigorous quality assurance processes to monitor the quality of teaching and training. As a result of the actions that they have taken, teaching is consistently of a high quality. Leaders have recently taken steps to improve the consistency of written feedback that apprentices receive. They have also established a calendar of wider activities for apprentices’ personal development. However, it is too early to see the full impact of this work.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders work closely with industry stakeholders so they understand current and emerging business needs. They lead in digital-sector-related education networks to shape artificial intelligence curriculums to meet future workforce skills needs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and managers support employers in the recruitment of apprentices. They ensure that employers understand the requirements of an apprenticeship and manage a smooth onboarding process for apprentices. Employers benefit greatly from this support in providing a strong pipeline of talent from whom they can select future employees.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders support the wellbeing of staff through initiatives such as flexible remote working. Managers meet frequently with tutors to monitor their workloads, which helps tutors feel valued and supported. Leaders invest in staff training, offering industry updates through networking, webinars and online learning. They develop tutors’ teaching skills very effectively through feedback from lesson observations. They facilitate the sharing of best practice in frequent meetings where they celebrate innovative teaching practice. This contributes to tutors provide high-quality online teaching and support for apprentices.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have developed a highly ambitious curriculum offer that meets changing employer needs and sector priorities. They work collaboratively with employers to design and teach curriculums that reflect current industry practices. Apprentices benefit from a rich and relevant curriculums that include additional learning on topics such as artificial intelligence, information technology and sustainability. This helps them to develop the broader knowledge and skills needed for future employment and career progression.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Tutors expertly teach and assess apprentices. They draw on their industry expertise and workplace examples to make learning relevant, engaging and memorable. Through role play, reflective discussions and skilled questioning, tutors deepen apprentices’ understanding and help them confidently apply new knowledge to their job roles and workplace projects. Sales and marketing apprentices build their knowledge progressively, developing a secure understanding of customer relationship management systems before progressing to more complex topics, such as database management, campaign planning and data analysis.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Tutors develop apprentices’ digital, mathematical and communication skills through replicating workplace activities. Apprentices analyse data, calculate sales margins and percentages, produce customer presentations and create marketing campaigns. Most apprentices benefit from comprehensive feedback, linked closely to distinction criteria, which helps them to refine their work and achieve highly.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Tutors set high expectations and create an inclusive learning environment. They use information from assessments and cohort profiles to adapt teaching and resources to meet

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Expected standard

individuals' needs. Apprentices with additional needs benefit from tailored coaching, assistive technologies, flexible arrangements and timely support.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices, including those who face barriers to learning, make significant progress from their starting points and achieve well. Overall achievement rates are high. Most apprentices complete their training on time and pass their final assessment at the first attempt, with a high proportion achieving a distinction grade. Staff set apprentices ambitious, individual targets, which most apprentices achieve.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices gain new knowledge and skills, which makes them more productive in their roles. They enhance their skills in outbound calling and customer engagement. Apprentices build their confidence and their ability to manage difficult customer interactions, improving workplace performance.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices produce work of the expected standard. They demonstrate their secure understanding of topics through well-structured assignments, comprehensive responses to tutors’ questions and illustrative presentations. However, tutors do not ensure that apprentices' work is consistently of a high standard and, in a few instances, it lacks sufficient structure, depth and evaluative content.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices are well prepared for their next steps, often gaining employment or promotions, or progressing to higher qualifications.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have created a welcoming learning environment where apprentices feel respected and safe. Apprentices, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, enjoy their learning and are motivated to succeed. They value the friendly online environment created by the staff. Tutors set high professional standards, which apprentices respect. Apprentices attend well, have positive attitudes and collaborate effectively with peers.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors and workplace mentors help apprentices to develop as individuals, both personally and professionally. Apprentices, particularly younger ones, display increasing confidence and resilience throughout their studies. They are encouraged to build confidence through entering skills competitions and community involvement, such as charity events like the Three Peaks Challenge. However, there are too few wider opportunities available to meet the needs and interests of all apprentices.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices learn about mental and physical health, how to stay safe and digital safety. They apply British values, such as democracy and mutual respect, in their work and appreciate workplace diversity. However, some younger apprentices do not develop a secure understanding of positive, healthy relationships. Apprentices are effectively supported by tutors in exploring individual career options and progression routes, helping them plan for their future.

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

Apprentices benefit from the extensive industry experience and knowledge that their tutors have gained working in the sales and marketing sector. They highly value the engaging and collaborative nature of their online lessons and workshops. They enjoy working alongside their peers with whom they enthusiastically share effective digital, sales and marketing strategies.

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

Apprentices become valued team members at work. They learn about time management and techniques that help them focus on completing tasks efficiently. Business administrator apprentices understand key concepts, such as diversity, inclusion and customer interactions, and apply them successfully to workplace situations. They help contribute positively to improvements in organisational policies, processes and professional practices. In sales, apprentices learn how to deal with cold-calling rejection and how to use a slide deck and present information with positive body language. Apprentices rapidly improve their practice as they learn new knowledge and hone their technical skills. Team leader apprentices rapidly improve their leadership practice by applying management theory to workplace situations, enabling more reflective decision-making, stronger communication and increased professional confidence.

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

Apprentices develop a sound understanding of wider topics such as safeguarding, mental health and inclusive leadership. Team leader apprentices apply this learning appropriately in the workplace, particularly when they support their team members during supervision meetings.

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

Apprentices develop their English, mathematical, and digital skills, which improve their effectiveness at work. They can analyse quantitative and qualitative data to make informed decisions. They demonstrate growing confidence in using artificial intelligence tools and digital applications to complete workplace tasks and prepare presentations for external stakeholders.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that recent improvements to their wider personal development curriculum are fully embedded to meet the needs of both young and adult apprentices. Leaders should ensure that apprentices produce written assignment work of a consistently high standard.

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Team inspectors:

Alan Winchcombe, Ofsted Inspector Saher Nijabat, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 14 July 2026

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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, managers, support staff, employers, tutors and apprentices during the inspection.

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About this inspection

Isales Academy Limited is an independent learning provider based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It specialises in digital, sales and marketing training.

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About this inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were 38 apprentices in learning. Apprentices were studying one of level 3 information technology technical salesperson, level 3 business administrator, level 4 sales executive, level 3 information communications technician, level 3 team leader, level 3 multi-channel marketing, and the digital support technician apprenticeships.

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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. 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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