The Educationwise Academy Ltd

The Educationwise Academy Ltd

Address: Engine Shed, Station Approach, Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6QH Unique reference number (URN): 2539263

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect providers for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have embedded a culture that is fully inclusive. They have comprehensive and rigorous processes to assess swiftly the support that apprentices and adult learners need. They use the information they gain to plan expert support insightfully, and this helps apprentices and adult learners to reduce barriers to learning. Leaders and tutors ensure that apprentices and adult learners are referred to specialist support services to receive support in managing challenges such as financial hardship and healthcare.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Tutors with expertise in special educational needs and/or disabilities maintain keen oversight of those apprentices and adult learners who require additional support for their studies. They use highly effective teaching strategies, which help apprentices and adult learners to study well. They review the support they provide critically and adjust this over time to ensure that it remains impactful or can be removed.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Tutors are caring and highly empathetic. They are adept at recognising barriers to learning that may adversely affect apprentices and adult learners. Tutors make excellent use of systems to share information and make timely interventions to support apprentices and adult learners. Tutors of English language and mathematics provide individualised teaching for those apprentices who need to gain qualifications in these subjects.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision to improve the wellbeing of communities through sports coaching and leadership training. They are well represented on national educational and sporting bodies. They influence training in the industry, such as ensuring that the content of apprenticeships and adult education courses are refreshed to reflect latest practices.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a thorough understanding of the provider’s strengths and weaknesses. They take decisive action to bring about improvements. Since the previous inspection, leaders’ actions have increased the proportion of apprentices who achieve their qualification. Leaders recognise the need to continue to improve outcomes across all apprenticeships. They have identified correctly that too many adult learners do not achieve their qualification. Leaders plan the continuous professional development of staff well. Tutors attend conferences to learn how to improve their teaching skills such as how to engage apprentices effectively in online lessons and how to provide effective teaching for apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors are knowledgeable and experienced in further education. They ensure that leaders apply rigorous processes to monitor the quality of the subcontractors the provider works with. They challenge leaders to evidence thoroughly the impact of their actions. They provide leaders with the support they need to make systemic improvements such as strengthening the specialist SEND expertise available to support apprentices and adult learners.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders take care to prioritise the wellbeing of staff. They provide staff with access to health care services, provide vouchers towards optician costs and recognise birthdays with a day off.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that gym instruction courses meet the expectations of employers. They ensure that training is well planned and flexible so that learners can study around their jobs and personal lives. Learners are taught about anatomy, physiology and health and safety at the start of their course, and this prepares them well for more advanced topics such as client consultations and planning fitness programmes.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors thoughtfully increase the number of times they meet with learners who are struggling with their studies. They provide excellent support to adults who are not with an employer, helping them to source clients so they can practise fitness training.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Tutors are experienced fitness practitioners. They use real-life examples very effectively to embed key concepts such as how to plan the use of gym equipment for clients of all abilities. Tutors replicate instructing practices when they demonstrate topics to learners in online sessions, and this helps learners to grow in confidence and become familiar with professional instruction. Tutors provide learners with helpful feedback on what they have done well and what they need to improve. They highlight errors in learners’ written English and are exacting about use of correct technical language when working with clients. Learners’ coursework is consistently at the appropriate standard.

p.3

Needs attention

Tutors ensure that the curriculum they teach is inclusive. They help learners who are unemployed to gain in confidence by rehearsing and practising how to plan training and fitness programmes with clients from different backgrounds and varying levels of fitness.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

Too many adult learners leave their training early. Leaders' actions have consistently improved the proportion of adults who achieve their qualification. However, at the time of the inspection, fewer than half of adult learners achieved their qualification. Learners identified as having barriers to learning generally achieve in line with their peers.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have acted decisively to improve the quality of teaching. They have detailed oversight of the progress that current learners are making with their studies and use this information to make timely interventions where learners' progress is slow.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

Learners develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours well during their course. Learners studying gym instructing and personal training increase their knowledge of diet and nutrition and confidently provide nutritional advice to clients.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

Tutors prepare learners well for their next steps. They support learners who are unemployed to gain in confidence and develop the knowledge and skills they need to become effective gym instructors.

p.4

Participation and development Needs attention

Tutors encourage learners to take part in wider activities such as presenting free healthy eating seminars for residents in their local area and leading guided community walks.

p.4

Participation and development Needs attention

Learners behave well. They are polite and friendly, and this contributes to their effectiveness as personal trainers. However, a few learners do not attend their tutorials consistently well and, because of this, they do not develop well enough the attributes of a reliable professional personal trainer.

p.4

Participation and development Needs attention

Tutors ensure that learners receive effective guidance to help them to make informed decisions about their careers. They expertly support learners to prepare for specific career goals such as working with ex-offenders and how to progress to higher level courses, such as sports psychology.

p.4

Participation and development Needs attention

Tutors do not ensure that learners develop a secure awareness of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. Learners recall discussions with tutors about this topic but do not retain the information they need well enough to be able to relate this to their job role or personal lives. Learners know that leaders do not tolerate bullying or harassment. They are confident that if they raised a concern it would be dealt with swiftly and effectively by staff.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders use rigorous quality processes to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the apprenticeship provision. They make impactful improvements such as strengthening apprentices' induction onto their apprenticeship and securing increased involvement from employers in planning training.

p.5

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders ensure that the training that apprentices receive is planned very well. Apprentices studying sport and fitness coaching apprenticeships learn about safety-related topics such as safeguarding and how to assess the risks associated with activities and different clients early in their apprenticeship. Leaders work closely with employers to align the content of the curriculum to apprentices' job roles. For example, apprentices in leadership roles with responsibility for commissioning sport activities for local authorities or leisure groups use the knowledge and insights they gain to be more effective in their roles.

p.5

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Tutors are industry specialists with extensive professional experience of the subjects they teach. They use their knowledge and experience well to ensure that apprentices apply knowledge and skills, which reflect current industry practices. They ensure that apprentices have plentiful opportunities to deepen their knowledge through discussion activities with their peers from different industries, such as professional sport and education. Tutors use effective strategies, such as quizzes and competitions, to help apprentices remember what they have been taught and to check their learning.

p.5

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Tutors support apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities very well. For example, apprentices who require support for reading receive recordings of lessons and audio versions of learning materials. Tutors receive advice from expert tutors about how to apply techniques and strategies so that these apprentices make progress that is in line with their peers.

p.5

Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices who stay until the end of their training achieve their apprenticeship. Leaders' actions have reduced the proportion of apprentices who leave before the end of their training and increased the proportion of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship. Just under half of apprentices gain distinction grades in their final assessments.

p.6

Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices typically develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to do well at work. For example, apprentices studying customer services learn how to deescalate challenging conversations.

p.6

Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices who study an English language course achieve well. The few apprentices who study a mathematics course achieve less well, with around a third gaining their qualification. Nearly all apprentices who have an identified barrier to learning and remain on their programme achieve their qualification.

p.6

Achievement Expected standard

Tutors prepare apprentices very well for their next steps. Apprentices studying coaching apprenticeships use the knowledge and skills they gain to take on additional responsibilities, such as project leadership and client consultations. A few receive promotions with their employer on completion of their apprenticeship.

p.6

Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders set high expectations for apprentices to attend their lessons and to behave well. Apprentices develop appropriate professional behaviours for the workplace. For example, apprentices studying sports apprenticeships wear training kit when attending online lessons.

p.6

Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors promote wider learning activities well. Many apprentices access additional online learning to broaden their knowledge and interests including courses provided by sporting associations. A few apprentices support their local communities by coaching football teams and raising funds for charities. Leaders recognise that apprentices' participation in wider activities is not yet consistently widespread.

p.6

Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors provide apprentices with useful guidance to support their next steps. Apprentices studying personal training courses are supported well by tutors to prepare for self- employment. They are advised on useful further professional courses they may wish to consider to enhance their business such as, for example, sports injury rehabilitation.

p.6

Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors use newsletters very effectively to keep apprentices well informed about important topics. Apprentices learn about keeping themselves and clients safe during extreme weather events and prevalent risks associated with extremism.

p.6

Participation and development Expected standard

Apprentices know that leaders do not tolerate bullying or harassment. They are confident that if they raised a concern it would be dealt with swiftly by staff.

p.6

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

Apprentices and adult learners enjoy their studies. They value being taught by knowledgeable tutors, who use their professional experiences effectively to bring the content of the curriculums they teach to life and to model how to engage professionally with clients. Those who remain on their apprenticeship or course are motivated to do well. However, too many adult learners leave before completing their course.

p.7

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

The most vulnerable apprentices and adult learners are supported empathetically by tutors. Tutors ensure that support is carefully planned so that apprentices and adult learners acquire the skills they need to study with increasing independence and confidence as they progress through their studies. Tutors support apprentices very effectively to plan for important assessment activities such as group coaching sessions or complex client fitness and training consultations.

p.7

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

Apprentices and adult learners value the high-quality digital learning platform that Educationwise Academy provides and how it supports independent study and topics to be explored in greater depth. They value the swift and helpful feedback that they receive from tutors about the progress they are making with their studies.

p.7

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

Tutors are very considerate of the challenges that apprentices and adult learners experience. They are particularly flexible about when teaching takes place to take account of apprentices' and learners' working hours and family responsibilities. They ensure that the learning resources used by apprentices and adult learners are updated frequently to reflect current industry standards.

p.7

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

Most apprentices understand and apply fundamental British values well. They organise sports activities in schools and ensure that their behaviours align with the expectations of the workplace. They understand the importance of modelling respectful behaviours and promoting tolerance. However, adult learners are not taught well enough about how to protect themselves from the risks of radicalisation so they can apply this usefully in the workplace or in their personal lives.

p.7

Next steps

Leaders should take action to ensure that a higher proportion of adult learners who start a course achieve their qualification. Leaders should ensure that adult learners attend their tutorials. Leaders should ensure that a higher proportion of apprentices participate in wider learning such as supporting their communities. Leaders should ensure that all adult learners know how to keep themselves safe from the risks of extremism and radicalisation. Leaders should continue to reduce the proportion of apprentices who leave before the end of their training.

p.7

Team inspectors:

Matt Hann, His Majesty's Inspector Philip Elliott, Ofsted Inspector Karen Bill, Ofsted Inspector Anne Moynihan, Ofsted Inspector

p.8

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.

p.8

Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 28 July 2026

p.8

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.

p.8

About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with leaders, governors, staff and learners, apprentices and employers during the inspection.

p.8

About this inspection

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

p.8

About this inspection

The Educationwise Academy Limited is based in Bristol, England. It provides online training to apprentices and adult learners across England. At the time of the inspection, there were 314 apprentices enrolled on a range of apprenticeships from level 2 to level 5, including sports and coaching programmes. There were 42 adult learners enrolled on the level 3 personal training qualification.

p.8

About this inspection

The provider works with two subcontractors, with 28 apprentices enrolled through Competence Development and eight through Elev8 Training Limited.

p.8

national average

'This provider' and 'national average' figures are taken from the publicly available DfE achievement rates. Where the DfE have supressed the figures, usually due to small cohorts, this has been mirrored in the Report Card and will be shown by an 'S'.

p.9

Exceptional

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

p.10

Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.10

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.

p.10

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.10

Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.10

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.

p.10

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 .

p.10

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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.11