East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust

During the monitoring inspection, inspectors focused on the following themes:

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 progress in leadership and governance – this means how much progress leaders and those responsible for governance have made in ensuring that the provider is meeting all the requirements of successful apprenticeship provision, and is identifying and supporting the needs of apprentices

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 progress in inclusion – this means how much progress leaders have made in identifying the needs of individual apprentices and putting suitable support in place, in particular for those who are disadvantaged, those with SEND or high needs, those who are known (or previously known) to social care, and those who may face other barriers to their experiences and opportunities, including those without level 2 English and/or mathematics

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 progress in curriculum, teaching and training – this means how much progress leaders and managers have made in ensuring that apprentices benefit from high-quality training that leads to positive outcomes for apprentices

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 progress in ensuring effective safeguarding arrangements – this means how much progress leaders and managers have made in ensuring that effective safeguarding arrangements are in place

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Leadership and governance

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Leadership and governance

Leaders and those responsible for governance have established a well-defined governance structure that provides effective oversight of the apprenticeship provision. Apprenticeships are integrated into the wider trust governance structure through apprenticeship East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust Bury Saint Edmunds Hub, Suffolk Park, 5 Fortress Way, Bury Saint Edmunds IP32 7FQ

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monitoring inspection report:

11 and 12 August 2026 Monitoring inspection report: East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 11 and 12 August 2026

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operational groups, educational learning groups, safeguarding arrangements and board- level reporting. This ensures that there is suitable oversight of the apprenticeship provision and that leaders and managers are held to account for the quality of apprenticeships.

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Leaders and managers have an accurate understanding of the provider’s strengths and areas for development. They routinely review key performance indicators, including information about apprentices’ progress, retention data, welfare issues and other risks. Leaders implement effective actions to improve apprenticeship quality, such as revising curriculum sequencing to take account of operational activity to ensure that apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required. Leaders have introduced an ‘at- risk’ reporting and intervention process. This contributes to helping apprentices make sustained progress and complete their apprenticeship on time.

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Leaders ensure that staff are suitably qualified for their roles. Staff keep their clinical skills up to date. They receive training and support on new equipment and updates from specialist staff. Staff are supported to complete teaching and assessor qualifications. However, support for staff to continue to develop their pedagogical skills is limited.

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Inclusion

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Inclusion

Leaders create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment and culture. Inclusive practices begin at recruitment stage where applicants can disclose any disabilities and request a guaranteed interview. They continue throughout the apprentice’s journey following a thorough onboarding process that includes screening for any learning needs. Staff put in place individual support plans and workplace adjustments for those who need them and review apprentices’ needs on an ongoing basis.

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Inclusion

Staff implement effective support strategies for apprentices. Apprentices receive tailored interventions, examination access arrangements, wellbeing support and adjustments, such as coloured overlays. This enables many apprentices with identified needs to remain engaged and make expected progress.

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Inclusion

Leaders have not provided staff with sufficiently specific training on inclusion and inclusive teaching practices. While staff have undertaken some general awareness training about neurodivergence, this is not focused on the identified needs of apprentices. In some instances, trainers are not equipped to adapt their teaching strategies effectively to support apprentices with a wide range of needs.

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Inclusion

Staff demonstrate a sound awareness of neurodiversity and the reasonable adjustments that may support apprentices with identified learning needs. However, leaders do not routinely monitor the participation, progress and achievement of other disadvantaged Monitoring inspection report: East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 11 and 12 August 2026

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groups beyond those apprentices with identified learning needs. This limits their ability to identify trends and adapt their approach to inclusion.

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Curriculum, teaching and training

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Curriculum, teaching and training

Clinical and driver trainers prepare apprentices well to carry out their job roles and to prepare for their practical assessments. Trainers use high-quality professional demonstrations to show apprentices the different roles that they may play in given situations. Apprentices receive theoretical training and work through trauma-based scenarios to help them understand the situations that they may encounter in the workplace. This prepares them to apply their knowledge and skills effectively when dealing with real trauma situations operationally.

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Curriculum, teaching and training

Trainers mostly provide apprentices with appropriate feedback. Where written work does not meet the expected standard, trainers provide feedback to apprentices based around the assessment criteria. This helps apprentices to improve their work. However, clinical trainers do not consistently provide feedback on how work can be improved where it meets the minimum standard. Therefore, apprentices do not know how to improve the standard of their written work, so it is consistently of a high standard.

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Curriculum, teaching and training

Staff mostly work closely with workplace line managers so that apprentices get the chance to practise applying what they have learned in the classroom. However, workplace line managers are not routinely involved in the tripartite progress reviews. In a few instances, apprentices do not have the opportunity to put into practice the full range of skills that they have learned in the off-the-job training.

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Curriculum, teaching and training

Few apprentices have left their courses early. Rates of retention are high. Of those apprentices who have achieved so far, a high proportion have achieved distinction grades.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Reasonable progress : the provider’s actions are already having a beneficial impact on learners and/or apprentices. Improvements are sustainable and are based on the provider’s thorough quality assurance procedures.

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Safeguarding arrangements

Leaders have successfully created a safe environment for apprentices to learn. They demonstrate a structured and organisation-wide approach to safeguarding. All staff hold enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. All education leaders and managers are trained as a designated safeguarding lead. This helps ensure that apprentices are kept safe. Monitoring inspection report: East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 11 and 12 August 2026

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Leaders respond appropriately and swiftly to safeguarding concerns. Leader’s processes and procedures are effective. Records are clear and show how and when concerns were raised and include updates on staff actions and apprentices’ progress. Leaders work with referral partners where appropriate.

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Staff are suitably trained for their role in keeping apprentices safe. Staff complete mandated training and qualifications in the ‘Prevent’ duty and safeguarding. Additionally, staff receive updates on emerging risks in the regions where they work, such as where there are planned marches or an area with an increase in extremist views. Leaders frequently review their policies and processes to ensure that they remain current.

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Apprentices find the provider a safe place to work and study. None have experienced any bullying or harassment. They receive talks and training about sexual harassment, what is a concern and what to report.

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About this inspection

Ofsted carries out monitoring inspections to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this monitoring inspection was not to determine grades for any of the evaluation areas set out in the further education and skills inspection toolkit. The purpose was to report on the provider’s progress in relation to the 4 themes set out above.

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About this inspection

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust is an employer provider based in the East of England. Clinical training occurs face-to-face at one of the Ambulance Trust training centres in Bury Saint Edmonds, Welwyn Garden City, Hellesdon and Chelmsford. Driver training, which is part of the apprenticeship standard, is completed at one of the ambulance stations or hubs, with the main sites in Bury St Edmunds and Norfolk.

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About this inspection

At the time of the monitoring inspection, there were 66 apprentices in learning. They were all aged over 18 years of age. Apprentices were studying one standard, the level 3 ambulance support worker.

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Lead inspector

Rochelle Saneria His Majesty’s Inspector

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Team inspector

Georgina Ager His Majesty’s Inspector Monitoring inspection report: East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 11 and 12 August 2026

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funding at time of inspection

Monitoring inspection report: East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 11 and 12 August 2026

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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