TheLightbulb Ltd

TheLightbulb Ltd

Address: Edison House, 2-3, Paycocke Road, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3DP Unique reference number (URN): 53032

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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 Expected standard

Leaders have developed an inclusive learning environment where apprentices feel welcomed and well supported. Learning and development mentors know apprentices very well. They implement appropriate support for apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to learning where needed. They adapt their teaching methods to suit apprentices’ needs. Leaders review the effectiveness of the support provided and make adjustments where required.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have made improvements to their inclusive practices since the previous inspection. They have improved the information they collect on apprentices before they start their courses. This now includes information on apprentices from areas of deprivation, including their personal circumstances and any support apprentices receive from external organisations. This means that leaders quickly identify apprentices' individual needs and wider barriers to learning. However, it is too early to see how leaders and those responsible for governance use this enhanced information to monitor the progress of different groups of apprentices.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Where apprentices face short-term barriers to learning, such as health concerns or financial challenges, staff make the adjustments to their courses that apprentices need. This helps apprentices to keep on track with their studies.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have established very effective, and often long-standing, relationships with employers. Through their vacancy-matching service, leaders work closely with these employers to meet their recruitment needs and to support young people, aged under 24, to secure apprenticeships in the education and business services sectors.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have rightly concentrated their efforts on making the improvements identified at the previous inspection. They have amended their strategic approach to solely offer apprenticeships and improved their personal development curriculum. They have put in place sensible actions to reduce the proportion of younger apprentices who leave their courses early. However, it is too soon to see if the benefits of these improvements will be sustained over time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and those responsible for governance have an excellent understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement of the provider. Governors provide ongoing effective challenge to leaders to hold them to account. They have challenged leaders to enhance the breadth of data that they present to them so that they can identify potential risks at an earlier stage.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are considerate of the wellbeing of their staff, who consider their workloads to be manageable. Staff feel confident that they can discuss any workload issues with their line manager, who will listen to and support them. Leaders have designed a suitable professional development programme for staff that links closely with their quality assurance activities. Learning and development mentors appreciate the professional development that leaders provide to help them to continue to reflect on and improve their teaching.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve their apprenticeships. Around half gain merit or distinction grades in their final assessments. Previously, achievement rates for the few apprentices who studied standards at levels 4 and 5, mainly in care, were too low. Leaders no longer offer these apprenticeships. Leaders have taken sensible actions to improve the proportion of apprentices aged under 24 who remain on their courses.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices improve their English, mathematical and digital skills through the activities they complete for their coursework and at work. For example, they refine their letter writing skills, use spreadsheets and deliver presentations.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge and skills. Operations manager apprentices successfully develop a sound understanding of leadership models, which helps them to increase their self-awareness as a leader.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices remain in employment on completion of their apprenticeships. More than half gain a promotion or take on extra responsibilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed relevant apprenticeship courses which meet the needs of the employers with whom they work. Learning and development mentors plan their courses effectively so that apprentices build on their prior learning and develop the skills and behaviours needed to be effective employees. Early years apprentices learn about the best ways to communicate with young children. Learning and development mentors teach about the importance of tone of voice and body language and how this affects the children. This helps apprentices to quickly become more effective in their roles and valued team members.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Learning and development mentors teach thought-provoking lessons. They link new content effectively to previous learning and use questions skilfully to test apprentices’ knowledge. Apprentices enthusiastically participate by answering questions and giving examples from their workplace. In workshops about government legislation, learning and development mentors use interesting work-based scenarios to test what apprentices have learned about health and safety regulations and handling dangerous substances.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Learning and development mentors successfully adapt their teaching to meet apprentices' specific learning needs. They enlarge the font size on printed materials, use coloured overlays and offer additional one-to-one teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Learning and development mentors work closely and effectively with employers to coordinate apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training. Leaders work successfully with employers so that business administration apprentices can experience finance and human resources areas of the business. Where younger business administration apprentices are less confident talking on the telephone, learning and development mentors include this in their training sessions, and then employers introduce work activities to gradually build apprentices’ confidence.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have improved their careers programme so that apprentices are well informed about their future career options. Learning and development mentors provide tailored and individualised careers advice. For example, they have in-depth and valuable conversations with teaching assistant apprentices who are interested in teaching children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have designed a suitable personal development curriculum for apprentices. Apprentices enjoy learning about a useful range of relevant topics which help them make informed decisions about their lives, such as reducing the consumption of food containing additives. They develop a sound knowledge of fundamental British values.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Most apprentices are positive about their studies and are well motivated. They demonstrate professional behaviours in their workplaces. They are keen to attend their training sessions and rates of attendance are high. They do not experience bullying or harassment.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have introduced a range of relevant additional courses to further develop apprentices’ interests in their subjects and help prepare them well for their future careers. Early years apprentices complete autism awareness courses and operation manager apprentices attend cyber safety courses. However, leaders have not yet developed broad and highly tailored wider opportunities that would encourage apprentices to contribute to their communities.

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

Apprentices are positive about their experiences and would recommend completing an apprenticeship at the provider. A high proportion of apprentices start with little experience of work, often straight from school. They grow in confidence and develop the knowledge and skills to be more effective in their job roles. Apprentices feel well supported and respected by their learning and development mentors. Apprentices find staff helpful and available to answer questions and provide support when needed.

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

Apprentices develop considerable new relevant knowledge and skills. Early years apprentices are prepared effectively to look after the children in their care. They understand how to support children and to meet the needs of children with additional needs such as autism. Business administration apprentices take on more complex tasks at work, such as data gathering and data analysis.

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

Apprentices feel safe while studying and working. They know whom to report any concerns to if they arise. Learning and development mentors provide training for younger apprentices on healthy relationships and the meaning of consent. Apprentices learn about relevant issues such as cuckooing, domestic violence and the dangers of addiction.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to improve the proportion of younger apprentices who remain in learning. Leaders should continue to implement their recent changes to their inclusive practices so that leaders, and those responsible for governance, can fully monitor and review the progress of different groups of apprentices. Leaders should enhance their personal development curriculum so that apprentices have access to a rich and carefully tailored wider development offer that encourages them to contribute to their communities.

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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, those responsible for governance, apprentices, learning and development mentors and employers during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

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About this inspection

TheLightbulb Ltd is an independent learning provider based in Basildon. It is part of the Get Set UK Group. Since the previous monitoring visit, leaders have stopped offering adult learning courses, including skills bootcamps. They now only offer apprenticeships, with most apprentices being based in the East of England and Greater London.

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About this inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were 96 apprentices enrolled. Most were studying either business-related or early years and teaching assistant apprenticeships. Thirty-three

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Team inspectors:

Sue Hasty, His Majesty's Inspector Claire Griffin, Ofsted 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 15 September 2026

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national average

2024/25 86 87 Close to average apprentices were studying level 3 business administrator, 25 were studying level 5 operations manager and 8 were studying level 3 team leader or supervisor. Leaders do not subcontract any of their provision.

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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

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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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