Academy trust and two ITPS awarded Ofsted ‘outstandings’

An LGV bootcamps provider, an academy trust, and a hairdressing specialist training firm are among the latest FE providers to score an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted grade.

Waterton Academy Trust is understood to be the first multi-academy trust to receive top marks from the inspectorate for its delivery of teaching apprenticeships.

At the time of inspection last month, there were 36 apprentices on the level 3 teaching assistant programme and a further six progressing through their end-point assessment.

Ofsted found tutors at the 14-school trust “expertly” structured the curriculum for apprentices, who develop the knowledge and skills to make a positive contribution.

For example, apprentices learn how children learn and how to avoid cognitive overload, meaning they become skilful in leading small-group activities to support children who fall behind in class.

According to this week’s report, leaders, managers and trustees evaluate the quality of education from feedback from inside and outside of the trust.

“Managers were able to take prompt and appropriate action to improve their teaching of functional skills mathematics. Headteachers now praise the quality of the teaching and support that apprentices receive to improve their mathematics skills,” the report said.

The trust also set up a people committee with expert trustees to ask leaders challenging questions about their oversight of the apprenticeship programme and the progress made in relation to functional skills mathematics provision. 

Dave Dickinson, CEO of Waterton Academy Trust, said: “This outstanding rating is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and apprentices. Our commitment to delivering high-quality education and training is unwavering, and we are thrilled that Ofsted has recognised our efforts. We will continue to strive for excellence in all that we do, ensuring that our apprentices are well-equipped to make meaningful contributions to the field of education.”

Elsewhere, North West provider Collinge & Co Training, which trains 106 apprentices in level 2 and 3 hairdressing professional apprenticeships, was awarded top marks in every area of inspection – its second ‘outstanding’ grade in its 38-year history.

The report, published today, revealed that apprentices “thoroughly enjoy” their experience and “achieve their full potential” from the provider employing “highly skilled hairdressers”.

Ofsted inspectors found leaders and managers have prepared a “highly ambitious” curriculum and provide effective feedback for learners, designed to meet the needs of hairdressing employers across the region.

Collinge & Co Training has apprentices in 66 salons across the North West, around one fifth of which are based in Collinge & Co salons. 

The watchdog praised the providers’ bespoke training sessions and the “rapid” expertise apprentices develop from tutors’ guidance. Employers also said they “appreciate greatly” the knowledge and skills that apprentices bring to the salon.

The report also commended the members of the training board, responsible for governance, for holding leaders “effectively” to account for the quality of education.

Collinge & Co Training apprenticeships director Alison Gibson said: “I’m very proud of the training team and delighted that Ofsted have recognised their commitment to providing the best possible experience for the apprentices who train with us.”

Charlie Collinge, managing director of Collinge & Co said the award was a “fantastic achievement”.

“I would also like to acknowledge the apprentices and the salons we provide training for – the high pass rate, and the number of distinctions the apprentices achieve, show that they are equally as ambitious in reaching their goals,” he added.

Another ITP celebrating a grade one rating from Ofsted is Logistics Skills and Consultancy (LS&C), a North East independent training provider, for offering “life-changing” education to 100 learners in the logistics, warehousing and transport sector.

In its first full inspection, inspectors said learners on the large goods vehicle (LGV) driving skills bootcamp provider gain their LGV C+E licence often on the first attempt and with high scores.

Inspectors praised leaders for preparing learners “exceptionally well” for future employment, such as creating a mock transport office at the skills bootcamp training centre.

The report detailed “highly experienced” tutors provide individualised teaching, such as creating sign language specific to LGV driving for a learner with profound deafness.

LS&C also offers a four-week ‘routeways’ programme course, mostly for learners referred directly from Jobcentre Plus, which leads to level 2 qualifications in warehousing principles or onto its skills bootcamp.

Learners, who have experienced “significant barriers” to employment, told inspectors the opportunities afforded to them were “life-changing” and they valued the high-quality education they receive.

Jill Taylor, commercial director at LS&C, told FE Week, one example is that the company pays for driving theory retests because “we know that people can’t afford it and the cost for us is quite minimal”.

She said that they have helped asylum seekers, people who’ve never worked before, and even employed people who’ve been on its routeway programme.

She added they were “absolutely blown away” by the report.

The report said leaders recruit learners who are suitable for the programme and are aware of the expectations of the teaching prior to enrolment. Taylor said this approach was not about “bums on seats”, it was about ethical recruitment.

“We don’t want to grow too quickly,” she said. “We want steady growth, and we have grown just recently. We’ve taken on new members of staff and we’re moving premises.”