An adult learning provider has been awarded Ofsted’s highest grade after inspectors found high achievement rates and “highly appreciative” employers.
The JGA Group, established over 30 years ago, offers apprenticeships, skills programmes and short courses to mostly adults in London and the south east.
It today received top marks across all areas following a full inspection between July 15 to 18, which found challenging content, “excellent” support and a well-planned adult curriculum that meets skills shortages.
The provider was rated ‘requires improvement’ in 2014, where it was critiqued for its maths and English provision and employer involvement.
It improved to a ‘good’ rating the year after and subsequently ‘outstanding’ following its latest Ofsted visit according to a glowing report this morning.
JGA Group managing director Richard Goodwin said today’s report was the culmination of “more than 10 years of hard work developing processes in a very human-centred way”.
“We’re just delighted,” he told FE Week. “I hadn’t really thought of it as 10 years of work until after the result, and I sat back and thought that it has been a long journey.
“We just about got our ‘good’ in 2015 by skin of our teeth, and then it’s developed from there.
“We’re over the moon. I think it’s fair to say,” he added.
Inspectors reported that the JGA Group has a comprehensive understanding of employer’s needs.
The report said: “The JGA Group is excellent at meeting the specific needs of large employers through niche apprenticeships. Employers are highly appreciative of this and very positive about the support that they received from staff at the provider.”
The JGA Group had 474 apprentices enrolled on 17 standards across level 3 to level 7 at the time of inspection. Just under half were on level 4 programmes such as policy officer and marketing executive.
The watchdog noted that a high proportion of apprentices and learners from JGA Group achieved their qualification.
Government data shows JGA’s overall apprenticeship achievement rate in 2023-24 was 70.3 per cent.
Goodwin said he would like to introduce standards that provide progession for people already on existing apprenticeships, such as offering a policy manager or policy advisor standard to complement the current policy officer standard.
“With the level sevens going we’re looking for opportunities for some big, new niche ones,” he added.
The ITP also had 164 adult learners on short courses and 92 skills bootcamp participants on film and television and spectator safety courses.
Ofsted commended the tutors for teaching bootcamp learners “valuable” technical skills before they gain employment.
“Leaders expose learners to prestigious employers in the creative and security sectors. This gives learners excellent insights into the industry,” the report said.
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