The first FE provider to receive Ofsted’s new highest mark has been revealed – as the watchdog published the first batch of new-style report cards.
System People Limited was deemed ‘exceptional’ for achievement in its adult learning programmes in its inspection outcome published this morning.
The Carlisle-based independent training provider (ITP) was the only provider out of a batch of 19 ITPs and adult learning providers to receive the rare grade, which is meant to showcase “truly among the very best nationally”.
Early inspections under the new revised framework began in November last year, and were led only by the most senior Ofsted inspectors.
Following a consultation last year, Ofsted abandoned overall headline grades in favour of a five-point scale in 16 individual areas – including inclusion for the first time.
Education providers will now be awarded grades from ‘exceptional’, ‘strong standard’ and ‘expected standard’ to ‘needs attention’ and ‘urgent improvement’.
Ofsted’s baseline expectation is for providers to achieve the ‘expected standard grade’. Anything below will be deemed ‘needs attention or ‘urgent improvement’ and above will get a ‘strong standard’ or ‘exemplary’ grade.
The new look report shows how many times the provider was graded across the five-point scale, with a breakdown of each inspection area further down.
Meeting safeguarding standards remains a tick box, with providers either meeting or not meeting their legal requirement.
The report card then details each grade for inclusion and leadership and governance and also the training programmes it delivers.
Ofsted have also provided a new facts and figures data breakdown for the inspected provider. Via a drop-down box, viewers can find the number of learners and achievement rates of the provider, which is accurate from the time of inspection.
No ‘urgent improvement’ judgments
FE Week analysis found no provider in today’s batch had ‘urgent improvement’ in any area. All but one ITP – AKR Growth Ventures – were given mostly ‘expected standard’ grades in most areas of inspection.
AKR Growth Ventures, an ITP which delivers early years, marketing and information technology apprenticeships was handed ‘needs attention’ across the board.
The watchdog found issues with “underdeveloped” understanding from leaders and governors and slow progress in English and maths achievements at the provider.
Meanwhile, six providers had at least one ‘needs attention’ grade and eight received at least one ‘strong standard’ rating.
New accountability rules set out by the Department for Education (DfE) will not rely on specific Ofsted grades to place poorly performing apprenticeship training providers in intervention for the next 12 months.
Under its previous apprenticeship accountability framework, training providers judged ‘inadequate’ for apprenticeships or overall effectiveness can lead to “contractual action”. Ofsted grades are one of several measures taken into consideration.
But the new rules will now mean that DfE will instead decide whether or not to take action on a case-by-case basis.
One ‘exceptional’ grade
Chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver previously said the ‘exceptional’ grade would demonstrate exemplary practice nationally.
“Strong standard marks out excellent practice. Anything graded ‘exceptional’ is exactly that – truly among the very best nationally,” he told college leaders last year.
System People got an ‘exceptional’ for the achievement category for its adult education programmes.
Inspectors found that learners consistently make “extensive” progress from their starting points and the training has a “transformational” impact on learners’ future careers.
The provider had the majority of learners on apprenticeships (345) and around 50 on skills bootcamps.
The report pointed out “exceptionally well” preparedness of large goods vehicle (LGV) apprentices and learners, adding that almost all progress into sustained employment.
System People reported a 74 per cent achievement rate in 2023-24, above the 61 per cent national average.
Guinea pig small providers
No colleges were part of this morning’s batch release as smaller providers were favoured for the early inspections.
The new report cards will award a grade to colleges on how well they are contributing to local skills demands, which will now lead to targeted support or being placed in intervention if they receive ‘urgent improvement’.
Ofsted began judging colleges on local skills needs contributions in 2022 through “enhanced inspections”.
Until now, colleges have been rated along a scale of either ‘strong’, ‘reasonable’ or ‘limited’ for this category, none of which have been used to trigger intervention.
Any ‘urgent improvement’ finding may also lead to a college receiving a letter to improve, and an FE Commissioner-led improvement review, both of which will not be made publicly available.
Most of the 19 providers – bar four – receiving a report card today had small learner cohorts of under 100 at the time of inspection.
The largest was from Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, which had 670 learners on adult education programmes at the time of inspection.
It received ‘needs attention’ in leadership and governance and ‘expected standard’ for inclusion. For its adult learning programmes, ‘expected standard’ was found for achievement and curriculum and teaching, but participation and development ‘needs attention’.
Inspectors said council leaders have laid out a strategic plan to improve tutor training, but the report said ongoing external factors “beyond their control” have impeded leaders’ ability to improve quickly.
The council last received a ‘good’ at its last full in inspection in 2010.
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