Ofsted praises quality of apprenticeships but puts spotlight on inclusion

Last updated December 11, 2024

Ofsted’s annual report provides a useful overview of the UK’s education sector, but can also give training providers a glimpse into the areas Ofsted will be monitoring closely next year.

Ofsted praises quality of apprenticeships but puts spotlight on inclusion

The 2023/24 report is the first one to be published by Sir Martyn Oliver since he started his five-year term as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector.

Unsurprisingly, a large part of the report reflected on Ofsted’s Big Listen, which called for public feedback on the department’s culture, inspection practices, reporting and impact. It concluded in mid-2024 and received 16,033 responses, making it the largest consultation in Ofsted’s history.

The outcome of the Big Listen coincided with the election of the new government, where there was common ground in the “determination” to replace Ofsted’s grading system. Big Listen respondents had heavily criticised the grading system for “oversimplifying the complexities of providers and not providing a full picture of their performance”, as well as creating extra stress for staff.

Ofsted has since committed to replacing its single-word judgements with a report card that can be tailored to different types of provision. We’ve yet to receive more information on how these will work for FE and skills training, but Sir Martyn has promised to “transform the process” with a reformed inspection framework.

Here’s a quick roundup of the report’s other major points for providers.

Improvements in apprenticeship quality

We’ve seen first-hand the different ways that forward-thinking training providers have improved the quality of their provision over the last few years. From fine-tuning curriculums to improving safeguarding processes, the providers we’ve spoken to are continually going the extra mile to achieve the best possible outcomes for learners.

It’s heartening to see these efforts reflected at a macro level, with Ofsted’s report highlighting the increase in the quality of apprenticeships:

“The number of apprentices has declined over time but the quality of apprenticeships is improving. High-quality and well-planned apprenticeships, which match the needs of the local economy and provide a viable pathway into work, will hopefully translate into growth in the sector.”

Tailored and thoughtful learning

Tailored learning is already an important part of Ofsted’s evaluation criteria, with inspectors looking for evidence that curriculums are ambitious, relevant and can be tailored to meet individual needs.

The annual report praised the efforts of colleges in effectively delivering against skills needs:

“Colleges are tasked with tailoring their offer to meet skills needs, and we’ve seen some very strong examples of this in many places. We often see curriculums that are well planned, based around industry skills needs and backed with thoughtful assessment.”

We expect tailored learning to become a core focus for Ofsted in the next few years, with the government’s recent Get Britain Working whitepaper stressing the value of more tailored education and support systems.

Many providers are already doing great work to tailor their learning, whether it’s uploading high-quality resources for flexible study or putting suitable interventions in place to help learners progress. And, as AI is used to personalise curriculums and create adaptive learning pathways, it will set new standards across the industry.

Challenges in SEND support

Ofsted’s report laid bare the ongoing pressures and limitations of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, stating that Ofsted intends to “include a criterion looking at inclusion as part of our reforms to inspections”. The focus on inclusion is critical as the number of children with SEND continues to increase.

The National Audit Office found a 140% increase in demand for education, health and care (EHC) plans over the last 10 years, with more children with EHC plans attending mainstream schools with limited resources available to meet their needs, and more children entering primary school with speech and language delays.

In addition to this, absenteeism rates remain stubbornly high compared to pre-pandemic levels, with rates still far higher for disadvantaged pupils and children with SEND.

Access to good opportunities in FE

As these learners move into further education, Ofsted’s report underlines the importance of helping them access good opportunities that can lead to employment, and providing effective careers guidance:

“Where this works well, learners can take advantage of good partnerships working with local employers to develop their independence, employability and communication skills. A good experience at college, for example, can really help develop the confidence and self-esteem of young people with high needs.

“Overall, though, we know that young people with SEND are less likely than their peers to be in education, employment or training. It’s particularly important that these young people receive effective and impartial career guidance at an appropriate time to highlight the different avenues open to them.”

You can read more about this subject here:

No silver bullet

The report’s closing statement recognised that there is no “silver bullet” solution to better supporting vulnerable learners. However, Sir Martyn reinforced that industry collaboration will be a major trend in 2025, echoing the government’s belief in the value of a more joined-up skills system:

“Many of the problems can be mitigated through joined-up thinking and partnership working. We have seen some effective work between partners on SEND provision, across multi-academy trusts to share resources, and between FE and skills providers and local employers.”

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