Key Findings from Ofsted

Ofsted‘s Evaluation of Swift’s Apprenticeship Performance

This section highlights key findings from an Ofsted report on how Swift’s apprenticeship programme supports both apprentices and employers. It details how senior leaders, managers, trainers, and apprentices each contribute to the development and success of the apprenticeship journey.

These findings show how effective curriculum design, value-driven recruitment, and mental health support create a strong foundation for apprentices, preparing them to make a real impact in their childcare settings.

Senior Leaders

  • Senior leaders have a clear rationale for the apprenticeships that they offer. They work closely with employers to meet regional and national skills needs. For example, senior leaders have nurtured effective working relationships with key partners in the early years sector. They ensure that the early years apprenticeship is wholly focused on meeting skills shortages in the sector
  • Senior leaders design and teach the curriculum in a way that best meets apprentices’ and their employers’ business needs. They prioritise specialist training that benefits the employers’ business. For example, all level 2 early years practitioner apprentices achieve a first-aid certificate early in their programme, which employers value highly. As a result, apprentices can safely and independently administer first aid to children in their care
  • Senior leaders prioritise apprentices’ mental health and well-being and provide apprentices with highly effective pastoral support

Managers

  • Managers support employers effectively to recruit apprentices and upskill their staff. They design a curriculum that reflects the company values of the employers with which they work, and recruit to these values. For example, they prioritise keeping children safe and maintaining a healthy environment in early years settings

Trainers

  • Trainers plan the curriculum in a logical way to develop apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours over time. As a result, apprentices know more and remember more as they progress through the apprenticeship

Apprentices

  • Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours as a result of their apprenticeship. They quickly apply their new learning to practice at work. Apprentices on level 2 early years practitioner programmes learn about how young children respond to different types of play, such as child-led play and adult-led play. They quickly gain the confidence to plan and deliver play activities. As a result, apprentices make a valuable contribution in their childcare settings

View the full report HERE…

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