Positive Ofsted rating awarded to Maximus employability support programmes

We have recently been awarded a ‘Good’ rating for our Adult Education Budget (AEB) contracts following a recent Ofsted inspection, with the report citing “well-planned and targeted courses” helping learners to “reach their career and community goals”. 

Ofsted, which inspects and regulates education, training and care providers in England, reviewed the experience of learners and interviewed staff working on skills contracts. The inspection also scrutinized Maximus’ policies and processes.

The report described how “leaders and tutors work diligently to ensure that learners study highly relevant topics” and emphasised the close collaboration between Maximus and local commissioners to target particular sectors. 

It found that the “large majority of learners develop significant new knowledge and skills”, and highly valued the support provided by staff. The report described how many learners benefited from improved levels of confidence when expressing their opinions – both in class and in everyday situations.

Gladys Mwankumi had lived previously in the Republic of Congo before beginning a new life with her family in the UK. Lacking any formal education and speaking only French, she began an ESOL training course with Maximus to improve her communication with her family and progress towards a role in retail.

She is now able to speak English without an interpreter and is confident that she will soon find a customer-facing job:

“The course was so helpful with my grammar, and the class was so friendly. Our teacher didn’t just help me with my English, she helped me progress my life. I have a long way to go, but I know my family will be proud of me – and I am so proud of myself.”

Cortney Sullivan was also supported by the team, enrolling on a Level 1 Customer Service course to improve her career prospects:

“Our teacher made the course engaging, entertaining, informative, and a joy to participate in. It covered every aspect of what is expected from an individual in a customer service position. Through group assignments and presentations, the course allowed everyone to gain confidence in themselves.” 

Gareth Parry, Programme Director for Employability at Maximus, said:

“This report shows that learners are feeling the positive impact of our training programmes, developing new skills and achieving their qualifications. It’s also testament to the commitment and passion of our staff that the report commended the diligence of leaders and tutors during the inspection, and our responsiveness to local labour markets.”

The full report can be viewed here.