Essex Apprenticeship Training Provider Graded Outstanding by Ofsted

Accountancy training provider, First Intuition Chelmsford, has today been awarded an outstanding grade by Ofsted, after a recent inspection visit. This provider, who specialises in training apprentices in the finance and accountancy sector, secured this grade by demonstrating the high standard of service they provide to apprentices and employers in the Essex region.

First Intuition Chelmsford is currently training 228 apprentices in finance and accountancy, a key business area for Essex and the surrounding areas. Offering apprenticeships from entry-level to level 7, FI Chelmsford believe we are the only independent level 7 training provider nationally to have been awarded the outstanding grade by Ofsted to date.

Founded by David Malthouse and Kelley O’Donovan, FI Chelmsford has grown in the last 10 years from its original single rented office to now being located in a newly refurbished, dedicated site in central Chelmsford.

Here’s what the Ofsted report highlighted.

“Leaders, tutors, coaches, and employers work tirelessly together to develop a highly effective programme that successfully introduces a young, diverse workforce to the finance and accounting sector.”

“Leaders have successfully promoted apprenticeships to the finance sector in the region. They understand the challenges employers face in recruiting and retaining skills locally.”

“Leaders, staff and employer’s close communication, highly individualised help, and expert knowledge enables apprentices to make rapid progress and perform exceptionally well in the workplace, regardless of their starting points.”

Quotes from our Leadership team can be found below:

“I am absolutely delighted to see all the hard work and effort our team put into supporting our Apprentices and Employers recognised. We have created a number of new initiatives over the pandemic and it is wonderful to see how impactful these have been. I am so proud of the team, our Apprentices, and Employers and look forward to continuing to develop and innovate what we deliver to help even more Essex apprentices and employers in the future.”

Kelley O’Donovan, FI Chelmsford Director

“Just over ten years ago, we set out on a mission to help start and develop finance careers across Essex, we were passionate about improving the skills in the region and giving people an outstanding alternative to university.

To hear from the Ofsted inspectors that our Apprenticeship program is outstanding is a testament to the phenomenal team that we have built, the brilliant employers who have supported our program, and the amazing apprentices that we have the pleasure to work with every day.

I am incredibly proud of the impact our apprenticeship program has had on the careers of so many people working across Essex and am looking forward to driving this forward over the next ten years.”

 David Malthouse, Managing Director

To arrange a time to speak to either Kelley O’Donovan or David Malthouse about our Ofsted report, please contact [email protected]