Ofsted success for Parenta Training

Parenta Training, the UK’s largest training provider of childcare apprenticeships not only successfully trains over 2000 apprentices annually – several passing with Distinction – but it starts the new academic year being awarded a ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted, across the entire board of inspection criteria.

The recent inspection is Parenta Training’s first, since the introduction of both the new EYFS framework and the new apprenticeship standards – and, significantly, its first under the leadership of new managing director, Edyta White. Quality and compliance expert Edyta joined the business in Autumn 2021 to lead Parenta Training through the next phase of its commitment to “fully embed unrivalled quality within apprenticeship programme delivery”. The outcome of this recent Ofsted inspection certainly puts the business in a strong position to be able to achieve this goal.

In the official report, Ofsted highlighted some key areas that the training provider executes well, including (learners) “developing substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they quickly apply at work to support the children in their care better” and (employers) “recognise the good progress that apprentices are making in their studies and give them additional responsibilities at work, such as supporting them with health and safety responsibilities or developing new systems.”

The topic of safeguarding was specifically mentioned – the report quoting that “leaders and managers have created a positive safeguarding culture that ensures staff and apprentices are safe”, and “apprentices are clear about risks … and they know how to keep themselves and the children they work with safe”.

Speaking from the company’s HQ in Maidstone, Kent, Edyta said: “This outcome of Good across the board is particularly impressive, considering the barriers that our industry has faced over the past two years, and how our business has needed to adapt swiftly to support learners and employers through the Covid crisis.

“We could not have possibly achieved this incredible result, without the tenacity and dedication of the entire team. This outcome of Good across the board clearly highlights the level of commitment here at Parenta; and our tutors do nothing less than a remarkable job with our learners and their employers.

Significantly, the report also stated that “tutors have extensive and current vocational subject knowledge. They use their experience of the sector to bring theoretical concepts to life in their lessons and illustrate how they can be applied in practice”.

Commenting on this, Edyta said; “The team has worked hard over the years to develop a range of apprenticeships which prepares learners well to work in nurseries and childcare – and that includes ensuring they are knowledgeable themselves about key, critical areas of the industry. We could not have achieved this Good grading across the whole board of inspection criteria without having expert practitioners as tutors within Parenta, who are experienced at working in and with the early years sector.”

She continued “Our goal is to be recognised for our passion for childcare, our industry expertise and high-quality teaching and learning that adds remarkable value to the training and delivery of a sustainable workforce for the sector. This fantastic Ofsted outcome takes us one step closer to achieve unrivalled quality within apprenticeship programme delivery.”