Member Article

Global people development leader WELL Training earns ‘good’ Ofsted rating

Leading people development provider WELL Training has been commended for delivering high quality apprenticeships by receiving a “good” rating in its first ever full inspection by Ofsted.

WELL has built a growing reputation for providing impactful workforce training for leading brands nationally and internationally, including a broad range of apprenticeships, as well as bespoke development courses shaped to meet client needs.

The Ofsted further education and skills inspection in July rated the overall effectiveness of WELL as “good”. WELL also received “good” gradings for the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and apprenticeships.

Launched in 2010, WELL’s experienced coaches have helped more than 3000 learners while supporting client companies with effective apprenticeships, training in leadership, management coaching and mentoring, learning and staff development. They have worked across public and private sectors both in the UK and with recent expansion into Europe, the USA, Middle East and Asia.

In addition to delivering leadership and management apprenticeships, from its HQ in Wolverhampton, WELL offer apprenticeships in business administration, coaching and mentoring, along with learning and development. WELL also help employers access apprenticeship levy funds.

Able to draw upon experience of leading courses for food tech success Just Eat For Business, premium coffee house Caffè Nero, US tourism photography company Cherry Hill and international personal care giant Edgewell, WELL use classroom-based learning and video technology to guide cohorts through sessions aimed at supporting their career progression.

During the inspection, WELL was leading a large group of managers through leadership and management apprenticeships for a major retail brand. Ofsted praised the high standard of teaching. The report said: “Teachers use a range of methods well to assess learning.”

It added: “Apprentices enjoy the interactive nature of learning sessions and feel this helps them to engage with and remember their learning well. They can clearly recall their learning and can identify how this is helping them in their day-to-day job roles.”

The WELL learning coaches pride themselves on ensuring apprenticeships provide meaningful learning which individuals can apply quickly, supporting their employers and the organisations they work in to develop, transform and grow as much as their learners.

The Ofsted inspection report said of WELL’s apprentices: “They can clearly identify the links between what they are learning and how to apply their new knowledge and skills in the workplace. They value the way tutors tailor their learning to add the context they need to understand fully how they can use what they have learned to be better managers, and how to get the best from their teams.”

The inspectors found WELL collaborated with employers “to develop learning programmes which meet the needs of both the apprentice and their employer”. The report also noted how WELL had adapted to support cohorts due the Covid-19 pandemic.

CEO Lindsey Flynn said the WELL management team was delighted with the inspection report. Lindsey said: “The WELL team draw upon our global experience to set the very highest standards. We pride ourselves on growing deep knowledge of our learners and understanding what will enable them to develop, transform and grow. We also get to know each employer and their business, ensuring we understand how the apprenticeships can add value to their business.

“It is absolutely fantastic for our brilliant team to be recognised by Ofsted with a good rating on our first full inspection at a time when we were delivering our biggest apprenticeship programme, particularly in the context of the many challenges employers have faced through the pandemic. We will build upon this inspection as we plan to further grow and enhance our apprenticeship provision over the coming months.”

Paul Kennedy, Chair of the WELL Governance board, said: “WELL helps employers to create excellent customer experiences, improve motivation and morale and increase productivity, which has a direct positive impact on bottom line profitability so to receive positive endorsement from Ofsted, speaks volumes about the efforts and commitment of everyone in the team. We shall continue to excel at everything we do and aim for more outstanding outcomes in the coming years.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Chris Leggett .