The report, published on 17 August 2022, recognises First Intuition as outstanding across all areas of assessment, including the quality of education, behaviour and attitude, personal development, and leadership and management. As of February 2022, only 10% of apprenticeship providers had achieved this grade*.
Managing Director Amy Forrest says she is delighted that Ofsted has rated First Intuition’s apprenticeship programmes as outstanding.
"Our mission has always been to help finance professionals build and develop amazing careers. We've always done this by focussing on the impact on three groups of people: the students who study with us, the employers we provide training for and the colleagues we work with.
“Receiving the outstanding rating demonstrates the brilliant impact that these programmes have for our employers and our apprentices. I am exceptionally proud of all of the efforts the team at First Intuition have put in to supporting our apprentices and employers has been recognised.
“I am looking forward to continuing to work with our fantastic employers and apprentices in the future to continue to develop our programmes further."
Chief Executive Gareth John comments: “From the day we set up First Intuition in East Anglia we were determined to offer the highest level of student support and client care, so it is wonderful to have this result 13 years later. It is a fitting testament to the commitment of a huge team of dedicated professionals.”
Over the four-day visit in June 2022, inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising learners' work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the providers' documentation and records.
The report observes that staff at First Intuition “have excellent oversight of the quality of education and training they provide. They constantly strive to maintain the highest standards and are highly reflective of their own practice.
“Apprentices make rapid progress through their qualifications. Tutors use highly effective teaching strategies to help apprentices learn and secure their knowledge.
“Tutors and coaches help apprentices to develop their own strategies to manage any barriers to learning. This helps these apprentices to progress through their qualifications at the same rate or better than their peers.
“Apprentices develop their professional curiosity to a very high standard. Consequently, apprentices make valuable contributions to their employers’ business.
“Leaders have established a culture of care and awareness through the education they provide.”
First Intuition Cambridge Limited is an independent learning provider that specialises in providing education and training to finance and accountancy students in the East Anglia region. It delivers classroom courses, distance learning options, accounting apprenticeships, as well as post qualification education programmes.
At the time of inspection, First Intuition Cambridge Limited had 604 apprentices in training. This includes 70 level 3 assistant accountant programme apprentices, 158 level 4 accountancy taxations technician qualification apprentices, and 376 level 7 accountancy taxation apprentices.
First Intuition Cambridge Limited is now one of just three level 7 accounting providers to achieve an outstanding Ofsted rating, the other two also being awarded to First Intuition centres.
The full Ofsted report can be downloaded here.
*UK government website – report published 30 June 2022
