Manchester Met rated Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ for degree apprenticeships

Ofsted inspectors conducted in-depth interviews and wide-ranging surveys with apprentices, employers, academics

Manchester Metropolitan has been recognised as Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ for its degree apprenticeships provision against the regulator’s new Education Inspection Framework.

It has now also received two consecutive overall Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ ratings (also securing this under the previous framework), achieving this latest recognition in all six of the new framework’s categories: the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management education programmes for young people and apprenticeships.

Ofsted inspectors conducted in-depth interviews and wide-ranging surveys with apprentices, employers, academics who design, lead and deliver degree apprenticeship programmes as well as professional services staff who support them. They also made deep dives into eight curriculum areas, across every faculty of the University, looking at all aspects of the student journey, from recruitment through to graduation and career impact.

Feedback included recognition for the quality of Manchester Metropolitan’s teaching and academic support, the inclusive and respectful environment in which its apprentices learn and its highly effective careers advice and guidance.

The Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rating is the latest success for the University’s degree apprenticeships. Manchester Metropolitan has just been recognised ‘University of the Year’ at the national Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards and remained the highest ranked university at this year’s RateMyApprenticeship Awards for the fourth consecutive year.

Liz Gorb, Director of Apprenticeships at Manchester Metropolitan University said: “This rating once again clearly demonstrates that we deliver programmes of exceptional quality at scale.

“Our apprenticeships are designed in close partnership with employers. This ensures they meet their workforce needs, while developing every student to achieve their potential and advance in their career of choice.

“Above all, we were delighted to receive such positive feedback from our apprentices and employers. Our lecturers and skills coaches work hard to personalise every student’s experience and build both their professional knowledge, skills and behaviours and their confidence.”

Manchester Metropolitan launched degree apprenticeships in 2015 and now works with more than 540 employers, ranging from multi-national organisations to SMEs, in sectors from banking to the NHS to pharmaceuticals, to provide an ambitious curriculum for more than 2,400 apprentices a year.

You can find the full Ofsted report here.