Ofsted to carry out survey of effectiveness of Skills Bootcamps

The survey will assess the effectiveness and quality of the education and training students are receiving, identifying strengths and weaknesses, across a sample of providers.

Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks for adults aged 19 or over who are either in work or recently unemployed. Their aim is to help people develop skills that are in demand in their local area, so they can potentially get a new job or a better position at work. The programmes are being developed in partnership with employers, training providers and local authorities, as part of the government’s Plan for Jobs and Lifetime Skills Guarantee.

Ofsted’s survey will use the inspection methodology set out in the further education and skills handbook, focusing on the quality of education and the curriculum. This approach will help us to understand and evaluate education and training provision, looking at developments nationally, and highlighting good practice as well as areas for improvement.

The results of the survey will help build a national picture of how well Skills Bootcamps are working. Our findings will inform the Department for Education, policy makers, providers of Skills Bootcamps, students and employers about the quality and progress of Skills Bootcamps.

Inspectors will carry out survey visits between December 2021 and March 2022, with the aim of publishing a report in September 2022.

The survey visits to providers are not the same as an inspection. We will only look at the Skills Bootcamp provision and will not make judgements about individual providers.