In April we had a long awaited opportunity to show Ofsted around our Supported Employment provision in bemix. 

We are overjoyed to announce that we are now a ‘Good’ provider overall, with ‘Outstanding in Behaviour and attitudes’, and ‘Outstanding in Personal Development’! Here is the link to our full Ofsted report.

Feedback from Ofsted was ‘Learners value the positive culture that leaders and staff have successfully created. For example, staff articulate with confidence the organisation’s ethos of ‘be seen, be heard and belong’ which they consistently embody in their work’.

With a new Preparation for Employment programme as well as our established Supported Internship programme, our young people were excited to tell inspectors about what they have been working on. 

Inspectors went to some of the work placements to see what the young people are up to and this included a visit to the RSPCA, SunPier House and Medway Hospital where they could also meet with the employers as well as our work coaches. 

Following his visit to the workplaces, the inspector commented: ‘Most employers value the positive attitudes learners consistently demonstrate in the workplace. For example, one learner creates a very positive working environment in the coffee shop they work in, talking politely and with humour to customers and other staff’. 

bemix interns at workplaces across Kent and Medway

In the classroom, inspectors had the opportunity to observe lessons and meet with our brilliant young people and teaching team. We know we have an inspiring, dedicated and passionate team who are invested in ensuring that young people achieve during their time with us. It was lovely to have this recognised by Ofsted, also: ‘Teachers and work coaches support learners well to have positive attitudes to their learning and work. They help learners to see the benefits of what they are doing and how they are developing. As a result, learners understand well the skills and knowledge that they are gaining and can apply these competently in the workplace’. 

Throughout their visit, Ofsted consistently saw that ‘Leaders have a clear vision and have skilfully designed a curriculum which is ambitious for all learners to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours for adulthood and successful paid employment’ and that ‘Learners feel very safe in the classroom and at their workplaces’.

At bemix, our Vision is clear - we want to live in a world where every single person is valued as an individual. In an ideal world, people with learning difficulties and autism would be fully and equally involved in all areas of society.  By applying our Values to all of the work we do, and encouraging others to do the same - like our supported internship employers, we can achieve that vision. As per our EPIC values - a good society needs our contribution as much as everyone else’s - including in the workplace. 

With bemix, people can be seen, be heard and belong.

We asked some of the young people in our employment programmes about their experience of our Ofsted visit. Here are a few of the comments we received:

What did you like about the experience of Ofsted coming to visit? 

• I liked that she (inspector) could see how Functional Skills works, we all work at different speeds and she could see what I do is different to the others
• I got to show them my work
• She (inspector) was interested in what we had to say
• I enjoyed having a new person I could tell about what I was doing and how much I am learning in lessons

What achievements I was proud to tell inspectors: 

• I am getting better at my maths and English - I have learnt my times tables whilst I have been at bemix and have improved my spelling
• I am happy to talk about my independent learning in Functional Skills, such as improving my spellings and telling the time.
• I was happy to show her all the work that I have done in lessons
• I got to tell them that I have improved my reading and have learnt to tell the time. I have worked on learning to add money up
• In Functional Skills I have learnt to control the speed that I speak and I am able to speak more fluently without stuttering

Do you want to add anything else about how your time with bemix? 

• I am enjoying my year at bemix, I get to make new friends and learn new things. I get to improve my English and Maths and learn about Citizenship and Enterprise
• I've enjoyed my year at bemix
• I am enjoying my work placement at the RSPCA I am working with donations that come in, orgainsing them and putting them in the shop
  My reading has improved because of Functional Skills, we use books to practise and we write the words i dont know in a book for me to practise
• I have learnt how to travel independently to lessons and work placement

Learn more about our employment programmes:

Supported Internships

Preparation For Employment

Would you like to learn more about how your organisation could get involved in Supported Internships? Click here.