CSA receives Strong Standard across Curriculum and Teaching in recent Ofsted inspection

CSA Learning, the learning and development arm of the Credit Services Association, has received a Strong standard from Ofsted for Curriculum and Teaching following its recent inspection of its apprenticeship provision.

The inspection report, published on 14 April 2026, recognises that CSA has developed “demanding and relevant curriculums in partnership with employers and sequences learning effectively so apprentices build the knowledge and skills they need in their roles”. Ofsted also highlighted tutors’ use of effective teaching strategies, including breakout rooms, dual coding and flipped learning, to strengthen apprentices’ understanding and memory retention of complex topics.

Under Ofsted’s newer report card-style approach to inspection reporting, providers are assessed across several areas rather than receiving a single overall grade. Within that framework, CSA’s Strong standard for Curriculum and Teaching highlights the quality of its apprenticeship design and delivery, alongside meeting the required standard across all other inspection categories.

Harvey Watson, Director of Learning and Development at the CSA, said: “We are delighted that Ofsted has recognised the strength of our teaching and curriculum. The report reflects the care we take to design apprenticeship programmes with employers, the expertise of our tutors, and the engaging learning methods we use to help apprentices succeed in fast-changing regulatory and professional environments.”

The report also notes that teaching staff are well qualified and bring current sector expertise, while apprentices benefit from high-quality developmental feedback and strong support from coaches. Ofsted found that achievement on most apprenticeships is high, particularly at levels 2 and 4, and that many apprentices progress to positive destinations such as promotions or pay rises.

Simon Lowe, Senior Tutor at the CSA, said: “This recognition is a real credit to our tutor team and the apprentices we work with. We aim to make every session practical, engaging and relevant to the workplace, and it is encouraging to see Ofsted recognise the quality of teaching and the strength of the curriculum we deliver.”

Chris Leslie, CEO of the CSA, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that CSA has received a Strong standard for Curriculum and Teaching in addition to meeting the required standard across all 4 other categories. This is a significant endorsement of the quality of our apprenticeship provision, the dedication of our team, and the value of specialist learning and development support for our sector.”

Read the full latest Ofsted inspection report here. 

*CSA Apprenticeships are provided by CSA (Services) Ltd, a subsidiary of the Credit Services Association.