Learner inclusion: How WBL providers can give learners additional support

Posted by Tribal Group

Across the apprenticeship sector, learner inclusion is no longer just good practice, it is a core compliance expectation. Under Ofsted’s revised Further Education and Skills inspection framework, in place since November 2025, inspectors place a strengthened emphasis on how well apprenticeship providers identify, assess, and support learners’ individual needs, particularly those who are disadvantaged, have SEND, or face other barriers to learning. Ofsted now evaluates inclusion as both a standalone judgement area and a theme woven throughout the inspection process, expecting providers to demonstrate early and accurate assessment, reasonable adjustments, targeted support, and a graduated approach to meeting learner need. 

At the same time, changes introduced through the Apprenticeship Accountability Framework (AAF) in early 2026 reinforce the need for providers to continually monitor programme quality, identify risks early, and take proactive action to improve outcomes for apprentices. These updates align provider reporting and risk indicators with Ofsted’s revised inspection model, further embedding learner inclusion, retention, and progression into compliance expectations across the sector. 

This environment makes robust learner‑support systems essential, providers must be able to evidence how effectively they identify needs, reduce barriers, track support, and monitor impact. MAYTAS is designed to help providers meet these expectations with confidence.

 

A proactive approach to learner support

Effective learner inclusion starts with visibility. Providers need to know not just who their learners are, but how they’re progressing, where they may be struggling, and when to intervene.

MAYTAS brings all of this together through a single, unified system, giving staff real-time insight into learner progress, engagement, and support needs. This allows providers to move from reactive support models to proactive intervention strategies, ensuring issues are addressed before they escalate.

This approach reflects a wider shift toward data-led decision-making, where timely insights help improve retention, achievement, and overall learner experience.


Identifying learners who need additional support

One of the biggest challenges for providers is spotting learners who may be at risk, whether due to academic difficulties, personal circumstances, or wellbeing concerns.

MAYTAS tackles this through its risk rating calculator, which automatically evaluates learner data and highlights individuals who may need additional support. By analysing key indicators such as progress, successful visits, OTJ progress, and engagement, providers can quickly identify those at risk and prioritise interventions.

With this intelligence embedded directly into everyday workflows, teams can act early, reducing the likelihood of withdrawal and improving overall outcomes.


Capturing a complete learner profile

Truly inclusive support relies on having a full understanding of each learner’s circumstances. MAYTAS enables providers to record and manage detailed learner information, including health conditions and LLDD (Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities). This ensures that critical information is captured from the outset and remains visible throughout the learner journey. By centralising this data, providers can:

  • Ensure appropriate support is in place from day one
  • Meet funding and compliance requirements
  • Provide staff with the context they need to adapt delivery
  • Maintain a consistent, organisation-wide approach to learner support

This comprehensive learner profile forms the foundation for more personalised, effective interventions. 


Supporting learner wellbeing

Learner inclusion isn’t just about academic progress, it’s also about wellbeing. MAYTAS includes dedicated wellbeing functionality that allows providers to capture, monitor, and respond to learner wellbeing needs. Whether it’s recording pastoral support, tracking concerns, or identifying trends across cohorts, this functionality ensures that wellbeing is treated as a core part of the learner journey, not an afterthought.

By bringing together wellbeing, health, and LLDD information in one place, staff can build a truly holistic view of each learner and respond with the right level of care and support.


Personalised learning and support planning

Every learner’s journey is different. MAYTAS enables providers to tailor support through flexible data capture and custom fields, allowing organisations to record: 

  • Additional learning needs (ALN) 

  • Learning support requirements 

  • Health and wellbeing considerations 

  • Personal circumstances 

  • Individual goals and milestones 

This ensures that support plans are not only documented but actively used, informing delivery, reviews, and ongoing interventions. 

With MAYTAS, personalisation is built into the system from day one, making it easier for providers to adapt learning to each individual. 


Structured reviews and ongoing support

Regular reviews are essential for ensuring that learners stay on track and that support remains relevant. MAYTAS supports structured, trackable reviews, enabling providers to schedule and record progress reviews, support discussions, and action plans. These reviews create consistent opportunities to:

  • Reassess learner needs

  • Update support strategies

  • Monitor progress against goals

  • Capture evidence of support delivery 

 

Because all review activity is stored centrally, providers can easily demonstrate the continuity and impact of support over time, supporting both quality improvement and inspection readiness. 


Task management and accountability

Delivering effective learner support requires coordination across teams, and clarity on what needs to happen next. MAYTAS includes built-in task management functionality, via our cohesive learner journey view, allowing staff to create, assign, and track actions related to learner support. Whether it’s following up on a wellbeing concern, arranging additional support, or completing a review action, tasks ensure that nothing is missed. This helps providers:

  • Maintain accountability across teams

  • Ensure timely interventions

  • Track completion of support actions

  • Create a clear audit trail of activity 

By embedding tasks into everyday workflows, MAYTAS turns insight into action, ensuring that identified needs lead to meaningful support.


Powerful reporting for informed decisions

Data is only valuable if it can be used effectively. That’s why MAYTAS provides robust reporting capabilities, enabling providers to turn learner data into actionable insight. With MAYTAS reporting, providers can:

  • Monitor learner progress and achievement

  • Track additional learning support delivery

  • Analyse retention and withdrawal trends

  • Evidence impact for funding and inspection

  • Identify gaps in provision or support 

In addition, MAYTAS offers powerful, fully maintained Power BI dashboards, giving providers a clear, visual representation of their data. These dashboards transform complex datasets into intuitive, easy-to-understand visuals, helping teams quickly identify trends, patterns, and areas requiring attention.

Because these dashboards are fully maintained, providers can be confident that their reporting remains accurate, up to date, and aligned with evolving funding and compliance requirements, without the need for in-house development or manual data manipulation.

Real-time visual insights ensure that teams always have access to the information they need, when they need it, supporting faster, more informed decision-making at every level of the organisation.


Enabling timely and effective interventions

Insight alone isn’t enough, what matters is what you do with it. MAYTAS enables providers to act on data quickly by embedding intervention points into workflows. Whether it’s scheduling reviews, assigning tasks, updating learner records, or flagging concerns, the system ensures that support actions are recorded, tracked, and followed through. This creates a clear audit trail of support, helping providers demonstrate:

  • Compliance with funding requirements

  • Evidence for inspection

  • Impact of interventions on learner outcomes 

More importantly, it ensures that learners receive the right support at the right time.


A joined-up approach to learner inclusion

What sets MAYTAS apart is its ability to bring everything together, data, wellbeing, risk, reviews, tasks, and reporting, into a single, cohesive platform.

Rather than relying on multiple disconnected systems, providers can manage the entire learner journey in one place. This not only improves efficiency but also ensures that no critical information is missed.

The result is a more joined-up, consistent approach to learner support, where every member of staff has access to the same information and can contribute to a shared goal: helping every learner succeed.


Coming soon: Enhanced neurodiversity support with Cognassist

Understanding how learners think, process information, and engage with learning is a key part of delivering truly inclusive education. That’s why MAYTAS is developing an enhanced integration with Cognassist, specialists in identifying and supporting neurodiversity.

This upcoming integration will enable providers to gain deeper insight into learners’ cognitive profiles, helping to identify neurodiverse traits such as dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning differences that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Through this partnership, MAYTAS will not only help surface these insights but also provide actionable recommendations on how to better support each learner. This includes practical strategies that tutors and support staff can apply in real time, ensuring that support is both personalised and effective.

By combining MAYTAS’ existing learner data, risk indicators, wellbeing tracking, and support records with Cognassist’s cognitive assessment capabilities, providers will benefit from a more complete picture of each learner.

Supporting every learner, every step of the way

Learner inclusion is not a one-time activity, it’s an ongoing commitment. It requires continuous monitoring, adaptation, and support. MAYTAS empowers providers to deliver on this commitment by:

  • Identifying learners who need support early 

  • Capturing health, LLDD, and wellbeing needs in one place

  • Structuring regular reviews and follow-up actions

  • Embedding task management for accountability

  • Providing powerful reporting and visual insights

  • Enabling personalised, data-driven interventions. 

In an increasingly complex education landscape, having the right systems in place is essential. With MAYTAS, providers can be confident they have the tools they need to support every learner - every step of the way. 

 

Find out more about MAYTAS

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