Regional accountancy firm Bishop Fleming has received high-level praise for its commitment to apprenticeships following its first full Ofsted inspection.
The firm, which has the largest of its eight offices in Bristol, is celebrating receiving an Outstanding rating from Ofsted for its apprenticeship provision, along with a string of other accolades. 
It is one of just 18 providers to have achieved Outstanding status so far this year and only the second accountancy firm to do so.
Bishop Fleming’s Ofsted inspection lasted three days, with the team visiting several of its offices, meeting with various learning and development (L&D) team members, apprentices and their managers.
They examined five areas – quality of education, personal development, behaviours and attitudes, leadership and management, and apprenticeships, grading all as Outstanding.
Bishop Fleming partner and chief people officer Anna Averis, pictured below, said: “We are thrilled to receive this recognition for our leading apprenticeship programme, which is now officially rated among the very best in UK.
“As one of only a few accounting firms to have been awarded Employer-Provider status, we have been able to develop and deliver our own tailored apprenticeship programme, so to have this independent recognition is testament to the hard work of my team and our brilliant apprentices.
“Our programme is now delivering real results and is integral to our wider business growth ambitions.”
Bishop Fleming managing partner Andrew Sandiford, pictured, added: “To be rated Outstanding by Ofsted and recognised alongside some major employers in the country such as the British Army, BT and Amazon is a fantastic achievement for our business.
“Our investment in our own apprentice programme demonstrates our commitment to attracting the very best talent and the future leaders of our business.”
The Outstanding Ofsted rating comes on the back of Bishop Fleming’s recognition among some of the largest organisations in the UK in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers List for 2024, co-developed by the Department for Education.
It also recently achieved another year of double-digit growth, taking revenue to more than £43m in the year ending 31 May.
The firm, which also has offices in Bath, Cheltenham, Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Truro and Worcester, is one year into its ‘Better Growth’ strategy aimed at doubling the size of its business and transforming its operations.
