Farleigh Further Education College (Frome)

Farleigh Further Education College (Frome) Inspection report for further education college

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SC041633 Unique reference number 9 February 2009 Inspection date Wendy Anderson Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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Farleigh Sixth Form College Address North Parade FROME Somerset BA11 2AB 01373 475470 Telephone number colleenbenzie@priorygroup.com Email Priory Education Group Registered person Andrew Chiffers Head of care

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Head / Principal

8 February 2006 Date of last inspection .

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Head / Principal

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Head / Principal

You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Farleigh Further Education College (Frome),9 February 2009

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Brief description of the service

Farleigh Further Education College (FFEC) is co-educational and provides further education for young people who have been diagnosed as having Asperger's syndrome.

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Brief description of the service

The college accommodates young people from 16 to 20 years-of-age offering both day and residential provision. The boarders are accommodated in five different boarding houses, four of which are located in Frome. The fifth is in Trowbridge, within walking distance of Wiltshire College, one of FFEC's partners in mainstream further education. The smallest residence operates as a supported independence house and at the time of inspection there were no students under the age of 18 accommodated there.

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Brief description of the service

The college works in partnership with local further education colleges in Trowbridge, Chippenham, (Lacock)and Bath plus a range of work placements where students can gain work based skills and experience. This provide the students with access to a wide range of educational and vocational opportunities to prepare them for adult life.

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Summary

This was an announced inspection carried out by two inspectors on 9, 10 and 11 February 2009. Students, parents and the staff at the college completed questionnaires for the purpose of the inspection. Interviews with staff and students were held, visits to all the residencies and time spent with the students. A sample of the colleges documentation and records were inspected as were a selection of staff and student files.

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Summary

Farleigh FE College provides excellent provision for young people with Aspergers Syndrome, achieving very successful outcomes and enhancing the life chances for young people leaving college. For example, last year 32% of leavers went on to university. There is a strong emphasis on vocational training. Many students undertake well planned work placements and some go on to obtain fulltime employment with the same employer.

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Summary

The college assesses and understands its students in detail, meeting individual need across social, educational, vocational and daily living skills. The interest of all staff in young peoples progress across all remits is a major contributor to these outcomes. Young people are encouraged to express their views and become involved in the decision making process at the college.

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Summary

Both parents and students told inspectors that their time with Farleigh FE College is the first time their views have been sought, respected and acted upon. Some also said that Farleigh had saved or turned around their lives. The overall quality rating is outstanding. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the college has continued to review and develop its practice, policies and procedures. The college has expanded the student involvement in the recruitment of staff and into the development and revision of policies and procedures. 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Farleigh Further Education College (Frome),9 February 2009

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. The college has the appropriate policies and procedures in place regarding underage drinking, substance misuse and obscene materials. Evidence of these being followed was seen in the college records. Staff and students have a good working knowledge of these and the consequence if they are breeched. The college works proactively with the students on these issues, keeping students safe but also enabling students to exercise judgement for themselves as they move toward adulthood and independence.

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Helping children to be healthy

Health and personal problems of individual students are identified and support is well planned. Students receive appropriate first aid and health care support from trained staff. Students either retain they own GP or are registered with local GPs. Students are provided with support when attending health related appointments where they request this and their privacy is respected. The college has an extremely robust system which enables students to administer their own medication. This includes a period of assessment with a risk assessment and an ongoing reviewing process. Appropriate storage is provided in students rooms for their medication. The college also enables students to order their own medication. All of this is done with the student’s agreement that the college must be kept informed of any medication brought into the college.

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Helping children to be healthy

There are comprehensive records of any accidents, illnesses and medications. Each student has the appropriate consents for first aid and administration of medicines in place. The college has a robust policy and procedure in place for infection control.

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Helping children to be healthy

Students have good access to doctors and they report staff to be very caring, looking after them very well if they are ill.

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Helping children to be healthy

The management of student’s individual health issues is excellent at the college. Information is well documented in individual student’s files. The staff in each residency are fully conversant with issues relating to the students they care for. The college has a skilled therapy team which meet at least weekly to discuss students so that they can ensure students receive the input they require and identify any student that may require additional support. The college is also proactive in obtaining any additional external support a student may require.

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Helping children to be healthy

Students said that the food ranged from ok to excellent and there was always plenty to eat. They said there was always a good choice at meal times and that the menus are varied. Students said that wherever possible individual tastes are catered for and if they didn’t like what was on the menu then they would be offered an alternative. Students are involved in the preparation of group meals. Students are encouraged to try different foods which include foods from other cultures. Those students who are self-catering said they were provided with good support from staff and that this was tailored to their individual needs. The dining areas throughout the college are pleasantly furnished and decorated.

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Helping children to be healthy

Students have access to their kitchens at all times which have appropriate storage and facilities. There are supplies of water, snack and fruit available throughout the day in all student areas.

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Helping children to be healthy

Students who are ill may return home or be looked after in their boarding house if appropriate. 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Farleigh Further Education College (Frome),9 February 2009

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. The college has robust policies and procedures for countering bullying and harassment, and staff across all roles demonstrated a clear understanding of these. Students said that bullying was not an issue at the college as it rarely happened. The staff team have an extensive knowledge of the students in their care and a clear understanding of the student’s inter-personal relationships. This enables them to intervene mostly at the ‘pre bullying’ stage. The culture within the college is that bullying and harassment will not be tolerated and that all persons at the college have a responsibility and duty to report any incident or concerns. The college is also very alert in the area of cyber bullying via emails or mobile phones. The college records of incidents are extremely thorough. There are no initiation ceremonies at the college.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a robust child protection policy and procedure. All the staff, including housekeepers, maintenance and support staff, receive regular mandatory training on this issue. All staff know who the designated child protection officer is and what they are required to report. There are clear links to the Local Safeguarding Children Board and Social Services. Any allegation or potential child protection issue is well documented and the appropriate actions taken.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Students said they felt that the college rules and subsequent consequences, and sanctions were fair. Sanctions are specific to individual students proportionate to their understanding of their own behaviour. These are reviewed for their effectiveness and where they are found to be ineffective the staff, with the involvement of the student and the therapy team, will consider different approaches. There are no unreasonable or excessive sanctions and students do not administer any sanctions. The college has thorough records of any sanctions administered. Staff at the college have been trained in the use of physical restraint but this is used only in exceptional circumstances. There is a robust system for recording restraint when it is used. Throughout the inspection the students behaviour was observed to be very good, a credit to themselves and the college. The college has clear codes of conduct for both students and staff

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The college has a robust complaints policy and procedure which is rigorously followed. The records of complaints made are very thorough. Students said that they are able to voice any concerns they have to staff. The ethos of the college is that the students are enabled and empowered to raise their concerns. Students, parents and staff have a clear understanding of the complaints process.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Fire safety is well managed. Students know what to do in the event of a fire. There is robust recording including the fire risk assessment, which is regularly reviewed and updated. There is a fire audit on each of the residencies. All visitors to the site are given a fire briefing on arrival.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Health and safety is well managed. There is a designated member of staff with overall health and safety responsibility with the managers in each residency also holding responsibility. The college has two health and safety audits per year, one announced and one unannounced.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Students said that staff respect their privacy and this was observed throughout the inspection. Any room checks are carried out with the students present. The college has a suitable room search policy and procedure in place. 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Farleigh Further Education College (Frome),9 February 2009 Staff recruitment is robust. Successful applicants do not begin work without an enhanced criminal records bureau check, this includes support staff and volunteers. Staff files inspected contained all the required information. All visitors to the site have to sign in and out and are given a visitors identity badge. During the inspection staff and students asked who the inspectors were and for their identity badges. Any contractor on the college site is supervised.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The main college is secure from intrusion whilst allowing young people to leave freely. The residencies are located in areas and have appropriate levels of normal domestic security and they are not readily identifiable as 'college' premises. Students said that they felt safe at the college and the residencies. This view was supported by the students' parents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The college has no electronic surveillance measures but does have waking night staff. This well trained staff team are there primarily for the support of the students.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Students enjoy a wide range of activities during the week and at alternate weekends they spend in college. Activities are age appropriate. Students own ideas for activities are acted upon by staff. They access activities, groups and clubs within the local community, either individually or with fellow students. There are risk assessments in place for activities undertaken. Students have enough free time to relax and to be with their friends.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Students receive exceptional support from the staff. Students said that there were numerous staff they would go to if they needed to talk, including the senior management team and the therapist team. All students have an allocated personal tutor who they regard as an important relationship for them. Thought is given to the allocation of personal tutors ensuring good matches are made. Personal tutors hold one-to-one sessions with their students and these sessions are documented and actions arising identified with them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There is excellent communication across the college regarding all aspects of the students' care so that there is a whole team approach to the wellbeing of each student, whilst still respecting their confidentiality. Phone numbers of help lines are posted around the college and within the literature provided to the students by the college.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The college promotes and implements a clear anti-discriminatory stance. All students are treated with dignity and respect, which influences how they learn to treat each other. The college has an equalities and diversity coordinator as well as the Priory having an equality and diversity lead at their Headquarters. The college also has an equalities and diversity group which includes student members. Work is undertaken with the students on race, gender, people’s rights and sexuality. Events are held which celebrate different cultures. The programme for this work was taken to the student’s council for their input and views. The senior management is involved in actively trying to promote the college amongst the different ethnic groups in the South West.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Students may have high volumes of work but these are carefully monitored. This monitoring process includes assignment tracking, homework planning and one-to-one meetings with personal tutors. The numerous academic successes evidence that the workload is well managed and demands are focussed upon what is achievable. 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Farleigh Further Education College (Frome),9 February 2009 The students have a range of safe internal and external communal areas. Communal areas in houses and college are well maintained and students were seen using them in a wide variety of ways. There are televisions/games etcetera available. Shared space is in a defined living group who cooperate well with each other. Staff presence is not intrusive, but staffing levels ensure there is oversight of how young people interact. The main college has extensive grounds which the students can access. All the residencies have pleasant gardens.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Student consultation and involvement is a strength of the college. Students are fully involved in their individual plans and reviews. Some parents said that they felt it was the first time that they and there sons/daughters views had been listened to and acted upon.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There is a very effective student council which most students felt did an excellent job representing their views and getting ideas of the students implemented. Students council members are elected by the student body and there is at least one representative from each of the residencies. A student council meeting was observed as part of the inspection. Meeting are chaired by a student and each representative is given the opportunity to put forward their views and the views of the students they represent. The two staff that attended the meeting observed; they were able to answer some student queries but allowed the students complete control. Young people were observed to be able to assert and challenge views in this forum in a mature and respectful way. The student council is being asked to review college policies and it is starting to take an active role in this.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Students have also been involved in the recruitment process for new staff. These students said they felt that they were a full part of the process and that their input was valued. The college makes a point of acknowledging the students skills and talents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Students are able to contact their families at all reasonable times. Parents reported the college to be excellent at keeping them informed. Parents said that they valued the fact that they can contact the college 24 hours a day for help and advice. This is supported by the waking night staff, who receive the same training information and input as the day staff. Family contact is carefully planned in the interest of young people and their families, where this is needed. Many young people have mobile telephones and can contact family freely; they also have access to landline telephones.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Students and parents are provided with comprehensive information on all aspects of life at the college. Admission is managed on an individual basis. A typical admission involves visits to the college and then a pre-admission day where student and parental evaluations take place. Assessments are undertaken by the language and occupational therapist at the college. Risk assessment information is sought proactively from family and the placing authority. This process ensures that admissions are made as a result of comprehensive information. Initial education and support plans are individually tailored from the outset and young people join the college with realistic expectations and demands. Students said that they felt well informed about the college prior to arrival and well supported on entry.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The relationships between staff and students are exceptional. The staff ensure that they know the students thoroughly, including their abilities, skills and preferred method of learning. The staff team has a well developed expertise and understanding of Aspergers Syndrome. Staff 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Farleigh Further Education College (Frome),9 February 2009 spoken to were very appreciative of the individuality of young people. Students were extremely positive about the staff, as were their parents. They felt ‘they were caring, very committed to their work, saw working at the college as more then a job, willing to go the extra mile and great fun to spend time with’. They also felt staff were constructive in the support they provided and were not judgemental of students' particular behaviours.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is outstanding. The organisation of the student accommodation safeguards student welfare. The college has given consideration to separate accommodation for younger students but on balance has concluded that age is not the key determinant in how the living group interact and function. All young people at Farleigh may be considered vulnerable in differing ways and the service has strong protective measures in place to support this. Management of the co-educational service is well planned. There is a 'no relationships' policy which appears quite strict, but in practice is always dealt with without disapproval. Additionally there are groups which focus on relationship matters. These sessions are not compulsory and are run primarily in response to issues arising from discussions with individual students. This ensures that the personal and social education work, not compulsory with this age group, is done purposefully. The college

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Achieving economic wellbeing

has risk assessments in place where under and over 18 year old share the same residencies.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

There was evidence that staffing levels will be varied in response to the needs of the students.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Students personal possessions and money are protected. All students have individual lockable storage.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The student accommodation is furnished to a high standard within a range of ordinary domestic facilities. Any required maintenance is undertaken quickly. Major works are undertaken during the college holidays.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Students sleeping accommodation ranges from good to excellent. All bedrooms are well furnished with good ventilation and lighting. Students said that they had ample storage are encouraged to personalise them and liked their rooms. All students have keys to their bedrooms. There are some shared rooms which have en-suite bathrooms. Allocation of rooms is done in consultation with the students as far as possible. There was evidence to show that if a student in unhappy with their living arrangement it may be changed.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

There are enough washing, bathing and toilet facilities across the residential accommodation.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Students felt that the laundry facilities at the college were excellent. Each residency has enough washing machines and tumble dryers to allow students to do their washing when they want to. This supports good progress towards independence in this life skill.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Students have excellent access to local shops and facilities, including staff support if this is required.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The college has a clear statement of principals and practice. Both students and parents said that they found the information the college provided really helpful and prepared them for life 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Farleigh Further Education College (Frome),9 February 2009 at the college. Students are involved in the review of this information so that the college always improves what they provide for prospective new students.

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Organisation

There is a clear management structure at the college. The leadership of the residential side is strong and fully integrated into the overall college leadership. Staff were very complimentary about the senior management team and the support they provide. Staff said that the management truly operate an open door policy and that they would feel comfortable to approach them about anything.

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Organisation

The college undertakes regular audit reviews of the work they undertake. The results of these reviews are reflected in future work done. The level of awareness about specific issues is very good and there is a keen interest taken across the board in all aspect of the college life.

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Organisation

The college has the appropriate policies and procedures in place for the management of crisis.

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Organisation

The supervision of students is well planned and proportionate to their needs. Students have good relationships with staff enabling discreet supervision which is appreciated. Where welfare concerns are identified or suspected the college responds proactively to try to ensure minimum risk.

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Organisation

The college maintains excellent health records on individual students. This is confidentially maintained on their personal files. These include guidance for staff on intervention where relevant. Where this information is relevant it is frequently reviewed and amended.

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Organisation

Staffing levels are high. These are used to ensure that activity is promoted, that young people are safe and that systems are fully implemented.

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Organisation

Supervision occurs termly for all staff plus an annual appraisal. For new staff supervision is far more frequent, ensuring an effective induction and guiding new staff to work in accordance to Farleigh policies and ethos. The training provided for staff by the college is excellent. There is mandatory training which s regularly updated. Other training offered covers a vast range of topics. The staff team receive a great deal of training on Aspergers Sydrome. Waking night staff receive the same training. The college has a high percentage of its staff trained to National Vocational Qualification at level 3 or above.

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Organisation

The college has clear written guidance for staff on student welfare and practice. These are frequently reviewed and amended. Alongside well written policies there is a very strong culture of shared responsibility. The staff in education and residential share an understanding and approach to all aspects of student development.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Due date Action Standard

10 of 12 Inspection Report: Farleigh Further Education College (Frome),9 February 2009

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Farleigh Further Education College (Frome),9 February 2009

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