Education and Services for People with Autism

Published date April 2012 Inspection Number 385363 Unique reference number: 131872

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Name of lead inspector: Sue Harrison HMI

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Type of provider: Independent specialist college

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Address:

6-7 The Cloisters Ashbrooke Sunderland Tyne and Wear SR2 7BD Telephone number: 0191 510 2600 ESPA College

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Focused monitoring visit report

Focused monitoring visit: ESPA College, 27 March 2012 2 of 5

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Context and focus of visit

ESPA College is part of Education and Services for People with Autism, a limited company with charitable status that provides a range of services for people with autism. The college provides for day and residential learners, aged 16 to 25 years, from within the region and nationally. There are currently 86 learners. The college is based across three sites in Sunderland and Newcastle. The college’s mission is to provide “a high quality, autism specific, educational experience to enable students to maximise their full potential for future life, well-being and work.” The organisation is currently in the process of recruiting a new principal to take over from the acting principal, who is due to leave the college in July 2012.

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Context and focus of visit

The college, inspected in 2010, was judged to be good, with outstanding procedures for safeguarding. This monitoring visit focuses on the aspects which were judged to be in need of further improvement.

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progress

Since the inspection, the college has taken effective measures to improve the use of data across the organisation. Staff have a clearer understanding of how to use data to evaluate the success of the provision. For example, an analysis of learners’ success on courses leading to qualifications led to changes in the curriculum and the introduction of alternative courses where this was appropriate. The college has also revised its curriculum in response to analysis of the changing needs of its learners, particularly an increase in those with more complex conditions. In the current year, the college has introduced changes to the use of baseline assessment data in order to improve the setting of targets against which learners’ progress can be measured. The college is aware of the need to review further the clarity of targets within the revised individual learning plans. The college has improved the use of data in quality

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reports. The reports now have smarter targets and clearer timescales, against which regular monitoring takes place.

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progress

Learners continue to make good progress at the college. Of the forty students who left the college in 2010/11 over 80% continued in education, training or supported employment. This includes a small number of students who gained places at Focused monitoring visit: ESPA College, 27 March 2012 3 of 5

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university. Success rates on accredited courses are generally high. Students make very good progress in developing their independence. Their increasing confidence enables them to take greater responsibility in practical activities and the organisation of their daily lives. Learners make progress in their understanding of appropriate behaviour and how to achieve this. They make significant gains in their ability to travel independently during their time at college. Students contribute very well to the local community through fundraising and raising awareness of autism. For example, the Autism 4 Heroes project uses performing arts to enable students to develop a range of enterprise and personal skills, which they then showcase at a range of community venues.

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progress

Since the inspection the college has undertaken a thorough review of its tutorial processes. The views of learners, as well as staff, are used well in contributing to this process. The revised policy put in place following the review makes much clearer the purpose of tutorials and their aims and objectives. As a result of this, individual and group tutorials are now planned well to meet the specific needs of different learners. The sharing of information and good practice amongst tutors has improved significantly, and this is having a beneficial effect on the support plans in place for students. Learners’ feedback on tutorials is more positive and attendance at these sessions has improved. Systems are now in place to monitor the effectiveness of tutorials. Formal observations of sessions take place as part of the college’s monitoring of its teaching and learning strategy. In addition, a tutor co-ordinator

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post has been established on all college sites to support staff in delivering effective tutorials and also to carry out regular informal monitoring visits.

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Following the inspection, the college recognised that its lesson observation process focussed too heavily on teacher input rather than the learning taking place. Work took place with staff to agree criteria on what constitutes good or better lessons, and observations now focus more clearly on the progress students are making in the lessons. College records show that some observers are more skilled than others at recording evidence of this progress. Actions identified for improvement following observations are being followed up more systematically through professional development reviews, with re-observations taking place where necessary to gauge improvement. Joint lesson observations that took place during the monitoring visit Focused monitoring visit: ESPA College, 27 March 2012 4 of 5

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showed the college to have a clear understanding of strengths and areas for improvement in teaching and learning. The college judges over 80% of its lessons to be good or better, but recognises that in a minority of lessons learning outcomes are still not sufficiently clear. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in priso ns and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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telephone 0300 123 1231 or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’. Ofsted

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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