Skegness College of Vocational Training Limited

Further Education and Skills inspection report Date published: 19 November 2013 Inspection Number: 429119 URN: 54397

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Learners’ achievements of their learning aims and qualifications are good.  Learners make good progress in their lessons and work placements.  Learners develop their personal and employability skills very effectively.  Most teaching and learning are good.  Staff provide a high level of support for learners to help them overcome personal and behavioural difficulties.  Learners undergo frequent and comprehensive assessments of their work and behaviour.  Staff monitor health and safety and safeguarding arrangements closely to ensure that learners are well protected.  Managers monitor staff performance closely and support their development needs well.  Networks and partnerships are widely used to enhance the range of learning programmes.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Learners need more opportunities to undertake timely work placements.  Information and communication technology (ICT) is not used sufficiently to enhance learning.  Learners’ progress reviews are not frequent enough and long-term targets not fully understood.  Data collection is not well managed.  Newly qualified tutors require more formal support.

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This inspection: Good-2

Previous inspection: Good-2 Outcomes for learners Good-2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good-2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good-2

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Further develop the use of and reference to ICT to support learning programmes by improving the confidence and knowledge of tutors and gaining access to appropriate ICT applications.  Revise the observation of teaching and learning paperwork to place a stronger focus on learning. Support newly qualified tutors to develop their teaching skills.  Ensure all staff have an understanding and ownership of the quality improvement plan and are aware of the development areas to which they can contribute and that their targets to reflect this are clearly understood.  Ensure that all learners who would benefit from doing so undertake timely work-placements to enhance their employment and progression prospects.  Increase the frequency of reviews and the quality of long-term target setting by formalising the processes and supporting documents and by ensuring that targets set are clearly understood by learners.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Develop relevant staff in the use of management information systems and make sure they are able to produce accurate data. Ensure staff are able to interpret data to identify trends in performance and in particular capture and record more accurate information on leavers’ destinations.  Use existing staff expertise and staff meeting opportunities to ensure all staff understand current requirements with regard to equality and diversity.

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Inspection judgements

 Learners’ achievement of their learning aims, including qualifications, is good . Skegness College of Vocational Training (SCVT) delivers study programmes that incorporate a wide range of vocational and personal development awards to enhance the future prospects of learners. Learners undertake a challenging programme of relevant qualifications and success rates are high. Success rates in English, mathematics, ICT and functional skills are also high. Learners make good progress in lessons and in their work placements. They apply themselves well and produce work of a high standard.  Learners develop effective employment skills including the discipline of attending regularly and punctually. Many learners find these skills a particular challenge given their previous school history. Staff monitor learners’ attendance closely, including their attendance at subcontracted provision and work placements. They follow up absences promptly and rigorously.

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Inspection judgements

 SCVT monitors the participation and achievement of groups of learners closely; data on learner retention and achievements are analysed by gender, ethnicity, disability, learning centre and programme. There are no significant differences in the achievements of different learner groups. Those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve equally well as those who do not.  Learners make good progress in their personal development including self-confidence building, taking personal responsibility and the ability to communicate with others. Less confident learners overcome an initial reluctance to participate fully in groups or present their ideas and thoughts to other class members. A significant number of learners arrive at SCVT with behavioural difficulties. They achieve specific, challenging and relevant targets for improvements in their behaviour and develop an appropriate and professional manner.

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Inspection judgements

 SCVT uses work placements very effectively to provide learners with valuable experience to apply and further develop their employability skills. SCVT is careful to place learners only when they are ready to ensure that the experience is appropriate and positive. Employers are supportive and set learners challenging but achievable tasks. However, not all learners have work experience planned into their programmes and some therefore miss a valuable opportunity to enhance their employment prospects.  The proportion of learners who progressed into further education, training or employment was very high in 2010/11. The figure fell the following year to a satisfactory level and in 2012/13, it rose slightly and remains satisfactory. SCVT’s processes for following up leavers to establish whether they have progressed into further education, training or employment and record their destinations are not thorough and do not always capture positive progressions. A new system to

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Inspection judgements

follow up leavers and record their destinations has recently been introduced to improve the recording and accuracy of progression data but it is too soon to judge its effectiveness.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Inspection judgements

 Teaching, learning and assessment at SCVT is good and this reflects the good outcomes for learners and results in a positive experience for the large majority of learners in the classroom. This, together with the college’s good support systems ensures that most learners start on the right programme and successfully complete their learning aims.  Most of teaching and learning are good with the majority of tutors using varied learning activities to motivate their learners well. For example, some learners use props and objects to identify risks and hazards in preparation for a children’s leisure activity, others work as a group to meet and set up a student council and a business administration learner records the minutes of a learner meeting.  Tutors are enthusiastic and supportive of learners and this highly motivates them to progress well. They use plenty of employment-related examples within their teaching, which further

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Inspection judgements

develops learners’ understanding of the world of work. In the less successful sessions, tutors talk too much and use a limited range of teaching and learning strategies to meet the individual needs of all learners.  Learners benefit from good coaching skills by most tutors, which encourages the development of their reflective and independent thinking skills well. As a result, learners develop a greater understanding of their vocational programme and how they might be suited for a job within the sector.  Learners benefit from high levels of personal and learning support from tutors who are caring and keen for their learners to achieve. This highly motivates them to progress. Learners find tutors very approachable and are able to talk to them about personal issues through which they gain advice and receive practical help. Staff support many learners to resolve problems in their personal lives, which enables them to continue with their learning programme.

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Inspection judgements

 Initial assessment processes are thorough and identify learners’ English and mathematical abilities and their social needs accurately. Staff use the results effectively to plan and deliver learning support. However, staff do not always use the information to plan and differentiate teaching activities so that all learners are appropriately challenged.  Tutors do not routinely use information learning technology (ILT) to deliver and enhance learners’ programmes. Learners are not encouraged to explore fully the application and impact of current technological developments in their vocational sectors.  Learners’ progress is well monitored by tutors. Most learners are aware of how they are progressing and what they need to do to succeed. Tutors set targets for learners during informal progress reviews. These relate to both their personal and vocational development and generally provide a good deal of challenge to which learners respond well. Formal reviews where longer

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Inspection judgements

term targets are set are too infrequent and these targets are insufficiently precise to enable the learner to know what they need to achieve and by when.  Tutors assess learners’ work and behaviour frequently and provide clear and comprehensive verbal feedback. However, some tutors rely too heavily on the use of oral questions to assess learning. Some learners do not respond well to this technique and it does not enable them to demonstrate their learning fully.  Tutors support learners well to improve their functional skills and achieve their learning goals. Vocational tutors make good links between functional skills and vocational areas and some contextualise the teaching of English and mathematics particularly well. Most tutors routinely correct learners’ work for spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors and many learners make good progress in improving their writing skills.  The good quality work experience placements provided for many learners by local companies,

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Inspection judgements

form part of their vocational programmes. Tutors work with employers closely matching placement types to meet individual learners’ personal and programme needs. Tutors and company supervisors regularly discuss the learners’ progress at work and both monitor their progress closely. Businesses include a range of retail shops, care homes, animal care providers and car maintenance units. The number of work-experience placement providers has diminished with the onset of local economic problems and not all current learners have work experience plans in place.  Equality and diversity are included well by tutors who foster good relationships and harmony within their learner groups. Mutual respect amongst learners, reflecting the approaches and attitudes of staff, reduces the potential for bullying and harassment. Learners are courteous and mostly well behaved towards staff and each other. They feel safe within the training locations.

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Inspection judgements

Lessons are inclusive and support learners’ individual needs on sensitive issues. However, some opportunities to reinforce equality and diversity within lessons are not always recognised and used by tutors to develop learners’ knowledge further.

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Inspection judgements

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Inspection judgements

 SCVT has clear strategies to improve and enhance the experiences of learners. These strategies are underpinned by a three-year business plan and a clear networking and partnership strategy to improve the programme offer to learners through a range of joint working activities with local children’s services, children’s charities and franchise and subcontractor partners. Learning is particularly well managed and subcontractors are used very effectively to allow a broad range of taster experiences to be accessed by learners. Recent investment in training centre resources and centre relocations has been well managed to greatly improve the learning environments.  Staff are very effectively managed and particularly value the support and opportunities for development provided by senior management. Staff are well-qualified with an extensive range of teaching and vocational qualifications and are well supported by SCVT to progress further.

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Inspection judgements

Regular staff appraisal and monitoring of performance targets ensure staff performance is maximised; however, some targets for recently appointed staff are not sufficiently detailed. A comprehensive teaching and learning observation process links clearly in to staff performance management and joint observations take place internally and with external franchise partners. Grades awarded by inspectors for teaching and learning sessions are reflective of the provider grade profile. However, the key performance areas on the recording paperwork need to focus more strongly on the quality of learning.  Quality improvement is a key focus for SCVT who ensure the views of learners, staff parents and stakeholder partners are regularly gathered and utilised to improve the learner experience and achievements. Good examples of a range of feedback leading to training and resource improvements are in evidence. The organisations annual quality cycle, which encompasses

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Inspection judgements

regular self-assessment and quality improvement planning linked to staff appraisal and development, has recognised most of the areas for improvement identified by inspectors. However, there has been a lack of timely progress to implement some improvements, for example data management. Some teaching staff are not fully aware of the requirements of the quality improvement plan and do not always link their job objectives to improvement planning.  A particularly strong equality and diversity culture exists within SCVT, which is reflected by the diverse nature and abilities of its learners. Staff are trained at induction and receive equality and diversity bulletins. However, no recent formal updating for staff has taken place. The organisation monitors participation, progress and achievement of different groups closely and has introduced successful initiatives when gaps have been identified. For example, a programme

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Inspection judgements

for pregnant women was introduced which successfully increased the number of female learners.  SCVT meets its statutory requirements for the safeguarding of learners. Safeguarding, and health and safety are very well managed and are given paramount importance in view of the particularly vulnerable learners in attendance. Staff and learners are very aware of the different aspects of safeguarding and good examples of safeguarding issues being confidentially and sympathetically dealt with are in evidence. Staff receive regular in-house briefings from the organisation’s designated safeguarding officer. All staff have completed appropriate training in safeguarding. Comprehensive risk assessments are carried out on all learner-related activity including training centre resources and work-experience placements. A qualified health and safety specialist officer maintains a high level of health and safety awareness throughout the

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Inspection judgements

organisation.  The organisation has an insufficient system for collecting, collating and using data. Managers and staff do not systematically use centrally held data to inform and improve all aspects of the training programmes. A new data management system has recently been introduced, and although staff training is planned, the system is not currently fulfilling its potential, particularly in tracking the destinations of learners.

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Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate

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Overall

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment 2 2

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Overall

The effectiveness of leadership and management 2 2

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Provider details

Type of provider Independent learning provider

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Duncan Moffatt Date of previous inspection June 2010 Website address www.skegnesscollege.co.uk

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programme level

Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 and above

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(excluding apprenticeships)

Full-time 50 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Part-time 8 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

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(excluding apprenticeships)

Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total N/A N/A N/A

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Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

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Apprenticeship level and age

Number of learners aged 14-16 N/A Number of community learners N/A Number of employability learners N/A Funding received from Education Funding Agency (EFA)

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Contextual information

SCVT is a Lincolnshire based private limited company founded in 1975. Employability Training funded by the EDA, is provided in three centres, two in Skegness and one in Boston. Following a recent study, the Office of National Statistics has identified Skegness as the most deprived seaside area in the UK. Minority ethnic groups form 1.9% of the Skegness population. Boston has a higher minority ethnic population of 3.2%. Since the previous inspection, the subject area of Hair and Beauty Therapy has become part of a franchise arrangement with a local college. Approximately 85% of company income comes from government-funded training with the remainder from privately funded activity.

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Information about this inspection

Three additional inspectors, assisted by the general manager as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on learners’ achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual interviews and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all of the provision at the provider. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the provision and graded the sector subject area listed in the report above.

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Grade Judgement

Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Handbook for the inspection of further education and skills 2012, Part 2:

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Grade Judgement

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/handbook-for-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills- september-2012

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Grade Judgement

guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Grade Judgement

Learner View is a new website where learners can tell Ofsted what they think about their college or provider. They can also see what other learners think about them too.

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Grade Judgement

To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk 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, community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Grade Judgement

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Grade Judgement

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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