The Marine Society College of the Sea

AI-17 Follow up re-inspection monitoring visit report

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Published date 07 April 2015 Inspection Number 455463 Unique reference number: 130414

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Name of lead inspector: Richard Pemble HMI

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Type of provider: Special designated institution

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Address:

202 Lambeth Road London SE1 7JW Telephone number: 0207 654 7046 Marine Society College

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Follow up re-inspection monitoring visit report

AI-17 Follow up re-inspection monitoring visit report

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Follow up re-inspection monitoring visit report

Monitoring visit Marine Society College, 3 March 2015 1 of 5

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Context and focus of visit

This is the second re-inspection monitoring visit to Marine Society College following publication of the inspection report on 24 November 2014, which found the provider to be inadequate overall.

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Context and focus of visit

The Marine Society College offers a range of educational opportunities, including GCSE and A-level qualifications, to professional seafarers. Qualifications are offered as a distance learning package through a subcontractor. The inspection focused on the GCSE and A-level qualifications.

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Context and focus of visit

The purpose of this visit was to establish what steps managers have taken to improve provision in response to the priorities for improvement set in the first re- inspection monitoring visit.

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who successfully complete their GCSE and A-level programmes?

Managers have worked effectively to improve the quality of information, advice and guidance given to prospective learners before they enrol, and to new learners during their induction. Managers now gather more detailed information about the prior learning and qualifications of new learners to ensure they have sufficient knowledge and ability for their chosen course.

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who successfully complete their GCSE and A-level programmes?

All new learners now complete a screening assessment for English and mathematics to ensure that they have a sufficient level of skill in these subjects to be able to study their selected GCSE or A-level course. Those learners who are identified as not having sufficient skills are referred to the college’s English and mathematics improvement courses prior to enrolling on a GCSE or A-level course.

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who successfully complete their GCSE and A-level programmes?

Managers have met with the Royal Navy Education Manager and agreed that Royal Navy Education Officers will be informed when a learner starts a GCSE or A-level course with the college, and that they will provide informal support, coaching and encouragement, especially for those who fall behind with their work.

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who successfully complete their GCSE and A-level programmes?

However, managers have not yet established a system to monitor the progress each learner is making, so that, if they fall behind the expected rate of progress, staff can provide the appropriate help or guidance.

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and assessment are good or better?

When learners have completed their assessment in English and mathematics at the start of their course, college staff send this information to the subcontractor. However, at the time of visit, no evidence was available to show how the subcontractor uses this information to plan learning for individual learners or how teachers adapt learning materials to enable all learners to use them effectively.

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progress in their studies?

Managers have yet to establish a system for monitoring learners’ progress to enable teachers and managers to have a more accurate picture of the progress each learner is making.

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progress in their studies?

Managers have improved the frequency of communication with the subcontractor and are developing the capacity of college staff and the subcontractor staff to intervene and support learners who are falling behind the expected rate of progress.

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monitor learners’ progress effectively?

Managers are not yet analysing the available data on learners’ achievements in different subjects, the effectiveness of different tutors or the achievement of different groups of learners, to identify any trends and learn from the most effective provision.

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monitor learners’ progress effectively?

Managers are making much better use of the information that the subcontractor supplies about the submission of assignments and have worked effectively to contact learners who have not yet submitted any work, to find out if they wish to continue with their course or not. However, there are still too many learners who have not yet submitted the assignments that would be expected at this stage of the course.

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the college are the most suitable for the maritime industry?

Managers have yet to collect and analyse learners’ destination data to help inform their evaluation of the effectiveness of the provision and the curriculum offer.

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the college are the most suitable for the maritime industry?

Managers have not yet analysed the reasons why a few learners do not submit any work after enrolling on the course. They do not have the information that would inform them of the improvements required to recruitment and enrolment procedures so that those learners who are at most risk of not completing their qualification can be guided on to a more suitable course, either with the college or with another provider.

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safeguarding of GCSE and A-level learners improves?

Managers have sought and received confirmation from their subcontractor that tutors have had their suitability to work with young people and vulnerable adults checked through the Disclosure and Barring Service. Managers have produced an information document to help tutors understand better the challenges and pressures that working and studying at sea can bring. However, not all subcontractor staff have completed recent training in safeguarding learners.

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Reasonable improvement for learners

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Reasonable improvement for learners

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Reasonable improvement for learners

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