Stafford College

FE&S report Stafford College General further education college

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Adult learning programmes Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Provision for learners with high needs Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is an inadequate provider

 Governance is inadequate. Governors did not hold the college leadership to secure account for students’ underachievement in 2014/15.  Governors, former senior leaders and managers did not act quickly or effectively enough following the previous inspection in 2014 in tackling the college’s weaknesses.  Leaders were not successful in reducing differences in achievement between groups of students in 2014/15.  Aspects of teaching, learning and assessment, including the promotion of students’ understanding of equality and diversity in lessons, the use of technology to support independent learning and the effective use of initial assessment, have not improved quickly enough or consistently enough.  Achievement rates for students have declined.  Strategies introduced by the previous leadership team to improve English and mathematics provision have been largely ineffective.

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This is an inadequate provider

 The newly appointed and experienced interim leaders have a good understanding of what needs to improve and are beginning to make a tangible impact which is benefiting students.

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Information about the provider

 Stafford College is a large provider of vocational education and training serving Stafford and a proportion of Staffordshire. It operates from a main campus in the town centre and a smaller construction and engineering centre a few hundred yards from the main campus.  A total of 3,231 learners study at the college; of these 1,877 are full-time students aged 16 to 19, 680 are adult learners mainly on part-time courses, and 674 are apprentices. About 1,600 students aged 16 to 19 joined the college without a GCSE at grade C or above in English and mathematics. Unemployment rates are low; in Stafford 3.5% of the working age population is unemployed, compared with a national average of 9.1% and the rest of Staffordshire at 5.4%.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 In order to make leadership, management and governance effective in improving students’ achievement: – ensure that governors have a clear picture of the college’s effectiveness and hold leaders to account for students’ success – urgently seek to recruit governors with specific experience of curriculum, quality and standards, and improve the clerking arrangements to support governors in undertaking their duties – rapidly ensure that differences in attainment between groups of students are eradicated so that, in particular, those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress in accordance with their peers – closely monitor the impact of actions to improve teaching and learning, including in English and mathematics, so that weaker teaching is rapidly improved and extra help is swiftly provided to enable all students to fulfil their potential – improve the clarity, quality and precision of information about students provided to tutors, so that

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

they plan their teaching more effectively to meet students’ individual needs – analyse sharply and concisely all types of college data to pinpoint quickly where improvements are needed; set specific, measurable targets for improvement; and ensure that leaders at all levels have the teaching and leadership skills needed, and are working together to promote improvement in their areas of responsibility – tackle rigorously and more rapidly the deficiencies in the management of the apprenticeship provision which have contributed to this provision becoming inadequate – ensure that the college’s arrangements to comply with the ‘Prevent’ duty include the college’s subcontractors.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Governors, leaders and managers were too slow to ensure the implementation of the recommendations following the previous inspection. Governors did not rigorously scrutinise or challenge the accuracy of information and reports presented by the then senior leadership team. Governors accepted too readily leaders’ and managers’ overoptimistic assessment of the impact of quality improvement actions and the progress students were making. As a result, achievement declined sharply in 2014/15.  Leaders have not been successful in reducing differences in attainment between groups of students since the previous inspection. While leaders and managers analyse most equality and diversity data well to identify trends in outcomes for different groups and any areas of concern, actions taken were not successful and too many of the targets set in the 2014/15 equality and diversity action plan were not achieved.  Strategies introduced by the previous leadership team to improve English and mathematics provision

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

have been largely ineffective. Too many students fail to achieve their intended qualifications at GCSE or functional skills in these subjects. Managers have recently introduced timetabling priority for these subjects to ensure that lessons take place at a time helpful to learning, with the result that students are attending more regularly, but attendance is still too low.  As the college recognises, managers observing lessons have not always identified accurately key weaknesses in teaching, learning and assessment, or taken sufficient account of student attendance or in- year progress to inform their judgements of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. As a result, follow-up actions to improve teaching through the ‘Excellence Coaches’ initiative from October 2014 did not ensure that all students benefited from good or better teaching. Very recent changes to the observation arrangements are resulting in observers making more evaluative and reliable judgements

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

than was formerly the case.  Until recently, managers did not always complete reviews of individual teachers’ work in a timely manner or to a good enough standard. The systems used to manage staff performance are now improving, and managers are arranging staff development which more closely matches the needs of individual teachers. However, the new arrangements have not yet had sufficient impact on improving the quality of teaching.  Despite continuing training, teachers lack the confidence or skills to develop and extend routinely in lessons students’ wider understanding of equality and diversity. Staff promote well students’ understanding of inclusion, tolerance and wider equality themes, such as mental health and sexual orientation, through a structured cross-college calendar of equality events.  Very recently, the college has made significant changes to leadership and quality improvement through

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

the appointment of an experienced interim Principal and leadership team; they are now focusing on the key challenges facing the college. Leaders and managers at all levels now have access to more reliable and accurate data, which they closely scrutinise to identify students at risk of not achieving; more students have remained on their courses than at this time last year as a result. More effective team working and more open communications between the new senior leadership team and the rest of the staff are resulting in much improved staff morale and confidence. Very early indications suggest that students’ progress, and the quality of their learning experience, are showing signs of improvement, although it is too early to be sure of the full impact of managers’ actions on the quality of provision.  The curriculum meets the needs of most students and regional communities well, including the skills

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

priorities of the local enterprise partnership (LEP). Senior leaders work closely with key partners, including the chamber of commerce, to develop provision that meets the needs of residents and the priorities for employment. Participation by managers in local networks is increasing opportunities to develop employability and enterprise skills for students, including suitable work experience.  Managers, staff, students and some external partners contribute to self-assessment, which draws on useful evidence from a range of sources including course reviews, teaching observations and achievement data. The findings from self-assessment are broadly accurate; staff and managers have a good understanding of what the college needs to improve. Managers and staff make effective use of students’ views when evaluating the quality of provision, but arrangements to collect the views of employers are insufficient. Management of the colleges’ subcontractors is effective, with the exception of one

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

subcontractor delivering apprenticeships where monitoring of performance is weak.  The governance of the provider – Governance is inadequate. Governors have not rigorously challenged the senior leadership team to ensure that they were systematically tackling all areas for improvement rapidly enough after the previous inspection. Until very recently governors did not routinely request, or receive, sufficiently detailed information to enable them to monitor the college’s progress against key academic targets, including success rates. As a result, senior leaders were not held to swift account by the board for the sharp decline in performance and standards in 2014/15. – The board has very recently agreed to refresh its membership with new governors, but the current membership has changed little since the previous inspection. – Governors have ensured that safeguarding procedures meet requirements.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

– Safeguarding procedures meet current requirements. Staff are suitably trained, have appropriate experience in child protection procedures and have formed effective links with a wide range of relevant external specialist agencies. – Students are knowledgeable about different types of bullying, including homophobic and cyber bullying; the college deals effectively with any bullying that takes place. Managers investigate complaints thoroughly and do not tolerate bullying or harassment, both of which are rare. Leaders have recently introduced measures to ensure that the college complies with its ‘Prevent’ duties, but have yet to include subcontractors in these arrangements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 The previous inspection report made key recommendations to improve teaching, learning and assessment. While the college has made improvements in the monitoring of students’ progress using the electronic tracking system, and in the provision of work experience for students on study programmes, three aspects continue to require improvement: the integration of equality and diversity in lessons; the use of information and learning technology (ILT) to support independent learning; and the effective use of initial assessment to support students’ progress.  Teaching, learning and assessment are still not consistently good across all subject areas. Attendance is low in some areas and, despite improvement, is too low in English and mathematics classes. The pace of learning is too slow in adult lessons and a few lessons for learners on study programmes, resulting in students being disengaged and not making good progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 The feedback students receive on their work is not consistently good. In some areas, such as performing arts, assignments contain appropriately detailed evaluations with clear indications of how to improve future assignments, and good reference to the development of skills in English, mathematics and information technology (IT). However in other areas feedback is scant; teachers do not always correct spelling mistakes, and so do not promote employability skills.  The quality of teachers’ planning for learning is too inconsistent to be good. Most teachers do not make good use of information from initial assessment to ensure that they meet students’ individual needs well. Teachers are not helped by the student profiles which they have alongside their lesson planning documents. The profiles vary considerably in quality, and do not always enable them to identify how they can best support students in making good progress. In apprenticeships, assessors do not use well the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

findings from the initial assessment undertaken by apprentices, or the results of workplace diagnostic tests, in order to plan learning for individuals.  The development of students’ English and mathematical skills continues to require improvement. In discrete English and mathematics lessons, students from a wide range of programmes and levels are taught together. Most students are aware of their individual learning goals but too few teachers identify how they will address students’ individual needs in their lessons. Too much variability continues to exist in how well teachers integrate English and mathematics into vocational lessons.  Managers have changed the arrangements for the observation of teaching and learning to ensure that observers focus appropriately on students’ progress in learning, and evaluate lessons accurately rather than over-generously. While inspectors broadly agreed with the judgements of college observers during

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

the inspection, recent observation records show that observers still focus too much on teachers’ performance rather than the impact of their methods on students’ learning and progress. The improvement actions agreed between staff and managers arising from observations are not precise enough to enable teachers to improve their professional practice; managers do not monitor teachers’ progress in tackling weaknesses closely enough to ensure a rapid improvement in teaching.  Managers do not use the analysis of findings from lesson observations well enough to plan staff development which improves aspects of teaching and learning. Currently, only a minority of staff regularly attend the short weekly briefings held on aspects of teaching and learning. Managers acknowledge that they do not sufficiently target this training and are considering different arrangements, including peer coaching and better use of curriculum meetings to disseminate good practice.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 The vast majority of full-time teachers, and half of sessional teachers, have a teaching qualification. The majority of teachers have good industry experience and use their vocational expertise well to engage and motivate students.  Students develop good practical skills in a range of trades as a result of good practical teaching in college, supplemented by good on-the-job coaching in the workplace for apprentices.  All students receive good support. Recent changes to supporting study programme students, including their access to personal tutors, progress coaches and learning mentors, are enabling managers to identify and support students at risk and support students’ progress. This is helping to rectify the variability in the quality of student profiles. Students understand and value the different kinds of support available to them.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

 Attendance is too low, particularly in mathematics and English. Although teachers effectively include activities to develop students’ mathematical skills in some subject areas, including science, health and social care and catering, too few students are improving their understanding of mathematics quickly enough or securely enough.  Students feel safe, comply well with health and safety requirements in workshops and on employers’ premises and are confident that tutors will support them well if they seek help. Students value identity checking, closed circuit television cameras in public areas and security guards on entrances; they know they can trust their teachers and support staff. Students are less well informed about the risks of radicalisation and extremism or about fundamental British values. Students with high needs are not represented on the student union or student council.  Tutors provide detailed and relevant information, advice and guidance which help students to make the

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

right choices to support their career plans. High-needs students have access to independent advice and guidance, but although this is now a requirement, it is not routinely offered unless students request it. Tutors working with high-needs students do not sufficiently promote employability or employment routes, such as supported internships as a progression route for their students.  Students enjoy lessons, work well independently, and support one another well in lessons. They develop good levels of self-confidence, positive attitudes to learning and appropriate employability behaviour; they are respectful to staff and one another.  Most study programme students benefit from taking part in relevant external work placements, which they record on their personal learning plans on the college virtual learning environment (VLE). Students and younger apprentices develop technical skills and knowledge and employability skills that meet the

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

requirements of their courses and employers’ needs, and prepare them well for their next steps.

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

 The proportion of students who successfully achieve their qualifications varies too much across courses and age groups. Many students achieve well, but too few students achieve in health and social care or childcare, in science and mathematics, in languages, literature and culture, in preparation for life and work and in business and finance. Too few students studying English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) achieve their qualification or learning goals. Overall, achievement rates declined markedly in 2014/15 to below those of similar colleges, and in some cases this represented a decline for the third year running.  The proportion of students aged 16 to 18 who achieve GCSE in English or mathematics at grade C or above is very small. Achievement rates for functional skills in literacy are low at all levels except entry level 1; in mathematics functional skills, a three-year decline has resulted in very low achievement rates

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

at all levels except entry level 1.  Significant differences exist between the achievement rates of particular groups of students. Students aged 19 and over succeed at a higher rate than those aged 16 to 18; female students do better than male students; disabled students and those with learning difficulties do not make progress in line with their peers. These achievement gaps widened in 2014/15 compared with the previous year. Although the rate at which apprentices achieve their qualifications within the planned time is at broadly the same level as that in similar providers, this represents a three-year decline in most areas from previously high rates.  The majority of students at level 3 progress to further courses, employment or higher education when they finish, but staff do not know where around a quarter of their students go when they leave.  Most current students aged 16 to 18 are making expected progress, and are completing the units and

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

modules of their courses in a timely way. Attendance has improved slightly. Students on the level 3 childcare course and health and social care students are making good progress.  Apprentices’ success both overall and in the planned timeframe has declined significantly over the past three years to a point broadly in line with national rates. Their achievement of functional skills has been poor, with support focused on teaching to the test and not in ensuring that apprentices acquire appropriate skills.  Current apprentices develop their skills and knowledge well, particularly those who are younger or inexperienced in their job roles, and most are on track to achieve in the planned time. A minority continue to make slow progress.  Students in retail and commercial enterprises, young students in construction and adult students in engineering and sport and leisure achieve well. Students on the Association of Accounting Technicians

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

(AAT) courses achieve very well at all levels of the qualification.

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16 to 19 study programmes require improvement

 Around 1,877 students aged 16 to 19 are following study programmes. The most popular programmes are arts, media and publishing, health, public services and care, and leisure, travel and tourism. Smaller numbers of students study business, administration and law, retail and commercial enterprise and engineering, manufacturing and technology.  Teachers’ planning too often does not make it clear how the most-able students will be challenged or how those with additional needs will be supported to make good progress. In a small minority of lessons, teachers do not use information gained at initial assessments well enough to ensure that teaching meets individual needs. Teachers do not show clearly in their planning how they will develop students’ understanding of equality and diversity. They do not always have the confidence or skills to take advantage of naturally occurring discussions to help students gain an understanding of diverse

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16 to 19 study programmes require improvement

communities.  Although it is improving, attendance at lessons is often low, especially in English and mathematics. Too few students in 2014/15, especially those on level 2 courses, achieved their learning goals. The development of skills in English and mathematics is slow and too few students make good progress in these subjects.  Following the introduction of new monitoring systems and a drive to raise teachers’ expectations, students on current programmes are making better progress than last year. Staff have high aspirations for students and give good careers advice that helps students plan their next steps; as a result students develop ambitious but realistic career plans, and fewer students have left their programmes prematurely than this time last year. The majority of level 3 students continue in education or progress into employment when they finish their courses.  Teachers make good use of tutorials to discuss students’ progress and encourage them to set their own

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16 to 19 study programmes require improvement

targets. As a result, students are well aware of their personal targets and what they need to do to improve further. They understand the importance of developing their numeracy and literacy as a result of the focus on these skills throughout the college and in those lessons where literacy is well integrated.  The large majority of students take advantage of the good opportunities for work placements and work experience that link well to their studies. For example, in sport, students contribute to teaching and coaching in schools; hairdressing and beauty therapy students work in local salons. Teachers use a broad range of good-quality resources effectively to engage and motivate students. Students in hospitality and catering and beauty therapy rightly value the high standards of the facilities.  Teachers link their lessons well to employability and industry, and tasks and scenarios are used well to

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16 to 19 study programmes require improvement

motivate and set high standards for students. One student in health and social care is planning a social work career, and a beauty therapy student is working towards running her own beauty salon.  The reorganised teams of personal tutors, progress coaches and learning mentors work well together to ensure that students are supported and that any difficulties which inhibit learning are quickly removed or reduced. Students feel safe at the college, have a good understanding of how to keep safe and know whom to contact if they have any concerns.

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Adult learning programmes require improvement

 At the time of the inspection, there were 680 adult students. Over the full year, adults make up just over a quarter of the college’s student population. Courses for adults are available in most subject areas, in community-based programmes, including short employment programmes, and on full-time and part-time programmes at the college.  Teachers do not make sufficient use of students’ initial assessment results to plan lessons to ensure that all students make good progress. They do not use the group profile information well enough to ensure that activities are matched accurately to the individual needs of each student.  Teachers do not use sufficiently probing or targeted questions to reinforce and extend students’ understanding of key points or topics. They do not have high enough expectations of students; the pace of lessons is often too slow to retain students’ interest and challenge them to learn, develop new skills

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Adult learning programmes require improvement

and make progress at a good rate.  Too many English and mathematics lessons result in students making insufficient progress. In a minority of lessons, some of the activities do not engage or maintain students’ attention; although teachers give students positive verbal feedback and encouragement, they are unclear how much students have understood.  Teachers do not ensure that all students receive the help they need to develop their English and mathematical skills in their core subject or practical lessons. Students do not always recognise important spelling, vocabulary and methods of calculation used in specific job roles, such as the ratios used by builders when calculating area or mixing mortar.  Teachers do not provide sufficiently detailed written feedback for students with enough information to help students improve their work. In a few cases, the same written comments are given to almost all of

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Adult learning programmes require improvement

the class, so that feedback does not adequately identify the progress made by individuals and the further work needed. The proportion of students progressing into jobs and further learning is increasing but is not yet large. The majority of teachers do not successfully promote students’ understanding of equality and diversity in lessons.  Current students enjoy learning and demonstrate good standards of behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. Students say that since last summer lessons and learning are better organised. They are confident that they make better progress, learn more and that communication with staff is now more effective.  Students aged 19 and over succeed at a higher rate than those aged 16 to 18, but their levels of success are too variable across the range of subject areas offered by the college; for example, they achieved well in engineering but poorly in construction in 2014/15.

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Adult learning programmes require improvement

 Staff have a good understanding of the needs of adult students, of their local communities and the skills needs in the Staffordshire area. The college provides a range of courses in partnership with employers and Jobcentre Plus to enable unemployed adults to develop good skills in vocational areas where skills shortages exist, such as health and social care and retail.  Many students develop effective practical skills across a range of trades, and students on access to higher education courses are well prepared for further learning. The majority of adult students, predominantly in practical lessons, benefit from good teaching, learning and assessment and receive good verbal feedback on how to improve their work. Work experience placements are well coordinated and generally effective.  Helpful information, advice and careers guidance ensure that students are clear about their plans for the future. Students say they feel safe at the college campus and in community venues. They demonstrate

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Adult learning programmes require improvement

good levels of respect for their peers and their teachers. Staff provide good support to help students overcome personal and social problems which inhibit learning.

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Apprenticeships are inadequate

 Currently 674 apprentices are on programmes in six subject areas, with the largest numbers in warehousing, health and social care and engineering. About a third are aged 16 to 18, a quarter aged 19 to 23 and the remainder aged over 24. Just over a third of the provision is subcontracted to three learning providers.  Management of the subcontracted provision for warehousing apprentices, approximately one in four of all current apprentices, is weak. Managers do not obtain sufficient information on the progress of apprentices, the quality of their learning experience or the new skills they develop and use at work.  Learners’ achievements overall and within the planned timeframe show a decline over a three-year period to a level in line with national rates.  Staff do not use results from initial assessment sufficiently well to identify the specific vocational knowledge and skills, including English and mathematics, that each apprentice needs to improve. A

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Apprenticeships are inadequate

minority of adult apprentices, who already have substantial job experience at the start of their apprenticeship, do not always receive sufficient challenge to extend their skills and knowledge.  Reviews of apprentices’ progress are ineffective. Staff do not involve employers sufficiently well to monitor the impact of training they provide at work, report improvements in apprentices’ job skills or identify further training needed. Staff set learning targets and actions following progress reviews which focus narrowly on the requirements of the qualification, and do not sufficiently include workplace learning. Apprentices’ understanding of aspects of equality are not sufficiently checked during reviews. A small minority of apprentices make slow progress towards achieving their qualifications.  Teachers and assessors provide effective learning sessions that develop the majority of apprentices’ skills

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Apprenticeships are inadequate

and knowledge well, particularly for younger apprentices who are new to their jobs. Those apprentices who attend college enjoy the good mix of practical and theory sessions that they find interesting and informative. Employers provide effective on-the-job coaching and supervision to meet the job requirements, and assessors provide effective support via frequent workplace visits. However, assessors do not always coordinate these different aspects of the apprentices’ programme well enough to ensure that apprentices make the progress in their skills and knowledge of which they are capable.  Managers have started to take appropriate action to improve the teaching of English and mathematics and functional skills achievement rates, which have been too low. Apprentices now receive more effective workplace support; the electronic portfolio is being developed to plan learning and provide resources; and vocational staff are receiving training to enable them to integrate aspects of English and mathematics into

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Apprenticeships are inadequate

vocational learning more effectively. Apprentices’ attendance at functional skills lessons is improving but is still too low; most of those who have taken a functional skills test this year have passed. However, a minority of apprentices continue to make slow progress, and full results of their initial diagnostic assessment are not yet available for all apprentices.  Nearly all young apprentices stay in their jobs at the end of their apprenticeship. Those who already have secure employment consolidate their learning well, and a small minority are able to take on additional tasks and responsibilities. Apprentices demonstrate good attitudes to learning and show good motivation to progress in their job roles.  Managers and staff develop good links with employers and meet their needs well, particularly in construction and engineering, where young apprentices are matched well to employers. One employer

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Apprenticeships are inadequate

delivers occasional learning sessions at the college to raise apprentices’ awareness of current workplace practice in electrical work.

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Provision for learners with high needs is inadequate

 The college currently has 18 students in receipt of high-needs funding from one local authority.  Teachers and managers do not make effective links between students’ education, health and care (EHC) plans or learning disability assessments, the results of initial assessments, support arrangements and personal and curriculum targets. Students are not routinely involved in negotiating, setting, monitoring and reviewing their own learning goals. More-able students, working at levels 2 or 3, are expected to maintain electronic individual learning plans (ILPs) independently, or in groups, to record how well they develop the personal skills they need to progress towards independent living, but they do not do this routinely. Students working on entry level or level 1 programmes are unable to use the electronic ILPs to record their progress.  Teachers spend too much time on theoretical, classroom-based learning to develop students’

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Provision for learners with high needs is inadequate

understanding of the workplace and employment opportunities rather than using practical work placements. Despite the availability of community volunteering opportunities to develop the skills needed for work, too few students gain access to work experience, or anticipate ‘real work’ outcomes such as supported internships, traineeships or apprenticeships when they start their course. The resources used to promote independent living skills or a possible work placement preparing food are inadequate. Teachers make insufficient use of assisted technologies to help break down barriers to learning.  Teachers do not make use of systems for recognising and recording progress and achievement (RARPA) to record progress, such as increases in student confidence; this means that records of learning which lead to greater independence are lost. In one class, a high-needs students was using a system which enabled her to overcome her reluctance to speak up in lessons. Her self-assurance has grown to the

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Provision for learners with high needs is inadequate

extent that she no longer uses the system, but she is unable to record this as significant personal progress towards her goal of going to university when she completes her course.  Learning mentors, teachers and personal tutors support students effectively through the college’s ‘team around the student’. The team ensures that students make good progress to higher-level study, particularly from level 2 to level 3. Learning mentors demonstrate commitment beyond the job role by staffing a lunchtime club that enables high-needs students to relax or play interactive games while having lunch; this helps them to socialise and build new relationships with their peers. The club helps to develop students’ communication skills, confidence and self-esteem, but these important developments are not formally recognised or recorded.  High-needs students are integrated well into classes across the college. Students across college show

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Provision for learners with high needs is inadequate

respect for their peers with high needs; all students report feeling safe.

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Provider details

Type of provider General further education college

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Ian Clinton Website address www.Staffordcoll.ac.uk

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 110 321 96 146 0 1 Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total 0 0 0 Number of learners aged 14–16 0

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

Funding received from Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

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main subcontractors:

 Francesco Group  TDS Tier Academy Ltd  TVS Education Ltd  Risual Ltd  Commercial Consultants – Europe Ltd  Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Safer Communities Community Interest Company  Staffordshire FA  Welcome Skills

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Inspection team

Nick Gadfield, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Victor Reid Her Majesty’s Inspector William Badoe-Ansah Her Majesty’s Inspector Andrew Thompson Ofsted Inspector Kathryn Brennan Ofsted Inspector Penny Mathers Ofsted Inspector Gary Adkins Ofsted Inspector Dan Grant Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

The above team was assisted by the interim deputy principal, as nominee, and carried out the inspection at short notice. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of students and employers; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider. 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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Inspection team

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk Learner View is a 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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Inspection team

To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

To find out more go to www.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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