Langdon College

FE&S report Langdon College Independent specialist college

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Provision for learners with high needs Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is a provider that requires improvement

 The quality of learning is not consistently good and does not provide sufficient challenge for all learners.  Learners’ baseline assessments do not sufficiently summarise their individual starting points in all aspects of their learning.  Learners’ progress in lessons and community learning is not clear because their targets are not specific enough to support them achieving their potential.  The arrangements for managers and tutors to monitor and review learners’ progress from their starting points are not effective in English, mathematics, independent living, community and work skills.  Learners do not develop their English and mathematics skills systematically in classroom or community lessons.  Transition planning activities, which prepare learners for their destinations on leaving college, are not recorded fully and as a result managers cannot review the impact of this work in supporting learners when they leave.

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This is a provider that requires improvement

 Leaders and managers do not use performance management processes effectively, including lesson observations, to identify and support underperforming staff.

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This is a provider that requires improvement

 Learners develop good personal and social skills in a range of settings, including work experience and the local community.  Most learners demonstrate increased confidence and skills in managing their behaviour.  Very effective therapists work well with staff and learners to support the development of learners’ communication, personal and social interaction skills.  Leaders and managers ensure that safeguarding is effective and embedded in all aspects of the college’s work.

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Information about the provider

 Langdon College is part of the Langdon Foundation, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. It is a specialist residential and day college for Jewish learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The college is located in the centre of a multicultural community in Salford, Greater Manchester.  Learners are recruited nationally and at the time of the inspection approximately half were from the Greater Manchester area.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by making sure that teachers provide sufficiently challenging activities for all learners and that learning support promotes learners’ independence effectively.  Review learners’ baseline assessments and ensure that they summarise clearly each learner’s starting point in all aspects of their learning so that learners’ individual progress is monitored closely.  Ensure that learners’ targets are broken down into small steps of learning which meet their individual needs. Monitor closely learners’ progress towards meeting their targets across all aspects of their programme.  Ensure that staff are clear how learners will develop their English and mathematics skills in lessons and community learning activities.  Ensure that transition action plans record fully the range of relevant activities, including impartial advice and guidance, so that each learner is clear about maximising their opportunities when they leave the

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

college.  Strengthen the rigour of performance management processes for all staff. Ensure that lesson observations focus on the quality of learning and that teachers’ subsequent action plans for improvement have specific time-bound targets that are monitored closely. Extend the observations of teaching and learning to include community-based lessons.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Managers have not monitored sufficiently the effectiveness of processes, including the assessment of learners’ starting points, their targets and the accurate recording of progress. The provider does not give sufficient priority to the development of learners’ English and mathematics skills across all aspects of the provision.  Performance management is not sufficiently rigorous. The senior management team has not had formal appraisals. Targets for teachers and learning support assistants following appraisals are not sufficiently specific and do not have a timely completion date.  Managers observe classroom-based teaching regularly but do not observe learning in the community. Observation records do not focus effectively on the quality of learning or the impact of learning support on learners’ progress. Managers have too positive a picture of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Teachers’ improvement actions following their observations are not sufficiently specific and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

progress in achieving them is not monitored well.  The self-assessment report includes the strengths and a few of the weaknesses identified by inspectors, for example, managers identified accurately the need to improve the observation of learning support. The self-assessment report overgrades the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  The curriculum meets the principles of the study programme and includes a range of accredited courses. Good use of work experience and community settings enables learners to practise and develop their skills well in a range of different settings.  The programme of mandatory staff development is extensive. All members of staff complete autism- specific and positive-behaviour support programmes, which results in a consistent approach to enabling learners to participate in learning.  Leaders and managers promote an effective culture of tolerance and respect. The promotion of respect

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

for the elderly, individuals with diverse disabilities and living in a multicultural society race is effective.  The governance of the provider – The governing body is well established and the board members bring a wealth of relevant experience to the college. The board has a strong emphasis on learner voice and they have changed their meeting times to enable learner representatives to attend and give feedback. Governors listen to learner views and take prompt action where needed. – Governors are strongly committed to overseeing the quality of the provision and ask appropriate questions of managers. At a recent meeting, board members identified the need for a more detailed report on learners’ progress.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective – Safeguarding learners is central to the college’s ethos and practice. Staff know how to raise issues of concern and these are followed up effectively. Governors, managers and staff have annual training on

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

safeguarding. – Staff carry out very thorough risk assessments for learners, covering all aspects of their programme, particularly community activities. Risk assessments are reviewed and updated regularly. Learners have appropriate e-safety training and are aware of the risks involved when using the internet. They know what to do when they have concerns. – Managers have responded appropriately to the ‘Prevent’ duty, which is in the early stages of implementation across the college. Managers and staff have had training and governors are in the process of training.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Planning for learning is frequently too generic and does not take sufficient account of individual needs. Teachers are skilful in managing learners’ behaviour to enable them to participate in activities. Too many of the activities are not sufficiently challenging and learners’ progress is slow.  Learners’ initial assessments do not sufficiently summarise their starting points in each subject. Many learning targets are too broad and not broken down into small steps of learning. Termly reporting of learners’ progress against their targets is ineffective as the recording is too descriptive. Consequently, learners’ progress cannot be recorded effectively.  In too many instances staff intervene too quickly to provide learners with support to complete basic activities. Consequently, learners do not develop their skills for independent living well enough.  The integration of English and mathematics into learning activities is not effective. Staff do not provide

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

enough opportunities for learners to increase their understanding of English and mathematics. For example, learners carry out basic counting and sorting activities on work experience but the skills are not recorded or developed further.  Behavioural support and speech and language therapy lessons are effective in developing learners’ communication and social interaction skills. Specialist therapy staff work closely with teachers, learning support assistants and learners to ensure that each learner participates. Staff use a calm approach and work with learners to de-escalate emotions in difficult situations. Where needed, staff use signing effectively to enable learners to participate in activities.  In a few lessons, teachers and therapists use interesting activities that motivate learners, for example, taking part in a mock crime scene to introduce learners to a discussion on body parts. They gradually

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

introduce new tasks to support the learning for those students who find change difficult to cope with.  Travel training is appropriate to individual learners’ needs and helps them gain a basic understanding of the routes between college and their work placement.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare good

 Learners develop good personal and social skills in a range of settings in the college, work placement and the community. They learn to interact and communicate well with different people, listen to instructions and apply their skills in new situations. As a result they grow in confidence and make gains in self- esteem.  Learners benefit from very effective behavioural support. Most learners, including those with challenging and complex behaviours, demonstrate increased confidence in managing their behaviours independently in wide range of situations.  The good speech and language therapy provision enables learners to make good progress in developing their individual communication and group social interaction skills. Learners communicated confidently with inspectors. Specialist communication aids are used effectively by learners to take part in group work.  Learners’ individual targets in English and mathematics are too broad and do not routinely form part of

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare good

their work experience goals. Learners are not sufficiently aware of how workplace tasks can help them to develop their speaking, listening, writing and practical mathematics skills.  Most learners take part in appropriate work placement activities in retail, residential care and administration. These are well matched to their individual needs and provide good opportunities to gain an understanding of work. For example, a learner coped well with a change in his normal workplace routine.  In a minority of work placements learning support assistants provide too much guidance for learners and do not allow enough time for learners to resolve problems for themselves.  Learners develop a range of appropriate skills in preparation for their destinations on leaving the college. The domestic skills they develop, including preparing healthy meals and keeping bedrooms clean and tidy, prepare them for adult life.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare good

 An impartial careers professional visits the college to discuss learners’ next steps but the college does not systematically record the outcomes of these discussions.  Learners understanding of the features of British society and the roles, responsibilities and the opportunities open to them are developed well through a good range of enrichment activities. A visit to the Houses of Parliament, discussions with disabled ex-soldiers, fundraising and running a stall at a national skills fair give good opportunities for learners to explore and develop an understanding of a range of social and ethical topics.  A relevant programme of activities and effective individual support relevant to each learner’s needs is in place to develop their understanding of dealing with their emotional feelings, sex and relationships education. Learners understand how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Teachers and learning support assistants focus well on promoting safe working practices, for example

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare good

when moving chairs in the classroom. Consequently, learners work safely in lessons and feel well protected from harm.  Learners are punctual for sessions and have good attendance. Learners taking part in work experience understand the reasons why good attendance and punctuality are important.

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

 Learners’ progress is too slow in English, mathematics, independent living, community learning and work skills. The arrangements to monitor and review learners’ progress from their starting points are not sufficiently effective.  Learners improve their communication skills well and improve their confidence in talking to people in different settings in the college and the community.  Learners progress well in managing their own behaviour and interacting with college staff, their peers and adults who they have not previously met. Consequently, they are able to participate in class and work experience activities that prepare them for adult life.  Learners progress to appropriate destinations when they complete their courses. All leavers in 2015 progressed to Langdon Community supported-living or independent living and continued with their work placement or voluntary work. A minority progressed to a vocational qualification in a local general further

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

education college.  In 2015, learners achieved a range of relevant qualification units to accredit their communication skills, independent living, English and mathematics.

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Provider details

Type of provider Independent specialist college

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Christopher Mayho Website address http://langdoncollege.ac.uk/

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total N/A N/A N/A Number of learners aged 14–16 N/A

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

Funding received from Education Funding Agency (EFA)

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Inspection team

Margaret Hobson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Megan Dauksta Ofsted Inspector Julie Gibson David Selby Bev Barlow Ofsted Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

The above team was assisted by the head of education, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the college’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 learners 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 college. Additionally, Her Majesty’s Inspectors visited the college on 4 March 2016 to collect additional evidence. 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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