Derby College

FE&S report Derby College General further education college

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Provision for learners with high needs Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good provider

 Leaders and managers have high expectations and have rapidly improved the provision.  Partnership working with employers to design and deliver the curriculum is outstanding.  Teaching and learning are good, particularly in practical and vocational subjects.  Provision for high-needs learners is outstanding.  Learners are well behaved, confident and rightly proud of their college.  Outcomes for the large majority of apprentices and learners of all ages have improved since the last inspection and are now good.  The college is a valued resource for the city of Derby and county of Derbyshire; it provides an inclusive and welcoming environment and high- quality facilities for teaching and learning.  Learners enjoy their time at the college and more of them are choosing to study here and succeeding than at the last inspection.

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This is a good provider

 Though outcomes for learners on AS- and A-level courses have improved, not enough learners achieve high grades given their prior attainment.  Teaching, learning and assessment are not always sufficiently stretching and challenging for the most-able learners.  The quality of teaching and learning in mathematics requires further improvement.

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Information about the provider

 Derby College is a large general further education college with four sites in or near the city of Derby. The college has around 10,000 learners, of whom about 5,000 follow a full-time study programme. The college has extensive part-time provision for adult learners as well as a thriving apprenticeship programme, a small amount of which it subcontracts to other providers. High-needs learners account for around 190 enrolments.  The Indices of Multiple Deprivation rank Derby as the 55th most deprived local authority out of 326, with half of the population living in deprived wards. Unemployment is above average. The city is ethnically diverse, with around one in four residents belonging to a minority ethnic group. The proportion of school leavers who attained five GCSE grades at A* to C including English and mathematics in 2015 is well below the national average.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Increase significantly the proportion of learners on AS- and A-level programmes who achieve the highest grades, by: – setting more challenging targets for learners based on accurate assessment of their starting points – monitoring more closely the progress that learners make towards achieving their targets, so that they know what they have to do to improve their grades.  Ensure teachers make better use of information about learners’ prior attainment to set activities which are sufficiently challenging, particularly for the most-able learners.  Improve the quality of teaching and learning in mathematics, as well as attendance, by ensuring that teachers provide more relevant and engaging learning activities, for example by applying mathematics to everyday practical problems or the workplace.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The Principal and senior team have high expectations of learners and staff. Their strategies and actions for improvement have rapidly improved outcomes, quality systems, governance, and teaching, learning and assessment, which are all now good. Teaching staff are well qualified and benefit from good-quality training and development. The college provides an inclusive and welcoming environment with high-quality learning facilities that local people value.  Governors and managers use data well to monitor performance. Their intervention in dealing with underperformance is swift and teachers speak positively of how the new ‘scorecard’ system has helped them improve their practice.  The involvement of employers in designing and developing the curriculum is outstanding. ‘Employer academies’ provide outstanding extra-curricular enrichment, such as employer-delivered master classes and internships. A wide range of well-planned apprenticeships meets employers’ needs in the region.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

These develop apprenticeship opportunities and learners’ vocational and employability skills.  The management and quality assurance of subcontractors are good. Managers closely monitor performance and rapidly implement actions to improve outcomes and teaching, learning and assessment where necessary.  The curriculum is strategically planned, responsive and meets local need, including those identified by the Local Enterprise Partnership. Study programme learners follow pathways designed to meet their career aspirations. Study programmes and adult programmes are flexible to meet learners’ other commitments, such as those arising from shift patterns at work and childcare responsibilities. Managers use data on the destination of learners on full-time programmes well to evaluate the impact of the curriculum on their future careers, but, as the college recognises, destination data for part-time learners are insufficiently

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

robust.  The management of careers information and guidance is good, including for apprentices, adults and learners with high needs in discrete provision. Staff ensure that all learners have a career target in mind from the beginning of their programme, and offer subject tasters, online career self-assessment and sessions with careers advisers to help them make informed choices.  College managers have eradicated the most significant achievement gaps that previously existed between different groups of learners, and have well-considered strategies to reduce the current achievement gap for Roma learners. Teachers promote equality and diversity well. They prepare learners well for life in modern Britain.  Provision for learners with high needs is outstanding. Managers help learners to become increasingly independent and take responsibility for their own learning.  College managers have prioritised improvements in GCSE mathematics and English, and the amount of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

time learners spend on these subjects has now increased. However, managers’ self-assessment of the quality of teaching and learning, and of outcomes in English and mathematics, is too generous.  Self-assessment is inclusive and the report is accurate. However, judgements on teaching and learning focus too much on systems and processes, rather than on the practical craft of teaching and on what needs to be improved.  The governance of the provider Governance is much improved and is now good. Governors’ monitoring of the educational performance of the college is now rigorous. They have access to a good range of accurate and accessible management reports which help them to ask the right questions and to hold senior managers to account. Governors know the college well and understand its key priorities. They have a clear grasp of what has improved and what needs to improve further. Governors have a diverse range of skills which equip them well to challenge and support college

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

leaders. Governors’ involvement in the development of the curriculum is good and their relationships with employers are very productive.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective All learners feel safe and know what to do if they have concerns about their safety or that of others. Learners have a good understanding of how to stay safe online and how to keep themselves safe from radicalisation and extremism. Managers and teaching staff take the college’s location in a ‘Prevent’ priority area very seriously and the college has particularly effective arrangements for ensuring learners’ safety from extremism. Strong relationships with external agencies and professionals enable staff to provide good safeguarding support for learners. Staff closely monitor disclosures by different groups to ensure that procedures are effective and rigorous. The promotion of British values is set out clearly in curriculum documentation and teachers have the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

confidence to enable learners to debate these values in learning sessions.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Managers have successfully implemented a range of measures since the last inspection to improve the quality of provision and, as a consequence, teaching, learning and assessment are now good.  Teachers are well qualified and passionate about their work. They use their skills well to connect learning to the workplace and to learners’ future careers. They set high expectations for themselves and for their learners, including apprentices and those with high needs. Teachers are positive role models for learners.  Practical and vocational teaching is organised well and is planned to develop learners’ skills and understanding. Teachers’ coaching and support for learners is individualised and challenges learners to achieve their qualification. They ensure that learners remain fully engaged and enjoy their learning.  Teachers devise good-quality group profiles based on learners’ pen portraits of their interests and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

aptitudes. In the best pen portraits, learners explain why they chose a subject, the support they need, their prior experience and their career aims, linking the college course with their long-term career objectives effectively. Adult learners speak confidently about their learning and make good progress.  Teachers identify learners’ support needs promptly. Individual learner support plans are thorough and meet needs well. They record learners’ achievements and targets well and teachers make good use of support workers to help learners during sessions. High-needs learners make excellent progress from their starting points.  Teachers integrate English and mathematics well in the majority of lessons. However, mathematics teaching is not yet consistently good because teachers do not sufficiently motivate and engage learners and learners quickly become bored and distracted. In these lessons, learners’ attendance is below that

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

expected by the college.  Many teachers use technology well to promote learning. For example, catering learners keep a blog of all the meals and other products that they have cooked. Psychology A and AS learners receive prompt feedback from teachers on their mobile telephones.  Learning outside the classroom is good. Teachers set regular homework and learners participate in a wide range of enrichment activities which contribute to learners’ progress and their personal development.  Assessment is accurate and teachers make good use of learners’ self-reflection and peer assessment to drive improvement and prepare learners for success in higher education or future work.  Progress monitoring and tracking of learners’ progress for classroom-based learners and apprentices is good. Teachers maintain electronic records which are thorough and up to date and which they share with learners and, where appropriate, parents. Parents value access to this information.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers generally plan sessions well. They reinforce equality and diversity and British values through their teaching. Teachers and learners pay good attention to health and safety, particularly in practical sessions, and learners feel safe. Most lessons have good attendance and teachers effectively manage lateness to sessions.  Teachers have a wide repertoire of teaching methods and many are confident to adapt tasks and activities to better engage and motivate learners. Teaching and learning is particularly good for learners with high needs and for full-time learners on vocational programmes.  Teachers’ verbal feedback to learners in lessons is generally supportive and helpful, but written feedback on a minority of course work is too brief and does not clearly tell learners what they need to do to improve.  Teachers do not always deploy effective strategies to stretch and challenge the most confident and able

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

learners, especially in A- and AS-level courses. These learners do not always achieve the grades of which they are capable.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare is good

 Derby College provides a positive learning environment that supports and nurtures learners from diverse backgrounds, including many young people who failed to achieve or thrive in school. Most learners achieve their learning goals and display pride and passion in their work. Learners, including those with high needs, develop confidence and take responsibility for their own learning.  The college’s careers staff provide high-quality, impartial advice and guidance for learners on full-time programmes. Learners receive a detailed initial assessment before they begin their programme to ensure that they are on a course that meets their needs and aspirations. Learners can articulate clearly the reasons for their choice of learning programme and most have a good understanding of the options available to them when they complete their studies.  Senior managers have been exceptionally proactive in driving the college’s employer engagement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare is good

strategy and in promoting employability and relevant work experience for all learners, including those with high needs. As a consequence, learners’ preparation for further education, employment or self- employment is good. All study programme learners, including those on academic advanced-level programmes, benefit from a comprehensive range of work experience opportunities, which they value.  Apprentices develop good vocational skills which improve their employability and which contribute to the success of their employers’ businesses. Apprentices work independently on complex engineering machinery, in challenging care settings and in administrative roles. Learners with high needs on mainstream programmes thrive in the college’s inclusive and supportive environment. Those in discrete high-needs provision improve their communication and social skills; and those for whom employment is a realistic outcome take the first steps to finding work.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare is good

 Learners across all provision types and age groups behave very well. They show respect for each other and for their teachers in class and during practical activities. Teachers use a very effective range of strategies to help learners with high needs manage their emotions and behaviour. As a result, these learners feel well supported and more able to contribute to the life of the college.  College managers place a very high priority on keeping learners safe. All college sites display a wide range of posters and notices warning learners of the dangers of grooming, internet bullying and forced marriages.  Overall attendance and punctuality are good. Managers monitor attendance rigorously and, as a consequence, attendance has improved over the last two years. Attendance at tutorials and in GCSE English and mathematics classes has also improved, but remains below the college’s target, particularly in

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare is good

the latter.  Teachers have carried out particularly good work on promoting learners’ awareness of radicalisation and extremism. They promote British values well and help learners prepare for life in modern Britain. The tutorial programme for full-time and high-needs learners reinforces key messages about healthy living well.  College managers have established a very extensive and well-attended enrichment curriculum for learners, which helps them to develop valuable personal, social and employability skills. For example, business studies learners benefit from an opportunity to attend an interview for administrative roles with local employers and learners on creative arts courses visit film exhibitions, theatres and film festivals.  Guest speakers from well-known and prestigious local companies are a regular feature of the college’s enrichment programme, which helps to motivate and inspire learners.

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Outcomes for learners are good

 Learners enjoy their time at the college and more of them are choosing to study at Derby College and succeeding than at the last inspection. A high proportion of learners on full-time programmes return the following year to study at a higher level. Advanced-level learners progress to higher education well. Leaders’ analysis of destination data for learners on study programmes shows that the large majority progress into employment, further education or training and that apprentices remain in work and often benefit from promotion and enhanced responsibilities.  Apprenticeship staff regularly monitor the progress of learners to ensure that they do not fall behind with their studies. Tutors are quick to identify and deal with slow progress and, as a result, most apprentices are on track to complete within the planned period.  The tracking and monitoring of learners’ progress on study programmes and on part-time adult learning

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Outcomes for learners are good

programmes is very good. An electronic individual learning plan very accurately monitors progress for each learner, and managers scrutinise this to identify learners at risk of not achieving and to arrange prompt intervention. The monitoring of the progress and achievement of high-needs learners is outstanding.  College managers regularly scrutinise retention and achievement data to identify and eradicate differences in achievement between groups of learners. As a result, differences in performance among the majority of groups of learners on most programmes have disappeared.  In 2014/15, the proportion of learners in local authority care who achieved improved significantly compared to the previous year but remained slightly below the college average. Outcomes for 16- to 18- year-old learners who were eligible for free school meals before they enrolled at the college were particularly good, with success rates considerably higher than the college average.

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Outcomes for learners are good

 Overall success rates for learners aged 16 to 19 on study programmes rose markedly in 2014/15 and are now good. Achievement of GCSE English and mathematics at grades A* to C also improved significantly and is now above the sector average, though managers rightly acknowledge that further improvements are required. Current learners make good progress on all aspects of their study programme.  Learners on full-time level 3 vocational courses achieve well in relation to their starting points. Overall outcomes for adult learners have improved significantly over the last two years and are now good. However, the achievement of high grades at GCSE in English and mathematics for adult learners did not improve in the last year and is similar to national rates. Learners with high needs on mainstream programmes make excellent progress.  Outcomes for learners on the college’s substantial AS- and A-level programmes improved in 2014/15 and

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Outcomes for learners are good

are now in line with those of similar colleges. However, not enough learners achieve the AS- and A-level grades they are capable of given their prior attainment at GCSE, and too much variance exists in performance between different subject areas. College managers have taken robust improvement action but it is too soon to assess the impact of these measures.  Overall outcomes for apprentices in 2014/15 were slightly above national rates, including in subcontracted provision. The proportion who completed within the planned timescales was very good, especially for apprentices aged 19 and over. Outcomes in a few subjects have declined slightly over the last two years but remain above national averages.

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

 The college has 5,061 study programme learners on a wide range of vocational and academic courses, as well as English and mathematics. The college delivers most of its provision at the two main sites in the city centre. Learners can study courses from entry level to level 3, including specialist vocational qualifications, and from a comprehensive A- and AS-level programme.  Tutors plan learning well to meet learners’ individual needs and aspirations. They provide good extension activities and good support for those who need it. In a health and social care lesson, different groups of learners interpreted health inequalities between English towns and provided detailed explanations for these disparities. Learners identify their strengths and areas for improvement confidently. In art and design, they record these on an online blog that they then refer to when revising and making improvements to their work.

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

 Learners benefit from good arrangements for work experience and work-related activity. Staff engage with a wide range of highly committed employers who offer high-quality work experience. Employer academies have been established with employers who participate regularly in college activities. Learners develop good skills related to their vocational areas and have a clear understanding of their employers’ requirements and expectations.  Learners develop good practical skills in workshops and when working with customers. For example, in hair and beauty and in pedicure, learners offer services confidently to customers visiting the college salon. Learners in plumbing are able to demonstrate good skills when installing radiators and testing the suitability of heating systems in domestic premises.  Managers and staff have high standards and expectations for learners. The large majority of learners make the expected progress given their starting points. Learners studying level 3 vocational qualifications

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

make particularly good progress. Learners behave well in and outside the classroom and show great respect for staff and peers. They attend lessons on time and are keen to learn.  Learners have a good understanding of the different needs of individuals and how to participate as active members of society in modern Britain. For example, travel and tourism learners planned a local tourism marketing campaign and applied their skills to identifying how different advertising media appeal to different groups. Learners in plumbing had a very thoughtful discussion about the forthcoming European Union referendum and the possible impact on the plumbing industry of a decision to withdraw from the Union.  Careers information, advice and guidance for learners are good. Learners are able to identify their career goals well and receive good advice throughout their programmes, including helpful advice from employers. Learners also complete an online ‘progression passport’ that identifies personal and

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

employability skills and which learners use regularly to evaluate their personal progress. This has enabled a very high number of learners to progress to employment or to a higher level of study including university and apprenticeships.  Teachers integrate English and mathematics within lesson activities well. They identify common spelling, punctuation and grammatical mistakes in learners’ assignments and encourage learners to mark each other’s work. Learners in catering use basic recipes for a range of dishes and are able to scale them up to create multiple portions. However, the teaching of discrete mathematics requires improvement, especially at level 2. In these lessons, teachers do not plan effectively to meet the individual needs of all learners and, as a result, learners often make slower than expected progress.  In a few academic lessons at level 3, teachers do not stretch and challenge the most-able learners to

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

achieve their potential. Teaching in these lessons often lacks pace and, as a consequence, a minority of learners become bored and restless.

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Adult learning programmes are good

 The college currently has 2,968 adult learners enrolled on a range of full- and part-time courses. Most learners work towards a qualification in English, mathematics, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and access to higher education. A small number of learners are on short courses aimed at preparing them for employment in the retail sector.  In most lessons a very good rapport exists between learners and staff. This helps learners engage with the subject matter and make rapid progress. Learners support each other in classes, clarify their knowledge and gain confidence in their own abilities. Behaviour in lessons is exemplary.  Learners on the access programme study a module that helps them to develop their English for academic writing. Entry-level ESOL learners benefit from an innovative approach to curriculum planning that takes into account the reasons they want to improve their English. This has led to an increase in the number of

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Adult learning programmes are good

learners progressing to higher-level study.  The tracking of learners’ progress is systematic and robust. Feedback is detailed and ensures that learners know how to improve their work. The recently introduced cross-college policy for marking spelling, grammar and punctuation is beginning to have an impact on learners’ skills.  Managers have designed a curriculum that is responsive to the needs of the local economy. In partnership with employers, the college has developed a short course in warehousing, aimed at filling a regional skills gap in this sector. Learners enjoy work experience in the voluntary sector and benefit from personalised pre-employment training that is individualised to meet their specific needs. Managers ensure that impartial careers guidance allows learners to develop a sound understanding of their next steps into employment or higher-level learning.  Learning is flexible to ensure that learners can attend sessions. Shift workers and learners with childcare

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Adult learning programmes are good

responsibilities are able to vary the times of their classes to fit in with their other commitments. Community venues offer crèche facilities and serve the needs of local neighbourhoods, for example by offering English, mathematics and ESOL courses at the Derby Asian Women’s Centre.  Learners feel safe in the college and appreciate the efforts made by staff to support them in their learning. In ESOL provision learners receive one-to-one support to help them improve their handwriting. Learners develop personal, social and employability skills by engaging in enrichment activities such as bring-and-buy sales and events to raise funds for a local educational charity.  Teachers embed British values well within the curriculum and learners are able to discuss key topics such as democracy and freedom of speech confidently. In an access to nursing class, learners engaged in a sophisticated debate about who in Britain has the authority to determine British values and whether these

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Adult learning programmes are good

are appropriate for all members of society.  Teachers plan interesting lessons and make good use of examples relevant to learners’ lives to help them understand learning points in a familiar context. In a mathematics lesson, construction learners calculated the perimeter of a room to establish the cost of laying a carpet. However, in a few lessons, the most-able learners do not receive sufficient challenge.  The development of learners’ English and mathematics skills has improved. However, the teaching of mathematics is not yet consistently good. Attendance in a few mathematics lessons is low. In the better lessons, learners are well supported to improve their understanding through interesting stimulus material leading to discussion that extends learners’ thinking. For example, in an English session learners considered how, over time, views on equal rights had changed.

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Apprenticeships are good

 Derby College has 1,418 apprentices in nine subject areas, the largest of which are retail, health and social care, business administration and construction. The large majority study at level 2. The college subcontracts the training of 343 apprentices to other providers. Teachers and assessors have high expectations. They make good use of their extensive vocational expertise and experience to motivate, challenge and enhance apprentices’ knowledge and understanding. They skilfully develop apprentices’ technical abilities and practical skills. As a result, the large majority of apprentices make good progress.  Teachers plan assessments and lessons well. For example, in a beauty therapy lesson, an apprentice clearly showed her understanding of the benefits of massage during the application of moisturisers. She then successfully carried out an effective pedicure and foot massage in her employer’s salon.

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Apprenticeships are good

 Resources for on- and off-the-job training are good. For example, apprentices studying hospitality management work in the college’s vibrant and very well-resourced training restaurant. An apprentice working in a printing works uses complex technical machinery to prepare and laminate brochures and leaflets to a high standard.  Apprentices receive good-quality support to help them achieve. Good relationships between staff, apprentices and employers lead to well-coordinated support that meets the apprentices’ learning needs. Employers provide good mentoring and supervision for apprentices in the workplace. Apprentices value highly the guidance and support from teachers and assessors.  Teachers and assessors help apprentices to develop their confidence and use of mathematics by tasks that incorporate mathematical concepts effectively. For example, engineering apprentices are able to calculate reflex angles when working with sheet metal; and childcare apprentices can calculate ratios

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Apprenticeships are good

related to the number of accidents recorded in playgrounds.  Progression rates for apprentices into sustained employment and from intermediate to advanced level are good. Many apprentices progress to higher levels of responsibility within their workplace. For example, several former apprentices in painting and decorating now lead teams of specialists working in domestic and industrial settings.  Most teachers use initial assessment information well to plan individualised learning and set challenging activities and targets. In a small minority of lessons, teachers’ questioning does not help them to assess whether all apprentices have understood.  Assessment in college-based practical sessions and at the apprentices’ workplace is good. Assessors use witness testimonies from skilled and experienced mentors and follow them up with challenging questioning to test apprentices’ vocational skills. Detailed verbal feedback from assessors and teachers

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Apprenticeships are good

ensures that apprentices know how to improve.  Managers and assessors track and monitor apprentices’ progress regularly and most make good progress. Those identified as being at risk receive effective support to help them achieve. However, current tracking systems do not identify apprentices’ progress in sufficient detail to enable managers and staff to promptly identify slow progress for a small minority of apprentices.  Apprentices feel safe at work and in the college. Most have a satisfactory understanding of equality and diversity, but not all assessors and reviewers challenge apprentices’ perceptions or thinking. Apprentices receive information about how to keep themselves safe but their awareness of wider safety issues, such as the dangers of extremism and radicalisation, is limited.  A minority of teachers and assessors do not routinely correct grammatical errors in apprentices’ written work or promote the importance to apprentices of using good spoken English. However, almost all

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Apprenticeships are good

teachers and assessors ensure that apprentices’ use of the technical language associated with their vocation is developed.

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Provision for learners with high needs is outstanding

 The college currently has 191 learners in receipt of high needs funding from four local authorities. Ninety- eight learners are on discrete entry-level courses and the rest follow courses across the college from entry to advanced level.  Learners with high needs make outstanding progress. They achieve their learning goals and develop very good social, personal and communication skills. Where appropriate, they achieve qualifications in English and mathematics. Learners on mainstream courses achieve vocational and academic qualifications relevant to their career aims. On completion of their programmes, learners progress successfully to higher-level courses, foundation degrees, supported internships, into work or on to adult provision.  Assessment for learners is exceptionally thorough and teachers work closely with local specialist schools, parents and carers to support the learners’ move from school into college. Students from a local specialist

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Provision for learners with high needs is outstanding

school now attend one of the college sites every week to prepare them for transition to programmes at Derby College.  Staff assess learners’ starting points accurately and plan a highly effective and appropriate individual programme of learning and support that meets each learner’s specific needs. Learners benefit from an excellent range of work placements that provide meaningful learning opportunities in vocational areas that interest them.  Leaders use the funding for high-needs learners very effectively to enable learners to manage and regularly review their own needs. Support is reduced as learners become more independent over time. Learners use a very comprehensive range of assistive technology, aids and adaptations to support their independence.  Learners’ attendance, punctuality and behaviour in learning sessions are excellent. Learners feel safe in college and receive effective support to develop coping strategies to manage challenging situations

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Provision for learners with high needs is outstanding

independently.  Well-qualified and experienced tutors and support staff have very high expectations of learners. Learners benefit from motivating and challenging lessons, with a clear focus on preparing them for future employment and greater independence in their everyday lives. A group of learners on the supported internship programme designed and delivered a presentation on British values which demonstrated good teamwork, computer skills and strong communication skills.  Learners quickly improve their communication, number and employability skills through a range of very well planned and managed practical activities. For example, in a horticultural project, one learner is ‘head gardener’ for the day. It is this learner’s responsibility to ensure that his peers follow good health and safety practices. Learners complete tasks promptly and assess their progress against personal targets.  The standard of learners’ work is outstanding. Written and verbal feedback is very comprehensive and

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Provision for learners with high needs is outstanding

identifies what learners can do well and how they can improve. Tutors use learners’ own experiences very effectively to raise awareness and understanding of learning difficulties and disabilities. For example, one learner who uses British sign language now delivers a weekly introduction to signing for his class to expand their skills. A group of learners who use British sign language delivered a cross-college training session as part of the enrichment programme; this was so successful that the college now offers it every term.  Learners benefit from excellent enrichment activities which provide stretch and challenge through a broad programme offer. Current learners form part of the editorial team which produces the termly college magazine. Learners enhance their social, personal, communication and employability skills in informal settings very successfully and are ready to take their next steps after they complete their studies.

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Provider details

Type of provider General further education college

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Mandie Stravino Website address www.derby-college.ac.uk

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 469 226 348 369 7 20 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:

 The White Rose School of Beauty and Contemporary Therapies Limited  Sigma (UK) Limited  Aspire Achieve Advance Limited  Chameleon School Of Construction Ltd  Breedon House Nurseries Limited  Lifelong Opportunities Ltd  Burton Training Organisation Limited

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Inspection team

Jai Sharda, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Wilf Hudson Her Majesty’s Inspector Marina Gaze Ofsted Inspector Bryan Davis Ofsted Inspector Jonny Wright Ofsted Inspector Nick Sanders Ofsted Inspector Andrea Murphy Ofsted Inspector Shabana Mahmood Ofsted Inspector Ralph Brompton Ofsted Inspector Lesley Talbot-Strettle Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

The inspection team was assisted by the vice-principal as nominee. 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 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 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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