Basingstoke College of Technology

Basingstoke College of Technology 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

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is a good college

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good; a high proportion of learners on adult courses and level 2 apprenticeships, make good progress and successfully achieve their qualifications.  Teachers make particularly innovative and effective use of information learning technology (ILT) to engage and motivate learners.  Staff maintain strong links with employers and use them well to enhance learners’ and apprentices’ experiences, provide valuable work experience placements and enable local businesses to grow and develop.  Staff create an inclusive environment where learners and teachers are respectful and tolerant, and work well together.  On completion of their programmes, most learners successfully progress to further study, apprenticeships, higher education or employment.  All staff provide high standards of care, support and guidance for learners in the college, helping to ensure that learners undertake the course that

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This is a good college

best suits their skills and interests, and successfully progress to the next level on completion.  The new leadership team has successfully implemented a range of improvement initiatives to reverse the decline in standards.  Governors are knowledgeable and highly experienced; they make a valuable contribution to the smooth strategic and financial running of the college.

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This is a good college

 Attendance is too low on 16 to 19 study programmes.  In the previous academic year, too few learners on the 16 to 19 study programmes and advanced apprenticeships successfully achieved their qualifications.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment in functional skills and GCSE English and mathematics is still inconsistent and too few learners achieve their qualifications in these areas.  The quality of target setting, progress monitoring and feedback on marked work, particularly with regard to spelling, punctuation and grammar, is not of a consistently high enough standard.

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Information about the provider

 Basingstoke College of Technology is the main provider of further education in Basingstoke, attracting learners to its campus in the centre of town from the local and surrounding areas and providing apprenticeships in the region in partnership with local employers. The college also subcontracts apprenticeship provision with apprentices located across the south of England. The college delivers courses from entry level through to professional qualifications in the majority of subject areas. It offers a range of other provision including working with learners aged 14 to 16 from local schools, providing adult and community leisure courses, employability training and higher education provision, in partnership with several local universities.  The college is located within the M3 local enterprise partnership (LEP) area. The LEP has identified Basingstoke as one of the key growth towns in the area. The local economy is strong; however, there are

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Information about the provider

pockets of social deprivation in the region.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Continue promoting the recently introduced strategies to track attendance and follow up on non- attendance, reinforcing the evolving culture of zero tolerance towards unauthorised absences.  Identify those areas of the 16 to 19 study programme where learners’ progress is too slow and too few learners successfully achieve their qualification. Share best practice with those areas, particularly around the use of target setting, progress monitoring and providing feedback to learners, to help increase the proportion of learners who successfully achieve their qualifications.  Continue promoting and developing the recently introduced strategies for raising the quality of teaching, learning and assessment on functional skills and GCSE English and mathematics, reinforcing to learners the importance of these subjects to their longer-term success.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Since the previous inspection the college has seen a steady decline in the number of learners who successfully achieved their qualifications. Following a major restructure, the newly formed senior leadership team has implemented a number of changes and initiatives to help raise standards. These include regular audits of the quality of the curriculum, frequent lesson observations, more thorough performance management and dialogue with teachers, new approaches to the delivery of English and mathematics and increased staff development opportunities. All these changes are having a positive impact on the quality of provision, but have yet to move the standards of teaching, learning and assessment or outcomes for learners to a higher level than that seen at the previous inspection.  Teachers and support staff have very good access to a wide range of staff development to help them to continue to improve. For example, practical teacher development workshops are held every week and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

provide an opportunity for teachers to showcase their work to the whole staff, sharing and celebrating best practice.  Leaders and managers have a range of successful approaches to gathering and utilising learners’ views, including detailed surveys through the year, a course representative system and the learner parliament. Learners participate well in these groups and a high proportion of them respond positively to surveys. Managers and staff use this information creatively to help raise standards and respond to learners’ comments.  Governors and managers have created a clear strategy for the future. This focuses on ensuring that the curriculum addresses the needs of both the local economy and of employers. This includes significant expansion in apprenticeship work, the development of work-based higher education provision in partnership with a nearby university, introducing more courses specifically to help adults gain access to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

higher education, and a continuing focus on meeting the vocational needs of local learners aged 16 to 18. The principal is a member of the local employment and skills board for the M3 LEP, which sees the college as a strong and responsive partner.  Links with employers are very strong, and are leading to better opportunities for local people to gain employment. Employability programmes with the local job centre are well established and offer people who have been made redundant, or who have problems finding work due to ill health, an effective route back to work.  Managers have developed effective partnerships to provide sub-contracted workplace opportunities, largely in engineering apprenticeships, which complement the college’s own provision well. Effective controls are in place to oversee the quality of this provision.  Staff and learners are respectful and tolerant. The college has a comprehensive range of policies that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

support the inclusive nature of its provision. Learners behave well, both in lessons and around the college. They have a sound understanding of diversity, and awareness of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism.  Accommodation and resources to support learning are modern, well-maintained and fit for purpose. The buildings have been adapted well to support changes in the curriculum. They provide a comfortable and attractive environment in which to work and learn.  Leaders have a strong commitment to improving the quality of provision in English and mathematics. In 2014/15, success rates in GCSE English and mathematics were too low. Managers have supported many vocational teachers to gain their own level 2 qualifications in these subjects. Teachers are increasingly effective at promoting the importance of literacy and numeracy to learners. Other initiatives include the development of a large, well-resourced area, where learners get timely support in these subjects. While

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

these changes are clearly having a positive impact on raising the quality of provision for English and mathematics, the area requires further improvement, and it is too early to judge the full impact of these recent initiatives.  The governance of the provider Governors support college managers well. They have a good understanding of the further education sector and the needs of the local community. They have played a valuable role in challenging the senior leadership team where appropriate; for example, they have set the principal and senior management team clear targets to improve learners’ achievements rapidly. Governors have a very good range of complementary skills that make them an effective team. They are active in the college, for example, by joining validation meetings for the self-assessment report and taking part in learning walks around classrooms to meet learners. They also ensure that the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

financial health of the college remains consistently outstanding. The college predictions align with those of the Skills Funding Agency, forecasting that the outstanding financial health should continue.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective Learners feel safe in the college. Managers and staff oversee safeguarding processes, including health and safety, effectively. Managers undertake comprehensive pre-employment checks for staff and subcontractors. Systems for learners and teachers to report any concerns are easy to use, well understood and used well to alert managers to any concerns about learners’ safety. Staff and governors have received appropriate training in safeguarding, covering radicalisation and extremism to meet the ‘Prevent’ duty. Managers have strong external links with the local authority safeguarding board, the police and the regional ‘Prevent’ coordinator.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 In the large majority of lessons and apprentice reviews, teachers and assessors use their skills and knowledge effectively to engage and motivate learners, who respond enthusiastically, work hard and produce work of the expected standard. Most learners enjoy a range of activities during lessons and work well in pairs and groups, often providing support for each other.  Learners benefit from using innovative learning technologies to support their learning. Managers’ considerable focus on the development of ILT has enabled teachers to make increasingly effective use of an impressive range of e-learning software to enable learners to develop their skills and use of emerging technologies.  Apprentices benefit from good on- and off-the-job training and frequent communication with their assessor. Initial and diagnostic assessment for apprentices is thorough and accurately identifies apprentices’ starting points and gaps in knowledge, which assessors then successfully meet through

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

planned individual learning activities. Assessors and apprentices use computers and phone apps very effectively to access online individual learning plans, to upload work and evidence and to receive feedback from assessors. Apprentices make good progress through these activities.  Learners undertaking 16 to 19 study programmes enjoy a wide range of work experience and enrichment activities which extend their knowledge and employability skills. For example, hair and beauty learners acquire additional specialist nail gel techniques and salon reception booking skills. During tutorials, learners reflect on their enrichment activities and work experiences and are able to identify the employability skills they have gained.  The large majority of vocational teachers and assessors successfully plan and include relevant activities to help learners develop their literacy and numeracy skills. For example, staff ensure that learners are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

familiar with relevant technical terminology, and often present mathematics learning in contexts relevant to learners’ vocational areas.  Study programme learners understand the importance of English and mathematics qualifications for their future careers. Teachers actively support and encourage learners who need to retake their English and mathematics GCSEs or functional skills qualifications through a range of new initiatives to attend discrete classes, homework clubs and revision sessions.  Learners have a good understanding of diversity and British values. Regular tutorials in college and the workplace enable learners to explore and extend their understanding of subjects such as disability, mental health and British values through lively discussions, presentations, videos and interactive quizzes.  Staff provide good support for learners with additional learning needs. Learners with complex needs enjoy

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

a range of individually planned activities to ensure that their journey from leaving school to starting college is positive. Learning support staff have a good understanding of the individual challenges learners face, and they ensure that learners receive the appropriate level of support to enable them to make good progress.  Learners acquire good employability skills. Adults develop their skills well as a result of effective partnerships with organisations such as the National Health Service and the job centre, apprentices gain valuable experience from their employer, and learners on 16 to 19 study programmes acquire good skills through work experience.  The majority of learners enjoy their learning. Apprentices enjoy reviews and professional discussions, which assessors plan well, helping to develop learners’ knowledge and workplace application. Adults value and enjoy their learning and the skills they are acquiring. However, on 16 to 19 study programmes and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

adult provision, a small minority of teachers do not always plan lessons well enough, set suitably challenging targets or provide sufficiently detailed feedback to learners. As a result, lessons occasionally lack structure and pace, and not all learners grow in confidence sufficiently quickly.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

 Learners develop a high level of confidence both on classroom-based courses and on workplace learning programmes. They acquire a broad range of skills and knowledge, relevant to their career aspirations, and develop good personal, social and employability skills.  Virtually all learners on 16 to 19 study programmes undertake valuable work experience placements as a core component of their course. Managers have highly effective procedures to identify suitable placements that enable learners to develop appropriate skills that complement their main programme of study; they ensure that learners have clear objectives as part of their work placements, and they maintain close links with the employer to monitor the benefits of the placement to the learner. As a result, learners develop valuable employability skills and a good insight into the workplace.  Other learners on classroom-based courses, such as those on motor vehicle, catering or beauty courses

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

also develop good work-related skills through the activities they undertake in the high-quality, realistic working environments around the college. In a small minority of areas, including electrical installation and medical science courses, the development of learners’ knowledge and practical skills is too slow.  Staff have strong and beneficial links with employers. They utilise these links well to support the initial recruitment of learners, to help raise learners’ aspirations while at college, and to make them aware of the skills they need to develop, to succeed and progress, particularly into workplace learning and employment.  Staff provide thorough information, advice and guidance to prospective learners, and also to those at the college when considering their next steps. This helps ensure that learners are able to make informed choices about progression options.  Learners have good access to a broad range of enrichment activities including self-defence, games clubs,

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

sports activities, and a range of vocationally focused trips and visits. Staff also make good use of a scheme to raise learners’ participation rates in sports-related activities.  The vast majority of learners feel safe around the college, and are aware of what actions to take should they have any personal concerns, or experience incidents of bullying or harassment, which are very rare. Learners develop a good awareness and understanding of health and safety issues and apply safe working practices in the workplace, in laboratories and in workshops around the college.  On completion of their programme, a high proportion of learners successfully progress to the next stage, for example on to a higher-level programme at the college, onto an apprenticeship, to university or to employment.  The development of learners’ English and mathematics skills was very poor in the previous academic year. In the current year, leaders and managers have focused intensively on strategies to bring about

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

improvements in this area, and to raise standards across the English and mathematics provision. Early indications clearly show that learners are performing and achieving significantly better, with a higher proportion acquiring suitable levels of competency and confidence in these areas, and succeeding in achieving their qualifications. However, this area requires further improvement.  Learners’ attendance on adult courses is good, but on 16 to 19 study programmes is too low. Managers have been working hard to implement suitable attendance monitoring and follow-up procedures. These are starting to have a positive impact on attendance which has increased since the previous academic year; however, it remains too low, and is not yet hitting the college target.  Behaviour around the college is good; learners demonstrate respect and courtesy towards fellow learners and staff. In a few lessons, learners are passive and do not engage fully with all classroom activities.

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Outcomes for learners are good

 In 2014/15 the proportion of learners who failed to achieve their qualifications was too high, particularly for those learners aged 16 to 19 on study programmes, for advanced apprentices and for learners undertaking English and mathematics qualifications. There had been a decline in performance in these areas. Leaders and managers acknowledged this poor performance and have taken a range of actions to address these weaknesses. As a result, early indications show that outcomes for learners have improved significantly.  In other areas the proportion of learners successfully achieving their qualification has remained high, above national rates, particularly for those learners on level 2 apprenticeships, workplace learning programmes and on most adult learning programmes.  As a result of the relentless focus on improvement in the weaker-performing areas, staff now ensure that significantly more learners remain on their courses. They provide accurate information, advice and

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Outcomes for learners are good

guidance to learners prior to and during their courses. Those learners are now making good progress and the vast majority of learners on vocational programmes are on target to complete their course successfully by the end of the academic year.  The proportion of adult learners who have successfully achieved qualifications in functional skills English and mathematics during the year has increased significantly. This clearly indicates that the strategies to improve the quality of provision in that area are having a positive impact. The performance of learners on 16 to 19 study programmes has also improved, with higher attendance rates than at the same time in the previous academic year, and positive results in recent mock examinations. However, data indicates that these areas require further improvement.  In most areas, learners make the expected progress, relative to their standards and qualifications on

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Outcomes for learners are good

entry. Most teachers set suitably challenging targets to help learners achieve their learning goals.  Staff ensure that learners gain the core skills they need to progress successfully to the next stage. For example, learners aspiring to move into employment or to apprenticeship programmes acquire skills in job search, CV-writing and interview preparation. Those wishing to progress to university receive good guidance and support on university options and the application process; staff encourage early application to maximise learners’ chances of receiving good offers from universities.  The proportion of learners who successfully progress to the next stage is high. They acquire a suitable range of knowledge, skills and experience, which enables them to achieve their qualifications, and progress successfully to further training or study, to employment, or to university.  There are no significant differences in the performance of different groups of learners, for example by

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Outcomes for learners are good

gender or ethnicity. In addition, there is no significant difference in performance relative to the level of deprivation in the wards in which learners live.

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

 The college has around 1,700 learners undertaking 16 to 19 study programmes, with the highest proportion of learners in vocational programmes in business, tourism, construction, hair and beauty, health care and early years. There are also around 13 learners on a traineeship programme.  Learners develop good practical and employability skills that help them to make good progress towards their career and employment aspirations. For example, learners studying information technology develop good programming and animation skills; in hairdressing, learners successfully develop their skills while working with clients who visit the college salon.  Learners work well together in small groups, developing their team-building skills. They are encouraged to become increasingly independent and are stimulated to find solutions to problems for themselves. For example, five learners on a plumbing course worked successfully together to design and construct a tool

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

storage cupboard for the workshop.  Learners have a good understanding of the importance of improving their English and mathematics skills to help them succeed on their vocational course and progress to their next level of study. Vocational teachers promote literacy and numeracy well in their lessons, which helps learners to improve these skills in a relevant and meaningful way. However, teaching of discrete English and mathematics GCSEs and functional skills is less effective. While many learners make good progress, a minority continue to struggle to reach the standard required to obtain a suitable grade in tests and examinations.  Occasionally, teachers do not correct learners’ spelling and grammatical errors to a suitable standard, or provide sufficient feedback to help them to improve.  A small minority of teachers do not plan learning activities well enough or set suitably challenging targets

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

for learners. Activities lack sufficient structure and pace; learners tend to lose focus, disengaging from learning. They do not contribute sufficiently to the learning activities, and as a result make slower progress. Similarly, in theory lessons, teachers occasionally fail to check learners’ developing understanding, particularly in mixed-ability groups, where a few less confident learners do not develop their knowledge fast enough.  Teachers use the virtual learning environment and ILT creatively to enhance the learning process, resulting in most learners actively participating in lessons and making good progress. For example, learners on a business course enjoyed competing with each other to assess their knowledge about team building by using an interactive quiz, using their mobile phones to answer the questions.  Learners benefit considerably from purposeful work experience that links closely to their main course of

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

study. For example, local employers in the motor trade value the positive contribution that motor vehicle learners make to their businesses during work placements, and a small proportion of learners successfully obtain part-time work during their course as a result. Similarly, learners on childcare courses who successfully completed their work placement in local children’s nurseries have since been added to the nurseries’ banks of supply workers.  Learners benefit from a wide range of enrichment activities which often relate well to their vocational courses. For example, learners from media, sport and hospitality regularly benefit from presentations from guest speakers, who share their expertise and raise learners’ awareness and understanding of the commercial world.  Staff provide good careers guidance throughout the learners’ programme. The vast majority of learners identify a relevant career goal at the start of their programme and are able to make informed choices

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

about their future employment and training options.  Teachers increase learners’ understanding of diversity well in realistic and meaningful ways. For example, hospitality and catering learners extended their knowledge of different cultural and religious practices they might need to take into account when preparing seafood menus.  Managers and teachers have successfully improved learners’ approach to punctuality and attendance. Punctuality is now good, and teachers challenge learners suitably on the rare occasions when they turn up late. Attendance has improved but is still too low.

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Adult learning programmes are good

 The college has around 2,200 adult learners, the majority of whom are part time, attending courses predominantly in construction, business, tourism, access to higher education, English, mathematics, English for speakers of other languages and employability.  Most teachers provide a stimulating and well-structured environment where learners are motivated to make good progress and achieve. Learners’ attendance is high.  Managers ensure that they offer courses that help meet the local employment needs by aligning the offer to the local LEP priority occupations. As a result, learners develop relevant and useful skills in subject areas that will help maximise their chances of progressing into employment.  Staff maintain strong and effective partnerships with Jobcentre Plus and local employers to help support learners either into employment or, where already employed, to improve their existing skills. For example,

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Adult learning programmes are good

local care homes develop their employees’ skills through awareness courses in dementia, diabetes and infection control, delivered by college staff. Managers also respond quickly to provide redundancy support when local businesses close, so that adults have the best opportunity to receive suitable training to enable them to move back into employment quickly.  Learners on employability courses make good progress, acquire a broad knowledge and skills and most successfully progress into employment, work placement, further learning or volunteering. College staff maintain contact with those learners who are still not in employment or training and provide ongoing advice and support.  Learners benefit particularly well from the work-related experience of their teachers who skilfully design activities which challenge and extend learners’ knowledge. For example, in health and social care the teacher used personal examples of when she was required to administer paediatric first aid during her

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Adult learning programmes are good

career managing a nursery. These examples help provide genuine working examples, as well as engaging and motivating learners who make good progress as a result.  Learners on pre-access provision make good progress, with the very large majority successfully moving on to access to higher education programmes. Most learners on access provision then successfully progress on to university to study a range of professional qualifications such as adult and mental health nursing, occupational therapy and radiography.  Learners on English for speakers of other languages courses develop their speaking and comprehension skills well, enabling them to become increasingly independent and participate more in their community. Learners really value these developmental opportunities. For example, one mother described how, as a result of her course, she was now able to understand and talk to her child’s teacher and use the

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Adult learning programmes are good

telephone more confidently.  The quality of English teaching is generally good and most leaners make good progress. In a small minority of English lessons, teachers do not set suitably stretching targets for learners, or provide sufficient feedback, particularly on spelling and punctuation. In these circumstances these learners make slower progress.  In a small minority of instances, teachers do not explain sufficiently clearly to learners the expectations and scheduling of assessment and do not return work promptly when it is marked. In these circumstances, learners are not always as confident about the accreditation needs of their course, or the actions they need to take to improve.  Teachers skilfully engage learners in mathematics through the use of a range of challenging but achievable activities. Learners enjoy the subject which, for many, had previously defeated them. This approach successfully boosts learners’ confidence and self-esteem. For example, one learner had

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Adult learning programmes are good

developed sufficient confidence to consider progressing on to a higher education qualification in nursing, despite being away from study for twenty years.  Learners develop particularly good personal and social skills through regular review and development activities, as well as picking up further insight from attending job fairs, employability workshops and health promotion fairs. Learners feel safe around the college and are clear about who they should approach to discuss any concerns they may have.  Staff delivering foundation courses do not always provide sufficient guidance to learners as to how they should organise their work and folders. Too often, learners’ folders are disorganised, reducing their ability to reflect on and monitor their progress. This also hampers learners’ ability to use course work fully to help them to revise before examinations and their development of efficient study skills, which would

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Adult learning programmes are good

improve their organisation and achievement prospects and would help them to progress.

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Apprenticeships are good

 The college has around 1,280 apprentices including about 500 taught by subcontractors. The college offers apprenticeships in seven subject areas, the largest of which are engineering and manufacturing, warehousing and business administration. The large majority of apprentices study at intermediate level.  Trainers and assessors set high expectations of apprentices. They make good use of their extensive vocational expertise and experience to motivate, challenge and enhance apprentices’ knowledge, practical skills and understanding. They skilfully develop apprentices’ technical abilities, and as a result, the large majority of apprentices make good progress, achieve their qualifications and successfully progress to more challenging job roles or achieve promotion.  Apprentices are confident and demonstrate high levels of professionalism and commitment to their chosen careers. They make good progress in developing their vocational and personal skills, perform well

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Apprenticeships are good

and take on more complex tasks and responsibilities. Employers speak very highly of their apprentices who demonstrate a professional attitude to their job roles, and become valued employees. For example, in engineering, one apprentice has implemented the use of tablets for programming CNC machines and team leaders have identified improvements to cost savings as a result.  Support for learners is good. Assessors provide high levels of support that enables apprentices to overcome personal and social barriers to learning such as housing and transport issues. Learners receive valuable support for any additional learning needs such as dyslexia through additional one-to-one sessions. For example, one learner for whom English is a second language has developed much improved speaking, reading and writing skills which have enhanced his confidence and customer service skills.  The standard of apprentices’ practical work is high. Assessors effectively embed the promotion of literacy

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Apprenticeships are good

and numeracy into their subject teaching. However, assessors do not consistently correct spelling and grammatical mistakes on apprentices’ written work or provide them with strategies to identify and correct these errors themselves. As a result, assessors do not consistently reinforce professional standards of accurate writing. In a small minority of cases assessors do not provide suitably detailed feedback on assessed work to help apprentices make better progress or to improve the quality of their work.  Apprentices benefit from very strong links with a wide range of local and national companies that help to advance their career opportunities. Effective communication and collaborative working between employers, assessors and apprentices ensure that apprentices follow pathways that are well tailored to meet their future career aspirations and business needs.  Assessors prepare apprentices well for full-time employment in their chosen industries. Apprentices are

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Apprenticeships are good

able to access a good range of resources that support their learning and independent study. However, in business administration there is an over-reliance on workbooks that do not sufficiently support the development of job-specific skills such as minute-taking or preparing accounts.  Learners have access to industry-standard equipment and know how to work safely. They feel safe in their working environments and they work competently on their own and as team members. Many employers provide apprentices with additional responsibilities that further enhance their skills development. For example, hairdressers on level 3 courses have developed their own, regular client list for colouring and blow drying.  Staff and managers provide very effective on-the-job training. Apprentices receive good coaching, mentoring and support to develop job-related skills such as product knowledge, dealing with difficult

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Apprenticeships are good

customers and problem-solving skills. Employers and the college also provide apprentices with job-related additional qualifications, such as first aid and manual handling. College staff collaborate effectively with employers to ensure that apprentices receive good initial induction and job-related training.  Assessment is good. Assessors use initial assessment well to inform programme planning, and have effective progress monitoring systems in place. As a result, apprentices and employers know how well learners are doing and what they need to do next to achieve their qualifications.  Apprentices demonstrate a good understanding of safe working practices, and of equality and diversity and how it impacts in their workplace. For example, they understand about their rights and responsibilities and the importance of treating colleagues fairly. Assessors confidently promote British values through discussion and link topics to employers’ core values.

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Provider details

Type of provider General further education college

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Anthony Bravo Website address www.bcot.ac.uk

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 218 877 160 348 0 34 Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total 10 3 13 Number of learners aged 14–16 3

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

Funding received from Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

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main subcontractors:

 Smarter Training Group Ltd.  Lean Education and Development

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Inspection team

Peter Nelson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Wilf Hudson Her Majesty’s Inspector Kate Brennan Ofsted Inspector Carolyn Brownsea Ofsted Inspector Heather Clary Ofsted Inspector Claire Griffin Ofsted Inspector Penny Mathers Ofsted Inspector Daisy Walsh Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

The above team was assisted by the deputy 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

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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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