City College

Further education college residential provision inspection report Inspection Number: 2457298 URN: SC041159

p.1

Further education college residential provision

Overall effectiveness This inspection: Requires improvement

p.1

Further education college residential provision

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

p.1

Further education college residential provision

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

p.1

This college requires improvement because:

 Further improvements are needed to ensure a consistent and good-quality residential provision, which takes into account the individualised needs of students. Shortfalls identified relate to communication, and oversight of the residential provision. Therefore, not all the national minimum standards have been met. However, the current leadership team has demonstrated a clear commitment to improve the residential provision.  There are mixed views from employers and students about their experiences of this college. This is dependent upon the course being completed, for example, students and employers from telecoms courses are happy with communication and assessment, whereas students and employers from mechanics are having a poor experience. Assessments have been delayed or retaken due to changes of assessors. Despite these difficulties, residential students achieve higher than the national average.  Safeguarding procedures are very good. Staff have a good understanding of their

p.1

This college requires improvement because:

responsibilities with regards to students’ safety. Staff report all concerns even if they appear to be minor. This means that nothing is missed. Concerns are dealt with promptly, working closely with partner agencies.  Individual support is very well managed. Students with special needs are provided with good support.

p.1

Accommodation of Students under Eighteen by Further Education

 Ensure that the statement of the college’s welfare, accommodation and student support policies and practice is available to parents, students and staff. (NMS 1.1)  Ensure that the college has effective measures in operation, through both its contractual arrangements and monitoring procedures, to ensure as far as is practicable that contracted out services provided to students on its behalf meet the standards in this document and do not compromise student welfare. (NMS 8.4)  Ensure that there are formal (e.g. college councils, meetings, surveys) and informal opportunities for students under 18 to express views on relevant aspects of their accommodation, welfare and welfare support, either directly or through student representatives. (NMS 12.2)  Ensure that there are effective communication systems between staff supervising student accommodation, student welfare staff and teaching/lecturing staff to

p.2

Accommodation of Students under Eighteen by Further Education

support the safeguarding and promotion of student welfare, which communicate necessary information about students on a need to know basis, but do not unnecessarily breach student confidentiality. (NMS 13.7)  Ensure that new students are given suitable information about college routines and rules, particularly concerning residential arrangements and provision, including key information in writing. This particularly refers to providing written information about transport drop-off and pick-up points in relation to host family houses. (NMS 20.2)  Ensure that the college has, and follows, a satisfactory policy for the safety of students during college organised and arranged journeys, covering college transport. (NMS 29.8)  Ensure that any lodgings arranged directly by the college to accommodate students under 18 provide satisfactory accommodation and supervision, are checked by the college before use and are monitored by the college during use. (NMS 46.1)

p.2

What does the college need to do to improve further?

 Provide all residential students with good-quality learning resources and assessment.

p.2

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

p.3

Inspection judgements

 Outcomes for students requires improvement because some learning resources are out of date, the allocation of assessors has been poor until recently, students have been frustrated by college organised transport. In addition students have felt that they do not have a voice in the college.  Students have said that they want better equipment that is not out of date, broken or with bits missing: ‘London lads have new buses. These are like dinosaurs.’ This is in part recognised by the management team that has put in a bid for some replacement equipment.  The college has struggled to get assessors out to all students. Assessors are now allocated to all students, but this has only occurred recently. A student said, ‘I’ve had three different assessors and now I have another one. Each time I have to start again. I feel frustrated about this.’ Although assessment is now an improving picture, this has caused students frustration especially when they have had to

p.3

Inspection judgements

repeat work.  The learner voice is not yet strong or consistently sought. Learner forums have just started but do not yet reach the full residential cohort of students. Students say that they feel neglected and unable to contact key staff. There are systems in place to help students contact key staff, but students are not aware of these.  Students are being encouraged to get involved in the EU referendum. There is a speaker’s corner where students are being encouraged to have their say. They will also have the opportunity to cast a vote at the college. The result of the vote will be compared to the national result. This will help students to have a better understanding of important national issues.

p.3

Inspection judgements

 The quality of service requires improvement because communication within the college, and between college staff and host families is not yet good. For example, students have arrived at host family houses when they were not expected. A host said that a student she was expecting did not arrive because he had not been in college that day. Although tutors were aware of his absence, the host said that student services staff were not.  Host family accommodation is satisfactory. Some bedrooms were very small, but accommodation was mainly appropriate. Host families are mostly positive about college systems and are confident in being able to contact someone at the college if they need to. However, students have mixed views about the quality of accommodation and ability of some host families. One student said that he does not know the name of the person he is staying with, while another student said that she is ‘like part of the family’.

p.3

Inspection judgements

 Transport has been problematic. A student said, ‘Transport is better now. It was shocking.’ For example, the coach has been late or not arrived at all to pick up students for college. This has made them late for their classes. Although this has improved, issues are still apparent such as long, unnecessary journeys to and from college, which students complain make their day very long. Students also say that they do not know how to get from the host family accommodation to the coach pick-up or drop-off point when they first do this without college staff.  Induction of residential students has improved greatly this year. Students report that they are given information about how to keep themselves safe. They also reflect positively on the fact that they went on an outing together to enable them to get to know each other. Students who have been at the college for more than one year report that their induction was poor, saying that they were given very

p.3

Inspection judgements

little information. Residential students are already employed and therefore move into full employment once they have finished their apprenticeship. The college does offer good careers advice and help with university applications where required.  Individual support is well managed. Students with special needs are provided with appropriate in-class support. Furthermore, the college has access to a team of therapists who offer support to students who experience anxiety or stress. The college also has links with a young carers group and youth workers for vulnerable students. This means that the individual needs of vulnerable students are fully supported.

p.4

Inspection judgements

 Safeguarding is good because there is a strong, proactive response from staff to safeguarding issues. This reduces the risk of harm to students. Safeguarding is taken seriously and practice is good. All concerns, no matter how small, are dealt with promptly and appropriately. A designated safeguarding lead works effectively with a range of partner agencies. Written records of any safeguarding concerns are robustly managed. These practices help to protect students.  College staff work closely with the local police to help educate students about keeping themselves safe. This includes a talk during induction about sexual exploitation and the government’s counter-terrorism strategy. Students are helped to keep themselves safe from extremism, bullying, homophobia, racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. College staff understand the risks posed by the use of the internet. They have good systems to oversee students’ safe use of the

p.4

Inspection judgements

internet.  Residential students are polite, helpful and well behaved. Host families report that they rarely have any problems with the students that they accommodate. Any problems are effectively dealt with by the college.  Recruitment procedures are in line with statutory guidance and, therefore, help to protect students from unsuitable adults. Health and safety procedures are very well managed within the college. However, some improvements can be made with regards to host family accommodation. The effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

p.4

Inspection judgements

 The effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement because the management oversight of the performance of host families is not comprehensive. For example, there are no checks to ensure that hosts understand their responsibilities, no follow-up to some identified health and safety concerns and a lack of knowledge about hosts’ current circumstances.  Key staff responsible for the organisation of host family accommodation have good relationships with hosts, but lack understanding of some key issues. For example, there is a lack of understanding of the need for diverse ethnic backgrounds of host families, particularly when the cohort of students are from a range of backgrounds and ethnicity.  The residential provision does not operate within its statement of purpose. For example, separate accommodation is not organised for under 18 and over 18 year old students as stated. Furthermore, the statement of purpose does not detail

p.5

Inspection judgements

how the college will meet the individual needs of its diverse community.  Student information is not updated for hosts annually. This means that any changed needs are not always communicated to the hosts. Some hosts say that communication with the college is very good, whereas others say that sometimes things have been missed. Host families are invited to an annual meeting at the college, but a number of hosts cannot attend due to work commitments. Furthermore, there is no handbook for hosts. This contributes to the fact that they only have very limited information about safeguarding children and some of this is out of date.  The leadership team has a good understanding of the shortfalls identified and has plans to address them. COLLEGE DETAILS

p.5

Inspection judgements

Type of college Further education college residential provision

p.6

Inspection judgements

Approximate number of learners in residence

p.6

Inspection judgements

Principal/CEO Elaine McMahon Date of previous inspection 18 October 2012 Website address http://www.covcollege.ac.uk

p.6

Purpose and Scope of inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

p.7

Purpose and Scope of inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the inspection framework and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of accommodation in further education colleges.

p.7

Contextual information

City College Coventry is a large college of further education in purpose built accommodation close to all amenities within the city of Coventry. A range of educational and vocational courses are offered. Residential learners are sent by employers from all over the UK and are apprentices on the public service vehicle (PSV) and telecom courses. The college provides PSV and telecom learners residential accommodation with host families from Monday to Friday in lodgings for 119 apprentices, 16 of whom are under the age of 18 years. Students are all over 16 years old and spend the majority of their lives at home. They come to Coventry for one or two week blocks and stay for four nights each week, returning home each Friday. They come over two or three years. The college provides PSV and telecom students with ordinary domestic homes with host families. Transport is arranged by the college as the lodgings are some distance away

p.7

Information about this inspection

A social care regulatory inspector (SCRI) carried out the inspection with short notice. The inspector took account of the provider's most recent self-assessment report and development plans and the previous inspection report. The inspector also used data on learners' achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements. The inspector used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected throughout the report.

p.7

What inspection judgements mean

Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the ‘Evaluation schedule for inspection of residential provision in further education colleges 2014’.

p.8

What inspection judgements mean

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/evaluation-schedule-for-inspection-of-residential-provision- further-education-colleges

p.8

What inspection judgements mean

guidance 'Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/ofsted If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . 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 Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, 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.

p.8

What inspection judgements mean

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.9

What inspection judgements mean

You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

p.9

What inspection judgements mean

To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and provider inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'.

p.9

What inspection judgements mean

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9