West Cheshire College

West Cheshire College Re-inspection monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Steve Hailstone, Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.1

Inspection date(s): 14–15 September 2016

p.1

Type of provider: General further education college Address: Ellesmere Port Campus Off Sutton Way Ellesmere Port Cheshire CH65 7BF Monitoring visit: West Cheshire College, 15 September 2016

p.1

Context and focus of visit

This is the fourth follow-up re-inspection monitoring visit to West Cheshire College following publication of the inspection report on 11 November 2015 which found the college to be inadequate overall.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

At the inspection in September 2015, the effectiveness of leadership and management, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and outcomes for learners were judged to be inadequate. Personal development, behaviour and welfare were judged to require improvement. Study programmes for learners aged 16 to 19 were judged to be inadequate. Adult learning provision was judged to require improvement. Apprenticeships were judged to be good.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

The third monitoring visit in May 2016 found that leaders and managers had made reasonable progress in planning to address the areas for improvement identified at inspection; monitoring underperforming programme areas; implementing fully the requirements of the study programme; taking action to ensure that learners made good progress towards achieving their learning goals; improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment; improving the quality of English and mathematics provision; improving the quality of additional learning support; implementing the requirements of the ’Prevent’ duty.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

The findings of this visit are outlined below.

p.2

Reasonable progress

The college’s data for 2015/16 indicates that, for learners aged 16 to 18, the overall predicted achievement rate on vocational courses is similar to that for 2014/15 and is in line with the rate for all providers. A similar proportion of learners on level 2 and level 3 diplomas are expected to achieve as in 2014/15. However, the predicted achievement rate on level 1 diplomas shows a significant fall from 2014/15. For learners aged 19 and over, the predicted achievement rate on vocational courses shows a significant improvement to above the rate for similar providers. The achievement rate among learners who receive additional support increased in 2015/16. This group of learners achieved at a similar rate to their peers. Monitoring visit: West Cheshire College, 15 September 2016 Too few learners achieved functional skills English and mathematics qualifications in 2015/16, and the proportion of learners who achieved grades A* to C in GCSE

p.2

Reasonable progress

English and mathematics was low. Among 16–18-year-old learners, the achievement rate on functional skills courses was particularly low, with only a small minority achieving their qualifications.

p.3

Reasonable progress

A high proportion of apprentices completed their framework successfully within the planned time in 2015/16. The achievement rate for 16–18-year-old apprentices improved significantly and was well above the national rate.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Across most programmes, the college’s achievement data for 2015/16 was almost complete and provided a reliable indication of performance. However, on level 2 vocational programmes in the building services faculty, late external verification of learners’ assessed work meant that achievement data on these courses was incomplete.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers continue to promote actively a culture of high expectations of learners. At the beginning of the day, managers and other staff welcome learners on arrival and challenge those who are late or who arrive unprepared for study. The induction of new learners emphasises strongly the college’s expectations about readiness for study, attendance and punctuality. The discernible change in the culture of the college is beginning to have a positive impact on learners’ commitment to their studies and on their progress in many vocational areas.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Since the last monitoring visit, leaders and managers have maintained their close scrutiny of underperforming programme areas and have continued to put in place appropriate actions to improve performance. These include frequent meetings with course teams to identify actions to support learners who are at risk of not achieving, and more rigorous management of underperforming teachers. As a result, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved in provision in early years and in building services, and achievement rates in these areas have increased to above the national rate.

p.3

Reasonable progress

On engineering, health and social care, and business courses, the actions that managers have taken to improve performance have not yet had sufficient impact. Too much teaching in these areas is insufficiently challenging, and achievement rates remain too low. Managers are fully aware of the issues and have identified further actions to improve quickly the quality of provision on these courses. Monitoring visit: West Cheshire College, 15 September 2016

p.3

Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have taken a number of actions to improve the development of learners’ English and mathematics provision on study programmes. A new manager has been appointed with specific responsibility for English and mathematics provision. The importance of English and mathematics for learners’ future aspirations is emphasised strongly at induction and at parents’ evenings, and the timetabling of lessons has improved in the new academic year. However, after two weeks on the programme, a few learners are not yet aware of the classes to which they have been allocated.

p.4

Insufficient progress

Too much teaching in English and mathematics lessons does not interest or challenge learners. Too often, activities are dull and learning resources are of poor quality. In many lessons, teachers do not plan activities to meet the specific needs of learners and do not check learners’ progress rigorously enough. Teachers often take insufficient action to improve the poor quality of many learners’ work. Too many learners have already missed lessons in the first two weeks of their course. Leaders and managers have not acted quickly enough to ensure that learners attend English and mathematics lessons regularly and benefit from high-quality teaching that enables them to make good progress and achieve their qualifications.

p.4

Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have acted swiftly to ensure that the development of learners’ work-related skills has a high priority on study programmes. Most learners on study programmes had completed work experience placements by the end of 2015/16, and planning to ensure that all learners have relevant placements in the current year has already begun.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers recognise the need to improve further the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and they have increased the frequency and volume of training and development for teachers. From the beginning of this academic year, all teachers participate in professional development activities one afternoon each week. Training focuses on college priorities that include using appropriately challenging activities, the use of questioning to check and extend learning, and the development of learners’ English and mathematics skills.

p.4

Reasonable progress

The actions that leaders and managers have taken to improve quality have had a positive impact in several programme areas. In many lessons, learners benefit from dynamic and challenging activities that help them to acquire new skills and knowledge quickly. However, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not consistently high. In too many lessons, particularly in underperforming programme Monitoring visit: West Cheshire College, 15 September 2016 areas, teachers do not plan learning carefully enough and activities are either too difficult for learners or not challenging enough. The assessment of learners’ progress is often weak, and activities often fail to interest or inspire learners.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have not targeted training sufficiently on tackling the specific weaknesses of teachers whose performance does not meet the expected standard. Intervention has not been swift enough in the first weeks of the new academic year to improve the practice of these teachers and ensure that learners on all courses make good progress. Leaders and managers recognise that they need to make further changes to accommodation used for teaching to ensure that the learning environment is appropriate.

p.5

Reasonable progress

Managers have increased further the number of learning support assistants and have put in place appropriate training on providing effective support. They monitor closely the quality and impact of the work of learning support assistants, and intervene where support is not effective enough. As a result, the quality of additional support that learners receive has improved. Most learning support assistants work closely with teachers to provide constructive support for individual learners. They help learners to improve their skills and understanding through appropriate questioning, helpful guidance and clear feedback. This ensures that the majority of learners who receive extra help make progress that is in line with that of their peers. In a few instances, support does not challenge learners sufficiently to become more independent in their learning. Monitoring visit: West Cheshire College, 15 September 2016

p.5

Reasonable progress

the guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-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 . Learner View 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. To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Reasonable progress

Employer View Employer View is a 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. To find out more go to www.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Reasonable progress

regulates and inspects to 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

p.6

Reasonable progress

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

p.6

Reasonable progress

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

p.6

Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6