Canto Learning Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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CANTO Limited Not-for-profit organisation

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Overall effectiveness Good Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Provision for learners with high needs Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings

 Learners generally make good progress as they participate in very effectively taught sessions with personalised programmes that inspire them to achieve.  A very high proportion of learners move to further education, supported training, apprenticeships or sustained employment.  Learners produce a good standard of practical work and achievement of both accredited and non-accredited qualifications is high.  Learners develop good behaviour, English, mathematics and employability skills that prepare them well for their future.  Most learners make good progress in their personal and social development that helps them become more independent.  Leaders, managers and trustees have established a culture of high expectations; they have a clear understanding of the diverse needs of learners and implement effective actions to improve the provision’s quality.

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Information about the provider

 CANTO Limited is a charity based at Lumbertubs in Northampton, where it has a training centre. Nearby, the provider uses a recycling facility administered by the Phoenix charity to offer learners the opportunity to participate in work experience. This is in addition to the available employer-based placements that are offered within the county.  Education and training is provided for learners with learning difficulties who have a wide range of physical disabilities and medical needs. At the time of the inspection, 26 learners were undertaking individual study programmes. Learners attend on a daily basis, typically for three days per week over three academic terms. The curriculum focuses on developing learners’ independent learning skills so they can progress to supported education, training and/or employment. The provider also supports learners funded by the social services, but this provision was out of scope of the inspection.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that tutors fully exploit the information available to them on the most able learners’ prior attainment so they plan learning that is appropriately challenging.  Collect and analyse detailed data on most-able learners’ performance that allows managers to make sure all learners make good or better progress at an appropriate level.  Improve the implementation of the ‘Prevent’ duty by: – ensuring that all staff participate in relevant update training – identifying and using strategies to raise learners’ understanding of the dangers posed by extremism and radicalisation.  Increase the capacity to deliver relevant specialist information, advice and guidance so all learners benefit from help as and when they need it.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders and managers effectively promote the values and high standards expected of staff and learners. They have established a caring learning environment where learners can develop as their barriers to progress are successfully recognised and addressed. All tutors and support staff are ambitious for learners to succeed. Managers make good use of the available funding to address learners’ often complex and diverse needs. Learners understand that staff have high expectations of them and respond by trying to attain further.  Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have effectively addressed most of the identified areas for improvement. Managers have enhanced the process for evaluating the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by direct observation so it better focuses on the learners’ experience. They now have an accurate assessment of the quality of taught sessions that they successfully use to raise the quality of teaching, learning and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

assessment. Leaders and managers have prioritised the attainment of English and mathematics skills within all lessons. Tutors effectively support learners to develop all aspects of their skills, including English and mathematics, from what are generally very low starting points. Most learners make good gains in improving skill levels and achieve their attainment targets.  Managers use quality assurance arrangements effectively to assess and drive continuous improvement. They have utilised the outcome of internal auditing to ensure the routine completion of learner achievement and tracking documents by tutors and key workers. This has contributed well to staff and learners’ understanding of the progress made. However, managers have yet to introduce comprehensive checks that assess the quality of all completed documents.  Managers have improved the learning programmes so that they suitably focus on developing learners’ personal, social and employability skills. Good use is made of group,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

as well as individual, work experience to promote independence and the transition to adulthood. These and other changes link well with the supported internships that are due to commence shortly.  Managers have taken decisive actions to improve significantly learners’ achievement rates, which had declined in 2014/15. Performance management of staff is good and results in improvement actions that are focused on enhancing the learning experience. All staff participate in a wide range of training and development opportunities to improve their skills and knowledge. This has effectively contributed to improved professional practice standards of all staff working with high needs learners. Managers provide good individual support to staff. All teaching staff have or are working towards an appropriate teaching qualification.  Leaders and managers have a clear and accurate understanding of how to improve the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

provision further. The self-assessment report is broadly accurate though overly descriptive and does not fully exploit the available data to formulate judgements. The overarching development plan is comprehensive, routinely monitored by managers, and is leading to improved quality for learners.  Teaching facilities and learning resources are good. Classrooms have informative displays to engage and reinforce learners’ understanding of subject topics. Managers ensure that tutors have access to and use specialist equipment, such as assistive technology and adaptive learning resources, to support learners’ development. The new training centre has an extensive outdoor area, which tutors have started to exploit for vocational training, including gardening.  Learners receive useful and well-targeted career education. This prepares them well for work experience and their transition on leaving their programme. Learners receive regular

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

impartial information, advice and guidance interventions synchronised to meet individual needs. Currently, more specialist interventions are limited as the one qualified adviser is on long-term leave.

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The governance of the provider

 Since the previous inspection, the provider has become a charity with good governance arrangements. Senior leaders have established a new board of trustees who use their wide range of experience and expertise to hold leaders and managers to account. In addition, trustees have bolstered performance management so all staff are subject to robust challenge on progress in delivering agreed improvement actions.  By focusing on a clear vision and mission, trustees successfully deliver their strategic role to support developments that benefit learners. For example, prior to adopting charitable status, trustees secured the long-term viability of the training centre through purchase of a new good-quality facility.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders and managers expend considerable effort to both establish and maintain a strong culture of safeguarding to protect all learners. Learners are subject to thorough risk assessment that helps protect them. Managers quickly respond to any concerns raised and appropriately record incidents to allow for the identification of patterns and trends. Managers make good use of links with external specialist agencies to refer learners to the most appropriate help.  The senior safeguarding manager ensures that staff and trustees receive relevant initial and update training for safeguarding. However, a small minority of staff have yet to participate in refresher training on the ‘Prevent’ duty. Tutors ensure that learners have an appropriate understanding of how to keep safe when using social and other internet- based media.  Learners feel safe and have confidence that staff will effectively shield them from harm.

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Safeguarding

They can appropriately demonstrate how fundamental British values and cultural diversity is applicable to their behaviour while on programme and in their private lives. Not all learners have an adequate understanding of the risks posed by radicalisation and extremism.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Staff have high expectations of learners, which motivates them to achieve their learning goals. Managers use the funding effectively to provide individualised learning programmes, so that learners with high needs develop their personal, social and communication skills well.  Initial assessment of learners’ skills and support needs is good. All learners have a comprehensive education, health and care plan. Tutors fully exploit the plans to identify strategies that allow learners to participate well in learning and develop their independence. In addition, tutors use detailed behaviour plans based on risk assessments to provide learners with specialist support so that they make good progress.  Most learners participate in engaging and interesting lessons because of the good planning undertaken by tutors. This ensures that learners make appropriate progress in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

gaining the confidence to participate in learning activities. Tutors make particularly good use of small group, individual teaching and project work that helps learners get used to learning alongside others. Learners with multiple and complex needs gradually develop their confidence and social skills and learn to control their anxiety better when faced with new experiences. In sports lessons, learners learn to cooperate effectively to achieve set tasks through teamwork. For example, they develop their hand-to-eye contact well through catching and throwing balls to each other.  Tutors integrate English and mathematics skills successfully into practical activities linked to the ‘world of work’. Because of this, most learners quickly become more confident in classroom sessions and participate effectively in lessons. For example, in a mathematics lesson, learners enthusiastically played a game of dominos that helped them to identify

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

number patterns and develop mental arithmetic skills.  Assessment is good. Tutors use a wide range of relevant coaching and questioning techniques to check learners’ knowledge and understanding effectively. Tutors routinely set learners personalised objectives that they review carefully at the end of lessons to promote further achievement. Learners have a good understanding of their targets and progress to date. They have a good appreciation of what they need to do to improve further. Staff ensure that learners receive effective guidance on their next steps and the great majority move on to courses at the next level.  All learners receive a thorough initial assessment that effectively establishes their starting point when planning learning. In a few cases, tutors fail to use learners’ prior attainment information well enough to plan learning that is appropriate for the most able learners. Consequently, the taught lessons which these learners attend do not always challenge

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

them sufficiently so that they can quickly achieve to their full potential.  Tutors and support staff provide learners with helpful oral encouragement and feedback to help learners improve their skills. In a few cases, written feedback on learners’ progress records does not identify, precisely enough, what learners have done well and what actions they need to complete to improve.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

 Learners have a positive attitude to learning and their behaviour is good in lessons and social areas. Learners enjoy attending their classes and developing new skills. Attendance rates are high and they are punctual for lessons. This contributes to the good progress that most learners are making.  The standard of learners’ practical work is good. The large majority of learners develop vocationally relevant skills that prepare them well for employment. For example, in music lessons, learners use a matrix sequencer confidently to play notes from a synthesizer. In gardening lessons, learners carefully plant bulbs and can accurately identify the names of spring flowers. In photography lessons, learners skilfully capture motion pictures, through the effective use of digital cameras.  Learners increase their skills by participating in work experience preparation opportunities at a local recycling centre. Consequently, learners develop good team working and

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

employability skills and make significant gains in self-confidence and self-esteem. Learners carefully package washing-up sponges, successfully preparing them for sale at a local supermarket. The majority of learners progress to other work experience offered by a wide range of local employers. Managers ensure that placements match learners’ vocational programme aims and career aspirations.  Learners develop the English and mathematics skills to enable them to make good progress within their vocational learning. The rate at which most learners develop their speaking and listening skills is generally good and helps them participate more effectively in taught sessions. For example, learners were able to contribute well to a functional mathematics task involving the identification and discussion of basic shapes. Within mathematics, learners that are more able are not always achieving their full potential or

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

working towards an appropriately high accredited qualification.  Learners benefit from a broad range of enrichment activities that develop their personal and social skills to an appropriately high level. They become more aware of their health and well-being in dance lessons and learn the value of relaxation in meditation lessons. Learners extend their grammar and communication skills effectively by participating in a reading group. They gain a good appreciation of their local community through participation in projects including litter picking and tending to woods and gardens. Learners conscientiously participate in the well-designed activities that effectively contribute to their skills and knowledge development.  Learners and all staff treat each other with a high level of respect. Learners’ awareness of extremism and radicalisation requires further development.

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Outcomes for learners Good

 Learners’ often challenging behaviour is effectively managed and successfully modified. This allows most learners to make improvements in their ability to process information so they can respond to others in an appropriate manner. One learner, who at the start of his course rarely spoke or made eye contact, is now starting to speak and is beginning to look at an individual’s face when communicating.  Learners’ achievements of accredited vocational qualifications and functional skills in English and mathematics are high. The process for recognising and recording progress and achievement (RARPA) for non-accredited programmes is robust and learners’ achievement is very high.  Learners are well prepared to move on after completing their programmes. This is reflected in the learners’ destinations for 2015/16, where nearly all progressed to further education or supported training. The remaining learners commenced an apprenticeship or

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Outcomes for learners Good

sustained employment. The very large majority of learners who start a programme with CANTO stay to the end.  Tutors plan engaging and motivating sessions so learners make the expected or better progress from their starting points. Learners develop good practical skills so they can become more independent. For example, in a cooking lesson, learners followed a recipe to prepare a meal that they can cook independently at home. They demonstrated good development in the safe use of cooking implements and utensils.  Managers use data well to monitor the performance of different learner groups, including children looked after or those learning English as an additional language. No specific group underperforms in comparison to others.  Managers use tutors’ feedback and progress reviews effectively to monitor learners’ progress. They do not use information well enough for the early identification of learners

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Outcomes for learners Good

who are making better than expected progress. This means that most-able learners are not challenged to help them make faster progress.

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Provider details

Type of provider Not-for-profit organisation

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Provider details

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year Principal/CEO Charlotte Dear

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

21 5 - - - - - - Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age Intermediate Advanced Higher

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ - - - - - - Number of traineeships 16–19 19+ Total - - - Number of learners aged 14 to -

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Number of learners for which the provider receives high- needs funding Funding received from: Education Funding Agency

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors: Respond Care St Andrews Healthcare

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the training centre manager, as nominee, and carried out the inspection at short notice. 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 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.

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Inspection team

Nigel Bragg, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Maggie Fobister Ofsted Inspector 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 .

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Inspection team

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 .

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Inspection team

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 .

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Inspection team

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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