Brooksby Melton College

Further Education college residential provision inspection report

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Inspection Number: 10011213 URN: SC041700

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Further Education College residential provision

Inspection dates 06/12/2016 - 08/12/2016

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Further Education College residential provision

Overall effectiveness This inspection: Good

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Further Education College residential provision

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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This college is good because:

 Students enjoy their residential experience. They make good friendships at the college. They make good progress both academically and with their chosen vocational course.  Students’ safety is a priority at this college. Staff have a good understanding of the safeguarding issues that affect students. Furthermore, they help to protect students from radicalisation. They take the Prevent agenda seriously and have implemented training across the college for both staff and students.  The behaviour of students is good. They do not report any issues of bullying, illegal substances or alcohol abuse.  The student voice is valued and important to staff. The college has a well-developed student council as well as student governors. The residential provision is currently developing a residents’ association to ensure residential students have a stronger voice within the college.  Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the

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This college is good because:

residential provision. They have good plans to address identified shortfalls. These shortfalls include: a lack of activities, record keeping and information for students.  Other shortfalls identified within this inspection include some policies that require strengthening with regards to the residential provision, for example an ineffective sign-in system at mealtimes and a lack of information for students about whether video games certified 18 are allowed.

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accommodation of students under 18 by further education colleges

 Ensure the college makes clear to students the standards of conduct and behaviour and any specific rules or prohibitions it expects them to follow, and provides these expectations in writing to all students. This specifically refers to bringing video games certified 18 into college. (NMS 1.4)

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What does the college need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen policies to ensure that good information is provided to residential staff. This specifically relates to the missing policy, behaviour policy, safeguarding policy, staff handbook and student complaints policy.  Continue to further develop the range of activities available to students and ensure that they are publicised and promoted among all residential students.  Provide an effective signing-in system at mealtimes.  Continue to improve records such as warden’s logs to reflect events and action taken more fully.  Revise the student handbook to ensure it provides good information for students about college life.

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Inspection judgements

 Outcomes for students are good because they make good progress academically. In some areas, progress is above the national average. They have good sporting and employment prospects. For example, some sports academy students go on to professional careers. A parent said: ‘They are very strict on education here.’ The parent was pleased about this as she felt it was just as important to ensure that her son had academic as well as vocational qualifications.  Students say they are enjoying their college courses and the residential experience. The experience promotes their independence and team spirit. This contributes to their self-esteem, confidence and emotional resilience.  The student voice is valued and important to staff. The college has a well- developed student council and student governors. The residential provision is currently developing a residents’ association to ensure residential students have a

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Inspection judgements

stronger voice within the college.  Students are fit and healthy. Staff provide good information and guidance for students with regards to health and well-being. Students participate in regular awareness-raising activities in topics such as sexual health. Furthermore, visiting emergency service staff, such as the police and fire service, talk to students about keeping themselves safe. For example, the police recently spoke to students about sexual exploitation. Quality of service Requires improvement  The residential service is relatively new and is still developing. A residential accommodation audit has been completed and has led to an improvement plan. This plan clearly sets out how shortfalls will be addressed.  The quality of food is an issue for some students but has also been reported to be improving. Students are given a good choice of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A vegetarian option is always available and specialist dietary needs are

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Inspection judgements

catered for. Some students say that the evening meal choices are too focused on the requirements of the sports students which means that only ‘healthy eating options’ are available. However, a greater range of meals is available at other mealtimes if they choose not to have the healthy options.  The system in place to check students’ attendance at mealtimes is flawed because it relies on students recording their own attendance and they do not always remember to do so. This means that it is difficult to track whether or not students are regularly eating the meals provided.  Students’ informal complaints are not always resolved quickly. The policy is clear but does not currently state that complaints made by residential students should be communicated with the accommodation manager to ensure they are resolved quickly and do not drift.  Activities are organised and most students appreciate the sporting events and

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Inspection judgements

weekly trips out to a shopping venue. However, more activities could be organised which involve greater social interaction to promote peer relationships and reduce social isolation. A programme of activities is starting to evolve but is currently underdeveloped. Students who reside at the college in two-week blocks are not all fully aware of what the college has to offer.  Communication between academic and residential staff has been identified by managers as an area for development. Plans have already been implemented, such as regular meetings between academic and residential leaders. This is starting to make communication better.  Induction into college life is generally good. A student said: ‘All staff have made me feel welcome.’ However, the student handbook does not currently provide good information about college life and the residential team. This is under review for the next academic year.  Staff provide good support to students transitioning from the college. Students

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Inspection judgements

participate in work experience and mock interviews. Staff provide support with writing a curriculum vitae and UCAS application forms. Employers come into the college to talk to students about their careers.  There is a good system for students to sign in and out of residence when they leave or return at the weekend. This ensures that staff know where students are. Staff phone students and their parents if students forget to sign out of college. A parent said: ‘We have had phone calls when he’s forgotten to sign out. That’s brilliant – very reassuring.’

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Inspection judgements

 The accommodation is satisfactory. Students have shared or single accommodation with access to a common room and kitchen. Rooms that are shared are small but students do not find this an issue. Some students said their beds are very comfortable and others said their beds creak. Managers said they will address this issue.

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Inspection judgements

Safeguarding Good  Safeguarding is good because it is a high priority for governors, managers and staff. Governors, managers and staff ensure that students are well protected. They receive appropriate training to ensure they are knowledgeable about safeguarding procedures. Managers have good links with external agencies and understand their role in relation to partnership working arrangements. They have a good understanding of risks posed to students.  Staff and students have good information about British values and the ‘Prevent’ agenda. It is part of the ethos and culture of the college. Managers help to protect students from radicalisation. They take the ‘Prevent’ agenda seriously and have implemented training across the college for both staff and students. This helps with the identification of any concerns of radicalisation.  Students are very well behaved. They make good friends at college. They are

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Inspection judgements

provided with clear expectations regarding behaviour that they adhere to. Subsequently, students do not report bullying, students using illegal substances or drinking alcohol as an issue.  The recruitment and selection policy is effective and clearly states what actions the college should take to recruit staff, with a focus upon keeping students safe. Managers undertake appropriate checks of potential new staff.

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Inspection judgements

 Health and safety procedures help to protect students from harm.

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Inspection judgements

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good  The effectiveness of leadership and management is good. The residential provision is well led. Staff receive ongoing support and training, which help to equip them for their role.  Managers have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the residential provision. There is a good, realistic development plan that seeks to maintain the ethos of the college while expanding the residential provision slowly and progressively.  Monitoring is supported by daily and weekly meetings between residential staff and senior managers. Senior managers are knowledgeable and insightful.  Some policies, such as the missing students policy, the student complaints policy and the behaviour policy, could be strengthened. For example, informal complaints can drift as they are sometimes made to tutors about residential matters. These are not currently passed on to the accommodation officer.

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Inspection judgements

Information for students and the staff handbook could also be improved by including details of additional items that cannot be brought into college, such as video games that are certified 18. This currently is not clear to students.  It has been identified within the improvement plan that the content of records, such as daily logs, needs to improve. The accommodation officer has provided good information about how to record daily logs. As a result, there has been some improvement but this is not yet consistent.  All the recommendations made at the previous inspection have been met. COLLEGE DETAILS

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Inspection judgements

Type of college Further education college residential provision

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Inspection judgements

Approximate number of learners in residence

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Inspection judgements

Principal/CEO Chris Ball Date of previous inspection 25/02/2014 Website address www.brooksbymelton.ac.uk

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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.

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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.

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Contextual information

Brooksby Melton College is a land-based further education college situated in a mainly agricultural area close to the market town of Melton Mowbray. The college offers a wide range of vocational and academic courses. The college was last inspected in February 2014. The college currently caters for a small number of residential students under the age of 18, who are work-based apprentices, sports and land-based students.

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Information about this inspection

Joanne Vyas Social Care Regulatory Inspector (SCRI) and Phil Morris (SCRI) carried out the inspection at short notice.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors took account of the provider's most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on students' achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements. Inspectors 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.

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What inspection judgements mean

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

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What inspection judgements mean

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

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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What inspection judgements mean

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What inspection judgements mean

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

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