Bournemouth & Poole College

Further Education college residential provision inspection report

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Inspection Number: 10010601 URN: SC041848

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Further education college residential provision

Inspection dates 22/03/2017 to 24/03/2017

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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:

 Leaders, managers and staff provide an outstanding range of pastoral support, well-being and safeguarding advice for students.  The quality of service for students makes a positive impact on their education and opportunities for adult life.  The homestay residential provision clearly enhances students‟ academic, personal, social, cultural and educational experiences.  Students live in good homestay facilities and comfortable accommodation. This provision is continually assessed to ensure that it is maintained to a good standard.  The homestay service is well organised and run for the students‟ benefit. Communication with host families is clear and regular.  Students‟ views of their residential and college experiences are positive. There is a clear process by which they can contribute their views and see that they have made a difference in improving the services available to them.  There are a number of strengths in the service that have a direct impact on how

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This college is good because:

students successfully achieve their qualifications and develop their personal, social and employability skills.  The college has a strong and effective safeguarding team with good links to the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB). There are clear and comprehensive policies and procedures relating to the well-being of students.  Leaders and managers can demonstrate strong self-assessment practices and Further Education college residential provision inspection report

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This college is good because:

Inspection Number: 10010601 URN: SC041848

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This college is good because:

capacity for continuing improvement in the residential experience offered to students.  Recruitment procedures for new staff are not consistently good and require improvement.

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34: Staff recruitment and checks on other adults

The college‟s system for recruiting staff (including ancillary staff, contract/sessional staff and volunteers) who will work with students under 18 includes all the following before appointment, which can be verified from recruitment records:

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34: Staff recruitment and checks on other adults

iv . direct contact by the college with each referee to verify the reference ix. explanation of any gaps in cv, with a written record by the college that explanations for any gaps have been sought and are satisfactory.

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Inspection judgements

Students enjoy their homestay residential experience. They say that they feel safe, happy and make friendships. Students have good opportunities to discuss how they are feeling and to raise any concerns they may have. They take part in weekly tutorial sessions and provide specific feedback on their homestay provision. In addition, students have termly meetings with the accommodation officers. There is good evidence that students are listened to, they are given advice on how to solve a problem with their homestay provision or they are moved to a new host family if necessary.

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Inspection judgements

Students have good opportunities to contribute to improving and developing their homestay provision. They are able to make suggestions and recommendations to their peers, senior leaders and governors through the annual student voice conference. Students also complete a „leaving homestay‟ questionnaire and attend a discussion to ensure suitable support for their next steps. The accommodation team uses the information effectively to inform the future planning of the homestay provision.

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Inspection judgements

Students develop good social skills and learn to discuss issues with each other. They get along well with other students from a variety of different countries and backgrounds. Students make a positive contribution to the college and the wider community. The majority of the students are from overseas. Their time at the college helps them to develop their English language skills and share aspects of their own culture.

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Inspection judgements

Students do well with their learning and are extremely well prepared for employment. Some students attend the specialist chef‟s scholarship and benefit from this opportunity. Leaders and managers have identified that residential students have better attendance and achievement figures than other students at the college.

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Inspection judgements

Students learn life-skills and develop their confidence while living away from home. Opportunities at the college include student union activities, volunteering opportunities, sporting activities and organised events. Their progress in developing independent life- skills is monitored by the accommodation team through regular and open communication with the host families.

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Inspection judgements

The college‟s healthcare arrangements promote students‟ physical, emotional and psychological health. They are well cared for at college if they fall ill. Students are encouraged and supported to maintain a healthy body and mind. Academic, tutorial and homestay staff provide guidance on issues such as well-being, sexual health, injury, illness and fitness. Students are aware of how to access these services when required. A full programme of team sports is delivered across the college, including lunchtime drop- in sessions and individual fitness classes.

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Inspection judgements

There are excellent pastoral arrangements and resources to support students‟ academic experiences and personal progress. Students engage in a tutorial programme that helps them to learn about: e-safety, personal safety for students with additional learning needs, substance misuse and the law, recognising the early signs of abuse in a relationship, sexual health, consensual relationships, sexual orientation, domestic abuse, sibling abuse, advice for young carers, anti-bullying workshops and how to manage stress, mental health and well-being. Students are also signposted to external agencies when required and charitable groups are welcomed into the college to deliver their message and offer support to students.

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Inspection judgements

Staff engage students exceptionally well in a programme called „Use your power for good and CARE (compliment others, assist and help people, report bullying, encourage and motivate others)‟. This encourages a caring ethos and good safeguarding culture across the sites. The college nurse organises health awareness campaigns throughout the year, to ensure that students are well informed; these include breast awareness, men‟s health and the harm that smoking causes.

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Inspection judgements

There is a highly effective and well-designed induction process that is tailored to the needs of the students. All students are provided with key information about the local area and British cultures, as well as a thorough overview on safeguarding themselves and the „Prevent‟ procedures. Students said that they found the process really useful. The induction arrangements are reviewed and improved on every year, using their feedback.

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Inspection judgements

The initial arrangements and continual assessment of homestay accommodation are very strong. Formal requirements of the hosts are agreed, and thorough checks are completed to ensure that students are provided with secure and private accommodation. Homestay houses are assessed annually to ensure that they meet the required standards. Some ground-floor rooms are available for students with mobility needs. Host families feel well supported and there is effective communication between the accommodation team and the host.

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Inspection judgements

Homestay accommodation is diverse and of a good standard. Host families are welcoming and nurturing, so students can relax and feel comfortable. Their accommodation strongly supports their learning and personal development. Students are provided with nourishing home-cooked meals for breakfast, dinner and at the weekend. They use the catering facilities on the campus or local shops during their college day.

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Inspection judgements

Students are able to maintain good contact with their family and friends. All homestay accommodation has a wi-fi connection and they must be reasonable about accepting incoming calls at unsociable times of the day, due to the different time zones of some students‟ families. All accommodation has first aid supplies available and students have prompt access to medical care through the college nurse. Students also have 24-hour- access to medical advice through the college‟s external occupational health provider.

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Inspection judgements

College staff use care plans and individual risk assessments for students with additional support or health needs. They are of good quality and have a beneficial impact on their learning outcomes. Students are involved in the review and planning of their care.

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Inspection judgements

The recruiting and vetting procedures for new staff require improvement because they are not consistently good. The human resources department does not ensure that direct contact is made with each of the new applicant‟s referees to verify the references provided. Also, the college does not identify all gaps in an applicant‟s employment history and does not always have a written record held that an explanation for the gaps has been sought and is satisfactory. The college has not met the required national minimum standard for „staff recruitment and checks on other adults‟.

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Inspection judgements

The college has an effective safeguarding team with clear procedures that are known by students and staff. They use developments in practice and research to improve all aspects of safeguarding. Students and staff are aware of the support that is available and know how to raise a concern. The designated safeguarding officers link effectively with the police and the designated officer (DO) for two areas. The two DOs attend the college‟s safeguarding board alternately and recently undertook a review of the college‟s safeguarding audit. One of the DOs reports that, „In our view they follow the Local Safeguarding Children Board‟s guidance and “Keeping children safe in education” (2016). When we have had dealings with them about allegations they have worked with us effectively.‟

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Inspection judgements

The college‟s designated safeguarding officers sit on a number of LSCB groups, including safeguarding in education, designated safeguarding lead forum, e-safety forum, anti- bullying forum, „Prevent‟ forum and the LSCB annual conference. There are clear and comprehensive policies and procedures in place relating to the well-being of students and keeping them safe.

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Inspection judgements

All allegations against staff and host families have been reported and investigated appropriately. The necessary referrals have been made to the Disclosure and Barring Service. In response to safeguarding concerns made about host families, the families have been required to complete further safeguarding training and have had conditions put in place about the age and gender of students they can accommodate. The accommodation team has stopped using certain hosts in some cases.

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Inspection judgements

Host families are required to complete annual safeguarding training and have recently been asked to undertake „Prevent‟ training. Their training explores ways of safeguarding students in further education who are living with a host family, and ensures that host families know what to do if a disclosure is made or they suspect a safeguarding issue. All hosts spoken to during the inspection confirmed that they would call the college out-of- hours number to report a safeguarding matter at any time of the day.

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Inspection judgements

Students receive a wide range of awareness sessions and training through a comprehensive tutorial programme, which includes safeguarding and radicalisation. Key messages for keeping students safe are displayed throughout the college in a range of formats, including television screens and pop-up campaigns, which ensures that students‟ knowledge and understanding is continually reinforced.

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Inspection judgements

There are no reported occasions of homestay students going missing and there are no recorded incidents of restraint being used. Students are respectful, courteous, keen to learn and well behaved.

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Inspection judgements

The college has excellent health and safety systems, which are regularly reviewed and updated to reflected changes in legislation, good practice seen at other colleges and include input from external professionals. The physical environment for students is kept safe and secure, and protects them from risk of harm. Good-quality risk assessments help students to do things safely rather than stopping them doing things altogether.

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Inspection judgements

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Inspection judgements

There is good leadership and management of the homestay provision, so that routines run smoothly and students are well supported and cared for. Any weaknesses are identified and action is taken to make improve improvements. The college has an excellent „self-assessment report‟ for the residential provision, which provides a clear and accurate evaluation of its performance. Also, an annual „quality improvement plan‟ identifies issues to be addressed, the planned actions and the impact for students.

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Inspection judgements

The accommodation team‟s members receive good support; they are well supervised and their individual training needs are met. Their mandatory training includes keeping children safe in education, safeguarding, the „Prevent‟ duty and equality and diversity. They work closely with college staff across the departments to ensure that students‟ needs are met.

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Inspection judgements

Leaders and managers keep up to date with new legislation and developments and share good practice with the team to improve the quality of the homestay service. Leaders and managers welcome external scrutiny and feedback. They have systems in place for peer reviews to enable improvements to be made that benefit students. Leaders and managers monitor the quality of the service and take actions that lead to continuous improvements.

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Inspection judgements

Leaders and managers can demonstrate strong self-assessment procedures and capacity for continuing improvement in the homestay service. The accommodation staff recognise the diverse needs of students and plan well for them. Despite homestay students being a small percentage of the college‟s overall population, they are recognised as an important asset to the college and the community.

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Inspection judgements

The views of students and host families are obtained regularly. Students feel that their ideas are given good consideration in the running and improvement of the service. All complaints have been handled effectively. Informal concerns are addressed by the accommodation team and appropriate records are maintained.

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Inspection judgements

There are clear and comprehensive policies and procedures that are adhered to in practice. These support the requirements of the homestay provision within the college and homestay settings. They are regularly reviewed to ensure that they continually meet the students‟ needs and no discrimination takes place. The promotion of equality and diversity is embedded throughout the college.

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Inspection judgements

Leaders and managers have addressed the majority of the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. The college‟s system for recruiting staff now includes obtaining two references, at least once per term a staff member discusses the student‟s lodgings with them, it has implemented a self-assessment of its homestay provision, the accommodation staff receive regular professional supervision, and fire doors on-site are not wedged open. 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 Diane Grannell Date of previous inspection 07/02/2014 Website address www.thecollege.co.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

Bournemouth and Poole College provides further education to over 20,000 students of all ages who are enrolled on a wide variety of full- and part-time courses. The college has three sites in Bournemouth and Poole. Students are recruited locally, nationally and internationally. There is no site-based accommodation provided. Students under the age of 18 years are encouraged to stay in college-arranged homestay accommodation with host families. In addition, the College‟s specialist chef students are also provided with accommodation while they are on their placement. This can be in host families, accommodation provided by the placement or in halls of residence provided by a charity.

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Information about this inspection

Social Care Regulatory Inspectors (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 to gather the views of students, staff and homestay families; 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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