Hereward College of Further Education

Hereward College Re-inspection monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Denise Olander HMI

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Type of provider: General further education college

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Address:

Bramston Crescent Tile Hill Coventry CV4 9SW Monitoring visit: Hereward College, 26–27 April 2017

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Context and focus of visit

This is the second re-inspection monitoring visit to Hereward College following publication of the inspection report on 21 November 2016 which found the provider to be inadequate for overall effectiveness; the effectiveness of leadership and management; and for the key judgement, personal behaviour, development and welfare. The college required improvement for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and for outcomes for learners. The provision for learners with high needs was judged as inadequate.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, the principal who had been in post at the time of the previous inspection had retired, the interim principal had been in post for around five months and governors were in the process of recruiting a new principal to start in September 2017. A re-alignment of the management team had resulted in two new appointments: a vice-principal with responsibility for safeguarding, and a safeguarding manager. Two new governors had recently been appointed to the college corporation.

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action plan; reporting arrangements; rigour of

senior leaders’ and governors’ scrutiny.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous monitoring visit on 21 December 2016, leaders have further revised the format and content of the post-inspection action plan. This improved version more clearly defines and evaluates the evidence for the proposed measures of success. However, a few areas in the action plan remain vague and underdeveloped; they rely on new methods of collecting and evaluating evidence to support the impact of actions. It is not yet clear how effective these methods will be in confirming the success of current and planned actions to ensure improvement in the quality of learners’ experience.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have reviewed the evidence that is being collected to show achievement of the action plan through quality assurance processes, to bridge the gaps in evidence and to successfully monitor progress. Targets and milestones are being developed and expanded well to enable more effective progress monitoring. However, the weighting of the evidence collected and the assessment of its significance in improvement are not yet sufficiently clear; for example the consideration in the plan of the completion of training, rather than the impact of the training on securing sustained improvement.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders are undertaking a monthly review of the actions and the milestones in the plan. However, the lack of historical baseline information in many areas restricts and Monitoring visit: Hereward College, 26–27 April 2017 challenges the abilities of leaders and managers to track progress accurately from these ill-defined starting points. They use the available evidence to identify the progress to date, but the risk-rating remains too dependent on the completion of actions around process, rather than on the impact of actions on learners’ experience of the provision.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have strengthened quality improvement arrangements to take account of the more comprehensive expectations of the revised action plan. Leaders and managers undertake a wider range of quality assurance activities to enable them to monitor and ensure the impact of training and improvement interventions. However, the improvement action plan does not identify the wide range of activities or the staff engaged in them, to assess the impact in learning settings. It does not identify the actions taken with those staff who are not yet using this knowledge to improve the learners’ experience. As a consequence, leaders and managers do not yet use this information to measure progress clearly and regularly against the agreed actions in the plan.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have strengthened the links between whole-college actions, as identified in the action plan, and staff’s understanding of their role in supporting the college to improve. Managers set and monitor targets well at individual staff reviews, which have clearly identified expectations and completion dates. Curriculum pathway leaders present their evidence to leaders regularly; this is subject to appropriate challenge at curriculum performance management meetings. Leaders use this information to inform updates to the action plan and to schedule remedial actions.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have identified further gaps in the staffing structure, and there are advanced plans to appoint new middle management roles in the autumn term.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have introduced a pilot programme using a reflective log book to support staff across the college to critically self-evaluate their knowledge, skills and attitudes to the challenges that they face in their day-to-day work. It is too early to judge the effectiveness of this tool in enabling the development of a culture of continuous improvement and the success of the application of the revised college codes of conduct for staff and learners.

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Reasonable progress

Monitoring visit: Hereward College, 26–27 April 2017 A new vice-principal with responsibility for safeguarding took up post in February 2017. In this short time she has made significant improvements to the safeguarding processes at the college. In this, she has been well supported by the new safeguarding manager. However, leaders acknowledge fully that there is still much to do before these positive changes have the desired impact on the extent to which learners feel safe and are safe.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have formed a safeguarding team consisting of five staff. Learners have been informed and posters with the team’s names and photographs are clearly displayed around the college. All learners spoken to by inspectors during the visit immediately named the staff members to whom they could go if they had a concern or felt unsafe. All of the non-teaching staff questioned by inspectors had a good understanding of British values and the risk associated with extremism and radicalisation; they know how to refer and to whom they should refer any concerns regarding learners.

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Reasonable progress

Relationships between leaders and managers at Hereward and external agencies related to safeguarding are much improved. Managers from the external agencies spoken to during the inspection agree that college leaders and managers are now more aware of safeguarding, appropriately seek help and advice, and are making better use of the expertise that exists within the agencies.

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Reasonable progress

The safeguarding policy is much improved. It is clear and concise, and takes full account of the weaknesses that were identified at the previous monitoring visit. The policy outlines what staff should do if they are concerned about a learner, and managers have trained staff accordingly. The policy makes appropriate reference to situations that pertain particularly to the learners at the college, such as personal care and one-to-one working. Leaders agree that the policy would be further improved by clarifying the expectations around the use of physical intervention and what staff should do if they have concerns about any staff member, including a member of the leadership team.

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Reasonable progress

Last term most staff received two days’ training on safeguarding. Training in the key areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection, such as the ‘Prevent’ duty, has taken place and more is planned for the summer term. Early signs suggest that training is beginning to have a positive impact on teaching, learning and assessment. Leaders and managers have evaluated many aspects of the training and are using it to inform future training needs; they have plans in place to extend and enhance the initial training.

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Reasonable progress

However, leaders fully recognise that ongoing staff training is required to ensure continual improvements. Safeguarding referrals by staff have increased and they are seeking more advice than previously. While referrals are not always strictly related to safeguarding, this willingness to pass on information and seek advice is a positive indicator of the impact of the first round of training. Monitoring visit: Hereward College, 26–27 April 2017 Leaders are developing a more realistic perspective about the needs of their learners, and the actions required to safeguard learners are beginning to be much more appropriate and effective as a result.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders pay suitable attention to improving the curriculum for personal, social, and health education (PSHE) and for sex and relationships education. Last term, learners spent 10 hours learning about these topics to keep themselves safe; the sessions were run by a range of outside speakers, including the police and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Importantly, a separate, more intensive course was devised for learners who needed a greater focus on how to become more self-aware and resilient. Leaders are keenly aware that this work with learners needs to be regularly reinforced, to ensure that learners really understand how to stay safe. Plans are in place to appoint a PSHE coordinator from September who will lead this essential work.

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Reasonable progress

The assessment of the risk that learners may pose to each other and may experience themselves has improved. Leaders have devised a sensible framework for considering each learner’s behaviours and vulnerabilities, and any risks these might present. Managers have risk assessed each learner using this process and information from mentors and teachers; appropriate remedial actions have been planned and implemented. Sensibly, the designated safeguarding leads are now involved in decisions about admissions of learners to the college, and in gathering information about them prior to and on admission.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders introduced a new code of conduct for learners last term; they have taken into account the views of learners and staff about the priorities for improving learners’ behaviour. The code makes clear the college’s expectations, including those related to sexual behaviours on the college site. The code is displayed around the college. However, a recent review by governors identified that the code was not written in a way that learners with complex needs could understand. As a result, managers have produced a helpful new version that includes symbols and simplified language.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have carefully considered the risks posed to learners by the college site, they have taken a range of actions to increase safety. Greater attention is paid to access to the college site; visitors are required to sign in using an electronic system, which produces photographic identification (ID). Learners, staff and visitors wear their ID badges on lanyards; the colour of the lanyard denoting roles and responsibilities. However, the colour of the lanyards does not differentiate between which visitors should be accompanied and which do not need to be.

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Reasonable progress

Initially, a few learners were resistant to wearing a lanyard. However, during the inspection, the vast majority were wearing them; the few who were not were aware that they should be, and complied when asked by managers to do so. Monitoring visit: Hereward College, 26–27 April 2017 Leaders have also considered other aspects of site security. As a result, closed circuit television (CCTV) is in place in some areas of the site and other areas have been made less accessible to learners and visitors. Higher levels of supervision are in place in social areas to keep learners safer. The number of incidents of inappropriate behaviours at social times has reduced.

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Insufficient progress

Since the inspection, progress in implementing the revised governance arrangements has been too slow. Two new governors have been recruited and will join the board in May 2017. While these appointees have valuable, related skills, urgent action is required to ensure that the governing body has the skills and expertise in safeguarding to enable them to fulfil their duties.

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Insufficient progress

The corporation has been unsuccessful in attracting a suitably qualified safeguarding governor. There has been little impact to date of the governors’ use of an external safeguarding consultant. Reports to governors on safeguarding are now being routinely generated and this is leading to a more rigorous questioning of the data and the practice in the college. However, the lack of historical analysis of data makes it challenging for governors and leaders to determine the levels of expected reporting, and how to use this information intelligently to inform strategies or to provide evidence of the impact of recent structural changes within the college.

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Insufficient progress

Governors have reinstated their link role with managers; the current safeguarding governor has completed a joint learning walk which has resulted in some helpful initial findings. These indicate that there is more work to be done to ensure that learners have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Plans are in place for the current safeguarding governor to become more involved in the learner admissions process.

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Insufficient progress

Governors’ oversight of the ‘Prevent’ duty requires further development to be effective. The ‘Prevent’ strategy requires revision to ensure that it is fit for purpose. Managers have already identified aspects to improve further; for example, the specific context of the risks of radicalisation and extremism for learners with special educational needs. The ‘Prevent’ action plan is incomplete, with a significant number of outstanding or incomplete actions. Monitoring visit: Hereward College, 26–27 April 2017 An external consultant is currently providing a limited amount of support to governors regarding safeguarding. It is not yet clear what support will be provided to governors beyond the current allocation, or how the gaps in safeguarding knowledge at governing body level will be addressed in the future. It is not yet evident that there are clear and sustainable plans in place to ensure that the oversight of

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Insufficient progress

safeguarding at governor level is sufficiently strong and robust, so that they can effectively hold the senior leadership team to account for the safeguarding of learners.

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Insufficient progress

In order to ensure that leaders and managers are able to focus on the improvements needed at the college, following the inspection in October 2016 and the recent visit of the Further Education Commissioner, governors are recruiting a permanent principal and delaying any agreement on the future of the college until February 2018. These decisions have been helpful in setting short-term expectations and in enabling managers and staff to focus more effectively on improvements.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have addressed all of the actions identified at the previous visit, but further work and training are required to ensure consistently high-quality provision.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have introduced a wide range of quality improvement processes and interventions, to enable them to frequently monitor and measure their impact on the quality of the provision. These include: a revised process for the observation and assessment of learning; internal discussions with learners and the engagement of external specialists to gain reliable feedback on the quality of the service; the auditing of individual learning plans and assessing the impact of target setting on learners’ progress. As a result, managers are able to identify early improvements in the levels of learners’ engagement in lessons. They are now more focused and concentrate well on achieving more challenging tasks in lessons; this is resulting in improvements to the standard of their work. However, managers have correctly identified that more work is required to improve the consistency of target setting and the impact of the independent learning support (ILS) staff on learners’ progress.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have improved the quality of feedback that observers provide to teachers during observations and learning walks. Feedback focuses on the standard of learners’ work, on the skills developed, on what learners can now do, or do better – and on how well teachers maximise the opportunities to reinforce learners’ understanding of safeguarding, self-advocacy, British values and ‘Prevent’. In addition, ILS staff receive feedback on the impact of their support on learners’ progress. Monitoring visit: Hereward College, 26–27 April 2017 Many teachers provide learners with targets which help them to improve the quality of their work and make good progress. As a result, college data suggests that most learners are making or exceeding the expected progress. However, managers have correctly identified that additional training is required, to ensure that all ILS staff and teachers of programmes for learners of higher ability provide learners with

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Reasonable progress

sufficiently personalised targets, so that they understand fully what they need to do to improve and make good or better progress.

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Reasonable progress

Managers undertake separate observations of ILS staff in learning sessions; feedback from observers focuses well on a clear set of performance expectations and on the quality of the support received by learners. However, feedback does not identify the improvement actions, agreed interventions and the overall impact of support on learners’ progress.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have identified correctly that teachers’ engagement of ILS staff in the planning of learning and the support received by learners in lessons are not consistently good. Many teachers use well the recently allocated Tuesday afternoon to plan with ILS staff the support required for learners in lessons. As a result, these staff have a good understanding of learners’ needs and provide effective support. However, where ILS staff work only one or two hours a week with a teacher, their level of planning is limited to the beginning of a lesson. As a result, their support for learners is less effective.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have planned a schedule of peer observation for ILS staff which will begin in May 2017 and will engage all staff. They have identified the best-performing ILS staff and they will provide opportunities for their peers to observe and learn from their strong practice.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed further the apprenticeship tracking system. Staff now use this well on all programmes to monitor the standard of learners’ work and the progress they make over time. Managers use the system effectively to ensure that, where learners are not making the expected progress or working at the expected standard, appropriate remedial actions are taken and learners improve their performance over time.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have addressed all of the actions identified at the previous visit. English and mathematics teachers’ planning of learning and assessment is now consistent and effective. They set learners clear, individual targets to achieve in each lesson; the targets relate well to the aspects of learners’ work that require improvement. Monitoring visit: Hereward College, 26–27 April 2017 As a result, learners develop their skills, improve the standard of their work over time and become more independent learners, developing important skills in preparation for life and work.

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Reasonable progress

College data suggests that most learners studying English and mathematics are making or exceeding the expected progress. Staff develop appropriate action plans which they use well to support the small cohort of learners that are not making the expected progress; managers are able to demonstrate that most of these learners are making better progress as a result of these interventions.

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college complies with the ‘Prevent’ duty,

including the promotion of British values.

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Insufficient progress

Since the previous visit, leaders have developed an extensive programme of staff training and many sessions have been completed. The training plan includes a wide range of well-considered initiatives, devised to ensure that staff development is continuous; this includes mandatory, refresher and supplementary training. At the time of the visit, a few staff required initial training as they were absent from college. Initial training has been supplemented by short sessions to extend staff knowledge. However, staff attendance at these sessions has been low.

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Insufficient progress

The post-inspection action plan indicates that progress against this theme has been slow, based on the low initial starting points. An early evaluation, carried out by leaders, demonstrates that there is much more improvement work to be completed and this requires further, urgent development. Plans are in place to accelerate progress over the coming months; however, it is too early to judge the impact of these planned actions.

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Insufficient progress

Over recent months, leaders have made very helpful links with a wide range of appropriate agencies and individuals to extend their ability to develop a greater understanding of local and national issues pertinent to radicalisation and extremism. This work has included professional support from experienced practitioners and specialists who are experienced in training staff and learners in settings where learners have special educational needs. Visits to other colleges and providers have taken place to see good practice in action and to re-invigorate the materials and resources used to support learners’ understanding of radicalisation and extremism.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders are at an early stage in the development of assessment strategies to monitor learners’ knowledge and understanding of ‘Prevent’. Managers have undertaken initial evaluations, but are not yet able to make reliable judgements about the effectiveness of training. Overall progress has been slow in ensuring that learners are sufficiently aware of, and able to identify, their own safety, and that of others regarding radicalisation, extremism and exploitation. For example, learners struggle to understand the terminology, and further work is needed to identify appropriate communication strategies to enable this vital understanding. Monitoring visit: Hereward College, 26–27 April 2017 Leaders recognise that there are aspects of the college ‘Prevent’ strategy that require review, including previous actions that have not yet been fully completed or updated. They have identified the need to produce a more detailed evacuation plan to support

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Insufficient progress

the safety of learners following a terrorist threat; specialist advice has been sought, but work on this has not yet been completed. Monitoring visit: Hereward College, 26–27 April 2017 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 .

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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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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 children looked after, 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

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

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

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