The Harington Scheme Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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The Harington Scheme 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 Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings

 Highly effective and personalised work experience helps learners develop good skills that prepare them well for their next steps.  The proportion of learners who achieve their qualifications, including English and mathematics, has risen since the last inspection and is now high in almost all subjects.  Leaders, managers and trustees have designed an effective, personalised, flexible and interesting curriculum which learners engage with well.  Learners have good attitudes to learning and work. They behave and attend well.

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Summary of key findings

 Learners develop good personal and social skills such as interacting confidently with others and being able to travel independently.  After leaving the scheme, the vast majority of learners move into suitable employment or volunteering.  Leaders and managers have improved their evaluation of the quality of the programmes taught so that they accurately identify and correct weaknesses.  Although leaders and managers have been successful in improving the quality of much teaching, learning and assessment they still have more to do to ensure that all teaching is at least good and more is outstanding.  Too many learners make slow progress in improving their mathematics skills.  Learners with the most significant communication needs require better access to specialist support to help them succeed.

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Information about the provider

 The Harington Scheme (the scheme) is a registered charity based in Highgate, north London. It was established in 1980 by local people to advance the education, training and social development of young people with learning difficulties, learning disabilities, behavioural difficulties or mental health needs by providing employability training, life skills, horticultural and retail training. The scheme currently has 45 learners, of whom 31 are adult learners and 14 are under 19 years of age.  The number of pupils at schools in the area achieving five GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, is just above the national rate, but below that for school pupils in Inner London. None of the current learners at The Harington Scheme have five GCSEs including English and mathematics.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Implement plans to improve reporting on lesson observations so that teachers know more about how to improve their practice.  Ensure that the evaluation of teaching and learning focuses more on the progress that learners are making, both in lessons and over time, and the standards of work that they produce.  Improve trustees’ understanding and monitoring of the quality of teaching at the scheme.  Ensure that the small minority of weaker lessons are better planned and taught to take into account the different needs and abilities of learners, particularly the more able.  Ensure that all teaching staff can confidently support learners to improve their mathematics skills by developing more practical opportunities for using mathematics in lessons.  Engage with other providers and partners to identify and access specialist support for learners with the most significant communication needs.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since the previous inspection, leaders, managers and trustees have been successful in improving the quality of most teaching, which has led to much improved outcomes for learners. They have a clear vision for their learners and have established a curriculum which, alongside highly effective work experience, prepares learners well for the future.  Through their effective partnerships with local institutions, managers have ensured that learners have access to good work experience, which ensures that they develop the skills that they will need to take their next steps. For example, through a partnership with a local youth centre, learners improve their cooking skills and their independence, and learners gain writing experience and confidence by working with a local magazine.  Leaders, managers and trustees have designed an effective and interesting curriculum based around learners’ skill and development needs. The three main strands of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

horticulture, retail and a bespoke ‘choices’ programme allow learners to develop the skills that they are interested in and that will prepare them for progression and employment.  Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have strengthened the arrangements for their evaluation of the programmes taught and, as a result, they have a clearer understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the scheme. The introduction of a new management information system has greatly improved managers’ access to data, which they use well to plan improvements.  Leaders and managers analyse and monitor the progress of different groups of learners well and, as a result of this, they make effective changes to the curriculum in order to better support learners. For example, leaders, managers and trustees developed the retail provision and opened a charity shop, which has attracted more female learners.  Although leaders and managers have been successful in improving the quality of much

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

teaching, learning and assessment, not all is yet reliably good. In a small minority of lessons, teachers do not challenge learners to make fast enough progress or check learning frequently enough to know whether learners’ knowledge is secure.  Managers recognise that the current appraisal and lesson observation systems do not focus strongly enough on improving teaching, learning and assessment. In their observation of lessons, managers do not focus enough on evaluating the progress that learners are making, and developmental feedback to teachers lacks clarity, and does not always identify what they need to do to improve. Appraisals are sometimes incomplete and lack clear and timely targets. Where managers indicate targets, they focus too much on the completion of day-to-day tasks rather than identifying specific ways to improve teaching and learning. The new draft appraisal system, built around core competencies, is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

more focused on improving teaching, learning and assessment, but it is too early to comment on the impact of this.  Managers do not monitor sufficiently the promotion of British values and learning about equality of opportunity. While teachers take opportunities to discuss these topics with learners, managers do not ensure that all learners will discuss these important subjects during the year. As a result, managers cannot be sure that all learners are developing a better knowledge of these important matters.

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The governance of the provider

 Trustees monitor effectively the progress that leaders and managers have made since the last inspection and understand the current challenges that the scheme faces. They are passionate about the success of the scheme and recognise its unique place in the local community. They have a clear and well-communicated vision of the purpose and future of the scheme.  Trustees provide good support and challenge for leaders and managers. They have, for example, challenged managers effectively about the implementation and impact of the quality improvement plan, and are able to speak convincingly about their impact on recent improvements at the scheme.  Trustees do not regularly discuss teaching and learning at their quarterly meetings or receive detailed enough reports on the progress that managers are making and, as a result, they are not fully aware of whether teaching is improving at a sufficient speed. Although each trustee has a key area of responsibility, none of the trustees oversee

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Staff, trustees and learners have received safeguarding training, and managers and staff have received recent ‘Prevent’ training, and know how to report concerns. Policies, including those relating to the ‘Prevent’ duty, are clear, up to date and detailed, and staff understand and implement these consistently across the scheme. The single central record is accurate, complete and up to date. Staff recruitment checks are well established and effective.  Learners know how to report safeguarding concerns, including those that arise from suspected radicalisation and extremism. Well-trained safeguarding officers investigate these cases thoroughly and act quickly to resolve them, involving external organisations when needed. Learners are safe both in the scheme and at work-experience placements, and say that they feel safe. Staff monitor information technology use well and filter

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Safeguarding

computer systems effectively to protect learners.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching, learning and assessment are effective in ensuring that learners develop skills, knowledge and confidence that allow them to achieve and progress well. Learners enjoy their studies and the vast majority make good progress towards meeting their targets. They develop greater independence in their daily lives, which prepares them well for their next steps.  Learners benefit greatly from a flexible and personalised work experience programme that is well integrated into their learning. Learners view work experience as a very valuable part of their time with the scheme. Managers and teachers work well with employers to plan targets and review progress so that learners make significant progress in the development of their work and independent living skills. For example, an employer recorded that a learner was more confident in the workplace and, as a result, needed less support to complete tasks. Because of this the learner took on a range of new and more

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

complex tasks.  Teachers and support staff are well qualified and teachers use their good industry knowledge well to plan meaningful vocational learning. Consequently, learners gain qualifications and skills that prepare them well for progression to work and develop greater independence beyond the scheme.  Teachers use good resources to support learning and develop learners’ skills. For example, learners working in an English class used an underground map to plan routes to different stations across London, which developed their English skills effectively as well as their independent travel skills. Learners in a horticulture class used a range of practical equipment effectively to help them with measuring and planting seedlings.  Learners use a range of technology well to support their learning. For example, some use tablet computers to take photographs as evidence towards their qualifications. Others use

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

software to check their typed records of events and learning. This helps them to learn how to recognise misspelled words and missing grammar, and to make corrections.  Teachers assess learners’ skills and development needs well when they start at the scheme and they use this information to identify a personalised programme for learners based on their interests and aspirations. Teachers use a well-designed mixture of accredited qualifications and non-accredited learning to stimulate learners and develop their confidence by enabling them to succeed. Learners respond well to the variety in their learning.  Most teachers give learners clear written and verbal feedback that helps learners understand what they have achieved and where and how they need to improve. As a result, learners develop their independent work skills and confidence. In a small minority of lessons learners do not get the chance to share their ideas with peers. Discussions do

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

not involve them well enough and teachers do not check learners’ understanding sufficiently well. As a result, they do not make quick enough progress.  In most lessons teaching and support staff have detailed knowledge of learners’ individual support needs and use this skilfully to help learners participate well and make progress towards their learning goals. Most teaching and support staff question learners skilfully to check their understanding. They give learners time to understand the questions and to respond. For example, a learner assigned to quality assurance of produce prior to sale responded well to detailed questioning from a support teacher in order to identify how they could trim a dead leaf rather than reject a healthy plant.  In a small minority of lessons, teachers and support staff do not focus well enough on promoting independence in learners and do not challenge them to think of solutions to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

problems. For example, they give specific pieces of equipment to learners rather than encouraging them to gather tools, and give learners instructions on how to complete tasks rather than asking them what they would do.  Although teaching staff and learning support assistants receive effective training to support and further develop their skills, they do not receive enough training to help them support learners with significant communication difficulties successfully. As a result, these learners do not make the progress they could.  Learners develop their skills in English well. The majority work to achieve qualifications while others work towards individually personalised targets to maintain and extend their knowledge and application of skills in a range of work or life skills settings. For example, in a horticulture session, learners identified and learned to spell names of weeds prior to completing weeding. However, in discrete mathematics lessons, not enough teachers use

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

everyday, practical examples to enable learners to understand and improve their skills. As a result, for a minority of learners, the development of these skills can be slow.  Staff and learners work well together and show respect for each other. Teachers skilfully support discussions on a range of topics about daily life in Britain. Learners develop an awareness of diversity in society and celebrate this. Teachers challenge learners’ misconceptions well and redirect them to research facts carefully. However, as there is no overall structure for planning the themes covered, not all learners benefit from discussing these subjects.  While most learners have targets which are closely matched to their abilities, for a small minority these targets are too broad and lack reference to their capabilities. As a result, more-able learners are not challenged enough and do not make the progress they could.  Teaching staff capture information about the good progress that learners make effectively

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

and share this at regular team meetings. Support staff are assigned to specific learners and contribute well to their progress reviews, sharing information about achievements in and outside of lessons. However, reviews of progress for a small number of learners lack detail and because of this, it is not clear when they have achieved their targets.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

 All learners benefit from supportive and carefully selected work placements which match their interests, circumstances and capabilities. Leaders, managers and teachers personalise these placements to accommodate learners’ specific interests. They diligently monitor the progress of learners in the workplace, visiting them and allocating specific support to ensure the experience is successful from both the learners’ and employers’ perspective. Learners take pride in their work and employers greatly value this approach and appreciate the support of, and contact with, the scheme.  Learners’ attendance at lessons and work experience placements is good. Learners are punctual and they value their studies and the opportunities that their work placement gives them. They are respectful of their peers and teachers and support staff, and comment positively on the support they receive.  Learners benefit from the consistent approach taken by most teachers to encourage them

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

to become more independent. They take pleasure in explaining how they now travel independently to their work experience placement, and how they can take on more unsupervised tasks in the workplace. They are enthusiastic about the skills that they are learning.  Learners develop very good personal and social skills while at the scheme. They behave well and become more confident and self-assured. For example, in a retail session, learners showed confidence in sorting items for sale and followed guidance from employers successfully to present items well for potential customers. Teachers and support staff are skilled in knowing when learners need to take some time out of the classroom, and support learners well to enable them to recognise this themselves.  Learners are aware of how to keep themselves safe and are positive about how diligently staff work with them to develop and enhance their understanding of personal safety. In

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

vocational lessons they manage their own safety equipment well and are able to explain why they need it. They understand about the problem of bullying and can explain what they would do if they or their friends were being bullied. Learners understand how to stay safe online and can explain what personal data should not be shared.  A good range of enrichment activities helps to inspire and interest learners and enhance their personal, social and employability skills. For example, learners can join a baking group, explore music production, develop their art and photography skills and involve themselves in sports and fitness training.  Teachers and staff provide comprehensive and supportive guidance for learners throughout their courses to help them select the most relevant options for their next steps. Learners who move into employment continue to receive help and support from the scheme for many years to ensure that they continue to progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

 Teachers have had training on the meaning and promotion of British values and encourage learners to express and debate their views. Although some learners are able to respond to, and debate, the views expressed by their peers, a minority of teachers need to support learners more in order to enable them to explore these ideas in more detail. For example, in a discussion about the general election, little discussion took place about the merits of democracy other than the factual detail of whether a learner was going to vote or not.

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Outcomes for learners Good

 The proportion of learners who achieve their qualifications, including English and mathematics, has risen since the last inspection and is high in almost all subjects. Almost all learners achieve the qualifications that they study.  In vocational subjects, learners develop good practical skills which help them to work effectively and carry out industry-related tasks well. For example, in a horticulture session, learners explained confidently the planting cycle of a variety of vegetables and demonstrated good knowledge of when to harvest plants. In a retail session, learners worked in the Harington charity shop, learning about handling money and using a till, and developing their retail skills as they interacted with customers, greeting them and enquiring how they could help them.  The introduction of new, versatile units and qualifications in English and mathematics has allowed learners to show progress more clearly than they may have been able to do

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Outcomes for learners Good

previously, which builds their confidence and self-belief.  Learners are very positive about the support they get from the scheme and they enjoy their learning. They appreciate the time they spend in lessons and particularly enjoy the practical work and work experience that they complete. Parents value the improved confidence and social and academic improvements they see as a result. They state that, as a result of attending the scheme, their sons and daughters feel happy.  Learners progress well to higher levels of qualification and, after leaving the scheme, the vast majority of learners move into suitable employment, volunteering or employment- related areas. During their time at the scheme, they develop in confidence and become more independent in everyday life.  There are now no significant variations in achievement by any groups of learners. Learners who are entitled to free school meals achieve very well.

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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 Joanna Baxter

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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

14 31 - - - - - - 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 None

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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 and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)

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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: None

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the scheme manager, as nominee. 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 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

Andy Fitt, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jenny Sims 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

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

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