Nottingham College

Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Nottingham College 1 Nottingham College Ruddington Fields Business Park, Ruddington NG11 6JZ Inspection of residential provision Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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residential accommodation

Nottingham College has campuses located across the county of Nottinghamshire. The college provides a range of residential provision for international students, apprentices and students who are studying with a sub-contractor.

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good

How well young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The college provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: none

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good

Date of last inspection: this is the first inspection of residential provision at the college Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Nottingham College 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people make good progress with their chosen course of study or apprenticeship. Young people say that living in the residential provision is good. They make friends and develop independent living skills.  Host families provide young people with very good support, including helping young people to maintain their college attendance, to develop new friendships and to keep safe.  Young people receive a thorough induction to college life. They receive all the advice and information that they need to start making progress quickly.  The academic and technical progress that young people make compares well against students in the wider college population.  Young people have confidence in the leaders of the college. Young people can turn to leaders and staff for any help and support that they need.  College staff place the safeguarding and welfare needs of young people first. Staff know what action to take if they have any concerns for a young person’s safety or

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Key findings from this inspection

well-being.  The college does not tolerate bullying. Young people confirm that bullying does not take place at the college.  The behaviour of young people is generally good. There are very few incidents of concern. There are no concerns relating to the misuse of drugs or alcohol.  The college leaders ensure strict adherence to safe recruitment procedures.  Leaders are aspirational for young people. They focus their efforts and resources on helping each young person to realise their full potential.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The college staff need to be able to demonstrate that they have taken quick and effective action when a young person has been ill, in line with college policy and procedure.  Staff working in the residential provision must have individual meetings with managers to review their practice. This will enable staff to raise any concerns that they may have and to review their practice.  Leaders should be able to assure themselves that host families are fulfilling their responsibilities as set out in host family agreements.  Host families will benefit from updated safeguarding training as identified in the college’s own self-assessment.  Leaders are advised to review the standard of safeguarding training received by hotel staff. This will assure managers that this training reaches the same standard as the training delivered to college staff. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Nottingham College 3

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Recommendations

 The college has, and implements effectively, appropriate policies and arrangements for the care of residential students who are unwell and ensures that the physical and mental health and emotional well-being of residential students is promoted. These include first aid, care of those with chronic conditions and disabilities, dealing with medical emergencies and the use of non-prescription remedies. The arrangements are known to students and parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

Young people on residential courses either stay in hotel accommodation arranged by the college or stay with a host family. Young people say that they enjoy college life and enjoy the courses that they are studying. Residential provision helps young people to make new friends and to learn valuable life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

Young people receive very good support from host families, who help them to settle quickly into college life. Hosts understand that for some young people it will be their first time away from home. Host families help young people to do well at college. For example, one host has provided weekly English language support for a Chinese student to accelerate his fluency in English.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

Host families say that they feel well supported by the college. Host families know who to contact for advice and support and in an emergency. An emergency contact at the college is available 24 hours a day. One host carer said, ‘I know they will sort any problem. They make it their top priority and sort it immediately.’ Homestay arrangements are greatly enhanced by the clarity of the written homestay agreement between the family and the college. However, the college does not routinely check that host families are fully adhering to the written agreement.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

Young people who reside in college provision make very good progress in comparison to the wider student population. This is because the college provides very good support. Young people undertaking apprenticeships succeed in their chosen career. Some go on to become master technicians. Employers say that the college provides excellent educational support and pastoral care for apprentices staying in the residential provision. Young people are safe and receive the support that they need to help them make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

Staff provide young people with a very good induction to college life and the residential provision. The college ensures that young people have allocated staff members to support them. Young people who require additional support are identified at the earliest opportunity. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Nottingham College 4 The views of young people matter to the leaders of this college. Therefore, young people are encouraged to provide their opinions about the quality of residential accommodation. Young people complete weekly surveys about the hotel accommodation. Leaders of the college meet regularly with managers from the hotels and address any concerns or issues raised.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

Leaders of the college could further strengthen procedures to provide effective healthcare to young people when they are unwell. During this inspection, several cases of students being unwell were identified. However, insufficient information was provided to demonstrate that the college had taken the correct action in these instances. Additionally, it would be beneficial for the college to update its policy on the use of homely remedies to provide greater clarity for staff supporting apprentices in hotel accommodation.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

Leaders and staff understand the importance of keeping young people safe. Any concerns about the safety or welfare of young people are addressed immediately. Young people do not experience or tolerate bullying. They are mature in their outlook and understand the importance of accepting and supporting other young people. Young people are tolerant of others and value diversity.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

The behaviour of young people is generally good. The college ensures that students in residential provision have access to the college support services and welfare officers. Leaders have developed robust service level agreements with hotels. These set out clear expectations of hotel staff to ensure that the hotel environment is as safe as possible. There is very good communication between college leaders and hotel managers. College leaders hold hotel managers and staff to account. This helps to safeguard young people.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

Leaders responsible for recruitment are trained in safeguarding. Prospective new staff undergo a full range of pre-employment checks. These measures help to minimise the likelihood of young people being harmed by those in positions of trust.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

Leaders understand the importance of providing safeguarding training to staff and host families. Host families also complete ‘Prevent’ training to raise their awareness of radicalisation and extremism. The college’s self-assessment has correctly identified that host families require updated safeguarding training. Additionally, the safeguarding booklet provided for host families has not been updated to include recent developments in safeguarding policy and practice. The college’s leaders should also consider reviewing the quality of safeguarding training undertaken by hotel staff to ensure that it meets their own standards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership team has a clear structure, with well-defined lines of responsibility and accountability. Leaders ensure that staff, including host families, have the skills and Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Nottingham College 5 knowledge to provide good care and support to young people. However, leaders should ensure that welfare officers receive regular reviews of their residential practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders are accountable to governors. Governors provide strong and effective oversight of all college functions. Governance arrangements are regularly reviewed to ensure that governors have the right skills to provide effective oversight and challenge. Governors scrutinise information to reassure themselves that young people are safe and making progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have robust processes in place to monitor the quality of care and education. Leaders and managers take complaints seriously. The college has a clear complaints procedure. This procedure ensures, where possible, that complaints are resolved at the earliest possible stage. Leaders and managers learn lessons from complaints so that practice improves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers understand that there must be good communication and coordination between residential staff and teaching staff in order for students to succeed. Strong information sharing systems enable young people’s needs to be recognised and addressed quickly.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of young people. They watched how professional staff work with young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the college knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Nottingham College 6

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details

Social care unique reference number: 1251774 Principal/CEO: Mr John Van De Laarschot

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Inspector(s)

Phillip Morris: social care inspector Joanne Vyas: social care inspector Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Nottingham College 7 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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