Central Bedfordshire College

Central Bedfordshire College Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Rebecca Perry, HMI

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Type of provider: General further education college

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Address:

Kingsway Dunstable Bedfordshire LU5 4HG Monitoring visit: Central Bedfordshire College, 21 February 2019

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Context and focus of visit

Central Bedfordshire College was inspected in May 2018. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have provided a good range of professional development for staff to improve lesson planning and target setting and, in turn, improve challenge for learners. Through improved observations of teaching and learning, leaders and managers have accurately identified areas for development in teaching practice specific to different departments of the college. Teachers and assessors have improved challenge for learners through effective feedback. Learners demonstrate good levels of knowledge through their assignments and are encouraged to deepen their understanding through the developmental feedback teachers provide. Teachers set challenging group and individual targets for learners and apprentices that enable them to more quickly improve their vocational skills and knowledge. Learners are set aspirational target grades to challenge them to achieve to the best of their ability. Learners know and aspire to achieve their target grades and

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Reasonable progress

understand the progress they are making towards them. Teachers plan learning well and, as a result, learners are fully engaged in lessons. However, too many teachers do not use their questioning effectively when checking learners’ understanding in lessons. For example, their questions are often superficial, focusing on learners’ recall of facts with little follow-up to check on their depth of understanding.

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Reasonable progress

Governors and leaders have introduced new initiatives to successfully increase the proportion of learners who achieve their qualifications. They work effectively with a partner college to improve the quality of provision, and with external consultants to Monitoring visit: Central Bedfordshire College, 21 February 2019 focus on those areas identified for development, for example the development of learners’ skills in English and mathematics. More learners on study programmes achieved their qualifications in 2017/18 than in 2016/17. More learners stay at college and compete their programme. Leaders have improved the accuracy of their data reporting and use this information effectively to monitor and forecast future achievements. For example, leaders use robust progress review boards to identify learners and apprentices at risk of not achieving. Leaders’ current data clearly indicates that achievements will continue to improve this

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Reasonable progress

academic year. Learners’ attendance at lessons has greatly improved from the same point last year. However, attendance remains below the college target. Attendance at English and mathematics sessions has also improved significantly but remains too low. While the proportion of apprentices who achieve their qualifications is low, this has improved significantly from last year. Leaders have responded appropriately to support apprentices taken on by the college from previously failing providers. As a result, more current apprentices have achieved within planned timescales and this is improving rapidly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have taken swift action to improve the quality of teaching and learning in GCSE English and mathematics. They have targeted staff delivering these lessons with carefully focused professional development. Leaders and staff work effectively with an external consultant in improving teachers’ practice. Teachers of English and mathematics now set meaningful targets for learners. These targets help learners to make better progress and improve their skills. More learners were successful in achieving high grade passes in their GCSE exams. Teachers pay good attention to correcting learners’ punctuation and grammar. Their useful feedback to learners helps them to improve their skills. This results in a good standard of written work, with few errors. Teachers effectively promote the essential vocational English and mathematics skills required for their subjects and most learners can apply these accurately in their work. For example, learners on carpentry

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Reasonable progress

programmes are able to convert between imperial and metric measurements with ease. Tutors ensure that English and mathematics have visibility and are emphasised in vocational workshops, particularly where it is relevant to the practical activity. However, in too many vocational lessons, learners do not have opportunities to deepen their understanding of English and mathematics beyond the minimum requirements for the subject.

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Reasonable progress

Monitoring visit: Central Bedfordshire College, 21 February 2019 Governors and senior leaders have recently changed the curriculum management and senior leadership roles at the college. New members of the governing body with appropriate experience have also been appointed. Governors’ committee membership has been expanded to ensure sufficient representation from the board for more effective decision making. As a result, information shared between committees and the full governing body has improved. Leaders provide governors with detailed, accurate reports on the performance of the college. Governors act on this information to help leaders improve the quality of learning, for example increasing the observations of teachers and learning activities. As a result, reports on the quality of teaching and learning are more accurate. However, governor minutes do not reflect their decision making. They do not

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accurately show how governors check the actions of senior leaders over time. Monitoring visit: Central Bedfordshire College, 21 February 2019 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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