Kingston Maurward College

Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Kingston Maurward College Kingston Maurward College Kingston Maurward Agricultural College, Kingston Maurward, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 8PY Inspection of residential provision Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

residential accommodation

Kingston Maurward College is set in a 300-hectare estate, close to the town of Dorchester. This traditional land-based college offers a diverse range of academic and vocational courses, including apprenticeships. The college has a small residential provision on site. There are 22 residential students and at the time of this inspection six were under 18 years of age. In addition, a small number of students under the age of 18 stay overnight in residential accommodation when they are required to undertake early morning agricultural and equine duties.

p.1

outstanding

How well young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The college provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the college contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for young people.

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

Points for improvement

 Implement an improved system for staff to meet with line managers, to review and reflect on their residential practice. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Kingston Maurward College

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of young people: outstanding

The overwhelming sense of a community welcomes students to this college. This beautiful rural environment is rich in opportunity for students to learn and develop. In addition to their chosen course, through a taster day or an activity, students get the chance to try an alternative area of study or interest. Such ready access to a diverse range of learning and resources, all on one estate, enhances the student experience.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of young people: outstanding

The collaboration of all staff across the college provides an outstanding level of pastoral care. Attentive wardens, and the welfare team, ensure that individual needs are met. Bespoke support plans provide encouragement and strategies for students living away from home. Staff are creative in finding ways to help students progress with their learning and in their social and emotional well-being; for example, walking to lessons with a student to reduce their anxieties, arranging activities to encourage friendships and extending the availability of school counsellors into the evenings. Effective working relationships with parents contribute to the maturity and success of students while staying at this college.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of young people: outstanding

Life chances are enhanced through being resident at this college. To assist with their learning, students have mandatory study nights with full access to computers and staff support. Catering is available through the college. However, to promote independence weekly cooking lessons are provided to enable students to be self-sufficient. The wealth of resources on site provides many new and varied experiences. For example, a student with a phobia of spiders can now hold a tarantula, a student with a fear of heights can now use the high ropes and a student on a public services course has had a go at welding. Students are consulted well and a representative attends the meetings of the governing body. This ensures that the student voice is heard.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of young people: outstanding

There are excellent arrangements to support the emotional well-being of students. Helping Hands is a student-led peer support group and once a week some animals are made available for petting, a time to sit and de-stress. Equality and diversity are celebrated. To eradicate any discrimination, there is a culture of openness and acceptance, with events such as ‘equali-tea’, with tea and cakes, and the regular meetings of the rainbow group. To make appointments, whether with a health professional or seeking work experience, students are provided with a written script to enable them to communicate with confidence.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of young people: outstanding

Students receive more than academic studies and practical learning. The sense of belonging is created through the warmth and pride of the college community. Positive relationships extend to the wider community as students help to maintain the local village playground, take part in beach cleaning, undertake projects with the National Trust, English Heritage and local charities. In addition to these positive aspects, students learn about current affairs and the dangers in today’s society, in order that they can protect themselves and others. The risks posed by social media are regularly discussed, along with topics such as extremist groups, with a focus on people and animals. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Kingston Maurward College Residential accommodation is undergoing refurbishment. At the time of this inspection, students were living in temporary accommodation. In November 2018, a burst water

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of young people: outstanding

pipe on the top floor of the residential provision caused catastrophic damage as ceilings and floors were damaged. Leaders and managers responded extremely well to this crisis by arranging for students to move to a house previously used by older students. This was achieved promptly without disrupting attendance or studies. Students are satisfied with the temporary arrangements, knowing that repair and maintenance are under way. The residential accommodation will be fit for purpose again for September 2019.

p.3

How well young people are helped and protected: outstanding

The safety and welfare of students are paramount at this college. Students receive advice and information on how to keep themselves, and others, safe when at college and in the wider community. Staff and visiting speakers address topics such as sexual health, positive relationships, awareness of radicalisation, and the misuse of drugs and alcohol. With students equipped to make informed choices, the number of safeguarding incidents is low. Residential students report that they feel safe.

p.3

How well young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Very positive relationships between students and staff contribute towards a culture of mutual tolerance and respect. Staff take time to get to know the students, to understand their personal and learning needs. Student behaviour is exceptionally well managed, with clear boundaries and expectations. Open discussions about bullying versus banter enable students to reconsider how their comments may be perceived. Students report that they can readily approach the wardens and the welfare team with concerns and trust them to act in their best interests.

p.3

How well young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Safeguarding is embedded in college life. Staff and college leaders are extremely well trained, with a heightened awareness of how to protect the students, and themselves. There are strong partnerships with external agencies. For example, a member of staff sits on the local authority ‘Prevent’ committee and police liaison officers visit to address relationship difficulties and to monitor the speed of vehicles on the estate. Safeguarding officers evaluate the effectiveness of staff training through questionnaires and provide additional training for anyone with a low score. Sending a spam email to all staff is designed to test their understanding of safety through technology. The introduction of a management information system ensures that safeguarding concerns are recorded centrally and monitored. Such records contribute to effective partnership working with external agencies. A police liaison officer reports that record-keeping is ‘brilliant’.

p.3

How well young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Risk management is strong. This large estate, with a working farm, animals, a lake and visiting members of the public, provides many risks. Robust systems to monitor fire safety, and health and safety matters, ensure that risks are managed extremely well to provide a safe environment. Students are encouraged to take measured risks using the correct equipment, for example driving tractors, riding quad bikes, activities on the lake and handling animals. Students have fantastic opportunities to take risks with the support and guidance of trained staff. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Kingston Maurward College

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are ambitious for all students. Since the last inspection, a new principal is in post and he leads the college through the core values he has set out: inspire, challenge, care. These values are embedded through the culture and practice across the college. This year, the college has received a ‘support for students’ award from a national organisation and has made a debut at the Chelsea Flower Show. These accolades confirm, and further promote, the aspirational environment where students can flourish.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The principal is influential in raising standards for students and staff. The leadership of the college is permeated with positivity and a ‘can do’ attitude. To harness this culture of aspiration, the principal provides leadership training. This provides an excellent learning opportunity for staff who wish to embrace the challenge to enhance their professionalism and develop their management skills.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are exceptionally well trained to meet the needs of the students. In addition to a training week, staff receive a vast range of training to support their professional development. Visiting speakers deliver current themes and findings from research. Many conferences on education, health and social care are held at the college. Ready access to industry leaders and experts in their field generates creative ideas to implement across the college. As a result, students benefit from a very skilled and motivated staff team whose members embrace the opportunities to further their professional development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the strengths of this college, and areas they wish to develop. The smart use of management information systems ensures that reports and forecasts can inform the future direction of the college. The principal monitors all matters closely and reports directly to governors. The governors recognise the improvements and developments that have occurred since the appointment of the principal. This is largely due to his unquestionable commitment and drive for the college to succeed and how his work ethic inspires others.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff act well on their initiative to seek to make continual improvements. Staff involved directly with residential students meet regularly as a team to discuss and review their practice. A visit to another residential college has led to the implementation of an improved induction programme for students, a comprehensive recording system, a parents’ evening, and more structured and varied activities.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The reviews of staff members’ performance are not consistent in quality. To address this shortfall, leaders and managers have plans to introduce a style of supervision adopted from a model used by a local authority safeguarding board.

p.4

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 Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Kingston Maurward College 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.

p.4

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.

p.5

details

Social care unique reference number: SC026929 Principal: Luke Rake

p.5

Inspectors

Clare Davies, social care inspector Wendy Anderson, social care inspector Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Kingston Maurward College 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

p.5

Inspectors

terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Kingston Maurward College

p.6