Groundwork South and North Tyneside

Further education and skills inspection report

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Groundwork South and North Tyneside Independent specialist college

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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

 Trustees and leaders have high aspirations for their learners and have recently taken very successful action to tackle the weaknesses in the provision.  All staff work together to create a culture of inclusiveness. Learners who have had poor previous experiences of education thrive as a result.  Staff use their expertise well to create engaging learning activities that motivate learners to develop their knowledge and skills in horticulture and animal care.  Learners develop their work-related and independent living skills well.  Learners receive effective and impartial careers advice and guidance, which enables them to make well-informed choices about their next steps.  Staff communicate well with parents and carers, which supports learners to make good progress.  Managers do not use information about learners’ achievements well enough to fully evaluate the quality of provision.  Too few learners gain their qualifications in

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Summary of key findings

English and mathematics.  Staff do not provide sufficient challenge for a minority of learners to make the progress of which they are capable.

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Information about the provider

 Groundwork South and North Tyneside is part of a federation of independent charities that make up Groundwork UK. Each Groundwork trust adheres to the common aims to work in disadvantaged communities and improve people’s prospects.  Learners aged 16 to 24 are recruited from the local area. Learners attend the provision daily and study vocational courses in horticulture and animal care on a ‘route to work’ programme. Learning takes place at Jarrow Hall, which is a heritage farm and museum, and a coffee shop in a health centre. Most learners are funded for high levels of support.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Improve the use, accuracy and evaluation of information about learners’ achievements to improve further the quality of the provision.  Increase the proportion of learners who gain qualifications in English and mathematics.  Ensure that all staff challenge learners to make the progress of which they are capable.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders have recently accelerated the pace of quality improvement. They have restructured the management team and appointed well-qualified and experienced staff to key posts.  The new staff have implemented well-considered quality improvements. They have increased staff expectations of learners, ensured that learning activities are engaging and significantly improved learners’ attendance. Managers identify that they need to improve the way that they timetable learning in English and mathematics to meet the needs of their learners more effectively.  Managers have taken effective action to improve the learning support that learners receive. They hold regular team meetings with staff about learners’ behaviour and progress to ensure that support requirements are well understood and implemented. Tutors have been provided with helpful guidance about how to direct learning support activity well. All staff feel fully involved in making the improvements to the quality of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

education and training.  Managers provide staff with useful training to support them in their job roles. This includes autism awareness and behaviour management training as well as training in effective teaching, learning and assessment for learning support assistants. As a result, staff understand their learners well and can support them effectively to make good progress.  Trustees and staff create a welcoming and inclusive environment, at both the farm and the coffee shop, where all learners are valued. Learners overcome significant barriers to learning to develop important knowledge, skills and interests that prepare them well for adult life.  Leaders and managers continue to work effectively with a range of partners to provide interesting opportunities for learners. For example, managers’ helpful links with the local college enabled learners to experience a trip on a ship simulator. Leaders have made

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

good use of partners’ expertise to assist them in their quality improvement actions and recruitment of new managers.  Managers ensure that the funding for learners who have high needs is used well. Learners benefit from high-quality learning environments at the farm and the coffee shop, which enable them to develop their skills for the job market. Since the previous inspection, a suite of computers has been installed at the Jarrow Hall site to help learners to develop their information technology skills. Managers now provide learners with opportunities to gain useful vocational qualifications in animal care and horticulture.  Leaders and managers have a broadly accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. However, they do not track and report learners’ achievements accurately. The information that they produce and use about learners’ achievements is incorrect, and this hinders leaders’ and trustees’ understanding of all the areas that need to improve.

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The governance of the provider

 Trustees are well qualified and use their expertise to provide robust challenge to managers to improve the quality of education and training. Leaders have recently updated the committee structure of the board of trustees, and the quality and compliance committee has newly constituted terms of reference. This provides trustees with a clear focus on setting performance targets and ensuring that leaders and managers make good progress in meeting targets.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders and managers place a high priority on safeguarding. Managers have formed a useful safeguarding panel to review regularly all safeguarding arrangements. This ensures that any incidents are followed up appropriately and any issues are referred to external agencies if necessary. The panel convenes at short notice to respond rapidly to emergencies. These arrangements are effective at keeping learners safe from harm.  Managers use safe recruitment procedures when appointing new staff. All staff who work with learners have appropriate pre-employment checks before they start work.  Managers have a clear understanding of the risks that learners face in the local area. They use their strong relationship with the local authority to maintain up-to-date information. Managers take effective action to ensure that learners are safe online and when using public transport.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Learners acquire good vocational knowledge and skills as a result of the coaching that their tutors provide. For example, tutors ensure that learners studying horticulture develop their skills in strimming, mowing and hedge trimming. Learners with more experience take on supervisory roles to extend their skills further.  Tutors use a range of engaging activities that support learners to develop skills required for successful adult life. For example, learners develop their communication skills well by running a community coffee shop and serving customers.  Staff provide learning activities that enable learners to develop useful social skills. They encourage learners to listen carefully to each other, to take turns and to value the opinions of others.  All staff use their extensive experience to motivate and support learners to make good progress. Their expectations of learners are high and learners respond well. Many

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

learners have not succeeded in previous educational settings and they now enjoy attending their courses.  Tutors and learning support assistants accurately identify learners’ starting points. They make effective use of the intended outcomes in learners’ education, health and care (EHC) plans. Staff use the EHC plans and their own assessments of learners’ starting points to set precise targets for learners to make progress in all aspects of their programme. Tutors and learning support assistants now capture accurately information about the skills that learners are developing.  Learning support assistants and tutors provide helpful and regular feedback to learners on their progress and behaviour. This constructive feedback promotes learners’ self- confidence and improves their self-esteem. Swift feedback about unacceptable behaviours results in learners improving rapidly to meet staff expectations. Learners therefore

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

develop their own skills in successfully managing their anxiety or anger.  Staff communicate well with parents about the progress that learners make. Parents have an accurate view of how well learners are meeting their targets and they play an active role in supporting good progress.  Tutors ensure that learners develop their digital skills during learning activities. Learners complete research online and use computer software to prepare interesting presentations.  Staff do not provide sufficient opportunities for a minority of learners to work independently. These learners are supervised closely and rely on staff for guidance rather than making their own decisions. This prevents these learners from making all the progress of which they are capable.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

 Attendance has improved significantly since the previous inspection, and learners now attend regularly. Learners recognise the importance of attendance and punctuality in developing their preparedness for work.  Learners benefit from well-chosen work experience. Placements are selected to match learners’ aspirations. For example, learners interested in working in information technology attend placements in a local computer shop. Learners who are not ready for external work experience complete a placement on the farm in addition to the regular work in a coffee shop that all learners undertake. Learners develop their self-confidence as a result of their work experience and they understand the benefits of working.  Learners behave well. They are respectful and work together well. Staff manage effectively any instances of poor behaviour.  Staff ensure that learners benefit from a range of interesting additional activities, such as

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

fitness and yoga. These activities build learners’ confidence and promote well-being. Many learners set themselves targets to take positive actions to improve their health because of their increasing awareness of the importance of good diet and healthy lifestyle choices.  Most learners participate in beneficial enterprise activities. Learners made a successful bid for funding from a local charity to provide a trip to a trampoline park. Others participate in the making and selling of products such as herb boxes. These activities develop learners’ presentation and entrepreneurial skills well.  Managers ensure that learners benefit from impartial careers education and guidance. They work very effectively with careers advisers from the local authority to ensure that learners receive guidance that supports them in meeting their aspirations. Staff and careers advisers are fully involved in helping learners meet the objectives in their EHC plans. Staff make

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

sure that learners are well informed about supported internships offered in the local area.  Learners feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe. They demonstrate safe working practices on the farm and in the coffee shop. Learners have a good understanding of the dangers of radicalisation and extremism.  Learners develop their English and mathematics skills well. The work that learners undertake at the coffee shop helps them to follow recipes, measure ingredients and handle cash accurately.  The skills that learners gain from their programme are beneficial for their future employment and successful adult life. However, managers do not ensure that learners have the opportunity to gain qualifications in all aspects of their course to demonstrate fully the progress that they make and the skills that they gain.

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Outcomes for learners Good

 All learners who complete their studies progress to further training, and around a third progress to supported internships or apprenticeships.  Managers measure learners’ starting points accurately and they use this information to set very precise targets for learners to achieve. Staff help learners meet these targets and move on to more challenging targets, which enables learners to make good progress in developing their skills.  Most learners achieve their vocational qualifications in sport, horticulture or animal care.  Learners develop their skills for work well. By working in the coffee shop, learners become more confident in dealing with the public. Learners who have been at the college longer take on extra responsibilities, such as team leading.  Learners are well prepared for independent adult life. They learn how to work out the cost of recipes, shop for ingredients and prepare their own meals. Those learners who

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Outcomes for learners Good

need to learn to travel independently do so.  Learners produce work of the expected standard. The quality of the work that learners produce is improving as a result of the increased expectations of staff.  Not enough learners achieve their qualifications in English and mathematics. Current learners are making good progress in developing these important skills.

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Provider details

Type of provider Independent specialist college

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Provider details

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year Principal/CEO Andrew Watts

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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

6 4 - 3 - - - - 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 -

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Number of learners for which the provider receives high- needs funding At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors: -

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the operations manager learning and skills, 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 online questionnaires to gather the views of learners; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions and scrutinised learners’ work. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

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Inspection team

Rachel Angus, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alun Maddocks 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

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 .

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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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