Shooters Hill Sixth Form College

Inspection of Shooters Hill Sixth Form College

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Education programmes for young people Good Provision for students with high needs Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

Shooters Hill Sixth Form College is situated in the London Borough of Greenwich. The college serves an area of London with a mix of high levels of deprivation and affluence. The student community reflects the diverse range of ethnic groups in the local area. At the time of the inspection, there were 1,200 students aged 16 to 19 on entry to level 3 courses. Around a third of students were on courses at level 3. The rest of the students are evenly split between entry, level 1 and level 2 vocational programmes. The college has 200 students with high needs, of whom two thirds are on vocational study programmes and one third in discrete provision. 1–4 October 2019

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What is it like to be a student with this provider?

This is a welcoming and inclusive college where students, especially those who need a bit of extra help to achieve, enjoy studying and feel safe. From the moment students meet security staff at the front gates to their interaction with staff at all levels, they know they are part of a college that supports them.

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What is it like to be a student with this provider?

Students respect and like their teachers. They behave well in lessons and around the college. They receive help from specially trained staff if they experience difficulties with their mental health, in studying or in their personal lives. They really value the comfort they gain from a therapy dog, when they are worried or anxious.

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What is it like to be a student with this provider?

Students have good attendance, work hard and take part in a range of other activities at the college outside lessons. These include organising and participating in various sports events and selling items that they have made in enterprise lessons. They are rightly proud of the confidence they gain and the skills in becoming an active part of society. However, a few do not get enough work experience to improve these abilities further while on their courses.

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What is it like to be a student with this provider?

The college is set up well to cater for students with high needs. They receive good specialist support. They study on a range of courses taught effectively, so they develop their independence and gain important life knowledge. They have a dedicated flat where they can learn how to live independently.

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better?

Teachers use their subject expertise and teaching experience well to sequence and teach the content of the curriculum. They help students to build their knowledge and skills to take on increasingly challenging tasks. For example, in science, students build a proficient knowledge of cells and tissue. They then use this knowledge to start to understand how diseases develop following different types of tissue damage.

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better?

Senior leaders have a coherent strategy for courses that are suited to the students who come to the college. They have put in place a curriculum that meets the diverse needs of their students. It helps students who may not have succeeded in their studies previously, for example, to find the right level programme for them to thrive and move forwards in their education. Leaders and managers work well with local business groups and partners to ensure that courses are relevant to the changing needs of business. For example, they developed a finance course to supply the skills that local employers need.

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better?

Teachers are adept at asking the right questions to check students’ understanding of a subject. This helps students remember and apply their growing knowledge and skills. For example, teachers’ skilful questioning demonstrates that students in science have confidently gained a good understanding of the process of making an aspirin. Students can confidently recall what they have learned, such as in health and social care, where students give professional-standard presentations on the 1–4 October 2019

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negative effects on health of smoking. They are able to outline key facts, using data, of the health risks associated with smoking tobacco.

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Staff support students very effectively to achieve their best. They help students to become more confident and independent. Staff help students develop skills in how to organise their work and to find out more about what they are studying. They help students improve their abilities to reflect critically on the quality of their work. Consequently, students express their ideas fluently, using the knowledge they have gained in their work.

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Staff are skilled at supporting students who have a variety of complex needs. Therapists and support workers help students maintain their focus on developing their knowledge and skills. Good communication support is provided for students who need it, for example through staff using sign language or students using assistive technology. With this support around them, students who have high needs improve their knowledge and abilities in tasks such as washing clothes, budgeting and communicating effectively when buying items from a shop. As a result, they became more confident and independent.

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Students receive good careers advice and guidance, which supports them in their next steps. For example, through discussions with former students of the college, they understand what it is like to study at university. Students who have high needs and their families are guided carefully by staff to help them to make the right choices about their next steps. As a result, almost all students are clear on their next steps and progress to higher levels of study.

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Leaders and managers have put in place a range of recreational activities which enhance the curriculum. These activities are linked to local strategic priorities, such as improving the health of residents. They are a good complement to students’ weekly timetable of studies, which enables them to take part. They include a range of sports activities and free access to the gym and swimming pool. The activities help students to improve their own health and well-being and provide extra benefits to their main studies at the college.

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Governors have a good understanding of why leaders and managers have introduced the courses they have. Governors work well with leaders and managers and hold senior staff to account for their performance in helping students to achieve at the college.

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In a small minority of cases, teachers do not plan the content or order of their curriculum well enough. Teachers do not plan and teach lessons that build on students’ knowledge in a logical way. As a result, a small minority of students struggle with getting to grips with topics and cannot recall knowledge from previous lessons.

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Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have increased the availability and quality of work experience in most subjects. However, a few students in business, computing and construction do not take part in activities that would prepare them for the world of work. 1–4 October 2019

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A very small number of students do not further develop their knowledge of life in modern Britain. Having previously learned about life in Britain in school, they do not see it as a relevant topic in college. For example, teachers in construction do not emphasise sufficiently to students the importance of democracy. In childcare, teachers do not ensure that students understand the relevance of tolerance of others to living and contributing as active citizens in society.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff ensure that students are safe. Staff are fully aware of their responsibilities to safeguard students. The designated safeguarding lead is appropriately trained and effective in their role. Students are safe and secure in their learning environments and feel that the college is safe and inclusive. They know how to report concerns about themselves and others and trust that staff will deal with these promptly.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Increase the proportion of students who take part in work experience related to the subjects they study and to their career aims.  Teachers should teach students more about the importance of how British values relate to their lives and living in London.  Teachers should use strategies to check that students are learning and building their knowledge in a subject. Where students are not doing this, teachers should ensure that they adapt their lessons so that all students are learning. 1–4 October 2019

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Provider details

Address Red Lion Lane Shooters Hill London SE18 4LD

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 18–21 September 2017

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Provider details

Main subcontractors N/A 1–4 October 2019

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the vice-principal, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including observing learning sessions, scrutinising students’ work, seeking the views of students, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Steve Lambert, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Philida Schellekens Ofsted Inspector Ian Higgins Her Majesty’s Inspector Joanna Walters Her Majesty’s Inspector Kanwaljit Dhillon Ofsted Inspector 1–4 October 2019

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for students 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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