Brooksby Melton College

Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Brooksby Melton College 1 Brooksby Melton College Brooksby College, Brooksby, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE14 2LJ Inspection of residential provision Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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residential accommodation

Brooksby Melton College offers a wide range of vocational, sports and academic courses. The college was last inspected in December 2016. The college currently has 93 residential students under the age of 18.

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requires improvement to be good

How well young people are helped and protected good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The college is not yet delivering good help and care for young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 6 December 2016

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Brooksby Melton College 2

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to be good

The decoration and upkeep of the halls of residence are not of a consistently high standard. Some young people report that their beds are uncomfortable. Young people also say that maintenance requests are slow to be addressed. For example, one young person had a broken lock on his door which was not repaired for several days.

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to be good

Young people do not have the opportunity to meet regularly with managers and leaders to express their opinions about the halls. Additionally, young people do not have access to anyone independent of the college staff to turn to for help and advice.

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to be good

Leaders and managers should consider strengthening the student handbook to include a statement about the college’s position on young people bringing DVDs or games into the halls that are not suitable for those under 18 years old. This will ensure that young people and their families are clear about any items that are not permitted.

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to be good

Staff transport young people to nearby towns, and young people may use the college gym. However, young people’s experiences could be further enhanced with more opportunities to take part in planned, structured recreational activities.

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to be good

Although young people with specific food requirements will be catered for, young people are generally limited to one evening meal option. Additionally, young people are expected to use plastic cutlery at mealtimes. This weakens the overall experience for young people living in halls.

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to be good

Young people have good relationships with staff. They know that staff care about them and their welfare. Staff spend time with young people and take a keen interest in their studies. The head of student services undertakes reviews with young people to ensure that they remain on track to be successful in their chosen course. This helps young people to make progress and remain focused on their individual learning priorities.

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to be good

Parents feel that their children are making good progress. Parents say that their children are happy and doing well because of the help and support provided by the college staff.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding arrangements are strong and effective. Staff receive the training that they need to keep young people safe. Staff understand how to report any concerns they might have about young people. They carefully supervise young people to make certain that they are safe. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Brooksby Melton College 3 The behaviour of young people is very good. There are no concerns about drug or alcohol misuse. Young people do not go missing. Young people keep to evening curfew times, and staff diligently ensure that they are back in the halls of residence and safe. College leaders take the security of the halls seriously and have employed additional security staff to carry out regular patrols of the grounds.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

Young people make and sustain good, mutually respectful relationships. They are caring and supportive of each other. They respect each other’s differences and do not tolerate bullying or intimidation.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

Leaders and managers understand the importance of safer recruitment processes for new staff. Managers with responsibility for recruitment undertake specific training to improve their ability to identify potentially unsuitable candidates.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

Young people are safer because leaders and managers take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. Leaders and managers recently completed an in- depth, college-wide risk assessment, including students in the halls of residence. This document was very helpful, both from an operational and strategic perspective, in enabling leaders to identify areas where safeguarding arrangements could be further improved.

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good

Leaders and managers have developed an insightful action plan to further develop the residential offer to young people. This action plan demonstrates that leaders and managers recognise shortfalls in the current residential provision. Leaders are in the process of recruiting live-in wardens to manage the residential provision.

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good

Governors have an in-depth understanding of the challenges facing the residential provision. They provide effective oversight and scrutiny of the leadership team. The interests of young people in residence would be further strengthened by the appointment of a governor with specific responsibility for halls of residence.

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good

Leaders and managers have well-established and effective partnerships with external agencies. Managers understand local protocols for making referrals to safeguarding agencies if they are worried about a young person. College managers work exceptionally well with elite sports academies to promote academic as well as sporting achievement.

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good

The college is currently going through a merger with another college. This has generated some uncertainty about the future management structure.

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good

Staff do not yet benefit from regular reviews of their boarding practice. This hampers the ability of managers to support improvement and ensure consistently good quality care standards.

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good

During this inspection, several points for improvement have been identified. These Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Brooksby Melton College 4 include:

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good

 Managers should carry out lone working risk assessments, to ensure that safeguards are in place for staff working alone.  Managers should ensure that staff keep consistently good records. Some recording is very good, but this is not consistent across the staff team. Additionally, recording does not focus enough attention on the welfare of young people.  Managers should ensure that staff meetings take place regularly. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Brooksby Melton College 5

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Recommendations

 Where any student does not have regular contact with a parent or other appropriate adult external to the college to whom they can report personal problems and concerns, the college identifies at least one appropriate person for this purpose who is easily contactable. This person is neither a member of staff nor anyone responsible for the leadership and governance of the organisation. Residential students are informed who this person is and how to contact them. (National minimum standard 2.3)  Accommodation is suitably furnished and of sufficient size for the number, needs and ages of residential students accommodated. Bedding, if provided, is clean, suitable and sufficiently warm. (National minimum standard 5.6)  All residential students, including those with special dietary, medical or religious needs, are provided with the means to access meals which are adequate in nutrition, quantity, choice and variety. (National minimum standard 8.1)

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Recommendations

 There is an appropriate range and choice of activities for residential students outside teaching time, including sufficient and suitably timed free time each day. (National minimum standard 10.1)  Any staff member or volunteer employed or volunteering in a position working with residential students has a job description reflecting their duties, receives induction training in residence when newly appointed, and receives regular reviews of their residential practice, with opportunities for training and continual professional development in relation to residences. Staff and wardens meet regularly to review issues and concerns and reflect on their practice. (National minimum standard 15.1)  Residential students are actively encouraged to contribute views on the operation of residential provision, are able to raise concerns and make complaints, and their views are given appropriate weight in decisions about the running of the

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Recommendations

residences. Feedback is provided to residential students on any action taken as a result of their comment or complaints. Residential students are not penalised for raising a concern or making a complaint in good faith. (National minimum standard 17.1)

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Points for improvement

Leaders should consider revising the student handbook to include a clear statement on the college policy regarding young people bringing age-inappropriate materials into the halls of residence. (linked to NMS 2.1) This is with specific reference to DVDs and games.

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Points for improvement

Leaders and managers may wish to consider appointing a governor who has a specific responsibility for the halls of residence and the young people staying in halls. (linked to NMS 13.5)

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Points for improvement

Staff working in halls of residence should have regular team meetings to review any Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Brooksby Melton College 6 issues and concerns and be able, as a team, to reflect on their residential practice. (linked to NMS 15.1)

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Points for improvement

Leaders and managers should consider how to improve the recording of daily records to achieve a consistently high standard of recording in relation to the residential students. (linked to NMS 15.4)

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Points for improvement

Staff undertaking lone working in halls of residence should be subject to a lone working risk assessment to ensure that their health and safety needs are being sufficiently met. (linked to NMS 15.4)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of young people, 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: Brooksby Melton College 7

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accommodation details

Social care unique reference number: SC041700 Principal/CEO: Dawn Whitemore

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Inspectors

Phillip Morris, Social Care Inspector Joanne Vyas, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Brooksby Melton College 8 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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