Scarborough Sixth Form College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Scarborough Sixth Form College

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Inspection dates: 8–10 October and 6 December 2019

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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 Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Scarborough Sixth Form College is a small college with around 950 learners. It recruits learners from in and around Scarborough. Most learners are on study programmes at level 3, and around 70 learners are on study programmes at level 2. The college has a broad range of A-level subjects available to learners, covering most subject areas. It also offers a substantial number of vocational courses and the opportunity for learners joining the college without a good pass in GCSE English and/or mathematics to resit these qualifications. Learners on level 3 study programmes are able to study a combination of A-level and vocational courses during their time at the college. 8–10 October and 6 December 2019

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

Learners enjoy their learning, are attentive in class and want to do well on their courses. During their time at the college, most learners develop ambitious aspirations for their future.

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

Through effective and helpful teaching, learners develop their knowledge and skills well. Over time, learners are able to do more, understand more and remember more. As a result of good support from staff, learners develop their resilience and self-confidence well. A high proportion of learners achieve high grades in their qualifications.

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

Provision for learners with learning difficulties and/or learning disabilities is good. Learners receive effective support to help them make good progress, with many achieving better than expected grades at the end of their courses. Learners in receipt of high needs funding benefit from carefully selected assistive technology to help them with their studies.

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

Learners feel safe at the college. They value the support that staff provide to keep them safe. Staff ensure that most learners gain an appropriate understanding of potential risks to their safety, including risks relating to radicalisation and extremism and specific local risks. Learners benefit from an enrichment programme that helps them prepare for their next steps when they leave the college and includes a focus on their safety when living away from home.

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better?

Teachers are highly skilled. They plan their teaching well and deliver lessons that motivate learners. They carefully sequence learning and tasks so that most learners can consolidate their learning and move on to more complex tasks quickly. In A-level physics, for example, learners study quantum physics at the end of year 1 and then progress successively through the study of circular motion, gravitational fields and harmonic motion. This prepares them well for studying astrophysics in year 2. Most teachers use well-structured questions in their teaching to good effect to build learners’ knowledge, skills and understanding. They use assessment effectively to identify gaps in learners’ knowledge and they adapt lesson plans to fill these gaps. As a result, the quality of education that most learners receive is good and learners achieve well.

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better?

In most subjects, learners produce work of a high standard. In A-level English, teachers successfully encourage learners to be curious and to deepen their understanding. As a result, learners produce high-quality work. Learners in A-level art reflect on and critique their own work. This helps to develop their confidence, enhance their skills and improve the quality of their work. In a few vocational subjects, specifically business, health and social care, and sport, learners do not produce work that is of a high enough standard at the first attempt. 8–10 October and 6 December 2019

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Learners benefit from a wide range of enrichment activities. Staff oversee an enhanced range of options for the current academic year, including additional qualifications such as the extended project qualification and sport leader qualifications. Staff carefully plan available options to help develop learners’ self- esteem and confidence. For example, learners on level 2 courses participate in a national citizenship service ‘urban’ programme to allow them to better understand how life in a large city differs from their seaside town.

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Leaders, managers and staff have high expectations for learners. Many learners at the college are from disadvantaged backgrounds and arrive at the college unaware of what options they have for their futures. Staff ensure that learners use their time at the college to develop high ambitions for their futures, promoting progression to higher education extensively. They support learners to achieve their potential. Learners are clear about how studying at the college can lead to positive next steps.

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Learners behave very well in classes and around the college. They are respectful to their peers and to their teachers. Relationships between staff and learners are very positive. Attendance at lessons is good.

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A high proportion of the learners who complete their courses achieve high grades in their qualifications. The proportion of learners who achieve a good pass in GCSE English and mathematics is high, as is the proportion of learners achieving distinction grades in vocational subjects. However, in a few subjects, too many learners leave before completing their courses. Leaders and managers have taken action to improve retention in these subjects, and this is beginning to have a positive impact.

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Learners intending to go on to study at university receive high-quality and helpful advice and guidance. As a result, these learners make fully informed decisions about which courses and which universities will best meet their needs and aspirations. However, in a few subjects, learners who do not plan to go to university when they leave college are not made aware of all the opportunities available to them.

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Governors do not hold the principal and senior leaders to account well enough. They do not receive sufficient information from leaders to fulfil their responsibilities. They too readily accept leaders’ often over-optimistic interpretation of information. As a result, governors and leaders take insufficiently prompt action to address weaknesses.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Governors and leaders successfully promote a culture of safeguarding. Learners value this culture and are positive about the way that staff ensure their safety. Appropriate arrangements are in place for keeping learners safe. Leaders are aware of learners who are potentially at risk and ensure that designated staff work closely with these learners to keep them safe. Staff complete mandatory safeguarding 8–10 October and 6 December 2019

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training, which includes an appropriate focus on local risks and mental health training. Leaders ensure that appropriate checks are carried out on the suitability of staff to work with young people. Records of actions taken following safeguarding incidents and of staff training are not comprehensive enough. In a few instances, reports to governors about concerns such as online safety lack sufficient information to enable governors to identify actions that leaders should take.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Improve the quality of information that governors receive so that governors are able to hold leaders and managers fully to account for addressing weaknesses in the provision and improving the quality of education further.  Improve the recording of actions taken following safeguarding incidents to remove the risk that actions may not be fully implemented. Improve the recording of safeguarding training for staff to avoid the risk that some staff may not receive mandatory training.  Ensure that all learners who do not plan to go to university receive advice and guidance about all the opportunities available to them when they leave college.  Increase the proportion of learners in business, health and social care, and sport who produce high-quality work at the first attempt. 8–10 October and 6 December 2019

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Provider details

Address Sandybed Lane Scarborough North Yorkshire YO12 5LF

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 20–21 September 2016

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Provider details

Main subcontractors The Academy Hair & Beauty 8–10 October and 6 December 2019

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the assistant 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 visits to learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Ken Merry, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Andrea Shepherd Her Majesty’s Inspector Sheila Willis Her Majesty’s Inspector Pauline Hagen Ofsted Inspector Anne Tyrrell Ofsted Inspector Ian Smith Her Majesty’s Inspector Tracey Zimmerman Her Majesty’s Inspector 8–10 October and 6 December 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 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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