Shipley College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Outcome

Shipley College continues to be a good provider.

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Information about this provider

Shipley College is a small general further education college that was judged to be a good provider at its last short inspection in November 2016. The college offers courses and training for young people, adults, apprentices, and learners with high needs.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 2,725 learners and apprentices, including 113 learners with high needs. There were 716 learners on education programmes for young people, completing courses from entry level to level 3. There were 1,629 adult learners and 267 apprentices on programmes at level 2 and level 3. Just under two thirds of apprentices were on standards-based apprenticeships.

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

Learners are proud to study at the college. They behave well and show respect to their peers and tutors. Most learners develop effective working relationships as part of their studies and contribute well in class and in the many social activities in which they take part.

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

Learners benefit from a safe and friendly learning environment. They feel safe and are safe while at the college. Managers, tutors and staff provide meaningful support and have a good appreciation of the issues that learners face as part of their studies and lives in general. Staff are very conscious of the need to support learners with issues such as improving their mental health and keeping themselves safe. The support that learners receive helps them to complete their course.

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

Apprentices make effective contributions to their workplace and swiftly become valuable members of their employers’ teams. As a result, they are able to apply their learning to their job roles much better. Adult learners gain confidence and improve their employment or promotion prospects as a consequence of their studies. 29–30 January 2020

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better?

Since the previous inspection, governors, leaders and managers have successfully sustained the quality of the education that learners and apprentices receive. Teaching staff are routinely encouraged to improve their craft of teaching through regular staff development and updating sessions. Consequently, their subject knowledge and expertise continually improve.

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better?

Senior leaders and managers have a sensible approach to developing a curriculum that meets the needs of local communities and employers. They work well with partners across the region to ensure that learners gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours that employers need to enhance their workforce. For example, the recent addition of rail engineering to the curriculum has provided employment opportunities for adults and is meeting a local and regional skills gap.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear policy to help learners to improve their mathematical skills and endeavour to assist learners in improving their GCSE grades. Tutors sequence the mathematics curriculum effectively and revisit taught concepts on a regular basis, using results from assessment activities well to inform further learning. Learners benefit from effective support in their mathematics lessons to help them to understand mathematical concepts. Consequently, learners are able to accurately solve mathematical problems by using formulas learned in previous lessons. Leaders and managers have taken action intended to improve attendance; however, despite some improvement, these actions have not yet had sufficient impact on improving attendance in mathematics lessons or in helping those missing lessons to catch up.

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better?

Leaders have successfully introduced rail engineering into the curriculum offer. The level 3 course is sequenced effectively and enables learners to build their knowledge, skills and understanding of the health and safety and operational requirements of working in the rail industry. Tutors use their vast experience well to ensure learners have a good awareness of the different rolling stock used by rail companies, how the electrification of rail lines works, and how ballast is used to determine the gradients needed for water drainage. Tutors encourage learners to build on their knowledge, and they use probing questions well to check learners’ understanding and help them make more rapid progress.

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better?

Leaders and manager have implemented comprehensive provision on English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) that enables learners to attend on either a full- time or part-time basis. Tutors ensure that learners from diverse backgrounds are integrated well into the college and make swift progress in improving their written and spoken English skills to a good level. Learners are able to describe fully, using accurate English, their planned next steps, either to further study at a higher level or into employment.

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better?

Managers provide a challenging curriculum for learners with high needs that focuses very well on the skills that learners need for their working and personal lives. Staff 29–30 January 2020

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use the information from learners’ education, health and care plans very effectively to set learning goals. They consider learners’ individual needs and plan their learning appropriately. Learners are proud of the contributions that they make in their supported internships and work-experience placements. Employers value the part that learners play in the workplace and ensure that learners attend employer training as part of their experience. Tutors plan learning very well to help learners improve their confidence and become more independent in their everyday lives. Managers and tutors promote an inclusive environment for learners. For example, level 3 learners willingly and confidently help their peers with high needs in understanding the concepts of the lesson and in integrating them into the class group.

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Tutors in business sequence the delivery of their courses well. For example, they choose subjects effectively and early in the course, which enables learners to build their confidence and understanding of the subject swiftly. Tutors use contemporary issues reported in the local and national news to reference business-related issues that learners may face in the future. Learners are able to recall previous learning well and use their own notes effectively to check their own understanding and learning. For example, learners talk confidently about retail budgeting and the adverse and favourable variances involved.

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In a small minority of ESOL lessons, tutors do not challenge learners to make more rapid progress when they are capable of doing so. As a result, more confident learners in these lessons do not make progress as swiftly as they could.

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Learners have access to an effective and wide range of careers education materials and activities. Managers and tutors liaise well with employers and invite employers and industry experts to visit the college on a regular basis. Employers provide useful talks and activities which learners engage with well. Industry visits are regular and are integrated well into curriculum delivery. Most learners receive useful advice and guidance, which helps them understand what they need to do to achieve their aspirations. However, a small minority of learners do not receive individual guidance early enough in their programmes to help make more informed decisions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Governors, leaders and managers place a high importance on keeping learners and apprentices safe. Those responsible for safeguarding are suitably trained. They deal with safeguarding disclosures and concerns swiftly and effectively. Leaders responsible for staff recruitment have ensured that managers follow effective safe recruitment guidelines. Pre-employment checks are thorough, and take place before new employees start working at the college. Leaders have a detailed and comprehensive ‘Prevent’ duty action plan that clearly identifies local risks and challenges. 29–30 January 2020

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that learners have a better understanding earlier in their course of their progression and employment opportunities, by providing clear careers advice and guidance based on learners’ aspirations and ambitions.  Improve the proportion of learners who attend mathematics lessons and achieve their mathematics qualifications.  Ensure that all learners on ESOL courses are challenged to make rapid progress with their learning. 29–30 January 2020

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Provider details

Address Victoria Road Saltaire West Yorkshire BD18 3LQ

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Provider details

Provider type General further education college

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 2 November 2016

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Provider details

Main subcontractors N/A 29–30 January 2020

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the second short inspection carried out since Shipley College was judged to be good in February 2013.

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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 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

Steve Hunsley, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Andrea Shepherd Her Majesty’s Inspector Angie Fisher Ofsted Inspector Clare Russell Ofsted Inspector 29–30 January 2020

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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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