Haringey Sixth Form College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Haringey Sixth Form College

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Haringey Sixth-Form College is a 16–19 academy based on a single site on the eastern side of Haringey, North London. At the time of the inspection, 1041 students were studying education programmes for young people. The large majority of students study vocational programmes from entry level through to level 3 in areas such as health and social care, media, business, and applied science. A new level 3 vocational social sciences programme has been developed in law, applied psychology and criminology. 159 students are enrolled on A-level courses. There are 115 students in receipt of high-needs funding, including around 70 studying a specifically designed entry-level programme. 28–30 January 2020

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

Students appreciate the very welcoming and inclusive environment created by staff and the leadership team. Staff ensure that equality of opportunity is well promoted and diversity is celebrated throughout the college, through a regular focus on both in tutorials.

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

Students welcome the very calm, purposeful environment, both in class and around the college. They also enjoy using the well-resourced innovation centre and other facilities that support their learning.

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

Students have respectful and productive relationships with their teachers. There is a culture of mutual respect. Students value how their teachers listen to them and take their views into consideration.

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

Students do not always learn as much as they could, due to the way teachers plan and teach the curriculum. They find that the quality of teaching varies across different subjects, with staff not always challenging them to achieve the grades of which they are capable.

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

Leaders provide appropriate courses for students with high needs. Most students who require additional support have grown in confidence during their time at the college. In the ‘life for living’ programme, students attend dance leadership programmes as well as martial arts sessions, where they lead a part of the practical delivery. This helps students to socialise more confidently and become more independent.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have worked successfully to stabilise college finances and to increase student numbers. They have adapted the provision to meet local needs. The range of educational opportunities for young people in the area has developed substantially. This includes new school sixth forms and academies. Senior leaders have had to reconsider the curriculum offer to ensure that it meets the needs of young people who favour attending a sixth-form college, while also filling a gap in the local offer for vocational programmes from levels 1 to 3. They have been successful in re-establishing the college’s purpose and instilling enthusiasm in staff and students. However, the quality of education still requires improvement in a variety of areas, including on GCSE, A-level and level 3 extended diploma programmes. As a result, too many students do not achieve their qualifications.

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better?

Leaders and trustees have established a relatively new curriculum leadership team. This very committed team has started to implement a curriculum improvement strategy. This has led to incremental improvements in areas such as mathematics, where teachers have put on extra lessons to teach topics about which students are unclear. 28–30 January 2020

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On too many of the level 3 learning programmes, teachers have not considered the curriculum well enough. Teachers focus too much on covering the content of the syllabus, rather than planning and ordering the full curriculum, including non- academic elements. For example, in health and social care, managers do not plan work experience placements early enough. As a result, students do not have enough information about roles in the health and care sectors to make informed career choices.

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Leaders have designed an effective topic-themed curriculum for entry level and foundation students who require additional learning support. For example, teachers in information communications technology teach students to use spreadsheets to calculate the cost of ingredients. They then use these to budget for an accompanied shopping trip. Finally, they produce the dish, following a recipe in a professional kitchen. As a result of this joined-up curriculum, students achieve very well. Almost all students complete their programmes, and a significant majority move on to positive destinations, suited to their needs.

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Students on level 1 and level 2 programmes achieve very well. Teachers ensure that courses are appropriately planned to encourage students to go on to progressively more demanding programmes.

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Leaders have a strong commitment to staff development and have used this well to overcome weaknesses identified in teachers’ practice. Teachers attend training so that they are fully informed about the requirements of examinations and assessment criteria and are able to mark students’ work accurately. However, staff do not have enough subject-specific training in how to improve their classroom practice.

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Teachers provide feedback on students’ work that is constructive and helpful. For example, in media, teachers provide instant useful feedback on class work as students develop story book covers. Teachers use reference sheets well to help students to recall previously learned content, such as on appropriate software tools. As a result, students know what to do to improve the standard of their work.

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Teachers prepare students well for applications to university. Consequently, a high number of students move on to university after college. The majority of students pursuing routes other than higher education do not receive timely advice about the broader range of pathways beyond college. As a result, this group are less clear about how to make their next steps.

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Staff do not always ensure that students meet their expectations in relation to developing positive learning attitudes. In a few subjects, a high proportion of students do not attend the end-of-term mock examinations or submit coursework. For example, in art, too many students are behind with their assignment work.

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In a minority of subjects, staff absence and changes in teaching staff lead to disruptions in students’ learning. Consequently, students on a few courses have gaps in their knowledge and struggle to complete work on time. Managers have recently 28–30 January 2020

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appointed new teachers, who are starting to help students to catch up with their work through additional workshops.

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Student attendance at lessons is too low. Recently, leaders’ actions have started to have a positive impact in reversing a decline in attendance. However, too many students remain absent from lessons and there is a high level of persistent absence. This is impacting on students’ progress in recalling vital knowledge and skills. For example, in GCSE mathematics, students struggled to rearrange equations, due to missing earlier lessons.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Designated safeguarding leads are well trained and are knowledgeable about vulnerable students. They ensure that concerns raised by staff are managed effectively. The college hosts successful and well-attended workshops to raise awareness of safeguarding themes. For example, leaders put on sessions led by the Prevent coordinator to develop students’ understanding of the dangers associated with radicalisation and extremism.

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Safeguarding

Students have a sound knowledge about risks in the London area. Staff have used innovative methods to teach students about how to be safe. For example, in media, students are creating a campaign video to raise awareness of knife crime.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should ensure that teachers plan a curriculum that logically connects both academic and non-academic components. For vocational programmes, staff need to ensure that students undertake timely relevant external work experience.  Leaders need to ensure that teachers receive high-quality subject-specific training that supports them to improve their teaching practice.  Leaders should ensure that students, particularly those not intending to apply to university, have timely access to careers advice and guidance about the full range of pathways available.  Staff should continue to improve student attendance, by ensuring that expectations are consistently high. They should implement strategies to support those students who are persistently absent to attend their lessons and to remain up to date with their work. 28–30 January 2020

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Website

Date of previous inspection 13–15 October 2015

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Website

Main subcontractors None 28–30 January 2020

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the deputy 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

Mike Finn, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Saher Nijabat Her Majesty’s Inspector Sue Hasty Steve Lambert Rieks Drijver Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 28–30 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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