Hugh Baird College

Name of lead inspector: Alison Humphreys HMI

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Address:

Balliol Road Bootle Merseyside L20 7EW Interim visit: Hugh Baird College, 4–5 November 2020

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Context and focus of visit

On 17 March 2020, all routine inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. As part of our phased return to routine inspections, we are carrying out ‘ interim visits ’ to further education and skills providers. Interim visits are to help learners, parents, employers and government understand how providers are meeting the needs of learners in this period, including those with high needs and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Context and focus of visit

We intend to return to routine inspection in January 2021 but will keep the exact timing under review.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below and the findings are based on discussions with leaders, managers, staff and learners.

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Information about the provider

Hugh Baird College is situated in Bootle in the south of the borough of Sefton in Merseyside. The college has three sites throughout Merseyside. It provides education and training for around 4,200 learners and apprentices. The vast majority of learners attend the main college campus in Bootle, with provision for 14–16-year-old students through to adult learners. In November 2017, the college acquired South Sefton College and now offers a range of A-level courses at this site. A very small minority of learners with high needs attend Thornton College. The college provides courses from entry level to level 4 in a range of subjects. The largest subject areas are construction, building services, health and social care, hairdressing and beauty therapy, and basic skills. The provider does not work with any subcontractors.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders have implemented varying models of teaching across the range of courses. Following a period of remote teaching, leaders assessed the engagement of learners on different levels and courses and moved to a mixed model of teaching. For example, leaders identified that learners studying English or mathematics had higher rates of attendance for face-to-face teaching compared with online lessons. They quickly changed to face-to-face teaching for all English and mathematics lessons to improve attendance rates. Leaders planned to increase the number of learners attending college on site, but due to COVID-19 restrictions in Merseyside, a few learners continue to access a mix of online and face-to-face lessons.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders recognise the benefits of online teaching and will retain aspects such as live streaming of lessons in the future. Learners who are unable to access the college Interim visit: Hugh Baird College, 4–5 November 2020 site, such as those who are self-isolating, benefit from accessing lessons remotely. Apprentices have found the flexibility of online sessions useful, as they fit around their new work commitments and shift patterns. Employers and parents have praised the speed and flexibility at which leaders have implemented online learning.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders feel that they have benefited from sharing good practice with other colleges in the local region. These include the safe opening of premises and online open events. Leaders say that attendance at open events has increased and they will continue to use online recruitment events in the future. The number of learners enrolled at the college increased in September 2020.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders and managers have worked closely with employers to prioritise the skills and knowledge required for the workplace. Leaders worked with local NHS trusts to support delivery of the medicine management course. Learners completed and achieved their nursing qualification, providing the NHS trust with additional trained staff.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Senior leaders work with several stakeholders, such as the Chamber of Commerce, Careers Connect, local employers and Jobcentre Plus. They expanded the courses on offer to meet the changing skills needs of the local area and to support furloughed staff and learners not in employment, education or training. For example, leaders strengthened the college’s traineeship offer, and provide customer service courses to support unemployed people to re-skill from hospitality to call-centre work.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Teachers told us how they adapted the curriculum during the period that the college was only open to some students due to COVID-19 restrictions. For example, in catering, teachers delivered recipes and ingredients to learners to allow them to continue creating dishes when there was a shortage of flour in the shops.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Leaders and managers have adapted their quality assurance practices to monitor learners’ engagement and to assess the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers feel that this has helped them improve their online delivery and to share good practice. For example, media staff demonstrated the effective use of virtual break- out rooms for learners to continue group work online.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Leaders and managers feel that learners can use technology and access online learning effectively. They lent out a large number of laptops and provided dongles to those who did not have access to technology and the internet at home. Managers say that this has provided flexibility and allows those who are self-isolating to continue with their studies. Learners who found online learning difficult were offered time in a quiet study area in the college where they could access technology and the internet safely. Interim visit: Hugh Baird College, 4–5 November 2020 Teachers have continued the assessment of learners’ work, with some adaptions. For example, staff in the sixth form reduced the number of assessments during COVID- 19 restrictions because of learners’ varying circumstances and anxieties. Staff teaching learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities have used online chats and quizzes to assess new learners’ confidence and communication skills.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Managers believe that their approach to online assessment has improved learners’ confidence. Teachers say that learners who do not normally contribute voluntarily in class are now participating more.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Teachers feel that online learning has increased learners’ engagement, particularly where the teaching and resources have been innovative. For example, health and social care learners decorated a potato to demonstrate the six life stages from infant to adult. In English, teachers use videos and animations that learners can access from their phones.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Learners complete personal development modules on topics such as peer-on-peer abuse, radicalisation and online safety. Leaders adapted the content of topics to cover the risks most prevalent for their learners, such as the importance of not sharing images while online. Following these adaptations, the number of safeguarding referrals relating to online abuse has decreased.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Teachers use a variety of methods to raise learners’ awareness of how to cope with anxiety, mental health and physical well-being. These have included guidance through the ‘Hugh News’ channel, and teachers contact learners weekly to carry out welfare checks. Learners identified as being at risk are given additional support through individual meetings with teachers and are allocated a mentor.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Teachers receive update training on safeguarding and health and safety with a particular focus on COVID-19 risks. In some subjects, such as health and social care, teachers worked with external agencies such as NHS Digital to understand the guidance for their specific sector to share with learners and apprentices. Interim visit: Hugh Baird College, 4–5 November 2020 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

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potential risks, including from online sources?

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potential risks, including from online sources?

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potential risks, including from online sources?

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potential risks, including from online sources?

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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