Central Bedfordshire College

Central Bedfordshire College Interim visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Michael Worgs, HMI

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Type of provider: General further education college

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Address: Kingsway Dunstable Bedfordshire LU5 4HG Interim visit: Central Bedfordshire College, 5–6 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 students and apprentices in this period, including learners 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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Context and focus of visit

Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, we made this visit remotely to reduce pressure on the provider.

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Information about the provider

Central Bedfordshire College is a general further education college. It has a main site in the town of Dunstable, another in Leighton Buzzard and a further four satellite campuses in the local area. At the time of the visit, 1,636 learners were on education programmes for young people. There were 748 adult learners, 132 apprentices and 113 learners in receipt of high-needs funding.

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Information about the provider

The college recruits most of its learners from the most deprived areas of Central Bedfordshire and Luton. The college works with SSG Services to deliver a very small number of short programmes for unemployed adult learners in the community.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders feel that their early preparation for Covid-19 restrictions allowed learning to continue as normal, with little disruption. Staff changed their curriculum plans for January 2020 to focus on most of the key concepts of learning. Teachers prioritised face-to-face delivery of theory or practical sessions to suit the curriculum needs. As a result, prior to the Covid-19 restrictions each curriculum area had six weeks of course resources available for learners on the virtual learning environment.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Managers promote the use of Microsoft Teams for online teaching. They use the newly introduced education technology champion role to help teachers to provide Interim visit: Central Bedfordshire College, 5–6 November 2020 learning online. As a result, managers suggest that teachers and learners have improved their digital skills.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders say they are concerned about the digital poverty issues that affect their learners. They have loaned over 65 laptops to learners. They recently purchased further resources such as dongles to help learners to participate in online learning. As a result, they have been able to retain and motivate a large proportion of their learners.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders feel that the Covid-19 restrictions have had a significant negative psychological impact on staff and learners. They therefore created virtual communities to improve the welfare of staff and learners. They used their internal social media system to create workshops and social events online. This has helped to build staff morale and keep learners motivated.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders believe they made the appropriate strategic decision to return to face-to- face teaching in September 2020. They have used an in-depth assessment strategy to ensure that learners get on the right course. They use information from learner surveys and staff forums to plan the curriculum. As a result, they feel that learners are quickly developing the appropriate knowledge and skills they need.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Employers value the close relationship with the college. This has enabled them to work with leaders to overcome barriers to learners resulting from the pandemic. For example, employers provided alternative work experience placements for learners who are furloughed. They have worked with the college to put in place a virtual work experience programme.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Leaders say they check and quality assure progress that learners make using progress review boards and curriculum assessment boards. Staff actively engage with these processes and adapt their curriculum plans to meet the needs of learners. As a result, leaders feel that most learners are on the right programmes and are making good progress.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Managers use different methods to review how teachers implement the curriculum. They use course reviews, standardisation meetings and weekly curriculum meetings to discuss concerns and share resources. As a result, managers recognise that the workload of their teachers has increased significantly due to the pandemic. Managers work with staff to find sustainable and permanent strategies to maintain the curriculum in preparation for any future local restrictions.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Teachers say that although their increased workload has been challenging, they understand their professional obligation to support their learners. They feel that the Interim visit: Central Bedfordshire College, 5–6 November 2020 experience so far has helped to build their own personal resilience in dealing with the pandemic. They have developed improved digital skills. They are better able to teach and assess via online platforms. As a result, most teachers have become an advocate for blended learning. They would like to continue a mixture of face-to-face and online teaching after the pandemic. They see the value in creating good-quality online resources and interacting with their learners in new digital ways.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Managers say learners have access to a wide range of careers advice and resources to support their next steps. Managers have provided more virtual means for learners to interact with employers and external organisations. For example, they have provided virtual information and guidance sessions for all learners. They ran virtual employer sessions with various companies and a virtual open day with universities.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Leaders say they have a strong safeguarding system in place. They provide help through the curriculum and welfare teams. Leaders have redeployed staff from other areas to help the curriculum teams track attendance and perform other curriculum activities.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Leaders are proud of the support they provide for the large number of vulnerable learners they have on programmes. For example, they have 48 children looked after currently receiving weekly additional help from the welfare team. As a result, these learners have remained on programme and are thriving.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Learners say they feel safe. They know how to keep themselves safe when travelling to college for face-to-face teaching. They frequently receive safety information from the college and use the safety guidance on the college website to keep themselves safe. Interim visit: Central Bedfordshire College, 5–6 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 and child protection.

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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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