Camphill Wakefield (Pennine Camphill Community Ltd)

Pennine Camphill Community Independent specialist college Interim visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Jacquie Brown HMI

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Type of provider: Independent specialist college

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Address:

Wood Lane Chapelthorpe Wakefield WF4 3JL Interim visit: Pennine Camphill Community, 10–11 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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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

Pennine Camphill Community is an independent specialist college that provides further education and training for learners aged between 16 and 25 who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The college is located near Wakefield on a 54- acre site. It offers residential and day provision for up to 48 weeks a year. There are 51 learners on study programmes, of whom six attend as residential learners. On the college campus, there are community houses, practical craft workshops, a market garden, a farm and a riding school.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders and managers reported that learners did not respond well to working from home during the initial period of the COVID-19 restrictions. Teachers delivered online activities and posted paper-based work to learners, but learners did not readily associate being at home as a time to learn, so they were reluctant to complete the work. In response, teachers identified other practical activities that learners could complete at home to continue with their learning. Learners reported that they found this approach helpful in supporting them.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders and managers explained how they have responded to the challenges in providing a curriculum that enables learners to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours during the period of COVID-19 restrictions. Their biggest challenge has been the decrease in the number of opportunities for learners to carry out external Interim visit: Pennine Camphill Community, 10–11 November 2020 work placements. They have responded to this by creating enterprises at the college and craft sales in the community. For example, a new catering business has responded to a business need on-site and provides work experience for learners.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders and managers have also continued to work with other organisations to provide work experience for learners. For example, they worked with ‘The Real Junk Food’ project during the period of COVID-19 restrictions to plan future placements for learners. The project will offer work experience for learners in warehouses and in distributing food boxes.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders and managers described the actions that they have taken to develop the curriculum. Teachers use vocational lessons as a vehicle for learners to achieve the skills and objectives outlined in their educational and healthcare (EHC) plans. They also use project activity in vocational sessions to develop learners’ enterprise skills and their ability to work collaboratively, as they would need to in a workplace.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Initially, as learners returned to college, teachers focused on learners’ understanding of the COVID-19 health and safety measures. Staff used techniques such as social stories and frequent recapping to ensure that learners knew what to do to stay healthy and safe in college.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Staff have now increased their focus on building learners’ confidence and self-esteem as, for many, this declined during the initial period of COVID-19 restrictions. The return to routine and structure has been important in enabling learners to make progress in developing their knowledge and skills. Most learners are very pleased to be back at college with their friends and teachers.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Learners’ progress during the initial period of COVID-19 restrictions was most successful when teachers supported learners to develop their practical skills at home. Teachers identified activities that learners could carry out at home and tried to use them to help learners to meet the targets in their EHC plans. For example, learners worked with their parents to make scrub bags for the National Health Service and teachers identified mathematics work that learners could complete as part of this activity. However, leaders and managers said that, for a few learners, these home- based activities did not enable them to work rapidly enough towards achieving their targets.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Leaders and managers reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the skills and confidence that learners need to prepare for employment. Teachers use careers lessons to provide activities that enable learners to rebuild their confidence in making job applications and participating in interviews.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Leaders and managers told us that the recent tightening of COVID-19 restrictions limits the taught curriculum for learners. For example, if learners need travel Interim visit: Pennine Camphill Community, 10–11 November 2020 training, teachers can help them to read bus timetables and plan journeys, but learners cannot make the journey. Learners are not able to benefit from the wider experiences that they would normally undertake in the community, such as visiting leisure centres.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Leaders and managers have implemented a number of measures to keep learners safe in response to risks identified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have delivered training to staff and learners about online safety, mental health and how to minimise the risk of contracting the virus.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Teachers made weekly welfare calls when the college was closed to most learners and provided them and their parents or carers with contacts of external agencies. Leaders and managers completed a risk assessment of each learner, and enabled learners whom they considered to be at high risk to attend college during the period of COVID-19 restrictions.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Learners said that they understand the COVID-19 health and safety arrangements. They were able to explain the measures in place to keep everyone safe, including social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands regularly. They know who to contact if they have a safeguarding concern. Interim visit: Pennine Camphill Community, 10–11 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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