Cambian Lufton College

Cambian Lufton College Progress monitoring report

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Name of lead inspector: Tracey Zimmerman, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 3–4 February 2021 Type of provider: Independent specialist college

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Address:

Lufton Yeovil Somerset BA22 8ST Monitoring visit: Cambian Lufton College, 3–4 February 2021

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Context and focus of visit

Cambian Lufton College was last inspected in June 2019. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to be inadequate.

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Context and focus of visit

This monitoring visit focused on the extent to which leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action to provide education in the current circumstances. It was undertaken as outlined in the operational note on visits carried out from January 2021 and with reference to the further education and skills handbook.

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Context and focus of visit

These 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

Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, inspectors carried out this monitoring activity remotely. As a result, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would be the case during an on-site inspection. Therefore, this report provides a more limited level of assurance.

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Context and focus of visit

The impact of COVID-19 has been taken into account in the findings and progress judgement below. Inspectors did not evaluate leaders’ response to COVID-19 during the spring and summer of 2020, when the provider was not open to all learners and there were no national expectations regarding remote education.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have worked effectively to remedy most of the colleges’ weaknesses, including the safeguarding arrangements. They have taken appropriate actions, such as, the appointment of new senior leaders and comprehensive safeguarding training for all staff. This has resulted in positive changes to safeguarding practices and to the college culture. Staff now have a clear understanding of their responsibilities, including when and how to report incidents. Staff now feel confident that the safeguarding team will deal effectively with their concerns and provide helpful advice and guidance. Monitoring visit: Cambian Lufton College, 3–4 February 2021 Leaders meet regularly to discuss safeguarding issues and monitor staff practice. They appreciate the support they receive from external agencies. Leaders, from the wider Cambian Group, monitor all aspects of the college that require improvement

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Reasonable progress

and appropriately support and challenge college leaders.

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Reasonable progress

Students feel safe at college. They know who to speak to and trust staff to deal with their concerns. Staff have improved communications with parents, deal with issues effectively and put in place the necessary additional support arrangements.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have redesigned the curriculum to focus more on developing students’ skills for work and life. They have increased the range of subjects available to students to study, such as, car valeting and animal care. This provides students with opportunities to learn new topics and develop useful practical skills.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors have developed new learning sessions that students can access online or at college. This means that students isolating at home or living in one of the college’s houses, can continue to learn with their peers. Tutors have carefully planned and designed the curriculum so that students with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities can participate fully online. For example, teachers produce a range of visual aids and use large fonts when teaching. Tutors help students to continue meeting with their friends online. They have set up weekly video conference calls where students come together to discuss subjects, such as, the films they have recently watched.

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Reasonable progress

Students who live in the college houses, practise their daily living and social skills in their accommodation. During the pandemic, staff from residential, education and therapy teams worked more effectively together to increase the opportunities for students to develop these skills. For example, students studying on catering courses now regularly cook for other students in the house. However, leaders recognise there is still more to do to ensure staff consistently reinforce the skills students are developing outside of learning sessions.

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Reasonable progress

Students enjoy attending college and learning new skills. They can explain what they can do now, that they could not do before they started studying at the college, such as, making their beds independently.

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Reasonable progress

Students are well supported by their tutors, teaching assistants and care staff. All students have individual support plans, which staff use to identify the appropriate strategies to help students to deal with challenges and changes to their learning routines.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders rightly recognise that although tutors are enthusiastic about teaching, and care for their students, they require additional support and training to help them to improve their teaching. Leaders acknowledge that due to the pandemic, they have not made the expected progress in improving the quality of teaching but have plans in place to remedy this. Monitoring visit: Cambian Lufton College, 3–4 February 2021 Many staff do not write student learning targets using clear and appropriate language. As a result, students and their families do not understand how they can improve and do not practise new skills in different settings. Staff do not record the progress that students make towards achieving their daily living goals. Staff do not identify the gaps in students’ learning or the strategies that help them to improve.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Reasonable progress

 develop further the curriculum to ensure staff consistently reinforce the skills that students are developing outside of formal learning sessions  ensure staff provide students with clear learning targets, record the progress that they make towards achieving them, identify the gaps in their learning and implement strategies that help students to improve  provide tutors with ongoing support and training so that they improve their teaching skills and knowledge of pedagogy. Monitoring visit: Cambian Lufton College, 3–4 February 2021 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

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

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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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