Burleigh College

Burleigh College Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Rebecca Jennings, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 November 2021

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Britannia House 1–11 Glenthorne Road W6 0LH Monitoring visit: Burleigh College, 10 and 11 November 2021

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Context and focus of visit

Burleigh College was inspected in March 2020. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders moved all teaching online. At the time of the visit, all teaching remained online. Learners were only invited into the centre to take exams. Some learners have been delayed in sitting their exams due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, 246 adult learners were on English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) programmes, and English and mathematics qualifications funded through the Greater London Authority. Roughly half of the learners were on ESOL programmes. There were six adult learners on traineeships.

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Significant progress

Leaders have put in place a useful range of training for tutors to help them improve their teaching practice. For example, they put on sessions on how to structure a lesson and teach effectively online. Managers support tutors to make helpful changes to their teaching methods through developmental observations of lessons. For example, they encourage teachers to include time to reflect on what knowledge learners have gained. As a result, tutors support learners successfully to understand key concepts.

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Significant progress

Tutors use effective strategies to teach and assess learners. In most sessions, tutors are adept at using questioning to check learners’ understanding. They use a variety of short, effective tasks to assess learners’ application of skills and correct any misunderstandings learners have. Leaders have timetabled the curriculum to allow learners to access classes frequently throughout the week. Tutors revisit the content from previous lessons. As a result, the vast majority of learners remember and apply their earlier learning. For example, learners on level 1 English confidently reorder Monitoring visit: Burleigh College, 10 and 11 November 2021 clauses in conditional sentences. They can recall correctly the suffixes to add to verbs when writing in the third person.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have developed an effective system to support online teaching. Using this, learners revisit lesson content and access videos to re-enforce what they have been taught in lessons. Learners complete assessments after each topic, which helps them remember key concepts.

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Significant progress

The feedback tutors give learners on their work and in lessons is mostly constructive and helpful. Tutors identify where learners need to improve and often learners resubmit work of a better standard. In a small minority of cases, feedback is not sufficiently helpful. In progress reviews, tutors do not state clearly the skills and knowledge learners have gained.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have successfully reviewed and changed the ESOL curriculum. They now have courses from entry level to level 2. Learners attend the most appropriate course for their ability in each topic. For example, learners who have low levels of writing skills, but higher levels of speaking skills attend learning sessions at the required level for each discipline.

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Significant progress

Leaders have created a thorough initial assessment for ESOL learners. This includes a verbal discussion with learners to assess their speaking skills, including picture sequencing. Tutors analyse learners’ reading and writing assessments to gain a good understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. As a result, tutors place learners on courses at the correct level to build on their knowledge and skills.

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Significant progress

Tutors who teach ESOL courses have extensive experience and highly relevant qualifications. They use their professional judgement appropriately to adjust the curriculum to meet learners’ individual needs. Learners join courses at different points in the course and do not have to wait to move up a level when they are ready.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have recruited tutors who have the right experience and knowledge to advise learners about their next steps, including employment and further study across a wide range of industries. Staff set learners Monitoring visit: Burleigh College, 10 and 11 November 2021 activities to help them prepare for employment and promote local vacancies on the online learning platform. Most learners who want to gain employment apply for these roles. Staff help learners find apprenticeship opportunities.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors monitor most learners’ interests closely and advise them on suitable routes for further training, such as access courses into nursing. Learners know they can move on to the next level of study in English or mathematics with the provider. A few learners select the college so they can improve their English to help them get into university.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work closely with employers to place learners onto relevant traineeship work placements. Managers discuss the job description with employers and place learners appropriately. As a result, the majority of traineeship learners gain the skills they need for their role and to take on additional responsibilities at work. Many are offered permanent roles on completion of their programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not ensure that tutors who teach employability skills are clear about all learners’ career aspirations at the start of their programmes. Tutors do not ensure that the goals set in learners’ individual plans relate specifically to their aspirations for employment or further learning.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have added useful topics to the curriculum to help learners develop their skills to gain employment. Tutors support most learners to produce a curriculum vitae (CV) and teach them skills such as interview techniques and how to be part of a team. For example, level 2 English learners have gained an understanding of how to write a comprehensive CV and apply for jobs. Learners who are further into level 1 programmes are confident in preparing for interviews. They know when in the application process is appropriate to discuss salaries with potential employers.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors set tasks for learners to apply their knowledge and use of English to work- related skills. For example, on lower-level ESOL courses, tutors build learners’ ability to be able to speak English in unfamiliar situations. Learners on entry-level English courses apply their recently gained writing skills to create well-written job application letters. They know how to order paragraphs appropriately for different topics and sign off with a concluding statement. Leaders and tutors encourage learners to develop their computer skills, including using email accounts. Consequently, most learners are clear how the course can help them move into work or further study.

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Reasonable progress

Managers hold supportive discussions with employers of trainees to identify areas of improvement and feed these back to learners. As a result, learners gain the skills to improve and be successful in their roles. Monitoring visit: Burleigh College, 10 and 11 November 2021 Tutors and managers do not monitor learners’ attendance at employability training sufficiently. As a result, a small minority of learners have not been taught the skills they need to get into work. Monitoring visit: Burleigh College, 10 and 11 November 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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Reasonable progress

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