Cambian Dilston College

Cambian Dilston College Reinspection monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Jacquie Brown, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent specialist college

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Address: Dilston Hall Corbridge Northumberland NE45 5RJ Monitoring visit: Cambian Dilston College, 8 June 2022

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Context and focus of visit

This is the second reinspection monitoring visit to Cambian Dilston College following publication of the inspection report on 11 November 2021 which found the provider to be inadequate overall.

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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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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have provided useful training to improve tutors’ understanding of how to develop an individual curriculum for learners. As a result, most tutors now teach a curriculum that enables learners to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours identified in their education, health and care plans. For example, learners improve their independent living skills, such as cooking and travelling, without support, and they develop vocational skills, such as making focaccia bread and checking the pressure of car tyres. However, a few tutors do not plan a curriculum that is personalised enough to meet the needs of learners based on their starting points. As a result, these learners do not make the progress of which they are capable.

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Reasonable progress

Staff ensure that most learners attend valuable internal or external work placements or work-related activities which are tailored to their personal interests and long-term goals. Consequently, learners develop their social interaction and communication skills and improve their confidence, resilience and team-working skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have implemented ‘dear time’ (drop everything and read) which supports learners to improve their reading and comprehension skills. Learners are encouraged to read materials that interest them. However, a few tutors provide resources that are not age-appropriate.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers recognise the need to develop the curriculum further and plan to introduce a ‘Quality of Life Curriculum’ in September. They have scheduled training for staff before the end of this term. This curriculum includes important topics such as developing social skills, building relationships, understanding physical changes and expressing sexuality. It is intended that the curriculum will enable learners to develop transferable skills that equip them for life beyond college. Monitoring visit: Cambian Dilston College, 8 June 2022

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have implemented effective processes to monitor the attendance of learners. The newly appointed attendance officer carefully monitors attendance, and most tutors provide useful information about learners’ attendance on the electronic learning platform. However, a few tutors do not record sufficiently detailed information to enable residential staff to support learners with attendance issues as well as they could. Leaders and managers rightly recognise the need to ensure that all staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities in monitoring and improving learners’ attendance.

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Reasonable progress

Residential staff and tutors work closely together to support learners to catch up on their learning when they miss sessions. Staff also work with specialist services to support learners with complex needs to improve their attendance and focus in sessions. For example, tutors work with the speech and language therapy team to develop strategies for learners who have difficulties regulating their emotions, which can impact their attendance and learning. This support enables learners to regulate their emotions better so that they can spend longer periods of time concentrating on activities without needing to leave a session.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have ensured that relevant careers information, advice and guidance is given to learners, including those with complex needs. The transition officer and job coach work closely with a specialist careers adviser to ensure that learners receive useful information and advice to enable them to plan their next steps. Staff produce an individual careers education action plan for each learner which identifies careers activities to support learners in working towards their long-term goals. Leaders and managers understand the need to increase the amount of time that the specialist careers adviser can spend with learners, and they have secured additional time from September.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that learners undertake useful work experience or work- related activities. For example, learners attend internal work placements in catering and reception duties and attend external work placements such as working in cafes, shops and gardens. However, leaders and managers rightly recognise the need to broaden these opportunities further to respond to learners’ personal interests and aspirations. Monitoring visit: Cambian Dilston College, 8 June 2022 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

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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