Cambian Wing College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Provision for learners with high needs Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Cambian Wing College is an independent specialist college situated in Bournemouth, Dorset. The college provides full-time study programmes from entry level 2 to level 3 for young people aged between 16 and 25. All students have a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Most have associated mental health difficulties. At the time of the inspection, 41 students were at the college. Of these, 20 were day students, while 21 were living in residential accommodation provided by the college. 8 to 10 June 2022

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Students do not follow a well-planned curriculum that prepares them well for their next stage of education, training or employment. Most students are not sufficiently clear about what the curriculum is preparing them for or what they will do next. As a result, not enough students build the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to be successful in the future.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Too few students take part in relevant high-quality work experience or work-related activities. This means that many students do not develop the skills and behaviours they need to prepare them for work. However, a small number of students have suitable work experience placements. These prepare them appropriately for future job opportunities.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Students speak positively about the college’s calm and supportive environment and say that they feel safe on campus. Learners behave respectfully and demonstrate positive relationships with their peers and staff. During breaks, they make good use of the quiet areas the college has provided. They enjoy spending time in the college’s newly developed gardens. As a result of the consistent encouragement and support provided by staff, students say that they attend college more frequently than in their previous settings.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Students benefit from a broad range of additional experiences such as clubs and social activities. This helps students to explore their talents and develop friendships. However, not all students take part in these activities.

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better?

Leaders have a clear vision for the curriculum. However, they have not constructed the curriculum sufficiently effectively for it to enable students to learn the skills they need to progress successfully into adulthood.

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better?

Too many students are unsure about what they will do in the future. As a result, teachers do not always clearly identify what students need to prepare them successfully for their next steps.

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better?

Teachers do not always plan the curriculum so that it builds sequentially from students’ starting points. They do not use the information about what students already know and can do to inform how they plan and sequence learning or to set them challenging targets to work towards. It is not always clear how the targets that teachers set for students reflect the long-term goals set out in students’ education, health and care plans (EHC plans). As a result, too many students make slow progress and remain at the college far longer than expected.

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better?

Teachers are well qualified in their subject areas but not all are sufficiently experienced or trained in working with young people with complex needs. Students benefit from working with specialist therapy teams, including speech and language 8 to 10 June 2022 and occupational therapists, and mental health workers. However, teachers do not use the expertise and insights of these specialists effectively enough to help them to improve their teaching. Teachers and support staff do not consistently use the specific strategies identified in students’ EHC plans effectively to help students learn. For example, they do not always match the questions they ask a student to the student’s capacity to understand.

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better?

Teachers do not always teach the curriculum well. Too often, teachers rely on students completing mundane tasks in workbooks. For example, students respond to questions in workbooks about abstract scenarios which do not resonate with their everyday lives. This slows students’ progress in becoming ready for life after college.

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better?

Too often, students do not arrive on time for their learning sessions. This delays the start of their learning and disrupts the learning of those who are punctual. Staff do not always arrive on time to sessions either and so do not act as good role models. As a result, students miss too much learning time and are not being suitably prepared with behaviours essential to adult life.

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better?

Leaders know their students well. They successfully ensure that students enjoy learning at the college. Consequently, students’ confidence and well-being improve.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have ensured that more students achieve their academic qualifications. This has led to a small number of students taking up university places when they left the college.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that students understand how to be safe in relationships and online, and understand the risks associated with extremism and radicalisation. A student council is active and those students involved make good use of it to practice their understanding of democracy, respect and tolerance.

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better?

Governors are highly skilled and experienced in education. They meet regularly with leaders and understand their challenges well. For example, they rightly recognise that the college site is struggling to accommodate the growth in student numbers and changes to the complexity of their needs. Governors are too narrowly reliant on reports from leaders to inform them of the quality of education at the college.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have further improved their policies and practices for safeguarding at the college. They have implemented a local safeguarding procedure that focuses closely on the specific needs of the students. Students have a suitable understanding of how to report any concerns they have about their personal welfare and safety.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established rigorous processes for recruiting and inducting new staff. They have recently introduced an effective electronic system to record and monitor safeguarding concerns. This has improved the way that leaders analyse and act on 8 to 10 June 2022 information and disclosures. Staff know how to report safeguarding concerns, but do not always recognise trends or respond proactively to potential issues.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and governors must ensure that students benefit from a well-planned and well-taught curriculum that enables them to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours for moving on to further education, training or employment.  Leaders must ensure that all teachers plan their teaching to reflect learners’ starting points and the long-term goals outlined in their EHC plans.  Leaders must ensure that teachers learn effectively from the specialist therapy teams to improve their teaching and to ensure they meet the needs of all students.  Leaders should ensure that all learners benefit from well-planned and relevant work experience to support their preparation for adulthood. 8 to 10 June 2022

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Provider details

Address 126 Richmond Park Road Bournemouth Dorset BH8 8TH

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Website

www.cambiangroup.com/specialist- education/our-colleges/cambian-wing- college/

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Website

Provider type Independent specialist college

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Website

Date of previous inspection 15 to 17 November 2016

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Website

Main subcontractors None 8 to 10 June 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the principal, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Esther Williams, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Tina Pagett Her Majesty’s Inspector Angela Newton-Soanes Ofsted Inspector 8 to 10 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 children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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