Brentwood Community College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Brentwood Community College

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Brentwood Community College is located in Sale, Greater Manchester. It was established in 2014 as a result of the local area special educational needs review for students aged over 19, who were progressing from the associated special school. The college was registered formally as a company limited by guarantee and a specialist post-16 institution in 2016. It provides education and support for students who have severe learning difficulties, profound learning difficulties and/or autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, 21 students attended the college. Students follow programmes on one of three life skills pathways: communication, choice and control, skills for independence, and skills for independence and work. 21 to 23 June 2022

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

Students benefit from internal work placements to develop their skills. For example, students collect the class registers and take them to the college office. They use internal security ‘fobs’ to navigate independently around the building. Students develop their self-confidence, autonomy and pride in their roles.

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

Students demonstrate high standards of behaviour. Staff provide them with specialist equipment such as ear defenders to assist students in managing their individual sensory needs. As a result, students are calm and can focus on their work.

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

Students receive effective independent advice and guidance from a specialist careers advisor, who is experienced in working with students with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Students benefit from weekly transition days in years two and three of their course. Consequently, when it is time to leave the college, students are better settled in their next steps provision such as adult day services.

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

Students feel safe. Staff use individual risk assessments to accurately identify risks to students, and staff know how to keep students safe. Staff effectively use behaviour support plans to reduce students’ poor behaviour.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear rationale for the three curriculum pathways that the college offers. The pathways help students to become as independent as possible in all aspects of daily living. Staff support students who have more complex needs skilfully to develop their communication skills. They enable them to demonstrate choice and control. A few students develop an understanding of the skills they need for work.

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better?

A few aspects of the curriculum are not sufficiently ambitious. The quality of teachers’ planning varies significantly. A few teachers do not break down into appropriate, individualised targets what students need to learn to be able to make incremental levels of progress in a specific activity or subject. For example, on a shopping trip to a large supermarket, students did not learn how to identify and select the items that they needed to prepare meals that they wanted to cook the next day.

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better?

A few teaching staff do not formally or fully evaluate students’ progress against targets in lessons to demonstrate how students make progress against their intended outcomes. As a result, progress against personal targets for a small minority of students is slow.

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better?

Teachers know their students very well. Most teachers provide activities for students that meet their individualised needs successfully such as developing cooking, cleaning and laundry skills. They make good progress in these sessions. As a result, a few students practise these skills at home. 21 to 23 June 2022

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Most students develop the life skills they need for their next steps. For example, in the college cafe, students develop strong communication skills, and demonstrate high levels of respect and confidence when dealing with unfamiliar people. Students carry out their individual roles confidently and effectively.

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Leaders and managers work closely with a wide variety of community groups and partners. Students benefit from actively participating in community incentives and projects. For example, students take part in a local initiative with a local garden centre and a zoo to plant saplings to encourage a specific type of butterfly to the area. Students develop their confidence and communication skills well.

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Most students develop their English and mathematical skills well. However, building block therapy does not support the development of students’ English and mathematical skills well enough when carried out as a group activity with students of differing abilities. For example, the purpose of an activity was for students to develop communication skills, and colour and shape matching skills as they designed and built a model. Students were allocated the roles of engineer, supplier and builder to make the model. The engineer took a significant amount of time to identify the colours and shapes of building block pieces, which meant that the supplier and builder were left with nothing to do and disengaged from the activity. As a result, a few students do not make swift enough progress against specific English and mathematics targets.

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Leaders and staff have created a calm and inclusive environment that promotes a culture of mutual respect. Students are supportive of one another. For example, during music sessions, students respect turn-taking protocols and appreciate the contribution of their peers.

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In a minority of instances, teaching assistants intervene too quickly and prevent students from carrying out tasks themselves. This impedes students’ learning.

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Governors provide appropriate challenge to leaders and managers. They hold leaders and managers to account for their actions. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders place a high priority on keeping students safe. They have created a positive safeguarding culture across the college. The designated safeguarding lead maintains well-developed links with external agencies such as adult social care and the local area disability nurse. They keep up to date with localised safeguarding-related issues, which they communicate to staff.

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Safeguarding

Staff ensure that appropriate procedures are in place for the management and administration of medication within the college. Managers restrict access and 21 to 23 June 2022

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administration of medication to named trained staff. The medication protocol is reviewed weekly.

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Records of safeguarding checks on staff such as criminal record checks and eligibility to work in the United Kingdom are up to date, accurate and carefully monitored.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Managers should make sure that teaching assistants provide students with enough processing time so that students try to complete an activity or task as independently as possible.  Teachers should ensure that group activities to develop students’ English and mathematical skills meet the differing needs and abilities of students, so that they make good progress against their individual targets.  Leaders and managers should improve the curriculum by ensuring that teachers plan lessons that personalise activities for students and formally and fully evaluate students’ progress against their intended outcomes. 21 to 23 June 2022

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Address

Website www.brentwoodcommunitycollege.co.uk

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Address

Provider type Independent specialist provider

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Address

Date of previous inspection 10 to 12 July 2018 21 to 23 June 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the headteacher, 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

Jane Young, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Suzanne Wainwright Her Majesty’s Inspector Sue Lambert Ofsted Inspector 21 to 23 June 2022

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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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