TMP College

Name of lead inspector: Jane Young, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent specialist college

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Address:

830 Ormskirk Road Pemberton Wigan WN5 8EX TMP College, 8 and 9 November 2022

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Context and focus of visit

From autumn 2019, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to independent specialist colleges newly Education and Skills Funding Agency-funded from August 2018 onwards. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

TMP College is an independent specialist college in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The college operates across two sites. The main site is in Pemberton and a second, smaller site is in Wigan town centre. The college started receiving funding in August 2021. It provides programmes for learners between the ages of 16 and 25 with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Learners attending the college have moderate learning difficulties, mild learning difficulties or autism spectrum disorder. At the time of the monitoring visit, 59 learners were studying creative courses such as games design, music, graphic design, performing arts, film production and photography. Learners study on courses from entry level to level 3. Five learners were on supported internships.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers, and staff have appropriate industry knowledge, skills and expertise, which ensures that they utilise their experience of the creative industry to plan an ambitious curriculum for learners. Leaders are currently investing in specialist training for staff, such as behaviour support and autism awareness to ensure that all learners receive high-quality teaching and support.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not effectively monitor the impact of their improvement actions on learning in self-assessment processes or quality assurance activities. For example, during session visits, leaders and managers focus on teaching methods but do not check the skills and knowledge that learners develop as a result of their learning.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, staff and governors are passionate about providing opportunities for learners to develop their skills and achieve relevant qualifications. Staff know the learners well and work closely with them from the learners’ first visits to the college such as during transition open days and throughout the learners’ time at the college. TMP College, 8 and 9 November 2022 Leaders and managers effectively use the high needs funding they receive. For example, they provide high ratios of support staff to meet the individual needs of learners. Leaders ensure that the college is well resourced with state-of-the-art technical equipment and accessible teaching areas.

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Reasonable progress

Governors have a good understanding of the quality of the provision. They routinely scrutinise the quality improvement plan and the timeliness of the completion of leaders’ and managers’ actions. Governors challenge leaders effectively and hold them to account for their actions.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and teachers assess learners’ starting points accurately and use this information to plan and implement an appropriate individualised curriculum for learners. They use assessment information skilfully to inform planning. As a result, learners develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours in line with their academic targets and goals.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers plan courses in a logical order that builds on learners’ knowledge and skills. Learners work towards an end of year stage show. Learners take on roles for the show, including make-up, lighting and graphic design. Consequently, learners apply their skills in a variety of contexts.

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Reasonable progress

Learning programmes for non-accredited outcomes are overly complicated. As a result, the quality of individualised planning linked to education, health and care plans (EHCP) varies significantly. Most learners do not know the progress that they are making towards their EHCP objectives.

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Reasonable progress

Staff have established an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance in lessons. Learners are confident and comfortable to answer questions and they work well with their peers. They challenge and support each other to understand difficult concepts such as music technology themes and industry terminology.

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Reasonable progress

Learners are well prepared for progression to well-regarded specialist roles in the creative arts industry. They become more resilient and develop their confidence as a result of their programmes. Learners speak positively about what they have learned and how this will help them to progress to their next steps such as in education or employment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have very recently developed and introduced a carefully planned supported internship programme that considers learners’ aspirations for the TMP College, 8 and 9 November 2022 future. Staff skilfully assess learners’ starting points prior to their starting the programme. This ensures that learners can secure suitable opportunities with employers. However, it is too soon to measure the impact of the supported internship programme.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers and managers assess learners’ work frequently. They provide feedback to learners in a variety of ways, including written and oral feedback, to ensure that learners know what they have done well and what they need to do to improve. Learners on supported internships complete a wide range of tasks in the classroom and at work, to reinforce their learning and prepare them for the world of work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have successfully implemented a college safeguarding system that includes appropriate policies and procedures to keep learners safe. All staff understand the referral process and learners know who to speak to if they feel unsafe.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding lead is effective in their role because they have appropriate experience and relevant safeguarding training.

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Reasonable progress

Learners benefit from a comprehensive pastoral curriculum that includes hate crime, knife crime, gambling awareness and radicalisation to help learners to keep themselves safe in their lives outside of college.

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Reasonable progress

Learners’ personal risk assessments are detailed, record the level of individual risk to learners and include management of risks to reduce any areas of concern. TMP College, 8 and 9 November 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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Reasonable progress

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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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