Treloar College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 January 2023

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Outcome

Treloar College continues to be an outstanding provider.

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Information about this provider

Treloar College is an independent specialist college in Hampshire. The college provides education for young people aged 16 to 24 years with complex physical and sensory disabilities and, in many cases, learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There are currently 92 students attending the college. The college offers places to young people from a wide range of locations around the country and includes residential provision that is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

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Information about this provider

Treloar College provides four educational pathways: sensory and interactive, skills for independence and life, vocational and employability (including supported internships) and access to academic and vocational qualifications through the subcontracted provision at Havant and South Downs College in nearby Alton.

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better?

Leaders have developed their vision over time through careful evaluation of the impact of the education they provide. They identify improvements and additions that former students report and quickly implement these to enhance the impact of the curriculum. For example, they collect information about the sustainability of students’ destinations for ten years after their time at the college. This information is used to improve the lives of current and future students by ascertaining what students need in order to sustain their next steps.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that students benefit from seamless integrated therapies and care so that they can access their education consistently without interruption. Leaders work tirelessly to provide high-quality resources and facilities, which make the curriculum accessible to all students. For example, leaders have developed their buildings to ensure that facilities for health and intimate care are located close to teaching rooms. Staff expertly use technology, integrated therapies and physical resources, such as augmentative and alternative communication devices, to enable all students to communicate and keep physically healthy. As a result, all students 18 and 19 January 2023

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engage with activities enthusiastically, make swift progress and develop a strong understanding of how their needs can be met in the future.

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Students and their parents and/or carers rightly recognise the exceptional support they receive from staff, who help students work towards their transition to adulthood and independence appropriate to their needs successfully. Staff use their comprehensive understanding of students’ needs highly effectively. As a result, students benefit from highly individualised programmes that provide them with the most useful skills, knowledge and behaviours to overcome the challenges that they face.

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Staff plan the curriculum thoughtfully. They are ambitious for students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to develop independence, self-advocacy and skills that will enable them to live full and purposeful adult lives. For example, students on the employability and vocational pathway benefit from learning about being an employer that prepares them to recruit and manage their personal assistants when they leave the college.

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All staff use assessment exceptionally well. They assess students’ skills, knowledge, needs, aspirations and interests prior to joining the college and use this to plan their programmes. They continually revisit this process to ensure that students continue to make progress towards their academic and wider goals. As a result, students make excellent progress and continue look towards their future.

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Most teachers and support staff are highly effective in working collaboratively to ensure that students make swift progress. Teachers introduce topics very clearly, and students take part in activities that help them to develop this learning further. However, in a very small minority of sessions, teachers’ explanations of tasks are not clear. These teachers do not plan the effective use of support staff to extend learning once tasks are introduced. As a result, a very small minority of students do not make the swift progress they make in other sessions.

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Leaders and staff place a high priority on students’ development of English and mathematics. For example, in the skills for independence and life pathway, students learn the cost of produce, use of money, and the following and giving of instructions. As a result, they can plan and cook their own meals with the help of their carers. However, students learning in the sensory and interactive pathway do not benefit from developing early use of language and number so that they can understand, engage and access the world around them.

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Leaders focus the curriculum on preparing for next steps. They see the college as a transition to adulthood and independence for their students. Exceptionally well- qualified and experienced careers advisers provide individualised, specialist information, advice and guidance to students and parents and/or carers to help them prepare for students’ next steps. Consequently, students know what they are working towards, and almost all students achieve their goals. 18 and 19 January 2023

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Leaders and those responsible for governance rigorously quality assure all aspects of the college, including their subcontracted provision. Leaders benefit from highly effective scrutiny and challenge from an experienced and knowledgeable board of governors. All staff contribute to the evaluation of the quality of the curriculum, ensuring that strengths are shared throughout the provision and weaknesses are worked on collaboratively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) is highly qualified and experienced to ensure that the culture of safeguarding is embedded in all activities at the college. The DSL has ensured that policies, processes and training are highly effective so that all staff have an in-depth knowledge of issues relevant to their students and know how to report concerns.

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Safeguarding

Students feel safe at the college. Staff provide individualised support to enable students to understand their rights and make any concerns known. Staff recognise the signs that students make when they are concerned. As a result, students raise safeguarding concerns confidently, knowing that they will be taken seriously.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and staff should ensure that sensory and interactive students benefit from developing early literacy and numeracy skills.  Leaders should continue to provide focused training to ensure that teachers develop their pedagogical skills consistently over time so that all student support assistants are deployed effectively in the classroom. 18 and 19 January 2023

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Provider details

Address Powell Drive Holybourne Alton, Hants Hampshire GU34 4GL

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Martin Ingram

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Provider details

Provider type Independent specialist college

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 8 December 2016

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Havant and South Downs College 18 and 19 January 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since Treloar College was judged to be outstanding in December 2016.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of college, 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

Emma Leavey, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Joyce Deere Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 January 2023

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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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