Elfrida Rathbone Camden - Leighton Education Project

Elfrida Rathbone Camden - Leighton Education Project Reinspection monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Saher Nijabat, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 January 2023

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

7 Dowdney Close London NW5 2BP Monitoring visit: Elfrida Rathbone Camden – Leighton Education Project, 25 and 26 January 2023

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Context and focus of visit

This is the first reinspection monitoring visit to Elfrida Rathbone Camden – Leighton Education Project following publication of the inspection report on 1 September 2022 which found the provider to be inadequate overall.

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Context and focus of visit

Elfrida Rathbone Camden - Leighton Education Project (ERC) is an independent learning provider based in Camden. The college provides education and training to young people aged 16 to 25 with a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including autism spectrum disorder and medical needs, such as epilepsy. At the time of the visit, there were 19 learners with education and health care (EHC) plans with high needs.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, trustees and senior leaders have prioritised improving safeguarding. They have established suitable arrangements to provide a safe environment for learners. For example, they have secured the front door to reduce the risk of possible harm to learners when members of the public access the shared building. In addition, they arrange for staff to accompany learners in communal areas.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders took appropriate actions to rectify the specific issue noted at the previous inspection regarding the administration of emergency medication. Staff now store learners’ medicine in a suitable manner, easily accessible in case of an emergency.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that all staff who work with learners are suitable for their roles. Since the inspection, they have changed their volunteer recruitment processes to be in line with their staff recruitment policy. They now complete the necessary safe recruitment pre-employment checks on volunteers.

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Reasonable progress

Staff, including the designated safeguarding leads (DSLs), are suitably trained for their roles. DSLs take appropriate actions when safeguarding issues occur. However, they do not record these actions in sufficient detail. Consequently, it is not always possible to tell from written records if a concern has been resolved.

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Reasonable progress

Staff carry out robust and detailed risk assessments for individual learners. They risk assess learners frequently and have put in place appropriate measures to mitigate these risks, including when they take learners outside the college. Monitoring visit: Elfrida Rathbone Camden – Leighton Education Project, 25 and 26 January 2023 Leaders have taken suitable actions to ensure learners are safe when accessing electronic devices in the college. All computers and electronic tablets have protected access, which blocks inappropriate websites. Learners are supervised at all times when using electronic devices in the college, including their phones.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed a suitable ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan. However, they do not yet have well-established links with their local ‘Prevent’ networks. They have not yet fully implemented their plans to give learners the knowledge and skills to protect themselves from the dangers of radicalisation and extremism.

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Insufficient progress

Since the inspection, leaders and staff have not made sufficient progress towards developing an ambitious curriculum for their learners. They have taken some steps to improve the content of the curriculum. They have introduced lessons on cooking, employability, life skills and careers to prepare learners for adult life. However, the planning and teaching of the curriculum remain underdeveloped.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have not considered well enough the knowledge and skills they will teach learners over time. They have not considered what knowledge, skills and behaviours learners could develop over the two or three years that they will be at the college. They teach topics in isolation, without helping learners to understand how a skill they learn in one class is relevant to, and can be practised in, another.

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Insufficient progress

Tutors do not set consistently meaningful or challenging targets for learners. They take into consideration learners’ EHC plan outcomes when setting targets. However, they do not assess accurately enough what learners know and can do at the start of the programme. Too often, tutors set similar targets for learners that are not precise or helpful enough and use language that is too complex.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not provide learners with therapies, such as speech and language therapy, based on their specific needs. As a result, learners make slow progress. In addition, only half of the learners who require additional support benefit from regular meetings with a creative therapist. Those who do receive this support develop resilience and skills to control their emotions.

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Reasonable progress

Monitoring visit: Elfrida Rathbone Camden – Leighton Education Project, 25 and 26 January 2023

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sector?

Following the inspection in June, leaders prioritised staff training on safeguarding and SEND. They ensured that staff received suitable training soon after the inspection on administering medication. Staff feel confident and know how to administer emergency medication that their learners may need. They know the correct protocols for individual learners in case of an epileptic seizure. They accurately describe how to administer specialist medication.

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sector?

Leaders have ensured that all staff have access to training that is specific to their job roles, enabling them to carry out their responsibilities effectively. For example, staff leading on careers guidance have completed accredited training in careers information, advice and guidance. Leaders have provided specialist SEND training to enable staff to teach and support learners with SEND. They have put all tutors on a level 5 advanced special educational needs training programme. However, most of this training is recent and has not yet had a consistently positive impact on staff performance.

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sector?

Leaders ensured staff received training in setting targets for learners and in how to recognise and record progress and achievement (RARPA). However, staff do not yet fully use RARPA when assessing learners’ existing knowledge and skills and setting targets. Consequently, they do not assess and record accurately enough the progress learners make.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, trustees and leaders have taken positive steps to ensure learners benefit from independent careers advice and guidance. They have recently implemented a comprehensive policy on careers education, information advice and guidance (CEIAG) to ensure learners are prepared for their next steps.

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Reasonable progress

Staff responsible for CEIAG ensure learners have access to meaningful work-related activities. Learners in their third year benefit from employer guest speakers, including a logistics and a construction employer. They attend different events and receive suitable information on supported internships and apprenticeships. Learners also receive independent face-to-face information, advice and guidance sessions from a SEND specialist provider.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have prioritised work experience for learners in their final year at the college. They arrange work experience for learners in their third year at a garden centre and student café. Monitoring visit: Elfrida Rathbone Camden – Leighton Education Project, 25 and 26 January 2023 Staff do not provide detailed information to parents about different further education and careers options available to the learners. Parents of learners in their final year of college have not had suitable information about what they can do when they leave college. Parents and carers are not adequately aware of the different options available to learners, such as supported internships. Monitoring visit: Elfrida Rathbone Camden – Leighton Education Project, 25 and 26 January 2023 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

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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