Langdon College

Langdon College Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector:

Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection dates: 8 and 9 February 2023

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Name of lead inspector:

Type of provider: Independent specialist college

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Address:

9 Leicester Avenue Salford M7 4HA Monitoring visit: Langdon College, 8 and 9 February 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Langdon College was inspected in November 2021. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

Forty-two students currently study at the college campuses in London and Manchester. Thirty-one students are at the London campus and 11 are at the Manchester campus. Students study on one of four pathway programmes: independence and work skills, employability, achievement or transition pathways.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have worked diligently to review and adapt the curriculums to ensure that they are ambitious for all students. Previously, the curriculum was very informal. Leaders and managers have now developed formal curriculums that are cohesive and challenging. As a result, the curriculums meet the individual needs of students.

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Reasonable progress

The four learning pathways that make up the curriculum are coherent, which enables students to make progress and achieve their personal outcomes. During their time at college, students are able to move across the four pathway programmes. Leaders and managers clearly identify how the different pathways build on students’ knowledge, skills and behaviours over time and how this relates to the college vision of ensuring that young people are empowered to be as independent as possible.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have reviewed how they teach English and mathematics since the previous inspection. Tutors are skilled in planning teaching and learning strategies and activities for students on both non-qualification and qualification English and mathematics programmes. Tutors use real-life examples, such as using a first-aid box, to develop students’ skills in addition, subtraction and multiplication as Monitoring visit: Langdon College, 8 and 9 February 2023 the students check the contents of the first-aid box. As a result, students develop their English and mathematics effectively and, where appropriate, achieve qualifications at a pace and level that meets their individual needs.

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Reasonable progress

Students receive useful careers advice and guidance throughout their programme from college staff and independent careers organisations. Leaders and managers rightly recognise that careers advice and guidance are not always sufficiently personalised to plan for students’ next steps. Job coaches are currently receiving level 3 training in careers guidance to further improve careers advice and guidance. It is too soon to see the impact of this.

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Reasonable progress

Staff support students effectively to learn the skills they need for adult life. Tutors plan their teaching based on the accurate identification of students’ starting points. They use a variety of approaches to support students to develop the skills that will help them in their next steps after leaving college, for example in supported living, employment or volunteering. As a result, staff place students on the correct pathway programmes to meet their needs, interests and potential.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors sequence learning to ensure that students can make incremental progress. For example, tutors set individual targets for students so that they can achieve the learning outcomes defined in their education, health and care plans. Students consolidate their learning and gradually build on their knowledge and skills throughout their time at college.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and tutors know their students well. They monitor students’ progress and achievements via a new electronic system. This system is yet to be fully implemented. In a few instances, targets set by tutors for students and feedback given to students lack the detail to sufficiently evidence progress. Monitoring visit: Langdon College, 8 and 9 February 2023

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Reasonable progress

Staff have a respectful and positive attitude towards students. They clearly and calmly explain activities to students to ensure that they understand the instructions they have been given. Students understand staff expectations and know what is happening ‘now’ and what will happen ‘next’.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors and learning support assistants know their students well. They skilfully use strategies that challenge students and enable them to participate fully in their learning. For example, tutors and learning support assistants use negotiation strategies to support students who are feeling anxious. This enables students to maintain self-control and interact appropriately with their peers.

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Reasonable progress

In most instances, students benefit from effective levels of support. Consequently, students are able to build on their skills for independence. However, in a very few instances, staff do not challenge students to be as independent as they are able.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, governance of the college has improved. Governors are now fully involved in the life of the college. Governors rightly recognise that at the previous inspection, they did not have a good enough understanding of the curriculums and relied too heavily on leaders and managers for information. They now have a clear and detailed understanding of the four pathway programmes and the progression that students can make in an individual pathway or between pathways. New governors, with experience of working with students with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have been recruited to complement the skills of the existing governing body. Governors’ expertise, alongside detailed reports from leaders and managers, enables them to stringently hold leaders and managers to account for their actions. Monitoring visit: Langdon College, 8 and 9 February 2023 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young

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Reasonable progress

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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