St Martins Centre (St Roses School)

Further education and skills inspection report

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Short inspection of St Martins Centre (St Roses School)

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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Outcome

St Martins Centre (St Roses School) continues to be a good provider.

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Information about this provider

St Martin’s Centre is an independent specialist college of further education for young people aged 19 to 25 with physical and learning disabilities. The college is co- located with St Roses special school and forms part of St Rose’s comprising a nursery, special school, sixth form and college. The students at St Martin’s Centre have a range of learning difficulties from severe to profound and most have complex medical needs. At the time of the inspection, 20 students were working towards a study programme aimed at preparing them for adulthood. Students study English, mathematics, personal social and health education, work-related learning and enrichment. Therapeutic input supports students to access the curriculum. Five students access fortnightly residential and a further four access regular short breaks at the Centre. At the previous full inspection in December 2016, the college was graded as good.

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

Students are supported well to access the curriculum. They enjoy being at college and learn from a wide range of experiences. As such, students develop confidence and resilience that prepares them well to transition from college to the next phase in their lives.

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

Students develop substantial skills and behaviours that prepare them well for accessing their communities. They are supported well to advocate for themselves. However, in a few cases, teaching and learning do not provide students with sufficient challenge to enable them to make the progress of which they are capable.

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

Students participate in a wide range of enrichment activities relevant to their needs and interests. These experiences develop students’ communication skills, confidence and prepare them well for living in their local communities. 24 and 25 January 2023

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Students significantly benefit from access to a wide range of therapies as part of their curriculum. The team of therapists work alongside teachers and support staff to provide strategies, so that students can take part fully in the curriculum.

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Learners feel safe and enjoy their time at college.

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Students do not yet benefit from sufficient careers advice and guidance to inform their curriculum and transition plans. There are limited opportunities for students to access realistic work-related learning or supported work experience to fully explore their vocational interests.

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better?

Leaders have developed a coherent curriculum that is broadly structured to prepare students well for adulthood. However, where students transition through the phases within St Roses and ultimately to St Martin’s at aged 19, they have limited opportunities to explore the wider world. Consequently, a minority of students do not learn the skills to support greater resilience to change.

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better?

Leaders have invested in a specialist therapy team to support students to fully access the curriculum. Therapists conduct rigorous assessments to ensure students benefit from accessing a wide range of assistive technologies and strategies to advocate for themselves. For example, students experiencing considerable pain are supported through physiotherapy and massage to improve their comfort to enable them to fully engage with learning.

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better?

Leaders have successfully implemented a whole-college approach to positive behaviour. Staff are well informed about students’ known behaviours, how to recognise antecedents and prevent behaviours escalating. Consequently, students are supported effectively to modify extreme behaviours to provide greater choice for transitioning to care destinations.

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better?

Teachers and therapists work collaboratively to understand students’ starting points well. They develop individual curriculums to meet student’s education, health and care plan planned outcomes. Where teachers have interpreted and understood this well, students gain new knowledge and skills that prepare them well for life after college. However, staff have not yet ensured that the study programme entitlement of work-related learning and work experiences are embedded in the curriculum for all learners. As a result, a significant majority of learners do not explore areas of interest that they could engage with when they leave college.

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better?

Teachers develop the curriculum to enable students to increase their confidence and communication skills to work as independently as possible and advocate for themselves. Teachers know their students well and are focused fully on understanding their likes and needs. However, the pace of some teaching is too 24 and 25 January 2023

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slow, and activities lack purpose and challenge. As a result, a few students wait too long to access learning activities.

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Teachers promote equality and diversity effectively. Students demonstrate respect for each other in sessions and are accepting of those that are different from them. They understand democracy, fairness and decision-making. Staff used impactful examples, such as not wearing a coat in cold weather, to develop students’ understanding of the consequences of their own actions. Students engaged in lively debate and discussion about health and fairness when staff offered sweets to all but one learner.

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Experienced governors support and challenge managers effectively. Governors visit the college regularly and have link roles related to their areas of expertise. Governors recognise the need to secure expertise in further education and skills to effectively challenge the experience and progress of students.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding leads are appropriately trained. Students spoken with on inspection could articulate how to report concerns about their welfare and safety in college.

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Safeguarding

However, leaders and governors do not fully recognise the implications for safeguarding adult students working alongside children in the school building. They recognise the restrictions of the site and the necessity for children and young people to share facilities but do not adequately prioritise the potential risks.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Re-establish community and employer links to increase opportunities for students to participate in work-related learning, including supported volunteering and work experience in the vocations that interest them.  Identify best practice and training for teaching and support staff to ensure learning activities are purposeful and challenging to meet the needs of all students.  Review risk assessments for shared areas and activities, where pupils from the school and college students come together. This is to reassure themselves that children and young people are safe from risks. 24 and 25 January 2023

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Provider details

Address Stratford Lawn Stroud Gloucestershire GL5 4AP

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Sheila Talwar

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Provider details

Provider type Independent Specialist College

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 6 to 8 December 2016

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 24 and 25 January 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since St Martins Centre (St Roses School) was judged to be good in December 2016.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the assistant vice principal 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

Tina Pagett, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector Alex Howarth Ofsted Inspector Alun Maddocks Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 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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