City College Peterborough

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Education programmes for young people Requires improvement Adult learning programmes Good Provision for learners with high needs Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Peterborough City Council provides education and training across the city of Peterborough and beyond through City College Peterborough (CCP). At the time of inspection, there were 889 adult learners on a range of courses. These courses include accredited courses, study programmes for young people, provision for learners with high needs and community learning. Most learners are aged 19 or older except for 161 learners on study programmes, a few young people on English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and 117 learners with high needs. CCP provide approximately half of the local ESOL provision.

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Information about this provider

CPP works with five subcontractors to provide functional skills English and mathematics and employment skills within the community. 6 to 9 June 2023

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

Learners value their learning at CCP. In most instances, they gain considerable benefits from their courses. These include removing learners’ sense of social isolation, enabling them to settle into new communities and regaining a purpose in their lives. Learners benefit from a curriculum that for many is life changing.

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

Learners with high needs develop their independent living skills. They experience shopping and visiting coffee shops on their own for the first time. Through personalised targets, learners understand and develop the appropriate behaviours they need to secure employment. Learners improve their confidence and communications skills substantially.

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

Adult learners studying ESOL are highly motivated to improve their skills. They understand their studies will help them to communicate more effectively, find employment and take the next step towards their career goals. Learners take pride in their achievements. They are keen to play an active part as responsible British citizens. However, too few benefit from sufficient opportunity to extend their learning beyond the course they are studying.

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

Young learners on study programmes value being treated as adults. They benefit from a broad curriculum that prepares them appropriately for their next steps. Most progress into further study, university, employment or apprenticeships. Learners know how to stay healthy. They understand drug and alcohol misuse and where to go for help if needed. Learners have a good understanding of healthy relationships. They know about sexual health including consent and contraception. Yet too few learners enjoy enough opportunities to develop their vocational work-related skills.

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

Learners value studying in a harmonious environment. They enjoy learning with peers from a wide range of different backgrounds and cultures. Learners feel safe. They know who they can talk to should they have any concerns. However, adult learners do not always have a sound understanding of how to keep themselves safe from local risks.

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better?

Leaders and managers have contributed extensively to developing a curriculum across the city and beyond for learners on the margins of education and training. Courses provide good opportunities into the next stages of learners’ lives and well- being. Leaders have a good understanding of learners’ needs and aspirations. Leaders communicate this highly effectively to staff at every level. Leaders and managers make good use of subcontractors to offer learning opportunities within the community. This ensures that adults who would not consider traditional routes into learning have good opportunity to improve their skills. As a result, learners effectively improve their chances of gaining sustainable long-term employment. Senior leaders take an active role in contributing to key stakeholder forums. 6 to 9 June 2023

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However, employers have limited involvement in determining course content or the sequencing of the curriculum.

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Managers and tutors plan the curriculum, so that learning is sequential and meaningful to learners. Most tutors present information clearly and logically, so that learners understand the basic concepts. Learners then use their new skills and knowledge to carry out more complex tasks confidently. In motor vehicle, learners first develop their understanding of health and safety and safe working practices. They then progress on to increasingly more technical and complex skills, such as vehicle inspections. Learners can identify faults and are able to competently repair them. In ESOL, tutors present new learning clearly in logical steps, so that learners progressively develop their skills. Tutors make good use of learner discussions of the meaning of words when revising lexis and grammar. In health and social care, learners understand descriptions and definitions of equality and diversity. They then progress on to understanding equalities legislation, enabling them to identify and

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Learners produce work that is of an appropriate standard for the course that they are on. In creative industries, learners produce work that is of a higher standard than that expected by the qualification. In subcontracted provision, learners produce work in English, mathematics and information, communications and technology that is of a good standard and shows improvement over time. However, tutors do not ensure that learners on ESOL and study programmes, complete their course work in a timely manner. As a result, they remain in learning substantially beyond the time planned.

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On adult programmes, tutors assess learners’ skills effectively at the start of the course. Tutors of learners with high needs use this knowledge effectively to inform their teaching and assessment of learning. In ESOL, highly effective specialist tutors carefully analyse learners’ skills in the four different aspects of ESOL before placing them on the most appropriate course.

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Most tutors use assessment strategies very effectively to check learning. As a result, learners have a good understanding of previous topics and have retained prior learning. In English lessons, tutors use detailed questioning highly effectively to help learners understand the difference between formal and informal language.

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Most tutors are suitably qualified, and many are skilful teachers. They use a good range of useful strategies to help learners understand different concepts. In adult social care, the tutor expertly enabled learners to understand the importance of securely storing confidential information. The tutor showed how you cannot restore information by squeezing sauce out of a packet.

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Learners benefit from good one-to-one help. Teaching assistants and technicians work collaboratively with tutors to enable learners to make good progress in lessons. Managers coordinate specialist help for learners with high needs very effectively. Staff knowledge of learners is detailed. As a result, staff plan and implement the most effective steps to enable learners to meet their personal aims. However, 6 to 9 June 2023

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managers do not provide inexperienced tutors with high needs specific guidance. As a result, tutors are not aware of the most appropriate teaching methods to use for learners with difficulties, such as autism spectrum disorder or Asperger syndrome.

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Learners feel valued because tutors create a calm learning environment. Tutors build good relationships with learners. Tutors promote fundamental British values in an appropriate and culturally relevant way. They create an inclusive culture in lessons and around college campuses. Tutors show patience and respect to learners in lessons. As a result, learners model these behaviours and treat their peers respectfully. Learners show tolerance to differences in age, culture, and disability. Learners enjoy their time at college and enjoy learning new topics.

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Learners receive effective ongoing, impartial and beneficial careers advice and guidance from their tutors. This helps learners to gradually develop their understanding of their possible next steps. Tutors work closely with the college’s specialist information, advice and guidance services. Tutors often invite advisers to attend learner progress reviews and next step discussions.

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Learners develop a secure knowledge of their subject and a broad range of useful skills. Most are highly motivated by their new knowledge and aspire to learn more. In therapeutic counselling, learners progress from levels 2 to 4 to be qualified to work with clients. From level 2, learners’ interpersonal skills, paraphrasing, and writing, develop securely, so that at level 4 they can communicate with their own clients at a professional level. Learners with high needs enjoy growing vegetables in the greenhouse. This enables them to be better able to understand and follow instructions.

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Leaders do not yet make effective use of data to evaluate the impact of their actions on improving the quality of education and training and learners' outcomes. Leaders and managers have an effective understanding of the areas for improvement. They have put in place a wide range of measures to bring about the improvements they seek. However, these actions are not sufficiently established and have had limited measurable impact.

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Leaders and managers do not have sufficiently high aspirations for learners’ attendance. Consequently, too few learners have high attendance or complete their course in the time planned. In ESOL, low attendance contributes notably to the extended waiting times many new learners experience before they commence their courses.

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Those in a governance role are appropriately qualified. They demonstrate effective scrutiny of leaders’ actions in matters of corporate governance, financial health, and the learners’ experience at CCP. Governors do not have effective mechanisms to challenge leaders’ oversight of the quality of education and training and/or its subsequent impact on learners. 6 to 9 June 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have established an inclusive, safe and caring community of learning. Staff are appropriately trained. They are knowledgeable and quick to identify and refer on learners who are at risk of harm.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a highly effective system to identify and personalise help for those young learners most at risk of serious harm. As a result, many learners are reducing their incidences of crisis. This ensures that more of these most vulnerable learners remain on their course and succeed.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Use a range of data to analyse and evaluate the impact of leaders’ actions on the curriculum and learners’ progress.  Learners’ attendance in lessons, so that learners attend frequently and complete their learning in a timely manner.  Provide enough opportunities for young learners to develop their vocational work- related skills.  Provide sufficient opportunities for adult learners to extend their learning beyond the course they are studying. Enable them to have a secure understanding of local risks. 6 to 9 June 2023

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Provider details

Address City College Peterborough Brook Street PE1 1TU

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Provider details

Website www.citycollegepeterborough.ac.uk

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Provider details

Provider type Community learning and skills local authority.

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection February 2017

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Longhurst Group Limited The Froglife Trust Cross Keys Homes Limited CP Learning Trust Groundwork East 6 to 9 June 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the Principal JMC & Day Opportunities, 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

Jules Steele, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector Lynda Brown His Majesty's Inspector Claire Griffin Ofsted Inspector Catherine Gunn Ofsted Inspector Alan Winchcombe Ofsted Inspector Jo Swindells Ofsted Inspector Stuart Collett His Majesty's Inspector 6 to 9 June 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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