Camphill Wakefield (Pennine Camphill Community Ltd)

Further education and skills inspection report

p.1

Inspection of Camphill Wakefield (Pennine Camphill Community Limited)

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Provision for learners with high needs Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

p.1

Information about this provider

Camphill Wakefield is an independent specialist college in Wakefield that provides further education and training for learners with high needs aged between 16 and 25. It offers residential and day provision, with most learners attending the college as day learners. At the time of the inspection, there were 67 learners enrolled on one of three pathways designed to prepare them for adulthood, called ‘achieve’, ‘explore’ and ‘experience’. 5 to 7 July 2023

p.1

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

Learners benefit from a calm, caring and therapeutic learning environment. Tutors work closely with specialists, such as speech and language therapists, to provide valuable support to learners. This helps learners to overcome their anxieties and worries.

p.2

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

Learners enjoy their time at college. Most attend well and arrive on time for their lessons. Where attendance falls below expectation, staff implement procedures to support learners back into learning. Staff make timely contact with parents and careers, and they engage in home visits if required.

p.2

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

Learners are taught how to manage their emotions, which helps them to behave well. Staff successfully promote and reinforce positive behaviour and conduct. The therapy team has implemented training for staff in supporting positive behaviour, which ensures that staff are more aware of the triggers and causes of challenging behaviours. Staff use a range of strategies and interventions effectively, which has led to a marked reduction in behavioural incidents for those learners with more complex needs.

p.2

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

Learners make appropriate progress in developing their independent living skills, which supports greater confidence and independence in their everyday lives. They learn how to use kitchen equipment to cook basic meals for themselves, and they use money calculations when completing shopping tasks. Learners on the explore pathway make drinks and snacks for themselves and their peers. Other learners develop their road safety skills to ensure that they are safe venturing out into the local community.

p.2

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

Too many learners do not participate in high-quality, meaningful work experience to enable them to develop the skills and behaviours they need to progress to employment. The few learners who do attend suitable work placements benefit from activities that develop their employability skills well. They develop their communication skills and improve their confidence and resilience.

p.2

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

Learners feel safe and are well supported by tutors at the college. They know to report any concerns they have to staff, and they are confident that staff will take appropriate action to address any issues. Managers, teachers and staff know their learners well and swiftly intervene to provide reassurance about personal anxieties. This ensures that learners are safe and calm.

p.2

better?

Leaders and managers have a clear vision for their provision: to build confidence, develop independence and support achievement for their learners. Since the last inspection, in March 2022, leaders have carefully reviewed the curriculum offer. They have worked closely with tutors to develop three distinct pathways for 5 to 7 July 2023

p.2

3

learning and to increase the number of opportunities that learners have to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to progress successfully into adulthood. Leaders rightly recognise that they still have more to do to improve outcomes for learners, including ensuring that learners achieve the targets in their education, health and care (EHC) plans in a timely manner.

p.3

3

Leaders and managers have identified and implemented a number of measures to improve the quality of education they provide to learners. These include providing support and guidance to staff to improve their teaching practice. However, the impact of these actions has not yet been sufficient. In too many instances, tutors do not routinely tailor the curriculum and delivery to meet the needs and abilities of all learners. Many learners who are capable of higher standards of work and greater independence are not supported well enough to work more quickly, and a few learners carry out activities which cover content that they already know and can do.

p.3

3

Leaders and managers have established high-quality learning environments, including a farm, stables, a wood-based craft centre and textiles and pottery studios. They make positive use of their outdoor facilities. The craft-based classrooms have the appropriate tools and equipment for learning. Interactive whiteboards are available for teaching, and classrooms are bright and visually pleasing.

p.3

3

Leaders and managers provide useful and supportive training to help staff to develop their teaching skills further. They have appointed staff who are very new to teaching and support them to achieve teaching qualifications. Staff complete all mandatory training at the start of employment. All staff are currently working towards level 3 qualifications in safeguarding, administration of medication, and moving and handling. As a result, they are successfully enhancing the knowledge and skills they need to enable them to support learners even more effectively.

p.3

3

In too many instances, tutors do not check learners’ understanding of topics or adjust their teaching sufficiently to support learners to develop their knowledge. As a result, too many learners do not make as rapid progress as they could. Where teaching is more helpful, learners follow step-by-step instruction and demonstrations. For example, learners in pottery lessons on the explore pathway understand how to use a roller to add decorative patterns to the plates and jugs that they have produced.

p.3

3

Tutors help learners to develop their reading, writing and mathematical skills. For example, learners calculate the number of craft items, the equipment needed, materials costs, markup profit and sale value needed for an enterprise project and then record this on self-reflection sheets. This helps them to develop the essential and transferable skills they will need at work. Learners’ writing skills progress through their training, from completing basic gapped handouts to constructing simple sentences and paragraphs. The development of these skills helps learners to have greater independence in their everyday lives. 5 to 7 July 2023

p.3

4

Leaders use an external provider to deliver career guidance. However, due to the timetabling of career sessions, a few learners have not had the opportunity to meet with an adviser. For learners who do benefit from a careers meeting, these meetings take place too late in their time at Camphill, which results in staff not having enough time to work with learners sufficiently in relation to next steps. Leaders have recognised this and are in the process of training a staff member to provide bespoke and personal career advice and guidance to all learners.

p.4

4

Staff enhance learners’ understanding of key citizenship themes, including British values, equality and diversity. Learners develop a more informed understanding of life in modern Britain and can apply the values they learn about to their daily lives. They treat everyone with respect, including those from other faiths and those who are members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Learners have an emerging understanding of the dangers of radicalisation and understand that extremist groups, for example, use the internet to target vulnerable people.

p.4

4

Leaders and managers have improved their oversight of the management of the two subcontractors that provide opportunities for learners to work with horses while taking additional qualifications in horse riding and to participate in theatre-related activities. They have recently taken proactive measures to monitor the progress that learners make in provision delivered by subcontractors, intervening where necessary. However, it is too early to see the impact of these actions.

p.4

4

Trustees are committed to supporting Camphill Wakefield to improve the quality of care and education provided to learners. They receive information about the progress that learners are making, which enables them to challenge leaders. They meet frequently to discuss the quality of provision and undertake visits and learning walks to sessions. As a result, trustees now have a better understanding of the college’s provision and are able to scrutinise information provided to them to assess the impact of actions taken by leaders to tackle weaknesses.

p.4

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have established a culture of safeguarding that is woven through all aspects of both education and residential life. Staff now report safeguarding concerns swiftly, using a well-constructed system that reports all incidents, including low-level concerns about learner behaviour and safeguarding concerns. These concerns are then followed up quickly by safeguarding team members, who direct concerns to external agencies as appropriate. Staff respond appropriately to emerging safeguarding risks when learners become anxious.

p.4

Safeguarding

Learners have an informed understanding of how to stay safe when using the internet. They understand the importance of not sharing personal information with people who they meet online. They know never to arrange to meet anybody they meet online or send them photographs if requested to, including explicit ones. They understand that there are risks associated with online banking and know the signs 5 to 7 July 2023

p.4

5

to look out for to check that a website is genuine and secure. For example, learners know to check the ‘padlock’ logo in the address bar before completing purchases.

p.5

What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that all tutors consistently check learners’ understanding of topics before moving on and adjust their teaching where necessary.  Ensure that learners achieve their targets based on their EHC plans in a timely manner.  Provide learners throughout their time at Camphill with high-quality careers advice and guidance to support them in achieving their aspirations and to transition positively to the next stages of their development when they leave the provider.  Ensure that learners have access to meaningful work placement opportunities appropriate to their future aspirations. 5 to 7 July 2023

p.5

Provider details

Address Wood Lane Chapelthorpe Wakefield WF4 3JL

p.6

Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent James Heaton-Jennings

p.6

Provider details

Provider type Independent specialist college

p.6

Provider details

Date of previous inspection 29 to 31 March 2022

p.6

Main subcontractors

Stride Theatre Group Riding for the Disabled 5 to 7 July 2023

p.6

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of school, 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.

p.7

Inspection team

Hayley Lomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Neil Clark Ofsted Inspector Tracey Mace-Akroyd Ofsted Inspector 5 to 7 July 2023

p.7

8

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.

p.8

8

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

8

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

8

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

8

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8