Barking and Dagenham College

Barking and Dagenham College Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Andrea McMahon, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2023

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Type of provider: General further education college

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Address: Dagenham Road Rush Green Romford Essex RM7 0XU Barking and Dagenham College, 18 and 19 October 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Barking and Dagenham College was inspected in October 2022. 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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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have taken swift and effective action to improve the quality of the curriculum for learners with high needs and supported internship learners. They have recruited highly qualified and experienced management and teaching teams. Staff teach a curriculum that helps learners improve their communication skills, gain in confidence, and prepare for jobs or transition to mainstream education. As a result, a high proportion of learners stay on their courses and go on to higher-level education and training opportunities. Leaders and managers make sure that learners receive the right support and help they need to meet their education, health and care (EHC) plan outcomes. Learners benefit from highly specialist support from physiotherapists, speech and language practitioners, and welfare coordinators. Staff work closely together and meet routinely to discuss learners’ progress and their needs. As a result, most learners’

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Significant progress

needs are fully met. Teachers use information about what learners know at the start of their programmes very well to plan what they teach. They make suitable adjustments to their curriculums to meet learners’ individual needs effectively. For example, in consultation with the local authority, leaders created a pre-internship course to equip learners with the skills needed to undertake a supported internship work placement. Staff have very effective oversight of the progress that learners with high needs and those on supported internships make. They link learners’ individual targets accurately to their EHC plan outcomes. They put the right interventions in place quickly to get learners back on track if they fall behind. As a result, learners make expected progress. Barking and Dagenham College, 18 and 19 October 2023

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have not acted quickly and effectively enough to rectify the key weaknesses identified in apprenticeships at the previous inspection. They have made sensible changes to the staffing structure and responsibilities of staff. However, they have not made sure that most apprentices benefit from consistently high-quality progress reviews. A few employers remain frustrated by the disruption caused by staffing issues and communication. The proportion of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeships remains low. Leaders do not make sure that employers attend progress reviews as often as they should. This is a particular concern in electrotechnical, motor vehicle, rail technician and plastering apprenticeships. Tutors do not place sufficient focus in progress reviews on the knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices gain and how they apply these at work. In a few instances, employers do not know what apprentices

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Insufficient progress

study during their off-the-job training activities. Leaders have recently introduced a range of activities for apprentices who need to achieve English and mathematics qualifications. For example, apprentices can attend an intensive course, receive one-to-one support and access online resources. Apprentices who have recently started their apprenticeships know about these options and most have started learning. However, this is not consistent across the range of apprenticeships. The proportion of apprentices who pass their examinations in these subjects at the first attempt is low. Leaders and managers have reasonable oversight of the quality of teaching and learning that apprentices receive. Plumbing, electrotechnical and performance management operations apprentices benefit from clear instruction and effective questioning to check learning from their tutors. Leaders have introduced meetings to review the overall quality of apprenticeships and apprentices’ attendance. However,

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Insufficient progress

they do not have detailed and accurate enough data to check apprentices’ progress closely. As a result, leaders and managers do not have sufficient oversight of all elements of the apprenticeship provision. Barking and Dagenham College, 18 and 19 October 2023

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have focused very effectively on making improvements to the tutorial programme. They have designed a clearly structured curriculum that focuses on learners’ personal, moral, social and cultural development. Teachers check learners’ understanding of these topics through useful questions and discussions in class. Learners and teachers value highly the improved curriculum. Leaders and managers have developed an extensive and varied programme of enrichment activities for most learners. This is particularly good for learners with high needs and special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, leaders have not planned the enrichment programme for apprentices to develop their wider interests and talents as well. Although apprentices attend job-related events such as skills shows and university fayres, they do not take part in the wider programme of activities available to them. Leaders and managers have improved most learners’ understanding of the risks

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Significant progress

associated with radicalisation and extremism. Staff teach learners how to spot the potential signs of individuals becoming radicalised. Learners identify readily who they can speak to both at the college and externally if they have any concerns. Study programme learners benefit from a high-quality programme of careers advice and guidance. Most learners and apprentices are well informed about the options available to them when they complete their courses. They are ambitious to progress onto higher-level apprenticeships and university.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have quickly and effectively redesigned their professional development programme for teachers. They have introduced a wide and interesting range of initiatives to incentivise and enthuse teachers, including those who teach at their subcontractors. Teachers value the opportunities and time that managers give them to improve their teaching skills. Leaders and managers have a detailed understanding of the quality of teaching. They have introduced a range of measures to track and support teachers’ performance. For example, they observe teaching and, where necessary, they provide teachers with good support to improve their practice. Through termly Barking and Dagenham College, 18 and 19 October 2023 curriculum performance reviews, leaders identify areas of concern and act swiftly to rectify them. Leaders have introduced a new teaching, learning and assessment framework to

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Significant progress

support improvements in quality and consistency. Teachers use clear explanations, check students’ understanding routinely and use well-presented resources to help students learn. As a result, most learners achieve their planned outcomes in comparison to the previous inspection. Leaders and managers are ambitious in their approaches to teachers’ development. They have implemented a broad range of resources for teachers to develop their teaching and subject-specific expertise. Teachers receive good support to complete qualifications, gain advanced teacher status and access newly created teaching resources. Teachers highly value the opportunities they receive to develop themselves and are enthusiastic to learn new skills. Barking and Dagenham College, 18 and 19 October 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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Significant 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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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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

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