Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College

Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Jane Hughes, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 February 2024

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Type of provider: General further education college

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Address: Gliddon Road Barons Court London W14 9BL Monitoring visit: Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, 26 and 27 February 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College was inspected in January 2023. 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

Since the previous inspection leaders have closed the Park Royal Campus and all construction courses are now taught at the Southall Community College. The college continues to provide a wide range of courses for young people, adult learners, apprentices and learners with special educational needs. A very large majority of learners study English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and mangers have acted swiftly to put in place highly effective professional development for teachers. They have developed a comprehensive range of resources to help teachers improve their practice. For example, they have recruited experienced teaching and learning improvement managers, revamped the course planning process, built in weekly training time for teachers and supported them to research, and share their knowledge of, effective practice. Leaders have prioritised well enhancing the digital teaching skills of teachers. Teachers are enthusiastic about the changes and appreciate the chance to develop their professional practice.

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Significant progress

Teachers have high expectations of their learners and apprentices. They teach a mostly challenging curriculum. Teachers use a range of effective teaching strategies to help learners build on their knowledge and remember their learning. They use frequent questions to evaluate learners’ recall and retrieval of previously taught foundation information. Monitoring visit: Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, 26 and 27 February 2024 In most areas, teachers give learners highly effective support to prepare them for their final assessments. For example, in English and mathematics, teachers give learners frequent mock test papers, regular homework and past examination questions. In ESOL classes, learners use role play effectively to practise their speaking skills before their examinations. In apprenticeships, teachers include short tests throughout the apprenticeship to help apprentices familiarise themselves with

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Significant progress

the types of questions to expect in their final assessments.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, the proportion of learners who remain on their course has improved and is high. The achievement rate of adult learners and those on ESOL courses has improved markedly and is also high. The proportion of learners who achieve a grade four or better in their English and mathematics GCSE retakes is high. Leaders recognise that while there has been a slight increase in the proportion of young learners who achieve their learning goals and in the proportion of apprentices who achieve merits and distinctions, they need to improve this further.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have taken highly effective action to minimise the negative impact that staff shortages and absences have on learners’ time at the college. They have significantly reduced the number of vacant teaching posts through effective staff recruitment. Consequently, there is much less reliance on agency staff to cover teaching.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have put in place effective contingency plans to cover teaching when necessary. For example, on many courses there are two teachers who teach the subject. This means that managers can put in place swift arrangements to cover unexpected staff absences.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers make sure that in curriculum areas where staff shortages have previously had a negative impact on learners, such as in sport and construction, they have worked effectively and quickly to make improvements. On the rare occasion that a class is cancelled, learners access a range of online teaching activities in the learning centre. Learners report that in the main, teachers are rarely off sick, and their courses run smoothly and without disruption. Monitoring visit: Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, 26 and 27 February 2024

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers give teachers and assessors targeted support and training on how to improve the feedback they give to learners and apprentices. This includes specific training on formative assessment practices, learner self-reflection and how to facilitate learners giving feedback to each other effectively. This has helped the large majority of teachers and assessors to improve the quality of their feedback. Consequently, learners and apprentices improve their work. They produce work to the required standard.

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Significant progress

Teachers who teach ESOL courses skilfully encourage learners to check and correct each other’s work. In information technology and digital courses, teachers use good questioning techniques to help learners identify their errors. They then direct learners well to make the necessary improvements. In practical lessons, such as in plumbing and carpentry, teachers give learners clear verbal feedback. This helps learners and apprentices understand quickly what they can do better and how to meet industry expectations.

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Significant progress

The majority of teachers and assessors give learners and apprentices detailed and helpful written feedback on their assignments. This helps learners and apprentices understand what they need to do to gain higher marks. Teachers frequently identify where learners need to improve their grammar, particularly on ESOL courses. However, in a small minority of instances in English and mathematics, teachers do not always mark learners’ work often enough or identify errors correctly.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, managers have increased the frequency of progress reviews for apprentices. They have improved the communication with apprentices’ line managers. Employers state that they are more involved in their apprentices’ reviews. They receive useful feedback on their apprentices’ progress.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and staff ensure that the majority of learners and apprentices receive effective careers advice and guidance. Young learners enjoy one-to-one sessions with their tutors to discuss their future aspirations and the steps they need to take to achieve these. They have frequent contact with a range of employers, such as from the construction industry. This helps to inform them of the various job Monitoring visit: Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, 26 and 27 February 2024 roles available on completion of their courses. Apprentices complete a helpful ‘right choice’ interview at the start of their apprenticeship. This ensures that they are clear about the career pathways related to their apprenticeship. Learners with SEND benefit from a thorough discussion and future action planning with an external careers partner. Adult learners on ESOL courses understand very well how to progress to higher level and vocational courses.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers include information about the dangers associated with extremism and radicalisation successfully in their tutorials and in discussions with learners and apprentices. As a result, most learners and apprentices speak clearly about how to spot the signs of potential radicalisation when they are online. They recall well their knowledge about the dangers associated with various extremist groups.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have broadened the personal development curriculum for learners on education programmes for young people. Teachers teach about a range of topics outside of learners’ vocational subjects, such as on equality and diversity, healthy relationships and mental health. This helps learners develop their knowledge and understanding in these areas.

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Reasonable progress

There are a range of enrichment activities, including sports, film and debating clubs available to learners. A few learners enjoy external trips and visits. However, most of these activities are accessed by young learners on full-time courses. Leaders recognise the need to broaden the personal development curriculum for adult learners and apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have focused sufficiently on improving learners’ and apprentices’ attendance. Since the previous inspection they have introduced a range of measures to encourage learners to attend lessons regularly. This includes a free breakfast across the three campuses for young learners. They have introduced a reward system for learners and apprentices with high attendance.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers set high expectations with learners and apprentices about attendance. They quickly report when learners and apprentices miss sessions, including to apprentices’ employers. Most learners and apprentices understand the importance of informing their teachers if they cannot attend their lessons. The majority of learners and apprentices do this.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and teachers monitor closely those learners and apprentices who miss lessons frequently. They take appropriate action, such as offering support to learners who struggle with mental health, or disciplinary action where necessary. There has been an improvement in the overall attendance rates of learners and apprentices Monitoring visit: Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, 26 and 27 February 2024 across the college. Learners have high attendance in a range of courses, including ESOL, foundation learning, hair, and beauty. However, learners’ and apprentices’ attendance at courses such as construction, health and social care, science, English and mathematics is not high enough. Monitoring visit: Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, 26 and 27 February 2024 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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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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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