Capel Manor College

Capel Manor College Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Saher Nijabat, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Specialist further education college

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Address:

Bullsmoor Lane Enfield EN1 4RQ Monitoring visit: Capel Manor College, 17 and 18 April 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Capel Manor College was inspected in May 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

At the time of the monitoring visit, the college had 2,232 learners across five campuses in London. There were 779 learners aged 16 to 18, and 1,389 adult learners on full-time or part-time study programmes and other vocational courses. The college had 209 apprentices. There were 206 learners in receipt of high needs funding. The college had 836 learners and apprentices with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have taken effective action to improve the quality of teaching and training across the provision. They rigorously check the quality of teaching through timely classroom visits and frequent observations, and provide helpful feedback to teachers and assessors. Teaching staff attend relevant training and, where needed, receive additional support from quality practitioners. They feel supported and improve their teaching practice.

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Reasonable progress

Most students and apprentices make expected progress in their studies. Staff regularly review a range of information to track students’ and apprentices’ progress, and provide timely support to those whose progress is at risk. Overall achievement has improved across the college. However, it is not high enough in apprenticeships.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have carefully reviewed and revised their curriculum plans and made changes in response to employers’ needs. In level 3 animal management, leaders have introduced an additional unit on estate skills to further equip students with useful workplace skills such as using power tools, erecting fences and doing repairs. Monitoring visit: Capel Manor College, 17 and 18 April 2024 Leaders have rightly increased the frequency and number of face-to-face sessions they teach. In most lessons, teaching staff skilfully use a range of beneficial teaching and assessment methods to teach and check students’ knowledge and understanding. However, in a minority of lessons, teachers do not use questioning effectively to ensure all students understand.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers and assessors give students and apprentices helpful and detailed developmental feedback on their work. They point out exactly what students need to do to improve it. In practical sessions, teachers and trainers provide prompt feedback to students on how to complete tasks accurately and correct them on the spot. Students and apprentices produce work of a good standard.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers and assessors suitably challenge and guide students to achieve highly. They provide clear assignment briefs, set extension tasks in lessons and discuss what students need to do to achieve a merit or distinction. For example, in animal management, teachers encourage students to gather more detailed data on changes in animal behaviour for analysis to gain a distinction.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have high aspirations for their students and apprentices. They have moved from functional skills qualifications to GCSE English and mathematics to ensure that students develop a wider academic understanding of different topics essential for success in the careers they want to pursue.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that students and apprentices have access to suitable support to prepare for English and mathematics examinations. Students attend GCSE intervention sessions and additional revision classes near to examinations. Staff hold mock examinations under real exam conditions. Students and apprentices feel well prepared for their examinations.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have implemented a well-planned schedule of assessment activities effectively to prepare students well for their examinations in these qualifications. In most lessons, teachers skilfully use recall and recap activities to enable students to practise what they have been taught. Teachers use appropriate resources, including past papers, activity sheets and workbooks to help support learning.

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Reasonable progress

In apprenticeships, staff teach weekly in-person lessons on functional skills in English and mathematics. They set suitable practice tasks for apprentices to complete based on specific gaps in their knowledge. However, leaders introduced these sessions recently and they have not had an impact on apprentices’ achievements of qualifications on their first attempt, which remains low. Monitoring visit: Capel Manor College, 17 and 18 April 2024 Teachers and assessors support students and apprentices effectively to develop their English and mathematics skills across different subjects. For example, animal management students analyse data to draw comparisons, and learn how to calculate averages when taking the temperature or pulse of an animal. Dog grooming students work out costings for different services.

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Reasonable progress

Teaching staff routinely conduct spelling quizzes, and give students opportunities to practise their writing and presentation skills. Through these opportunities, students enhance their communication skills and English proficiency.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have successfully implemented a comprehensive SEND strategy, suitably focused on the professional development of teaching and support staff. Leaders work closely with SEND experts to train staff on a wide range of relevant topics. Teaching staff attend weekly training sessions and have access to helpful online learning resources and guidance on different needs. They value these opportunities to improve their knowledge of different SEND needs and teaching strategies specific to them. They feel confident and suitably supported to teach students and apprentices with SEND and high needs.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers and assessors use information from students’ EHC plans effectively to plan teaching. In lessons, teaching and support staff use suitable strategies to support learners, so that they make good progress. For example, staff provide clear explanations, repeat instructions, and give helpful templates for learners to follow. Teachers and assessors break complex information competently into small chunks and allow students more time to complete tasks. Students also use noise cancellers, sit at the front of the room, and listen to music to help them focus and learn better. Consequently, students with SEND and high needs make good progress and achieve well.

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Reasonable progress

Staff monitor students’ progress well against their EHC plan outcomes. Teachers and assessors work closely with support staff, such as learning support assistants, mentors, counsellors and SEND specialists. They meet routinely to discuss students’ progress against their targets and their needs. They put the right interventions in place to get any students who are falling behind back on track. A high proportion of students with SEND and high needs stay on their courses and go on to higher-level education and training opportunities. Monitoring visit: Capel Manor College, 17 and 18 April 2024

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Reasonable progress

Governors and senior leaders place a high priority on students’ and apprentices’ attendance. They have taken appropriate action to rectify the issues identified at the previous inspection and improved attendance across the provision. They have redesigned the attendance policy, placing greater responsibility for attendance on all staff. They regularly monitor attendance in different meetings at all levels and through the attendance working group.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers and assessors reiterate the importance of attending well and closely monitor students’ progress using clear targets for high attendance. Students understand well the consequences of missing lessons. Staff follow up on absences swiftly and contact parents and carers quickly via texts. Where attendance does not improve, staff hold meetings with parents and carers.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have recruited additional staff, including an attendance monitor for GCSE English and mathematics, to follow up on absences promptly. In response to a rise in absences related to mental health issues, leaders have trained many staff as mental health first aiders to support students with these issues. Students who struggle financially receive general hardship bursaries and financial assistance with travel and food.

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Reasonable progress

Staff further promote good attendance through initiatives like trips, certificates of achievement and celebration parties for those with high attendance. Students have a free breakfast on all campuses. Overall attendance has improved across the college. For example, apprentices and learners with high needs have high attendance. However, too many students on GCSE English and mathematics do not attend well.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that those who miss lessons receive effective and timely support to catch up with missed learning. Students have one-to-one tutorials with teachers, can access lesson content and learning resources online, and staff share work via email and on Teams. Consequently, those who miss learning are able to catch up and make expected progress. Monitoring visit: Capel Manor College, 17 and 18 April 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 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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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