Homefield College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Outcome

Homefield College continues to be a good provider.

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Information about this provider

Leaders provide education and training to young adults aged 16 to 25 years with a wide range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This includes autism spectrum disorder, complex medical and physical health needs and visual impairment. All students have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Students mostly attend one of two main sites in Mountsorrel or Nuneaton. They undertake work experience in several community locations, a café and a salon.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 157 students who mostly study one of three pathways. Pathway 1 is for students with complex communication and sensory needs. Pathway 2 is for students who want to live more independently, attend day services or gain voluntary or paid work. Pathway 3 is for students aiming to progress to further education or into employment. A small number of students complete supported internships. Leaders work with three subcontractors to offer specialist provision for 39 students.

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

Teaching, support and therapy staff, work together successfully to create a calm and productive learning environment. They know their students and their needs very well. As a result, students demonstrate positive behaviours and they value the caring and respectful environments that they learn in.

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

Leaders ensure that students complete valuable activities to develop their personal and life skills. For example, leaders secure reasonable adjustments to allow students to complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Around half of them gain at least a bronze award, an achievement they are rightly proud of. Where it is appropriate, students complete beneficial work placements and community activities that they enjoy.

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

Students learn helpful information about healthy relationships, how to keep themselves safe and well-being. Staff often re-visit these themes with students, so they remember them. Students feel safe at college and when they are on their 19 and 20 June 2024

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placements. They know who to talk to if they need any support and staff quickly provide this.

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better?

Leaders plan the curriculums they offer well. Each student’s course is appropriately adapted to meet their individual needs and EHC plan. Teachers select and sequence the content of the curriculums appropriately. For example, students on Pathway 2 first learn independent living skills and budgeting. They go on to develop the skills they need to undertake a work placement, which most successfully complete.

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better?

Teachers and support staff are suitably qualified and experienced to carry out their roles. They use appropriate teaching strategies to support learners with SEND. For example, tutors and support staff give students suitable amounts of processing time when completing tasks, answering questions, or making choices. This supports students to be able to participate in sessions well.

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better?

Most teachers suitably assess students’ understanding. They give feedback in various ways and this allows students to recognise their own learning. However, in too many instances, staff rely on informal conversations to set students’ future targets. As a result, the written targets are not always clear and it is hard for leaders to oversee student progress.

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better?

In the majority of cases, teachers embed English and mathematics into lessons effectively. They make good use of communication skills and expressive language to ensure students have a voice. However, in a few cases, teachers do not think carefully enough about how to contextualise mathematics. They use the same examples or scenarios that have no relationship to the lesson. This makes it hard for students to understand and grasp these concepts.

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better?

Most students make appropriate progress. They develop their knowledge and skills, achieve their personal goals and prepare for adulthood. Leaders make sure that students receive a good standard of advice and guidance about their futures. Most students have a progress or job coach, who successfully supports their transition into and out of college. Students attend useful transition fairs that help them, and their parents, make choices about their next steps.

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better?

Leaders have a strong focus on improving what they do. They complete an annual self-assessment that accurately identifies areas for improvement, which leaders mostly resolve. During the academic year, leaders complete a range of activities to monitor the quality of education. They have rightly identified that too many of their quality processes do not link together. This makes it hard for them to prioritise the most important actions for improvement. Leaders are in the process of changing their observation processes to help them make even more difference in the quality of teaching. It is too soon for inspectors to judge the impact these changes may have. 19 and 20 June 2024

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Trustees have the relevant backgrounds and experience they need to undertake their roles. They suitably challenge leaders on the progress they make with improvement and increase their scrutiny of any high-priority areas. This supports leaders to focus on the areas that will make the most difference to students. Trustees are very involved in college life. They frequently visit the college and join activities, such as ‘the daily mile’ that students and staff walk. This allows them to triangulate what leaders tell them effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that staff review and systematically set student targets, so that future targets are clear and students’ progress can be monitored fully.  Support teachers to contextualise mathematics in their sessions appropriately so students better develop their understanding of this subject.  Ensure that the revised quality and observation processes provide clear areas for development so that the quality of education continues to develop. 19 and 20 June 2024

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Provider details

Address 217 Loughborough Road Mountsorrel Leicestershire LE12 7AR

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Provider details

Website http://www.homefieldcollege.ac.uk

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Tracey Forman

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Provider details

Provider type Independent specialist college

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 29 and 30 June 2017

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Main subcontractors

Enstruct Training Ltd MACINTYRE CARE T.E.C.K Ltd 19 and 20 June 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the second short inspection carried out since Homefield College was judged to be good in June 2017.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the curriculum operations manager, 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

Emma Woods, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Karen Green Ofsted Inspector Angie Fisher Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 June 2024

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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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