Lifeworks College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 27 to 29 November 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Lifeworks College is an independent specialist college in Dartington, Devon. It is part of a group managed by Lifeworks Charity Limited. The college offers courses for students who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. At the time of the inspection, there were 25 students aged between 16 and 24 studying at the college. Most students have moderate or severe learning difficulties, including speech, language and communication difficulties, autism and social and emotional difficulties. All students have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. 27 to 29 November 2024

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

Students learn in welcoming and nurturing environments where staff foster very positive relationships. Staff know their students’ individual needs well. Tutors and job coaches provide effective support in lessons and work placements so that students can achieve their goals. Staff support students effectively to learn personalised self-regulation strategies so that they demonstrate the behaviours expected in the workplace.

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

Students develop very positive attitudes to learning and work placements. They are supported by their tutors to increase their independence and to interact professionally with others. For example, they are keen to greet staff and visitors and to discuss their interests. Most students are highly motivated during lessons. They are ambitious to learn new skills and to move into employment in the future. Students attend their lessons and work placements and are punctual.

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

Students take part in a range of very well-designed activities that help them to develop their wider interests and talents. Staff help students relate these experiences to the curriculum. For example, students learn about the role of democracy in society by electing student council representatives and by visiting the Houses of Parliament.

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

Students feel safe. They know whom to go to if they have any concerns when they are at college, at their work placement or when they travel independently between these places. Students know how to stay safe online, such as when using social media. They learn helpful mnemonics about how to respond if they see anything that they know is wrong or unfair to other people, such as ‘stop-block-report’.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have successfully tackled the weaknesses identified. They have ensured that students study a well-designed curriculum at the right level for their individual starting points. For example, students now study courses that prepare them well for independent living or with the skills they need to move into sustained paid or voluntary employment. Because of this, students make good progress and learn the skills they need for adulthood.

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better?

Tutors implement helpful training plans so that their students build on what they already know and can do. Students value their training because they use their newly learned knowledge, skills and behaviours when attending work placements. For example, students studying a supported internship course can apply the communication skills they develop at college to their job roles in a café or commercial kitchen.

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better?

Leaders have put in place a range of therapies to meet most individual students’ needs. Therapists provide students with helpful strategies to develop their physical and social skills. For example, staff use sound therapy to support students with 27 to 29 November 2024

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social, emotional and mental health difficulties to self-regulate. However, at the time of the inspection, leaders had not secured the speech and language therapy that is needed by their students.

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Tutors use effective questioning in lessons. They work closely with support staff so that students are able to practise answering using the strategies identified in their EHC plans. This means that students learn to expand their answers and explain what they mean more thoroughly. However, in a few cases, teaching activities are too complex, which results in a few students being too passive in lessons because they are not able to answer the questions asked or participate in the tasks set by the teacher.

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Tutors provide helpful feedback to students. They ensure that students know their strengths and where they can improve the work that they have produced. Most tutors use teaching activities that enable students to make swift progress. For example, tutors provide students with useful written tasks that link directly to errors they had made previously so that they can practise and quickly improve their work.

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Leaders have introduced very useful careers advice and guidance activities for their students. Tutors and job coaches work collaboratively with impartial careers specialist staff, parents and carers, and employers so that their students gain exposure to the options available to them in order to make well-informed decisions. Staff help students to develop attainable long-term plans for employment that interests them.

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Trustees provide insightful governance. Trustees and leaders work together to create a shared strategic vision for the college, resulting in a positive change to the curriculum. For example, students now study ambitious courses that provide them with the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to move on to a course at the next level, such as a supported internship. Trustees hold leaders to account for the quality of education through a well-established curriculum and quality committee. Trustees accompany leaders for quality assurance activities and visit student-led events so that they have a well-rounded understanding of the provision.

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Leaders have improved the quality of education so that most students now achieve their qualifications, whereas previously, too few students did. The new leadership team has put in place useful professional development for staff so that most teaching is of a high quality. At the time of the inspection, it was too early to judge whether these changes were secure and that they resulted in most students moving into employment opportunities that were right for them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 to 29 November 2024

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Put in place all therapies that are identified in students’ EHC plans.  Ensure that the improvements that leaders have made result in improved achievement and progression to positive destinations. 27 to 29 November 2024

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Provider details

Address Lescaze Shinners Bridge Dartington Totnes Devon TQ9 6JD

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Karen Dorow

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Provider details

Provider type Independent specialist college

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Provider details

Dates of previous inspection 18 to 20 October 2022 27 to 29 November 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of college, 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

Matt Hann, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Hannah Staddon Ofsted Inspector Tina Pagett His Majesty’s Inspector 27 to 29 November 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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