Salisbury Sixth Form College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Short inspection of Swindon Borough Council

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Outcome

Swindon Borough Council continues to be a good provider.

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Information about this provider

Swindon Borough Council provides short part-time adult learning courses at community venues across the borough. It offers non-accredited courses in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and courses leading to qualifications in English and mathematics, mostly at entry level and level 1. The council also provides courses designed to improve well-being and employment prospects.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, around 330 adult learners were studying subjects. Around half of learners were studying a non-accredited course in ESOL. Leaders work with one subcontractor, which provides courses for disadvantaged adults in Swindon.

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

Learners, including those studying at the subcontractor, are well supported by tutors. Tutors develop positive relationships with their learners. They know them well, including the personal challenges that they face in engaging in educational opportunities. Tutors provide useful support so learners’ needs are met and they keep pace with their peers. For example, tutors provide additional lessons for their learners to catch up if they are absent.

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

Learners feel safe and enjoy their studies. They demonstrate positive attitudes in lessons and are committed to completing their courses. Tutors create welcoming and caring learning environments. This contributes towards learners building their confidence and being able to do more in society. For example, learners on an ESOL course improve their communication skills and become more independent in completing their daily tasks.

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better?

Managers are ambitious for their learners. They use their knowledge of local training 6 and 7 February 2025

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needs effectively to select suitable courses, including those provided by the subcontractor. They have developed a curriculum offer that is inclusive and designed well to widen participation in education. Managers ensure their courses meet the learning needs of socially and economically disadvantaged adults in the borough of Swindon. They work very closely with charitable organisations, such as Swindon Women’s Aid and the Nelson Trust, to provide bespoke courses that engage adults in a positive mindset and improve their well-being.

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Managers recruit well-qualified tutors who are specialists in the content of the courses that they teach. For example, tutors teaching employability skills-related courses have a relevant degree and are experienced tutors. Managers ensure that tutors complete useful training in topics such as safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. However, they are only in the early stages of providing tutors with professional development opportunities that help them to improve their teaching skills.

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Tutors plan and sequence the topics that they teach well. For example, tutors teaching an employability skills-related course begin by identifying the skills that learners require to achieve sustainable employment before providing guidance and support on job application processes. This personalised support that tutors provide helps learners to achieve their individual learning goals.

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Tutors use effective assessment methods in lessons, such as questioning. For example, tutors teaching a well-being-related course use questioning to recap content that learners had previously covered and to correct learners’ misconceptions. Tutors effectively support learners in developing their English and mathematics skills. For example, tutors teaching ESOL support learners to build a basic vocabulary of terms they may use when attending a medical appointment. Tutors helpfully relate tasks designed to improve learners’ mathematics skills to weekly budgeting.

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Managers have put in place appropriate support for learners with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure these learners receive useful assistance in their lessons and support to achieve their qualifications or personal learning goals. Because of this, managers have ensured that learners with SEND mostly achieve in line with their peers.

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Most tutors use effective teaching strategies. They use helpful explanations in lessons. This helps ensure learners develop the new knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to improve their lives. However, on a few courses, learners do not consistently make significant progress in developing their skills from their identified starting points.

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Most learners complete their course successfully or achieve their qualification. They produce high-quality work as a result of the teaching they receive. For example, learners studying employability skills-related courses achieve their learning goals such as being able to produce a professional CV. Managers and tutors signpost learners to further training opportunities at the end of their course. 6 and 7 February 2025

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Governance arrangements are effective. Governors are very passionate and knowledgeable about the training needs of disadvantaged adults. Managers frequently provide governors with useful information, such as learner achievement data, so that governors can hold managers to account for the impact of their actions. Managers accurately identify weaker areas of the curriculum to governors and put useful plans in place to deal with these. For example, at the time of the inspection, managers were beginning to establish more substantial careers information and guidance to help more adults move on to a positive destination.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Put in place training opportunities for tutors to develop their teaching skills.  Provide more challenging courses. 6 and 7 February 2025

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Provider details

Address 4th floor Wat Tyler House West Beckhampton Street Swindon

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Rachel Loxston

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 11 to 13 March 2020

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Madanu 6 and 7 February 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since Swindon Borough Council was judged to be good in March 2020.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the adult community learning 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

Matt Hann, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Alun Maddocks Ofsted Inspector Steve Battersby His Majesty’s Inspector 6 and 7 February 2025

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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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