ROC College (part of United Response)

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of ROC College (part of United Response)

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Inspection dates: 12 to 14 February 2025

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

ROC College (part of United Response) is an independent learning provider and teaches learners at regional hubs located in Truro in Cornwall and Totnes, Torbay and Exeter in Devon. ROC College provides education and training to young people with high needs including those who have not attended education for some time or have significant barriers to taking part in education and training.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, 115 learners were studying personalised programmes which combine non-accredited learning and qualification units at entry level and levels 1 and 2 in a variety of vocational areas. These include customer services, animal care and art and design. There were 73 learners studying qualifications in English and mathematics at entry level and levels 1 and 2. Learners follow study pathways towards further education, employment or independent living skills. 12 to 14 February 2025

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

Learners enjoy studying at ROC College. They value the support they receive from pastoral coaches who help them to manage their mental health and wellbeing.

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

Learners grow in confidence by participating in work-related activities such as caring for animals at a farm and preparing food and serving customers in cafés.

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

Learners participate in wider activities which help them to gain additional skills, improve their confidence and remain motivated to attend college. For example, learners study topics such as computer coding, virtual tractor driving and beekeeping.

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

Tutors ensure that learners know how to keep themselves safe from the risks of radicalisation. Learners are very aware of online threats. They are knowledgeable about fake news and know how to protect their personal information and how to block people on social media to prevent themselves from harassment and fraud.

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

Learners’ attendance at college is too low. Leaders rightly recognise this. Pastoral coaches are implementing sensible interventions such as, collecting learners from their homes and transitioning learners gradually from part-time to full time attendance.

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better?

Tutors do not assess well enough what learners know and can do. This means that tutors do not set realistic short-term targets for learners to achieve. They do not check learners’ understanding of key concepts well enough so that they can set new targets for learners to deepen their knowledge and develop their skills. Tutors do not ensure that they routinely correct errors in written work so that learners know how to improve the standards of their written English.

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better?

Tutors know their learners well. They take good account of learners’ interests which they use to plan personalised courses. Tutors assess learners’ starting points effectively and take particular care to put in place appropriate support to meet learners’ needs including their mental health. They introduce learners to lessons and their work experience locations gradually so that learners can build relationships and feel safe in these settings.

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better?

Tutors arrange effective work placements so that learners gain vocational skills and learn workplace behaviours such as timekeeping, teamwork and communication skills. Learners gain in confidence by being given responsibilities in the workplace such as, food preparation, serving customers in cafés and undertaking a wide range of hospitality tasks to support delegates at a conference facility.

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better?

Job coaches ensure that learners receive good-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance that helps them to plan their next steps. Job 12 to 14 February 2025

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coaches work closely with learners to ensure that they develop important skills such as how to write an appropriate CV and job applications.

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Leaders rightly recognise that too few learners complete and achieve the qualifications they study. Less than half of those learners who enrolled onto vocational units of study achieved these by the end of their course. Only a small proportion of learners who study English and mathematics achieve their qualification. Leaders have taken sensible actions to better monitor and manage the progress that learners make and because of this an increasing proportion of learners now complete their vocational units. However, it is still too early to see the full impact of leaders’ actions.

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Leaders are proud that the large majority of learners who complete their programme of study gain a positive destination. Most of these learners gain paid employment, progress to courses at a specialist or general further education college or to live independently.

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Leaders have mostly appropriate quality assurance processes in place. They support staff to achieve teaching qualifications where these are required and ensure tutors receive ongoing training and development in topics such as how to prepare lessons and how to work with new learners. However, leaders’ assessment of the quality of teaching largely focuses on assessment and administrative compliance. They do not evaluate well enough the effectiveness of teaching and as a result do not put actions in place to make improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Take action to improve learners’ attendance at college.  Improve the feedback that tutors provide to learners on their written work in including about errors in the use of English.  Improve tutors’ assessment of what learners know and can do in lessons and how this is used to set targets.  Improve the accuracy of leaders’ evaluation of the quality of teaching in order to make improvements.  Continue to improve the monitoring of learners’ progress so that more learners are retained and achieve their qualifications. 12 to 14 February 2025

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Provider details

Address The Boatshed Unit C Steamer Quay Road Totnes Devon TQ9 5AL

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Belinda Phipps

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Provider details

Provider type Independent Specialist College

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 12–14 June 2019

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 12 to 14 February 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the Headteacher, 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

Cliff Shaw, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector Hannah Hancock Ofsted Inspector Esther Williams Ofsted Inspector 12 to 14 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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