Cambian Wing College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good 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

Cambian Wing College, part of The CareTech Group, is an independent specialist college based in Bournemouth, Dorset. The college provides full-time courses from entry level 3 to level 3 for young people aged between 16 and 25 with high needs. Students study personalised courses that include GCSE, A-level and vocational qualifications.

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Information about this provider

All students have a primary diagnosis of autism. At the time of the inspection, 27 students were studying at the college. Of these, 10 were day students, while 17 were living in residential accommodation provided by the college.

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Information about this provider

Seven of the students also attend one of two subcontracted local colleges. They study A levels in biology and chemistry, or vocational qualifications in media, sport, digital, and in travel and tourism. 25 to 27 March 2025

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

Students enjoy learning in a welcoming and friendly environment where they feel safe to be themselves. They feel a sense of belonging because staff take great care in getting to know them. Students are respectful of and polite to others. They demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning.

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

Students learn the behaviours they need for future training or employment. Staff use creative learning activities to support students gradually to develop their character and build their confidence. For example, students develop the behaviours they need for constructive discussions and debates by taking part in cooking challenges. Staff have implemented effective cues to help students be punctual to lessons. However, a few students do not attend their lessons well enough.

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

Students study a very comprehensive personal development curriculum that helps them to learn about topics such as healthy relationships and fundamental British values. Staff contextualise these topics very well so that they are meaningful for their students. For example, students learn about democracy in society by attending a guest talk provided by the local Member of Parliament and visiting the Houses of Parliament.

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

Students receive highly effective career information and guidance about their next steps. Specialist staff provide highly personalised support to students to achieve their future education or employment goals and greater independence in their lives. For example, all students have tailored and achievable targets that are well informed by their career discussions with staff. They attend informative events, such as university open events, career fairs and a weekly lesson with an employment coach.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have made the necessary improvements to provide a high-quality curriculum. They have ensured that students now study well- designed courses that meet their interests and career goals. For example, students study courses that prepare them well to study a course at a higher level at a different college or at a university with appropriately reduced support. Because of this, students make good progress and develop the independence they need for their future lives.

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better?

Teachers use their knowledge of students’ individual starting points effectively in order to plan their teaching activities. For example, they implement appropriate lesson challenges and support using students’ education, health and care (EHC) plans well. Because of this, students progress well towards meeting their agreed targets for improvement.

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better?

Leaders have implemented therapeutic support to meet their students’ needs. Therapists work very closely with teachers, so students receive highly individualised support. For example, teachers help students reframe their thoughts when 25 to 27 March 2025

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experiencing difficulties to remain calm and focused. This support helps students to recognise and self-regulate their emotions. Because of this, students meet the social, emotional and mental health targets identified in their EHC plans and become more independent.

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Teachers and support staff support their students effectively. They help students use assistive technology and tools in lessons. For example, they encourage students to use tools to assist them with their writing skills, such as pen grips, and their research skills, such as text-to-speech software on their tablet computers. This helps students complete the tasks that teachers set in lessons and produce high-quality work.

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Teachers are ambitious for their students. They use their specialist subject knowledge well in lessons. For example, in mathematics, they guide their students to solve new problems using circle theorems. However, in a few cases, students have misconceptions about what they have learned, and teachers do not check and correct these well enough. On a few occasions, staff miss opportunities to apply learning to the digital world they are preparing their students for.

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Staff effectively support students in developing the skills and behaviours they need to gain employment. For example, students complete food hygiene qualifications and barista training before providing a service at the college coffee shop. Students highly value the specialist support they receive from an employment coach and complete qualifications related to work preparation. They are well prepared to participate in well-planned internal and external work experiences, including at local employers, which are appropriate to their stage of learning.

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Directors use their extensive experience in education to hold leaders to account. Directors and leaders work closely together to make positive changes to the curriculum. For example, they have focused significantly on improving teaching and learning. Teachers are now well qualified and receive well-planned professional development activities contextualised towards meeting their students’ needs. This has resulted in a much-improved learning experience for their students since the previous inspection.

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Leaders ensure that most students achieve their qualifications and increase their independence to reach a positive destination. For example, students who complete and achieve their A-level qualifications move on to a course at their chosen university. Students who complete their vocational, English and/or mathematics qualifications move on to a course at a higher level at their chosen college with reduced support needs. Leaders have set up effective transition arrangements with their subcontracted local colleges so that students transition successfully and stay on their chosen course. 25 to 27 March 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Check for student misconceptions in lessons more effectively.  Relate learning experiences to the digital world students are preparing for.  Increase student attendance. 25 to 27 March 2025

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Provider details

Address 126 Richmond Park Road Bournemouth Dorset BH8 8TH

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Provider details

Website www.cambiangroup.com/specialist- education/our-colleges/cambian-wing- college

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Cassandra Pollitt

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Provider details

Provider type Independent specialist college

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Provider details

Dates of previous inspection 8 to 10 June 2022

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Brockenhurst College The Bournemouth and Poole College 25 to 27 March 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the principal, 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 Hannah Hancock Ofsted Inspector 25 to 27 March 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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