New College Swindon

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Education programmes for young people Requires improvement Adult learning programmes Good Apprenticeships Good Provision for learners with high needs Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

New College Swindon is a general further education college in Swindon, Wiltshire. Leaders provide education courses for young people, adult learners, apprentices and learners with high needs at the college’s two campuses, North Star and Queens Drive. The college also has a dedicated adult learning centre in Swindon town centre.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were around 3500 learners aged between 16 and 18 years. Around half of these learners study full time courses at level 3, a quarter study at level 2 and a quarter study entry and level 1 courses. Around one fifth of young learners study A levels. Three hundred and twenty-six study T levels in subjects, such as health, administration and management, finance and education. There were 246 learners with high needs, of whom 64 were studying a foundation pathway. Around half of all young learners continue to study English and mathematics qualifications as part of their studies.

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Information about this provider

There were around 3400 adult learners. Almost all adult learners study part-time vocational courses or online courses, mostly in education and healthcare. A few study full-time courses alongside young people on A-level and vocational courses. Around one third study with a subcontractor. Adult learners study subjects, such as 18 to 21 March 2025

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English, mathematics, business administration, online courses in digital marketing and short courses in health and education.

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There were 616 apprentices. They study courses at levels 2 to 6, the majority in construction and engineering related fields. Around two fifths of all apprentices are aged 16 to 18.

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The college works with eight subcontractors, mostly providing adult learning courses in subjects, such as healthcare and transport. 18 to 21 March 2025

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

Learners and apprentices enjoy their education and training. Most attend their lessons punctually. Staff are positive role models and demonstrate professional behaviours that learners and apprentices follow. Staff create welcoming, calm and purposeful learning environments, where learners and apprentices focus on their studies effectively. Learners and apprentices are enthusiastic about their learning.

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

Staff know their learners and apprentices well and provide effective support for them, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teachers are trained to tailor their approach to support learners with individual needs. For example, they introduce new topics using individualised prompts and question starters, so that all learners and apprentices can participate well in lessons.

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

Teachers mostly use their industry expertise skilfully to bring the subjects they teach to life. For example, teachers of T-level health use their current and previous experience of professional practice to share up to date sector knowledge and prepare learners effectively for their industry placements. Art teachers help learners to develop versatility in their work, so that they can respond to traditional and conventional graphic design commissions alongside more innovative design opportunities.

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

Most learners and apprentices develop the knowledge and practical skills needed for their next steps. However, not enough learners on academic courses achieve their target grades, particularly in A-level courses, where too few learners make sufficient progress from their recorded starting points.

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

Teachers ensure that learners with high needs develop independence in their learning through carefully sequenced lessons and activities. However, leaders do not provide learners with high needs on foundation courses with a sufficiently broad curriculum so that they develop an awareness of the world of work. Leaders do not work closely enough with employers to provide learners with high needs with meaningful work experience, so that they can practise, reflect on and develop employability skills, such as communication and teamwork. Because of this, too few learners with high needs move on to employment and supported internships.

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

Teachers focus carefully on well-being and support to develop learners’ and apprentices’ confidence and resilience. For example, staff teaching the entry level and level 1 career start courses use positive praise and constructive feedback to help learners understand their strengths and areas for development. This contributes to learners’ development of independent learning skills as they reflect on what they can do to improve their work and their understanding of key topics.

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

Adult learners value the range of courses they can choose to study, both online and in person. Leaders work closely with a variety of stakeholders to create opportunities for learners to develop valuable knowledge and skills that are required in the region. For example, managers work with Job Centre Plus and the NHS to co-design a range 18 to 21 March 2025

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of employability pathways in construction, warehousing and the care sector to support adult learners into employment in these priority sectors.

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Apprentices develop valuable new practical skills and knowledge that prepare them effectively for their future careers and quickly brings benefits to their employers. They enjoy their studies and take pride in the work they produce. Apprentices treat each other with respect and are well supported by their assessors and teaching staff. For example, level 3 plumbing apprentices learn how to solder and bend pipes at an early stage of their apprenticeship and are quickly able to practise and use these skills in their workplaces. Most apprentices who start the apprenticeship remain on their courses and most stay with their employers on completion of their apprenticeship, gaining promotions and extra responsibilities.

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Learners and apprentices feel safe, both at college and in the workplace. They value the emphasis that staff place on wearing lanyards in college, and the use of electronic key cards, as this helps them to know that only authorised personnel are on site and allowed access to buildings.

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Contribution to meeting skills needs

The college makes a reasonable contribution to meeting skills needs.

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Contribution to meeting skills needs

Since the previous inspection, leaders and governors are now playing an increasingly active and influential role in meeting Swindon’s and north Wiltshire’s skills needs. Leaders have forged effective working relationships with Swindon-based employers, schools, council leaders and community groups, which these partners value highly. Leaders have played a key role in securing substantial capital projects, such as the electric vehicle training centre. The college is the lead partner in the Swindon and Wiltshire Institute of Technology that is specifically designed to provide higher technical qualifications, apprenticeships and degree-level courses in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects.

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Contribution to meeting skills needs

Leaders have worked closely with Wiltshire College to create the Swindon and Wiltshire Innovative Care Hub, focused on learners’ skills development in health, care and life sciences. For example, Hub staff are providing training for the local workforce using virtual reality and a full simulation ward installed at the Queens Drive campus. Senior leaders are board and advisory group members of Business West Chamber, the local Employer Representative Body, and Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce. Staff provide Chamber members with well-informed market intelligence about current business trends and technologies.

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Contribution to meeting skills needs

College staff engage with most employers and stakeholders successfully to understand regional skills needs, and most courses are being tailored well to meet those needs. For example, Great Western Hospital leaders have a very close working relationship with college staff, providing training and work placements for the college’s health and nursing T-level students. Teachers have worked with the local NHS Trust to develop a new route for prospective midwifery learners from Swindon. College and council staff’s collaboration with local headteachers and childcare teams 18 to 21 March 2025

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has started to improve the recruitment and retention of staff in the town’s early years provision.

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better?

Leaders, managers and governors have taken appropriate actions to make improvements based on the recommendations of the previous inspection. These are having a positive impact in adult learning courses and apprenticeships, but the impact is yet to be fully realised in courses for younger learners and those with high needs. Leaders are improving the professional development they provide to teachers, and this is beginning to have a positive impact. For example, for the most part, teachers now frequently recap previously taught content, and this helps learners and apprentices to consolidate and build new knowledge and improve their skills. Teachers of adults on health-related courses use contemporary cultural references to help learners gain a deeper understanding of important topics, such as the impact of diabetes.

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better?

The actions leaders are taking to improve the quality of teaching are not effective in all courses. Leaders do not have the information they need to know what progress young learners and learners with high needs make on their courses, particularly A- level courses. Too often, teachers do not explain new concepts clearly enough so that learners have a secure understanding of the topics taught.

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better?

Managers and teachers do not consistently use assessment well enough to check what young learners and those with high needs know and can do. Teachers do not monitor young learners’ progress sufficiently well to identify and intervene effectively to support learners who make slow progress and make sure they learn what they need. Too few young learners are supported to gain knowledge they have previously missed, and they make insufficient progress throughout their courses. For example, teachers do not use assessments of what learners know and can do to understand the gaps in learners’ knowledge, and to teach content that helps bridge that gap.

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better?

Leaders do not ensure that curriculums are appropriately ambitious for learners with high needs. Teachers do not ensure that the statutory outcomes stated on learners’ education, health and care plans are taught sufficiently well to meet the individual needs of learners. They have recently introduced a new framework to record and recognise learners’ progress towards developing their independence that helps learners to take pride in their achievements.

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better?

Too few young learners complete high-quality work placements. Instead, leaders direct them to an external website where they undertake virtual work experience activities that are of limited value. The learners who do undertake work experience placements gain valuable experience of how to work as a professional in the subject they are studying. For example, level 3 art students participate in an open studio project for the Swindon area. They create art products for sale and learn about how to receive payment and how to market their art to gain a better understanding of future self-employment in the creative industries. 18 to 21 March 2025

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Staff plan suitable tutorials to teach young learners important topics, such as keeping themselves physically and mentally well, the dangers of extremism and radicalisation, sustainability and personal finance. However, not enough learners attend the sessions, and too few retain the information they have been taught. Staff give apprentices access to online personal development tutorials that cover the same topics as their peers studying full time courses. However, staff do not routinely check whether apprentices complete the training or check their understanding. Too many apprentices have only a superficial understanding of the content.

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Leaders and teachers ensure that most learners receive useful careers information and guidance to prepare for their next steps. Most teachers incorporate good careers advice in the courses they teach to provide learners with a good knowledge of career options in their industry. In apprenticeships and some courses for young learners, teachers do not sufficiently inform learners and apprentices about their career options or the steps they need to take to achieve their goals.

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Teachers plan their courses in a logical order that helps learners and apprentices to develop new knowledge and skills. For example, A-level chemistry learners study covalent bonding before advancing to alkenes with double bonds followed by polymers. Adult learners studying business administration short courses first learn to develop positive customer care behaviours before moving on to principles of assertiveness, motivation and team working.

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Leaders rightly recognised that too many apprentices did not complete their apprenticeship. Leaders have taken effective action to improve this. They now scrutinise more closely the progress apprentices make and take swift action to intervene if apprentices fall behind. Most apprentices now attend their training sessions and most pass their final assessments.

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Leaders have effective mechanisms for reviewing the quality of the subcontractors they work with. They have a clear rationale to use subcontractors to meet specific local skills needs and to support adults who are disadvantaged. Leaders use subcontractors to provide short courses in understanding autism, understanding climate change, mental health first aid and working in transport and logistics. Leaders support subcontractors well to safeguard learners and develop their teaching practice. Adult learners gain new knowledge and skills relevant to their interests and most achieve their intended outcomes.

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Governors have a wealth of experience and knowledge of further and higher education, which they use well to provide appropriate oversight based on the information provided to them by leaders. However, governors do not receive the information they need to challenge leaders on the quality of education because leaders do not analyse information well enough before they provide it to governors. They place too much emphasis on recognition of improvements with limited evaluation or analysis of learners’ and apprentices’ progress and achievements. 18 to 21 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?

 Increase the proportion of young learners who achieve their qualifications and the proportion who achieve their target grades.  Increase the proportion of young learners and learners with high needs who take part in high-quality work experience placements, so that those who plan to move into employment are suitably prepared.  Monitor the progress that young learners make closely and intervene swiftly where progress slows.  Provide useful and effective careers information advice and guidance for all learners and apprentices.  Provide useful, pertinent and accurate information to governors so that they can challenge and support senior leaders more effectively. 18 to 21 March 2025

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Provider details

Address New College Drive Swindon Wiltshire SN3 1AH

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Leah Palmer

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Provider details

Provider type General further education college

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 24 to 27 January 2023

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Main subcontractors

Key Performance The Big Act Training with Pride Value Group Training Services Yuzu Training Skills Network Wimbledon Experience 18 to 21 March 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the deputy 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

Sarah Alexander, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Lowenna Bradley His Majesty’s Inspector Jojo Kingsbury-Elia Ofsted Inspector Alex Howarth Ofsted Inspector Deborah Summers Ofsted Inspector Daisy Agathine-Louise Ofsted Inspector Cliff Shaw His Majesty’s Inspector Gemma Burgess Ofsted Inspector Michael Tambling Ofsted Inspector Christine Lacey Ofsted Inspector Steve Battersby His Majesty’s Inspector Karen Morris Ofsted Inspector Nick Crombie His Majesty’s Inspector Pino Butler Ofsted Inspector Maria Woodger Ofsted Inspector Martin Ward His Majesty’s Inspector 18 to 21 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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