Learning for Life

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Provision for learners with high needs Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Learning for Life is an independent specialist college with sites in Consett and Newcastle upon Tyne. It provides further education and training for learners with high needs, including autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Learners attend lessons in a range of subjects, including English, mathematics, healthy eating and food preparation and digital skills. Many learners at the college have complex and challenging needs and behaviours. At the time of the inspection, there were 24 learners enrolled, all aged between 16 and 25 years. 14 to 16 May 2025

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

Learners with significant anxiety thrive in the small and nurturing setting. Leaders and teachers create a welcoming, purposeful and calm environment for learners. Learners appreciate the spacious classrooms that are well equipped for learning. Teachers play music to help learners to concentrate while they complete learning activities. Learners are relaxed and focused and are always ready to learn.

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

Learners value the lessons that they attend and the opportunity to develop important skills such as communicating with others, making choices and working as a team. They become more confident and mature during their time at college. Learners become increasingly independent, both at college and in the community, and many show improved resilience to setbacks.

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

Learners demonstrate excellent behaviours. They are clear about the behaviours expected of them by staff. Leaders, teaching assistants and most teachers are relentless in setting high expectations for learners. They emphasise classroom rules, which include being kind, listening, trying hard and not bullying or swearing. Teachers implement effective strategies for learners who need to improve their behaviour. For example, learners who display challenging behaviour benefit from de- escalation strategies and a timetable enabling them to learn in the community rather than the classroom while their behaviour improves.

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

Learners feel safe both in the classroom and in the community. Teachers and teaching assistants provide valuable support to learners, which helps them to feel safe. Learners know how to stay safe in the community, including being aware of road safety, and know what to do in the event of an emergency.

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better?

Leaders have a clear purpose for the provision they offer to learners, which is to equip them with the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to progress to adulthood. They provide three appropriate curriculum pathways to support learners with a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities to work towards the outcomes identified in their education, health and care plans. Leaders and managers are passionate about improving the life chances of learners with high needs by helping them to live as rich and purposeful a life as possible.

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better?

Leaders work successfully with local authorities to plan the provision in response to local and regional need. They provide a small and supportive environment that is appropriate for learners, in particular those with anxiety. Leaders recently introduced an employability pathway in response to the local and national priorities to support more learners with high needs into employment.

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better?

Teachers and teaching assistants implement successful strategies to support learners to focus on learning. They work well together and know learners’ strengths and barriers to learning. Teachers and teaching assistants provide a planned daily 14 to 16 May 2025

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routine, a pictorial daily schedule, known seating arrangements and opportunities for breaks from learning. Learners settle quickly into their studies and remain focused.

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Most teachers use a wide range of teaching methods well to teach learners. They plan appropriate learning activities to enable learners to work towards their individual targets, use real-life scenarios and use strategies to reduce support gradually over time. This helps learners to develop their knowledge and skills progressively. However, in a very few instances, teachers do not have a clear purpose for the learning activities they use with learners.

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Teachers plan and deliver the curriculum in a logical order, which helps learners to understand the information provided. For example, English teachers teach learners to recognise letters of the alphabet before moving on to phonics. Learners gradually learn to read words and sentences which increase in complexity. They read frequently, which allows them to practise and reinforce their skills.

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Teachers provide effective aids to support learners with communication difficulties. They provide voice buttons to enable learners to answer questions and make choices and provide symbols to help learners understand text. This enables learners to access lessons alongside their peers.

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Teachers provide age-appropriate learning resources, such as handouts, dictionaries and tablets. However, in too many instances, they provide reading books that are not age appropriate. Consequently, too many learners do not read books that include adult topics and themes.

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In most instances, teachers use a range of assessment methods well to check learners’ understanding during lessons. They observe learners completing tasks and use questioning well. Where teachers identify gaps in learning, they go over topics again and set new learning activities to help learners understand.

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Learners make good progress towards their individual targets. They learn to identify shop signs and numbers on buses, how to stand safely on train platforms and how to speak to unfamiliar people. A high proportion of learners achieve their targets.

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Too few learners achieve functional skills English and mathematics qualifications. Leaders recognise this issue and have identified that, for many learners, examination-based qualifications are not appropriate. They have recently introduced portfolio-assessed English and mathematics qualifications, and early indications show that learners are making good progress. However, it is too soon to see the full impact.

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Teachers provide learners with a comprehensive personal development curriculum which helps them to develop the knowledge they need to live as part of society. They focus well on fundamental British values in community activities. Teachers teach learners to be polite and respectful. As a result, learners demonstrate respect towards others. Teachers sensitively teach learners about sex education, healthy relationships and the meaning of consent. 14 to 16 May 2025

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Learners receive appropriate support to explore future career options. They use this information well to plan their next steps. Transition officers arrange career interviews and organise visits to employers and careers fairs. They provide information on destinations other than employment, including independent supported living and progression to adult social care.

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Staff organise valuable internal and external work placements for learners to enable them to develop the skills and behaviours they need for work. Many learners attend work placements that are suited to their long-term aspirations and personal interests. However, leaders recognise the need to increase links with employers to expand the range of work placements for learners.

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Leaders implement effective governance arrangements through the board of trustees. Board members include external members with significant expertise in provision for learners with high needs. This enables them to ask probing questions and to provide valuable scrutiny and challenge. Leaders and trustees have effective oversight of the quality of the provision and the progress that learners make.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Review the reading books provided to learners to ensure they are all age appropriate.  Increase links with employers to expand the range of work placements for learners.  Take action to increase the proportion of learners who achieve English and mathematics qualifications. 14 to 16 May 2025

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Provider details

Address Herbert Street Consett County Durham DH8 6AE

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Marie Matthewson

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Provider details

Provider type Independent specialist college

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 14 to 16 May 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the principal and head of services, 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

Jacquie Brown, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Joanne Keatley Ofsted Inspector 14 to 16 May 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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