Askham Bryan College

Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Askham Bryan College 1 Askham Bryan College Swaledale House, Askham Bryan College, Askham Bryan, York YO23 3FR Inspection of residential provision Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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residential accommodation

Askham Bryan College is a specialist land-based college with five centres across the north of England. The residential campus at York offers accommodation to 187 students aged 16 and 17 years, as well as those over 18 years of age. The residential service manager is an experienced warden. She has been in the manager’s role for several years and has a relevant leadership qualification.

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residential accommodation

The site covers more than 254 hectares and includes a wildlife and conservation park, equestrian centre, engineering workshops, farm and agri-tech centre. There is a range of student facilities, including a sports hall, student bar, gym, digital academy and a learning resource centre.

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residential accommodation

Students stay in one of several catered accommodation blocks. These are separated by age and gender and have ensuite or shared facilities.

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residential accommodation

The college offers further education and higher education courses. These include apprenticeships, diplomas and degree-level qualifications. Courses available include agriculture, animal management, arboriculture, countryside and the environment, engineering, equine studies, horticulture, motor sport and uniformed public services.

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residential accommodation

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision for students aged 16 to 17 years at this further education college.

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good

How well young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The college provides effective services that meet the requirements for good. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Askham Bryan College 2 Date of last inspection: 31 January 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Askham Bryan College 3

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

Students say that they feel safe in residence and that wardens support them as and when required. As a result, students are better prepared and focused on their respective studies. Indeed, the data held by the college shows that residential students’ learning outcomes exceed that of non-residential students.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

All residential students, including international students, receive a structured and well-considered induction into college. The residential service manager skilfully incorporates activities into the induction programme to promote bonding between students and wardens. This is important as, for many students, this will be their first experience of living away from their loved ones.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

In the main, wardens forge positive relationships and trust with students. One student said, ‘I don’t think I would be on track to pass my course if it was not for the support of the wardens.’ Another said, ‘They are always looking to make things better for us. We are away from family, and the wardens are like family to us.’

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

Collaboration between teaching staff and residence is effective to ensure that the students’ support needs are known and acted on. For example, when students have challenges with other students, the communication between teaching staff and wardens ensures that situations do not unnecessarily escalate. This collaborative approach better helps students to manage their relationships and assists in the students’ ability to independently solve problems.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

Students have access to a variety of social, educational and recreational opportunities. The well-being coordinator promotes inclusion and further opportunities for students to build friendships. Additionally, the drive and motivation from the ‘student experience leader’ have resulted in the college establishing a newly formed rugby team. Cumulatively, these initiatives give students a sense of belonging and pride in their college.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

The residential students’ opinions on the quality and variety of food are mixed. However, students do have access to several choices of meal options, including prepared vegetarian and healthy meals on site. Additionally, students have access to a stocked on-site shop, and wardens support the students to go supermarket shopping on a weekly basis. Furthermore, students have good cooking facilities in their accommodation area.

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Overall experiences and progress of young people: good

Structures that are in place for wardens to seek the students’ views are not consistently effective. Consequently, some students say that their grumbles or worries are unresolved from their perspective. This has left some students feeling frustrated and aggrieved as they are unaware of the college’s thoughts or actions on the significant issues that these students have raised. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Askham Bryan College 4

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

The residential service manager ensures that wardens have the necessary training, knowledge and awareness to identify signs of exploitation, as well as being receptive when students are feeling low. Additionally, the college has various safeguarding themed posters displayed in the students’ accommodation and throughout the college. The posters give students the opportunity to indirectly seek help through making effective use of technology.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

The college’s software systems alert wardens to any worrying digital activity that students may be engaged in. In these instances, the processes in college trigger staff to safeguard the student effectively. Such incidents are infrequent as the college has good systems in place to raise students’ awareness regarding the safe use of digital technology.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

The college’s designated safeguarding leads work effectively with external safeguarding professionals. This approach invites external objective analysis concerning the students’ welfare. In doing so, the college is better able to safeguard its students.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

Expectations around student conduct are clearly stated in the students’ accommodation handbook. When issues emerge with students, wardens work alongside the students’ parents to address undesirable behaviours proportionately and effectively. This has contributed to an empathetic and supportive culture becoming embedded in residence.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

The college understands the need to support its students to maintain positive mental health. Indeed, students have access to a well-being team that provides a multitude of student support services, such as counselling and well-being sessions. These services complement the support that students receive from the wardens in residence.

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How well young people are helped and protected: good

The college has further strengthened their recruitment practices. The college makes best efforts to verify all staff references, and there is appropriate scrutiny of gaps in the prospective candidate’s employment history. Additionally, the college routinely conducts international safeguarding checks when prospective staff have lived or worked in other countries.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The college’s website is easy to navigate for students and their parents. Importantly, the college’s website provides an opportunity for students and parents to learn about college life, the college environment, crucial contact information and college processes. Therefore, the college’s website promotes transparency and accountability and is a useful resource for students and their parents. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Askham Bryan College 5 Leaders and managers continue to instil an accountable, transparent and student- focused ethos across the college estate, which has clearly influenced the culture in residence. Wardens and the residential service manager feel valued and supported by their leaders to undertake their unique and, in certain instances, complex work with the residential students.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The governors play a crucial role in providing objective scrutiny and challenge to the college. In particular, through the quality and standards committee, as governors discuss and appraise the performance and welfare of all under-18 students. This is of value to students in residence, given their specific needs and circumstances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a consistent whole-college approach to positive behaviour management. This includes academic staff, wardens, catering staff, cleaning teams and other support services. Regular whole-team briefings ensure that all staff understand their role in promoting and upholding the college’s ethos and high behavioural expectations, both of themselves and of the students.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When students or their parents make formal complaints, these are managed transparently and in line with the college’s policy. Outcomes are clear for complainants to understand. Again, this reinforces accountability and consistency in relation to how the college addresses dissatisfaction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Wardens understand how to use the college’s recording systems. However, in some cases, it is unclear how well the wardens had responded to situations when some students required more help. Additionally, for vulnerable students, the recording system does not always assist wardens to better understand these students’ support needs. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Askham Bryan College 6

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Points for improvement

 Leaders should ensure that the wardens or the residential service manager consistently respond and clarify the steps taken to address the residential students’ queries, grumbles or views associated with life in residence. (‘Further education colleges with residential provision: national minimum standards’, page 16, paragraph 17.1)  Leaders should ensure that the college’s written records are factual concerning the residential students’ basic information. Additionally, that wardens have access to information that will better assist them to support residential students who have additional support needs. (‘Further education colleges with residential provision: national minimum standards’, page 10, paragraph 6.3)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under The Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards. Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Askham Bryan College 7

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accommodation details

Social care unique reference number: SC040955

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Inspectors

Steve Guirey, Social Care Inspector (lead) Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Jo Birtwhistle, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for further education college with residential accommodation: Askham Bryan College 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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