Sense College Loughborough

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Sense College Loughborough

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Sense College Loughborough is an independent specialist college. It is part of the national charity Sense. Students are all aged 16 to 25, have an education, health and care plan (EHC plan) and have high needs.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 123 students. They study one of three pathways: learning for life, creative and enterprise, or vocational. Leaders aim to prepare students to be as independent as possible and to help them achieve their long-term goals. Leaders work in partnership with Loughborough College to offer students the chance to study specialist subjects such as engineering and media.

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Information about this provider

Students have a wide range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities. They attend the college campus in Loughborough. Students on all pathways may spend time in the college’s enterprises. These include the Green Shop and Bell Bar Café, which are based at the main site. 23 to 25 June 2025

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

Students thoroughly enjoy their time at the college. They understandably value the caring, supportive and inclusive environment that staff create. Staff focus on removing barriers so that students can participate in a range of activities, including yoga, dance, sports and the Makaton choir. This helps them to grow their confidence and make friends.

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

Students benefit from their involvement in the Green Shop and Bell Bar Café. They prepare food, make sustainable products and serve customers. This helps them to practise and master what they learn in lessons before many complete useful volunteering or work placements.

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

Teachers provide students with beneficial health and well-being guidance that is skilfully adapted to suit their needs. Over time, most students learn how to express and manage their emotions. They know what a healthy relationship is and how to use strategies to regulate their feelings.

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

Students understand the importance of staying safe and how to report any concerns. Staff advise them about the dangers associated with radicalisation and extremism. But students are not always able to recall the signs they might need to be aware of. Any rare incidences of bullying are dealt with effectively and swiftly.

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better?

Leaders, governors and staff share a clear and well-understood vision. They continually adapt to meet their students’ needs. Leaders frequently review and update curriculums and enhance resources. Staff benefit from ample training and development. They attend useful weekly one-hour ‘spotlight’ training sessions that focus on a range of areas such as enhancing the use of technology in lessons.

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better?

Leaders and managers coordinate specialist support, including speech and language development, behaviour management and physiotherapy, effectively. When needed, they source additional specialisms from outside agencies such as music therapy or access to a therapy dog. Students benefit from being able to access the therapies and support they need.

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better?

Leaders and staff plan their curriculums carefully so they can be tailored to meet students’ needs. Detailed initial assessments and students’ EHC plans are used well to inform effective personal targets. Managers, teachers and education support workers (ESWs) collectively undertake timely reviews of these targets, which ensures students are challenged appropriately.

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better?

Teachers are experienced and well qualified. Most teachers and ESWs plan lessons effectively. This enables students to participate in a variety of experiences, helping them develop skills in communication, cognition and learning, and well-being. Teachers and ESWs make good use of assistive technologies and adaptations to 23 to 25 June 2025

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materials or activities to ensure all students can participate. However, in a small minority of cases, teachers and ESWs do not use effective enough behaviour strategies to help maintain students’ participation in lessons.

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In most lessons, students’ attendance is high. However, in a few cases, students are late to sessions because they are taking part in other activities. While these activities are often useful to them, the result is that they can miss important aspects of their lessons.

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Teachers and ESWs use a range of assessment strategies appropriately to check students’ understanding and progress. This includes direct observation, worksheets and questioning. However, in lessons, in a small minority of cases, teachers and ESWs do not use questioning well enough. They start a new topic before knowing whether students have enough understanding of the previous one.

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Transition arrangements for students into and out of college are strong. Parents and carers highly value the time staff take to introduce students to college life. Students benefit from useful and unbiased careers guidance from an external partner. Vocational and creative enterprise students have helpful opportunities to visit workplaces or undertake work placements. This supports them to explore and then take their next steps.

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Most students achieve their personal targets. A high proportion of those who study accredited qualifications gain them. After college, most students achieve positive destinations such as accessing adult services, volunteering or employment.

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Leaders utilise a range of helpful activities to monitor the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. They carefully consider their findings and use this to inform subsequent actions. Leaders and managers suitably use their quality improvement plan to monitor their responses. As a result, leaders have a positive impact on enhancing the areas they work on.

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Governors have the experience they need to fulfil their roles. Through an effective committee and board structure, they oversee the quality of students’ experiences. Governors are suitably involved in college life; they frequently meet with students, attend events and undertake learning walks. This allows them to see firsthand the progress being made in areas for development and assists leaders in securing improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Help students to remember more about what they are taught about the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. 23 to 25 June 2025

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 Ensure that teachers and ESWs consistently utilise behaviour strategies to support students to participate in lessons.  Consider how to ensure that students do not miss valuable class time when they undertake other activities.  Support teachers and ESWs to consistently use questioning effectively to check students’ understanding. 23 to 25 June 2025

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Provider details

Address Radmoor Road Loughborough Leicestershire LE11 3BS

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Gary Hyndman

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Provider details

Provider type Independent specialist college

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 20 and 21 November 2019

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 23 to 25 June 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the assistant principal curriculum, quality and behaviour, 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

Emma Woods, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Le-Good Ofsted Inspector Joanne Keatley Ofsted Inspector 23 to 25 June 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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