The Azure Charitable Foundation

The Azure Charitable Foundation

Address: McCallum House, Kielder Avenue, Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 8JT Unique reference number (URN): 50582

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, learners are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect providers for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The provider has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The provider has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders successfully promote a culture of inclusion where learners’ specific needs are well considered and planned for. They identify barriers to learning in a timely manner and put appropriate support in place swiftly. Staff work closely with schools and families to identify and plan supportive transition arrangements for learners. They work closely with other professionals to discuss the needs of care-experienced learners to plan their education, wellbeing and welfare.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff attend useful training that enables them to review the progress of learners effectively. They review the support that learners have in place frequently and adjust it where needed. Leaders recognise that they need to identify precisely how well learners with barriers to learning perform as well as other learners.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders provide effective support to enable learners enrolled on the stepping stones plus course to access learning. They provide careful nurture and care to learners who are not in education, employment or training, many of whom have not attended education for many years. Tutors provide online and face-to-face teaching and visit learners in community venues on a one-to-one basis. However, leaders rightly recognise the need to develop strategies so that learners who are unable to attend do not fall behind.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and trustees have a clear vision and strategic intent to provide courses for learners with high needs and to provide effective support to enable them to develop the skills they need to progress to adulthood. They are committed to reducing the impact of a range of barriers to learning that learners have.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of strengths and areas for development. They recognise the need to further improve their blended learning approach to ensure all learners receive a consistently high-quality learning experience.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and trustees have an accurate understanding of the quality of the provision. They complete a range of useful activities that enable them to have oversight of the quality of teaching and the progress of learners. Trustees provide effective support and challenge to senior leaders.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff have manageable workloads and check frequently on staff welfare. Staff speak positively about working at the provider and feel valued.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders implement a useful schedule of training for staff. They provide valuable training to further improve the teaching skills of tutors and to enable vocational tutors to keep up to date with industry developments.

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Achievement Expected standard

A high proportion of learners achieve their course accreditation, including in English and mathematics. This impacts positively on their self-esteem.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most learners make appropriate progress towards the outcomes in their education, health and care plans. In catering, learners plan, prepare and cook a three-course meal. Tutors on the stepping stones plus course do not monitor learners’ progress with sufficient precision. They do not consistently set ambitious, sharply focused targets that build on the milestones learners have already achieved. In a very few cases this limits how quickly learners develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to move on to more demanding tasks.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners on vocational courses produce written work of an expected standard and produce practical work of high quality. Learners on stepping stones plus produce practical work of an expected standard.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most learners progress to appropriate destinations such as employment, further training, volunteering and adult social care.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders work well with local authorities to respond positively to local and regional needs and to secure funding to enhance the experience of learners with high needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Vocational tutors have valuable industry experience and complete teaching qualifications to further develop their teaching skills. They use a range of teaching strategies effectively. Teachers give simple step-by-step instructions, such as in how to make a breakfast wrap, that learners follow closely. They make sure learners practise each of the steps to ensure they master how to make wraps. Tutors check learners’ understanding thoroughly by observing learners completing practical tasks and asking learners to give verbal answers to questions. They give useful feedback to learners on how to improve their work further.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Vocational tutors plan and teach the curriculums in a logical order to help learners develop the knowledge and skills they need. Tutors on the stepping stones plus course take a more flexible approach focusing on developing learners' confidence, self-esteem and perseverance. Tutors on this course plan lessons effectively to enable learners to complete tasks in ways that are relevant and engaging to them. They know their learners well and help them feel comfortable and confident. Tutors implement individual learning plans to enable learners to meet the outcomes in their education, health and care plans.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Most learners improve in confidence and independence during their time at college. In hospitality and catering, learners serve members of the public which helps to develop their confidence and communication skills. Tutors support learners well to develop their resilience. Where learners do not initially pass an assessment in the kitchen, tutors teach them to persevere.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Most learners attend college well in relation to their medical, social, emotional, physical and mental health needs. On vocational courses, most learners have high attendance. Most learners on the stepping stones plus course make positive progress in their attendance from their starting points, which are often very low.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors teach learners about the potential risks of extremism and radicalisation well. They use effective strategies such as providing scenario-based activities to teach learners how to respond to potential situations and to keep themselves safe.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Tutors provide helpful careers and transition information to learners, parents and carers to enable learners to plan their next steps. The newly appointed careers and transition officer ensures that learners and their families receive impartial careers advice and guidance. For learners who will not progress to employment, the careers and transition officer provides information on adult care services and supported housing.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners thrive in the small, supportive and nurturing environment that staff have created. Learners on the stepping stones plus course benefit from a highly personalised programme that enables them to attend face-to-face sessions, complete learning online and attend one- to-one teaching in community venues, where they feel comfortable.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners enrolled on vocational courses appreciate that tutors treat them as young adults and encourage them to work to the best of their ability. They respond well to the high expectations that tutors set for them as they prepare to move on to employment. They value the structured approach to the curriculums and the effort that tutors make to ensure they can progress to their next steps.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners on the stepping stones plus course value the more flexible approach to the curriculum that enables them to develop confidence and self-esteem. They appreciate that tutors plan lessons effectively to enable them to complete tasks in ways that are relevant and engaging to them.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Most learners make expected progress in working towards the outcomes in their education, health and care plans. Learners are proud of the progress they make at college and of the accreditation they achieve. Learners appreciate the careful planning by staff to enable them to access the curriculums and to make progress regardless of the barriers to learning that they have. Care- experienced learners value highly the support they receive when their living arrangements change and they have to leave their foster families. Staff work closely with professionals to minimise the disruption to learners’ lives and put in additional support to check on learners’ wellbeing.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners participate in citizenship projects, such as sponsored walks, that help them to make a positive contribution to their local communities. They are enthusiastic about supporting charities and enjoy planning projects for foodbanks.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners receive useful information about healthy living and healthy relationships. They recognise that they need to know about consent when entering into a sexual relationship.

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Next steps

Leaders should identify precisely how well learners with barriers to learning perform compared to their peers. Leaders should implement their strategy to ensure learners who are unable to attend can learn effectively from home. Leaders should ensure that tutors on the stepping stones plus course record the incremental progress of learners with sufficient precision.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the director of education services, the associate director of education services, managers, learners and tutors during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The Azure Charitable Foundation is located in Cramlington, Northumberland. It is a registered charity with a mission to improve the lives of people who are disabled or disadvantaged. It provides a range of services including care and support services and owns a range of businesses which provide supported employment opportunities for clients. The education part of the foundation is registered as an independent learning provider which provides post-16 education and training predominantly to learners with high needs. Leaders provide courses for learners with a wide range of needs including learners with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, social, emotional, and mental health and attachment disorders. Most learners have an education, health and care plan. At the time of the inspection there were 99 learners enrolled between the ages of 16 and 24 years. The provider received high needs funding for 95 of these learners. The remaining 4 had

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About this inspection

additional learning needs, but the college did not receive high-needs funding for these few

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Team inspectors:

Chloe Rendall, His Majesty's Inspector Hayley Lomas, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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Percentage of learning aims successfully achieved

learners. Learners are enrolled on courses such as stepping stones, stepping stones plus, retail, horticulture, hospitality and catering and supported internships.

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Percentage of learning aims successfully achieved

Adult learning programmes and apprenticeships referenced in the facts and figures section relate to historical provision. The provider did not offer adult learning programmes or apprenticeships at the time of inspection.

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Percentage of learning aims successfully achieved

Director of education services : Helen Campbell

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national average

'This provider' and 'national average' figures are taken from the publicly available DfE achievement rates. Where the DfE have supressed the figures, usually due to small cohorts, this has been mirrored in the Report Card and will be shown by an 'S'.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The provider is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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