Derwen College

Derwen College

Address: Whittington Road, Gobowen, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 3JA Unique reference number (URN): 133173

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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 Strong standard

Leaders have developed a strong culture of inclusion. Staff quickly and accurately identify learners' needs, working closely with external agencies to reduce their barriers to learning. Staff expertly support learners, enabling them to participate fully in all aspects of college life, including enrichment and leisure activities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

All learners have access to on-site therapies, adaptive technologies and high-quality resources to develop and enhance their communication and independence skills. The student union runs several advocacy groups, including a Pride group for LGBTQ+ learners. Staff collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to meet the needs of care-experienced learners fully.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders skilfully ensure the curriculum is accessible to all learners. For example, they have developed their approach to the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, making it open to all. Leaders have invested significantly in an inclusive training environment to enable people with disabilities to achieve the award.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff, who are well trained in inclusive teaching practices, use learner information accurately to plan support. They systematically and diligently monitor learner progress and behaviour, swiftly adapting support plans as needed.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders provide inclusive work placements for learners not yet ready or confident to enter the workforce. Staff actively work with employers to increase their awareness of disability and inclusion.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the college’s strengths and areas for development. However, when submitting the college’s achievement rates, leaders have not sufficiently addressed data inaccuracies in the reporting of outcomes. This has resulted in the college appearing significantly below the national rate for the past 3 years. Leaders have a clear strategy for developing the college’s curriculums to meet local and regional priorities. This includes creating specialised programmes for learners with profound and multiple disabilities. Leaders have also identified new commercial opportunities to broaden learners' activities and work experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have established a governing body with a wide range of experience and knowledge. Governors have specific responsibilities, including safeguarding and the development of teaching and training. As a result, governors hold leaders to account for the quality of the provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors regularly participate in quality assurance activities, such as visiting lessons, learning walks and meeting staff and learners. They actively promote the college’s work and frequently attend celebration events.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff feel valued within the Derwen College community. Staff have access to an extensive range of training opportunities to develop their professional practice, including mentoring, sign and assessor qualifications.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders provide support for the physical and mental health of staff, allocating time for wellbeing days. Staff can access external employee assistance programmes and clinical supervision for those with safeguarding roles. However, a few staff have raised concerns about their wellbeing and workload, especially when supporting learners with complex and challenging needs and behaviours.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Learners' attendance is high. They demonstrate positive behaviours in college and treat each other with respect. Learners are positive, polite and motivated to do well.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Learners build their confidence, resilience and independence through taking part in a wide range of opportunities. They work independently during work placements, participate in travel training and develop their independent living skills, such as making meals and safely shopping online.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Learners access meaningful work-related activity. Almost all learners on vocational pathways take part in well-planned external work experiences. Staff expertly match activities

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Expected standard

to learners' needs, aspirations and intended destinations. While on work experience, learners behave professionally and provide excellent customer service.

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Expected standard

Staff encourage learners to develop healthy relationships. Learners understand and confidently explain consent. Staff sensitively teach learners about their bodies, personal hygiene, sexual health and how to discuss any concerns they may have confidently.

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Expected standard

Staff expertly prepare learners for life in modern Britain. Learners understand fundamental British values. They demonstrate tolerance and mutual respect for others in lessons, work placements and the local community. They understand democracy and how to vote in public elections and contribute to their local communities.

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Expected standard

Learners know how to keep themselves safe from radicalisation and extremist views. They understand how to report concerns and recognise coercive behaviours.

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Expected standard

Staff provide learners with carefully planned careers education and tailored guidance throughout the curriculum. This support helps learners fully understand work, study and living opportunities after college. Staff help learners and employers become more disability- aware and make workplace adaptations to support those with high needs.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners successfully achieve their individualised education, health and care plan outcomes. Those on the nurture and learning for life pathways improve their communication and independence skills. Vocational learners also gain nationally recognised qualifications, such as in health and safety, that help them to secure paid employment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Teachers carefully assess learners’ starting points at the beginning of their course and review their achievements regularly. Learners make incremental progress and demonstrate the new skills and independence they are developing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners produce work of the expected standard. While working in the college restaurant and practice areas they learn new skills, such as how to set tables professionally, serve food and to speak to customers appropriately.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners develop their English, mathematics and digital skills throughout their studies. They learn how to give change correctly, follow recipes in catering accurately and use employers’ mobile applications, when servicing hotel bedrooms.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of teaching and training that learners receive. When leaders identify areas for improvement, they support staff to take timely, effective actions. Leaders have developed a range of pathways to meet learners' individual needs and interests. They have ensured that the subjects offered are relevant to local, regional and national priorities, including supporting those with high needs to find meaningful and sustained employment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers ensure curriculums are well sequenced and build upon what learners already know and can do. For example, in hospitality, learners begin learning about health and safety while performing simple tasks and then progress to more complex work in the college's professional public restaurant.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers ensure that learning takes place in a wide range of environments, including residential and community settings. This enables teachers to tailor learning to individuals’ specific needs, including preparing for adulthood and accessing services where they live.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff have a wide range of experience and expertise. Teachers adapt their teaching to meet the individualised needs of learners. Staff actively encourage learners to use assistive and adaptive technologies to aid their independence. Teachers develop learners’ communication skills by using symbols and personalised communication books. As a result, learners make progress towards achieving their education, health and care plan targets.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers provide positive feedback to learners as they complete their tasks. Although this is supportive, in some cases feedback is mostly complimentary and does not focus on what learners could improve or do next.

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

Learners enjoy their studies and benefit from a highly inclusive and supportive environment, where diversity is celebrated. Learners say they feel safe and can speak to any member of staff if they have any concerns. Learners actively take part in social events and make new friends.

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

Learners gain valuable work experience in the college's marketplace, which includes commercial retail outlets, such as an extensive garden centre, charity shops, a hotel, and a restaurant. Learners work in highly professional environments and gain confidence in interacting with the public. As a result, learners are well prepared to progress to paid employment, such as working for a national hotel chain.

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

Learners achieve their education, health and care plan targets and build their independence by developing new skills and knowledge throughout their course. They gain in confidence and resilience as they complete their pathways. Learners develop their skills living in group accommodation and then move to smaller residential flats. They learn to wash and care for their clothes, travel independently and cook their own food.

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

Teachers and support workers work closely with therapists and other agencies to ensure learners' courses are adapted to their needs. Most teachers provide learners with feedback to improve their work, but sometimes they do not explain clearly enough the actions learners could take to improve it. Learners have access to a wide range of enrichment and leisure activities at college. This includes the Duke of Edinburgh’s award in which several learners have gained silver and gold awards. Learners also benefit from an active student union, which offers clubs to join. Learners have access to leisure activities, including an indoor swimming pool, a sports centre and an accessible gym.

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Next steps

Leaders should improve the way in which they record learners' achievements so that the published data is accurate. Leaders should ensure learners receive detailed feedback, which enables them to understand what needs to be done to improve their work. Leaders should ensure all staff who work with learners with complex and challenging behaviours have the skills, resources and confidence they need for their roles.

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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 leaders, managers, staff and students during the inspection. They also visited classes, workshops and learners work placements.

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About this inspection

Derwen College is an independent specialist provider for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities, focusing on the development of employability, independent living and personal and social skills.

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About this inspection

The college offers vocational pathways in horticulture, hospitality and food, retail and enterprise, performing arts and work and independence. It also provides the ‘learning for life pathway,’ a pre-vocational course for learners with more complex needs and the ‘nurture’ programme for those with complex or profound and multiple learning difficulties. The college also offers supported internships and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

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About this inspection

The college operates across 3 sites. The main campus is at Gobowen, in Shropshire, for day and residential learners and there are 2 smaller sites in Telford and Ludlow for day learners. The college currently provides learning for 182 learners from a wide geographical area of which a small number are from Wales and were not in scope for this inspection.

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About this inspection

Director of Learning and Quality: Zoe Wood

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Team inspectors:

Rachel Clark, His Majesty's Inspector Angie Fisher, Ofsted Inspector Joanne Keatley, Ofsted 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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national average

2021/22 31 81 Below '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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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. 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

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Urgent improvement

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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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