Macclesfield College

Macclesfield College

Address: Park Lane, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 8LF Unique reference number (URN): 130621

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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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Contribution to meeting skills needs Expected standard

Through their work with a wide variety of employers and stakeholders across the region, leaders have a detailed understanding of the skills needs of Macclesfield and the surrounding areas. They are well supported in their work on the skills agenda by the governing body, whose members offer a wealth of information drawn from their significant local business and public sector knowledge. Leaders have introduced a variety of courses in line with local needs and are responsive to emerging trends, such as developing capacity for teaching in the construction trades in response to substantial growth in the sector.

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Contribution to meeting skills needs Expected standard

In most cases, leaders and teachers plan the curriculum content based on employers' contributions and feedback. In some curriculum areas, such as engineering, automotive, and hair and beauty, employers' engagement in the curriculum is well embedded and contributes significantly to learners' and apprentices' development of highly industry-relevant new knowledge and skills.

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Contribution to meeting skills needs Expected standard

Leaders work well with employer partners to promote the wide range of course opportunities to learners and apprentices, including those with special educational needs and/or high needs. Through this work, leaders widen participation in courses that contribute to the skills needs of the area.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and governors are committed to creating a college-wide culture of inclusion that focuses on learners' achievement and ensures learners and apprentices feel well supported in achieving their qualifications.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff working with learners and apprentices who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are experienced and knowledgeable enough to make a positive impact. They also provide extensive training to help staff identify and support learners facing various barriers to learning, including understanding neurodiversity, emotional literacy, and trauma-informed approaches.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders offer learners a broad range of support, including on-site counselling. They have invested in developing a student support hub where learners and apprentices can access highly trained and qualified support staff, ensuring they have a safe space to learn. Support for learners and apprentices is reviewed during weekly support meetings, during which any

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Needs attention

concerns are discussed and actions to minimise barriers for learners and apprentices are put in place.

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Needs attention

Leaders work closely with external stakeholders, including local authorities, to understand the additional support needs of learners and apprentices. Where appropriate, they develop bespoke courses for learners and apprentices, such as a course about mental health concerns, to boost confidence in learning.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Since the previous inspection, leaders have made sustained improvements, most notably in the proportion of learners and apprentices who complete their studies and in the quality of the teaching they experience. These improvements result from processes that precisely identify strengths and areas for improvement, combined with leaders taking prompt and effective action. However, leaders have not made sufficient improvements to learners’ attendance. Although the previous inspection identified this as an area for improvement, the actions put in place have not been implemented quickly enough and have been largely ineffective. As a result, attendance among young learners, adult learners, and those with high needs remains too low.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors mostly provide appropriate challenge and support to leaders. They demonstrate an unwavering commitment to an inclusive learning environment. They also fulfil their legal obligations and use their local knowledge and skills to hold leaders to account and to continue developing the college.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Teachers benefit from comprehensive training to improve their teaching skills, including individualised training that targets areas identified for improvement. Leaders sensitively manage staff workloads, including during periods of organisational change. They provide staff with access to wellbeing facilities, and an employee assistance scheme, and celebrate staff achievements. Staff largely feel supported and valued.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders collaborate effectively with stakeholders, such as universities, employers and charities, to enhance learners' and apprentices' opportunities and career prospects through activities such as guest lectures and careers exhibitions.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners achieve well. They make appropriate progress from their accurately assessed starting points. Leaders have worked successfully to improve qualification achievement rates since the previous inspection. Those learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other disadvantages achieve in line with their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners develop their English, mathematical and digital skills appropriately as they move through their studies. Those learners who study English and mathematics qualifications make positive progress from their starting points. Learners apply the knowledge and skills they learn in these subjects confidently in their vocational subjects, such as calculating tolerances accurately in engineering.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners across nearly all subjects typically produce work of high quality that aligns well with the level of study. They routinely demonstrate increasingly secure application of knowledge and skills over time.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners develop a useful blend of technical and employability skills. In media, learners work on live employer briefs, meet deadlines, respond to external critique and produce work for external audiences. In practical subjects, learners consistently demonstrate safe working practices and professional behaviours aligned to industry standards. Learners develop a realistic understanding of workplace expectations.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners typically progress to positive destinations, including higher-level study, apprenticeships and employment. Leaders track learners' destinations effectively to evaluate impact and strengthen preparation for next steps.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Curriculum design, in most cases, is thoughtful and well sequenced. Leaders ensure that learning builds progressively from learners’ starting points, enabling them to develop increasingly complex knowledge and skills over time. In art and design, learners complete a structured skills builder programme before progressing to extended projects that integrate multiple media and techniques. Learners draw effectively on prior learning and produce refined, confident and insightful final work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Learners benefit from effective teaching. Teachers explain subject knowledge clearly, select activities that deepen understanding and provide learners with regular opportunities to practise and apply learning. In media lessons, teachers model technical processes effectively and use questioning to strengthen learners' recall and reasoning. In engineering, learners routinely use industry-standard equipment and can explain their understanding of technical concepts very well. Learners typically produce work that meets course and industry expectations.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders promote inclusive curriculum design and teaching practices effectively. Staff identify learners’ needs accurately and adapt their teaching to support learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to learning, without lowering

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Needs attention

expectations. Staff shape and teach the curriculums thoughtfully to remove obstacles to learning and enable learners with additional needs to remain engaged with their programmes of study.

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Needs attention

Leaders provide clear and purposeful leadership of the curriculum, teaching and training. They recognise that there are a small number of curriculum areas where teaching needs to improve further and have an accurate understanding of where this is needed. Leaders have begun to take appropriate action to remedy these known areas for development. However, these actions are at an early stage, and it is too soon to assess their full impact on the consistency and quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders ensure that learners behave well. However, learners’ attendance in lessons is low across too many curriculum areas. Leaders’ actions to support and improve learners' attendance are not effective enough.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders ensure that learners follow a well-structured personal development curriculum. Through these lessons, learners develop a secure understanding of wider societal issues and how they affect them. They understand how to stay safe, recognise the risks they may face in their daily lives, and make informed decisions based on this knowledge. Most learners demonstrate sensible attitudes and appropriate awareness of personal responsibility.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Learners benefit from a largely effective careers education programme. They routinely participate in activities that deepen their understanding of progression routes and the expectations for their next steps. Through careers fairs, employer speakers and in-class activities, learners develop clear, realistic progression plans and a sound understanding of what they need to do to achieve their aspirations.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders enrich the curriculum successfully. For example, learners participate in activities such as sport and national skills competitions, which broadens their experiences beyond the curriculum and raises their aspirations.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Learners study in safe, respectful environments where their wellbeing is prioritised. They feel safe at college and are confident that staff would take any concerns about bullying and harassment seriously.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most learners, including those who are disadvantaged, make sustained progress from their starting points and achieve their qualifications within expected timeframes. Most learners produce work that meets the appropriate standard for their level of study.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners develop new knowledge and skills over time and apply them in real-world and professional settings, such as placements and workplaces. Employers report that learners are well prepared and contribute positively.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most learners develop their English and mathematics skills effectively and apply them in vocational contexts. For example, learners on access to higher education health professions confidently complete calculations involving heart rate and weight, while counselling learners produce structured, well-written reports. GCSE English learners also build their confidence in written communication and use appropriate vocational terminology.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most learners are prepared for their next steps. Many achieve their personal goals, particularly those returning to education, and gain confidence to pursue employment opportunities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have developed curriculums that help meet local and national skills needs. The level 4 counselling course is designed in collaboration with industry professionals to develop core professional skills, enabling learners to contribute to placements at NHS surgeries and charities and to apply their knowledge in real-world settings to support patients and families.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff support learners who need extra help well to participate fully in their studies. For example, GCSE English learners with handwriting difficulties are provided with laptop computers to support them with their written work. This supports these learners in approaching essay writing with confidence, engaging more positively in their learning and being motivated to improve their skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers employ a variety of effective strategies to help learners retain knowledge and develop skills. They use group discussions, role play, and scenario-based activities skilfully to relate new topics to real workplace situations, preparing learners for when they start work. Teachers break down complex topics into smaller, manageable steps to make them easier

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Needs attention

to understand. They also ask questions effectively to identify any misunderstandings and use this feedback to enhance learners' understanding of key topics.

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Needs attention

Most learners benefit from accurate assessment and timely, constructive feedback that helps them understand how to improve. This is particularly valued by level 4 counselling learners, who use detailed oral and written feedback to develop their skills and become more effective practitioners. These learners are able to apply feedback to future work, ensuring their standard of work improves over time. However, in a small minority of cases, particularly in the access to higher education provision, learners do not receive timely feedback on submitted work, which limits their ability to understand what they need to do to improve.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Learners' attendance is not high enough. Leaders' actions to improve attendance are not sufficiently targeted or impactful.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Learners study in respectful environments in which staff prioritise their wellbeing and safety and give them the support they need. For example, electrical installation learners understand the importance of wearing appropriate personal protective equipment in workshops, and counselling learners report that staff ensure they feel safe to explore sensitive topics such as grief and suicide.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders have designed a curriculum and created resources to teach learners about how to protect themselves from radicalisation, extremism, and harmful online content, and about fundamental British values. However, on too many adult courses, these topics are not covered often enough to allow learners to develop a secure understanding of them.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Staff provide most learners with useful careers advice and guidance, enabling them to plan their next steps. A small minority of learners, particularly on access to higher education courses, are unclear about how they can achieve their career goals.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Learners say teachers take bullying and harassment seriously and are confident that, if they raise concerns, leaders will take swift and decisive action to deal with them.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices achieve well. Leaders have worked to reduce the achievement gap for apprentices with learning difficulties and disabilities, and these apprentices now achieve at least in line with their peers. In the few curriculum areas where leaders have identified achievement as too low, they have taken appropriate action, and current apprentices in these areas make secure progress.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices make positive progress from their starting points and develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they take back to the workplace. Level 3 early years educator apprentices make rapid progress, gaining a secure understanding of health, safety and well- being topics and applying this knowledge in the workplace through equipment sanitation and cleaning routines, thereby strengthening their practice.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices are well prepared for the next stage of education or employment. Almost all apprentices, on completion of their studies, continue in paid employment in their chosen sector.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders closely monitor the quality of curriculum, teaching and training, and take appropriate action to drive improvements. Leaders have successfully worked to reduce achievement gaps for apprentices with learning difficulties or disabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure curriculums are well sequenced. In the level 3 early years apprenticeship, the curriculum is tailored to apprentices’ needs and the priorities of their workplace. Apprentices typically learn first about child development, the unique child, and play and learning. This ensures they have a secure foundation for their careers working with young children and enables them to contribute meaningfully in their setting early in their studies, providing a platform for swift skills development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers generally use effective teaching methods. Teachers of level 3 electrical installation prioritise teaching essential vocabulary, explaining complex terms such as arc fault detection, and relating their importance to well-known case studies. This helps apprentices understand how specific equipment can reduce the risk of fire. Teachers also allocate sufficient time in the curriculum for apprentices to practise newly acquired skills. For instance, when teaching apprentices how to bend conduit, they are given ample time to practise bending it at a range of angles, allowing them to master this vital skill and giving teachers the opportunity to offer timely feedback on how they can improve their work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers take time to understand apprentices’ potential barriers to learning and plan appropriate support. For example, apprentices with a hearing impairment are well supported by teachers in the classroom, so they are not disadvantaged. Teachers ensure face-to-face conversations and plan more frequent checks on understanding. As a result, apprentices who are disadvantaged can participate in learning and study the intended curriculum.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders ensure apprentices benefit from a positive culture. Teachers and employers know and care about apprentices, and apprentices feel they can approach them with personal or professional matters. Leaders do not tolerate bullying and are proactive in fostering a positive, welcoming and inclusive environment.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum for young apprentices is age-appropriate, well planned, and systematically reviewed and revised. Consequently, too many young apprentices do not develop a sufficiently deep understanding of subjects such as healthy relationships, harmful online content, and mental and physical health.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Apprentices behave respectfully. They attend regularly, build confidence, develop workplace independence and establish positive professional relationships with their peers, teachers and employers.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Apprentices are provided with wider learning opportunities that relate to their employment context. For example, beauty therapist apprentices undertake training in spreadsheets for budgeting and in social media to promote their business.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Apprentices benefit from advice and guidance which helps them make informed decisions about their careers. Teachers are particularly adept at helping apprentices to identify next steps in training and employment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners with high needs make considerable progress and achieve their education, health and care plan targets. Most achieve their qualifications and progress to higher-level courses or employment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners develop significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours essential for future success. For example, learners on carpentry courses confidently measure and mark angles accurately before safely cutting timber with hand tools. In addition to vocational knowledge, learners develop their English, mathematics and digital skills effectively. They quickly build confidence and gain independence as they progress through their courses.

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Achievement Expected standard

Staff track learners’ progress effectively through frequent reviews and adjust support as learners' needs change. They implement targeted interventions where needed, involving learners, parents and wellbeing teams, helping learners to make sustained progress.

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Achievement Expected standard

The quality of learners’ work is appropriate for the level and stage of their course. Learners take pride in their work and apply their learning with increasing confidence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders provide learners with an appropriate curriculum from entry level to level 3. The curriculum focuses firmly on developing independence, life skills and employability. Leaders have designed clear pathways that enable learners to access a curriculum aligned with their aspirations and progression goals.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers provide well-planned and tailored teaching that largely enables learners to work towards the outcomes identified in their education, health and care plans. Teachers typically identify accurately each learner's starting point and carefully sequence the curriculum to enable learners to develop their learning in meaningful steps.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers are appropriately skilled to teach learners with high needs. In addition, they complete training in trauma-informed practices that enable them to recognise trauma responses and adjust their communication to build trust with learners who have experienced trauma.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers use suitable strategies to teach learners effectively, such as modelling, simple instructions and chunking. In carpentry lessons, they demonstrate practical tasks, such as measuring angles accurately. Learners then practise and repeat until they master these skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers mostly use assessment well. In mathematics lessons, they use questioning and activities to help learners identify and remember a range of shapes and their properties. They correct misconceptions, provide helpful oral feedback in lessons, and help learners recall by using prompts, cues, and simplified questions.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers and learning facilitators mostly provide learners with appropriate support that enables them to participate in lessons independently. In a few cases, learners are not encouraged to take on tasks independently, which slows their progress towards independence.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Attendance among learners with high needs is not high enough, particularly on vocational courses. Leaders have put in place measures to help learners catch up when they miss classes and to encourage better attendance. However, these measures have not sufficiently improved learners' attendance.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Leaders support learners in participating in a range of enterprise initiatives, such as bake sales and coffee mornings, to raise money for charities. They gain money management, teamwork and communication skills. They also develop valuable skills for independence.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Teachers embed careers advice and guidance effectively in the curriculum. Learners on pathway courses attend a special educational needs and/or disabilities careers fair to connect with employers and learn about supported internships and apprenticeships.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Learners on pathway courses undertake appropriate work experience placements in the college, such as in reception and the college café. In a few cases, learners progress to external work experience at a local specialist school. Leaders use these opportunities effectively to prepare learners for the transition out of college.

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Participation and development Needs attention

Learners generally understand topics such as fundamental British values and the risks of radicalisation. Learners consistently demonstrate positive behaviours. They show empathy and awareness, for example, when dealing with customers in the college café.

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

Most learners and apprentices complete their studies, gaining the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their chosen careers. They benefit from curriculums designed with employers' input, which helps ensure the skills they develop are up to date and valuable for a successful career in their chosen field. For example, employers provide input to media courses through live briefs, project events, client critiques, and planning discussions with curriculum staff. As a result, most media learners develop industry-specific expertise and an understanding of professional standards.

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

Learners and apprentices build their confidence throughout their studies. As they improve their skills, they are frequently given opportunities to practise them, and they become more confident in their abilities and in applying them in the workplace or in future studies. However, at times, teachers do not have high aspirations for learners and apprentices. For instance, apprentices often do not receive clear guidance on how to achieve a distinction in their final tests. Learners with high needs sometimes receive too much support. In these cases, learners are not encouraged to take on tasks by themselves, which slows their progress towards independence. Consequently, these learners and apprentices do not achieve what they are capable of. Attendance at lessons is not consistently high. When learners miss classes, staff put in place a range of strategies to help them catch up. However, these strategies do not

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

sufficiently focus on helping learners attend more often, and too few learners improve in this important area.

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

Learners and apprentices are supported by staff who care about their wellbeing and help them overcome barriers to completing their studies. Staff act promptly to identify barriers and implement effective measures to overcome them. For example, where learners or apprentices have a hearing impairment, appropriate strategies are put in place, such as ensuring planned face-to-face conversations and regular checks on understanding. This ensures that learners and apprentices with a wide range of barriers to learning can participate fully in their courses. The well-being of learners and apprentices is taken seriously, and a wide range of support is available as needed.

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

Young learners experience a curriculum that extends beyond the basics and prepares them well for life in modern Britain. However, young apprentices are less well prepared. Many do not deepen their understanding of healthy relationships, harmful online content, or mental and physical health. Adult learners also lack enough understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics, and how these apply in their daily lives and future workplaces.

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

Learners and apprentices are generally satisfied with the quality of their courses and feel well prepared for their next steps.

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Next steps

Leaders should improve attendance among young learners, adult learners and learners with high needs and ensure high rates of attendance. Leaders should ensure that adult learners are taught a wider curriculum that provides learners on all courses with an understanding of British values and the dangers of radicalisation. Leaders should ensure that apprentices, especially those under 18 years old, have a secure understanding of topics including healthy relationships, harmful online content, and mental and physical health. Leaders should ensure that identified areas for improvement are tackled swiftly and effectively.

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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 learners, apprentices, employers, teachers, learning support assistants, assessors, leaders, governors and stakeholders during the inspection.

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Team inspectors:

Helen Morgan, His Majesty's Inspector Stuart Collett, His Majesty's Inspector Robert Mottram, Ofsted Inspector Susan Hadfield, Ofsted Inspector Rachel Jablonski, Ofsted Inspector Jack Bullock, Ofsted Inspector Mark Parton, His Majesty's Inspector Rachel Clark, His Majesty's Inspector Maggie Fobister, 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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2145

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

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2145

Macclesfield College is a general further education college with its campus located in Macclesfield. The college offers a range of vocational courses, including 4 T levels, with the largest being education and early years, and health. The college also offers 3 A levels in psychology, sociology and criminology.

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2145

At the time of inspection, there were 1,247 learners aged 16 to 18, most of whom were studying level 3 courses. There were 301 adult learners. The largest subject area for adult learners was counselling. There were 518 apprentices, the largest apprenticeship being level 3 installation and maintenance electrician, with 91 apprentices. There were 79 learners with high needs, 18 on specialist courses and the remainder undertaking vocational studies.

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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

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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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