Writtle University College

CONTENTS

Quality of provision in curriculum and occupational areas

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CONTENTS

How well is the institution led and managed?

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CONTENTS

To what extent is the institution educationally and socially inclusive?

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CONTENTS

How well are students and trainees guided and supported?

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CONTENTS

Summary of grades awarded to teaching and learning by inspectors

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CONTENTS

Part C: Curriculum and occupational areas

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CONTENTS

Agriculture, countryside and service engineering

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CONTENTS

Animal care and veterinary nursing Equine studies

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CONTENTS

Table 1: Enrolments by level of study and age

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CONTENTS

Table 2: Enrolments by curriculum area and age 2002/03

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CONTENTS

Table 3: Quality of teaching observed during the inspection by level

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Basic information about the institution

Name of institution: Writtle College Type of institution: Higher education institution Principal: Professor Michael Alder Chelmsford Essex Address of institution:

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Basic information about the institution

CM1 3RR Telephone number: 01245 424200 Fax number: 01245 420456 Chair of governors: Peter Bennett Unique reference number: 133804 Name of reporting inspector: Peter Brook Dates of inspection: 10-14 May 2004

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Information about the institution

Writtle College is a higher education (HE) institution that specialises in land-based studies. The estate with pig, cattle and sheep enterprises, arable, grassland and woodland, a fruit farm, glasshouses, nursery stock unit and a garden centre. There is an equine unit and newly developed animal-care unit. There are also facilities for amenity horticulture, landscaping and floristry, which include a computer-aided design centre, landscape construction area and new floristry and interior design centre. Writtle also provides courses at Shuttleworth College in Bedfordshire, some 50 miles from the main campus. The estate there extends to 2000 hectares. At Writtle College, the further education (FE) curriculum is managed separately from HE provision by a head of FE through four departments: rural industries, animal management, sport and recreation and business enterprise. At Shuttleworth a college director manages the FE provision through similar curriculum teams. Courses

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Information about the institution

include agriculture, service engineering, horticulture, garden design, floristry, equine studies, countryside, animal care, veterinary nursing and sports studies. Most subjects are offered at levels 2 and 3. Approximately 65% of full-time students are on level 3 programmes. The college's strategy is to focus on higher-level FE provision providing progression to HE. There is little foundation and level 1 provision, apart from part-time and short courses, which are mainly for adults, and key skills at level 1. There are work-based learning programmes in agriculture, service engineering, animal care, veterinary nursing, horse care and horticulture. There are collaborative and partnership arrangements in place to provide first aid, health and safety, food hygiene and some professional courses. The college has residential accommodation, but most FE students at Writtle are non- residential. There is a higher number of residential FE students at Shuttleworth. There are 20

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Information about the institution

students aged 14 to 16 who attend courses as part of a local consortium arrangement.

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Information about the institution

Approximately 40% of enrolments are on FE courses. FE courses and work-based learning at both sites are funded by Essex Learning and Skills Council (LSC). HE courses, which are validated by the University of Essex and Edexcel include higher national certificates higher national diplomas, foundation degrees, Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) honours degrees and a range of postgraduate certificates, diplomas and degrees. In 2002/03, there were 4,926 enrolments on FE courses; 28% of students were aged 16 to 18, and these made up 82% of full-time students; 95% of part-time students were adults; 54% of students were female; and approximately 5% of all students declared themselves to be from minority ethnic groups. There are 143 work-based learners.

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How effective is the institution?

The overall quality of provision is satisfactory. Animal care, veterinary nursing, floristry and horticulture provision are good and work-based learning in animal care and veterinary nursing is also good. Provision for agriculture and service engineering, including work-based learning and equine studies, is satisfactory. Provision in sports studies at Writtle is also satisfactory. The overall standards of teaching and learning are higher than the average for land-based provision in FE colleges. Retention and pass rates are satisfactory or better in most areas. Leadership and management are satisfactory. There is good strategic management but the provision and use of data is poor.

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Key strengths

o good integration of theory and practice in teaching and learning

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Key strengths

o high retention rates on most courses o well-used, high-quality practical teaching resources in most areas

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Key strengths

o high standard of students' written work

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Key strengths

o readily accessible and effective study skills support

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Key strengths

o good support for learners with specific learning support needs

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Key strengths

o clear strategy for the development of FE provision at both sites.

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What should be improved

o the frequency and effectiveness of tutorial support in many areas

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What should be improved

o sharing of good practice between sites and between teams

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What should be improved

o promotion of equality of opportunity o collection and use of management information

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What should be improved

Further aspects of provision requiring improvement are identified in the sections on individual subjects and courses in the full report.

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Quality of provision in curriculum and occupational areas

The table below shows overall judgements about provision in subjects and courses that were inspected. Judgements are based primarily on the quality of teaching, training and learning and how well students achieve. Not all subjects and courses were inspected. Inspectors make overall judgements on curriculum areas and on the effectiveness of leadership and management in the range: Outstanding (grade 1), Good (2), Satisfactory (3), Unsatisfactory (4), Very Poor (5).

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Area Overall judgements about provision, and comment

Agriculture, countryside and service engineering Satisfactory. Work-based learning contributory grade: satisfactory. Retention rates on part-time courses and the national diploma in agriculture are high. There is good development of students' practical skills, and good industrial links in engineering. The learning environment at Writtle College farm is poor. Feedback on assignments is insufficiently detailed, and there is insufficient assessment of work-based learning in the workplace. Animal care and veterinary nursing Good. Work-based learning contributory grade: good. Retention rates are high and pass rates are high on full-time level 2 programmes. Links between theory and practice are good and effective use is made of the animal care and large animal resource. Work-based learning is managed well. Insufficient attention is paid to students' individual needs in some theory lessons and there are insufficient formal

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Area Overall judgements about provision, and comment

tutorials. There is little sharing of good practice between Writtle and Shuttleworth Equine Satisfactory. Students are sufficiently prepared to meet industry requirements. Teaching and learning are good but attendance is poor on many courses. Students' work is of a high standard and there is an effective assessment process. Staff communicate well within the department but self-assessment is not effective. Floristry Good. There is good attainment of practical skills and good achievement of additional qualifications. Theory and practical teaching are effectively integrated and there is good use of assessment to aid learning. Tutorial support is weak. There is a lack of communication and sharing of good practice between Writtle and Shuttleworth, with poor use of data in course review and evaluation. Horticulture Good. Retention rates on most courses are high. There is good teaching of practical subjects and the college has excellent grounds

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Area Overall judgements about provision, and comment

for horticulture teaching. Key skills are poorly managed and there is little sharing of good practice between the centres at Writtle and Shuttleworth. (Writtle only) Satisfactory . There is good integration of theory and practice in teaching, and assessment is good. Tutorial support is effective but there is insufficient planning for individual learning. Many students arrive late to lessons and there is poor enforcement of safe working practices at Writtle.

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How well is the institution led and managed?

Leadership and management of the FE provision are satisfactory. Most courses have satisfactory to high retention and pass rates. There is a clear strategic vision for FE and well-developed annual operating plans. The governing body is effective in developing and monitoring FE provision. Management arrangements enable staff to contribute to the decision-making process. Curriculum management is satisfactory, though there are variations in the quality of tutorials and the extent to which teams share good practice across the organisation. Management information services are not well established. At present, there are no centrally held and validated data for use in activities such as course review, self-assessment, and monitoring of equality of opportunity. Management has acted to address these weaknesses, but the new systems are not yet in place. Quality assurance arrangements are satisfactory, though the self-assessment process is insufficiently critical and

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How well is the institution led and managed?

evaluative. The college has acted to ensure it complies with legislation on access for disabled people and on race relations. It does not, however, do enough to promote equality and diversity in its teaching. The college provides satisfactory value for money in respect of its FE provision.

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To what extent is the institution educationally and socially inclusive?

The college's response to educational and social inclusion is satisfactory. As an HE college with an FE section, the college has a strategic focus on programmes at levels 2 and 3 and progression into HE. A wide range of courses is offered predominantly in the land-based sector, and in other areas of sports studies, service engineering and motor vehicle work in response to local demand. Provision below level 2 is limited at Writtle but it is offered at Shuttleworth. The college has widened participation by providing a subsidised transport system which covers wide catchment areas to both campuses, and crèche facilities. Education maintenance allowances are promoted effectively. Active collaboration is taking place with local and regional agencies to widen participation by attracting students from non-traditional backgrounds. Work with schools includes `taster' days and summer schools at both campuses. The college complies with the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

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To what extent is the institution educationally and socially inclusive?

and a comprehensive policy is in place . There is good support for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The college has made many improvements to accessibility at Writtle but progress in meeting the requirements of the the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) is slow in some areas. Promotion and awareness of equal opportunities by staff and students are low. Study support is effective and integrated well into vocational lessons.

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How well are students and trainees guided and supported?

Support and guidance for students are good. College documentation is clear and structured well. Induction is effective, and includes an evaluation of learning support needs. Learning support facilities are good, overall. The range of support available is comprehensive. The use of individual learning plans for learning support is not developed sufficiently and they are not used as a basis for the tutorial process. Tutorials are not used effectively to monitor students' progress and target setting is not detailed enough. Pastoral support is good. Students benefit from a comprehensive range of services and support. Advice and support for disabled students are good. Teachers are accessible and helpful. Teachers do not consistently report on or follow up student absence. Many course booklets are insufficiently detailed. Careers advice and resources are good. The operational management of support services is effective, but there is insufficient evaluation of trends in support

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Students' views of the institution

Students' views about the institution were taken into account and a summary of their main comments is presented below.

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What students like about the institution

o friendly staff who treat students as adults

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What students like about the institution

o good resources including new buildings, ICT, and practical facilities

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What students like about the institution

o the informal support they receive from staff

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What they feel could be improved

o organisation and relevance of key skills o teaching rooms, access to information technology (IT) and canteen environment at Cow Watering Campus

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What they feel could be improved

o links between Writtle and Shuttleworth

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What they feel could be improved

o opportunities to take additional qualifications.

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Other information

The institution inspection report will normally be published 12 working weeks after the formal feedback of the inspection findings to the institution. Once published, the institution has two months in which to prepare its post-inspection action plan and submit it to the local Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The institution's action plan must show what action the institution will take to bring about improvements in response to issues raised in the report. The governors should agree it before it is submitted to the local LSC. The local LSC should send to Ofsted only action plans from institutions that have been judged inadequate or have been awarded a grade 4 or 5 for curriculum provision, work-based learning and/or leadership and management.

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(Grades 5 to 7) %

Teaching 16-18 53 42 5 19+ and WBL* 67 31 2 Learning 16-18 47 50 3 19+ and WBL* 67 31 2

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(Grades 5 to 7) %

Key: The range of grades includes: Excellent (Grade 1), Very Good (Grade 2), Good (Grade 3), Satisfactory (Grade 4), Unsatisfactory (Grade 5), Poor (Grade 6) and Very Poor (Grade 7).

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Achievement and standards

1. The college offers a range of full-time and part-time courses, mainly at levels 2 and 3 in land- based subjects and sports studies. Work-based learning is provided in land-based occupations. Courses include national vocational qualifications (NVQs), first and national diplomas and national certificates. Courses that lead to professional qualifications are also provided, including those of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the British Horse Society (BHS). Short courses that lead to technical certificates are provided in some subjects, such as pesticide application and the use of chainsaws. Large numbers of learners take short courses leading to qualifications in food hygiene, first aid and health and safety. Some full-time students take professional and short courses as additional qualifications.

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Achievement and standards

2. There are not sufficient, reliable data to evaluate overall trends of retention and pass rates by level of course and age of students across the college. Overall, however, achievements are satisfactory or better. Retention and pass rates are satisfactory or better on most courses at most levels for all students at both Writtle and Shuttleworth. On most national diploma courses, retention rates are high. They are particularly high in agriculture and horticulture, especially considering that a middle industrial placement year is retained. Pass rates on national diplomas are high in most years, particularly in agriculture. Retention rates on level 2 full-time diploma and certificate courses are high in some areas, notably the national certificate in animal care. They are, however, low on equine courses. Pass rates on full-time level 2 courses are generally satisfactory. Pass rates for the mainly adult part-time students are satisfactory overall and have risen from previously low levels in some

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16 to 18 year olds

3. There are a large number of enrolments at level 1, although many of these are for full-time students undertaking key skills or additional qualifications, such as first aid. Most full-time students at level 2 are on full-time courses mainly in animal care, equine studies and sport studies. Retention and pass rates vary between courses. For example, retention rates are high on the national certificate in animal care and the first diploma in sports studies, but low on the first diploma and national certificate in equine studies and national certificate in floristry. Pass rates on animal care courses are high, but are significantly lower on equine courses. Generally, students develop a good level of practical competence and are able to link theory to practice. Equine studies students develop good practical skills in riding and stable management. In floristry, there is good achievement of additional qualifications by national certificate students, and practical skills attainment is high.

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16 to 18 year olds

4. The majority of full-time students in each area study level 3 national diploma courses. Overall, retention rates are high, significantly so in agriculture and horticulture where an industrial placement year forms part of the course. In 2002/03 the retention rate were 100% in the national diplomas in equine studies and sports studies. They were, however, low in countryside studies and three- dimensional design although they have improved for the students who are due to complete the course in June 2004. Pass rates are high in most areas. On the national diploma in equine studies they have improved and are particularly high at Shuttleworth, where all retained students have passed in the previous two years. Students develop a high level of practical and employment skills and, in some areas, gain valuable supervisory experience. For example, in animal care, level 2 students are well supervised by national diploma students while on animal unit duties. In sports

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16 to 18 year olds

studies, students effectively apply knowledge of the principles of training in the fitness centre, choosing correct weight training equipment to improve their physical condition. Demonstration gardens constructed by students at Writtle show high standards of design and craftsmanship. In equine studies, students show skill in evaluating information and using numerical skills to undertake calculations such as ration formulation. Design students, however, do not use information and communication technology (ICT) extensively as a design tool. In many areas, well-supervised work experience and industrial placements significantly enhance students' practical skills and employability.

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Adult learners

5. In the current year, approximately 80% of all students are adults. Of these, 95% are on part-time and short courses, which are mostly organised by a lifelong learning department. Courses include basic food hygiene, risk assessment, working and operating safely, first aid at work and land-based industry-specific short courses. Many of these are run on a franchise or partnership basis. Retention rates for basic food hygiene are around 75%, which is satisfactory, as most are distance learners working in care homes where high staff turnover and shift working hampers completion. Pass rates are high. Retention and pass rates on health and safety courses have improved and are now high. A range of short courses for land-based industries is provided mainly to adults in employment. These include pesticide application certificates, certificates of practical competence in land-based skills and dog handling. In 2002/03 retention and pass rates on these courses were high. Many adults on

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Adult learners

longer part-time and full-time courses take courses in floristry subjects. Retention and pass rates on these courses are satisfactory. Pass rates on part-time externally examined horticulture courses, where many students study to gain skills and for interest, have increased to around the national average for land-based FE provision.

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Adult learners

6. Adult learners on full-time courses benefit from the development of the same practical and employment skills as younger students. On part-time courses primarily for adults, students are well motivated and achieve a high level of practical skills and a thorough understanding of the subject. In floristry, students develop good floristry skills and techniques which they use well to demonstrate their design skills and flair. They develop good skills to critically assess their own and their fellow students' work. Adult horticulture students develop good levels of skill in practical horticultural tasks and design. In dog grooming at Writtle, students carry out preparation, bathing, drying and ear and nail care competently.

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Work based learning

7. There are significant numbers of work-based learners in animal care and veterinary nursing, where they represent approximately 33% of learners. Most service engineering students are following foundation modern apprenticeships and advanced modern apprenticeships. There are smaller numbers of students in agriculture, horticulture and equine. Retention and completion rates for advanced modern apprenticeships and foundation modern apprenticeships across the range of provision have been low. Retention rates have improved over the past two years, following four years of decline. Recruitment of advanced modern apprenticeships and foundation modern apprenticeships increased significantly in 2003. There is a higher rate of achievement of the NVQs than of the full framework for both foundation modern apprenticeships and advanced modern apprenticeships in most years. Over the last two years, achievement of key skills has improved and

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Work based learning

most current learners have achieved their key skills before completing the NVQ. Retention and completion rates are lowest in agriculture and horticulture and significantly better in animal care and equine where there are more learners. In agriculture and service engineering, there is insufficient assessment by direct observation in the workplace. In service engineering, retention and completion rates are improving, although some students' progress is slow. Retention and completion rates for NVQs in veterinary nursing have improved and are now better than satisfactory. Learners achieve a good level of practical competence and have access to good resources at the college and in high- quality work places. They are supported well by their employers and most have regular off-the-job training at college. Work place assessment and progress reviews are good in veterinary nursing, although in agriculture and service engineering there is insufficient assessment by direct observation

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Quality of education and training

8. Teaching was graded by inspectors in 115 lessons and learning and attainment in 112. Teaching was good or better in 57% of these, satisfactory in 39% and less than satisfactory in 4%. Learning was good or better in 54% of lesson and less than satisfactory in only 3%. Students' attainment was less than satisfactory in 3% of lessons; this takes into account their abilities and the stage of the course. Attendance was equivalent to the national average for land-based provision in FE colleges in 2002/03, at 84%. This varied from 90% in floristry to 72% in equine studies.

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Quality of education and training

9. Overall, a slightly higher proportion of lessons were good or better than the national average of 55% for land-based provision. A lower proportion of lessons were unsatisfactory compared with the national average of 11%. Practical lessons and those which combine practical and theory are most effective. In most areas, good use is made of the college's extensive practical resources to enhance learning. In animal care, there is good health and safety practice and animal unit duties are planned well to develop students' practical skills. In horticulture, the excellent college grounds are used effectively to integrate theory and practice.

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Quality of education and training

10. The proprtion of good teaching for students aged 16 to 18 is lower than for adults. In some lessons, teachers do not plan effectively for individual learning. For example, in practical sports lessons, there is no planning for those who are injured and unable to take part. In a very good equine theory lesson on different first-aid treatments, students, working in pairs, chose and applied a range of treatments to horses. In a mixed group of agriculture work-based learners and full-time students, the teacher did not involve the work-based learners until well into the lesson. All the unsatisfactory teaching is for students aged 16 to 18 and much of it is in key skills. In horticulture, some teachers lack sufficient understanding of key skills and do not promote their importance to students.

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Quality of education and training

11. The quality of teaching and learning is equal for students at level 2 and level 3. At level 3, attainment is lower, with fewer students demonstrating good attainment in lessons. In equine riding lessons, students are encouraged to evaluate their own performance and recognise their weaknesses. In animal care, some class sizes are large and teachers fail to provide work which is sufficiently challenging for the more able students. In some theory lessons, teaching is not linked to assessment, and activities that contribute to the development of students' key skills are not highlighted.

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Quality of education and training

12. Adults are often taught well, and their attainment is good in 80% of lessons. In many lessons, adults work well to develop a high level of skill and knowledge. In floristry, where most learners are adults, students develop good techniques which they use well to show off their design skills and flair, particularly on level 3 courses. Many work at close to a commercial speed and standard. In horticulture, the best lessons provide good experience of teamwork, priority setting and problem solving.

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Quality of education and training

13. Part-time teachers teach a higher proportion of good or better lessons than full-time teachers. Many teach practical subjects and generally use their industrial experience to good effect to enliven lessons and generate enthusiasm. In a diploma in horticulture class for adults, theory was linked effectively to practical weeding, cultivation and weed identification in the grounds. Part-time floristry teachers promote good commercial practice in lessons.

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Quality of education and training

14. Staff are well qualified and have appropriate vocational experience. Over 70% of full-time staff hold teaching qualifications. In a few areas, for example, floristry, a lack of continuity in teaching and assessment due to a high staff turnover has been addressed promptly. New teaching staff are allocated a mentor and undertake an induction programme. This is not always effective, however, and some new staff receive insufficient guidance early on in their appointment to ensure that they plan and teach effectively. Staff appraisal is used to identify training and development needs. While all staff are scheduled to receive an appraisal some do not, which results in an incomplete evaluation of needs. A recently formed staff development group ensures that planned training meets staff needs.

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Quality of education and training

15. A detailed property strategy is used to determine physical resource development across both sites. Maintenance costs are budgeted, and at Writtle physical resources are shared by FE and HE students. FE students also benefit from some of the specialist HE resources such as equipment used to evaluate semen produced by the college stud. Redevelopment of existing facilities, such as the conversion of the dairy unit into an equine centre at Shuttleworth, has provided a suitable teaching environment. There are several new buildings at Writtle including well-equipped science laboratories and modern, spacious classrooms that can be divided by moveable partitions, if needed. Well-maintained, landscaped grounds provide a pleasant and attractive environment for learning at both sites. Effective use is made of the estates at both Writtle and Shuttleworth to provide a wide range of learning opportunities. A comprehensive ornamental plant collection and many

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Quality of education and training

examples of different landscape designs provide a valuable learning resource at Writtle. Lakes at Shuttleworth provide an ideal resource for fishery students and are used by outdoor recreation students for water sports.

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Quality of education and training

16. In several areas at both sites, access for students with restricted mobility is poor. A number of classrooms are in need of refurbishment and are poorly ventilated. The use of information learning technology (ILT) equipment in teaching is not promoted. There is little use of professional design software in garden design, and there are no permanent projectors in new floristry classrooms at Writtle. Only a few items of ILT equipment and specialist software are available at the Shuttleworth campus. The review and audit of risk assessments are not uniformly effective. However, emphasis on compliance with health and safety good practice has been given a high priority through the appointment of a college health and safety officer.

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Quality of education and training

17. Assessment is generally thorough and fair and the requirements of awarding bodies are met. Assessment plans are internally verified and recorded well. Assessment documents are available on the intranet, although there is little guidance on good assessment practice. Staff have appropriate assessor qualifications. Assessments are used effectively to aid learning in floristry, and there is good planning in sport and equine studies. Monitoring of students' progress is satisfactory across all courses. Internal moderation is implemented consistently. Individual assessment guidance is good and students are provided with clear details of requirements and grading criteria. In agriculture, there is insufficient assessment of work-based learners in the workplace and an over-reliance on witness statements. Workplace assessment is good in equine studies. Record keeping is good, though largely paper-based. Action planning and monitoring progress with actions following external verifier

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Quality of education and training

18. There is insufficient sharing of good assessment practice between courses offered at each site. In the best examples, assignments are developed jointly to minimise the number of assessments and to avoid the duplication work. The initial assessment of learning support needs is comprehensive. Assessment guidelines, regulations and appeals procedures are clearly described in college handbooks. The student union offers advice and mediation with assessment appeals. However, assessment schedules in course handbooks often lack detail and do not fully explain the importance of meeting deadlines. On some courses, assessments are carefully scheduled and different course units taken into account. In too many, however, deadlines are too close together.

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Quality of education and training

19. Feedback on assessments is satisfactory, overall. In the best examples, comments are detailed and offer clear guidance on how to improve performance. However, in many examples, comments were insufficiently detailed and measures that were necessary to improve a piece of work were not clearly explained. On a few occasions, there are excessive delays in marking and returning work. Assessment processes are managed well, but there are no clear procedures to monitor the overall effectiveness of assessment. Paper-based recording systems do not enable ongoing monitoring and evaluation of assessment processes. 20. The college offers a comprehensive range of courses, including specialist options. Courses in interior design and sports studies have recently been introduced. Courses effectively meet the needs of students who have aspirations to progress to HE. Provision at the Shuttleworth campus is available at levels 1, 2, and 3 and satisfies a broad range of students. Students can take work-based

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Quality of education and training

learning courses at both campuses and the number of learners has increased. Promotion of these courses is not given a high priority in college marketing materials. There is no full-time level 1 provision at Writtle. Applicants at this level are directed to other providers or advised to gain experience in employment before re-applying in the future. Progression routes to HE are promoted at both campuses. However, opportunities for students to achieve their full potential by progressing from courses at Shuttleworth to Writtle are not given much publicity or emphasis.

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Quality of education and training

21. The college responds to local needs through initiatives such as the Rural Business Centre and by running motor vehicle courses as requested by the local LSC. Bespoke courses in areas such as training in horticulture for a county council parks department and for a national machinery firm are effective in meeting specific industry needs. Views of employers are gathered informally through consultation exercises and staff representation on industry groups. However, the formal collection of these views to guide curriculum planning is not well established.

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Quality of education and training

22. Initiatives to promote HE opportunities encourage participation from a wide range of school pupils. `Taster' days and summer schools involve hands-on activities in each vocational area. At Writtle 20 pupils aged 14 to 16 from local schools attend NVQ level 1 courses as part of the increased flexibility project (IFP). Enrichment activities focus largely on subject-based activities, such as visits, within vocational courses and sports activities. Students can take part in study tours and overseas visits, and they socialise well. Other opportunities to broaden personal and social development are limited to talks during induction and activities that form part of work in key skills for some students.

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Quality of education and training

23. All students on full-time FE courses are required to study key skills. College data indicate that overall pass rates for key skills are low. There is, however, considerable variation between areas and courses. For example, in 2002/03 on one-year courses in animal care, pass rates for IT and communications were high and for application of number they were low. In one-year equine courses, pass rates for all three key skills were low. In work-based learning, however, where key skills are a requirement of modern apprenticeship frameworks, learners generally make good progress towards achieving them. There is a college key skills policy, but course managers decide whether they are integrated with the curriculum or taught separately. In agriculture and sport, key skills are well integrated into vocational work. In equine studies, communications and IT are integrated well into assignments, whereas application of number is assessed separately. In horticulture, students fail to

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Quality of education and training

see the relevance of key skills to their studies.

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Quality of education and training

24. Initial pre-entry guidance is good. There are regular, well-attended information evenings where teachers give advice. Detailed advice is available on financial support, benefits and housing, where appropriate. Course documentation is clear and structured well. Induction is effective and includes an initial assessment of study support needs. The college has an extensive transport network which benefits many students who would not otherwise be able to attend. Details of the support, guidance and advice available are publicised well. Documents are comprehensive and clear. Advice and documentation for disabled students are very good. Recreational and social facilities are very good, and FE students benefit significantly from the HE facilities and learning environment. The range of pastoral support is good, and contacts are publicised well. The college has staff with counselling qualifications, and can call on a comprehensive range of external support agencies if required.

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Quality of education and training

Teachers are readily accessible to their students and provide very good informal support. A small number of FE students live on the campus, where they are supported well.

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Quality of education and training

25. The initial assessment of study support needs is comprehensive. The range of support available is comprehensive and most staff have relevant professional qualifications and considerable experience. The college also has significant expertise in supporting hearing impaired students. Support is offered on a drop-in basis, or within classes, if appropriate. Help is available with assignments or coursework. Resources are good at Writtle with private areas available and a pleasant, relaxed environment. At Shuttleworth dedicated space for study support is small. Of the 168 students identified as needing support in 2003/04, 80% have participated. Recording of progress is good, but is not formally shared with teaching staff. Informal communication between teachers and learning support specialists is, however, good.

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Quality of education and training

26. Overall, the use of individual learning plans is not well established. Students complete them early in the course, and they are rarely modified to reflect their development. They often do not guide learning planning or include details of learning support needs. However, tutors do receive a class profile which outlines the learning support needs of individuals in the group. In the best examples, this is used effectively by teachers to structure lessons.

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Quality of education and training

27. Monitoring of attendance is insufficiently developed. Teachers are unclear about attendance requirements. Roles and responsibilities concerning the reporting of absence are not defined well and there is a lack of consistency in practice. For example, criteria for phoning a student's home following absence vary between tutors. There is a `cause for concern' notification system that is used by teachers to identify concerns to students and recommend actions. However, these actions are not always recorded.

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Quality of education and training

28. Tutorials are satisfactory, overall. Tutorial documentation is good, and available to tutors through the intranet. In the best examples, there is a clear schedule which is understood by students, and attendance is good. Targets are realistic, detailed, and agreed and progress is monitored regularly. On too many courses, however, actions and targets lack detail and written records are cursory. Attendance and assessment are often not discussed and progress is not evaluated. In floristry, for example, tutorials are sporadic and have little formal structure.

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Quality of education and training

29. Careers advice facilities are good, overall, but the range of documents available at Shuttleworth is narrow. The college has a dedicated careers and vacancies website, which is accessible to all students. The use of Connexions specialists is not well established. Careers advice is inadequate in equine studies and agriculture and countryside studies.

p.14

Quality of education and training

30. The operational management of student support services is good. Staff communicate effectively within the team. However, there is insufficient developmental planning. For example, team meetings rarely consider strategic issues or evaluate trends in students' needs.

p.14

Leadership and management

31. Leadership and management of FE are satisfactory. The college has clear and well-established strategies for FE provision. A five-year plan defines the college's mission and vision and sets clear aims and objectives. Roles and responsibilities of senior managers are clear. Activities and targets for each strategic objective are set out in an annual operating statement. This is informed by labour market reports on the land-based industries and by local economic strategy and development plans.

p.14

Leadership and management

32. The governing body is effective in developing the college's strategy, and monitoring its performance. The board has wide representation, and its meetings are managed attended well and are minuted clearly. FE is represented on the board, and on all sub-committees. Governors are involved at an early stage in strategy development. They hold a two-day residential meeting each year to consider progress and discuss new developments. They receive clear and concise reports from college managers, including data on the performance of departments. Governors conduct a review of their activities every five years. They receive the FE self-assessment report, but do not assess their own performance annually. A few governors have undertaken training in disability awareness but, in general, the take-up of training opportunities is low. The development of the Shuttleworth campus has been a significant strategic development which has been regularly

p.14

Leadership and management

monitored by the board and successfully carried forward. The number of students at Shuttleworth has grown to 600 since the centre opened in 1997, and further growth is projected. The Shuttleworth management committee is a sub-committee of the board. 33. The college has a well-developed management structure for FE. Regular meetings of curriculum team leaders report to the FE management group, which is attended by the principal or assistant principal. This allows all curriculum areas to communicate and participate systematically in decision making. There are separate working groups for programme development and quality assurance monitoring that report to the FE management group. Meetings are scheduled to enable consultation on decisions before they are taken.

p.14

Leadership and management

34. Curriculum management is satisfactory. Teachers have a good awareness of the needs of their students and provide good informal support. In most areas, there are regular course team meetings and good informal communications between teachers and managers. Targets and action points are agreed, though these are not always followed up effectively. In a few areas the progress of individual students is discussed regularly, but few have standard agendas for items such as health and safety or equality of opportunity. Standard forms for activities such as lesson planning and schemes of work are available on the staff intranet, and are in general use. Course records are generally satisfactory and in some areas, for example equine studies, they are good. However, there is widely varying practice in tutorials, where some curriculum areas have well-developed programmes and others have inadequate provision. There are considerable differences in practice between Writtle

p.15

Leadership and management

and Shuttleworth, and there are insufficient opportunities for staff from the two centres to meet to share best practice. The management of work-based learning is satisfactory. Trainees receive regular workplace visits and good tutorial support on their days in college. Workplace assessment is good in veterinary nursing, but weak in agriculture.

p.15

Leadership and management

35. The provision of centrally held data about the performance of students is poor. As an HE institution, the college is not required to submit data on the performance of each student to the LSC. Instead it provides a less detailed report to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). As a result, managers do not have timely reliable data with which to judge the performance of courses or curriculum areas. The college recognises that this inhibits the effective management of FE provision and has commissioned an integrated management information system. Some of the software required has been installed, but it is not yet fully operational. At the time of the inspection there were no centrally held and validated data for use in activities such as course review, self-assessment and monitoring of equality of opportunity. There are no centrally produced reports for use by management to monitor the progress and achievements of students. The central system

p.15

Leadership and management

for recording attendance is poor. Teachers keep paper-based registers, but the information they contain is not monitored to identify attendance problems or students who may be at risk of dropping out. The system for collecting information about the destinations of students does not generate a high rate of response.

p.15

Leadership and management

36. There is a strong commitment to appraisal and staff development. Most staff are appraised annually. The process is effective in identifying staff development opportunities and needs. The college has commissioned external consultants to evaluate their appraisal programme, which is not fully implemented in some areas. Three weeks a year are set aside for in-house staff development events, such as managing difficult behaviour. The college funds most of the requests made by staff to attend external courses. However, there is insufficient emphasis on the development of teaching and learning. Few teachers plan for the whole ability range, and there is little use of ICT. In areas such as sport, and animal care at Shuttleworth, there are large numbers of new teachers who have not yet achieved teaching qualifications. New teachers are allocated a mentor for their first year of teaching, but this is often ineffective. In a few cases, there is insufficient induction into college

p.15

Leadership and management

37. Quality assurance arrangements are satisfactory. However, the self-assessment process is insufficiently developed and lacks rigour. The college appointed a dedicated FE quality assurance manager in 2003. Since then most procedures have been revised, updated and made available to staff on the intranet. The content of course files is audited regularly to improve course management records. Peer observation of teachers has been replaced by lesson observations by trained observers, who attend standardisation meetings to improve consistency of judgements. The college recently contracted with outside consultants to supplement the work of its trained observers. Staff development and one-to-one support is available for teachers whose observed sessions are unsatisfactory. Observations should take place twice a year for each member of staff, however, few staff have been observed twice. 38. The course review process is well established. There are good arrangements for gathering

p.15

Leadership and management

students' views through questionnaires and group discussions, and for teachers to express their views on what should be improved. However, there is no contribution from employers to most course reviews, contrary to the stated procedure. Course reviews are collated into curriculum area reports. Forms used in this process have recently been amended to enable results to be used for self- assessment. Inspectors agreed with most of the grades awarded by the college in its self- assessment report but considered the report to be insufficiently critical. Judgements lack rigour and are not generally based on sound data. An action plan is derived from the weaknesses identified, and this is regularly reviewed and updated by FE managers. Arrangements for internal verification are satisfactory. All assignments are verified before being returned to students and college policies incorporate awarding body guidelines. The college acts quickly on issues raised by external verifiers.

p.16

Leadership and management

39. There is insufficient promotion of equality of opportunity in FE courses. Staff training in equality and diversity is regularly provided, but few teaching staff attend. Few courses include information on equality within their teaching programmes. Awareness of equality of opportunity issues among staff and students is poor, though students are generally well informed about procedures for complaints and anti-harassment policies. Students on veterinary nursing courses are well informed through tutorials which regularly address equality issues. Targets are set for participation by race and gender in employing staff, but there are no such targets for student recruitment. Good progress has been made in addressing many requirements of the SENDA legislation. The college has carried out an access audit and has made improvements to most campus areas at Writtle. Less progress has been made at Shuttleworth. Many classrooms have been equipped to make them suitable for students

p.16

Leadership and management

with hearing impairment, but some buildings remain unsuitable for students with restricted mobility. A race equality sub-group has produced a thorough race equality policy and action plan, which has been approved by the board and made available to staff on the intranet. The policy was subjected to external review, which approved it but made recommendations for further improvement. These recommendations have not yet been carried out. Data relating to examination results and retention rates are analysed by ethnic origin, but no action has yet been taken as a result of this monitoring.

p.16

Leadership and management

40. The college is not efficient in its deployment of teaching staff. Adherence to a 30-week college year has made it difficult to utilise the full teaching hours specified in teachers' contracts. An attempt to use non-teaching weeks for teaching short courses was not organised effectively and few courses were held. The college has recognised this and is extending the teaching year for 2004/05. The college has met its targets for student numbers, but did not fully meet its LSC contract in 2004. Overall, retention and pass rates are at, or above, national averages. The average class size is slightly higher than the national average for land-based FE colleges, though there are small classes in some curriculum areas at Shuttleworth, where provision is still developing. Budgets for curriculum teaching are carefully scrutinised by the finance manager and the management team before approval. The college provides satisfactory value for money.

p.16

Agriculture, countryside and service engineering

Overall provision in this area is satisfactory (grade 3)

p.16

Agriculture, countryside and service engineering

Contributory grade for work-based learning is satisfactory (grade 3)

p.16

Strengths

o high rate of retention on part-time courses and national diploma in agriculture

p.17

Strengths

o high pass rate on national diploma in agriculture

p.17

Strengths

o productive industrial links in service engineering.

p.17

Weaknesses

o poor learning environment at Writtle college farm

p.17

Weaknesses

o insufficiently detailed feedback on assignments

p.17

Weaknesses

o insufficient workplace assessment of work-based learning.

p.17

Scope of provision

41. The college offers a satisfactory range of courses at levels 2 and 3 in agriculture, countryside management and service engineering. There are 49 full-time students studying agriculture and 30 studying countryside management on first and national diplomas; 29 of the full-time students are based at Shuttleworth. Four part-time students study agriculture, of whom three are work-based learners. Part-time students comprise 29 in countryside, 9 in service engineering and 1 in agriculture. There are 36 work-based learners in service engineering and three in agriculture. Part- time students and work-based learners study towards NVQ levels 2 and 3, and foundation and advanced modern apprenticeship. There are 30 full-time and 28 part-time students aged 19 or over.

p.17

Achievement and standards

42. Retention rates on part-time courses and the national diploma in agriculture are high. In 2002/3 the retention rate on the service engineering courses was 100%. Pass rates on the national diploma in agriculture are consistently high. Pass and retention rates on the national diploma in countryside management have been high, but declined in 2002/03. Students develop good practical skills. Instruction manuals are used effectively in service engineering to enable students to develop their own problem-solving skills. In one level 2 lesson, students were working on various projects where they had to solve the problem, design a solution and then build a product. This was done to a high standard with little input from the tutor. Key skills are integrated well with the occupational teaching and course. In agriculture, one member of staff has developed a website to help with key skills, and this is used well by the students. Students' other class and assessed work is completed to a

p.17

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

No. of starts 39 36 11 % retention 95 94 64 NVQ in environmental conservation

p.18

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 8 62 57 No. of starts 20 17 16 % retention 80 88 100 Phase 2 arboriculture 2

p.18

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 75 100 100 No. of starts 19 13 10 % retention 79 85 100 NVQ service engineering, agriculture

p.18

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 72 73 * No. of starts 20 9 11 % retention 65 100 100 NVQ service engineering, ground care % pass rate 69 67 * No. of starts 19 23 21 % retention 95 87 90 National diploma in agriculture

p.18

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 100 90 89 No. of starts 8 14 11 % retention 100 100 73 National diploma in countryside management % pass rate 100 93 75

p.18

Quality of education and training

43. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the better lessons, teachers encourage students to participate and contribute. Good use is made of question and answer sessions to check and reinforce learning. Effective groupwork enables students to learn from each other using their previous knowledge and experience. A few lessons are linked to students' assignment work, which helps them to understand assessment requirements. In one lesson, the teacher introduced an assignment linked to a visit which took place on the same day. Some theory lessons make effective use of teaching aids such as plant material. In the best practical lessons, students develop a high standard of skills. In the poorer lessons, there is a lack of variety in teaching styles and insufficient involvement of students. In one lesson, the teacher spent too much time talking and students were not able to become involved in discussions or respond to questions. In a mixed group of work-based

p.18

Quality of education and training

learners and full-time students, the teacher did not involve the work-based learners until well into the lesson.

p.18

Quality of education and training

44. Good use is made of local farms for students practicals. Teaching resources for agriculture and countryside students are adequate, although some machinery is old. Good links with manufacturers enable Writtle to borrow up-to-date farm equipment. Fishery students use three lakes at Shuttleworth. Some farm buildings at Writtle are untidy and very poorly maintained and do not provide a good learning environment or reflect commercial practice. Some classrooms are in need of refurbishment. The Shuttleworth library contains some old books that need to be replaced. Computer facilities are adequate. Staff are vocationally well qualified although a few at Shuttleworth are not teacher trained.

p.18

Quality of education and training

45. Assignment briefs are well written and clearly show students what is required of them. Feedback from assignments is inadequate and does not give clear guidance on how performance can be improved. Internal verifiers do not always give adequate guidance to assessors. In a few cases in countryside management, there is a lack of understanding of how the current grading criteria should be applied. In work-based learning, there is a lack of assessment by direct observation in the workplace; the majority of evidence is by witness testimony. One learner had been visited four times and assessed on only one occasion.

p.19

Quality of education and training

46. Links with manufacturers and local employers are good. An apprenticeship scheme is run for one manufacturer and is well supported by the manufacturer and students. This and other links enable the engineering section to use machinery that they would otherwise be unable to purchase to improve learning opportunities. There is a programme of study tours and visits but no formal programme of general enrichment activities. Sports are available but there is little else for students who do not wish to participate. There are inadequate links between the two sites for progression to HE. The current students at Shuttleworth have not visited Writtle to look at HE progression options.

p.19

Quality of education and training

47. Pre-course advice is satisfactory but there is no careers advice built into the curriculum or tutorials. There is very good support from staff who provide a friendly and supportive learning environment. Tutorial support for work-based learners is good and well-defined targets are set and actions monitored. Tutorials for full-time students are satisfactory but lack targets or clear objectives. All students are screened at entry for additional learning needs, and those who request it are given extra help.

p.19

Leadership and management

48. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Regular course team meetings are held but action notes, although they identify responsibilities, do not contain clear deadlines. Course reviews that involve staff and students are held each semester, but actions to address identified weaknesses are not always clear. Targets for retention and pass rates are set but are not monitored on a regular basis. There is little communication between the two sites and very few links in the teaching. There is little reinforcement of equal opportunities in teaching. Internal verification is satisfactory and carried out in accordance with awarding body guidelines. Internal lesson observations graded the quality of lessons higher than inspectors did for the lessons they observed. The curriculum area self- assessment report uses information from course reviews. It was self-critical and identified the majority of the strengths and weaknesses identified by inspectors.

p.19

Animal care and veterinary nursing

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

p.19

Animal care and veterinary nursing

Contributory grade for work-based learning is good (grade 2)

p.19

Strengths

o high pass rates on full-time level 2 courses o good links between theory and practice

p.19

Strengths

o good work-based learning in veterinary nursing and animal care

p.20

Strengths

o effective use of animal care and large animal resources.

p.20

Weaknesses

o insufficient attention to students' individual needs in some lessons

p.20

Weaknesses

o inadequate tutorial arrangements for full-time students

p.20

Weaknesses

o insufficient sharing of good practice between sites.

p.20

Scope of provision

49. There is a range of courses in animal care and veterinary nursing, mainly at levels 2 and 3. There are 101 full-time students at Writtle and 81 at Shuttleworth on first diploma and national certificate courses in animal care and the national diploma in animal management. On these courses, 96% of students are aged under 19. Full-time students also undertake additional small- animal care qualifications. Part-time courses include an animal nursing assistant's certificate, the certificate in veterinary nursing at levels 2 and 3, and a certificate and NVQ in dog grooming. NVQ level 1 animal care is offered to pupils aged 14 to 16. Short courses include dog obedience, instructor training, care of exotics, dog health, pet first-aid and canine studies. There are 56 part-time students at Shuttleworth and 35 at Writtle; 65% of the part-time students are aged over 19. In addition, there are 3 advanced modern apprentices and 13 foundation modern apprentices in animal

p.20

Scope of provision

care and 69 work-based veterinary nursing learners, including equine veterinary nursing. Writtle is a veterinary nurse-approved centre (VNAC) supporting 39 veterinary training practices.

p.20

Achievement and standards

50. Retention rates are high on most courses and very high on the national certificate in animal care and national diploma in animal management. Pass rates at level 2 are high on most courses in most years. Pass rates at level 3 are satisfactory and remain close to the national averages for similar provision in land-based FE colleges. All animal care modern apprentices that had been recruited in the previous two years were still in learning and were making good progress towards completion. Retention and pass rates are high in work-based veterinary nursing training. Students' punctuality for lessons is good and attendance is high. Students express their views and ask questions confidently in class. All students take pride in their practical work. Full-time students competently undertake work experience in veterinary surgeries, kennels, catteries and pet shops and are well supervised by the college. Teachers and students often refer to their own work experiences. Students' written work

p.20

Achievement and standards

is clear and well organised. Key skills attainment is improving, although pass rates have been low. Key skills portfolios are well organised and at Shuttleworth make good use of animal care evidence. Progression to FE and HE is satisfactory, with 47% of first diploma students progressing to national certificate or diploma courses and 38% of national diploma students progressing to HE in 2003.

p.21

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

No. of starts * 29 39 % retention * 90 79 First diploma animal care

p.21

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate * 81 94 No. of starts 20 24 28 % retention 85 88 100 National certificate animal care

p.21

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 82 81 93 No. of starts 37 34 20 % retention 49 47 70 NVQ animal care (dog grooming)

p.21

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate ** ** 71 No. of starts 31 52 67 % retention 97 96 88 National diploma animal management

p.21

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 87 92 83 No. of starts 34 36 30 % retention 100 89 97 Certificate in veterinary nursing

p.21

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 79 67 87 No. of starts 25 34 30 % retention 96 94 97 Certificate in veterinary nursing

p.21

Quality of education and training

51. Most of the teaching and learning is good. Theory is effectively linked to practice. For example, first diploma students planned the construction of, and installed, drinking equipment along the length of an animal pen. There are good health and safety practice and risk assessment of practical lessons. Animal unit duties are well planned to develop students' practical skills. Good use is made of technical instructors for assessment and of level 3 students in a supervisory role. In the best lessons, teachers cater well for individual capabilities of students. In a dog-grooming lesson, a range of dogs of varying breeds and temperaments were available. The more competent students carried out all preparation, bathing, drying and ear and nail care successfully. Other students had fewer tasks and more support. In veterinary nursing, activities relate well to examination requirements. In some theory lessons for full-time students, teaching is not linked to assessment, and activities that

p.21

Quality of education and training

contribute to key skill development are not highlighted. Some class sizes are large. Often the same activity is used for every student and the more able are insufficiently challenged. There is little use of ILT in teaching and for recording in the animal units. 52. The animal units and farms at both sites are used effectively for teaching and learning. Both sites have commercial dog grooming parlours and Writtle has a covered dog-training area. At Shuttleworth, students develop animal handling expertise and learn about animal movement records and transportation by preparing large animals for show. The Writtle unit is very clean and tidy and has a wide range of species. There is good labelling of the pens and cages at both sites.

p.21

Quality of education and training

53. Course handbooks contain clear unit assessment schedules for the year but not always an overall assessment schedule. Assignment briefs have a common format at both centres to meet new awarding body requirements. Most assignments are demanding and motivating. The inclusion of interim and final hand-in dates is confusing to students and results in bunching of assignments. Most written feedback is constructive; however, students are not always given advice on exactly what they need to do in order to improve their grade. VNAC training practices have sufficient qualified assessors. In work-based learning, some assessors do not use sufficient questions to ensure that standards have been fully achieved. There are detailed monitoring records for all programmes. There is insufficient internal verification of practical assessment in full-time courses. Recent difficulties in internal verification of NVQs in veterinary nursing have been resolved satisfactorily and

p.22

Quality of education and training

verification is now sufficiently thorough in this area and in animal care.

p.22

Quality of education and training

54. Links with employers, and in particular with veterinary practices, are good. Employers appreciate the sound industrial experience of staff and value the good understanding they have of the veterinary profession. Courses are offered on a modular basis and there are two start dates for veterinary nurse qualifications during the year. There are regular visits and study tours for full-time students, for example, to wildlife and rehabilitation centres. Guidance for current students wishing to progress within the college is good. Both animal care and veterinary nursing offer good full-time and part-time progression opportunities from level 2 upwards at both sites. There is good progression to HE.

p.22

Quality of education and training

55. There is an effective induction procedure, which includes health and safety induction and the identification of additional support needs. Many students have been identified as requiring support. Enlarged font handouts are available for dyslexic learners in most lessons and there is good support for students with hearing impairment. There is good additional study skills support, but individual support needs are not always addressed in lessons. Teachers at both sites know their students well and provide good informal support. Individual tutorials are carried out termly at Writtle, but are insufficiently regular at Shuttleworth. Records lack detail, and have few clear action points. Action plans for work-based learners are used well to set targets and monitor progress.

p.22

Leadership and management

56. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Curriculum teams meet regularly at Writtle. They examine recruitment and retention data but focus primarily on resources rather than curriculum improvement. Meetings at Shuttleworth are less regular. Both centres rely too much on the close proximity of offices to provide informal communication. Student feedback is canvassed regularly and acted upon. For example, additional veterinary equipment and computers have been supplied in response to this. Liaison and sharing of good practice in internal verification, teaching, learning and assessment methods between sites is poor. Inspectors agreed with most of the strengths and weaknesses identified in the self-assessment report at Writtle but considered that it is insufficiently self-critical. They agreed with less of the self-assessment report. It is less accurate for Shuttleworth. Observation of teaching and learning judgements are broadly in line with the inspection findings

p.22

Leadership and management

although the college graded more observations good or better. There has been rapid growth in this area and not all teachers have teaching qualifications. Some new staff have received insufficient support for their roles from the college, although support from animal care colleagues is good.

p.22

Equine studies

Overall provision in this area is satisfactory (grade 3)

p.23

Strengths

o good integration of practical and theory teaching

p.23

Weaknesses

o poor retention rates on level 2 courses

p.23

Weaknesses

o narrow range of additional qualifications

p.23

Scope of provision

57. Courses are offered at both Writtle and Shuttleworth. At Writtle, there is a range of vocational and work-based courses, with routes for progression to HE at the college. There are 10 students on first diploma and 12 on national certificate in the management of horses . There are 60 students on the national diploma in horse studies and 9 students on the advanced national certificate in horse management. All students on certificate and diploma courses attend full time and most are aged 16 to 18. At Writtle specialist options in equitation and breeding are offered within the national diploma. In addition, there are 15 foundation and advanced modern apprentices based at local equine establishments. Work-based learners attend the college one day each week for vocational and key skills training, and some assessment and portfolio work. Writtle is a BHS examination centre.

p.23

Achievement and standards

58. Pass rates on the national diploma have improved and are particularly good at Shuttleworth where all retained students have passed in the last two years. Retention rates on the national diploma course across both campuses have improved. Retention rates on level 2 programmes have declined and are low. In 2002/03, less than half of the first diploma students were retained. Pass rates on the first diploma dropped considerably in 2002/03 and less than half the retained students passed the qualification. At the time of the inspection, retention rates on level 2 programmes showed significant improvement.

p.23

Achievement and standards

59. All students develop good practical skills in riding and stable management. They work at an appropriate industrial speed and are competent in horse preparation and presentation skills. The standard of assignment work is high and students are adept in evaluating information and using numerical skills to undertake calculations such as ration formulation. Students make confident responses to questions and in discussions and are knowledgeable about the equine industry.

p.24

Achievement and standards

60. Attendance on some courses at Writtle is poor. During inspection, attendance during lesson observations was 72% and was particularly poor on level 3 courses. Student records indicate some consistently poor attendance. Most students do not live on the campus and poorly planned timetables give students significant periods of unstructured activity. There are no effective systems for identifying students with low attendance and attendance targets are not set across college.

p.24

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

No. of starts 14 16 15 % retention 57 81 46 First diploma horse care

p.24

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 100 100 71 No. of starts 39 11 25 % retention 85 73 64 National certificate management of horses

p.24

Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 79 100 81 No. of starts * * 11 % retention * * 73 Advanced national certificate in horse management % pass rate * * 63 No. of starts 15 38 43 % retention 80 89 88 National diploma in horse studies

p.24

Quality of education and training

61. Teaching of theory and practical is good. Teachers integrate theory and practice very effectively and encourage students to think for themselves. Lessons are enjoyable and productive. Good use is made of a range of learning resources including specialist stable-management equipment and high- quality handouts to promote learning. In a very good theory lesson on different first aid treatments, students, working in pairs, chose and applied a range of treatments to horses in response to a simulated scenario set by the teacher. Riding lessons are interesting and teachers give much valuable feedback on position and application of the aids to individual students. Students are challenged to evaluate their own performance and recognise their weaknesses. In a small minority of teaching, objectives are too broad, the structure of lessons is less effective and there is too little reinforcement of how to make improvements in, for example, horse control.

p.24

Quality of education and training

62. Students' learning and awareness of industrial requirements are enhanced through a wide range of up-to-date, well-managed resources. Specialist equipment is used effectively in both practical and theory lessons. A variety of suitable, well-schooled horses are used for riding and practical lessons. The tracking of horses' workload is managed very well to ensure the horses get a range of activities and appropriate schooling to keep them at the correct level to benefit the students. At Writtle, there is only a small amount of safe undercover space for practical demonstrations with horses. At Shuttleworth, the systems for keeping horse records are handwritten and not easily available for students to use. Students have a realistic view of industry requirements through adequately managed yard duties. The effective redevelopment of the dairy unit at Shuttleworth provides industry-standard equine resources and provides a productive learning environment. Facilities are

p.25

Quality of education and training

used well and maintained tidily. At Shuttleworth, however, there is too little reinforcement of high standards of personal turnout, and students often have dirty boots and scruffy chaps. Access to some parts of the facilities is poor and improvements have yet to be put in place. Staff are well qualified both academically and vocationally; most have achieved key skills level 2, which enables them to effectively help students with key skills work.

p.25

Quality of education and training

63. Assessment is organised well and students are kept informed of how and when they will be assessed. However, deadlines for submission of written assignments are not made clear. Marking is fair and feedback encourages students to improve their future work. Internal verification is rigorous. Spelling and grammar are routinely corrected. Results of assessments are discussed in tutorials and students know how they are performing and where they need to make extra effort. Work-based learners have a set date for the riding assessment; however, some learners are competent sooner and have to wait to be assessed.

p.25

Quality of education and training

64. At Shuttleworth the range of provision is expanding to include level 2 provision next year. Increased involvement with the local equine industry works well to promote short courses, and regular equestrian events are run at both sites. Students are offered a narrow range of additional qualifications. Some only take an additional riding and road safety certificate. A one-day emergency first-aid certificate is included in induction. A few students take additional BHS qualifications at levels 1 and 2. Enrichment activities are based on a range of visits which students enjoy and find valuable to broaden their experience of the equine industry. Few opportunities exist for broader enrichment activities other than by taking part in sports.

p.25

Quality of education and training

65. Students receive good support for both their academic and vocational work. Tutorials are sufficiently frequent to be of value for the students. Tutorial records are detailed but targets set are often too wide-ranging and insufficiently measurable to be effective in ensuring that students make progress. Most students have an individual learning plan which is not sufficiently detailed. Very few plans have been reviewed with students. Students receive some advice on their future careers but it is often too late or too general. Course-related studies are insufficiently linked to job applications.

p.25

Quality of education and training

66. Learning support is identified at initial assessment and timetabled for those with identified needs. All students have access to the learning support team. Vocational tutors have a profile of their students for each lesson but there is little evidence of learning material being adapted for those with learning support needs. One student has a college laptop, dictation machine and talking dictionary which provides effective assistance in both class and home studies.

p.25

Leadership and management

67. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Staff communicate well within the department but self-assessment is weak and there is little concern to effect continuous improvement. At Shuttleworth a completely new team of staff have been in post since the start of the academic year and improvements in management of the curriculum are notable. Course records are comprehensive and up-to-date. Staff are aware of the performance of students and use data as part of course review procedures. While notes of meetings are full, they rarely contain action points. Students' attendance on some course is poor and systems have not identified those students who are at risk sufficiently early. Students have little understanding of equality of opportunity and have little guidance in how to improve their understanding or ability to recognise and deal with issues which occur in the industry. Students show some awareness of issues that have an effect on their learning

p.25

Horticulture

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

p.26

Strengths

o high retention rates on most programmes

p.26

Strengths

o extensive and well-managed grounds at Writtle for horticulture programmes.

p.26

Weaknesses

o insufficient sharing of good practice between sites.

p.26

Scope of provision

68. There is a range of full-time and part-time courses at levels 2 and 3 at both Writtle and Shuttleworth. There are full-time and part-time routes to the three-year national diploma in horticulture, which includes an industrial placement year, and the two-year national diploma in three- dimensional design. Additionally, at Writtle there is a first diploma in horticulture. Of the students on these courses, 84% are aged 16 to 18. Part-time courses include the national certificate in horticulture at Shuttleworth and general and advanced certificates in horticulture and a certificate in gardening at both sites. NVQ amenity horticulture and hard landscaping are provided at levels 2 and 3 at both sites on a day-release basis. On the part-time courses, 84% of learners are adults. There are six amenity horticulture foundation modern apprentices. One garden design course is offered on a full-cost basis.

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Achievement and standards

69. Retention rates are high on most programmes in most years. Retention rates in the national diploma in three-dimensional design have improved substantially since 2001 and of the 13 students enrolled in 2002, 11 remain on the programme. Pass rates on most courses are satisfactory or high. Pass rates on the part-time certificates in gardening and horticulture have risen substantially in the past three years, as more students are persuaded to sit the examination. The standard of students' work is good. NVQ portfolios are presented well and contain good evidence. Assignment work is also good and demonstrates good understanding of the principles of both theoretical and practical horticulture. Students develop good levels of skill in practical horticultural tasks and design. Demonstration gardens constructed by students in the grounds at Writtle show high standards of design and craftsmanship.

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

No. of starts 40 37 37 %retention 93 86 81 City and Guilds certificate in gardening

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 38 66 70 No. of starts 52 75 74 %retention 60 66 86 Royal Horticultural Society general certificate in horticulture % pass rate 58 30 67 No. of starts 56 71 72 % retention 80 70 79 Creative skills certificate in garden design % pass rate 80 84 95 No. of starts 68 66 55 % retention 84 76 82 NVQ amenity horticulture (all options)

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 67 70 62 No. of starts 17 24 28 % retention 88 100 89 National diploma in horticulture

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate 100 83 84 No. of starts * * 22 % retention * * 77 NVQ amenity horticulture (all options)

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

% pass rate * * 100 No. of starts 6 8 13 % retention 83 100 54 National diploma in three-dimensional design % pass rate 100 75 86

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Quality of education and training

70. Teaching of practical horticulture is good. In the best lessons, teachers use the college grounds to effectively integrate theory and practice. Very experienced, well-qualified teachers encourage high standards of practical work. Students are involved in the development of prestigious projects such as the construction of a garden for a national newspaper at the Chelsea Flower Show. The best lessons provide learners with experience of teamwork, priority setting and problem solving. In weaker lessons, teachers impart essential skills and knowledge satisfactorily, but use a narrower range of teaching methods and fail to involve students effectively. Key skills teaching is often dull and uninspiring and is seldom enjoyed by learners. Some teachers lack sufficient understanding of key skills and do not promote their importance to students. 71. The grounds at Writtle contain a rich variety of ornamental plants at various stages of maturity,

p.27

Quality of education and training

including many unusual varieties as well as more common place. Teachers use this rich resource to develop excellent plant knowledge with learners. The grounds also contain outstanding examples of landscape design, including the innovative use of surface materials and other design features. The landscape design of the Writtle campus is co-ordinated well and provides an excellent learning resource with a good balance between new developments and mature plantings. The grounds at Shuttleworth are developed less well, but are satisfactory.

p.28

Quality of education and training

72. A suitable range of books, periodicals ICT resources and other learning materials are available, including access to computers in the learning support centre. There are sufficient tools and plant materials to complete practical tasks to the appropriate standard. Classroom accommodation is satisfactory, although large classes are accommodated in cramped classrooms that limit the effective use of visual aids. There is insufficient use of professional design software by three- dimensional design students.

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Quality of education and training

73. Assessment is satisfactory and meets awarding body requirements. Assessments are appropriately challenging and give students the opportunity to develop their personal competence as well as their vocational knowledge. On some courses the timing of assessments is unsatisfactory with too many assignments being handed out towards the end of the course. Feedback from teachers on assignments is satisfactory and learners are given sufficient detail to enable them to improve their performance. NVQ portfolios contain an appropriate range of evidence and are adequately internally verified. Students on part-time externally examined courses are well prepared for the examinations.

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Quality of education and training

74. The range of horticulture and design courses offered by the college is satisfactory. There is an increasing take up of part-time level 2 courses in horticulture and garden design. Certificates in gardening at level 1 attract a large number of amateur gardeners, some of whom progress to higher- level professional courses. The range of courses on offer is in accordance with the college's strategic plan and its status as an HE college. Progression routes are available to HE within the college.

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Quality of education and training

75. Basic skills screening is carried out and staff are aware of students' additional support needs. The information is not systematically used to produce learning plans which detail learning objectives and targets, or explain how they will be achieved. Records of tutorials are kept and these review progress and set targets, but lack detail. Targets describe tasks or assignments which need to be completed, rather than learning goals. There is good informal monitoring of learners' progress. Staff have a good rapport with learners and understand their needs. Learning support services are welcoming and accessible and provide good coursework and key skills support. Learners value the help they receive to complete coursework. Attendance is recorded and absences followed up, but staff do not do this consistently and some classes are poorly attended.

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Leadership and management

76. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Staff and physical resources are deployed effectively. Communication is effective, although much of it is informal. Staff meetings are regular and well documented at Writtle. At Shuttleworth the staff team is new and includes full-time and part- time staff who continue to work in industry. This enhances learning but makes communication more difficult. Health and safety procedures has a high profile and are referred to regularly in lessons and reinforced with posters and notices. Risk assessments are conducted for all activities and students are involved in risk assessment for their own activities. Equality of opportunity is insufficiently promoted. There were no references to equality or diversity in lessons observed and notices, posters and policy statements are not prominently displayed. There is little sharing of good practice between Shuttleworth and Writtle. Data are collected and reviewed in annual course reviews and compared to

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Leadership and management

national benchmarking data. There is insufficient setting of targets to improve the performance of programmes. Internal verification is satisfactory and meets awarding body requirements. The self- assessment process is not well established. The self-assessment report is insufficiently critical and failed to identify many of the curriculum area's key strengths.

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Floristry

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

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Strengths

o good achievement of additional qualifications

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Strengths

o good integration of theory and practical teaching

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Strengths

o effective use of assessment to aid learning

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Strengths

o excellent teaching facilities at Writtle.

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Weaknesses

o insufficient communication and sharing of good practice

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Weaknesses

o poor use of data in course review and evaluation.

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Scope of provision

77. Full-time and part-time floristry courses are offered at both Writtle and Shuttleworth. Full-time provision includes a national certificate at both centres with an advanced national certificate at Writtle. There are 38 students enrolled on these courses at Writtle of whom 22 are aged over 19, and 5 at Shuttleworth of whom 4 are aged over 19. A level 1 first steps in floristry course is run as a one-week taster course and as a ten-week evening class at Writtle, with a total of 44 students. Part- time provision at both centres includes the national certificate run on a day-release basis, together with the advanced national certificate on a similar basis at Writtle. There are a total of 63 students enrolled on these courses at Writtle and 22 at Shuttleworth. Other part-time or evening provision includes design and craft level 2 courses in floristry, additional floristry techniques, balloon display,

p.29

Scope of provision

contemporary floral design and interior floral design. A design and craft level 3 in flower arranging is also run at Writtle. There are 190 students on these courses at Writtle and 34 at Shuttleworth; 95% of students on part-time courses are adults. A range of full-cost short courses are also offered at Writtle for industry and amateurs. There is no work-based learning.

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Achievement and standards

78. The range of courses run and the number of students recruited has risen rapidly in the last few years. Retention and achievement on significant full-time and part-time courses at level 2 are satisfactory, with high retention and pass rates on the part-time national certificate. There are high pass rates on level 3 full-time and part-time courses. There were, however, low retention and pass rates for the small number of students aged 16 to 18 on the full-time national certificate course in 2002/03, although retention rates are much better in the current year. There is good achievement of additional qualifications by students on the full-time national certificate at Writtle, including an extra unit on business opportunities, a basic photography certificate and courses for all three key skills. Attainment is high, particularly in practical lessons. Students develop good floristry skills and techniques which they use well to show off their own design skills and flair, particularly on the level 3

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Achievement and standards

courses. Many students work at close to a commercial speed and standard. A student on the national certificate course won first prize for an exhibit at this year's national spring florist event .

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

No. of starts 11 22 181 % retention 73 86 81 Certificate in design and craft (all options)

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

(Part time) % pass rate 75 68 84 No. of starts 6 21 38 % retention 66 86 82 National certificate in floristry

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

(Full time) % pass rate 100 83 84 No. of starts * 10 22 % retention * 80 86 National certificate in floristry

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

(Part time) % pass rate * 100 89 No. of starts * * 7 % retention * * 100 Advanced national certificate in floristry

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

(Full time) % pass rate * * 86 No. of starts 21 8 8 % retention 81 100 62 Creative skills flower arranging

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2001 2002 2003

Source: college data *course did not run

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Quality of education and training

79. The standard of practical teaching is particularly high. Timetables are structured so that one member of staff takes a class of students for a two-hour or three-hour session. This is used very effectively to integrate theory and practical teaching with assessment. The pace, content and style are appropriate and learners develop skills at a good pace. Learners are encouraged to critically assess their own work and, where appropriate, to discuss feedback from their fellow students. Teachers' feedback is well structured, evaluative and supportive. It is provided in a manner which motivates learners to achieve more. Assessment is effective at further developing students' knowledge and understanding as well as their practical skills. In some lessons there is insufficient use of question and answer sessions to check students' learning. No use is made of integrated learning technology in lessons, particularly in situations where it could enhance the display of visual

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Quality of education and training

material or allow access to the Internet.

p.31

Quality of education and training

80. Full-time and part-time staff have good recent commercial experience and appropriate vocational qualifications. Several of the full-time staff are new to teaching. Those who do not hold teaching qualifications are undergoing training. Teaching at Writtle takes place in new purpose built classrooms, which are equipped very well for floristry teaching. A flexible room layout is achieved by the use of tall floristry benches on lockable casters enabling them to be moved in order to adapt the room layout for different learning situations. The floristry unit is located some distance from the main campus, which deters students from using the library. Adequate computers are available in a room within the floristry teaching building. Flowers and accessories are readily available to students through the floristry training shop. At Shuttleworth resources are adequate. A suitable range of books, periodicals ICT resources and other learning materials are available to learners. Learners

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Quality of education and training

also have access to computers in the learning support centre. There are sufficient tools and plant materials to complete practical tasks to the appropriate standard. Learners plan tasks and order plant material as part of their learning experience.

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Quality of education and training

81. Assessment is generally planned well and integrated with the curriculum,although the advanced national certificate course has a large assignment element late in the course. The standard of assessment is appropriate and complies with examination board criteria. Internal verification is structured well with good verification of practical work and detailed feedback to assessors. Portfolio work is presented well with good use of photographic and other illustrative evidence. There is constructive, detailed feedback on marked work.

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Quality of education and training

82. Good use is made of a taster course at Writtle prior to the start of full-time courses to assess vocational aptitude. Attendance on this is not compulsory but any students whose ability or commitment is in doubt at interview are directed to attend. Some students on full-time courses still fail to fully appreciate what attendance on a floristry course will involve. There is no taster course provided at Shuttleworth.

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Quality of education and training

83. All students, including adults on part-time courses, are screened on entry for literacy, numeracy and IT skills. The support subsequently offered is taken up by few students. There is good liaison between tutors and support staff, but timetabling difficulties have made it difficult for students to attend support sessions at Writtle. There is poor formal tutorial support for all students. Most full-time students at Writtle had received only one formal individual tutorial by May. There is no regular monitoring of progress and target setting through the tutorial system at either centre. Individual learning plans are not completed at the start of courses. There is good informal support for students, and staff are easily accessible.

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Leadership and management

84. Leadership and management are satisfactory. There is good student and staff input into review and evaluation but no formal input from industry. There are, however, very strong informal links with industry. At Shuttleworth, formal staff meetings are held irregularly, but there is good communication amongst staff. The effectiveness of review is limited by the lack of reliable data on attendance, progression and retention and pass rates. Reviews do not always identify key weaknesses. There is a lack of communication and sharing of good practice between Writtle and Shuttleworth. There is no internal verification or lesson observations of each other's work to ensure uniformity of standards. Course management at Writtle places a heavy load on the few experienced staff. Course files and documentation are of a standard format and are satisfactory. Health and safety procedures have a high profile and are referred to regularly in lessons and reinforced with posters and notices. Risk

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Leadership and management

assessments are conducted for all activities and learners are required to take part in the risk assessment for their own activity. Equality of opportunity does not have a high profile. There were no references to equality or diversity in lessons observed and notices, posters and policy statements are not prominently displayed. No actions have been taken to attempt to remedy the gender imbalance on the courses. The self-assessment report is descriptive rather than evaluative, lacks detail and makes no reference to the impact of strengths and weaknesses on learners.

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Sports studies (Writtle campus only)

Overall provision in this area is satisfactory (grade 3)

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Strengths

o good integration of theory and practice

p.32

Weaknesses

o ineffective planning of individual learning

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Weaknesses

o poor enforcement of safe working practices.

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Scope of provision

85. The college offers a range of full-time sport programmes that include the national diploma in sport (sport development and fitness) and the first diploma in sport at the Writtle campus. The national diploma in sports (outdoor education) is offered at the Shuttleworth campus. All students at Shuttleworth were on work experience during the inspection and this provision was not inspected. A range of additional qualifications are offered at both Writtle and Shuttleworth, including the community sports leaders award, first-aid at work, the higher sports leaders award, lower and higher ropes courses and sailing. There is no NVQ or work-based provision. Progression opportunities exist within the narrow range of provision that is offered. Short courses provide students with the specific skills they need to prepare them for work. There are 62 full-time students aged 16 to 18 and one adult full-time student in the Writtle provision.

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Achievement and standards

86. Overall, retention rates are satisfactory. On the national diploma (sport development and fitness) the retention rate is 66% and on the first diploma, 88%, both are above the national averages for similar courses in FE colleges. Pass rates on the national diploma (sport development and fitness) and the first diploma sport are satisfactory, at 80% for both courses, a little below the national average. Pass rates on short courses are satisfactory. Retention and pass rates on the performance and excellence football preparation programme in 2002/03 were satisfactory; 81% of learners were retained on the programme and passed. All students passed the four-day first-aid at work course. However, pass rates on the community sports leaders award were very low, at 22% in 2002/03. This pass rate improved to 92% the second time the programme was run in the same year.

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Achievement and standards

87. Students' work is satisfactory. Assignment work is well laid out and is clear. Students develop an appropriate range of skills and knowledge. Their understanding of concepts is good and they are able to apply their knowledge well in lessons. For example, in one sport preparation lesson, students applied their knowledge of the principles of training effectively in the fitness centre and chose the correct weight training equipment with which to demonstrate how to improve physical condition. In another presentation, students made effective use of ILT to present their work to the group. Timekeeping is poor in many lessons. Students were late to half of the lessons observed, which disrupted learning. Attendance is satisfactory.

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Quality of education and training

88. Most teaching is satisfactory. In the most effective lessons, there is a variety of learning activities and good integration of theory and practice. Teachers make good use of the facilities available to them, including the gym, sports field and fitness centre, to enhance and develop knowledge. In sports lessons, class activity is often divided between theory and practice and students apply their knowledge well in these settings.

p.33

Quality of education and training

89. In too many lessons, teachers do not plan effectively for individual learning and the work does not take account of the different abilities of the learners. There is little use of the initial assessments of learners' abilities in lesson plans. For example, in sports practical lessons, there is no planning for those who are injured and unable to take part.

p.33

Quality of education and training

90. Resources are satisfactory, overall, and there is sufficient specialist equipment and material. Accommodation provides a suitable setting for teaching training and learning. The fitness centre provides an excellent facility for the development of knowledge and the application of theory. It is furnished with a good variety of equipment including fixed-resistance equipment, aerobic treadmills, cycles, and free-weights resistance equipment. They are housed in a modern, well-lit, air- conditioned facility. Many classrooms are of poor quality. They are too warm for comfort and road noise makes concentration difficult. Lighting control is inadequate and reduces the effectiveness of projected images. Staff qualifications are suitable and appropriate for teaching sport programmes. Most staff are qualified to degree level and some have postgraduate qualifications.

p.33

Quality of education and training

91. The enforcement of safe work practices is poor. The games-field equipment store is unsafe and the equipment stored in it is untidy, which presents a hazard to those entering. The college has made some progress in persuading students to remove jewellery and wear appropriate protective clothing, but students often wear jewellery that is a hazard in contact situations. In a number of football lessons shin pads were not being worn during activity that involved contact.

p.33

Quality of education and training

92. Assessment practice is effective. Assignment briefs are clear and have scenarios linked to appropriate sporting contexts. Internal verification meets regulatory body requirements. Assessment plans structure students' work well across the academic year.

p.33

Quality of education and training

93. Tutorial support is good and tutors work closely with students on a group and individual basis. Decisions related to work are recorded and shared between tutors and the students. Targets for the completion of work are clear and monitored effectively. Appropriate advice is offered on personal matters. Tutors are accessible and readily give of their time to provide support and advice. Work experience at Shuttleworth is effective. Students on the outdoor education programme are able to gain work experience in the United Kingdom (UK) and many in Europe. Students were well supported during these work experiences. Members of staff visit each student twice in order to ensure the appropriate skills and experience are being gained.

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Leadership and management

94. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Operational management is effective. However, the use of data for management decisions is not well established. Staff meetings are regular and have action points that provide a clear record of the management issues on programme. Students' progress is a regular feature of these meetings. The strategic plan for sport sets clear targets for the development of sport within the wider college context. The register system currently used is poor and does not immediately identify those who are at risk. Staff development addresses the needs of staff. New teaching staff are enrolled on an appropriate teaching qualification and have mentors. All teachers and teaching support staff have annual performance reviews and appraisals. There is an appropriate emphasis on equality of opportunity. However, there is no evidence of the reinforcement of equal opportunities during class work, and there is an overall gender imbalance across the

p.34

Leadership and management

provision; there are significantly fewer female than male students.

p.34

Level 16-18 % 19+ %

1 5 53 2 77 23 3 15 10 4/5 0 0 Other 3 14 Total 100 100

p.34

Level 16-18 % 19+ %

Source: provided by the institution in spring 2001

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Enrolments (%)

Science and mathematics 306 76 8 Land-based provision 517 1,237 36 Construction 0 0 0 Engineering, technology and 2 61 1 manufacture Business administration, management and professional 6 61 1

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Enrolments (%)

Information and communication technology 338 102 9

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Enrolments (%)

Retailing, customer service and transportation 30 89 2

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Enrolments (%)

Hospitality, sports, leisure and travel 63 225 6 Hairdressing and beauty therapy 0 0 0 Health, social care and public services 19 1,285 27

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Enrolments (%)

Visual and performing arts and media 13 84 2

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Enrolments (%)

Humanities 0 0 0 English, languages and communication 314 67 8

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Enrolments (%)

Foundation programmes 9 5 0 Total 1,610 3,316 99

p.35

Enrolments (%)

Source: provided by the institution in May 2004

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observed

Level 3 (advanced) 59 36 5 63 Level 2 (intermediate) 56 40 0 50 Level 1 (foundation) 100 0 0 1 Other sessions 0 100 0 1

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Totals 58 38 4 115

commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Inspection reports are available on the Ofsted web site (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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