Cardinal Newman College

CONTENTS

Quality of provision in curriculum and occupational areas

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CONTENTS

How well is the college led and managed?

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CONTENTS

To what extent is the college 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

Business and leisure and tourism Visual and performing arts and media

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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

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CONTENTS

Table 4: Quality of teaching observed during the inspection by level

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Basic information about the college

Name of college: Cardinal Newman Type of college: Sixth form college Principal: Stephen Pegg Lark Hill Preston Lancashire Address of college:

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Basic information about the college

PR1 4HD Telephone number: 01772 460181 Fax number: 01772 204671 Chair of governors: John Cowdall Unique reference number: 130745 Name of reporting inspector: Patrick Geraghty HMI Dates of inspection: 7-11 February 2005

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Information about the college

Cardinal Newman is a Catholic sixth form college in the centre of Preston. It was formed in 1978 from the amalgamation of three Roman Catholic grammar schools. It is located within the Roman Catholic diocese of Lancaster and also serves students from the diocese of Salford and the archdiocese of Liverpool. Cardinal Newman is the post-16 provider for the Newman Partnership, a working group consisting of the college and nine Catholic partnership high schools. The college is also an increasingly attractive option for full-time students of other faiths who attend high schools in Preston and the surrounding area. Year-on-year applications from these schools have increased significantly. The college draws from both deprived and affluent wards and forms a socially mixed and diversified educational community. In 2003, general certificate of secondary education (GCSE) attainment in Preston was below the Lancashire and English average. Progression to post-16

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Information about the college

education was also below average at 66% in 2003.

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Information about the college

In 2004, the number of 16 to 18 full-time students studying at the college increased significantly to 1,672. The number of students aged 19 and over continues to fall. Less than 300 part-time students aged 19 and over are currently on role. At the start of the academic year 2004/05, over 80% of students were aged 16 to 18 and on level 3 courses. Courses offered are advanced subsidiary level (AS level) and general certificate of education advanced level (GCE A level), Business Technology Education Council (BTEC) and advanced vocational certificate of education (AVCE); at level 2, general national vocational qualification (GNVQ) intermediate, BTEC and GCSEs and at level 1, GNVQ foundation and an essential skills course for young people with specific learning needs. In addition to the 16 to 18 provision the college offers a limited range of part-time courses for adults, especially within basic skills and information technology (IT). Adult courses are offered on the

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Information about the college

college's main site and in a number of community-based centres.

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How effective is the college?

The inspection graded the quality of provision in six curriculum areas. Inspectors judged the curriculum to be good in all areas. There was a contributory grade of outstanding for leisure and tourism. The college's main strengths and the areas that should be improved are listed below.

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Key strengths

o good and improving achievement and value added on the majority of courses

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Key strengths

o good range of subjects for students aged 16 to 18

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Key strengths

o comprehensive and effective assessment and monitoring of students' progress o welcoming and inclusive environment

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Key strengths

o strong leadership by the senior management team to promote improvements

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Key strengths

o good management at departmental and faculty level

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Key strengths

o strong promotion of gospel values which informs and inspires strong student commitment to, and enthusiasm for, college life.

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What should be improved

o the use of information and learning technology (ILT) in the classroom

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What should be improved

o some outdated and cramped accommodation

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What should be improved

o arrangements for the management of key skills provision

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What should be improved

o low pass and retention rates on a minority of courses.

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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 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

Science and mathematics Good. High pass rates in GCE A-level science and very good achievement in biology and environmental science. Very good teaching in science with good support for students within the area. Pass rates for AS-level physics and GCSE science are low and in mathematics lessons there is insufficient active involvement of students. Leadership and management are good. Business and leisure and tourism Good. Contributory grade for leisure and tourism is outstanding . High pass rates on most courses in 2004. Excellent teaching and learning on leisure and tourism courses and much good teaching on business courses. Learning materials are good. There are low retention rates on some vocational business courses. There is insufficient use of external business links on business programmes. Visual and performing arts and media Good. Pass rates are high for most courses. Retention rates for a minority of courses are low. There is much good teaching and

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Area Overall judgements about provision, and comment

standards of practical work are high. Enrichment in performing arts is good. Some accommodation in performing arts is unsuitable. Humanities Good. Many pass rates are high. There is much good teaching and assessment and monitoring of students' progress are good. There is insufficient use of IT in the classroom. Some accommodation is unsuitable. Management is good. Psychology and sociology Good. Pass and retention rates are high. There is much very good teaching and assessment practice. There is insufficient use of IT and underdeveloped curriculum enrichment. Leadership and management are highly effective. English and modern foreign languages Good. Pass rates are high for AS-level and GCE A-level English, but low in GCSE English. There is much good teaching with effective planning and rigorous assessment and monitoring of students' progress. The use of IT is underdeveloped in teaching and learning. Leadership and management are highly effective.

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How well is the college led and managed?

Leadership and management are good. The new principal and senior management team have rapidly given a formerly underperforming college a strong sense of direction. A vision for the college based on high expectation and raising students' achievements has been embraced by staff and governors. Rigorous and systematic quality assurance procedures have resulted in significant improvements in pass and retention rates. The Catholic mission fully informs and directs the life of the college and is actively led and supported by the leadership team. Governors and staff have undertaken a thorough review and consultation which has led to a revised mission and values statement. The life of the college demonstrates in every way a welcoming community, inclusive of all and respectful of different cultures and faiths. Management information systems are effective and provide accurate data. The continuing poor performance of a minority of courses is being addressed

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How well is the college led and managed?

by detailed and practical action plans. Flexible and innovative staff development programmes have a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning. Managers at all levels provide strong leadership. The management of both IT in the curriculum and key skills is underdeveloped. Financial management is good and governance is effective. The college provides good value for money.

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To what extent is the college educationally and socially inclusive?

The college's response to social inclusion is good. The college attracts students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Priority is given to Catholic students, but others are welcomed and account for 48% of the student population. Some 16% of the students are from minority ethnic backgrounds and 37% from disadvantaged areas. There are good links with local community groups and the local mosque. Basic skills teaching is provided in a variety of outreach centres. College teachers work with gifted and talented pupils in some local partner schools. The college has extended vocational provision at levels 1 and 2 and successfully developed an essential skills programme. Students from different backgrounds socialise and work well together. There is an atmosphere of mutual respect and a recognition of different cultures and beliefs that demonstrates the ethos and mission of the college. The college complies with the requirements of the Race Relations (amendment) Act 2000 and is

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To what extent is the college educationally and socially inclusive?

almost fully compliant with the requirements of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act 2001 (SENDA).

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How well are students and trainees guided and supported?

Support for students is good. Pre-course advice and guidance are comprehensive and help to ensure that students are enrolled on suitable courses. Induction is well planned and helps students to settle into college quickly. Teachers are very supportive and subject specific support is readily available. Students receive good timely and useful information to help them in their university applications and careers guidance is also offered. Arrangements for financial assistance and for counselling are in place. There is an appropriate child protection policy. The tutorial programme includes group tutorials and regular one-to-one reviews which students find useful. The group tutorial programme omits some important aspects of health education. Additional learning support needs are identified in several ways and in-class or individual support provided. Arrangements for literacy and numeracy support are not yet systematic and some students who would benefit from extra help

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How well are students and trainees guided and supported?

choose not to access it. Systems for monitoring the effectiveness of additional support are being developed. Attendance is monitored effectively.

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Students' views of the college

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

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What students like about the college

o friendly atmosphere and sense of community

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What students like about the college

o opportunity to study among students from different faiths o approachable, helpful teachers

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What they feel could be improved

o inadequate and overcrowded social areas

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Other information

The college inspection report will normally be published 12 working weeks after the formal feedback of the inspection findings to the college. Once published, the college has two months in which to The college's action plan must show what action the college 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 colleges 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 80 20 0 Learning 16-18 81 19 0

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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 standards of students' achievements are high. The majority of students at the college are aged 16 to 18 and enrolled on AS-level, GCE A-level and vocational certificate of education (VCE) courses. Adult numbers have declined over the last two years and now represent 300 enrolments, mostly in centres in the community for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and information and communications technology (ICT) courses.

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16 to 18 year olds

2. In 2004, the pass rate for GCE A level was 98% and for AS level was 90%. Pass rates are significantly above national averages in, for example, AS-level biology at 95%, environmental science at 100%, GCE A-level accounting at 100%, and AVCE business at 96%. Some subjects continue to record pass rates below the national average. For example, in AS-level physics at 60%, and AS-level human biology at 64%. At level 2, pass rates are variable. For example, in 2004, the pass rate in GNVQ intermediate in leisure and tourism was 100% with higher grade achievement 52% above national average. However, pass rates in both GCSE science and GCSE English are below national averages. There is good progression between levels. For example, in leisure and tourism, progression from level 2 to level 3 has averaged 60% in the last three years and progression in business from foundation to intermediate in 2003 was 67%. Key skills are taught in

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16 to 18 year olds

separate or integrated courses. Portfolios completion is low. 3. The college retention rate at level 3 in 2004 was 88%. Some areas have improved their retention rates impressively. For example, GCSE mathematics at 86%, AS-level business studies at 92%, and AS-level drama, history and sociology all at 92%. However, a small minority of subjects continue to record retention rates below national averages. For example, in AVCE business double award at 56% and GNVQ art and design at 55%.

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16 to 18 year olds

4. The college uses national indicators of value added to assess its own performance. Analysis of students' value added achievements shows that students are performing better than expected in comparison with their GCSE scores on entry. Students make good progress, regardless of their starting points. The grades students achieve in comparison with their predicted grades are particularly impressive in AS-level accounting, biology, communications studies, design and technology, environmental science, film studies, geography, German, mathematics (mechanics), physical education and textiles. At GCE A level, there is high value added performance in accounting, biology, dance, drama and theatre studies, economics, English language and literature, environmental science, ICT, psychology and textiles. Value added was outstanding in AVCE (double award) art and design and travel and tourism.

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16 to 18 year olds

5. Inspectors judged that students' attainment was good or better in 76% of the lessons observed. Standards are particularly high in business and humanities. Students bring a sense of enjoyment and inquisitiveness to their work. When working independently, they demonstrate well-developed research skills. In science, students ask interesting and demanding questions and demonstrate good analytical skills. Vocational students on leisure and tourism programmes produce high-quality work. In humanities, students engage in intellectual debate with confidence and demonstrate an impressive grasp of analytic, evaluative and listening skills. Their written work is thorough and perceptive, and demonstrates good understanding of complex concepts. In English, students display a sensitive understanding of literary texts and apply the rules of linguistic analysis aptly.

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16 to 18 year olds

6. Attendance during the inspection was 85% which is similar to the national average for sixth form colleges. It was highest in science, mathematics and humanities at 86% and lowest in business at 83%. Students arrive punctually to lessons.

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Adult learners

7. The college's cohort of adult students was reduced significantly in 2004. During the inspection, there were only a limited amount of observations of adult lessons possible within the agreed curriculum areas. The vast bulk of adult provision is taught at outreach centres and focuses on ESOL and ICT.

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Quality of education and training

8. There is much good and very good teaching. Teaching and learning were graded by inspectors in 84 lessons. Teaching was good or better in 80% of these and satisfactory in 20%. Teaching was very good or excellent in 42%. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. Learning was good or better in 81% of lessons observed and satisfactory in 19%. There was no unsatisfactory learning. Attainment was good or better in 76% of lessons and satisfactory in 24%.

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Quality of education and training

9. Lessons are characterised by thorough preparation and skilful teaching. Students learn how to acquire, organise and use new knowledge. Learning materials are prepared well. Lessons are planned to enable students of differing abilities and learning styles to develop. Teachers ask well- considered and apt questions, set appropriate extension tasks, and ensure that resources suit the learning objectives. High standards are demanded and students respond positively to the challenge. Teachers use a range of teaching methods which encourage the development of higher level skills, including analytical and evaluative skills. There is good rapport between staff and students. Students bring enthusiasm, inquisitiveness and a sense of enjoyment to learning. Group discussion work and debate are regularly of a high standard.

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Quality of education and training

10. The minority of lessons graded satisfactory are distinguished from the good and better lessons by a lack of student involvement and a slower pace of work. Group work is organised less skilfully. Students are not challenged to evaluate and develop their ideas. In many areas, ILT is not a central part of teaching and learning.

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Quality of education and training

11. The college offers a welcoming, well-maintained and safe environment. The main college buildings include a Georgian mansion house and distinctive nineteenth-century chapel set in attractive grounds. The estate is well managed and the programme of planned maintenance and refurbishment is reviewed frequently in the light of the developing property strategy. The majority of college accommodation is bright, clean and most areas are accessible to students with mobility difficulties. There are vivid displays of students' work and curriculum materials in classrooms and communal areas. Curriculum areas are well laid out. The canteen and student social areas are too small for the number of students using them. Some classrooms and teaching areas are inadequate or unsuitable for the timetabled activities, particularly in dance and humanities.

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Quality of education and training

12. Teachers are well qualified in their subjects and the vast majority have a teaching qualification. Many teachers have substantial teaching experience and a number are senior examiners and moderators. Arrangements for staff development are good. New teachers receive good support. Internal staff development is particularly well matched to both college and individual needs. The college's ethos and mission feature prominently in staff induction and in the college staff development programmes. The library and learning resources centre are well managed and provide good support for learning. Student borrowing is high. Links with curriculum areas are particularly good with a member of the library and learning resources staff providing tuition on research skills and electronic information retrieval. There is an appropriate range of books, magazines and journals. The current overall ratio of computers to students is satisfactory. Network and learning resources are

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Quality of education and training

not sufficient to meet the needs of all students.

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Quality of education and training

13. Assessment is rigorous in most areas. Monitoring of students' academic progress is very good. All students are set a minimum target grade on the basis of their GCSE grades and good use is made of this by teachers and personal tutors. Lesson plans make provision for meeting the needs of the different abilities of learners. Progress reviews are carried out at regular intervals. Good use is made of an electronic system which gives personal tutors easy access to subject teachers' grades and comments. Printed copies of these reports keep parents informed about progress. Individual learning plans include individual targets. Some are appropriately specific, but others are too general or are not time constrained. Homework is set regularly and generally includes a variety of tasks. Assignments for vocational courses are relevant. Work is marked promptly. Feedback is good, with detailed and clear guidance on how students can improve their performance. Coursework deadlines

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Quality of education and training

are generally managed well and within departments internal deadlines are staggered to help avoid overload.

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Quality of education and training

14. Examination preparation is thorough. In most areas, standardisation and internal moderation are carried out in accordance with awarding body requirements, but there are occasional examples of overgenerous marking. There is no systematic initial assessment of students' literacy and numeracy levels beyond GCSE grades. Assessment practices in social sciences are particularly effective. A wide variety of in-class methods of assessment are used including quick tests, directed questions, and quizzes. Data from formal assessments are collated and analysed thoroughly. Underperforming students are given help to improve.

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Quality of education and training

15. The college offers a broad range of AS levels and GCE A levels and an increasing number of vocational courses, particularly at levels 2 and 3. The timetable is designed to maximise subject choice. There is also an essential skills course and adult literacy and numeracy provision. Links with local high schools are productive. The Newman partnership, between the college and nine Catholic high schools, cements the good working relationships through regular meetings between the principal and school heads. The college provides an introduction to critical thinking course for gifted and talented pupils in some schools.

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Quality of education and training

16. The college fulfils its legal obligations in relation to religious education and collective worship. The work and contribution of the college chaplaincy to the Catholic ethos of the college are exemplary. The preparation and provision of prayer and religious services across the college are excellent. Prayer follows the pattern of the liturgical year and features strongly at times of celebration such as the leavers' Mass. Mass is offered each Wednesday and daily prayer is provided in the college chapel. The chaplaincy team provides outstanding leadership in drawing together staff and students into a range of activities. Provision for general religious education is very good and well attended. Excellent progress has been made in the development of the religious education programme. Students appreciate and value the time spent in exploring spiritual, moral and religious questions. The course meets the requirements of the national accrediting body for post-16 general

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Quality of education and training

religious education and almost all students complete and pass the course. Appropriate courses are offered in AS-level and GCE A-level religious studies. There are examples of excellent teaching within the religious studies programme.

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Quality of education and training

17. Very good links have been formed with the local mosque and a variety of community groups including an Asian women's centre, a Hindu centre and a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre. Links with industry are underdeveloped. Managers make good use of data in monitoring the college's effectiveness in meeting the needs of individual and groups of students and widening the participation of students from traditionally under-represented groups.

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Quality of education and training

18. Participation in enrichment activities is voluntary and many students are keen to join the exciting and successful activities including sports, drama and music performances, visits to other countries and visiting speakers. A broad range of opportunities is offered within most faculties. The college has developed effective partnerships with local Catholic schools. There is a developing programme of shared initiatives such as the training of Eucharistic ministers. Links with parishes and the dioceses need to be strengthened.

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Quality of education and training

19. Support for students is good. Support is provided through subject-specific support in study centres and from teachers, student services, the tutorial system, learning support, and the chaplaincy. Students particularly value the friendly relationships with their teachers and the encouragement and support they receive from them. Good information and advice and guidance are available to prospective students through the prospectus, open evenings and individual interviews. Considerable care is taken to ensure that students are placed on the right course. The student diary provides much useful information. Induction is well planned and incorporates a variety of activities which are effective in introducing students to the college and their courses.

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Quality of education and training

20. The tutorial programme includes group tutorials and one-to-one reviews. The quality of group tutorials varies. The programme includes useful topics, but insufficient attention is given to aspects of health education such as relationships and drugs awareness. Personal tutors actively review progress during individual reviews. Individual learning plans are used in formal progress reviews, but there is no formal recording system for the informal one-to-one reviews which take place regularly. Groups of personal tutors are supported by senior tutors, who also operate a duty rota for dealing with any problems requiring immediate attention. Additional learning support needs are identified during interviews, at enrolment, through information from partner high schools and referrals from teachers. Routine initial assessment of learning styles also helps identify those with dyslexia. Learning support is arranged mainly through in-class support and one-to-one sessions. The

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Quality of education and training

arrangements to identify and provide literacy and numeracy support are not systematic. Some students who would benefit from additional support do not take it up. The college has not evaluated the impact of learning support in the past, but new systems are now being introduced to measure this.

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Quality of education and training

21. A recent successful project involves the appointment of a multi-lingual Asian community worker to support young Asian males. He acts as a role model, offers individual mentoring and makes effective use of his community links. Retention rates for this group have improved.

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Quality of education and training

22. Advice and guidance on university applications are very good. Careers guidance is also offered and links with local Connexions advisers are well established. Student services provide information about financial help. Counselling is available through college and specialist counsellors and the chaplaincy. The recent appointments of a director of pastoral services and a learning support manager have strengthened the management of different aspects of student support. There is a lack of overall co-ordination of student support services at senior management level, but relationships are good and much informal communication takes place which ensures that there is no disadvantage to students. There is an appropriate child protection policy in place with a designated senior member of staff responsible for child protection issues.

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Quality of education and training

23. There are very effective systems for monitoring attendance, including a daily e-mail absence report and a central system for authorising absence. Online attendance records with reports at different levels enable personal tutors, subject teachers and managers to check attendance and pursue absence vigorously.

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Leadership and management

24. Leadership and management are good. The principal took up post in August 2003 and has subsequently been joined by a new senior management team. The college they took over was underachieving. The new team has been quick to address the causes of underperformance and has given the college a strong sense of direction. It has successfully established a vision for the college based on high expectations and an unswerving focus on raising achievement. At the same time, the college has stayed true to its core values as a community which cares for the needs of the individual. The college has prioritised its provision for 16 to 18 year olds and has rationalised its programme for adults. Applications to the college for September 2004 rose by 40%, enabling the college to grow by nearly 200 full-time students aged 16 to 18. In 2003/04, overall pass rates at all levels were above national averages and retention rates improved significantly. For most courses, students' grades

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Leadership and management

were similar to those expected based on their prior attainment or better. There remain a few courses where achievement is significantly below national averages.

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Leadership and management

25. The management team have raised the aspirations of teachers and students in the college. Staff have responded positively to the strong sense of purpose which the senior management team has brought to all aspects of the college's work. The principal has been personally active in improving relationships with partner schools. Head teachers feel the college is now responding to their needs. Communication in the college is good. The principal publishes a weekly newsletter which keeps staff informed of developments and also reinforces the direction and ambition of the college. There is a weekly 10 minute staff briefing and a full staff meeting every month. Senior managers are open and consultative, and staff value their approachability and visibility around college. Senior managers have weekly one-to-one meetings with the staff they line manage as well as a weekly team meeting. This pattern is repeated by middle managers and their teams. The senior management team meets

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Leadership and management

frequently and holds a monthly meeting where performance indicators are monitored. These arrangements speed up communication both upwards and downwards and problems are identified and responded to promptly.

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Leadership and management

26. Commitment to the Catholic ethos is outstanding and celebrated within a culture of tolerance and mutual respect. The Catholic mission fully informs and directs the life of the college and is actively led and supported by the leadership team. The principal ensures that the college's mission and values statement is shared across the college. He meets weekly with the chaplaincy co-ordinator. Governors and staff have undertaken a thorough review and consultation which has led to a revised mission and values statement. The vision is for the college to be a centre of educational excellence built on faith, respect and trust, where diversity is celebrated and individual talent nurtured. The life of the college demonstrates in every way a welcoming community, inclusive of all and respectful of different cultures and faiths.

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Leadership and management

27. Quality assurance is comprehensive and thorough. All staff are involved closely throughout the process. Underperformance is always challenged and addressed by detailed, practical and often radical action plans which are monitored and supported by senior management. Self-assessment reviews at course and faculty level are analytical, self-critical and supported by a good range of evidence. The grades in the college self-assessment report reflect closely the judgements of inspectors. Courses are reviewed three times a year by the head of faculty, deputy principal and principal. Current data are analysed rigorously and action plans are monitored and refocused. For courses which are underperforming, these reviews are conducted monthly. The lesson observation system is thorough. A range of support is provided to individuals or departments where the standard of teaching is no better than satisfactory. Strategies such as mentoring, sharing of lesson plans and

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Leadership and management

peer observation are employed effectively. There are currently no formal annual reviews of support services and staff are not surveyed as users of college services. All members of staff have an annual performance management review. The reviews focus on setting objectives and identifying development needs, but there is no recorded evaluative summary of an individual's progress and development over the year.

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Leadership and management

28. Staff development is linked firmly to college strategic priorities and the outcomes of individual performance management reviews. There is an extensive programme of in-house staff development activities throughout the year. A weekly after college slot called `bite-size training' is flexible and responsive to training needs as and when they are identified. Its focus is on teaching and learning and it is a very effective mechanism for sharing good practice. The director of teaching and learning works closely with individuals and departments, and tailors training to meet individual needs. One initiative encourages all staff to spend two days each year observing best practice in other institutions. A programme of whole-day training events is well co-ordinated and often involves specialist external speakers. Staff are encouraged to attend appropriate external training. A rigorous interview process has led to some very effective external appointments while at the same time the

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Leadership and management

college has promoted and successfully developed existing staff into key roles.

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Leadership and management

29. Curriculum management is very strong across the college. Heads of faculty and heads of department provide very effective management to their teams. The arrangements for the management of key skills are ineffective.

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Leadership and management

30. The college has a strong commitment to equal opportunities which are well managed. Appropriate policies are in place and are monitored regularly. Equality and diversity targets are a central part of the self-assessment review process and the cycle of course reviews. The college is committed to implementing the findings of the disability access report that it commissioned in order to become fully compliant with the SENDA. Recruitment, retention and pass rates are analysed by ethnicity and gender at college and course level, and inform self-assessment reports.

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Leadership and management

31. The college's management information systems have improved significantly in the last 18 months. Returns are now timely and accurate. Regular, reliable data reports underpin quality assurance procedures and allow frequent close monitoring of key performance indicators. The management of IT in the curriculum is underdeveloped which is holding back the integration of ILT in teaching and learning. ILT champions are only just being established. All of these issues are addressed in the current development plan.

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Leadership and management

32. Operationally, the college gives good value for money. A course costing model is applied to proposed new courses. Invoices are monitored closely and checked for best value. There is an efficient and effective system for the deployment of teachers and classrooms. Average class size and attendance rates are high and the college is now achieving high retention and pass rates. The college remains in category B for financial health.

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Leadership and management

33. Governors support strongly the current strategic priorities. There is an effective committee structure and there is good communication between the committees and the full governing body. Links are good between governors and senior managers and the curriculum quality and standards committee receives regular presentations on curriculum areas by the relevant middle managers.

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Science and mathematics

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

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Strengths

o high pass rates at GCE A level in science subjects

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Strengths

o very good achievement in biology and environmental science

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Strengths

o much very good teaching in science subjects

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Weaknesses

o low pass rates in AS-level physics and GCSE science

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Weaknesses

o insufficiently active involvement of students in mathematics lessons.

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Scope of provision

34. AS-level and GCE A-level courses are offered in physics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, mathematics and further mathematics. GCSE mathematics and science are also offered as is City and Guilds adult numeracy. Currently, there are 1,123 student enrolments on full-time mathematics and science courses.

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Achievement and standards

35. Most pass and retention rates are high on GCE A-level courses. Pass rates are also high in AS- level biology. There is very good achievement in biology and environmental science. For example, in 2004, the pass rates and percentage of high grades in AS-level and GCE A-level biology and environmental science were significantly above national averages. Both subjects were in the top quartile for the advanced level performance systems. On the majority of courses, students make good progress in relation to their prior attainment at GCSE. The percentage of students achieving A* to C grades in GCSE mathematics is above national averages for students repeating this course of study. Achievement in AS-level physics is poor. Pass rates have been below national averages consistently for the past 3 years. Pass rates in GCSE science are very low and have continued to decline. Strategies to improve retention rates have proved effective.

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Achievement and standards

36. The standard of student's work is high. In the sciences, students ask interesting and demanding questions and demonstrate good analytical skills. The number of students progressing from AS-level to GCE A-level courses has been smaller than would be expected, but has increased in 2004.

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 217 192 180 % retention 81 79 86 GCSE mathematics 2

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 50 44 54 No. of starts 96 102 116 % retention 84 79 89 AS-level chemistry 3

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 86 77 87 No. of starts 135 120 146 % retention 92 84 90 AS-level mathematics 3

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 75 84 78 No. of starts 58 44 69 % retention 93 75 87 AS-level physics 3

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 69 73 60 No. of starts 101 88 58 % retention 94 97 98 GCE A-level biology 3

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 95 99 100 No. of starts 56 50 43 % retention 96 98 98 GCE A-level chemistry 3

p.15

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 94 94 100 No. of starts 78 76 66 % retention 99 97 95 GCE A-level mathematics

p.15

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

Source: ISR (2002 and 2003), college (2004)

p.15

Quality of education and training

37. Teaching is good or better in the majority of lessons. All lessons are very well planned and there are high-quality worksheets. There is much very good teaching in science. Lessons are lively and use a variety of activities to stimulate students' interest. In one particularly effective environmental science lesson, students were given 17 short questions to answer as they watched a 7 minute long video about the extraction of iron ore. In another effective lesson on redox titrations, students used ionic equations to calculate molar quantities with skill and confidence. Mathematics lessons lack variety of activity. Questioning of students is weak in some lessons and teachers do not initiate sufficient discussion to better involve students. ILT is used in some science lessons, but it is not established firmly in teaching across the area. Efforts are made to enrich students' learning experience with visits to universities and local industries.

p.15

Quality of education and training

38. Resources are good. Teachers are specialists and science lessons are supported by capable technicians. There is an extensive programme of in-service training designed to strengthen staff expertise. Mathematics rooms are spacious and laboratories are relatively modern and well equipped. A number of laboratories have fixed data projectors and portable projectors are available. Paper-based resources are excellent in science and good in mathematics. Learning materials on the college intranet are easily accessible by students in the college and at home.

p.16

Quality of education and training

39. Assessment of students' work is thorough. Work is set regularly. Students' written work is marked comprehensively and teachers give helpful feedback on how they can improve their performance. Student's progress is monitored carefully against targets through regular course reviews.

p.16

Quality of education and training

40. Subject support is good. The induction in science and mathematics is designed to identify additional learning needs as well as introduce students to the essentials of the subject. There is a specialist learning support centre in the mathematics and science area. All staff are very responsive to requests for help from students. Students value the support they receive.

p.16

Leadership and management

41. Leadership and management are good. The area is managed by a new head of faculty with individual subject heads of department. Clear targets are set for improvement and there is celebration of real success where it occurs. The self-assessment report for the area is thorough. Student achievement is analysed in detail, including by gender and ethnicity. The rigour of quality assurance has improved significantly in the last year and is leading to increased consistency across the area. Feedback to teachers from internal lesson observation is of high quality with practical suggestions for improvement. The monitoring of action plans is good.

p.16

Business and leisure and tourism

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

p.16

Business and leisure and tourism

Contributory grade for leisure and tourism is outstanding (grade 1)

p.16

Strengths

o very high pass rates on most courses in 2004

p.16

Strengths

o excellent teaching and learning on leisure and tourism courses

p.16

Strengths

o much good teaching on business courses o good learning materials on all courses

p.16

Weaknesses

o low retention rates on some vocational business courses

p.17

Weaknesses

o insufficient use of external business links on business programmes.

p.17

Scope of provision

42. AS-level and GCE A-level courses are offered in accounting, business studies and economics. In addition, there are vocational courses in business at foundation, intermediate and advanced levels. Provision in leisure, travel and tourism comprises the intermediate GNVQ in leisure and tourism and AVCE in travel and tourism. Students taking the advanced vocational route in both business and travel and tourism can study for either the single or double award. There are currently 432 students studying business programmes and 88 following leisure, travel and tourism programmes.

p.17

Achievement and standards

43. There were very high pass rates on most courses in 2004. In all leisure and tourism programmes and GCE A-level accounting, business studies and economics, the pass rate was 100% in 2003 and 2004. All AS-level and vocational business pass rates were above the national average in 2004. Passes at high grades were 40% above the national average in AVCE travel and tourism and 52% above the national average in the intermediate GNVQ in leisure and tourism in 2004. Retention rates have been significantly above the national average in leisure and tourism courses in the last two years, but retention rates on some vocational business programmes were significantly below the national average in 2004.

p.17

Achievement and standards

44. The standard of work produced by students is high and most students attain their learning goals. Business and economics students are developing the ability to analyse data and show good understanding of business concepts and terminology. Vocational students on leisure and tourism programmes produce high-quality work and often reach significantly high levels of attainment.

p.17

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 29 19 22 % retention 83 74 77 GNVQ intermediate business

p.17

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 63 93 88 No. of starts 20 23 15 GCE A-level accounting 3 % retention 90 96 87 % pass rate 72 100 100 No. of starts 58 58 56 % retention 97 90 96 GCE A-level business studies

p.17

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 96 100 100 No. of starts 138 137 139 % retention 91 80 92 AS-level business studies

p.18

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 81 85 90 No. of starts 35 31 30 % retention 83 81 93 AS-level economics 3

p.18

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 76 72 89 No. of starts * 17 33 % retention * 100 88 AVCE travel and tourism

p.18

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

Source: ISR (2002 and 2003), college (2004)

p.18

Quality of education and training

45. There is excellent teaching and learning in leisure and tourism lessons and much good teaching and learning in business lessons. All lessons in leisure and tourism were very good or better. In the best lessons, teachers use a variety of activities including verbal exposition, questioning, role plays and group activities which engage and stimulate students effectively. Some teaching in leisure and tourism is inspirational with outstanding levels of student involvement and attainment. In one customer services lesson, students identified the needs of different types of customer and were skilled in applying knowledge gained from their own part-time work experience to create strategies to meet those needs. Visits to tourist attractions and contributions by guest speakers from the industry are integrated skilfully into the curriculum to enhance assignment work. Good use of ILT in business lessons enriches and extends students' learning. In some business lessons, students are passive

p.18

Quality of education and training

and the pace of work is too slow. There is insufficient use of external business links on business programmes and contacts with local businesses are not sufficiently developed. There is no work experience programme or enterprise activity and students do not benefit from this opportunity to experience current business practice and awareness of the commercial world.

p.18

Quality of education and training

46. Teachers are well qualified and many have recent industrial experience. There are relevant and imaginative wall displays in base rooms and corridors. Some business accommodation is too small for larger classes. Library resources are satisfactory. Teachers produce high-quality, relevant and topical learning materials which effectively extend learning. Powerpoint presentations are used to good effect. Open access ILT resources are good and students make good use of these for independent research.

p.18

Quality of education and training

47. Assessment is well planned. Homework is set regularly, marked promptly and returned with clear and constructive comments which are valued by students. In leisure and tourism lessons, teachers make good links between lesson objectives and unit assessment criteria. The links between business studies and the development of key skills are inadequate. Key skills are not integrated with the assignments of vocational business units nor used to develop students' literacy and numeracy. Internal verification and moderation procedures are satisfactory.

p.18

Quality of education and training

48. There is a good range of vocational programmes. Progression is good. From the 2003 cohort in business, 67% progressed from foundation to intermediate level and 61% from intermediate to the AVCE programme. In leisure and tourism, progression from level 2 to level 3 has averaged 60% in the last three years and all level 3 students have progressed either to higher education (HE) or relevant employment.

p.18

Quality of education and training

49. There is strong subject support for students. Teachers make particular efforts to give individual support to students, both in and out of lessons. Targets for improvement are set and reviewed regularly. There is a high level of additional support for students. The student support officer provides effective support for students from the Asian community, many of whom are following business programmes.

p.19

Leadership and management

50. Leadership and management are good in business and outstanding in leisure and tourism. Teamwork in leisure and tourism is extremely effective. Teachers share ideas and work collaboratively. Communication in both business and leisure and tourism is good. Regular course and departmental meetings lead to the production of action plans which are monitored. Course reviews are both detailed and evaluative. A large proportion of students are of minority ethnic origin, and teachers and students work harmoniously and respectfully together. Self-assessment reports are both comprehensive and realistic.

p.19

Visual and performing arts and media

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

p.19

Strengths

o high pass rates in the majority of courses

p.19

Strengths

o achievement above predicted grades in most subjects

p.19

Strengths

o much good teaching and development of independent learning skills

p.19

Strengths

o good enrichment for performing arts students

p.19

Weaknesses

o some low retention rates in a minority of courses o limited level 2 provision

p.19

Weaknesses

o some unsuitable accommodation for performing arts.

p.20

Scope of provision

51. AS levels and GCE A levels are offered in fine art, textiles, graphics, dance, drama and theatre studies, music and music technology. Digital photography at AS level was offered for the first time in 2004. Vocational courses include an AVCE (single and double award) in art and design, AVCEs (single and double) in performing arts and intermediate GNVQ in performing arts. There is also an AVCE conversion course. Currently, there are 770 students enrolled.

p.20

Achievement and standards

52. Pass rates on the majority of courses are above, or close to, national averages. GCE A-level art, dance, drama and music, together with the intermediate GNVQ in performing arts and AVCE in art and design, achieved 100% pass rates. Retention rates are low in a minority of subjects including intermediate GNVQ in art and design and AS-level music. In GCE A-level subjects, students achieve above the grades predicted by their GCSE performance.

p.20

Achievement and standards

53. The standard of students' work in the classroom is high and most students are making appropriate progress. Standards of practical work are high in dance, drama and textiles. For example, in drama, the solo performance of a devised piece on the life of Grace Darling revealed physical theatre skills of an exceptional maturity and talent.

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 21 31 35 % retention 76 84 89 AS-level dance 3

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 100 88 97 No. of starts 114 111 85 % retention 81 73 93 AS-level art 3

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 97 95 92 No. of starts 37 30 53 % retention 81 80 92 AS-level drama 3

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 97 100 98 No. of starts 19 18 38 % retention 84 83 84 AS-level music 3

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 100 100 84 No. of starts 23 25 20 % retention 61 56 55 AVCE (double award) performing arts

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 100 86 100 No. of starts 56 55 32 % retention 95 93 97 GCE A-level art 3

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

Source: ISR (2002 and 2003), college (2004)

p.21

Quality of education and training

54. The majority of teaching is good or better. Lessons are well planned and provide for students with differing abilities and learning styles. In the most successful lessons, teachers plan activities to allow step-by-step skills development in a carefully structured way. In a drama lesson, students studying Howard Barker's play The Master were encouraged, as they walked around, to focus on different parts of the body starting with feet and progressing to facial expression. They then used knowledge gained from this experience for work on characterisation. Independent learning skills are encouraged through peer assessment, integrated research and through the use of personal experience. For example, in a textiles lesson, one student provided a very personal response to epilepsy by designing and making a dress that includes medication sewn on to the fabric. Good use is made of ICT in many art and design lessons. In the weaker lessons, teachers fail to challenge the

p.21

Quality of education and training

learning of students sufficiently. For example, in a music lesson, some students remained passive throughout the first part of the lesson.

p.21

Quality of education and training

55. Staff are well qualified and experienced, many being practising artists and musicians. The newly refurbished St James's Art Centre provides a high-quality integrated environment for art and design studies. Studios are light with attractive wall displays. Music rooms are well equipped with a significant investment in additional computers and associated software, and a fully equipped recording studio. In performing arts, a range of rooms is used including a flexible theatre space equipped with a basic lighting rig. Temporary accommodation hired for dance is unsatisfactory.

p.21

Quality of education and training

56. Assessment is thorough, providing regular checks on students' progress. Homework is set regularly and returned promptly. Written feedback is extensive and highlights areas for improvement. There is some overgenerous marking in music. In art and design, the external moderator similarly refers to marking that is overgenerous. Deadlines are tight and provide a very good challenge for students. There is little evidence of the internal verification of assessments.

p.21

Quality of education and training

57. There has been a significant increase in enrolments to level 3 courses, but provision at level 2 is limited. There is very good enrichment for performing arts students with excellent and numerous opportunities for performance. Regular visits to art galleries and concerts are also a feature for art and design and music students. Textile students have worked recently with year 11 pupils from a local high school in designing and producing t-shirts for a Children in Need fashion show. Progression to HE is good. Ethnic groups are under-represented in art and design and the gender imbalance in dance restricts the range of performance opportunities.

p.21

Quality of education and training

58. Support for students is good. There are weekly tutorials which provide one-to-one support and provide the opportunity to explore a range of moral and ethical topics. Creative arts students also enjoy additional support from a designated learning support assistant and two student assistants. Action plans are formed following these reviews and checked periodically. Target grades are reviewed and revised as necessary.

p.21

Leadership and management

59. Leadership and management are good. Targets for both retention and pass rates are set and monitored regularly. The lesson observation scheme and peer observation are helping to raise the standard of teaching and learning. Where weaknesses have been identified, action has been taken. In music, for instance, there is a new course leader and additional learning support has been introduced to help improve retention and pass rates. Communication with staff is good. The self- assessment report fails to acknowledge a weakness of low retention rates on a number of courses.

p.21

Humanities

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

p.22

Strengths

o much good and some inspirational teaching

p.22

Strengths

o thorough assessment and monitoring of students' progress

p.22

Strengths

o wide range of extension opportunities and community links

p.22

Strengths

o highly effective curriculum management.

p.22

Weaknesses

o low retention rates in AS-level religious studies

p.22

Scope of provision

60. GCE A-level and AS-level courses are offered in geography, government and politics, history, law, philosophy and religious studies. There are currently 655 enrolments. Numbers are high in history, law and geography with 209, 165 and 111 enrolments respectively. Enrolment to AS-level philosophy, government and politics and religious studies is good.

p.22

Achievement and standards

61. Pass rates are very high in many humanities subjects. Pass rates have been consistently high over the past 3 years in government and politics at both levels and in ancient history, history and philosophy at GCE A level. Retention rates improved considerably in 2004 though were well below the national average in AS-level religious studies. Students make good progress in relation to their prior attainment at GCSE in AS-level geography; however, they perform less well in history at AS level and in government and politics and religious studies at GCE A level. High grade passes are very good in AS-level geography and law.

p.23

Achievement and standards

62. The standard of students' work is very high. Written work is thorough and perceptive, demonstrating good understanding of complex concepts by many students.

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 61 51 60 % retention 90 84 88 AS-level geography 3

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 96 72 92 No. of starts 108 117 96 % retention 82 83 93 AS-level history 3

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 90 86 88 No. of starts 82 110 105 % retention 85 84 93 AS-level law 3

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 89 86 84 No. of starts 32 35 44 % retention 66 80 86 AS-level philosophy 3

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 86 89 87 No. of starts 50 39 32 % retention 74 82 75 AS-level religious studies

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 89 75 96 No. of starts 29 45 35 % retention 100 96 100 GCE A-level history 3

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 100 98 100 No. of starts 35 36 61 % retention 94 92 97 GCE A-level law 3

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

Source: ISR (2002 and 2003), college (2004)

p.23

Quality of education and training

63. Teaching and learning are very good. Many lessons are well structured providing opportunities for students to explore a range of issues and develop a keen sense of judgement. In the best lessons, students are presented with challenging and stimulating activities that promote skills of analysis and selection. Active learning methods are integral to some lessons and the teaching is, on occasion, inspirational. In a religious studies lesson, students were encouraged to explore aspects of conscience through discussion and the use of contemporary examples. The ensuing discussions and debate reflected very good student learning. Teachers' use of a range of teaching methods encourages the development of higher level skills. For example, a politics lesson developed observational and deductive powers to explain the transition of old to new labour. The work assisted students in developing political insight, an understanding of Blairism and the ability to select

p.23

Quality of education and training

pertinent contributory factors. In early modern history, students were presented with opportunities to investigate and develop awareness of the different factors that contributed to the success of the Catholic reformation in Spain and Italy during the sixteenth century. This involved work in pairs and groups where students had to prioritise and assess the significance of key points.

p.24

Quality of education and training

64. Well-qualified staff are deployed effectively. There is insufficient use of ILT to enhance learning opportunities in humanities. Some rooms are unsuitable for large groups which mitigates against the further development of active learning techniques. Curriculum resource materials are good, thorough and clearly structured to assist students with their learning.

p.24

Quality of education and training

65. Monitoring of students' academic progress is good. Target setting is linked effectively with the reporting process and the cycle of reviews is rigorous and is undertaken on a termly basis. Assessment of students' work is thorough and is returned promptly with detailed and clear guidance on areas of strengths and weaknesses. Some feedback and presentational work by students is of a very high standard.

p.24

Quality of education and training

66. The range of available subjects in humanities is good although they are all offered at level 3. The area provides good enrichment opportunities to enhance learning including a specialist speaker programme, a range of visits and attendance at conferences. Good community links have been developed with local feeder schools including innovative co-operative ventures for gifted students within the secondary school sector. Opportunities for students to acquire key skills qualifications are available at level 3, but few students take advantage of this.

p.24

Quality of education and training

67. Support for students is good. The individual support given for academic and personal issues is very good and students are fulsome in their praise for the staff who give of their time to assist students.

p.24

Leadership and management

68. Leadership and management in humanities are good. There are good communications and self- assessment is comprehensive and realistic. Monitoring of students' attendance and individual academic progress is regular and rigorous. Links between heads of faculty and the curriculum heads are very good as co-operation, accountability and pursuit of excellence are prevalent. The sharing of good practice takes place on in-service education and training (INSET) days and within the faculties with initiatives such as peer monitoring beginning to make an impact.

p.24

Psychology and sociology

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

p.24

Strengths

o very high grades in GCE A-level psychology and AS-level sociology o much very good teaching

p.24

Strengths

o very good leadership and highly effective management.

p.25

Weaknesses

o insufficient use of ILT in teaching and learning

p.25

Scope of provision

69. Some 658 students are enrolled on GCE A-level psychology and sociology courses. Of these, 272 are enrolled on the AS-level psychology course and 144 on the GCE A-level psychology course. There are157 students on the AS-level sociology course and 85 on the GCE A-level sociology course.

p.25

Achievement and standards

70. Retention and pass rates have improved consistently and have been above the national average for three years. The number of students achieving high grades is above the national average. In 2004, 59% of GCE A-level psychology students and 49% of AS-level students in sociology achieved high grades. In psychology and sociology, students make very good progress in relation to their prior attainment at GCSE.

p.25

Achievement and standards

71. The standard of students' work is very high, and assignments are well researched and carefully structured. In most lessons, the standard of discussion and debate is very high; students use concepts, perspectives and theories accurately and develop good evidence-based arguments. In many GCE A-level lessons, the standard of discussion, debate, analysis and evaluation is exceptionally high.

p.25

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 208 213 236 % retention 78 85 91 AS-level psychology 3

p.25

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 86 89 90 No. of starts 108 124 136 AS-level sociology 3 % retention 81 81 92 % pass rate 90 89 90 No. of starts 109 92 99 % retention 94 96 99 GCE A-level psychology

p.25

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 99 99 99 No. of starts 55 51 62 % retention 96 96 98 GCE A-level sociology 3

p.26

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

Source: ISR (2002 and 2003), college (2004)

p.26

Quality of education and training

72. Most teaching is good or better. Teachers have very high expectations of students. They plan lessons very effectively to include a wide range of activities that help students to develop good subject knowledge and understanding. Students present their opinions and arguments with confidence and develop skills of analysis and evaluation. In one lesson about the value of unstructured interviews as research methods, the teacher had devised a role play to motivate and sustain interest in the subject. The various roles were undertaken with confidence and enthusiasm. The discussion that followed was lively, enthusiastic and demonstrated that the students had developed an excellent understanding and ability to evaluate the research method in terms of its validity, reliability and objectivity. There is good rapport between staff and students. Students show a positive attitude to their work and enjoy learning.

p.26

Quality of education and training

73. Very good assessment practices inform students about their progress and how they might improve and develop their learning and aspire to higher grades. Assessment information is analysed carefully to identify the performance of different groups of students and is used to plan ways in which the courses could be improved. Assessment is rigorous and fair, marking is meticulous and feedback is thorough and identifies ways in which work can be improved. Excellent monitoring and analysis of results helps to identify students who need support. There are good methods of informally assessing students' progress in lessons and strategies to help students to improve their learning.

p.26

Quality of education and training

74. Staff are very well qualified and knowledgeable. They continually develop their knowledge and skills to improve their effectiveness. Teachers produce good learning resources that are used very effectively to develop stimulating classroom activities or assignment work and revision. The library has a good stock of appropriate texts and journals for students to use to develop research skills. Classrooms are well maintained, although some are too small for the size of classes and this can inhibit the range of group work activities that can be used. Teachers strongly encourage students to use the Internet for research. There is an insufficient use of ILT in teaching and learning.

p.26

Quality of education and training

75. AS-level psychology and AS-level sociology attract students who wish to broaden and enrich their core programme of study. Staff wish to retain this policy. A curriculum enrichment programme which could broaden and enhance teaching and learning is not well established.

p.26

Quality of education and training

76. Good academic support is based on teachers effectively using attendance and punctuality data and progress reports to plan and monitor support programmes for students who are underachieving or who wish to aspire to higher grades. There is effective communication between specialist support services, teaching staff and tutors to ensure that all students have the support they need to complete their course successfully.

p.26

Leadership and management

77. Leadership and management are very good and have contributed to building strong teams who share good practice effectively. Students' opinions are valued. All staff are skilled in making effective use of performance data and other forms of information. They are involved fully in contributing to the development of clear values and targets, actions for improvement and systematic monitoring to progress improvements. There is strong commitment to the promotion of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory behaviour. Staff choose topics from the syllabus which raise awareness of gender, cultural and political differences and expect students to respect the diversity of human behaviour.

p.26

English and modern foreign languages

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

p.27

Strengths

o high pass rates on AS-level and GCE A-level English and communication courses

p.27

Strengths

o effective lesson planning which meets the needs of students

p.27

Strengths

o rigorous assessment and monitoring of students' progress

p.27

Strengths

o highly effective leadership and management.

p.27

Weaknesses

o insufficient use of ILT in teaching and learning.

p.27

Scope of provision

78. The college offers a good range of courses at GCSE, AS level and GCE A level in English, communication and modern foreign languages. The fast track GCSEs in Spanish and Italian provide opportunities to reach GCE A level in two years. There are currently 574 enrolments on English programmes, 52 on GCE communication and 199 on modern foreign languages programmes in French, German, Spanish and Italian. A small group of adults study GCSE English on a part-time basis in the evening.

p.27

Achievement and standards

79. Pass rates are high on AS-level and GCE A-level English courses and on AS-level and GCE A- level communication courses. In 2004, pass rates improved on AS-level courses in French, German and Spanish to above the national average. Students generally achieve results in line with expectations based on their achievements at GCSE. In GCE A-level English literature, the percentage of students achieving high grades has been consistently above average, and improved to above average in 2004 for AS-level French and German. In GCSE English language, however, pass rates have been consistently below the national average. While there has been some fluctuation in retention rates, these are generally satisfactory.

p.28

Achievement and standards

80. Standards of students' oral and written work are high. In AS-level and GCE A-level English, students can express themselves clearly and confidently in speech and writing. They can demonstrate sensitive understanding of literary texts and can apply the rules of linguistic analysis. Advanced level students in modern foreign languages can understand and discuss a wide range of complex topics in the languages they are learning.

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 171 156 136 % retention 81 75 79 GCSE English language

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 50 36 44 No. of starts 38 41 37 % retention 82 88 84 AS-level communication

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 94 100 94 No. of starts 101 97 130 % retention 80 91 92 AS-level English language and literature

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 93 97 96 No. of starts 39 42 49 % retention 95 90 94 GCE A-level English literature

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 100 97 100 No. of starts 23 20 13 % retention 83 95 92 GCE A-level French 3

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 100 100 83 No. of starts 40 39 53 % retention 95 97 96 GCE A-level English language

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

Source: ISR (2002 and 2003), college (2004)

p.28

Quality of education and training

81. Most teaching is good or very good. Lessons are well planned and teachers are enthusiastic about their specialist subjects. Teachers have high expectations and set high standards for their students. In the best lessons, students are challenged academically and linguistically, and the learning process is enjoyable. In an advanced level English language lesson, students acquired good understanding of how children learn to spell through linguistic analysis of their descriptive writing. Advanced level communication students critically evaluated video extracts of popular culture in the 1960s and 1970s and demonstrated how social values and censorship have changed. In modern foreign languages, lessons are conducted mainly in the language being taught, enabling students to acquire good comprehension and speaking skills. In an advanced level French lesson, students used appropriate technical terminology to debate the advantages and disadvantages of

p.28

Quality of education and training

building a nuclear power station in a populated area. Students are making good progress in acquiring the appropriate skills and can apply the rules and conventions of literary criticism with increasing competence. In a small number of lessons, however, there is insufficient variety to embrace the full range of students' learning styles and some students are not engaged fully in the learning. In some instances, there is insufficient checking of written work in the lesson. The use of ILT is not embedded in teaching and learning.

p.29

Quality of education and training

82. Resources are good. Staff are well qualified. In modern foreign languages, native speaking teachers add authenticity to language learning and help students develop good accents and pronunciation. The new digital language laboratory is a valuable resource and enables students to acquire good listening and speaking skills. The English department has a specialist study centre and modern foreign languages has a private study area and access to an independent learning area. Some accommodation in English is small and limits movement in the room. High-quality study packs and independent learning materials are used to support teaching and learning in English and modern foreign languages.

p.29

Quality of education and training

83. Assessment is rigorous. Students' work is marked frequently and thoroughly. Written comments and discussion help students improve the standard of their work. Students are clear about their target grades. In English, students' performance is monitored against a checklist of essential reading, writing, thinking and study skills. In modern foreign languages, students' progress in reading, writing, listening and speaking is assessed regularly through homework, class work and formal assessment.

p.29

Quality of education and training

84. Support and guidance are effective. There is good pre-enrolment advice and guidance to ensure that students make appropriate choices. Strong links with partner schools ease the transition from high school to college. Subject teachers and tutors work closely together to ensure that the needs of students are met. They give freely of their time to help students with personal and academic matters. The value systems of the college are embedded in the day-to-day routines and create a positive learning community.

p.29

Leadership and management

85. Leadership and management are good. Procedures and practices to monitor teaching and learning are effective. Strategies are put in place to address weaknesses and are monitored effectively. There is a concern to ensure continuous improvement which is implemented in comprehensive systems of quality assurance. Standards of teaching and learning are improving. Staff meet regularly to discuss curriculum development and students' progress. Enrolments in modern foreign languages have increased significantly with the launch of the new languages academy.

p.29

Level 16-18 % 19+ %

1 2 53 2 18 9 3 63 8 4/5 0 0 Other 17 30

p.30

Total 101 100

* figures have been rounded and may not total 100%

p.30

Enrolments (%)

Science and mathematics 1,137 21 12 Land-based provision 0 0 0 Construction 0 0 0 Engineering, technology and manufacture 44 1 0

p.30

Enrolments (%)

Business administration, management and professional 424 7 4

p.30

Enrolments (%)

Information and communication technology 456 233 7

p.30

Enrolments (%)

Retailing, customer service and transportation 4 15 0

p.30

Enrolments (%)

Hospitality, sports, leisure and travel 350 17 4 Hairdressing and beauty therapy 5 15 0 Health, social care and public services 107 1 1

p.30

Enrolments (%)

Visual and performing arts and media 1,008 6 10

p.30

Enrolments (%)

Humanities 4,484 28 47 English, languages and communication 958 11 10

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Enrolments (%)

Foundation programmes 61 138 2 Unknown area of learning 1 126 2

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Total 9,039 619 100

Source: provided by the college in 2004 * figures have been rounded and may not total 100%

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2002 2003 2004 2002 2003 2004

Starters excluding transfers 894 200 164 199 564 785

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2002 2003 2004 2002 2003 2004

Retention rate % 73 69 79 66 60 55 National average % 75 83 * 72 73 * Pass rate % 68 61 57 64 68 70

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1

National average % 75 72 * 73 75 * Starters excluding transfers 741 616 1,195 164 224 80

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1

Retention rate % 79 74 88 74 32 73 National average % 82 81 * 70 69 * Pass rate % 89 87 93 50 55 59

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2

National average % 84 86 * 70 74 * Starters excluding transfers 4,181 4,256 4,370 123 59 74

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2

Retention rate % 84 85 88 72 83 72 National average % 89 90 * 72 73 * Pass rate % 91 85 91 67 82 83

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3

Note: summary of retention and achievement for the last three years by age and level of course, compared against national averages for colleges of the same type (that is general FE/tertiary colleges or sixth form colleges).

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3

1. National averages: Benchmarking Data 2000 to 2002: Retention and Achievement Rates in Further Education Colleges in England, Learning and Skills Council, September 2003.

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3

2. College rates for 2000/01 to 2002/03: College ISR

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observed

Level 3 (advanced) 80 20 0 71 Level 2 (intermediate) 75 25 0 12 Level 1 (foundation) 100 0 0 1

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Totals 80 20 0 84

educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced verbatim without adaptation, and the source and date of publication are stated. Inspection reports are available on the Ofsted website (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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