Setting

Date of visit: 27 November 2006

This feedback contains brief findings from the annual assessment visit. It focuses on the themes explored during the visit and does not attempt to give a comprehensive overview of the college’s performance.

p.1

relevant to the college to demonstrate this equality?

 The college has begun to monitor the success of learners’ achievement of their individualised learning objectives with respect to gender, ethnicity and disability. This information is supported by increasingly effective quality assurance practice and is used for further improvement planning. The college’s analysis demonstrates there are no significant differences in the progress made between different groups of learners.

p.1

effective?

 There has been continued development of the strategy for placing literacy, numeracy and communication at the core of learners’ programmes. Where appropriate this includes separate teaching and learning sessions for learners to work towards accredited awards or to provide additional opportunity for practicing important aspects of learning. The college is not yet monitoring sufficiently learners’ achievements to know if these changes have improved progress.

p.1

Has the training on behaviour management been effective?

 There has been a wide range of training carried out since the last annual assessment visit (AAV). A senior manager of staff has been trained as an intermediate tutor in specific behaviour strategies. She has subsequently carried out training for all support staff and further training for tutors and other managers is planned for next month. This senior member of staff sits in on lessons for informal observations where learners’ behaviour gives cause for concern. Staff report that they now have greater confidence in managing behaviour. Behaviour plans are detailed and thorough. The college keeps data that indicates there has been a reduction in the number of incidents for individual learners over time. However, the data is not sufficiently quality assured to demonstrate unequivocally the extent of improvement made.

p.1

circumstances. Has this area been addressed?

 Risk assessments now include how learners’ individual needs relate to their work experience setting. These assessments are clear. Staff accompany learners during their work experience sessions. They go through the risk assessment details with the work placement employers but do not yet leave a copy for subsequent reference by the employer.

p.2

framework?

 The quality assurance process has continued to develop, particularly related to the Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement (RARPA) stages. Senior managers undertake systematic and careful monitoring of individual learning plans (ILPs), objective setting and formative and summative recording of progress. This is supported by ongoing and focussed training to improve staff skills and confidence in these processes. There is monitoring of improvements through the lesson observation process. Overall, there is a clear focus on improving the processes of teaching and learning. A useful tracking form is used by senior managers to monitor the learning process for individual learners. However, this currently has too great an emphasis on checking aspects are complete rather than on evaluating the quality of each aspect.

p.2

guidance?

 The college has a single, central database about staff that fulfils DfES safeguarding guidance requirements.

p.3

guidance?

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).

p.3