Setting

Date of visit: 22 May 2007

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.

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progress has been made to address these issues?

 There is not yet a fully developed system to record non-accredited learning. The college is working on processes to recognise and record this learning but there is limited evidence of impact at this stage. Some action has been taken to address the lack of opportunities to accredit learning. Learners are being assessed this year for an English Speaking Board examination. The college has applied to become an accredited centre for NPTC (National Proficiency Tests).

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and develop their confidence and social communication skills?

 Learners continue to make satisfactory progress in these areas. Work placements are giving them a useful opportunity to practice the skills they are developing.

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learning plans (ILPs) and lesson planning?

 The college has reviewed its procedures to develop individual learning plans and is piloting the new ILP with four learners this year. Some lesson plans show evidence of an improvement in the way lessons are structured and attempts to differentiate learning. However, there has not yet been sufficient progress to address issues in teaching and learning identified at the last inspection. The most recent observations undertaken by the college indicate a high proportion of lessons that are unsatisfactory. In these lessons managers found that staff do not focus sufficiently on individual targets that allow them to monitor and record learner progress.

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delivered and monitored?

 An experienced manager has now been appointed to develop and improve skills for life. At the time of the visit the manager had been in post for four weeks. With the support of an external consultant plans have been put into place and some actions taken to improve provision for literacy, numeracy and communication; it is too early to judge the impact of these activities. However, through the pilot for four learners initial indications are that assessments are improving, literacy and numeracy targets are increasingly focussed and becoming embedded in the lesson planning process  Staff training has been planned but has yet to be fully implemented. The part-time speech and language therapist (SaLT) now contributes to baseline assessments and where appropriate identifies ILP targets for communication. From the autumn term 2007 the college intends to increase the quantity of speech and language therapy for the

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delivered and monitored?

learners. A communication link worker has been allocated time to work with the SaLT but the college is very aware of the need for additional training for this role  Contact has been made with other general and specialist colleges in order to learn from best practice in assessment. The application of RARPA (Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement) is at an early stage of development.

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inspection?

 A new curriculum framework is being devised for implementation in September 2007. It is intended that this will focus better on meeting the broad range of needs of the learners. As part of this review, the college has identified four vocational strands that it plans to deliver within the areas of catering and hospitality, horticulture, retail and administration. These are being effectively linked to employment opportunities within the local labour market. It is too early to evaluate the outcomes of this work. In the current year eight learners are benefiting from work experience within retail and horticultural contexts. These have been well planned to take into account possible learner progression when they leave the college. The college continues to make effective use of opportunities within the local community in terms of enriching the curriculum it can offer to learners.

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satisfactory?

 The college continues to develop support and guidance for learners. The learner handbook is now available in a variety of formats and work is taking place to improve this further. Learners were well involved in the development of this activity.

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and teacher expertise and qualifications?

 There has been some progress to address issues since the last inspection. A company director attends the senior management team meetings and chairs the newly introduced Curriculum and Quality Group. The latter includes external agencies, such as representatives from other colleges. Quality assurance arrangements are still at a very early stage of development. A quality working group has been established with representatives from the teaching and learner support staff to develop a better understanding of quality assurance amongst staff. Managers have a clear picture of the quality of the college’s teaching and learning. A quality improvement plan is in place and the college is working with external consultants to help it better understand what it needs to do to improve the provision. A performance management system is being implemented and there is a greater focus on staff development and clarification of job roles.

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and teacher expertise and qualifications?

However, the college recognises that there are gaps in staffing expertise and very few staff have specialist qualifications for working with students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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learners?

 There are satisfactory arrangements in place to involve learners in decision making. The learner forum is providing a useful means for discussing curriculum change and other matters with the learners.

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Do safeguarding arrangements continue to be satisfactory?

 The college complies with the legislative requirements for the safeguarding of learners. It has compiled a central register of checks carried out on staff.

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curriculum?

 An access audit of the buildings has been completed and necessary actions have been authorised by the parent company. This includes the installation of a lift, lowering of kerbs and widening of doors to comply with legislative requirements. The college has worked with learners in devising its Disability Equality Scheme. It has not yet carried out any impact assessments on its work to promote equality of opportunity  The work currently being carried out on the accommodation is intended to provide teaching and learning resources that are better fit for purpose. Capital investment has enabled an extensive programme of building work to take place. A new training kitchen and computer suite are being developed. This additional space will become available at the start of the autumn term as a consequence of the main offices of the company being relocated to another building. There are three building phases planned of which phase 1 is nearing completion

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curriculum?

 The building work being undertaken at the time of the annual assessment visit and the consequent temporary arrangements in place meant it was not possible to fully assess the progress made to improve the learner experience since the last inspection.

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curriculum?

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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