Bexhill College

Audience Published Provider reference Bexhill College

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Contents

Basic information about the college 3 Background of the organisation 4 Scope of the inspection 4

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Contents

Summary of grades awarded 5 Curriculum areas 6

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Contents

Overall judgement 7 Main findings 10 Curriculum area inspections 14 - 3 -

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Basic information about the college

Address of college: Penland Road Bexhill-on-Sea East Sussex TN40 2JG

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Basic information about the college

Name of lead inspector: Janet Mercer, HMI

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Basic information about the college

Dates of inspection: 12-16 March 2007 - 4 -

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Background of the organisation

1. Bexhill College is a medium sized sixth form college in Bexhill-on-Sea. It draws learners from a wide rural area as well as nearby towns and works with four partner schools.

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Background of the organisation

2. The local area has considerable socio-economic diversity. Some areas of Bexhill have high levels of unemployment while other areas are more prosperous. There is little manufacturing industry in Bexhill. Most businesses are small or medium sized, covering distribution, healthcare, retail, insurance, banking, and leisure and tourism. The care and tourism industries are particularly prominent employers in the area.

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Background of the organisation

3. The college provides a wide range of general education and vocational courses in humanities, science and mathematics, visual, performing arts and media, business, English, modern languages, sports, leisure and tourism, health, social care and public services, and information and communication technology (ICT). The core area of the college’s work is with full-time students aged 16-19 and, since 2000, there has been a steady growth from 1,150 students in 2004 to almost 1,450 in 2006. There are 550 adult learners, most of whom attend part- time courses and 80 work-based learners, the majority of whom are on health and care programmes. Other work-based learning covers administration, customer service, and hospitality and catering.

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Background of the organisation

4. The proportion of learners from minority ethnic groups reflects the local community. Almost 60% of learners attending the college are female.

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Background of the organisation

5. The college’s mission statement is as follows: “Bexhill College strives to provide opportunity and excellence for the young people and the wider community of Bexhill, Rother and Hastings”.

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Scope of the inspection

6. In deciding the scope of this inspection, inspectors took account of: the college’s previous inspection report (www.ofsted.gov.uk); the college’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans; comments from the local Learning and Skills Council (LSC); reports from the inspectorate annual assessment visits; and data on enrolments and learners’ achievements over the period since the last inspection. This inspection focused on the following aspects:

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Scope of the inspection

 overall effectiveness of the college and its capacity to improve further  achievements and standards  quality of provision  leadership and management  specialist provision in: health, public services and social care; science and mathematics; arts, media and publishing; languages, literature and culture. - 5 -

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Leadership and management Satisfactory: grade 3

Note: Where contributory grades have been awarded, they are shown in the relevant sections of the report. Contributory grades represent the judgement of the team that the quality of the aspect of provision indicated by the grade differs from the grade overall. - 6 -

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Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: grade 3

7. The college provides satisfactory education and care. Students’ achievements are satisfactory. Pass rates are high on many courses, but low retention rates in many areas mean that overall success rates are below the average for sixth form colleges. Students produce good quality work. Most make the progress expected of them but there is significant variation between subjects. Success rates on work-based learning programmes have been well below average for the past three years.

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Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: grade 3

8. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The proportion of good or better lessons observed was lower than at the time of the last inspection. Teachers are knowledgeable about their subjects, but in too many lessons students are not actively engaged and remain passive recipients of information. The college has invested in information and learning technology (ILT), but it is not always used effectively to enhance learning.

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Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: grade 3

9. The college provides a good, wide ranging curriculum, and is responsive to local needs. Educational and social inclusion are good. Effective partnership working has widened participation and created good provision for students with learning difficulties and for students aged 14-16 attending the college. Good opportunities for curriculum enrichment enhance students’ experiences. Strategic planning with partners for longer term curriculum development is underdeveloped.

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Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: grade 3

10. Support and guidance are satisfactory. Students feel safe and well cared for. They value the good one-to-one support they receive from teachers and tutors, although group tutorials are not consistently effective. Whilst students are set minimum expected grades based on their previous examination results, these do not always help to raise expectations or standards.

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Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: grade 3

11. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Management data are now more reliable, but the analysis and use of data to improve performance are still underdeveloped. The leadership of teaching and learning has not had sufficient impact on improving the quality of teaching across the college. The rigour of the college self-assessment report has improved and it accurately identifies strengths and areas for improvement, but too many curriculum reports fail to address key weaknesses. The college is aware of the need to improve the consistency and quality of middle management to raise standards further. Financial management is good and the new accommodation provides a good environment for learners. - 8 -

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Capacity to improve Satisfactory: grade 3

12. Capacity to improve is satisfactory. The college has been slow to identify the issues affecting low retention rates. While overall success rates have improved, there is still considerable variation in performance between subjects. The proportion of good or better teaching observed has declined since the last inspection.

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Capacity to improve Satisfactory: grade 3

13. A new quality review system has been introduced but there has not yet been sufficient time for these reviews to have an impact on teaching and learning. Self-assessment does not yet lead to clearly defined actions for improvement in all areas. Target setting and some action planning are underdeveloped.

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Capacity to improve Satisfactory: grade 3

14. Staff are fully aware of the need to improve retention but they are not always clear about which strategies will enable them to achieve this. They are proud of the improved induction process and individual learning plans (ILPs) but less clear on how to improve teaching, learning and assessment to increase retention.

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improvement since the last inspection

15. The college has made satisfactory progress in addressing issues raised at the last inspection. Retention rates have improved but were still below average on many courses in 2005/06. The college has expanded its provision at levels 1 and 2 by offering a foundation programme and a range of vocational courses. General Studies provision has been withdrawn. Key skills success rates have improved over three years and are now around the national average. The previously poor accommodation has been replaced by a new building.

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improvement since the last inspection

16. The reliability of data about learners’ achievements has improved. Staff have access to more information but the use of this data to drive improvements remains underdeveloped.

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Strengths

 high pass rates on many courses  high standards of learner work  good provision for students aged 14-16  good range of provision which is responsive to local needs  good curriculum enrichment which supports learning  good individual support for students  good financial management  good purpose-built accommodation. - 9 -

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The college should address:

 low retention rates on many courses  low success rates on work-based learning programmes  the quality of teaching and learning  the underdeveloped strategic planning of the curriculum  the ineffectiveness of self-assessment to secure improvements  the underdeveloped analysis and use of data by staff at all levels to drive improvements  the consistency of quality of provision and middle management. - 10 -

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Contributory grades:

17. Success rates have improved since the last inspection but remain just below the average for sixth form colleges. For students aged 16-18, they are now above average on level 1 courses, but remain below average at levels 2 and 3. For adult learners, success rates on level 1 and 2 courses have been above average for the last three years, but they are below average on level 3 programmes and they dropped sharply in 2005/06.

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Contributory grades:

18. Students produce good quality work and many courses have high pass rates. Most AS and A level pass rates meet or exceed the average for sixth form colleges, and pass rates on vocational courses are above average. However, on many courses, retention rates have been below, and sometimes well below, average. There has been some improvement in retention rates over the last 2 years. In-year data for 2006/07 show improvement in retention rates on most courses when compared to a similar time in 2005/06. Attendance rates also show an improving trend compared to a similar point last year. Most students enjoy college.

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Contributory grades:

19. The percentage of students achieving grades A*-C on GCSE English and mathematics courses has been below average for two years. The college has only recently developed some alternative provision for level 2 English and mathematics. Whilst these courses provide an appropriate alternative, students are not yet completing the key skills portfolios required to gain a qualification equivalent to GCSE.

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Contributory grades:

20. Whilst there was some improvement in the achievement of qualification frameworks in 2005/06, success rates in work-based learning (WBL) remained unsatisfactory, and few apprentices completed within the expected time. To date, in 2006/07, there has been further improvment in work-based learning success rates, with 45% of current learners having already achieved their frameworks.

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Contributory grades:

21. Students aged 14-16 make good progress on a range of vocational courses, and the majority achieve their qualification aims. Key skills success rates have improved over three years from 26% in 2003/04 to 52% in 2005/06.

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Contributory grades:

22. Value-added data indicate that students achieve broadly in line with expectations, based on their prior attainment. However, there are significant variations between subjects. College data indicate that in 2005/06, over 40% of AS and 30% of A level students did not achieve the grade expected by the - 11 - college. The college’s self-assessment acknowledges that there is still too much variability in the performance of different subjects and in practice across subject and curriculum areas.

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Contributory grades:

23. Approximately 80% of students completing A level courses progress to higher education. Whilst the college collates data on level 1 and 2 students who progress to higher level courses at the college, during the inspection it was not able to provide data on those who go into employment or continue their studies elsewhere.

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Contributory grades:

24. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The lesson observation scheme identifies strengths and areas for improvement, but is not linked to strategies to ensure that the quality of teaching and learning is improved.

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Contributory grades:

25. Too many lessons are teacher-dominated with insufficient group participation. In the most effective lessons, lessons are planned with clear objectives and cater for individual needs. Teachers provide challenging and interesting activities that engage students and support their growing understanding and knowledge. Work is set regularly and feedback is sufficiently detailed to help students improve. In less effective lessons, there is over reliance on teacher-led activities that inhibit independent learning. These lessons are slow and uninspiring, and students do not make as much progress as they could.

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Contributory grades:

26. Good use of ILT was observed in science and health and social care lessons, but it is more often used to improve the quality of teachers’ presentations rather than to increase learning. The IT resources in the learning resource centre are insufficient to allow students to develop independent learning. The college is beginning to integrate key skills into mainstream teaching, but progress is slow.

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Contributory grades:

27. The college does not yet have policies and procedures for assessment or internal moderation. Consequently, each subject area has developed its own approaches. In a few subjects, aspirational targets are negotiated with students, and reviewed throughout the course, but more often targets are based on minimum expected grades.

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Contributory grades:

28. Initial assessment for learning support needs is good and results are disseminated to relevant staff. Teaching assistants provide good support but there are too few of them, and their work is not directed effectively by teachers. Use of the study support centre is declining, although an alternative location is being considered. The college does not systematically analyse the effectiveness of learning support provision. - 12 - 29. The college’s response to meeting the needs of students, employers and the local community is good. It has broadened its curriculum at levels 2 and 3 since the last inspection and introduced a foundation level programme. There are effective and productive links with partners: for example, the Hastings and St Leonard’s Excellence Cluster. Whilst the college is very responsive to local needs, strategic planning with partners for longer term curriculum development is at an early stage.

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Contributory grades:

30. The college’s response to social and educational inclusion is good, providing a safe and inclusive learning environment. The Routeways programme provides Year 10 pupils with positive learning experiences and progression opportunities. The special relationship and co-location with Glyne Gap School for pupils and learners with severe and profound learning difficulties provides students with excellent mutual opportunities for personal growth and development. Curriculum departments enhance and support learning through a good range of enrichment activities. Many students participate in community events and charitable fundraising.

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Contributory grades:

31. The college’s provision for the advice, guidance and support for students is satisfactory. Initial information is clear and accessible and admissions procedures enable students to make appropriate choices. There is a good range of support services including counselling, health care, financial and careers advice. Staff have received training on child protection issues and the Every Child Matters (ECM) agenda, and the tutorial programme supports students in living healthy lives. Good careers advice and guidance support students progressing to higher education or employment.

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Contributory grades:

32. Subject teachers and personal tutors provide students with good support and guidance through one-to-one tutorials and subject consultations. Students value the individual support they receive. Whilst tutors monitor progress against minimum expected grades, targets set are not always precise or challenging enough to ensure that students reach their full potential. Group tutorial sessions are less effective and are variable in quality. Weekly attendance reports are available to personal and senior tutors but these are not always used consistently to monitor attendance and identify trends.

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Contributory grades:

33. Quality assurance processes are underdeveloped. Senior and assistant senior tutors do not have a clearly defined management role. The college has not yet evaluated the impact of its new guidance and support arrangements.

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Leadership and management Satisfactory: grade 3

34. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Senior managers and governors have a clear strategic vision for the independent future of the college. They are keen to build new partnerships and have successfully co-located the college with a Beacon Special School, Glyne Gap. This partnership enriches students’ experience. Governors bring a wide range of experience to the college and are - 13 - enthusiastic about its achievements in the local community. They realise the need to look more closely at course performance. Senior managers are accessible. There is a clear structure of meetings for briefing staff and communications have improved.

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Leadership and management Satisfactory: grade 3

35. Success rates are improving but retention rates remain below the average for similar colleges. Whilst success rates on work-based learning programmes show improvement in 2006/07, they have been well below average for the last three years. Value-added measures show that students’ progress is inconsistent across subjects. The leadership of teaching and learning is underdeveloped and the proportion of good or better teaching observed has declined since the last inspection. Staff are well aware of the key priority to raise retention but less clear about how changes in teaching and learning could support this. The college has embarked more recently on a number of initiatives to address this, including appointing subject learning coaches and ILT champions. It is too early to determine the impact of these initiatives.

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Leadership and management Satisfactory: grade 3

36. The college has introduced a new quality review system, having recognised that underperforming courses have not been sufficiently closely monitored. The rigour of the college self-assessment has improved and it accurately identifies key strengths and areas for improvement. However, curriculum self-assessment reports are insufficiently rigorous in their evaluation of teaching and learning. Data accuracy has improved since the last inspection and data are now available to staff. However, some departments do not yet make adequate use of data to drive improvements. Targets set at course level, based on national averages, are not always sufficiently realistic or challenging.

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Leadership and management Satisfactory: grade 3

37. The college’s finances, including those relating to the new building, are well managed. This relocation has led to a very significant increase in enrolments. In the context of students’ achievements, value for money is satisfactory.

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Leadership and management Satisfactory: grade 3

38. Teachers are well qualified. The college supports a variety of relevant staff development activities but these are not always sufficiently focused on improving teaching and learning. The college management team has undergone a number of recent changes and many managers have taken on new roles. Senior managers are aware that there are still inconsistencies in the quality of curriculum management and plans are in place to develop a leadership course to train and support middle managers. The college acknowledges that its appraisal processes for staff have been slow to promote quality improvement and is currently reviewing its procedures for this year.

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Leadership and management Satisfactory: grade 3

39. The college has recently formed a new equality and diversity committee, but the representation on this committee does not yet reflect all parts of the college. Equal opportunities monitoring is still at an early stage. There is some analysis of performance by gender and ethnicity but action planning for improvement is underdeveloped. The college complies with the requirements of the Race Relations Act (RRA), the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) and child protection legislation . - 14 -

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Context

40. The college offers full-time courses in health, early years, childcare and public services from level 1 to level 3 for 260 students aged 16-18. Part-time evening classes are available in children’s care, learning and development and health and social care at levels 2 and 3, and counselling from levels 1 to 3. There are 129 adult learners on these courses. There are 42 apprentices on work-based learning programmes. There are 56 students aged 14-16 on health and social care and childcare courses.

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Strengths

 good placement provision  broad range of provision including adults  good individual support from teachers  good facilities and resources.

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Areas for improvement

 retention and success rates on most level 3 courses  achievement of framework by apprentices  further integration of key skills.

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Achievements and standards

41. Achievements and standards are satisfactory. Success and retention rates improved on level 2 courses in 2005/06 except on counselling courses, where retention rates have declined over three years. On the first diploma and National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in childcare, learning and development success rates are 100%, although the number of learners on these courses is very small.

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Achievements and standards

42. In 2005/06, success and retention rates on the diploma in childcare and education were below average. Retention rates on national diploma courses in early years and public services were nine percentage points below the national average.

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Achievements and standards

43. Success rates on work-based learning programmes are unsatisfactory and few apprentices complete within the expected time. While overall success rates have improved over the last three years from 4% to 25%, they still remain well below national averages. - 15 -

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Quality of provision

44. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the best lessons, teachers skilfully use questioning to draw all students into lively discussions. Teachers and students use ILT well to enhance learning in the classroom; for example, using images, video and music. Individual support during lessons is good. Some good practice has been piloted in key skills integration but it is inconsistent. In less successful lessons, teachers spend too much time talking and students are passive and insufficiently challenged.

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Quality of provision

45. The broad range of provision meets the needs of learners of all ages. There is a good range of well organised work placements, visits and activities in which students develop valuable personal and professional skills. Students are visited and assessed regularly.

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Quality of provision

46. Guidance and support are good. In individual tutorials, students are set challenging targets based on prior attainment data. Assessment of students’ work is accurate with helpful feedback for improvement.

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Quality of provision

47. Facilities and resources are good and used effectively with colourful displays in classrooms. The work displayed is of a good standard. Equipment in the classrooms is used effectively and accommodation is fit for purpose. The fully equipped kitchen enables learners to develop cooking skills.

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Leadership and management

48. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The college has re-organised the management of WBL and is monitoring progress closely. The head of department has introduced several new initiatives this academic year to raise standards. Communications are good and staff work well together. An ILT champion is working effectively with staff and a subject learning coach is enabling the sharing of good practice. There are early signs of improvement; for example, improving in-year retention rates, but it is too early to assess the full impact of the new initiatives.

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Leadership and management

49. Curriculum self-assessment reports are insufficiently rigorous and evaluative, and action plans do not have clear, measurable targets. The use of data to improve retention and success rates is underdeveloped across the curriculum area. - 16 -

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Context

50. The college offers AS and A level courses in psychology, geology, chemistry, biology, mathematics, physics and environmental science as well as GCSEs in mathematics and science. In 2006/07, an AS in applied sciences was introduced as was application of number at level 2 to provide an alternative to GCSE maths. The majority of the 233 students are full-time, aged 16-18.

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Strengths

 high pass rates on most A level courses  good progress in AS geology, A-level chemistry, psychology and biology  very good individual academic support  excellent subject-related enrichment programme.

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Areas for improvement

 low and declining success rates on GCSE mathematics and AS psychology  low retention rates on GCSE science  dull teaching and ineffective learning in theory lessons  insufficiently evaluative and analytical self-assessment  insufficient focus on strategies to improve teaching and learning.

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Achievements and standards

51. Achievements and standards are satisfactory. Pass rates for most courses at A level are high. In A-level psychology, the proportion of high grades is significantly above the national average and student progress is in the top 10% of similar colleges. Students exceed the grades predicted by their entry qualifications in AS geology, A-level chemistry, biology and psychology. Students’ progress in these subjects is in the top 25% of similar colleges.

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Achievements and standards

52. Success rates on GCSE maths and AS psychology are low and declining. Pass rates at grades A*-C in GCSE maths have been well below average since the last inspection. In GCSE science, pass rates at grades A*-C were very high in 2005/06, but poor retention meant that success rates remained below average. Pass rates for AS environmental science were also unsatisfactory and a significant number of students failed to attain their minimum expected grade.

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Achievements and standards

53. Progression to higher education is good, especially in physics, and students attain satisfactory standards in their work. Most enjoy their lessons.

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Quality of provision

54. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the best lessons students participate enthusiastically in a range of activities and ILT is used effectively. During - 17 - practical sessions, students are encouraged to use their initiative and work independently and are well supported by teachers and technicians, good learning resources and accommodation. However, in many theory lessons, teaching is uninspiring. Questions are not always directed and there is little group or paired work. In the least effective lessons, students fail to grasp basic concepts.

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Quality of provision

55. The curriculum is good and an excellent enrichment programme supports students’ interests very well. They are encouraged to compete for a range of awards and bursaries in biology, chemistry and physics, achieving several successes nationally. Links with partner schools and colleges are good. One such consortium is supporting gifted and talented pupils in local schools and their transfer to the college.

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Quality of provision

56. Teachers provide highly effective and sensitive personal support, both in the classroom and outside of lesson time. This builds students’ confidence and helps them make progress. Students do not value group tutorials so highly and consider them less effective.

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Leadership and management

57. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Staff are highly qualified and well supported with appropriate training and development. Communications are good and subject teams meet regularly but there is a notable lack of discussion on the quality of teaching and learning. Graded lesson observations resulting in individual feedback only commenced this year.

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Leadership and management

58. Self-assessment is insufficiently evaluative. There is insufficient analysis of trends or, in many cases, success rates. Little evidence is provided to support judgements, and other quality criteria, such as teaching and learning, are not adequately covered. Action planning does not always lead to effective strategies to secure improvements. - 18 -

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Context

59. The college offers AS and A level courses in graphic design, fine art, textiles, photography, drama and theatre studies, performance studies, media and film studies. Vocational courses include a national diploma in media, a national certificate in performing arts and first diplomas in media and performing arts. Currently there are 682 students on AS and A level courses, 33 on national diploma and certificate courses and 26 on first diplomas. The majority of students are aged 16-18. There are also 45 students aged 14-16 from local schools taking a part-time vocational taster programme.

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Strengths

 high pass rates on most courses  good standard of work  good teacher support for individual project work  good enrichment and local industry links.

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Areas for improvement

 low retention and success rates on most courses  self-assessment ineffective in improving quality and standards  insufficient technical support.

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Achievements and standards

60. Achievements and standards are satisfactory. In 2005/06, success and retention rates were below national averages on most courses. However, in-year retention data show improvement compared to the same time last year. Pass rates are good but the proportion of students achieving high grades is well below national averages on most courses and many students are not achieving their full potential.

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Achievements and standards

61. Much work is of a good standard. Personal projects are well researched and imaginative. Concepts behind short films and documentaries show a promising willingness to experiment and students strive for originality and depth. Art and design work demonstrates a good emphasis on the development of drawing skills and effective use of a wide range of media. Many students are articulate and express themselves confidently. Attendance, behaviour and punctuality are good.

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Quality of provision

62. Teaching is satisfactory. Teachers support individual project work well. Good working relationships and strong subject knowledge ensure effective guidance. In the better lessons, there is lively, directed questioning. In less successful - 19 - lessons, more able students are insufficiently challenged and stretched, particularly in whole-class teaching. There is too little targeted questioning. Lesson plans and schemes of work do not sufficiently address individual students’ needs.

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Quality of provision

63. Students enjoy their lessons and value their teachers. They show notable self- discipline in independent work. In drama, a group rehearsed with commendable focus, showing concerted attention to detail in the development of their characters. In music technology, students produced interesting and well crafted virtual performances. Assessment is satisfactory. Most work is returned promptly with feedback that includes points for improvement.

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Quality of provision

64. The curriculum, enrichment and links with schools and local industry are all good. Media students make videos for local businesses, drama students worked with the National Health Service on an anti-bullying play for local primary schools and art students curate exhibitions in the De La Warr Pavilion. Students benefit from a wide variety of visits to theatres, exhibitions and art galleries. Support for students is satisfactory. Students have regular one-to-one reviews but targets for improvement are sometimes too vague to be of use. Art students do not receive sufficient specialist subject information when they enrol.

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Leadership and management

65. Leadership and management are satisfactory. There are regular meetings and good informal communication between course teams. However, self- assessment is insufficiently self-critical and evaluative and action plans lack clear, measurable targets. There is informal sharing of good practice within subject areas but mechanisms for wider sharing of good practice across departments are limited. There are not enough computers in staff workrooms. There is insufficient technical support, particularly in music. Specialist accommodation, resources and equipment are good. - 20 -

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Context

66. The college offers AS and A level courses in English literature, English language and literature, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Courses are available in GCSE English, Italian and Spanish, adult literacy and NVQ Spanish. Taster language courses run in Chinese and Japanese. Most students are aged 16-18. At the time of inspection, 340 students were following English courses and 111 were on modern foreign language courses.

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Strengths

 very high success rates in A-level English language and literature  high pass rates in most modern foreign language courses  good standard of coursework  strong teacher support for students  good opportunities for enrichment.

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Areas for improvement:

 low success rates at grades A*-C in GCSE English  low retention rates in many courses at level 3  insufficient focus on active learning in English lessons  insufficient monitoring and reviewing of the quality of teaching and learning.

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Achievements and standards

67. Achievements and standards are satisfactory. Success rates in A-level English language and literature are very high. In 2005/06, the percentage of high grades on this course was well above the national average. Pass rates on most modern foreign language courses are high and a significant number reached 100% in each of the past three years.

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Achievements and standards

68. In GCSE English, retention and pass rates at grades A*- C over the past two years have been below national averages. The college has recently introduced an adult literacy course as an alternative to GCSE English. Retention rates for many AS and A level courses have fallen below national averages during the past three years.

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Achievements and standards

69. Most students’ work meets or exceeds expected standards. In lessons, many students respond to questions in a perceptive and articulate manner. The standard of coursework is good. In English, students demonstrate a mature use of literary and linguistic techniques and, at the highest level, display a sophisticated, imaginative use of language. In modern foreign languages, most coursework is well researched, well structured and demonstrates a good grasp of grammar and vocabulary. - 21 -

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Quality of provision

70. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers are knowledgeable and support students well. Teachers make good use of the taught language in modern foreign languages. In English lessons, teachers do not always focus sufficiently on active learning, which often results in uninspiring lessons and a lack of lively debate. In such lessons, teaching and learning strategies are insufficiently varied. Assessment of students’ work is detailed and accurate with helpful feedback.

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Quality of provision

71. Resources and accommodation are satisfactory. In modern foreign languages, teachers make good use of a new language laboratory to enhance learning. Insufficient suitable accommodation is available for oral work.

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Quality of provision

72. Teachers have a very good rapport with students, based on mutual respect and trust. They are very supportive of students in lessons and offer them much additional help in workshops and in one-to-one sessions. Students highly value this support.

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Quality of provision

73. The college offers a broad curriculum and good opportunities for enrichment. These include theatre visits, exchange visits abroad and taster courses in languages such as Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. Some students teach French at a local primary school.

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Leadership and management

74. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Appropriate arrangements for internal moderation are in place. All teachers contribute to course reviews and the self-assessment report. Whilst teams meet regularly, they do not focus strongly enough on teaching and learning strategies. Managers are aware that action is needed to improve students’ success in some areas but they have been slow to implement it.

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Leadership and management

75. Systems for sharing good practice across the curriculum area are underdeveloped. There is insufficient monitoring and reviewing of teaching and learning by managers. Few teachers were observed teaching English in 2005/06 and none have been observed yet in 2006/07. Not all staff have been appraised in the past year. - 22 -

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Table 1

Success rates on mainstream level 1 qualifications, by qualification type, expected end year and age, 2004 to 2006, compared to the national rates for colleges of a similar type.

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Table 1

16-18 19+ Notional Level Exp End Year Starts – Transfers College Rate National Rate Diff Starts – Transfers College Rate National Rate Diff 1 Long 03/04 205 29.3 66.6 -37.3 145 91.7 57.6 34.1 04/05 317 64.7 64 0.7 182 88.5 55.8 32.7 05/06 246 69.2 225 88.4 03/04 13 61.5 70 -8.5 * GNVQs and precursors 04/05 5 60 73.5 -13.5 05/06 13 76.9 NVQs 03/04 * * 04/05 05/06 Other 03/04 192 27.1 66.4 -39.3 145 91.7 57.6 34.1 04/05 312 64.7 63.3 1.4 182 88.5 55.8 32.7 05/06 233 68.7 225 88.4

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Table 2

Success rates on mainstream level 2 qualifications, by qualification type, expected end year and age, 2004 to 2006, compared to the national rates for colleges of a similar type.

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Table 2

16-18 19+ Notional Level Exp End Year Starts – Transfers College Rate National Rate Diff Starts – Transfers College Rate National Rate Diff 2 Long 03/04 511 66.5 74 -7.5 127 74 55.3 18.7 04/05 543 62.1 73.1 -11.0 144 58.3 55.3 3 05/06 780 67.9 179 63 GCSEs 03/04 237 62.9 77 -14.1 42 69 62.5 6.5 04/05 253 62.8 77.8 -15 20 35 65.1 -30.1 05/06 278 70.5 21 66.7 03/04 49 73.5 72.5 1.0 * GNVQs and precursors 04/05 29 75.9 74.3 1.6 05/06 38 71.1 NVQs 03/04 * 23 69.6 57.9 11.7 04/05 53 54.7 54.9 -0.2 05/06 79 68.4 Other 03/04 224 69.2 67.7 1.5 61 78.7 51.6 27.1 04/05 260 59.6 61.8 -2.2 71 67.6 51.1 16.5 05/06 462 66.5 79 57 - 23 -

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Table 3

Success rates on mainstream level 3 qualifications, by qualification type, expected end year and age, 2004 to 2006, compared to the national rates for colleges of a similar type.

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Table 3

16-18 19+ Notional Level Exp End Year Starts – Transfers College Rate National Rate Diff Starts – Transfers College Rate National Rate Diff 3 Long 03/04 2,939 72.9 80.4 -7.5 95 46.3 57 -10.7 04/05 2,886 75.4 82.1 -6.7 159 53.5 58.8 -5.3 05/06 3,172 77.7 89 47.2 03/04 782 90.2 91.3 -1.1 22 59.1 75.2 -16.1 A/A2 Levels 04/05 851 91.9 91.9 0 22 90.0 75.9 14.1 05/06 935 89.2 29 62.1 AS Levels 03/04 2,001 67.5 75.9 -8.4 26 23.1 52.4 -29.3 04/05 1,822 71 77.7 -6.7 42 47.6 53.6 -6 05/06 2,013 73.4 12 50.0 03/04 106 58.5 68.1 -9.6 * GNVQs and precursors 04/05 119 30.3 74.5 -44.2 05/06 NVQs 03/04 * 31 41.9 50.9 -9.0 04/05 61 54.1 49.2 4.9 05/06 16 62.5 Other 03/04 48 45.8 64.1 -18.3 15 73.3 52.1 21.2 04/05 94 68.1 71.6 -3.5 30 40 55.2 -15.2 05/06 202 64.9 31 25.8

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Table 4

Success rates on work-based learning programmes managed by the college 2003/04 to 2005/06

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Table 4

Programme End Year Success rate No of learners * College NVQ rate ** National NVQ rate ** College Framework rate** National Framework rate ** overall 23 48 48 4 34 03/04 timely 23 17 31 0 21 overall 27 15 53 7 44 04/05 timely 36 8 34 6 27 overall 33 55 54 18 44 Advanced Apprenticeships

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Table 4

05/06 timely 28 25 34 11 27 overall 28 4 47 0 32 03/04 timely 36 0 24 0 16 overall 40 50 50 5 39 04/05 timely 42 14 29 2 22 overall 87 43 58 21 52 Apprenticeships

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Table 4

* Learners who leave later than originally planned are counted in the year they actually leave. This group of learners are then added to the learners who planned to complete in a given year and did so or left earlier than planned ** College and national qualification success rates are calculated using LSC published data derived from the ‘Individual Learning Record’

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Table 4

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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