Setting

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

Quality of teaching, training and learning

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CONTENTS

Part C: Curriculum and occupational areas

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Basic information about the college

Name of college: Langdon College Type of college: Independent specialist residential Principal: Arthur O'Brien Leicester Avenue Salford Address of college:

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Basic information about the college

Manchester Telephone number: 0161 740 2500 Fax number: 0161 720 7505 Chair of governors: Simon Olswang Reference number*: 1015622 Name of reporting inspector: Christine Steadman HMI Dates of inspection: 6-7 and 27-30 January 2003

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Basic information about the college

* charity or registered business number of the company running the college

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Information about the college

Langdon College is an independent college, making specialist, residential and day provision for Jewish students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. It is operated by the trustees of The Langdon Foundation, which is a charitable trust established to provide education and residential support for young Jewish people with learning difficulties. A board of governors is responsible to trustees for the strategic direction of the college. The college was established in 1994 to provide post-16 education for the school leavers of Delamere Forest School, a special residential school serving the Jewish population of Manchester. The purpose-built college, initially designed to provide residential and teaching accommodation for up to 12 students, is sited in the midst of a supportive orthodox Jewish community in north Manchester.

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Information about the college

The college has expanded and currently there are 23 residential students and two day students. Fifteen of the students are from the London area and the remainder are from the Manchester area. Nineteen of the students are male. All students are currently funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and are between the ages of 16 and 25. The range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities of students includes those who have moderate learning difficulties, Asperger's syndrome, epilepsy and Down's syndrome. The main college building currently accommodates eight students. All other students live in residential accommodation within walking distance of the college. This includes two flats used by semi-independent students preparing for a supported tenancy placement on leaving college.

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Information about the college

An extended curriculum enables students to take advantage of their culturally rich community by becoming involved in activities during the evening and weekend, which can include synagogue attendance and participation in Shabbat meals with members of the local Jewish community. Individual learning plans focus on each student's aspirations and include independent living skills, personal development, literacy and numeracy, key skills and learning support. Students also have access to a wide range of pre-vocational and vocational courses through the links that exist between the college and other local education and training providers. Partnership with local further education colleges and private providers gives students access to provision at a general college where otherwise, for cultural reasons, this would not be possible.

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Information about the college

The aim of the college is to prepare students for the next stage in their lives which, for the majority, means living away from the family home within a Jewish community and with the minimum of dependence on others. Students are also supported to progress with their further education or to achieve employment on leaving college. The college adheres to Jewish protocols and students fully participate in the normal rhythm of the Jewish calendar.

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How effective is the college?

The quality of the extended curriculum is satisfactory overall. Provision for students on pre- vocational and vocational courses, including information and communications technology (ICT), and independent living skills, is satisfactory. Provision for literacy, numeracy and key skills is unsatisfactory. Students make good progress in the development of their social skills and successfully integrate into the local Jewish community. Some students make significant gains in their vocational choices and a small proportion continue with their studies in further and higher education. All develop their independent living skills, but further progress is restricted by the lack of semi- independent living accommodation. Extra-curricular provision is satisfactory.

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How effective is the college?

The college's key strengths and areas that should be improved are listed below.

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Key strengths

• effective promotion of the Jewish culture and community

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Key strengths

• good external links to promote learning and independence

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What should be improved?

• quality of multi-disciplinary specialist assessments • adherence to quality assurance procedures

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What should be improved?

• cohesion and co-ordination of curriculum management

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What should be improved?

• restrictive accommodation on the main college site.

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What should be improved?

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

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Quality of provision in curriculum and occupational areas

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

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Area Overall judgements about provision, and comment

Literacy, numeracy and key skills Unsatisfactory . Teaching was unsatisfactory in a third of lessons with insufficient planning of learning and identification and recording of students' progress. Effective relationships improve the confidence of learners who develop appropriate communication skills which equip them for adult life. Literacy, numeracy and key skills are not sufficiently well integrated across the extended curriculum. Independent living skills Satisfactory . The implementation of the ethos of the Jewish culture provides a strong foundation for integration into the community. Outstanding teaching in specialist cooking successfully promotes the Jewish culture. The skills for life programme presents opportunities for learning in realistic contexts, with effective support by college staff. The imprecise professional guidance and monitoring of performance adversely affect learning. Some accommodation does not

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Area Overall judgements about provision, and comment

satisfactorily promote independence. Pre-vocational and vocational subjects, including ICT Satisfactory . A broad range of externally accredited courses is available, with staff having high expectations and aspirations for students' achievement. Teaching is outstanding in catering. Specialist initial assessment to inform curricular planning is inadequate. The management and professional development of appropriate support staff for students are ineffective.

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How well is the college led and managed?

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Leadership from the principal is supportive and includes regular consultation with staff, which contributes to the shared sense of purpose, and mission that permeates throughout the college. Strategic planning is limited and mainly short term. Staff are clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the college and a rigorous process of self- assessment effectively identifies whole-college priorities for improvement. Rigorous adherence to quality assurance processes to evaluate the provision is unsatisfactory. Management information systems are incoherent and uncoordinated, and do not provide sufficient data to evaluate teaching and learning adequately. The co-ordination and management of the curriculum is ineffective and lacks cohesion. The college's response to the promotion of equal opportunities is satisfactory. Governors are highly committed and effectively communicate a clear vision for the college. Financial

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How well is the college led and managed?

management is sound. The college provides satisfactory value for money.

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To what extent is the college educationally and socially inclusive?

The college's response to social and educational inclusion is good within the Jewish community. Inclusion in the wider community is satisfactory. There is a good response to the promotion and acceptance of issues relating to disability or learning difficulties. Students are valued and accepted as individuals. The ethos of the college is supportive and caring. The college's response to gender and the promotion of issues of equality of opportunity for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is underdeveloped. Senior managers and governors have been slow to respond to their responsibilities under the Race Relations Amendment Act and the Special Educational Needs Disability Discrimination Act. Staff training relating to both acts is in a very early stage of development. Access for students with restricted mobility is unsatisfactory. Issues related to oppressive behaviour and harassment are dealt with swiftly and effectively. There is effective

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To what extent is the college educationally and socially inclusive?

monitoring of ethnicity for both staff and students, and care is taken to understand and promote other cultures. The college is proactive in working with the local business partnership and the local community to provide support for adults with additional learning needs.

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How well are students and trainees guided and supported?

Support and guidance for students are good. The college makes effective provision for a range of individual needs for learning, care and support. Specialist guidance enables students or their advocates to choose the most appropriate course or programme. Initial assessment is unsatisfactory and does not include the students' prior learning or a specialist multi-disciplinary assessment. Induction arrangements to the college are satisfactory. Pastoral support is very good, develops students' self-confidence and ensures that personal issues raised by students are dealt with effectively. Tutorials are delivered through a well-structured framework, but the programme is not sufficiently structured to ensure all students receive their entitlement. Careers education and guidance from Connexions are effective, but there are limited resources within the college. Very good planning ensures the smooth transition to the next stage of the students' lives including lifelong

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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

• attending the local further education college

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What students like about the college

• the encouragement and support of staff in developing independence skills

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What students like about the college

• enjoyment of the work experience provided by the college.

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What they feel could be improved

• lack of opportunities to cook own food

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What they feel could be improved

• over long (three hours) sessions in college

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What they feel could be improved

• more support during the early days at the further education college.

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Other information

The college inspection report will normally be published 12 working weeks after the inspection. Once published, the college has two months in which to prepare its post-inspection action plan and submit it to the local Learning and Skills Council (LSC). 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 is responsible for ensuring that the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) receives the college's post-inspection action plan within the stipulated two months.

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Achievement and standards

1. It is inappropriate to separate provision for students aged 16 to 18 from that for those aged over 19. Judgements are made in relation to the student group as a whole. The retention rate for students is very good at 100% and compares very well with other specialist colleges nationally. Progress is satisfactory overall and good for a number of students who have progressed their studies and attended courses at local further education providers. All students make good progress in their social skills during their time in the college, with many gaining a greater insight into and understanding of Jewish culture and community life. Students gain great benefit from the links established within the Jewish community. For example, many students share Shabbat meals with local families and students from the local sixth forms visit individual students weekly on a purely social basis. Whilst many students make gains in the development of their independent living skills over time, through

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Achievement and standards

independent travel and organisation of their own leisure programmes, the current college accommodation does not give students the opportunity to live in semi-independent provision. The college recognises the deficiencies of the current accommodation and recently has designed an accommodation strategy outlining a range of alternative provision to promote the development of independent living skills.

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Achievement and standards

2. The achievements of individual students against their medium and long-term goals are good, with some meeting their aims to pursue careers in catering and retail, and ICT-related work. Many move successfully to full-time further education courses following a graduated and well-prepared access to part-time attendance at external provision. However, aspirations for some students are insufficiently high and the pace of their development is delayed through the limited expectations of some staff. Where the college has been proactive, students have made very good progress. On one occasion, a student was not accepted on a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 2 course so the college changed to another provider where the student proceeded to gain the accreditation. Several students have been able to make significant progress with their independence skills and can manage their own laundry, cooking and personal budget at the end of the college placement, having

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Achievement and standards

needed one-to-one support in these activities on arrival. Achievements for some students are insufficiently high. For example, some students find life skills activities meaningless and avoid involvement in these activities. The work experience offered by the college is particularly successful and is appreciated by the students who work in realistic settings, which sometimes leads to future full-time employment. For example, one student who had work experience in a parks and garden business has been offered full-time employment following the completion of his course.

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Achievement and standards

3. Procedures to measure individual progress are unsatisfactory. Target setting and planning for the development of individual students' learning are too imprecise and do not recognise the small, but consistent achievements over time. Data on achievement are not well collated and the majority of students have little understanding of their own progress. Some of the students in Years 3 and 4 of their course gain accreditation in pre-vocational and vocational courses at local further education providers, whilst all students achieve modules in Computer Literacy and Information Technology (CLAIT) through the Langdon College's provision. The college's annual awards ceremony, where the students' achievements are recognised, is highly appreciated by parents, staff and students.

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Achievement and standards

4. In 2002, six students achieved full accreditation and two achieved units in the CLAIT award. One student gained an award in NVQ level 1 in catering and another gained a General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ) in business studies at foundation level. Two students were awarded the Oxford and Cambridge RSA (OCR) examinations post-16 work experience certificate and two further students gained a skills for life award.

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Achievement and standards

5. The college's analysis of the end of course accreditation and future placements of individual students is good. However, the limited analysis of trends over time for the whole college and for individual curriculum areas is less effective and does not properly inform curriculum review or future planning. The college is very knowledgeable about the routes followed by students, many of whom continue into the Langdon community and attend the college on a part-time basis as part of the college's response to supporting the adult Jewish community. In 2002, seven students went into full- time or part-time further and higher education provision and two went into full-time or part-time employment. Six students continued their association with the Langdon community on a full-time basis, three of whom attend the college on a part-time basis.

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Achievement and standards

6. Attendance and punctuality are unsatisfactory. Procedures to monitor both these at Langdon and at external providers are inadequate. Punctuality is not well promoted by the college.

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

7. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Of the sessions observed, 72% were satisfactory or better, 50% were good or better and 28% were unsatisfactory. A further ten sessions, including tutorials, morning prayer, extra-curricular and residential activities, contribute to the judgements relating to teaching and learning. The graded sessions include provision at two local further education colleges, a private provider and at Langdon College in both the college and the residences. Teachers and trainers generally know their subjects well and share effectively their knowledge with the students. The lack of teachers who have specialist qualifications in the teaching of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in both Langdon College and in the external providers means that lessons often lacked an appropriate focus on the needs of these students. The teaching of specialist cooking at Langdon and the NVQ level 1 catering were outstanding. Staff were

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

highly knowledgeable about their subject and successfully met the individual needs of the students.

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

8. Planning in lessons is inconsistent and in most cases does not take account of the individual learning needs of students. There was very little use of individual learning plans to inform lesson planning and the external providers often were unaware of the college's targets for students. This unsatisfactory planning did not support students and, in some cases, caused confusion. The monitoring of teaching observations lacks rigour and does not lead to improved quality of teaching, nor does it enhance the quality of the learning experience for the student. Current procedures to evaluate course review and lesson observations are ineffective and do not inform future planning. There is very little opportunity to share good practice.

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

9. Lessons maintain students' interest for most of the session, with those attending external provider courses concentrating for extended periods of time. Students benefit from the high staff/student ratio in the college. Behaviour is generally managed well on all sites. The teaching of independent living skills and extra-curricular activities in the evenings and weekends is good and effectively promotes appropriate relationships and group activities. Support staff are appreciated by the students, however, in some cases, this is restrictive and does not promote independent study effectively. The low level of specially adapted learning materials to support individual students restricts learning in both the college and in some of the external provision. Some off-task behaviours and attempts at distraction by some students are not well managed and disrupt the learning of others. There are significant periods of time in between sessions, which some students find difficult to cope with. The

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

deployment and management of support staff across all the providers are not well co-ordinated and do not give students support at the most crucial time in their study.

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

10. All teaching staff are appropriately qualified. Care staff are qualified or are working towards a qualification. The college has been proactive in the professional development of staff in response to the Further Education National Training Organisation standards and the care standards. Part-time staff and members of staff who work shifts are remunerated for attending staff development outside their normal working hours. The lack of specialist expertise in learning difficulties and disabilities has an adverse impact on teaching and learning with insufficient attention paid to learning disability or difficulty in lessons.

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

11. The proximity of the college residences to the educational provision promotes the independence of the students. The quality of the accommodation is generally good. The lack of access for students with limited mobility and for wheelchair users is unacceptable. The college rightly identifies in its self- assessment report that accommodation for education and living on the main college site is very restricted. Some rooms have multi-purpose use. For example, one room is used inappropriately as a teaching area, a dining room and for recreational activities. There is a lack of discrete separate provision for females in the college and in the residences, other than in one semi-independent flat. Library and independent study provision is inadequate. The lack of accommodation to support semi- independent living is unsatisfactory and impedes students' progress towards independence. The ratio of toilets to the number of staff and students within the building during the day is unsatisfactory.

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

Learning resources in some curricular areas are insufficient and only basic materials are provided. For example, materials for numeracy are minimal and do not include a range to meet individual need. There is a lack of specialist resources to meet the needs of students with a range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities. For example, very few learning resources are available in large print for students with visual difficulties, or with visual cues for those with hearing impairments. Signs and symbols that enable students and visitors to identify and access areas of the college are limited.

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

12. Good communication with advocates, parents and external agencies, such as social services and health authorities, provides the necessary information to report on students' progress and wellbeing. This information appropriately supports the transition planning process for students. The initial assessment of students' abilities and prior attainment is unsatisfactory. The absence of a multi- disciplinary specialist assessment to provide an accurate base on which to plan appropriate programmes of learning is unsatisfactory. Students' preferred learning styles are not fully assessed or used to design individual learning programmes using specialist teaching methods. The recognition of students' prior learning or achievement is not sufficiently incorporated into their individual learning programmes. For example, one student was not allowed to make snacks or drinks when this had been a regular feature of life at home. Students' individual learning plans lack specific and

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

measurable targets to inform curriculum and lesson planning. The sequential steps of learning and development are not measured effectively. Most students are not aware of how well they are doing or what they should do to improve. Ineffective co-ordination of target setting across all programmes by tutors undermines students' knowledge about their own progress. The annual procedure to review students' progress formally is satisfactory. Insufficient recording of students' progress between reviews and the subsequent modification of individual learning plans is unsatisfactory and, in some cases, slows down the pace of learning.

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

13. The college offers a wide range of vocational courses through several external providers successfully meeting the needs and interests of the students. The majority of the students are able to follow their choice of courses. The effective promotion of and adherence to the Jewish faith enables students to observe fully religious or cultural practice. Arrangements for work experience are very effective and students benefit from working in semi-supported and independent work- related activities. Planning and management across the extended curriculum are weak. Communication between the external providers used by the college is ineffective: the students' learning goals and the progress they have made towards them are poorly co-ordinated. Students have the opportunity to broaden their experience and enhance their personal development through a variety of enrichment activities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and the St John Ambulance

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

award scheme. A satisfactory range of leisure, educational and cultural enrichment activities is suitably incorporated into the curriculum.

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

14. Support for students is good. They are well cared for across the extended curriculum: support arrangements are coherent and well managed. Comprehensive care plans are reviewed and updated regularly, and provide an effective framework for monitoring and evaluating students' care needs. However, there is not enough integration of the care plans into learning plans. In particular, the setting and monitoring of specific targets across the extended curriculum are not robust. The college makes effective provision for a range of needs for individual learning care and support including physiotherapy, counselling, note-taking, radio aids and language training from a teacher for the deaf. However, there is insufficient specialist intervention by speech and language therapists, and behavioural psychologists. Although information about individual students' behaviour is disseminated, effective strategies to minimise disruption to learning are not synchronised between

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

the college and external providers. Procedures for tracking students' punctuality and attendance are poor. Systems to support students in improving both punctuality and attendance are ineffective.

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

15. Induction arrangements to the college are satisfactory and include orientation activities in the local environment and the city centre. Students and staff fail to evaluate the effectiveness of the induction programme. The student handbook adequately covers a range of useful information, but it is not produced in the range of formats to make it fully accessible to all students within the college. Careful consideration is given to the student's preferred vocational route. Specialist guidance enables students and or their advocate to choose the course or programme that is right for them. Students have the opportunity to experience vocational tasters at the local college before making decisions. Careers education and guidance are effective in guiding learners towards the opportunities available to them during reviews and transition planning. Effective partnerships with other providers and agencies and links with the local Jewish community are well established,

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Quality of teaching, training and learning

16. Tutorials are held through a well-structured framework, and take the form of one-to-one and group sessions. Although students' general progress is discussed, progress towards their individual learning goals across the extended provision is not included. Many students are unaware of their individual goals and the progress made towards them. The group tutorial programme is not sufficiently structured to promote effectively equality of opportunity and issues relating to gender and sexual orientation are not well promoted. Very good personal support by key workers ensures that pastoral issues raised by students are dealt with effectively.

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Leadership and management

17. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The aims and mission of the college are well understood and disseminated effectively by the senior management team. A sense of purpose permeates the college. The principal provides clear direction and encourages the staff to work as a team. The college has experienced considerable change since the last inspection, and curriculum and staffing structures have been revised. New systems and procedures are not yet firmly established and fully understood by all staff.

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Leadership and management

18. The management of the curriculum is unsatisfactory. Staff do not have access to relevant data on curricular development; curricular activities are insufficiently evaluated, and students' progress and achievement are not specifically assessed. In most curricular areas, the effectiveness of the teaching and learning is monitored, but their impact on students' progress is not well evaluated. Communication is good. Regular meetings and various forms of consultation take place throughout the college. Staff are appropriately involved in areas such as strategic planning and self- assessment. Staff feel well supported by the management team and value the easy access to the principal, governors and managers. Strategic aims have not been established over a longer period of time: short-term planning has led to reactive responses. Leadership and management of curricular areas are unsatisfactory.

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Leadership and management

19. Target setting for students' achievements is inadequate. In curriculum areas, progress is not broken down into small steps of learning. Analysis of data relating to students' progress is imprecise and the resulting information does not accurately inform future planning.

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Leadership and management

20. Quality assurance is unsystematic and the application of procedures is not consistent. There are well-documented outcomes from committees such as that for quality assurance and from course review groups. Action plans are not effectively related and the college lacks detailed evaluation of the quality assurance system. However, there is an open and transparent approach within the college to raising standards, for example the quality assurance committee includes representation from parents, students, staff and the governor with responsibility for quality assurance. According to college satisfaction surveys, parents and students rate the provision very highly. All students are encouraged to meet with the nominated governor annually to discuss their responses in confidence. The implementation of a student council provides an effective student focus on areas for improvement.

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Leadership and management

21. In terms of whole college issues, the self-assessment procedures are rigorous and sufficiently challenging to secure improvement. This thorough and collaborative approach has led to improved college achievements. The self-assessment of the curriculum areas is less rigorous and does not lead to appropriate improvement. Management information systems are inadequate. Documentation is burdensome and unwieldy, and impedes the flow of information required by staff. The lack of a computerised information system inhibits the timely sharing of information across the multi-site provision within residential and educational services.

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Leadership and management

22. Procedures for staff development and appraisal are satisfactory. New staff are well supported and take part in a satisfactory induction programme. Since 2000, there has been a significant increase in the budget for staff training and greater commitment to increasing opportunities for professional development related to the priorities identified in the strategic plan. The turnover of staff in both residential and education services is high and the impact of training on teaching and learning is variable.

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Leadership and management

23. The college's equal opportunities policy has recently been upgraded to include reference to the Special Educational Needs Disability Discrimination Act and the Race Relations Amendment Act, and the college has begun a programme of training for staff. Senior managers and governors have been slow to react to their duties to address issues of equality of opportunity for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Issues relating to gender have not been well promoted and access for students with restricted mobility is unsatisfactory. The college's response to issues related to oppressive behaviour and harassment is appropriate and successfully reflects the aims and values of the college. Systems have recently improved and all complaints are well monitored and receive an effective and timely response. There is no clear procedure for taking complaints further where necessary. Procedures to police check all people externally associated with the college are

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Leadership and management

not fully in place, but all staff are rigorously police checked.

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Leadership and management

24. Highly committed and involved governors and trustees have an effective oversight of the strategic direction of the college with a regular and productive schedule of meetings. A range of sub committees supports the work of the college. These do not always include representatives from among the staff or students. The annual audit of provision by governors is comprehensive, but does not include an evaluation of their own performance. Specific training for governors is not in place.

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Leadership and management

25. Financial management of the college is satisfactory. The principal and governors have established sound procedures and a range of policies. A bidding-led culture for resource management is yet to be established. Budgets are not devolved to curriculum areas. Effective fundraising and prudent financial management ensures that improvement targets are regularly set. The principles of best value are consistently applied in securing resources. The college provides satisfactory value for money.

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Literacy, numeracy and key skills

Overall provision in this area is Unsatisfactory (Grade 4) .

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Strengths

• effective relationships promote students' confidence

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Strengths

• good progress in communication skills.

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Weaknesses

• imprecise identification and recording of progress

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Weaknesses

• inadequate integration of literacy and numeracy across the extended curriculum.

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Scope of provision

26. All students study literacy and numeracy. The provision ranges from pre-entry (milestone 2) to level 2. The majority of students (19 out of 25) are on pre-entry, entry and level 1 programmes of study, and attend regular literacy and numeracy workshop sessions at the college. The remaining students are integrated into selected programmes of study at two local colleges. 27. A local training provider currently teaches information technology (IT) and key skills. Six students are undertaking key skills qualifications at level 1.

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Achievement and standards

28. Initial assessment of students' literacy and numeracy skills is ineffective. Inappropriate assessment tools are used which lack specific criteria to identify students' individual levels of learning and the support required to enable them to progress effectively. Learning goals are inconsistent and insufficiently challenging. Standards are variable across the external providers' work, although students on vocational courses make good progress in a local further education college. Recording of achievement for literacy and numeracy in learning plans and at formal reviews is unsatisfactory.

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Achievement and standards

29. Most students make good progress in the development of their communication and social skills. Targets are identified in their individual learning plans and reinforced in some lessons and extended curricular activities. Recognition of students' achievement at pre-entry level is unsatisfactory.

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Achievement and standards

30. External accreditation of students' learning, for whom accreditation is appropriate, is inadequate. Some students are currently working towards external tests with national literacy and numeracy standards. There is no way, however, of giving students credit for achievement at pre-entry level.

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Quality of education and training

31. Teaching is unsatisfactory in a third of lessons. In the most effective lessons, teachers use creative and varied methods and materials which reflect the shared religious ethos and cultural context of the college, for example, in a drama lesson, students created a simple improvisation from the life of Anne Frank to mark Holocaust Day.

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Quality of education and training

32. Where teaching is less effective, teachers use a narrow range of teaching methods and resources, and do not take sufficient account of the needs of individual learners. There is an over- reliance on worksheets and a lack of extension materials or creative resources to meet individual need. Staff are building and extending the range of resources available to support learning, but currently they are limited, particularly in numeracy.

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Quality of education and training

33. Learning is not planned in a significant number of lessons. Where lesson plans and schemes of work are available, the format used is not consistently applied. Individual student targets for literacy and numeracy are not recorded in meaningful ways and do not allow students to assess their own progress. Priorities and targets are too general and are not linked effectively with the core curriculum. The goals and targets identified in individual learning plans are not used effectively to inform lesson planning.

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Quality of education and training

34. Appropriate numbers of teachers and care staff support students. Positive and constructive working relationships very effectively promote students' learning and develop confidence. Staff are able to provide much individual attention to students and to support skilfully and sensitively the development of personal and social skills. The highly committed staff team participates in staff development activities to enhance their professional effectiveness. Most staff have some experience and basic training in literacy, numeracy and key skills. One member of staff has a professional qualification in the teaching of learning difficulties and/or disabilities who supports the work of other staff.

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Quality of education and training

35. The recording of individual students' progress is inconsistent. Information recorded often describes the activities undertaken rather than the small steps of progress achieved. Records lack the detail necessary to measure the distance travelled by individual students towards their identified goals. Individual learning targets are not consistently revised in individual learning plans to meet the next identified step of development for the student.

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Quality of education and training

36. Students have access to a broad range of vocational courses with integrated literacy and numeracy in local further education colleges. These provide clear progression routes and promote independence and confidence.

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Quality of education and training

37. Literacy, numeracy and communication skills are not effectively integrated across the extended college curriculum. Opportunities to reinforce and consolidate learning are missed in both formal and informal settings. Learning topics are not co-ordinated and clear targets for development are not shared across the staff team. This weakness fragments the learning experience for students.

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Leadership and management

38. The self-assessment report accurately identifies some of the weaknesses and areas for development in this curriculum area. All staff are involved in the production of the self-assessment report. Management of this curriculum area has been inconsistent with underdeveloped systems for identifying and sharing good practice to improve the standard of teaching and learning. The curriculum manager for literacy and numeracy has been recently appointed and has already developed a strong team spirit with staff committed to improving the learning experience for students. The promotion of issues relating to equality of opportunity through literacy, numeracy and key skills has begun, but does not yet meet the wide and diverse needs of the students.

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Independent living skills

Overall provision in this area is Satisfactory (Grade 3) .

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Strengths

• effective implementation of the ethos of the Jewish culture

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Strengths

• outstanding teaching of specialist cookery

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Strengths

• opportunities to learn in realistic contexts

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Strengths

• good staff role models and positive staff/student relationships.

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Weaknesses

• lack of professional supervision of support staff in providing education • unsatisfactory accommodation on Langdon College site.

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Scope of provision

39. The college offers both a formal and informal taught programme of skills for life to all students in order to develop independent living skills within a Jewish context. The modular programme for independent living includes personal care and domestic skills, cookery and budgeting, and planned participation in recreational activities. There is a range of accommodation at the Langdon site and within the immediate neighbourhood that allows progression towards independence with appropriately decreasing levels of support. Other elements of the skills for life programme promote active participation in the wider community through shopping, attending local colleges and using recreation facilities.

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Achievement and standards

40. Achievements in independent living skills are satisfactory and students are successful in developing confidence, personal skills and greater independence over time. For example, several students are able to travel to college in Manchester independently by the end of their course having had very little understanding about the risks and hazards of travelling alone before their arrival at the college. All students are encouraged to develop their laundry skills and some are able to use other machines in new environments successfully transferring the skills gained in supervised locations. Assessment of these achievements does not consistently inform the design of individual learning programmes. The measurement and tracking of students' progress are limited and do not permit an early review of objectives to improve achievement for some students.

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Achievement and standards

41. The continued reinforcement of the ethos of the Jewish culture and active involvement of students within the Jewish community are particularly strong. The college has provided for, included all sections of the Jewish religion, through, for example, the effective teaching of cooking within the exacting standards of kashrus law.

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Achievement and standards

42. The successful transition to planned destinations has been achieved consistently for all students. The integration of literacy, numeracy and key skills into programmes of independent living skills is unsatisfactory. Some students are encouraged to gain ownership of learning through recording and evaluating their own progress and achievement. Continual assessment through task analysis is not securely established, but is being developed to record progress in independent living skills.

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Quality of education and training

43. The teaching and learning of independent living skills are satisfactory. More than three quarters of the lessons were satisfactory or better. However, opportunities to extend the independent living skills curriculum are restricted. For example, not all students are able to experience independent living by the end of their course, because of the limited availability of suitable accommodation. The teaching of specialist cookery is outstanding. Well-prepared staff possess not only culinary expertise, but also specialist qualifications for teaching students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This expert knowledge is effectively used to extend the learning of the students both in terms of understanding the Jewish laws relating to the preparation of the food and in the actual preparation and cooking of a meal.

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Quality of education and training

44. The quality of lesson planning and recording is unsatisfactory. Lesson plans do not set out the preferred learning styles or identify the individual learning needs of the student. The staff to student ratio in most independent living skills sessions is good. Staff had a good rapport with students and made effective use of a range of teaching styles to meet individual need. In some one-to-one sessions, staff adopted a more pastoral approach which conflicted with the original lesson plan. This had an adverse effect on the intended learning outcome. Independent living skills across the extended curriculum do not always focus on an appropriate lifestyle for young adults. For example, some students do not follow healthy living programmes and several spend too many hours in front of computers. However, attendance at the local gym is an effective way of promoting a healthy lifestyle.

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Quality of education and training

45. The curriculum framework lacks cohesion, and this has an adverse impact on learning. For example, the over-reliance on schemes of work is unsatisfactory and the lack of planning for individual learning needs and priorities for students is insufficient. The limited use of symbols and signing inhibits learning for some students. They are encouraged to develop their independence and most participate effectively in the local community. They are supported in developing a recreational pattern in readiness for integrating into the community when they leave college. The support given to students to produce individual action plans for the coming week's activities, and work out the financial implications of their plan is good and gives a reality to their study. These sessions successfully link with discrete lessons on money management, where students actively plan the budget for the following week.

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Leadership and management

46. The senior management team is clear about the strengths and weaknesses across the independent living provision as identified in the self-assessment report for this curriculum area. Management of this curriculum area is unsystematic. The monitoring and analysis of students' performance, including attendance and punctuality, lack rigour. Difficulty in maintaining accurate timetables leads to missed opportunities for learning. The recently introduced procedures to improve performance have not yet had an impact on learning. Issues related to race and prejudice are well promoted, as is citizenship. For example, on Holocaust Day, staff effectively drew students' attention to the plight of persecuted people other than those of the Jewish faith.

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Pre-vocational and vocational subjects, including ICT

Overall provision in this area is Satisfactory (Grade 3) .

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Pre-vocational and vocational subjects, including ICT

• broad range of externally accredited courses

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Pre-vocational and vocational subjects, including ICT

• high expectations and aspirations for student achievement.

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Weaknesses

• ineffective management and deployment of support staff

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Weaknesses

• inadequate specialist initial assessment.

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Scope of provision

47. The college offers a wide range of pre-vocational and vocational courses, leading to qualifications using two further education colleges at Bury and Rochdale and a local training provider. The college is also able to use other external providers depending upon the students' choice.

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Scope of provision

48. Students on pre-vocational courses can gain credits towards the Essential Skills Award at level 1 and the Young Enterprise Certificate of Achievement. Courses for retail distribution operations are offered at NVQ levels 1 and 2, together with Pitmans First Award, GNVQ intermediate business and GNVQ intermediate leisure and tourism. Students have the opportunity to sample a wide range of work-experience placements both in the college and the local community. Additionally, all students can access ICT as part of the extended curriculum and can work towards CLAIT awards. The inspection covered those courses operating on all three sites.

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Achievement and standards

49. Retention rates are good on vocational courses. Students are focused on their work and their learning, and concentrate for extensive periods of time. However, some students have difficulty in understanding that attendance, punctuality and reliability are important aspects of adult life and work. In some cases, this attitude adversely affects the time that students take to achieve their goals.

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Achievement and standards

50. Achievement is appropriately celebrated at the college and many students acquire a wide range of qualifications during their time at college. There is no curricular framework in which sequential achievement can be identified and where students can understand and follow a progressive pathway.

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Achievement and standards

51. Some students achieve full awards such as NVQ levels in catering and CLAIT. Leavers regularly acquire additional qualifications beyond those identified in their schedule and purchase order. The learning objectives set at the beginning of the students' programme do not accurately identify a starting point related to the potential of the student.

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Quality of education and training

52. Most teaching is satisfactory or better. Teachers have high expectations of students and provide realistic practical activities within their vocational areas. They are skilful at integrating their theoretical knowledge into vocational and practical activities. This approach supports the students well who acquire good levels of knowledge, skill and understanding within the vocational areas. Students gain confidence and develop greater maturity towards adult life and are conscientious in their work; and enjoy their courses. In the best lessons, teaching is meticulously planned and well organised. Teachers set clear and challenging learning goals that students can understand and work towards within appropriate timescales. For example, in catering, each student has a job card for his or her part in the team running of the college bistro. Students are taught how to work with members of the public, developing their social and communication skills. One student in the training restaurant

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Quality of education and training

successfully greeted 31 customers and served bistro meals to nine people. He also dealt very well with a customer complaint, a more complex task with little help from his tutor. Materials appropriate to the students' age are used which stimulate effective communication and social skills.

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Quality of education and training

53. A significant minority of sessions seen were unsatisfactory. In these lessons, the rooms were unsuitable for the activity in view of the support staff, equipment or wheelchairs required. Students lost concentration and sometimes support staff remained with individual students instead of working with others who were in need. Students struggled with the cramped space, resources were not sufficiently adapted for individual students and some activities were overlong. Planning time for vocational teachers and support staff to work together productively is limited. On some occasions, a teacher in the further education college had to provide a large amount of support to a student from Langdon who had no additional support from staff at the college. This arrangement was sometimes at the expense of other learners.

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Quality of education and training

54. The quality of the accommodation is variable. Some is of high quality, but there are teaching rooms which are cramped and of poor quality in terms of storage and equipment, and which are not fit for purpose. Few resources are matched to individual learning needs. The lack of teachers with specialist qualifications in learning disability or difficulties across the sites and the range of provision is unsatisfactory, although specialist vocational expertise is wide ranging. Resource levels in ICT at the college are good. Hardware has been significantly increased in both the college and in the residences. There is a dedicated ICT room and a qualified ICT teacher. The college has helped to integrate IT into their lives of members of the Langdon Community through providing daytime courses in ICT. There is a shortage of specialist software in the college and at external providers. ICT is insufficiently integrated into the students' programmes on courses provided by external

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Quality of education and training

55. Staff are skilled at defining and building small steps of learning. However, integration of literacy, numeracy and ICT into students' courses is limited and adversely affects learning outcomes. The inaccurate specialist assessment at the start of the student's programme adversely affects on the expectations and aspirations for achievement and is not properly used to inform individual learning plans or lesson planning.

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Quality of education and training

56. A wide choice of courses is available leading to external accreditation. Students' progress and transition into employment and the wider community is realistic. They enjoy the experience of college life and becoming part of the wider community. Individual programmes of work, care and support are well planned. However, they are not always well integrated into the extended curriculum.

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Quality of education and training

57. External providers support the college well through initial diagnostic screening, effective induction and regular tutorials. These are not linked with the system at Langdon. Opportunities to extend the college's equal opportunities programme are missed. There are insufficient support staff for external providers and the co-ordination of punctuality and attendance across sites is weak.

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Leadership and management

58. Self-assessment is thorough, but the co-ordination of this diverse provision is unsatisfactory. Procedures to assure the quality of the provision at external providers is weak. Appropriate targets are set by external providers for retention, achievement and progression. The exchange of information on individual learners takes place at termly formal reviews. The planning time for the productive working together of teachers and support staff is insufficient. Data are held in a form which is unhelpful to future planning. Students are carefully integrated into external provision effectively promoting access and participation into the wider community.

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Leadership and management

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

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