Long Road Sixth Form College

CONTENTS

Quality of provision in curriculum and occupational areas

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CONTENTS

How well is the college led and managed?

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CONTENTS

To what extent is the college educationally and socially inclusive?

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CONTENTS

How well are students and trainees guided and supported?

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CONTENTS

Summary of grades awarded to teaching and learning by inspectors

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CONTENTS

Part C: Curriculum and occupational areas

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CONTENTS

Table 1: Enrolments by level of study and age 2003/04

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CONTENTS

Table 2: Enrolments by curriculum area and age

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CONTENTS

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

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Basic information about the college

Name of college: Long Road Sixth Form College Type of college: Sixth form college Principal: Andrew Thomson Long Road Cambridge Address of college:

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Basic information about the college

CB2 2PX Telephone number: 01223 507400 Fax number: 01223 507444 Chair of governors: Christopher Hesketh Unique reference number: 130616 Name of reporting inspector: Philip Pullen HMI Dates of inspection: 18-22 October 2004

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Information about the college

Long Road Sixth Form College was formed in 1974. It occupies a 23-acre site on the southern edge of Cambridge. The college is part of the Cambridge Collegiate Board group of schools and colleges which includes three further education (FE) sector colleges, 3 11-18 schools and 15 11-16 schools. A significant minority of the college's students are drawn from outside the Collegiate Board region, with some students travelling considerable distances to attend. The college was awarded accredited status by the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) in 2000.

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Information about the college

There has been an approximate 12.5% growth in the number of students attending the college since its FEFC inspection in 1999. In 2002/03, the college enrolled 2,676 students of whom 1,695 were full time. All but four full-time students were aged 16 to 19. The majority of the 973 part-time students were aged 19 or over. The proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds was 9.1%, which was higher than that of the local community. The main curriculum provision is at level 3, and comprises almost exclusively advanced subsidiary-level (AS-level) and general certificate of education advanced-level (GCE A-level) courses. Of the 10% of students studying level 2 courses, 80% are taking general certificate of secondary education (GCSE) subjects and the rest are on general national vocational qualification (GNVQ) programmes.

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Information about the college

The college's mission statement indicates that it specialises in the provision of academic and general vocational courses for full-time students aged 16 to 19 and also provides `lifetime learning through the provision of education for the local community and training for education and business'.

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How effective is the college?

Inspectors judged the provision to be outstanding in art and design and psychology. The areas of mathematics, social science, humanities and English and modern foreign languages were judged to be good. Provision in science and business studies was judged to be satisfactory. The college's key strengths and the areas that should be improved are listed below.

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Key strengths

o the clear leadership and strategic direction of the college

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Key strengths

o the value that the college adds to students' progress

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Key strengths

o support for full-time students o very good learning resource centre and information technology (IT) provision that support students' learning

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Key strengths

o wide choice of subjects at AS level and GCE A level

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Key strengths

o very good opportunities for enrichment and personal development.

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What should be improved

o some insufficiently challenging teaching

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What should be improved

o insufficient monitoring of students' progress against targets

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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 range: Outstanding (grade 1), Good (2), Satisfactory (3), Unsatisfactory (4), Very Poor (5).

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Area Overall judgements about provision, and comment

Science Satisfactory. Pass rates are high on AS-level physics and electronics and GCE A2 physics courses but are below national averages on some other courses. Teaching and learning are satisfactory but much teaching is insufficiently challenging. Academic guidance and support are good and are valued by students. Mathematics Good. Pass rates are consistently high on GCSE and GCE A-level mathematics courses. There is effective use of information and learning technology (ILT) to enhance learning but in some lessons learning outcomes are unclear and learners are insufficiently challenged. Support for individual students is good. There is insufficient use of assessment to guide students' progress. Business studies Satisfactory. Pass rates are high on GNVQ intermediate business but low on AS-level and GCE A-level accounting, Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and GCSE business courses. Teaching is satisfactory overall but some lessons do not meet

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Area Overall judgements about provision, and comment

students' individual learning needs. There is effective development and integration of key skills. Art and design Outstanding. Students' achievements are outstanding with consistently high pass rates on all level 3 courses. Students produce work of a very high standard. Teaching and learning are very effective. There is insufficient rigour in some aspects of quality assurance. Humanities Good. Pass rates are high in most subjects but are low and declining in AS-level geography. Most teaching is good or better with effective use of ILT. Students develop very good analytical and research skills. There is insufficient use of targets to support students' learning. Social science Good. Psychology contributory grade: outstanding . Pass rates are high in psychology and sociology but there are low pass rates in law. Many students achieve results higher than predicted by their GCSE entry scores. There is much good teaching. Support for students is

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Area Overall judgements about provision, and comment

good. English and modern foreign languages Good. Pass rates are high in most subjects although there is only a small number of high-grade passes on GCE A-level English courses. Most teaching is good or better. There are good enrichment opportunities. There is insufficient sharing of good practice to improve learning.

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How well is the college led and managed?

Leadership and management are good. The principal and governors provide clear leadership and strategic direction. Examination pass rates and the retention rates of students on courses are at or slightly above the national average for sixth form colleges. The college clearly adds overall value to the performance of its students, many of whom come to the college with quite low levels of prior performance. Most teaching and learning is effective. Communication is good and senior managers have an open and consultative style. Management at course level is good in most of the curriculum areas but there are distinct weaknesses in others. There are systematic quality assurance dealt with well through self-assessment, analysis of the quality of teaching and learning is often not sufficiently thorough. Financial management is good. The college provides good value for money.

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To what extent is the college educationally and socially inclusive?

The college's response to educational and social inclusion is good. It works in partnership with the local collegiate board and provides for students in line with its mission statement. The college has good educational links with several local community organisations. Students are well supported and value the atmosphere of openness and mutual respect. The college is flexible and responsive in supporting the individual needs of its students. There has been an effective response to both the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) and the Race Relations (amendment) Act 2000. The college's social inclusion group effectively monitors the recruitment of both staff and students, and students' achievement by gender, minority ethnic group and disability. The college has a race equality policy and has made reasonable progress in its implementation. Staff have received effective disability and race awareness training. Most areas of the college are accessible to those

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How well are students and trainees guided and supported?

Support for students is good. Cross-college support is well managed and effectively integrated. Students are well informed about, and make good use of, the services on offer. The college provides effective pre-course guidance. Students feel they have chosen courses that are appropriate for their needs and abilities. A good induction effectively introduces students to college life. The college carefully uses a range of information to make an assessment of individual additional support needs. Support is flexible and adaptable. The effectiveness of learning support is evaluated annually and the information is used well in development planning. Well-planned and well-resourced tutorials provide good support for full-time students. However, part-time students do not receive formal tutorials to support their learning. A specialist team provides good progression and careers advice and guidance. The college has a child protection policy and appropriate implementation procedures.

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Students' views of the college

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

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What students like about the college

o responsive, hard-working staff and an accessible senior management team o the acceptance of diversity

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What students like about the college

o the open and friendly atmosphere with mutual respect and freedom

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What students like about the college

o the variety of subjects to study and the flexibility of choice

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What students like about the college

o good two-way communication between staff and students

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What students like about the college

o good learning resource centre and access to computers

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What students like about the college

o good support for application to higher education (HE).

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What they feel could be improved

o overcrowded canteen with insufficient choice, poor layout and long queues

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What they feel could be improved

o timetable design and length of the college day.

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Other information

The college inspection report will normally be published 12 working weeks after the formal feedback of the inspection findings to the college. Once published, the college has two months in which to 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 should send to Ofsted only action plans from colleges that have been judged inadequate or have been awarded a grade 4 or 5 for curriculum provision, work-based learning and/or leadership and management.

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(Grades 5 to 7) %

Teaching 16-18 77 21 2 19+ and WBL* 59 33 8 Learning 16-18 75 21 4 19+ and WBL* 59 33 8

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(Grades 5 to 7) %

Key: The range of grades includes: Excellent (Grade 1), Very Good (Grade 2), Good (Grade 3), Satisfactory (Grade 4), Unsatisfactory (Grade 5), Poor (Grade 6) and Very Poor (Grade 7).

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Achievement and standards

1. Overall judgements about achievements and standards for the years 2002 and 2003 are based on aggregate information in the college performance report produced by Ofsted. This is derived from data supplied by the college in its individualised learner record. Data for 2004 are derived from the college using its own software. The separate reports on areas of learning in Part C give more details about achievements and standards of work on particular courses.

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Achievement and standards

2. The college's main curriculum provision is at level 3. The majority of students are on courses leading to AS level and GCE A level from a choice of 45 subjects. Around 120 students are studying for an advanced vocational certificate of education (AVCE) in one of five subjects. The college also provides GCSEs in 14 subjects and 2 intermediate GNVQ programmes. Around 10% of students are taking level 2 programmes. The college also makes evening class provision for adults. In 2003/04, there were 1,100 adult enrolments, funded by the local LSC. The majority of enrolments were in humanities, business, English and modern foreign languages and visual and performing arts subjects.

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16 to 18 year olds

3. Students' achievements are good overall. Retention rates for level 3 qualifications have steadily improved and are now around the national average. Retention rates are slightly above the national average for level 2 qualifications. Retention rates for GCE A levels are above the national average and are around the national average for AS levels. Retention rates for AVCEs are below the national average. Retention rates for GCSEs and GNVQ intermediate qualifications are above the national average. Overall, pass rates are around the national average and the college's performance by this measure is generally within the middle 50% of sixth form colleges. Pass rates for the majority of qualification types are at or slightly above the national average, although pass rates for AS levels have declined. Pass rates for AVCEs at level 3 are significantly higher than the national average.

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16 to 18 year olds

4. The average GCSE points score of students on entry to the college is relatively low and has declined in recent years. In 2003/04, approximately 45% of students entered the college with an average GCSE points score of 5.2 or lower. Analysis of added value data shows that many students achieve results higher than those predicted for them on the basis of their GCSE performance. The college's overall performance by these measures places it in the top 10% of sixth form colleges.

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16 to 18 year olds

5. There are good progression rates for students. Around 71% of advanced-level students progress to HE and the majority of level 2 students progress to other FE provision.

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16 to 18 year olds

6. The quality of students' work is good overall. Inspectors judged that the standard of students' work was good or better in 62% of the lessons observed. Attainment was exceptionally high in art and design where a significant majority of lessons were judged to be good or better. Students work well together and develop good oral and written communication skills; most have a well-organised approach to study and make confident and effective use of ILT. There is good development of students' critical thinking and analytical skills in a number of subject areas, including humanities and social science. Art and design students develop exceptional skills in painting and produce high standards of design work. English and modern foreign language students demonstrate a good understanding of complex grammatical concepts. Attendance during the inspection averaged 81% in the lessons observed. This is significantly below the average of 85% for sixth form colleges

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Adult learners

7. Retention rates for level 2 and level 3 qualifications are above the national average, although retention on AS-level courses declined significantly in 2003/04 to below the national average. Pass rates are above average for level 2 qualifications and slightly below for level 3 qualifications.

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Quality of education and training

8. Teaching, learning and attainment were graded by inspectors in 99 lessons. Teaching was good or better in 75% of these, satisfactory in 22% and unsatisfactory in 3%. Teaching was very good or outstanding in 22% of lessons observed.

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Quality of education and training

9. Teaching and learning at level 3 had the highest proportions of lessons graded good or better. The quality of teaching and learning was highest on GCE A2 courses where 79% of the lessons were judged to be good or better. AS-level courses had the widest range of teaching and learning in terms of quality: the small amount of teaching that was judged to be outstanding was seen on these courses, as was all the unsatisfactory teaching and learning. The lowest proportion of lessons judged to be good or better was on GCSE courses, although there were also some examples of very good teaching and learning.

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Quality of education and training

10. The best lessons were well planned and were characterised by dynamic delivery and imaginative activities, which stimulated and motivated students. For example, in a GCE A-level geography lesson, the effective use of ILT captured students' imagination and encouraged them to carefully investigate the measures taken to mitigate the impact of an earthquake on a community. In a number of psychology lessons, pieces of research were brought to life by enacting them with students, which made them more aware of the psychological points arising from the research. Questioning was used effectively to involve learners, to check progress and to probe, develop and extend their learning.

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Quality of education and training

11. In the less effective lessons, there was insufficient clarity and focus on learning outcomes. On some occasions, the quality of learning was reduced due to difficulties with the timing of activities that over-ran, resulting in loss of concentration and leaving those students who finished early with no extension activities. Questioning was often insufficiently challenging and opportunities to elicit students' views and check their understanding were missed. The poorer teaching, particularly in business, mathematics and science, was dull, overly theoretical and failed to meet the individual needs of students. In some lessons, teachers talked too much and demanded too little of the students.

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Quality of education and training

12. Teachers are well qualified and experienced. Many have higher or specialist professional qualifications and several are external moderators or examiners for their subject. Newly qualified teachers and new members of staff are well supported through the college's mentoring scheme and induction arrangements. Staff development opportunities are well planned and are closely linked to curricular and departmental requirements. Teachers are well supported by technician staff in several curriculum areas. There is good availability and use of modern foreign language assistants.

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Quality of education and training

13. The college has invested substantially in accommodation since the last inspection. A new building has been added to provide improved teaching facilities and the building of a replacement sports hall was nearing completion at the time of inspection. Despite these improvements, some classrooms are overcrowded and restrict teaching and learning strategies. The canteen also serves as a student common room and is too small for comfortable use at times. The college has plans to address these issues. Most areas of the college are accessible to those with restricted mobility and, where necessary, changes are made to the location of classes to accommodate students with particular needs.

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Quality of education and training

14. Students have access to high-quality learning resources. The learning resource centre is very well managed and its staff provide good support both for students and teachers. There are very effective links between subject teachers and learning resource centre staff to ensure that specialist resource needs are well catered for. There is very good provision of ILT throughout the college. Most curriculum areas have a suite of networked computers and drop-in facilities are available in the learning resource centre and other rooms in the college. Several classrooms have interactive whiteboards and data projection facilities. An excellent and rapidly expanding intranet facility further enhances students' learning. Staff development has been effective in encouraging more teachers to use ILT as an integral part of their teaching.

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Quality of education and training

15. There is a clear and planned system for the regular formal monitoring of students' progress. Reviews of progress and tutorial discussions are recorded on standardised record sheets. Progress review tutorials are carefully scheduled to fit in with planned reporting and parents' evenings. This system is well established and understood by all staff and students. Individual learning plans are drawn up on an agreed day in the first few weeks of the course and students are informed about their minimum target grades. However, in several curriculum areas, students are insufficiently clear about these targets and many individual learning plans lack specific guidance on what students need to do in order to achieve them. The college provides general guidelines on assessment and some departments have produced their own assessment policies. Homework assignments are regularly set, marked and promptly returned but the approach to assessment and marking varies between,

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Quality of education and training

and sometimes within, departments. Most departments have standardisation procedures but practices in some curriculum areas are inconsistent. Some departments make good use of cover sheets for marked work which show students' component marks against assessment objectives. Parents are kept well informed of students' progress through regular parents' evenings and formal reports as well as frequent informal contact.

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Quality of education and training

16. A large number of level 3 courses are offered at the college including 45 AS-level and GCE A- level subjects and five AVCEs. At level 2, two GNVQ intermediate courses are offered as well as 14 GCSE subjects. Flexible curriculum arrangements maximise subject choice and combinations for students. Links with feeder schools and other post-16 providers are good and keep the college well informed of changing needs. The college maintains good links with the community, including employers. In 2003, two vocational GCSE courses, in health and social care and business, were added to the college's curriculum provision as a response to changing needs. Plans are well under way to replace AVCE provision with national diploma qualifications in September 2005.

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Quality of education and training

17. There is very good curriculum enrichment both within subject areas and as part of general education provision. Students participate in a wide range of sports, music, drama and general education courses in addition to their chosen academic and vocational courses. Enrichment activities within programme areas include: opportunities to study abroad in art and design, humanities and modern foreign languages; regular visits to galleries, theatres, museums and relevant employers; contributions by outside speakers; the production of a monthly magazine; and the opportunity to participate in the Young Enterprise Award.

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Quality of education and training

18. A clear key skills policy provides opportunities for level 2 students to develop and accredit skills in all three areas. At level 3, students are able to develop and accredit one skill through their subjects. For the majority of students, this is in communication. Key skills are centrally co-ordinated and there are good arrangements for monitoring and moderating standards achieved by students. As a result of low portfolio completion in 2003/04, systems have been put in place to address when and where departments will address key skills elements in their courses. Integration of key skills is particularly effective in business and economics and social science.

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Quality of education and training

19. Support for students is good. The college provides effective pre-course guidance. Staff visit feeder schools to talk to pupils and the college provides open evenings and taster courses which many potential students attend. There is a well-established and effective support and guidance team, with clear lines of responsibility. Specialist student services are centrally located in the college and communication between staff is good. Students are well informed about the support services during induction and these are further publicised in the student planner and in supplementary leaflets. Students feel that they have been well prepared for their programmes and that they have chosen courses appropriate for their needs and abilities. A specialist careers team, which includes Connexions advisers, provides careers advice and guidance which results in very good progression.

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Quality of education and training

20. A good induction process effectively introduces students to college life. Individual support needs are identified using information supplied by local schools followed by a dyslexia test undertaken by all students and the analysis of a piece of work carried out as part of departmental induction. In addition, students can refer themselves for additional support. Flexible, timely support arrangements, which are used by around 250 students a year, include additional learning support, counselling, subject `surgeries' and student mentors. The effectiveness of learning support is evaluated through a comprehensive annual review which provides the basis for development planning. All staff have been provided with effective disability awareness training.

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Quality of education and training

21. Tutorials provide good pastoral and academic support for most students. College guidelines set out clear tutorial procedures and outcomes are recorded on standardised record cards. All full-time students are required to attend a weekly group tutorial. A comprehensive group tutorial work scheme ensures that content is standardised. Students also have an entitlement to a minimum of one individual tutorial per term, although many receive at least two. Regular departmental `surgeries' provide tailored subject support and these are appreciated by the students. The quality of tutorial provision is monitored through regular observation visits to group tutorials and file checks of individual sessions. Part-time students do not receive formal tutorials but teachers make themselves available out of lesson time and provide support materials for students to use at home. Tutors conduct individual tutorials in a manner sensitive to individual needs and equality of opportunity and

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Quality of education and training

students feel well supported. Students' attendance is monitored and minimum attendance targets are set. Most teaching departments routinely check student absence with follow up by tutors, although the rigour of checking in some departments is inconsistent.

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Quality of education and training

22. The college has a child protection policy and procedures. The assistant principal (guidance) is the senior member of staff responsible for child protection. All staff who work in a supervisory or individual capacity with children undergo criminal records bureau checks.

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Leadership and management

23. Leadership and management are good. The principal and governors provide clear leadership and strategic direction. The college's plans respond in the main to the needs of students aged 16 to 18, many of whom have quite low levels of prior achievement at GCSE. In 2003/04, approximately 45% of students entered the college with an average GCSE points score of 5.2 or lower. Analysis of value added data indicates that, overall, students achieve results higher than those predicted for them on the basis of their GCSE performance. Retention rates on college courses are around the national averages. Pass rates are generally at or slightly above national averages. Most teaching and learning is effective.

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Leadership and management

24. Governors participate actively in the development of the strategic plan and monitor its progress well. Planning is currently focused on the overall improvement of the college's provision in terms of teaching and learning, students' achievement, learning resources and accommodation. The corporation's standards committee systematically monitors and evaluates students' performance and achievement through a thorough review of the self-assessment report and papers on quality issues, like the college's value added performance. The committee monitors the setting of recruitment, retention and examination performance targets and reviews their progress. It receives reports of the teaching observation scheme and student surveys. The standards committee regularly reports its findings to the main board.

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Leadership and management

25. Senior managers work well as a team. Communication is good and the open and consultative approach of all senior managers leads to high morale throughout the college. Management meetings focus on the curriculum and the improvement of its delivery. Four curriculum managers, who oversee the heads of subjects, provide an effective additional layer of quality assurance to departments and curriculum support to their heads. However, management at course level is of uneven quality. In business and economics, strong leadership is developing an effective team that is focusing successfully on some of the area's weaknesses in teaching. Team work in social sciences and a common commitment to improvement has led to a radical overhaul of law courses, which had performed poorly for two years. However, modern foreign language courses lack cohesion and each language operates separate systems of assessment. Until recently, there was little sharing of good

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Leadership and management

practice across the science subjects. In art and design, team meetings are not regular and there is little recorded discussion of teaching and learning.

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Leadership and management

26. Arrangements for assuring the quality of the college's provision are systematic. Course reviews contain thorough analyses of achievement and retention rate data. Value added data are scrutinised and play a significant role in judging the quality of provision as well as providing a target minimum grade for monitoring students' progress and assessing their performance. Appropriate action plans are developed at college level and realistic targets for achievement, retention rates and attendance are set and monitored by managers. Students' views of the quality of the provision are carefully collated and taken into account at course level. There are examples of successful interventions at departmental level which have brought success to courses where pass and retention rates had been consistently low. 27. Self-assessment has varying degrees of impact in the curriculum areas. In humanities, it is thorough and provides a realistic view of each department. In several curriculum areas, however,

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Leadership and management

there are deficiencies in the quality of action plans in identifying areas for improvement. While most key aspects of the college's work are dealt with well through self-assessment, analysis of the quality of teaching and learning is often not sufficiently thorough. The profile of grades awarded by the college through its internal lesson observation procedures is significantly higher than those awarded by inspectors. The college recognises these deficiencies and has taken steps to address them. A whole college programme that was designed to improve teaching and lively initiatives to enable teachers to share good practice have led to an increasing awareness of the need for teachers to review and improve their skills. However, this has only become systematic recently.

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Leadership and management

28. Full-time and part-time staff are appraised and their performance is reviewed annually by their line managers. Account of the quality of their teaching is taken from the teaching observation programme and from peer observations. A detailed staff development plan is compiled annually which is effectively linked to the college's objectives and to departmental reviews. Priority recently has been given to the improvement of teaching and learning. Training days and summer term sessions are used to provide opportunities for the sharing of good practice. New teachers are provided with mentors and effective strategies for their induction are in place. The college is accredited as an Investor in People.

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Leadership and management

29. The college's equality forum has recently effectively reviewed the college's equality of opportunity policy. A co-ordinator effectively oversees the activities of the forum. Its membership comes from across the college's curriculum areas and includes students. Reports are made to the governors. The college has responded appropriately to the Race Relations (amendment) Act 2000. A policy has been developed which is integrated with the overall equality policy. This policy was published after wide consultation and its impact has been reviewed. Analysis of minority ethnic groups at recruitment and admission takes place. Achievement by minority ethnic group is monitored. Appropriate measures in response to SENDA have been taken. The requirements of the SENDA were taken into account when the equality policy was revised. Staff training in both the Race Relations (amendment Act) 2000 and SENDA has taken place.

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Leadership and management

30. Management information systems are used effectively. Curriculum managers have ready access to data on attendance and retention and pass rates and most make good use of it in managing students' learning and quality assurance arrangements. Senior managers are provided with accurate data. However, a recent upgrading of the system has resulted in a delay in the setting up of this year's student target minimum grade system. Financial management in the college is good. The college has consistently met its funding targets and operated with appropriate surplus. Retention and pass rates are generally good. Average class sizes are high. Teachers are efficiently and effectively deployed. Students are offered a wide choice of subject and enrichment activities. The college provides good value for money.

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Science

Overall provision in this area is satisfactory (grade 3)

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Strengths

o consistently high value added scores for many students on AS-level physics and electronics and GCE A2 physics courses

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Strengths

o regular and thorough assessment of students' learning.

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Weaknesses

o poor pass rates on AS-level biology and chemistry courses

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Weaknesses

o low progression from AS-level to GCE A2 courses

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Scope of provision

31. The college offers a good range of full-time science courses. Approximately 500 students each year study AS-level and GCE A2 courses in biology, human biology, chemistry, physics, electronics and environmental science. A GSCE programme, which includes human physiology and health and physics, has approximately 70 enrolments. Part-time evening classes are available in AS-level and GCE A2 biology and human biology. There are about 40 students aged 19 and over studying these courses.

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Achievement and standards

32. Pass rates on AS-level physics and electronics, and GCE A2 biology, human biology, electronics and physics courses are close to the national averages. In 2003/04, all students taking GCE A2 human biology and biology passed the examination. Over the past three years, students taking AS- level physics and electronics and GCE A2 physics have achieved well in relation to the outcomes predicted for them on the basis of their previous GCSE grades. Pass rates for GCSE human physiology and health have improved over the last three years and are now above the national average. However, pass rates in AS-level biology and human biology have declined over the last three years and are now significantly below the national average. Pass rates in AS-level and GCE A2 chemistry are also both below the national average. Retention rates on GCSE human physiology and health are good and are consistently above the national average. Retention rates for most AS-

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Achievement and standards

level and GCE A2 courses are below the national average, except for AS-level electronics and GCE A2 physics courses.

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Achievement and standards

33. Many students demonstrate good knowledge, skills and understanding in lessons. They are able to apply the knowledge they acquire effectively and to relate their learning to personal experiences. In one lesson, GCE A2 students were able to calculate surface area to volume ratios, plot a graph and interpret the meaning of the curve, then relate this knowledge to new situations. The number of students progressing from AS-level to GCE A2 courses is very low; around half the students starting an AS-level science course do not progress to GCE A2 in the same subjects.

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 44 49 58 % retention 89 86 86 GCSE human physiology and health

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 38 50 60 No. of starts 69 85 79 % retention 87 81 89 AS-level biology 3

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 90 75 53 No. of starts 52 60 67 % retention 87 87 87 AS-level chemistry 3

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 60 75 67 No. of starts 77 74 80 % retention 91 93 83 AS-level physics 3

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 81 71 83 No. of starts 47 39 41 % retention 91 95 93 GCE A-level biology 3

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 93 94 100 No. of starts 36 18 27 % retention 100 89 100 GCE A-level chemistry 3

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 81 94 81 No. of starts 48 50 43 % retention 96 98 100 GCE A-level physics 3

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

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

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Quality of education and training

34. Teaching is satisfactory or better. Teachers know their students well and have good working relationships with them. In the better lessons, teaching is well planned with a variety of activities that provide a good balance of theory and practical work. In an AS-level chemistry lesson, students' attention was captured by an amusing, colourful and informative demonstration which illustrated the effect of a catalyst on hydrogen peroxide. Teachers adeptly draw on the personal experience of students and help them apply it to scientific situations. For example, GCSE human physiology students volunteered information on why athletes use ice to alter blood flow. Questions are used effectively to probe and challenge and teachers sensitively draw out responses from quieter students. Too much teaching, however, is insufficiently challenging. Many lessons lack variety and are dominated by the teacher with few contributions from students. Teachers provide limited

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Quality of education and training

opportunities to identify and help students of differing abilities to achieve the lesson outcomes.

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Quality of education and training

35. There is thorough assessment of students' learning. Students are set a good range of tests and are required to do homework regularly, focusing on past questions or practical reports. Assessed work is marked accurately and carefully. Longer pieces of work are graded and contain detailed feedback for students on areas for improvement.

p.16

Quality of education and training

36. Academic support and guidance is good and is highly valued by students. A structured programme of `surgery' sessions, coursework support, revision classes, dedicated topic-based sessions and extension classes is aimed at maximising the students' performance. Students who need help are directed to the `surgery' sessions or can refer themselves if they have missed work or want help with a specific problem.

p.16

Quality of education and training

37. Teachers are well qualified. Several are examiners, moderators or authors and make effective use of this experience in their teaching. Approximately one-third of the staff are new to the department or their role since September 2004, including the two heads of department. Teachers are supported by well qualified and efficient technicians. Teaching accommodation is good. The laboratories provide a pleasant learning environment with attractive wall displays. Rooms and equipment are well maintained. The recent combining of the chemistry and biology departments has enabled the flexible use of rooms and sharing of resources.

p.16

Leadership and management

38. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Recent action taken by the two new heads of department has led to an increase in the monitoring of the quality of provision but this has not yet had time to have an impact. Departmental self-assessment reports for 2003/04 underestimate areas of weakness, particularly in relation to students' achievement and the quality of teaching. There is insufficient rigour in setting targets and actions for improvement.

p.16

Mathematics

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

p.16

Strengths

o high pass rates on GCSE and GCE A-level mathematics courses

p.16

Strengths

o effective use of ILT to enhance learning

p.16

Strengths

o good individual support for students o good resources to enhance learning.

p.16

Weaknesses

o lack of challenge and clear focus in some lessons

p.17

Weaknesses

o insufficient use of assessment to guide students' progress.

p.17

Scope of provision

39. The college provides a good range of mathematics courses at intermediate and advanced levels. Students have a choice of AS-level and GCE A2 courses, including statistics and mechanics options and further mathematics. Previously, intermediate-level foundation advanced mathematics was offered to those students who required further preparation prior to embarking on traditional AS-level courses or who were seeking a more applied course. This course has now been replaced by the AS- level use of mathematics course. Basic skill level numeracy courses are also provided for a small number of adults in the community and as part of the college's evening class programme. Approximately 490 students are enrolled on mathematics courses.

p.17

Achievement and standards

40. Pass rates at GCSE and GCE A-level mathematics have been consistently high during the three years to 2003/04. AS-level further mathematics students perform better than would be expected from their GCSE scores, although the number of high-grade passes is below the national average. Pass rates in foundation advanced mathematics have been consistently at or above the national average, whilst the pass rate in AS-level mathematics remains at the national average, it has declined over the last three years. Retention rates for all courses are in line with national averages.

p.17

Achievement and standards

41. Students demonstrate a good understanding of basic concepts, which they confidently apply. They are comfortable with mathematical language and use it well to explain tasks. There is good use of scientific and graphical calculators. Students' files are well organised with some good use of colour and outlining to highlight important concepts. Students consolidate their learning well by reading notes, practising examples and re-writing notes.

p.17

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 100 67 61 % retention 89 85 84 Foundations of advanced mathematics entry

p.17

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 89 84 88 No. of starts 252 221 233 % retention 88 84 88 GCSE mathematics 2

p.17

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 48 49 49 No. of starts 128 165 155 AS-level mathematics 3 % retention 78 86 89 % pass rate 82 73 72 No. of starts 63 50 75 % retention 95 96 95 GCE A-level mathematics

p.17

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

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

p.18

Quality of education and training

42. Teaching is satisfactory or better. Teachers display high levels of knowledge and their enthusiasm for the subject is apparent and infectious. In the best lessons, a variety of imaginative activities is used to stimulate and motivate students and to enhance learning for those who are not necessarily strong mathematicians. These activities include group work, paired work, matching titles to different graphical data, throwing dice to examine probability, and using mini whiteboards to explore solutions. Students receive a high level of individual help in all lessons. Teachers make good use of ILT to enhance learning, for example, through powerpoint presentations and autograph software. Graphical calculators enable students to examine a wider variety of problems in lessons than would be possible through using traditional drawing methods. In less effective lessons, learning outcomes are unclear and are not shared with students, which results in a lack of focus. In other

p.18

Quality of education and training

lessons, teachers talk too much and demand too little of the students.

p.18

Quality of education and training

43. There is insufficient use of assessment to guide students' progress. The department does not have a consistent approach to providing feedback to students. Although work is set, marked and corrected regularly, comments to inform students of how to improve are rarely given.

p.18

Quality of education and training

44. Students receive a high level of academic support both inside and outside of lessons. This support takes a variety of forms, for example, drop-in `surgeries', targeted revision workshops and an extra half an hour of double staffing for GCSE. In addition, volunteers from Cambridge University help students on level 2 and 3 courses. The department also operates a `buddy' system.

p.18

Quality of education and training

45. Teachers are experienced and well qualified. Learning is well supported by high-quality resources. An attractive, stimulating learning environment has been created through decorating classrooms and corridors with a mixture of displays of students' work and posters relating mathematics to everyday life. A member of the mathematics department administers the Young Engineers scheme which allows teams of four students to work with an engineering firm on problems related to the workplace.

p.18

Leadership and management

46. Leadership and management are good. Teachers work together well as a team. There are regular, minuted departmental meetings which focus on teaching and learning, monitoring students' progress and strategies for improvement. Good practice is shared both formally and informally through peer observations and the evaluation of a range of resources. Course reviews are comprehensive and critical performance indicators have been completed but are insufficiently used to identify necessary improvements to provision. The self-assessment report accurately identifies the strengths of the department, however, it fails to identify weaknesses in relation to assessment and teaching and learning.

p.18

Business studies

Overall provision in this area is satisfactory (grade 3)

p.18

Strengths

o consistently good pass and retention rates on GNVQ intermediate business, AAT foundation and GCE A-level economics courses

p.19

Strengths

o good home study materials on AAT courses

p.19

Strengths

o effective development and integration of key skills

p.19

Strengths

o regular and constructive feedback to full-time students about their progress.

p.19

Weaknesses

o poor retention rates on AS-level courses

p.19

Weaknesses

o poor pass rates on AS-level and GCE A2 accounting, AAT technician and GCSE business courses

p.19

Weaknesses

o some lessons that do not meet students' individual learning needs

p.19

Weaknesses

o inadequate tutorial support for adults.

p.19

Scope of provision

47. The college offers a broad range of qualifications at advanced level to full-time students aged 16 to 18, including AS-level and GCE A2 courses in business studies, accounting and economics and an AVCE in business. Provision at level 2 comprises a GNVQ intermediate in business and a GCSE in applied business studies. Part-time evening provision includes AAT accounting qualifications at foundation, intermediate and technician levels. At the time of the inspection, there were 366 students aged 16 to 18 and 78 students aged 19 and over in the business curriculum area.

p.19

Achievement and standards

48. There is a mixed pattern of achievement on business courses. There are consistently high pass rates on GNVQ intermediate business, GCE A2 and AAT foundation courses. Pass rates on AS- level and GCE A2 accounting, however, are poor and significantly below national averages. At AAT technician level, many students fail to complete all the assessment components of the qualification, which results in pass rates that are below the national average and declining. Retention rates on GCE A2 economics and GNVQ intermediate courses have been 100% for the three years to 2003/04. By contrast, retention rates on all AS-level courses are consistently below national averages.

p.19

Achievement and standards

49. Most business students are attentive in class and enjoy their lessons. Students on GCE A-level and AAT courses question teachers thoughtfully and prepare homework carefully. Many full-time students effectively develop the key skills that will be useful to them when they progress to employment or HE. For example, in some lessons, students successfully recapped and developed skills in percentages, ratios and graphical analysis. Students on vocational courses use ICT software applications and the internet with confidence; they work well in groups to discuss local and national businesses and can illustrate business theory by applying it to their work experience. There is good progression from intermediate to advanced level courses. Attendance is satisfactory overall, although, during the inspection, several full-time students arrived late for lessons in the morning and after breaks.

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 174 176 187 % retention 85 85 83 AS-level business 3

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 80 70 90 No. of starts 15 30 33 % retention 80 87 85 AS-level economics 3

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 100 81 79 No. of starts 38 40 47 % retention 84 80 77 AS-level accounting 3

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 59 66 53 No. of starts 22 33 28 % retention 95 48 57 AVCE business 3

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 100 100 75 No. of starts 117 89 64 % retention 93 94 91 GCE A2 business 3

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 90 90 97 No. of starts 32 45 44 % retention 88 91 91 AAT intermediate accounting

p.20

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

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

p.20

Quality of education and training

50. Most teaching is satisfactory or better. In the best lessons, teachers encourage enquiry and use carefully structured questions to test students' understanding. Humour is often used well to enliven learning. Lessons on vocational courses are lively and involve students in a broad range of practical activities. In a GNVQ intermediate marketing lesson, students took part in a focus group activity to taste test chocolate buttons. The exercise enabled key learning points to develop from real practice and students were able to evaluate the appropriateness of focus groups as a method of primary research. As part of the Young Enterprise programme, a lively debate to consider a range of fundraising options was chaired by a student and supported by a business advisor. Eventually, students decided to organise a fun day for local schools and considered realistic budgets for, and the legal requirements related to, setting up their enterprise activity. A minority of teaching and

p.20

Quality of education and training

learning is unsatisfactory and fails to recognise the individual needs of students. Teachers sometimes fail to ensure that all students participate actively. For example, there is an over-reliance on teachers explaining dull and very theoretical facts whilst students take notes.

p.21

Quality of education and training

51. Students receive regular feedback about their progress in their main subject studies and also in the three main key skills. They understand how and why targets have been set for potential grades. Teachers set work regularly and make constructive annotations that help students to understand what they need to do in order to improve.

p.21

Quality of education and training

52. Students' learning experiences are enriched by links outside the college and include participation in the ProShare Student Investor Portfolio Challenge, the Young Enterprise programme and an opportunity for several students to attend a `young management' conference.

p.21

Quality of education and training

53. Support for students completing projects and assignments is available through weekly `surgeries'. Teachers give encouragement in lessons for students to develop the analytical and evaluative skills to strive for high grades. There is good emphasis on assisting students to develop independent research and evaluative skills. There is an extensive range of useful booklets and hand-outs for AAT students to supplement their studies at home. However, there is no formal tutorial support for these or other evening-class students. Although teachers try to help students by offering e-mail support, the current arrangements for individual students to discuss their progress are inadequate.

p.21

Quality of education and training

54. The overall standard of accommodation and specialist equipment is satisfactory. Interesting posters and topical business materials create a welcoming curriculum identity in classrooms. For large groups, most classrooms are cramped and restrict teaching and learning strategies. Occasionally, the arrangement of furniture prevents the use of small group activities in lessons and there is insufficient space for the teacher to gain access to all students to provide individual support.

p.21

Leadership and management

55. Leadership and management are good. The business team is led by an enthusiastic head of department. The team meets regularly and there are constructive discussions about ways to improve the quality of provision, including strategies to improve retention and pass rates. Some, though not all, actions have led to improvements such as higher pass rates for AS-level business students in 2003/04. This has, in turn, led to an improved progression rate from AS-level to GCE A2 business. Several staff are unclear about specific course targets that have been set for retention and pass rates.

p.21

Art and design

Overall provision in this area is outstanding (grade 1)

p.21

Strengths

o high standards of students' work o very effective teaching and learning

p.21

Strengths

o excellent range of enrichment activities

p.22

Weaknesses

o insufficient rigour in some aspects of quality assurance.

p.22

Scope of provision

56. The college offers a wide range of art and design courses for full-time students aged 16 to 18 and part-time continuing education and professional training courses for students aged 19 or over. Full-time provision includes GCSE art and design and AS-level and GCE A2 courses in art, photography, design technology and history of art. The college also offers an AVCE in art and design. Part-time courses include AS-level and GCE A2 photography and art. At the time of the inspection, there were 568 full-time students aged 16 to 18 and 110 part-time students aged 19 or over studying visual arts. Students attend from a wide geographic area and many students cite the college's good reputation for art and design as a reason for enrolling.

p.22

Achievement and standards

57. Students' achievements are outstanding. There are consistently high pass rates on all level 3 art and design courses. During the period 2000/01 to 2003/04 the percentage of students gaining high grade passes in GCE A-level art, art and design and design technology has been well above the national averages. A high proportion of students achieve grades significantly higher than those predicted on the basis of their GCSE results. Students following the AVCE programme achieved 100% pass rates for each of the three years between 2001 and 2004. Retention rates are consistently high on all courses.

p.22

Achievement and standards

58. Students produce work of a very high standard, much of which shows a developing understanding in the use of a range of materials, media and techniques including painting and drawing, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, graphics, design technology and photography. They are able to talk confidently about their work, use subject-specific language well and develop their ideas by producing rich and experimental sketchbooks. Painting at GCE A level is exceptional, particularly in the development of work from contextual references and the maturity in application of mark making. High standards of work in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional design are effectively displayed around the college and within the art studios, where they are often used as learning resources. Students also exhibit their work in the local community and host very successful and well-attended annual exhibition evenings for parents and prospective students.

p.22

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 84 88 89 % retention 88 89 91 AS-level design technology

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 93 95 99 No. of starts 20 19 19 % retention 90 79 84 AVCE art and design 3

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 100 100 100 No. of starts 138 124 103 % retention 97 98 97 GCE A-level art 3

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 97 99 100 No. of starts 25 21 23 % retention 88 100 91 GCE A-level history of art

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 100 95 95 No. of starts 55 48 59 % retention 96 98 100 GCE A-level design technology

p.23

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

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

p.23

Quality of education and training

59. Teaching and learning are very effective. Teachers are very knowledgeable about their subjects. They deliver challenging lessons with great enthusiasm and carefully maintain focus and pace throughout. Lessons are well structured to allow students to experiment and develop personal approaches using a wide range of materials and techniques. In an AS-level textiles lesson, the teacher effectively encouraged students to relate the qualities of watercolour paint to the silk painting they were undertaking for the first time. AVCE students worked productively on a range of sculptures and, with encouragement from the teacher, talked confidently about their work and the progress they were making. In an AS-level art history lesson on classical Greek architecture, the teacher displayed sound knowledge of the subject and inspired students to recite specific and quite complex architectural terms such as `entasis' and `intercolumniation' in relation to a carefully constructed

p.23

Quality of education and training

slide presentation. Students receive consistent verbal feedback and encouragement, although there is little recorded formative assessment during extended project work to give students clear guidance of how well they are doing and where they need improve.

p.23

Quality of education and training

60. There is good support for students. Regular support `surgeries' are available with a clear booking system outlined in the course handbooks. Group tutorials provide good forums for information dissemination. Students often work in studios outside of their lessons during lunch and break times supported well by tutors and technicians.

p.23

Quality of education and training

61. Students benefit from an excellent range of enrichment activities. During the past year, GCE A- level students have visited galleries including the Tate Modern, the Royal Academy, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the New Designers Gallery to strengthen their appreciation of the work of other artists. There are exciting opportunities for all arts students to study abroad. Regular annual field trips abroad include visits to Paris, Venice, Florence and New York. All AVCE and design technology students undertake a range of subject-specific work placements around Cambridge. Art and design technology students recently worked effectively alongside two sculptors in residence to develop their own technical skills. 62. High-quality learning resources effectively support students' work in all course areas. Course handbooks are visually stimulating and very student-focused in their language and appearance; they

p.23

Quality of education and training

contain schemes of work, summary assessment information, work checklists, references to Internet sites and case study guidance. The learning resource centre holds a wide range of current specialist subject books, videotapes and periodicals that are used regularly and are valued by students. A very well-managed intranet site contains stimulating learning materials that have been developed by course teams. The department employs experienced arts technicians who support lesson preparation and students' project work well. There are very well-equipped art and technology studios and a digital arts suite that hosts a range of ICT and design equipment. Storage space for three- dimensional work is limited. Work is stacked both outside and inside the art studios which restricts access to studios.

p.24

Leadership and management

63. Leadership and management are good overall. Courses are well managed. Staff work very closely in course teams and share good practice well. Design technology teachers make effective use of contacts with local design-related businesses to secure work placements and project partnerships. There is insufficient rigour in some aspects of quality assurance. The department development plan does not sufficiently focus on the impact its actions will have on learning. Qualitative information gathered from student satisfaction surveys is not analysed sufficiently to identify areas for improvement. Risk assessments that have been undertaken recently have not sufficiently addressed issues that have been identified.

p.24

Humanities

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

p.24

Strengths

o students' very good analytical and research skills

p.24

Weaknesses

o low and declining pass rates in AS-level geography o insufficient use of targets to develop students' learning.

p.24

Scope of provision

64. The college offers a wide range of AS-level and GCE A2 courses in geography, history, religious studies, philosophy and classical civilisations. There is a GCSE course in geography. At the time of the inspection, 590 full-time students aged 16 to18 were enrolled on these courses.

p.25

Achievement and standards

65. Achievements are good on most AS-level and GCE A2 courses. Pass rates in GCE A2 history and philosophy and in AS-level history and religious studies are above national averages. There are low and declining pass rates in AS-level geography. Retention rates are generally around the national average, with the exception of AS-level philosophy which is significantly below.

p.25

Achievement and standards

66. Students are well motivated and keen to learn. They use their time effectively in lessons. GCE A- level students demonstrate the ability to think critically and to make sound judgements; they display good powers of analysis, are fluent in oral work and use ILT confidently to research tasks and for essay work. Students use specialist terminology confidently. In a GCE A-level religious studies lesson, the students considered the concept of `creatus ex nihile' comparing the thesis that God had created the world from nothing with that of Buddha who proposes that the world is a place in which people are trapped. Attendance is satisfactory overall, although some lessons were poorly attended.

p.25

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 111 114 112 % retention 88 91 90 AS-level geography 3

p.25

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 86 81 83 No. of starts 110 128 135 % retention 95 95 89 AS-level history 3

p.25

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 93 93 87 No. of starts 45 41 47 % retention 76 76 66 AS-level philosophy 3

p.25

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 88 71 81 No. of starts 23 21 36 % retention 78 86 94 AS-level religious studies

p.25

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 94 94 85 No. of starts 87 70 73 % retention 97 100 95 GCE A-level geography 3

p.25

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 99 97 93 No. of starts 92 74 81 % retention 93 95 95 GCE A-level history 3

p.25

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 99 99 95 Source: ISR (2002 and 2003), college (2004)

p.25

Quality of education and training

67. Most teaching is good or better. Teachers use effective strategies to develop students' analytical and research skills. They plan their lessons well and make good use of learning resources to engage students' interests and extend their learning. In a GCE A-level geography lesson, students used classroom computers to interrogate a San Francisco earthquake preparation site. They developed a questionnaire for the residents of the Bay Area of San Francisco to check their awareness of the precautions to take in case of an earthquake. This exercise stimulated the students' imagination as they investigated the measures taken to mitigate the impact of an earthquake on that community. In an AS-level history lesson covering Hitler's rise to power, a video, video stills and powerpoint were used very effectively. In the subsequent analysis and discussion, students identified the ways in which the publicity was being used in 1933 to depict Hitler as the God-like `saviour' of the German

p.26

Quality of education and training

people. In the less effective lessons, there is insufficient use of targeted questions; teachers are overly directive in discussion and do not recognise that, in their efforts to ensure that all students are involved, the more able students are finding the discussions insufficiently challenging.

p.26

Quality of education and training

68. Homework is set and completed on a weekly basis. Teachers mark and return work promptly. The feedback and comments provided to classical studies students are particularly helpful in enabling students to improve their work. However, there is no systematic approach to cross marking or moderation, and insufficient use is made of targets to develop students' learning. Individual learning plans do not provide explicit targets for improvement or record current achievement.

p.26

Quality of education and training

69. There is a wide range of subject-based enrichment activities. The college offers trips, visits and outside lectures from nationally recognised speakers. Curriculum visits have included trips to Barcelona, Paris and a Buddhist centre.

p.26

Quality of education and training

70. Guidance and support for students are very good. Academic support for students is very good and includes weekly subject `surgeries' and informal support by teachers. Procedures to respond to absence and lateness are not consistently applied.

p.26

Quality of education and training

71. Teachers are well qualified for the subjects that they teach. Classrooms have good, relevant displays that create a positive learning environment. There is a good supply of ILT equipment, including computers and electronic whiteboards. There is an excellent intranet that is easily accessed from within the college or from home both by staff and students. Subject materials are extensive and students are able to obtain `catch up' notes as well as more detailed additional materials from the intranet. The learning resource centre is well stocked with humanities resources.

p.26

Leadership and management

72. Leadership and management are good. Effective communications exist between staff, and the delegation of responsibilities is clear. Curriculum reviews, lesson observations and self-assessment have been used to identify what needs to be done in order to improve retention and pass rates. Subsequent actions have been largely successful, although strategies to improve achievements in AS-level geography have yet to have any significant impact. The self-assessment report is comprehensive and inclusive and provides a realistic view of each department. Action plans lack measurable targets, so meaningful monitoring is not possible.

p.26

Social science

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2) Contributory grade for psychology is outstanding (grade 1)

p.26

Strengths

o high pass rates in psychology and sociology

p.27

Strengths

o students achieve better results than predicted

p.27

Strengths

o highly effective social science intranet.

p.27

Scope of provision

73. The college offers AS-level and GCE A2 courses in psychology, sociology, law and government and politics. GCSE is offered in psychology and sociology. The majority of students are aged 16 to 18. Evening provision is limited to one GCE A-level class in psychology and one in law. At the time of inspection, there were 693 students studying social science subjects.

p.27

Achievement and standards

74. Examination performance in psychology at both AS level and GCE A2 is outstanding. Pass rates and achievement of high grades are above national averages and consistently large numbers of students gain higher grades than predicted from their GCSE profile. Sociology pass rates at GCSE and GCE A2 are also higher than the national average. Pass rates for AS-level sociology are similar to the national average but the achievement of high grades is very good and students consistently exceed the grades predicted from their GCSE profile. Pass rates in government and politics are satisfactory overall. In GCE A-level law, pass rates are poor and students' performance is significantly lower than expected from their GCSE profile. Retention rates for GCSE psychology and sociology are consistently above the national average. At GCE A level, retention rates are satisfactory overall, with the exception of GCE A-level law, which has declined to below the national

p.27

Achievement and standards

average over the three years to 2004. 75. Students express their views confidently in lessons and develop good team-working skills. Advanced level students demonstrate the ability to evaluate critically; for example, when discussing the impact of sampling, ethics or ecological validity on research findings. Second-year students' essay and report work shows excellent development of skills in presenting and supporting a logical argument. There is good progression to HE from all social science courses.

p.27

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 52 58 42 % retention 87 81 83 GCSE psychology 2

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 47 47 51 No. of starts 73 80 106 % retention 85 90 89 AS-level law 3

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 61 47 66 No. of starts 305 345 372 % retention 83 91 87 AS-level psychology 3

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 84 94 94 No. of starts 151 137 154 % retention 77 88 82 AS-level sociology 3

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 89 96 88 No. of starts 233 179 241 % retention 93 98 94 GCE A-level psychology

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 94 97 96 No. of starts 83 64 73 % retention 95 100 99 GCE A-level sociology 3

p.28

Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

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

p.28

Quality of education and training

76. Most teaching is good or better. Teachers plan their lessons well to maximise students' active involvement in learning. Effective questioning is used to increase the depth of learning, make links with earlier topics and carefully test students' understanding. Students are often invited to use their own life experience to illustrate social science concepts. For example, AS-level sociology students discussed their experience of newspaper and television reports to illustrate the concept of hegemony. In a GCSE psychology lesson, students learnt about personal space by measuring how close other people could get to them before they felt uncomfortable; following this experience the teacher was able to draw out from them many of the points that psychologists have made about this topic. AS-level psychology students tested their colleagues for autism and then analysed the results of the same test as it was used in a piece of published research; involvement in this way gave great

p.28

Quality of education and training

personal understanding of one of the core studies and also developed analytic skills. In the weaker lessons, students did not settle down to work in a timely manner and the briefing and debriefing of tasks set were not effective in focusing their attention on key learning points.

p.28

Quality of education and training

77. Assignments and homework are set regularly. Most feedback is helpful and indicates how students might improve their marks. Psychology assignments are very effectively managed; there are common feedback sheets, regular standardisation meetings and all students' marks are kept on a database which is used to identify those who are performing poorly.

p.28

Quality of education and training

78. There is a wide range of enrichment activities. For example, politics students have talked to people involved in the miners' strike, and an animal rights campaigner came to speak to sociology students. Key skills are effectively integrated with students' academic study.

p.29

Quality of education and training

79. Guidance and support are good. Students greatly value the support provided by teachers both in and out of the classroom. Regular subject `surgeries' are provided to help them with topics they find difficult or have missed. Most `surgeries' deal with individual students' problems but some are advertised with a set topic, particularly in psychology where sessions are organised to deal with each of the core studies in the syllabus. Individual learning plans are produced and reviewed twice a year but many targets lack precision.

p.29

Quality of education and training

80. Teachers are well qualified; many are examiners and some have contributed to textbooks. Learning resources are well constructed and often help structure learning within lessons. Learning materials in psychology are particularly well organised by the use of a system in which all studies and related theories are presented on hand-outs of the same colour. An excellent intranet facility contains a substantial amount of material relevant to all the social science syllabuses, including interactive materials on the core studies in psychology and an engaging activity on youth culture for sociology. Most lessons are held in base rooms that contain appropriate and stimulating subject materials. Psychology has recently moved to a new set of rooms, which provides a comfortable learning environment. However, for some lessons in other subjects, the size of the classroom presents a challenge to learning as students have to sit with their backs turned to others, which

p.29

Quality of education and training

creates difficulties for management of discussions and small group activities.

p.29

Leadership and management

81. Leadership and management are good. Staff work well together and have a common purpose in seeking to improve students' achievement. Regular team meetings are supplemented by very extensive informal networking. The co-ordination of teaching plans, assignments and resources is very effective. Reasons for poor performance in law have been effectively identified and changes have been made, resulting in a much better learning experience for the present cohort of students. The self-assessment process is robust in psychology, but in sociology some action points are not sufficiently focused to allow for effective monitoring.

p.29

English and modern foreign languages

Overall provision in this area is good (grade 2)

p.29

Strengths

o high pass rates in most subjects at GCE A2 and in GCSE English

p.29

Strengths

o very effective learning resources o good enrichment activities.

p.29

Weaknesses

o low number of high-grade passes on GCE A-level English courses

p.30

Weaknesses

o insufficient sharing of good practice..

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Scope of provision

82. There is a good range of provision in English and modern foreign languages. Courses offered include English language, English literature, English language and literature, French, German, Italian and Spanish at AS level and GCE A2. GCSE courses in English, Italian and Spanish are also available. National vocational qualification (NVQ) Spanish is also offered as part of the enrichment programme for full-time students. The college offers evening classes for adults in English language and English literature and French at AS level and GCSEs in French, Spanish and Italian. Beginners' languages courses for adults are also offered in French, Spanish and Italian. There are 764 students aged 16 to 18 in this curriculum area and 212 students aged 19 or over. Modern foreign languages students represent 15% of the total number of students aged 16 to 18 in this curriculum area.

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Achievement and standards

83. Pass rates at GCE A2 are high on most courses. They are also consistently above national averages in AS-level English language and literature and German and GCSE English. However, pass rates for AS-level English language, English literature and Italian fell significantly in 2003/04. GCSE pass rates for modern foreign languages are also low. There are low numbers of high-grade passes on GCE A-level English courses. Retention rates are generally high although at AS level they declined in several subjects in 2003/04.

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Achievement and standards

84. Students are responsive and well motivated. They make confident use of specialist terminology and some demonstrate good understanding of complex grammatical concepts. Modern foreign language students gain a good understanding of the target language spoken at natural speed.

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

No. of starts 135 114 126 % retention 85 88 86 GCSE English language

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 57 69 75 No. of starts 45 47 60 % retention 84 89 87 AS-level English language

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 95 74 87 No. of starts 150 143 149 AS-level English language and literature % retention 87 87 89 % pass rate 98 94 95 No. of starts 33 37 50 % retention 88 89 82 AS-level French language

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 93 97 85 No. of starts 72 92 80 % retention 97 98 94 GCE A-level English language and literature

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

% pass rate 99 99 100 No. of starts 50 60 78 % retention 96 97 97 GCE A-level English literature

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Qualification Level Completion year: 2002 2003 2004

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

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Quality of education and training

85. Most teaching is good or better. Teachers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and there are several native speakers teaching modern foreign languages. Well-designed activities help students to analyse texts or apply grammatical structures. In the best lessons, there is good summary of learning through effective facilitation of discussion or feedback from group work. Learning is encouraged through the use of lively, topical examples. In an AS-level English language lesson, the students completed an exercise on word class via the internet as a means of revising linguistic terminology. They then used this information to analyse the language in the personal advertisements column from a local newspaper to identify how imagery is used in everyday language. This linked very well to a debate on political correctness and the effect of language on attitudes. There is a positive approach to equality of opportunity. In one lesson, a teacher used a speakerphone to assist

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Quality of education and training

a hearing impaired student, and in another a student in a wheelchair, who had some speaking difficulties, clearly felt at ease within the group and played an active role in the lesson, volunteering to read aloud from the text. In the less effective lessons, there is insufficient focus on the learning taking place and students lose concentration, or finish tasks early with no additional activities to complete. Learning is not always reinforced and students are insufficiently challenged when teachers miss opportunities to elicit their views or to direct questions at individual students.

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Quality of education and training

86. Most assessment practice is good. Clear and effective systems are in place and are used well for the assessment of coursework in English subjects. A common front sheet for NVQ assessment in modern foreign languages provides useful information to the students and enables them to comment on their own progress. In modern foreign languages, systems are not shared between teachers and there is insufficient standardisation of GCSE coursework.

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Quality of education and training

87. There are good enrichment opportunities. English students produce an excellent magazine each month containing film reviews and articles on a range of topical issues and sports. English students have seen productions of Othello and the film Sleepy Hollow . They have heard lectures on the Gothic genre, Victorian melodrama and Caribbean poetry, delivered by visiting speakers. A high proportion of students on modern foreign languages courses undertake work experience abroad. Recent examples include placements in a chocolate shop, a veterinary practice and a radio station.

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Quality of education and training

88. Support for students is good. Teachers are encouraging and approachable and students seek help when necessary. There are regular subject `surgeries'. Four modern foreign languages assistants give weekly conversation lessons for AS-level and GCE A2 students, work in lessons alongside teachers and help to prepare learning resources.

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Quality of education and training

89. Resources in English and modern foreign languages are excellent. They include an intranet site with online dictionaries and links to useful websites, live radio and several TV channels. The learning resource centre houses a wide range of specialist books and periodicals and an extensive collection of videos. All full-time students have at least one lesson per week in the languages computer suite which provides access to the `virtual laboratory'.

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Leadership and management

90. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Course management responsibilities are clearly identified and regular meetings take place to discuss students' progress, curriculum development and sharing resources. There is thorough analysis of data and students' views, but some aspects of quality assurance are ineffective. For example, some aspects of modern foreign languages, such as the data and feedback relating to adult students, are analysed separately and this does not give a clear overview of the area as a whole. Weaknesses identified in self-assessment reports are not always included in the action plan. Actions identified are imprecise and lack clarity. There is insufficient sharing of good practice.

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Level 16-18 % 19+ %

1 0 17 2 7 17 3 64 12 4/5 0 3 Other 29 51

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Total 100 100

Source: provided by the college in autumn2004

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Enrolments (%)

Science and mathematics 1,163 51 8 Land-based provision 0 0 0 Construction 0 0 0 Engineering, technology and manufacture 237 2 2

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Enrolments (%)

Business administration, 454 208 5 management and professional Information and communication technology 571 74 4

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Enrolments (%)

Retailing, customer service and transportation 0 0 0

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Enrolments (%)

Hospitality, sports, leisure and travel 365 114 3 Hairdressing and beauty therapy 17 0 0 Health, social care and public services 30 15 0

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Enrolments (%)

Visual and performing arts and media 1,485 176 11

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Enrolments (%)

Humanities 3,344 274 25 English, languages and communication 1,874 192 14

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Enrolments (%)

Foundation programmes 25 48 1 Unknown 3,728 5 27

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2001 2002 2003 2001 2002 2003

Starters excluding transfers * * * * 46 *

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2001 2002 2003 2001 2002 2003

Retention rate % * * * * 100 * National average % 81 75 83 71 72 73 Pass rate % * * * * 100 *

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1

National average % 67 75 72 68 73 75 Starters excluding transfers 785 789 709 30 64 102

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1

Retention rate % 79 84 83 80 78 75 National average % 80 81 81 71 70 69 Pass rate % 89 90 88 53 69 75

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2

National average % 86 87 88 67 73 77 Starters excluding transfers 6,243 5,757 5,721 138 115 119 3

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2

Retention rate % 85 87 91 79 77 92 National average % 80 89 90 65 72 73 Pass rate % 89 90 88 53 69 75 National average % 86 87 88 67 73 77 Starters excluding transfers * * * * 30 26

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2

Retention rate % * * * * 97 100 National average % ** ** ** ** ** 70 Pass rate % * * * * 52 54

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4/5

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

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4/5

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

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4/5

2. College rates for 1999/2000 to 2001/02: College ISR

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4/5

* numbers too low to provide a valid calculation ** data unavailable

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observed

Level 3 (advanced) 78 18 4 81 Level 2 (intermediate) 63 37 0 16 Level 1 (foundation) 0 100 0 1 Other sessions 100 0 0 1

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Totals 75 22 3 99

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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