Burleigh College

Inspection number 321465 Burleigh College

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Contents

Background information ......................................................................................................... 3 Inspection judgements........................................................................................................... 3 Scope of the inspection.......................................................................................................... 3 Description of the provider...................................................................................................... 4 Summary of grades awarded .................................................................................................. 5 Overall judgement.................................................................................................................... 6 Effectiveness of provision ..................................................................................................... 6

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Contents

Capacity to improve............................................................................................................ 6 Key strengths ............................................................................................................................ 6 Key areas for improvement..................................................................................................... 6 Main findings............................................................................................................................ 7 Achievement and standards................................................................................................... 7 Quality of provision............................................................................................................... 7 Leadership and management ................................................................................................. 9

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Contents

Equality of opportunity....................................................................................................... 9 What learners like.................................................................................................................. 11 What learners think could improve...................................................................................... 11

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Inspection judgements

Inspectors use a four-point scale to summarise their judgements about achievement and standards, the quality of provision, and leadership and management, which includes a grade for equality of opportunity .

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Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate

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Key for inspection grades

Further information can be found on how inspection judgements are made on www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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Scope of the inspection

In deciding the scope of the inspection, inspectors take account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and comments from the local Learning and Skills Council (LSC) or other funding body. Where appropriate, inspectors also consider the previous inspection report ( www.ofsted.gov.uk ), reports from the inspectorates’ monitoring visits, and data on learners and their achievements over the period since the previous inspection.

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Scope of the inspection

In addition to reporting on overall effectiveness of the organisation, its capacity to improve further, achievement and standards, quality of provision and leadership and management, this inspection focused on specialist provision in:

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Description of the provider

1. Burleigh College is a private company owned and run by two directors. It has been operating in west London, Hammersmith since 1988.The provision has recently expanded into Southall and Hounslow.

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Description of the provider

2. The College has contracts with various funding bodies. The focus is on preparing people for employment. Programmes include; Routes to Work (Heathrow City Partnership), Train for Success (London Development Agency), a Partners Outreach for ethnic minorities department for work and pensions programme, and New Deal work under subcontract (from Work Directions UK). These programmes, recruiting some 1500 learners a year, were not directly inspected. The inspection covered the preparation for life and work sector subject area; specifically employability skills provision (ESP), a 15 week programme for unemployed people offering mainly English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) together with some numeracy and employability training, a one year old programme with 270 places and skills for jobs (SfJ), which is an eight week programme, of specific training leading to employment, with 500 learners in the first eight

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Description of the provider

months. At the time of the inspection around 240 learners were enrolled on the inspected programmes. Hammersmith employs 23 members of staff, with five managers and eight tutors. Southall has eight and Hounslow two. Nearly all the College’s work is government funded.

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Description of the provider

3. Over the three local authorities around 40% of the local residents are from minority ethnic groups. The rate for those seeking employment is above the London average in Hounslow, and slightly below in Hammersmith.

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Summary of grades awarded

Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Capacity to improve Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Achievement and standards Inadequate: Grade 4

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Summary of grades awarded

Quality of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Leadership and management Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Sector subject area

Preparation for life and work Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

4. The overall effectiveness of Burleigh College is satisfactory. Achievements and standards are inadequate, however, job outcomes, are improving. The overall quality of provision is satisfactory; teaching and learning are satisfactory as is the range of programmes. Support for learners is good. Leadership and management are satisfactory, while equality of opportunity is good. Provision in preparation for life and work is satisfactory.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

5. Burleigh College’s capacity to improve is satisfactory. Significant changes in the provision make it difficult to identify trends in data or inspection judgements. However, the areas for improvement from the previous inspection that remained relevant have been satisfactorily dealt with. The self-assessment process is updated regularly; the most recent version was more inclusive of staff and learners than in the past. The self-assessment report is too positive in some aspects, particularly in its interpretation of initial data on the SfJ programme. However, it is comprehensive, focuses on learner activities and all grades except achievements match those of inspectors. Action plans from the self-assessment report are detailed and most improvements are being implemented; management review of the plans is improving.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

6. Quality assurance systems were revised satisfactorily following the previous inspection. The establishment of a new quality manager post has led to many recent revisions and improvements. Lesson observations, which have joint peer and management involvement, are helpful in maintaining standards, although suggested improvements are not always specifically followed up.

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Key strengths

 Good development of employability skills  Highly effective support to overcome barriers to employment  Very positive and flexible approach to meeting the needs of learners and funding bodies  A very supportive and open style of management improving staff and learner confidence

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Key areas for improvement

 Unsatisfactory entry rates into jobs  Insufficient focus on individual learning strategies on the Employment Skills Programme  Ineffective use of data to monitor learners’ outcomes

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Inadequate: Grade 4

7. Achievements are inadequate. Job outcomes on the two inspected programmes are currently inadequate. On ESP 17% of learners gain employment, against an expectation of 25%; on SfJ the rate is 14%, against a target of 33%. However, the SfJ programme only started seven months ago; of the 500 starts around 260 learners are still on programme. This programme is mainly providing staff for a massive new local retail park, which is nearing completion. Companies are recruiting but job offers are yet to be confirmed. The into-job rate is unlikely to reach the planned target as the LSC required significant numbers of learners to be recruited early in the year, and those learners, even if they obtain employment in the retail park, will be timed-out from formal success rates. In the four programme areas not directly inspected, job outcomes for around 1500 learners a year are around or above targets and expectations.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

8. In the ESP programme nearly all learners require tuition in English to help them prepare for employment. The ESOL qualification success rate is 78%, close to the target of 80%. Nearly 50% of learners started with an ESOL standard below entry level; despite raising their performance by at least one level it is still a challenge for them to gain employment. Around 5% of ESP learners and 15% of SfJ learners also gain an additional qualification, which enhances their employability prospects; these include food safety in catering and health and safety in the workplace qualifications.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

9. Most learners develop good employability and personal skills. Their confidence improves considerably; their self-esteem increases and they become more effective in both oral and written communication. Confidence is also enhanced through the use of information technology (IT), both as an aid to learning and job seeking. Learners’ improved team working skills enable them to work both co-operatively and confidently with peers. The importance of good time keeping, appropriate dress codes and personal hygiene are well emphasised by tutors. Learners have improved interview and other jobsearch skills, developed good curriculum vitae, and can write good covering letters. The self-assessment report did not identify this strength.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

10. Teaching and learning in group sessions is satisfactory. Most lessons achieve their learning aims. Handouts and other teaching resources are satisfactory. National curriculum materials and work sheets are used effectively, although for some advanced learners insufficient emphasis is placed on work related topics. Overall, induction and information, advice and guidance are satisfactory. Initial assessment for literacy and numeracy is also satisfactory. Accommodation is satisfactory with bright and airy classrooms.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

11. ESP lesson plans are comprehensive and detailed, however, extensive use of generic plans means that some lessons lack planned differentiation. Targets set for learners are detailed and appropriate. The written targets are in language that is unfamiliar to most learners; the targets then have to be explained to learners, which is effective in the short-term, but does not give learners a formal record for later reference. 12. The range of courses for both programmes is satisfactory. Learners can work towards ESOL certificates at entry levels one to three. Learners find courses interesting, and beginner ESOL learners gain valuable speaking and listening skills while discussing topics such as the National Health Service. One learner gained certificates in food hygiene and health and safety, which she found very useful when she was employed to work as a waitress. SfJ learners take relevant vocational qualifications in construction safety, health

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

and safety, food hygiene and customer service.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

13. Hammersmith has good contacts with many employers and liaison with Jobcentre Plus over vacancies is also good. This helps learners find employment. However, not all centres have a comprehensive bank of vacancies for staff to draw upon. In other offices problems exist with locating sufficient employers who meet Burleigh’s health, safety and diversity safeguards. The college have recognised this and are working with employers to improve the situation.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

14. Learners on both programmes receive particularly good support which helps overcome personal barriers to employment. The self-assessment report identified this as a strength. Learners appreciate the help they receive and the positive impact on their confidence, self- esteem and work-readiness. The highly motivated, enthusiastic and very positive staff are from a wide range of ethnic groups, and a quarter are former learners; who act as good role models. Tutors speak a wide variety of languages, which enables them to support the many learners who have limited English. They have a very good understanding of the difficulties that learners may face and work productively with them to overcome problems and in many cases to progress. Many staff have been well trained to provide good practical assistance to learners with problems such as drugs and alcohol misuse, domestic violence, and financial difficulties or to advise them of appropriate specialist agencies.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

Recent examples included eviction, debt, benefit problems, banking and family disputes. Support has also been given to learners with dyslexia, visual impairment and physical disabilities.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

15. Burleigh College responds both flexibly and positively to the changing needs of learners and funding bodies. Good financial planning allows the college to cope with inevitable changes in programmes and gaps in funding. Managers have the capacity, expertise and enthusiasm to respond effectively and quickly to local requirement; this includes good support for new programmes, which help those local learners with barriers to employment. Joint working with other local providers and colleges is particularly good. Liaison with the local authority, specifically on the SfJ programme, is very good. The college expands, and contracts, its accommodation and other resources effectively when required. Staff have a range of experience and competencies that means they can support a variety of programmes.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

16. The management of the college is supportive and open. Although it is an expanding business the core values are based around a family concern with good support for staff. Communication between levels, and also between centres, is good. This has improved with a new series of monthly company meetings that combine routine work, sharing of good practice and formal training. A very diverse workforce represents the community it serves. Many of the employees have been promoted within the company. Managers are supportive and approachable, with a good approach to staff development and welfare support. Staff respond well to this management style and their enthusiasm is then communicated to learners.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

17. The appraisal system is appropriate and supportive, with a satisfactory emphasis on working with learners and meeting targets. It leads to relevant training, which is satisfactorily supported by the college. Nearly all staff have now rightly registered with the Institute for Learning. The planning of observations have recently been improved and staff observations are now a satisfactory monitoring tool.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

18. The rapidly expanding provision, with more funding and an increasing number of sites, has led to the appointment of a full time quality manager. Many aspects of the quality system have recently been reviewed and revised. The self-assessment process has been improved to better reflect the views of staff and learners. Difficulties in getting good feedback from other interested parties are being dealt with. Action planning based on the self-assessment report and managers’ priorities is now a clearer process; however, it is not yet a fully routine part of operations. Elements of the staff observation and appraisal system have been appropriately revised. Some analysis of learning plans is improving their quality. This improved focus on quality is beginning to impact positively on learners.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

19. Equality of opportunity is good. Most learners at the college are from groups that can face difficulties in the social or employment fields. The range of programmes, the good development of employability skills, and the very good personal support all put learners in a better position to achieve their potential. Formal job outcomes do not currently reflect this good work, but the impact on individuals is still high. Routine analysis, and inspection review, shows that all groups of learners are benefiting equally from the college’s work. The programme for partners of minority ethnic groups is particularly well targeted, and employment rates are over 30%. The college has satisfactory equality policies and procedures, and meets most formal requirements. Appropriate versions of the policies for learners, and the concepts of equality of opportunity and respect for diversity are satisfactorily reinforced during induction and in lessons. Support for learners with

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

disabilities is satisfactory; where learners cannot be appropriately supported, including in some cases those with reduced mobility, the college helps to find alternative training.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

20. The procedures for safeguarding learners do not meet current government requirements; No learners under 18 years of age are enrolled on the programme, however, a number of potentially vulnerable adults attend. The college is fully aware of actions needed; an appropriate policy is in place, staff awareness is increasing, and all staff have now been put forward for appropriate clearances, except two where final evidence is being collected. A satisfactory single staff record is being maintained.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

21. The use of data, to monitor learner outcomes and guide improvements is ineffective. Reasonably accurate data on a range of ESP and SfJ learner activities is collected, but this is not routinely analysed, particularly in respect of job outcomes. Some attempt is made to use targets for individuals and centres, and to review performance of the separate centres; although improving this is not yet a regular management activity. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

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What learners like :

 They explain things carefully in the class, so that you can do the exercises well  If you want to learn, they help you  The teaching was a bit boring, just do the exercises; with our new tutor it is more fun  The teachers – they are so helpful  ‘I’ve gained confidence in speaking – we’re all from different countries so we have to speak English’  The help in looking for a job  The chance to make friends

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What learners think could improve :

 Sometimes the classrooms (Hammersmith) have too many people in them  The amount of vocational training  The number of outside visits (to workplaces)  Other skills (such as cooking)  More speaking practice

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