University of Derby Ofsted Report

Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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Full report What does the college need to do to improve further?

 Monitor the retention of students at risk of underperformance closely, particularly at level 3 and at level 2 for adults. Continue to ensure prompt action is taken to support students at risk of withdrawal.  Improve the monitoring and evaluation of students’ performance by:

• completing the merger of data across the two colleges
• increasing the frequency of review and regularity of standard data reports.  Refine and consolidate arrangements to improve the management of work-based learning, including strengthening quality assurance arrangements and ensuring a consistently high quality of training and assessment.  Ensure that the development of students’ mathematical skills is well integrated into vocational teaching and learning.  Equip all teachers with the skills to plan and meet the specific needs of different groups of students across the ability range.  Increase the extent to which all teachers set stretching and precise improvement targets for students.  Increase governors’ scrutiny of apprenticeships including that of subcontracted provision.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Good  Students’ overall success rates, which include merged success rates for the Buxton and Leek colleges in 2012/13, have increased over the last three years and are high. Students’ long course success rates have increased and are also high except rates for adult students at level 2. Success rates on short courses, which include courses leading to useful additional qualifications that promote students’ employment prospects, are high.  The rise in students’ long course success rates is due mainly to increased pass rates. Pass rates for both age groups and at all levels of study are high. However, the retention rate of all students on level 3 courses, although much increased, remains below average. Retention rates for adults on level 2 courses are too low. Success rates for the relatively few students taking AS-level qualifications are low.  In most subjects, students make good progress compared to their prior attainment in developing vocational skills, knowledge and understanding. Most students aged 16 to 18 begin their courses with below average prior attainment at GCSE, and most adult students have relatively few qualifications on entry. Students often learn quickly and effectively in lessons. The proportion of students who exceed their predicted grades has increased. Students make particularly good progress in hospitality and catering, and the arts subjects.  Apprentices’ success rates are average but it often takes too long for them to complete their courses. The proportion of apprentices who successfully completed their qualification within the planned time declined in 2012/13 compared to 2011/12. Apprentices’ framework success rates vary markedly across subjects. They are high in hospitality and catering, and hairdressing and beauty therapy, but they are low in health and social care, childcare and motor vehicle. Students who complete shorter qualifications in the workplace achieve higher than average success rates and most complete within the time allocated. Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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 Students’ success rates on functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics are mostly high except for adults at level 1. Students’ success rates for GCSEs in English and mathematics at grades A* to G grades are well below average, largely because of lower than average retention on these qualifications. However, students’ achievement of A* to C grades in GCSE English are above average but the proportion of students gaining the same grades in GCSE mathematics is too low.  Managers have reduced most gaps in achievement between different groups of students. However, the gap between the retention of male students, which is higher than that of female students, is larger than that found nationally. Students in receipt of additional learning support achieve at least as well as their peers and often better.  Students develop good personal, social and employability skills. Students’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning are good. Their attendance and punctuality are satisfactory and improving. A large proportion of students on relevant courses gain useful workplace experience through their involvement in the college’s hairdressing and beauty salons and the restaurant.  Overall, a large proportion of students move on from level 2 to level 3 courses within the college. Students’ progression rates from level 1 to level 2 courses are high in hospitality and catering, and hairdressing and beauty therapy. However, the rate requires improvement in other subjects. A high proportion of students have high progression rates into employment or gain places at higher education institutions as a result of their time at the college.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good, leading to good outcomes for students. Teachers benefit from an extensive range of valuable professional development activities and the support of the newly introduced advanced teaching practitioners. These initiatives have a marked impact in improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  In the better lessons, which form the large majority, teachers use a wide range of lively and engaging learning activities to sustain students’ interest and motivation. Teachers’ use of directed questioning to check and extend individuals’ learning is thorough and very effective. Teachers are mostly adept and flexible in setting extension tasks and questions to challenge the more able students.  Teachers make very good use of their vocational backgrounds and students’ practical experience to illustrate learning and develop students’ commercial awareness. Students make good progress. In one example, students referred back to their experience of a butchery practical session to inform their choice of cooking methods for particular cuts of meat, and effectively developed and priced dishes for a Valentine’s Day menu.  The large majority of teachers develop students’ English skills in a vocational context well, so that students see the relevance to their work. However, teachers’ development of students’ mathematical skills in vocational lessons is not as good as the development of English and requires improvement.  Teachers plan and manage confidently opportunities for the development of students’ awareness of equality and diversity. In one lesson, students explored the meaning of the word ‘demographics’ in the context of market research and the teacher skilfully linked this back to a previous discussion around lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history month.  Teachers and students alike make good use of the college’s resources, such as the restaurant, hairdressing and beauty salons and spa to develop practical skills and consolidate their learning and the application of theory to practical situations. Teachers and students make good use of information and learning technology to enhance learning. Students learn valuable skills in independent research, preparing them well for employment or further study. Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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 The quality of target setting varies and a minority is imprecise and unhelpful. Students take an active part in setting themselves targets in lessons; however, in many cases these targets are too general to give teachers a precise picture of the progress made. The quality of targets teachers set in students’ individual learning plans varies from very helpful and precise targets based on skills development to unhelpful generic targets based solely on the completion of modules or the handing in of assignment work.  Teachers’ written and, in particular, verbal feedback on students’ work is mostly detailed and provides clear next steps for students on how to improve their performance. Students rightly value this as part of the very effective range of support provided to enable them to succeed.  In weaker lessons, teachers’ checks on learning are insufficiently thorough so that teachers do not have a precise overview of students’ learning and progress, leading to a lack of pace and challenge for more able students. Teachers do not plan to a consistently good standard to meet the needs of students’ differing abilities. In a small minority of cases, teachers’ expectations are inappropriately high or too broad and learning activities are dull, so that students lose confidence and do not make the progress they should.  Managers have a more reliable and accurate view of the quality of lessons in the college than was previously the case because of increased rigour in the lesson observation scheme. However, action plans arising from lesson observations do not consistently provide sufficiently precise next steps for teachers to improve their professional practice and do not specify clearly enough what will be achieved by carrying out the actions.  Teachers have improved initial assessment and the provision of initial advice and guidance that ensure that students are on the right course and are able to make an informed choice about their course of study. As a result, at the time of inspection, an increased proportion of students have been retained on their courses compared to last year. Managers have improved the provision of advice and guidance to students during their programmes to ensure they are well informed of progression opportunities into further study or employment. Students find this valuable, but it is too soon to see other signs of the impact of this improvement work.  Teaching, learning and assessment in work-based learning provision require improvement. In response to the need to improve apprentices’ timely achievement, managers have increased the frequency of assessment in a number of vocational areas to accelerate students’ progress. Assessors are beginning to share good practice effectively in order to raise the quality of coaching and assessment. In the majority of subject areas, assessors set targets for apprentices that encourage their good progress and they are well supported to achieve them; however, this is inconsistent and as a result progress is too slow for motor vehicle learners.

Health and social care, and childcare

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good as reflected in students’ increased and above average success rates. Students enjoy their studies and they make good progress in lessons. The majority of students progress to relevant employment or higher education, for example, teaching in primary schools, social work or nursing.  Teachers promote students’ development of a wide range of skills essential for work within the health and social care, or childcare sectors very well. These skills include good communication and teamwork skills and students’ ability to research and reflect on industry practice. Students improve their employability by gaining additional qualifications, for example, in paediatric first aid. Teachers ensure that work placements are used very effectively to develop students’ understanding, skills, behaviour and attitudes. Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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 Well-qualified and experienced teachers inspire and motivate students to aim high. Teachers use well-planned activities to enable students to work collaboratively and very successfully to research relevant topics and discuss the implications for the sector. For example, in a level 3 lesson, students worked together successfully to research and analyse the effects of stress. This led to a lively and well-informed discussion about the emotional and physical responses to feeling under pressure and the potential concerns for staff providing health and care services under such circumstances.  Teachers make good use of information and learning technologies, such as the virtual learning environment, smart phones and short video clips, to engage students and enhance learning. However, childcare students do not gain sufficient confidence and competence in the use of interactive whiteboards to meet industry expectations in the early years and playwork sector.  Staff provide good pastoral and learning support for students. They have improved the quality of initial advice and guidance to ensure students are on the correct pathway. Teachers encourage students to set aspirational grade targets and monitor these through the regular reviews and tutorials: almost all students meet these and many exceed them. However, a minority of targets focus on completing units rather than including targets to promote development of wider skills or personal or career needs.  Assessment of students’ work is good. Teachers provide a well-organised timetable which helps students’ time management in order to meet deadlines. Written work is of a good standard with clear evidence of wider reading and research: teachers mark and return it promptly. However, bibliographical references to the use of web sites are not always accurately recorded. Teachers’ detailed and good quality written feedback supports students to improve their work well.  Teachers develop students’ English skills, including their speaking, listening and presentation skills, very well in lessons and ensure that they become confident in using complex terminology. However, teachers’ development of students’ mathematical skills requires improvement. Teachers do not give students adequate opportunities to develop their understanding of mathematical concepts and skills.  Staff ensure students have a good understanding of equality and diversity and the importance of demonstrating respect for individual differences. Teachers give high priority to health and safety and, as a result, students adopt safe working practices routinely and understand their role and responsibility to safeguard those in their care.

Hairdressing and beauty therapy

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Good teaching, learning and assessment results in most students making good progress with their studies. This is reflected in students’ above average success rates with the exception of their success rates on level 2 hairdressing courses. However, recent initiatives and improvement actions have increased hairdressing students’ in-year retention rates at this level significantly. Teachers have high expectations of students whose progression into industry-related employment is good and increasing.  Teachers plan lessons carefully to ensure that students enjoy learning and play an active role in class activities. Teachers are enthusiastic and make good use of their skills and knowledge to inspire students. The variety of activities motivates students to learn and apply new concepts whilst developing their technical skills. Teachers support students to gain confidence well and students display high professional working standards proudly.  Although teachers know their students well and follow their progress closely, ineffective questioning in a small minority of lessons limits the opportunity for students to build upon Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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previously acquired knowledge. In a few lessons, a lack of pace causes students to become distracted, unchallenged or off-task.  Teachers’ integration of the development of English skills into lessons is good. In the better lessons, teachers use naturally occurring opportunities well to develop students’ English skills. For example, when developing their use of complex technical terminology, teachers help students to break down words to aid their accuracy in spelling. Teachers’ development of students’ mathematical skills is much less well developed. For example, they often do not reinforce learning of numerical concepts including angles and volume sufficiently.  Enrichment activities are good and enhance students’ learning. These include visits to employers as well as valuable and topical input from guest speakers. Students at the Leek campus gain useful external work-related experience which is strongly focused on gaining customer service skills: however, a similar external work-related experience for students at the Buxton Campus is underdeveloped.  Assessment is frequent, rigorous and highly effective in promoting learning. Teachers use in-class assessment very well which provides students with consistently good feedback on their progress and development. Teachers encourage students to self-assess their practical competence continually to establish what they have done well and what they can do to further improve. Teachers encourage students successfully to become more independent and take responsibility for their learning.  Staff provide very good pastoral and learning support. Teachers arrange additional support promptly for those students identified through initial assessment or during their study as requiring extra help. Students benefit from the well-focused guidance and support offered by teachers which enables them to make consistently good progress.  Staff use individual learning plans well to support students who use these extensively to track and monitor their own progress, including remotely, and to communicate with teachers. Teachers’ regular updating of targets provides students with a good level of challenge and helps them achieve well.  Accommodation and resources are good and some are outstanding. The state-of-the-art spa replicates the very best commercial industry practice for beauty therapy students. Students develop a high level of commercial awareness through using an extensive range of professional products that also attracts a strong client base on whom students perform treatments.  Teachers promote equality and diversity consistently well in lessons. Students behave respectfully towards others and understand and embrace differences in, for example, culture and the needs of different groups such as those from disadvantaged backgrounds. An inclusive ethos is promoted in lessons and the majority of students volunteer by providing hairdressing and beauty therapy treatments for disadvantaged groups in the local community.

Foundation English

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Good teaching, learning and assessment are reflected in students’ mostly above average success rates, particularly on functional skills qualifications. Students’ success rates for GCSE English at grades A* to G are below average because of low retention but the proportion of students who achieved grades of A* to C were significantly above average in 2012/13. The retention of current students on GCSE English has increased compared to the previous year.  Well-qualified staff plan lessons very effectively and ensure students develop good English skills. Most staff hold specialist English qualifications which they use well to promote individualised Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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learning to meet each students’ needs. Teachers inspire students to aim for high achievement in their qualifications and students mostly make good or better progress in lessons.  In the better lessons, teachers make exceptionally good choices of topical materials to help students develop a full understanding of the structure of text, poetry and plays. Teachers provide almost all students with good opportunities to work independently which develops high level critical thinking and analytical skills.  Students’ knowledge is extended through teachers’ effective use of challenging questions to test their technical knowledge and promote constructive discussions on correct use of English terms. For example, students regularly discuss the appropriate use of verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs in good sentence construction to improve their descriptive writing skills.  In a minority of lessons, teachers do not provide students with a wide range of active and independent learning activities to further develop their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. In a very few lessons which are set in a vocational context, teachers do not effectively address students’ poor behaviour or late arrival and do not do enough to ensure that students see the relevance and importance of improving their English skills.  Teachers promote students’ use of information and learning technology skills, for example, they support students to deliver professionally designed presentations. Students demonstrate high levels of confidence when speaking and very good standards of English written skills during presentations of their work that cover wide-ranging and interesting topics such as clay pigeon shooting, football or catering.  Teachers use initial assessment and diagnostic test results very effectively to ensure that students are placed on the correct level and type of course. In 2013/14, more students have GCSE English as their target qualification as a result of increased rigour in placing them on the right level of study based on their prior attainment.  The majority of teachers provide frequent and high quality verbal and written feedback that helps students to identify gaps in their skills. However, in other cases, teachers’ feedback lacks a clear evaluation of the quality of students’ work which limits students’ potential to improve. Targets set by staff in individual learning plans for some adults studying GCSE English are not personalised sufficiently to be helpful and effective.  Advice, guidance and support for students are good. Students with additional learning needs receive useful extra support from study skills coaches and this promotes their achievement and ensures they make good progress.  The majority of teachers promote equality of opportunity well in lessons. However, other teachers do not always make best use of opportunities to contextualise equality and diversity to help students understand and consider the rights and needs of individuals when working in vocational settings.

Foundation mathematics

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement, which is reflected students’ adequate development of mathematical skills and their below average success rates at grades A* to C in GCSE mathematics. Teaching does not motivate students sufficiently enough as shown by their low retention rates on the GCSE mathematics course in 2012/13. However, the retention rate of current students is increased. The standard of students’ work ranges from satisfactory to good.  Most teachers use a good range of resources that enable students to develop mathematical skills in situations that are relevant to them. For example, in one lesson the teacher used Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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everyday situations effectively to teach the concept of probability. Following this, students undertook a relevant and challenging task in which they applied probability theories to estimating timelines for the delivery of spare parts that consolidated their understanding well.  Teachers are appropriately qualified. Most use their skills and experience well to ensure that students enjoy their lessons and experience a sense of achievement when they master new mathematical concepts, particularly those who feel that they failed at school.  Teachers’ use of assessment to support learning requires improvement. Teachers do not provide students with sufficient feedback on their skills development or enough advice on how to improve further. Teachers undertake thorough diagnostic assessment of students’ prior attainment that informs their choice of an appropriate qualification entry in order to ensure that more students work towards achieving a GCSE qualification rather than a functional skills alternative.  In a majority of lessons, teachers do not always use appropriate or enough questions to engage all students in group work. As a result, a minority of students including those who are less able do not participate sufficiently. In the minority of good lessons, teachers use questioning skilfully to check on learning while working with individual students.  In too many lessons, teachers do not match their work demands to the needs of the differing ability range across groups of students. Too often in lessons, all students work on the same task at the same level. As a result, less able students often struggle and, at times, become frustrated, and the more able students are insufficiently stretched and left idle for too long when they finish.  Staff provide good information, advice and guidance. Outside of the classroom , staff provide valuable extra support to help students with identified additional learning needs or those who are at risk of underperformance. Students are being motivated increasingly well to learn and course completion has much improved over time.  Teachers ensure that students on functional skills courses understand the relevance and value of mathematics in the vocational training and work context. However, teachers recognise that the number of students opting to take GCSE mathematics courses is too low and that guidance on this requires strengthening to ensure that more improve their grades at GCSE.  The promotion of equality and diversity in lessons is satisfactory. Teachers create an inclusive atmosphere that enables students to thrive and work well with each other. However, teachers’ planning for developing equality and diversity themes in lessons is not fully effective and too often very little promotion takes place.

Business management and accountancy

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes Apprenticeships

Requires improvement  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment varies too much and requires improvement. This is reflected in students’ success rates that vary significantly between different qualifications and, although increasing, are below average. Students on apprenticeships make good progress which is matched by their above average overall and timely success rates. Current students’ retention rates are higher than in the previous year.  Too often in lessons, teachers set an undemanding pace and do not make students think for themselves. Students often rely heavily on teachers’ input to solve problems and teachers’ frequent use of open questions means that some students do not have their learning checked Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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and reinforced sufficiently. Teachers’ expectations that students will achieve their target grades are sometimes too low.  Teachers ensure that students develop useful employment skills such as communication and time management. They support students to develop a strong work ethic that promotes progression into higher-level qualifications, training or job promotion. Students develop a good understanding of the practical application of business management and customer service. For example, teachers help students to understand legal and confidentiality implications and how to deal with client queries effectively.  Assessment in the workplace is good. Assessors are flexible in planning assessments and make good and productive use of naturally occurring workplace activities to provide high quality evidence of apprentices’ competence. Assessors’ reviews of apprentices’ workplace learning are thorough. Apprentices receive good feedback and are set clear targets that help the majority to complete their work on time. Assessors support apprentices to produce well-structured portfolios.  Assessment of apprentices’ work during off-the-job training is often insufficiently effective as a minority of teachers use a limited range of assessment strategies. They rely mostly on questions to assess learning, which do not provide a full overview of apprentices’ progress. Teachers’ written feedback does not always provide sufficient guidance for apprentices on how to improve their work or achieve the assessment criteria. As a result, a minority of apprentices make slow progress and re-submit their work on a number of occasions.  Teachers’ use of information and learning technology to enhance learning is mostly effective. Students often use computers and laptops to carry out research activities, for example, when looking at ‘market skimming’ and ‘penetration pricing’ strategies and become adept at retrieving relevant information.  Teachers develop students’ English and mathematical skills well. They routinely correct spelling and grammatical errors and encourage students to use professional terms accurately and confidently. Teachers develop students’ mathematical skills well in business and accounting lessons to support their knowledge of topics such as ratios, break-even points and price-elasticity.  Staff have improved pre-course advice and guidance to ensure students enrol on the right course to meet their needs and interests. The impact of these improvements is evident in improved in-year retention of students. Apprentices with additional learning needs receive prompt learning support following initial assessment. Teachers’ effective use of targets varies and a minority of students have ineffective targets based on completion of tasks rather than focusing on skill development.  Teachers promote students’ and apprentices’ understanding of equality and diversity adequately. Assessors adjust their schedules to meet apprentices’ needs to avoid them being disadvantaged by, for example, differing work patterns. However, teachers rarely explore opportunities to deepen students’ knowledge and understanding within the context of their subject, for example, when students discuss pricing strategies and customer bases, they do not consider cultural issues that could influence buying behaviours.

The effectiveness of leadership and management

Good  The Principal, senior managers and governors promote high expectations, an ambitious vision and a clear sense of direction very effectively across the newly merged college. They set realistic but challenging strategic priorities and communicate the corporate objectives of ‘inspiring performance, innovative practice, community impact’ well to staff. Staff morale is high and they embrace the culture of putting students first. Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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 Managers ensure a steady trend of improvement in the quality of most aspects of the provision including during the first year of merger. The quality of teaching has improved and classroom-based students’ success rates have increased to above average. However, improvement is not evident in apprenticeship provision as framework success rates declined in 2012/13.  The merger of the former Leek College with the University of Derby’s Buxton College has been well managed and successful. The merged college ensures the offer of a broad further education curriculum across the local communities. The curriculum includes substantial provision in several subject areas that match with local business needs, such as hospitality and catering provision and the local tourism industry. Harmonisation of some systems, post-merger, is on-going with issues of inconsistency in a few still to be resolved.  Governors provide very good advice and are becoming increasingly adept at monitoring students’ experience and their outcomes. They maintain an appropriate balance between holding managers to account for the quality of provision and providing valuable support alongside ensuring a strong link with local community needs. A few data reports received by governors lack a sharp focus on analysis of key indicators to help them understand fully the areas of underperformance. Governors’ scrutiny of the performance of apprenticeships is underdeveloped.  Managers’ accurate and rigorous self-assessment at all levels clearly identifies strengths and areas for improvement in provision. The resulting quality improvement actions are sharply focused and largely successful at curriculum level for classroom-based provision. For example, a range of improvement actions to improve students’ retention at levels 2 and 3 has ensured significant in-year increases.  Managers’ analysis and evaluation of some data lack precision. The merging of the different data management systems across the two colleges presents considerable challenges to managers but is now starting to be resolved. This has limited the potential for the production of standardised and regular data reports that has compromised some analysis and evaluation. For example, the methodology for analysing students’ progression has been newly developed and some analysis lacks clarity.  Management of work-based learning requires improvement, particularly for motor vehicle provision. Managers recognise the decline in apprentices’ framework success rates through self-assessment but evaluation of the quality of provision to identify the causal factors is limited. A range of improvement actions have been put in place recently to tackle shortcomings, including the slow progress of a minority of apprentices, but it is too early to judge the impact of these.  Good arrangements to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are underpinned by effective performance management processes. Managers identify less effective performance swiftly and take prompt and constructive action as well as providing good personal support to help teachers to improve their practice. However, if improvement is not evident, managers take appropriate action to ensure that students are not disadvantaged.  Performance reviews and continuous professional development activities are closely aligned and support improvement in teaching and learning well. External experts are used constructively to improve the accuracy of judgements from lesson observations. Observers have a strong, and largely successful, focus on evaluating learning accurately. However, action plans following lesson observations are in some cases imprecise.  Students have a strong voice within the college. Channels of communication with students are wide-ranging and very effective in ensuring that students’ views are sought and responded to. Managers have not developed their employer engagement strategy fully but have strong collaborative arrangements with most key stakeholders. Communication with parents and carers is effective in most curriculum areas.  The curriculum is well planned and organised following revisions post-merger. A revised curriculum strategy for English and mathematics is in place but further improvement is needed in its implementation to ensure more students are able to achieve a GCSE at grades A* to C in mathematics or English where needed. Work-related and work experience opportunities are not yet fully in place for all students. Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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 Equality of opportunity and understanding of diversity are promoted well throughout the college. Equality themes are integrated and transparent in college life and often initiated and led by students. Most achievement gaps between different groups of students have reduced. An ethos of mutual respect exists between students, staff and managers. Enrichment opportunities and activities to promote students’ well-being are used very effectively to promote inclusion.  Safeguarding arrangements are good. Statutory requirements are met and students’ welfare and safety are enhanced by considerable additional support from the University of Derby. Health and safety arrangements are robust and linked strongly to reducing risk.  Leaders and managers investment in accommodation, specialist equipment and learning resources is high and much is of high quality particularly at the Buxton sites. However, the Leek campus is in need of considerable further improvement although managers have ensured this does not impinge on the quality of provision for students. Significant capital investment and plans for redevelopment for improving this campus are well underway. Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) University of Derby

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate

Overall effectiveness

Outcomes for students The quality of teaching, learning and assessment The effectiveness of leadership and management

llarevO

2 2 2 2 yduts 91-61 semmargorp2 2 2 2 i gnnraeL +91 semmargorp2 2 2 2 i sphsecitnerppA3 3 3 3

Subject areas graded for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment Grade

Health and Social Care Early Years and Playwork Hairdressing and beauty therapy Foundation English Foundation mathematics Accounting and Finance Business Management

2 2 2 2 3 3 3

Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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Provider details Type of provider

Higher education institution

Age range of students

16+

Approximate number of all students over the previous full contract year

Full-time: 1,138 Part-time: 3,605

Principal/CEO

Len Tildsley

Date of previous inspection

December 2008

Website address

http://www.blc.ac.uk

Provider information at the time of the inspection Main course or learning programme level

Level 1 or Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 below and above

Total number of students (excluding apprenticeships)

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 0 0 0 34

Total 0

Full-time

78 11 179 14 464 99

Part-time

105 126 101 638 71 366

Number of traineeships Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

16-19 0 19+ 0

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 106 19+ 115 16-18 101 19+ 291 16-18 0 19+ 16

Number of students aged 14-16

155 Full-time 0 Part-time 155

Number of community students Number of employability students

N/A N/A

Funding received from

Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

At the time of inspection the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors:

 Eurosource Solutions Limited  SHL Training  CQ3  MPQC  Lets training  NSEGTA  Expressions. Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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Contextual information

The University of Derby’s Buxton College merged with Leek College in August 2012 to form Buxton and Leek College. The college has main sites in the two small market towns of Buxton in Derbyshire and Leek in Staffordshire, approximately 13 miles apart and surrounded by dispersed rural communities. In addition, a small amount of provision is offered at the University of Derby’s Kedleston Hall campus in Derby. Vocational provision is offered in all subjects except agriculture, horticulture and animal care, although provision in a few subjects is small. A small amount of A- and AS-level provision is offered in a very few subjects. Most classroom-based students are from Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Apprenticeships and workplace learning are offered in seven subjects; hairdressing, hospitality and catering, and engineering being the largest. This provision includes delivery through subcontractors and the catchment area extends beyond the region to London, the North East, Manchester and Liverpool. In Derbyshire and Staffordshire, unemployment rates are lower than those found nationally. In both counties, the proportion of pupils aged 16 achieving five or more GCSEs at grade A* to C is similar to national rates. The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups is low and similar to the proportions within the populations of both counties.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Andrea Machell HMI

Three of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and six additional inspectors, assisted by the deputy principal as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the college’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on students’ achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of students and employers; these views are reflected within the report. Inspectors observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the college. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the provision and graded the sector subject areas listed in the report above. Inspection report: University of Derby, 11–14 February 2014

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What inspection judgements mean

Grade

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4

Judgement

Outstanding Good Requires improvement Inadequate Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Handbook for the inspection of further education and skills 2012, Part 2: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/handbook-for-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills-september-2012

Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website:

www.ofsted.gov.uk If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

Learner View is a new website where learners can tell Ofsted what they think about their college or provider. They can also see what other learners think about them too. To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk