Stephenson College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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

 Increase the proportion of learners and apprentices completing their qualifications successfully by: - improving the management and organisation of apprentices’ programmes so they complete within the planned time - systematically and regularly reviewing learners’ progress and setting clear and challenging targets to help them to improve their skills and knowledge and achieve their qualifications.  Continue to improve teaching and learning so that it becomes at least good for all learners by: - ensuring teachers thoroughly engage learners in their own learning through the use of varied, interesting and challenging activities - ensuring all teachers use questioning effectively to check learning and extend learners’ understanding - ensuring that learners make good use of interesting and useful electronic learning - resources improving teachers’ confidence to promote and celebrate equality and diversity in vocational teaching.  Fully implement the leadership and management development programme for all subject area managers so that they all develop good skills in managing staff and leading on actions to sustain improvement.  Make sure that learners extend and deepen their English and mathematics skills and knowledge through well-planned activities that meet their specific needs and that these link well to their vocational programmes.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Requires improvement  Outcomes for learners require improvement as acknowledged by the college’s own self-assessment. Although managers have successfully increased the proportion of classroom-based learners achieving their qualifications in most subject areas, this is not high across all areas. The proportion of apprentices achieving their qualification remained above the national average in 2012/13. However, the number that achieved within the planned time declined significantly. Most learners make good progress in improving their vocational skills and knowledge, but they make insufficient progress in improving their English and mathematics skills.  The proportion of learners that complete vocational programmes at intermediate and advanced level has increased and is now well above the national averages. However, success rates in English and mathematics functional skills are low. Most vocational learners undertaking the higher project in 2012/13 were not successful and pass rates were low. Learners no longer undertake this following the introduction of the 16 to 19 study programme.  A high proportion of workplace learners achieve their qualifications within the planned time. The number of apprentices completing their qualifications is high in a minority of areas including construction, and child development and well-being but in 2012/13, this declined in hairdressing and motor vehicle and those completing in the planned time dropped further and is now low. The proportion of apprentices successfully completing their qualification in engineering declined markedly, with few apprentices completing in the planned time.  The difference in the performance of females who achieve better than males reduced in recent years. This is mainly due to the improvement in the achievement of male learners in subject Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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areas that traditionally recruit males such as construction and motor vehicle. Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve the same level of success as other learners. Learners from minority ethnic groups achieve at a similar rate to the majority of the White British learners.  Learners enjoy their vocational learning. They improve their practical skills and knowledge well and develop good attitudes to work. Employers value the knowledge and skills that apprentices gain at college, which they use well when they are back in the workplace. The harmonious and safe environment that the college provides helps learners to improve significantly their confidence and interpersonal skills. However, the development of learners’ English and mathematics skills and knowledge requires improvement.  Staff encourage and support a large number of learners to participate in regional and national skills competitions. This encourages and motivates them to improve and show their occupational skills in high profile surroundings, which greatly improves their confidence. One welding learner gained an apprenticeship because of the recognition he received by reaching a national skills competition semi-final.  Almost all apprentices remain in employment that meets local need when they complete their qualifications. A high proportion of classroom-based learners progress into apprenticeships, higher study or employment, when they complete their learning programmes.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment have improved since the last inspection and they are now good. The majority of lessons are good, but only a small proportion is outstanding. Improvements have been slower to affect outcomes for learners on a minority of programmes and results still require improvement. Learners develop good vocational skills and knowledge. A minority of teaching and learning sessions still require improvement. Managers recognise this inconsistency between subjects, but despite increasing the ways staff share good practice, this variability remains.  The good lessons have enthusiastic and committed staff that provide a wide range of interesting and relevant activities that learners enjoy. Teachers have adopted procedures for lessons splitting learning objectives into those that learners ‘must, should and could’ attain. This helps teachers to plan activities for individual learners, ensuring everyone reaches a minimum level while challenging the most able. Teachers and support staff work together productively and support learners well. Learners develop current vocational skills, benefiting from very good specialist equipment and resources.  Teachers often dominate lessons that require improvement. In these lessons, learners’ inactivity leads to them to be bored. Teachers’ questions do not challenge learners sufficiently to develop their understanding. They do not use class profiles, detailing the prior ability of each learner, to plan sessions to ensure all learners make sufficient progress.  Development of English and mathematical skills require improvement. Learners taking GCSE English and mathematics are making good progress. However, progress for learners taking functional skills English and mathematics is less secure. In these lessons, teachers do not always plan to meet learners’ needs, a minority of tasks are undemanding and the learners too passive.  Where information and learning technologies (ILT) are used imaginatively, it enlivens learning. For example, in an outstanding childcare tutorial about the Jewish religious festival of Hanukkah, the teacher introduced the topic through a contemporary animated film. This broadened the cultural understanding of learners and enabled the teacher to cover other relevant learning activities. However, not all subject areas make such good use of ILT resources.  The standard of teaching area accommodation is high. Subject specific areas contain easily accessible computing facilities and learning materials. The organisation of each area enables Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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teachers to provide learning flexibly to help learners develop good independent study skills. However, occasionally learners are noisy making study difficult for others.  A key issue highlighted at the last inspection was the need to strengthen procedures for evaluating the quality of teaching and learning through lesson observations and using this information to provide relevant staff training. Managers now use the outcomes from lesson observations to provide individual action plans that improve teaching. Managers’ thorough review of common weaknesses from observations effectively informs staff training plans on improving teaching, learning and related skills. However, external consultants’ lesson observations do not always identify clearly how teachers can improve their practice.  Teachers assess learners’ work well. Feedback is accurate and identifies areas for development with advice on how to improve standards. Well-managed on-the-job reviews and assessments record effectively workplace learners’ progress and skills, related to the qualification criteria.  Staff provide good information, advice and guidance to place learners on the most appropriate course. Vocational and support staff strive to raise the aspirations of learners for further or higher study and employment. The use of reflective diaries helps full-time learners to consolidate their learning. Electronic individual learning plans provide a helpful platform for learners to review their progress with staff. However, most learning and personal targets are too generic and do not help learners identify how to improve their work.  Relationships between learners and staff are very good. Learning support assistants provide valuable support to learners. This additional learning support is successful in enabling most learners to reach their full potential. Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive effective help to acquire employability skills and seek experience of work, with a small number gaining jobs.  The college has a welcoming and friendly atmosphere and staff and learners have mutual respect for each other. Staff motivate learners very well, for example by linking their learning strongly to future employment, and participating in competitions. Staff and students celebrate diversity well in a minority of subject areas where teachers integrate it into lessons, but this is not the case for too many subjects. This was an issue at the last inspection.

Health and social care

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching learning and assessment are good. This reflects the high proportion of learners successfully achieving their qualifications. Teachers are good at motivating learners who respond well, valuing the support and help they receive. Learners feel safe, enjoy their work and develop good attitudes to learning. Learners’ work is of a high standard.  Learners, directed by teachers, make good use of the well-populated virtual learning environment (VLE) to gain useful information and access good resources to support them in their courses. For example, in preparation for a group presentation, learners used a variety of sources well to research social care legislation. Teachers encourage learners to have confidence during presentations and in answering questions, during which they show good subject knowledge.  Teachers work well as a team to plan lessons that engage learners. They provide good direction to learners when working independently on a range of tasks and assignments. These carefully designed assignments ensure a high degree of consistency across the various class groups.  Teachers use good questioning to check learners’ understand and progress and to extend knowledge. Well-paced lessons ensure learners have a clear understanding of what teachers expect of them. However, in a minority of lessons, additional activities for the more able Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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learners are not always sufficiently challenging. Although lessons develop learners’ theoretical knowledge about health and social care well, opportunities to develop practical skills are limited.  Teachers provide good feedback on assessed work, which helps learners to understand the progress they are making. Consistent support from teachers, enables learners to know what they have to do at every stage of their course to improve.  Initial assessment is effective in identifying learners’ current levels of ability in English and mathematics. In a few better lessons, teachers develop learners’ English skills well. For example, in one lesson the teacher used a key word activity to reinforce health and care terminology and to expand learners’ technical vocabulary. However, teachers make insufficient use of the information they gather on learners’ English and mathematics development needs to plan activities to improve these in vocational lessons.  Teachers have good experience in the care sector and in better lessons, they use this well to help learners to explore how health and care theory links to the practice of care professionals. However, links with employers are few and learners have limited opportunities to go on relevant visits, or to hear from industry experts.  Learners receive appropriate careers advice and guidance to make informed choices at the beginning of their courses. Teachers provide good careers advice, which includes input of previous learners to help current learners to see the future opportunities available to them. This prepares learners well for the next stage of their learning and career.  In lessons specifically planned to cover equality and diversity, teachers raise learners’ awareness about the topics well. However, in vocational lessons, teachers often miss opportunities to introduce or extend discussions about diversity.

Engineering and motor vehicle

Apprenticeships

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement and this reflects the proportion of apprentices completing their apprenticeships, which has declined significantly with most failing to complete in the planned time. However, improvements to teaching, learning and assessment are now making a difference. Managers and staff now provide appropriate learning programmes enabling most apprentices to make adequate progress towards completing their apprenticeships.  New managers have rectified the previously inadequate planning of apprentices’ programmes and the inappropriate structure of learning programmes and qualifications apprentices were taking. An appropriate range of technical certificate qualifications is now available to enable apprentices to develop good technical skills and knowledge.  Teachers provide mostly good off-the-job training, enabling the majority of apprentices to develop good skills and knowledge that they apply well in the workplace. Teachers question apprentices well in college and the workplace to check their understanding and develop learning.  Teachers make good use of the college’s ‘must, should and could’ approach to learning outcomes to motivate and stretch apprentices. In one engineering lesson, the teacher guided apprentices that completed panel-building tasks to act as peer mentors to support other apprentices and develop valuable employability skills. However, teachers plan too few challenging extension tasks for the more able, leading to a minority progressing more slowly than they could.  Good links with the company enable Volvo’s heavy goods vehicle apprentices to use outstanding learning resources including the latest trucks and online training resources to diagnose and repair faults. These apprentices are much more successful than learners on other motor vehicle Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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programmes are. Practical resources for other motor vehicle and engineering apprentices are good.  Workplace mentors provide good technical training for apprentices, helping them to complete challenging tasks such as diagnosing and repairing complex faults on high cost cars. Liaison between teachers and employers is good enabling the close coordination of apprentices’ workplace and college training. However, targets staff set at progress reviews do not always contain enough detail to encourage apprentices to make sufficiently quick progress.  Teachers give detailed verbal feedback and accurately assess apprentices’ work, clearly identifying what they need to do to meet assessment requirements. However, they provide insufficient written feedback to help apprentices further improve their work and English and mathematics.  Recent improvements to the previously inadequate monitoring of apprentices’ progress have enabled teachers and managers to identify and support those at risk of not succeeding to make better progress. However, monitoring is not sufficiently consistent to ensure prompt identification of all such apprentices.  Managers and staff have recently improved recruitment and initial assessment arrangements for new apprentices and these are now good. Teachers and employers communicate well to ensure that apprenticeship programmes meet the needs of each apprentice. All apprentices now complete rigorous diagnostic assessments to identify their current English, mathematics and specialist vocational skills. Staff use the results well to ensure apprentices join the appropriate course.  Support for learners to improve their skills in English and mathematics requires improvement. Teachers plan insufficient opportunities to link mathematics and English with vocational topics to enable apprentices to improve these skills in their work. However, one teacher linked mathematics and vocational topics well during a workplace assessment by asking the apprentice to estimate vehicle mileage and brake wear rates.  Apprentices work safely in college and their workplaces. However, teachers plan too few opportunities for apprentices to develop their understanding of diversity beyond a low level.

Building services

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement. This reflects the varied outcomes for learners. In electrical installation, the proportion of learners achieving their qualifications is high. However, in plumbing this requires improvement. The proportion of learners progressing to higher qualifications or apprenticeships when they complete their current qualifications has declined.  Teachers are well qualified and know their subjects well. They have a good rapport with learners and encourage them well to undertake practical learning activities. However, teachers dominate too many classroom lessons with extensive verbal explanations where learners listen passively for too long. Teachers plan few opportunities for learners to undertake more demanding and challenging activities. For example, although learners received a detailed scale drawing, the teacher provided learners with angles and dimensions to cut and fit pipes to, rather than encouraging them to use mathematics and measuring skills themselves.  Resources and equipment to support learning are good. Practical training takes place in well-maintained workshops, equipped with high standard tools and realistic work areas. However, teachers and technicians do not work closely together to promote safe working at all times. Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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 Learners enjoy attending college and staff ensure that they have good attitudes to work and study. A small number of plumbing learners have enjoyed the experience they gained on a national work experience project. However, the use of work experience for the majority of learners is insufficient to improve their employment prospects. Learners receive little assistance or support to obtain apprenticeships.  Initial assessment is good and it establishes learners’ starting points and existing levels of skill in English and mathematics. Staff use this information to develop individual plans and targets with learners that identify adequately their programme goals and support needs. However, targets are often too general and staff do not review or revise them frequently enough to take account of learners’ current progress, or to set challenging short-term actions to improve their work.  Written feedback from teachers for learners requires improvement. In electrical installation, feedback is encouraging, but it contains insufficient detail on how learners could improve their skills and knowledge, beyond the minimum awarding body expectation. In most plumbing portfolios, teachers sign work off, but provide little guidance on how learners could improve.  Teachers build few activities into lessons to develop learners’ English and mathematics skills. Much learning takes place in practical environments where learners use mathematics as a routine part of many plumbing and electrical installation activities. However, teachers rarely use this to reinforce numeracy with learners or build their confidence in using mathematics.  Teachers provide good support and advice to learners at the start of their courses and continue to provide appropriate advice throughout, enabling them to make progress and enjoy their courses. However, they provide insufficient advice and guidance on potential opportunities and the next stage in training, education and future employment.  Teachers and technicians promote equality well, learners feel safe and learners and staff respect one another. However, teachers are not confident enough to promote diversity sufficiently in lessons and learning activities.

Construction crafts

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. This reflects the good progress most learners make in gaining construction crafts skills and knowledge and in the high proportion of learners successfully completing their qualifications. A high proportion of learners progress to higher-level qualifications and apprenticeships when they complete their courses.  In carpentry, bricklaying, and painting and decorating, learners benefit from good lessons in which they make good progress and show high levels of technical skill. For example, in painting and decorating, they learn very effectively about types of sand paper and the affect the grain of the papers has on the finish of wood. Teachers encourage learners to investigate how to mix colours effectively to achieve different paint effects.  In the best lessons, teachers and technicians work closely to manage well the learning of mixed ability groups. They use varied activities to enable all learners to enjoy their activities and take part with interest. In the majority of lessons, teachers make good use of questions to check understanding and reinforce learning. However, they do not make sufficient use of the VLE to extend opportunities for learning outside of practical and theory lessons.  Learners develop good personal, social and employability skills through well-managed community projects. For example, maintenance projects for a local cricket club and the redecoration of a local church hall enabled learners to gain good vocational skills and increase their confidence. Staff work well with employers to plan projects. This has enabled a few learners to gain apprenticeships or part-time jobs. Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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 Resources and equipment to support learning are good. Practical training takes place in well-maintained workshops. Lecturers and technicians successfully establish good working practices. For example in carpentry, technicians routinely insist on high standards of safety and tidiness in work areas. In painting and decorating, teachers and learners agree rules of behaviour and appropriate work clothing.  Teachers regularly review learners’ progress. Effective progress reviews ensure learners remain on target. Teachers and learners agree and regularly review short and long-term targets, but these vary in the level of guidance they provide for learners. In the best examples, targets consider learners’ prior and current attainment, experience and ability and give them a clear focus on what they need to do to make good progress. However, in few cases, learners’ personal targets are too general to provide sufficient challenge.  Assessment is good. Written feedback enables learners to have a clear understanding of how to improve their work. Teachers regularly guide learners to correct spelling and grammatical errors. However, planned activities to help learners see the relevance of English and mathematics within construction or to develop these skills in lessons are too few.  Teachers provide good support and advice to learners at the start of their courses. This continues throughout learners’ programmes, enabling them to make good progress and enjoy their learning. Teachers provide very good advice and guidance to learners on their next steps in training, education and future employment. As a result, most progress to higher level courses or obtain apprenticeships.  The promotion of equality is good, but teachers are not confident enough to promote diversity sufficiently in lessons and learning activities. Learners consider they are safe and in the workshops and classrooms. Staff and learners are respectful of the views of each other.

Hairdressing and beauty therapy

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching learning and assessment are good and this reflects the high proportion of learners who achieve their qualifications and the good progress they make in improving their hairdressing and beauty therapy skills. For example, hairdressing learners on intermediate courses have particularly good skills when working with long hair to complete hair up and long curled styles and beauty therapy learners work professionally when completing back massages.  Highly motivated teachers plan and provide good lessons. The best practical hairdressing lessons reflect industry standards well and teachers use good questioning to develop and reinforce practical skills. Beauty therapy teachers plan good learning activities and use effective strategies, such as well-managed group discussions to check learning. Teachers plan theory lessons well, using a good variety of activities to motivate learners. In particular, hairdressing teachers use games which learners enjoy participating in to reinforce learning points very effectively.  In hairdressing and beauty therapy lessons where learners practise their skills on clients, they develop appropriate customer care and interpersonal skills. However, in most lessons learners do not have the opportunity to work with clients early enough in their course, delaying them from practising customer service skills. Beauty therapy learners develop their skills on each other during most lessons. Learners lie on beauty couches receiving treatments, resulting in them being inactive for too long during practical lessons.  Specialist resources are good. Hairdressing and beauty salons are modern and well resourced. The college have recently developed a partnership with the Lee Stafford Academy. Although relatively new, it is already making staff reflect on their practice. For example, hairdressing Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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teachers now focus in more detail on the development of learners’ finer technical skills when teaching precision hair cutting.  Teachers provide good enrichment activities for learners including attending hairdressing and beauty therapy exhibitions and competitions. Learners have been successful in national competitions and others complete additional vocational excellence qualifications that improve their employment prospects. Weekly opportunities for learners to sample a well-structured work experience programme develops their employability skills well and improves their employment prospects.  Teachers give good feedback to learners following all assessments of their work, which provides them clear guidance on how they could improve. Teachers review learners’ progress well during the good tutorials. In these tutorial teachers and learners agree challenging and motivational targets.  Support for learners is good. Teachers initially assess learners’ starting points at induction, appropriately identifying additional support needs. Specialist support tutors work well with vocational teachers to ensure that learners who need additional support achieve their qualifications.  In the best lessons, teachers plan good activities that develop learners’ English and mathematics skills and demonstrate the relevance of these in the hairdressing and beauty therapy sector. Too frequently however, this is not the case.  Learners receive good advice and guidance when they apply for courses. Advice and guidance throughout the course enables learners to make informed decisions about their next steps in training or employment. On completing their course, a high proportion of learners progress onto higher-level courses and into employment.  In the better lessons, teachers promote diversity well. However, in most lessons teachers frequently miss opportunities to discuss and promote diversity through naturally occurring situations. For example, by discussing how learners might adapt their techniques when working with clients from different backgrounds and working with different hair and skin types.

Foundation English

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement reflecting the need to increase the success of learners. In English functional skills, success rates have declined and they are low. Managers have made changes to the way the teachers provide the curriculum and they have appointed new specialist staff. However, these changes are too recent to have had a significant impact on learners’ outcomes.  Teachers have realistic expectations and a friendly and encouraging approach that helps learners to feel at ease and participate in lessons. Most learners have not been successful in improving their English through their previous educational experiences and have low confidence that they can. Teachers motivate them well and they enjoy their learning and the self-confidence and self-esteem that attendance at college brings. Their aspirations have improved and they appreciate the qualifications they are taking will help them to gain employment or progress to higher education.  Learners make good progress in well-taught GCSE English lessons, introduced as part of the 16 to 19 study programmes. Learners following English functional skills at entry level also experience good teaching and make good progress. However, learners on foundation and intermediate level English functional skills are not learning quickly enough. Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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 In GCSE classes, teachers prepare learners well for assessments and exams. They introduce learners to appropriate theories and strategies and encourage them to apply these to improve their English skills. For example, learning about strategies to improve communications has enabled learners to plan their writing more effectively. Teachers build on previous knowledge and promote discussions to which learners contribute willingly.  Functional skills teaching at foundation and intermediate level requires improvement. Teaching of learners working towards both levels take place in the same classes in which they all undertake the same learning activities. Teachers do not plan activities that stretch the more able. Consequently, they receive insufficient challenge, slowing their progress in improving their English.  Although good resources are available, teachers do not plan to use these sufficiently well. All classrooms are well equipped with interactive white boards, but teachers use these infrequently and when they do, it is unimaginative and does little to engage the interest of learners. In functional skills lessons, too many of the learning activities rely on the use of uninspiring worksheets.  Assessment is good in GCSE English, but only adequate in functional skills lessons. The better teachers mark learners’ work accurately providing good verbal feedback. Written feedback is positive and supportive, clearly identifying what learners need to do to improve their English skills. However, teachers of English do not share information sufficiently with their vocational colleagues. Progress reviews and tutorials rarely consider learners’ targets or the progress they are making in English.  Initial assessment is adequate and appropriately considers learners’ previous achievement, the results of diagnostic testing, and a free writing exercise before placing learners on the correct level of English programme. Teachers use their professional judgement well to confirm the appropriateness of this and to move learners to different programmes if required. Teachers make good use of support workers to help learners with identified support needs in lessons.  Teachers provide a safe, inclusive and welcoming learning environment for the different groups of learners attending English lessons. Learners feel safe and valued and they treat each other with respect.

The effectiveness of leadership and management

Good  Leadership and management are good. The principal, senior managers and managers have made good progress in resolving most of the issues from the last inspection. Teaching, learning and assessment have improved and they are now good. The proportion of learners who successfully complete their courses has increased in many areas. Governance has improved markedly. Self-assessment and lesson observations now link closely to a much improved performance management system. The self-assessment report gives a more accurate picture of the quality and standards managers and staff are achieving.  Managers have improved most areas of the college, but a minority of aspects of the college’s work still need to improve. The proportion of learners successfully completing their courses remains stubbornly low in a few areas, especially on some apprenticeships. Teaching, learning and assessment are not consistently good in all areas and too little is outstanding. The use of clear and measurable targets to improve provision is inconsistent. The quality of subject management, especially the speed at which managers and staff improve underperforming provision is not always strong.  The college’s mission and values focus closely on raising aspirations in the local community. Managers have developed a wide range of provision that includes a new studio school and higher education provision. The resources and buildings at the Coalville campus provide an Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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excellent environment for learning. The college’s centre in Nottingham also provides good quality accommodation.  A wide range of employers and staff from community organisations regard the college highly as a supportive and effective partner. These partnerships have produced a good range of high standard apprenticeships for many young people. One of these partnerships, with civil engineering company, Bam Nuttall, very recently won the National Apprenticeship Award for large employers. The studio school provides a new and different route for young people to have a vocational education. Staff from local councils and Jobcentre Plus regard the college as an effective partner that responds quickly and well to their clients’ ever-changing needs to help them find employment. Managers collect learners’ and employers’ views frequently. They respond well and use this information to design the curriculum.  Governance is good and improved significantly since the last inspection. Recruitment of new governors with a broad range of skills has strengthened the work of governors’ committees. A new committee now focuses well on the college’s academic performance. Governors receive appropriate training to support their work. The board and its committees are well informed. The chair and the clerk organise and record governors’ work well. Governors are now clearly more effective at challenging senior managers on issues around performance.  The senior management team work well together and have good complementary skills. The team has effectively improved the management of staff performance and self-assessment. Middle management has significantly changed. A few in new roles have still to improve consistently the areas they look after. A well-planned management development programme is helping them to develop their skills.  The self-assessment report is largely accurate. Processes that underpin self-assessment have improved. For example, lesson observations present a more precise picture of the quality of teaching and learning. Managers make good use of the easily accessible data on learners’ attendance and performance to support improvements. Attendance has improved since the last inspection and it is now mostly good.  Managers and staff provide learners with an inclusive and welcoming setting. Learners are well behaved and the atmosphere in lessons and around the college is harmonious and respectful. Since the last inspection, managers have untaken a full review of the policies and procedures on equality and diversity. They have provided additional training for all teachers on how to promote equality and diversity more effectively in lessons and progress reviews. While this has improved the promotion of equality and diversity, managers need to ensure that all teachers make the most of opportunities in lessons to promote diversity in particular. Managers thoroughly analyse learners’ performance to identify any gaps in achievement. They put in place actions to resolve any issues if gaps exist.  The college meets its statutory requirements on safeguarding. Staff and governors have received appropriate training. Managers and staff safeguard learners effectively. They have a good understanding of the wide range of support that is available to keep learners safe. Learners feel safe and they adopt safe working practices. Managers and staff deal with child protection matters effectively and links with a wide range of local agencies and with the local children’s safeguarding board are good. Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) Stephenson College

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

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

Overall effectiveness

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

yduts 91-61 semmargorpi gnnraeL +91 semmargorp2 3 2 2 2 3 2 2

llarevO

2 3 2 2 i sphsecitnerppA2 3 2 2

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

Health and Social Care Engineering Motor vehicle Building Services Construction Crafts Hairdressing and beauty therapy Foundation English

2 3 3 3 2 2 3

Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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Provider details Type of provider

General further education college

Age range of learners

16+

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year

Full-time: 946 Part-time: 6,143

Principal/CEO

Nigel Leigh

Date of previous inspection

November 2011

Website address

www.stephensoncoll.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 learners (excluding apprenticeships)

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 0 1 0 93

Total N/A

Full-time

209 24 297 77 281 110

Part-time

42 329 56 2,823 34 1,088

Number of traineeships Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

16-19 N/A 19+ N/A

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 335 19+ 486 16-18 167 19+ 306 16-18 2 19+ 15

Number of learners aged 14-16

N/A Full-time N/A Part-time N/A

Number of community learners

N/A Number of employability learners 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:

 Chameleon School of Construction  Training Support (UK) Limited  TQ Workforce Development Limited. Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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Contextual information

Stephenson College is a large general further education college with a main campus in Coalville in North West Leicestershire. The college also has a smaller campus in Nottingham and uses a land-based centre near Mansfield for the provision of animal care and equine studies. As well as providing full-time 16 to 19 study programmes and other classroom based learning programmes for adults, the college provides a large number of apprenticeship and workplace learning programmes. The proportion of school leavers gaining at least five or more good GCSEs in Leicestershire is slightly lower than the national average.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Malcolm Fraser HMI

Four of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and six additional inspectors, assisted by the director of quality as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on learners’ 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 learners and employers; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all of the provision at the provider. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the provision and graded the sector subject areas listed in the report above. Inspection report: Stephenson College,25–29 November 2013

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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