Cambridge Regional College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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Full report

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching, learning and assessment by paying close attention to the implementation of lesson planning, target setting and the marking of learners’ work.  Share more fully the excellent practice that already exists in the promotion of equality and diversity in parts of the college.  Identify the training needs and provide appropriate development opportunities for teachers so that they can help learners make more rapid progress in improving their standards of English and mathematics.  Improve attendance by reviewing the effectiveness of the current monitoring procedures and investigating the causes of absence more rigorously.  Implement quality assurance arrangements consistently across all aspects of provision so that all learners benefit from an equally good experience at the college.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Good

 Standards have improved steadily since the last inspection and learners now achieve higher levels of success than average on the majority of courses. The improvement is most marked on advanced courses where learners achieve high standards because they work hard and make good progress.

 Success rates on intermediate apprenticeships and in workplace provision are good and the majority of learners complete their courses within the agreed time. Learners who follow advanced apprenticeships make satisfactory progress.

 Learners make good progress in developing specialist skills in all vocational areas. Learners demonstrate their good development of skills through high levels of success in regional and national skills competitions, which are widely celebrated in the college.

 Learners on the majority of courses produce good work which illustrates how deeply they have reflected on their course requirements. Learners based in the workplace work to high professional standards; for example apprentice plumbers install complex, high specification bathroom fittings quickly and well.

 Learners enjoy coming to college, adopt a mature approach to their studies and support each other well. However, attendance requires improvement. Although journeys into the college are time consuming and difficult for a significant minority of students, teachers do not reinforce the benefits of good attendance strongly enough.

 Learners achieve satisfactory success rates in examinations in English and mathematics. Learners who follow functional skills courses at foundation level achieve good outcomes in both English and mathematics but their subsequent progress is not always quick enough. Learners achieve very well in additional vocational qualifications which they take as part of their enrichment, helping them to both develop their skills further and improve their employability.

 The college has been successful in ensuring that there are no significant differences in the success rates of different learners, grouped according to their age, gender or ethnic heritage. The progress made by learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities has improved so that these learners now achieve better than their peers. Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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 The majority of learners complete their courses successfully and progress to more advanced courses, apprenticeships or into higher education. Those who leave the college to enter employment do so at a level which is consistent with their qualifications and interests. Very few learners fail to make appropriate progression.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment reflects accurately the good outcomes for learners, especially at advanced level. The priority given to improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in the last few years has been successful in terms of increasing success rates. However, some aspects vary across parts of the college and improving the weaker areas to the standards of the best is a priority for the college.  A small minority of lessons is outstanding and is characterised by the high expectations of teachers and the high aspirations of learners. All learners make very good progress in these lessons and enjoy the wide range of interesting, innovative and challenging learning activities greatly while developing outstanding professional and industrial skills.  In the majority of lessons teachers plan well to make sure that the needs of individual learners are met. Teachers frequently check that learning is taking place and motivate and encourage all their learners to achieve high standards. Many teachers have recent and relevant industrial experience which they use well to link theory to current professional practice. Learners value the positive role models provided by their teachers and benefit greatly from their knowledge.  In the minority of lessons that require improvement, learners do not make sufficient progress. They spend too long on the same activity which does not challenge them or raise their expectations. Teachers talk excessively. Questioning is often too general and teachers accept superficial answers.  Accommodation and resources to support learning are excellent. Technology and practical demonstrations are used well in most lessons to illustrate topics and often include the imaginative use of the college’s virtual learning environment. Learners value this environment highly and use it effectively to catch up on missed work and prepare materials for their next lesson. However, the virtual learning environment contains much better materials, and is therefore more useful, in some subject areas than others.  Initial assessment, advice and guidance are very effective in ensuring that learners enrol on the most appropriate course and at the most appropriate level. In many cases initial assessment outcomes inform learners’ personal learning plans and are used effectively by teachers in their lesson planning. However, they are not always used fully in lessons to ensure that activities and targets are differentiated appropriately to learners’ needs.  The quality of learners’ personal learning plans and their associated targets is inconsistent. In the best examples, the plans are very helpful to learners in clarifying their starting points and in tracking their progress. These targets are very clear and specific and are unique to each learner. In the fewer examples which are less effective, the targets are too general and do not provide any indication of how learners should achieve them. They are extremely brief and often refer only to the completion of short-term assessment requirements.  Assessment at the college and in the workplace is inconsistent. In the majority of cases, teachers and assessors mark learners’ work carefully. Feedback to learners is supportive and advises them clearly on how to improve and progress. In the minority of less effective examples, learners’ work is marked less rigorously and grammar and spelling errors are not corrected. Feedback is very brief and lacks praise or suggestions for improvement.  In a few lessons, assessments are too difficult for learners and they become frustrated at not being able to complete them. Managers have provided much staff development on assessment for learning in the last two years and include it as a focus in their lesson observations, but it is still an area for development in parts of the college. Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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 Learners receive very good additional support for English and mathematics. Teachers are aware of the need to support learners’ progress in these subjects to supplement this specialist support but in practice do not implement this to best effect. The lack of reinforcement of English and mathematics in lessons sometimes slows learners’ progress.  The promotion of equality and diversity has improved since the last inspection so that most teachers have a much clearer idea of how they can reflect equality and diversity within their subject context. Schemes of work and lesson plans focus fully on equality and diversity but occasionally teachers miss opportunities to develop issues raised by learners during lessons.

Construction crafts

Apprenticeships Other work based learning

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good and contribute well to learners’ high success rates and the rapid progress they make with their skills development. Apprentices complete their programmes within agreed timescales and the majority progress to higher level apprenticeship programmes and employment.  Teachers are experienced and up-to-date with their knowledge of the requirements of the current apprenticeship frameworks. They know their learners well because they teach them in the college and assess their progress in the workplace. Learners say, and inspectors agree, that this arrangement helps teachers to identify quickly if learners need extra help and the best way to provide it for them.  Learners have good experience of working with the latest construction technology; learners following heating and ventilating apprenticeships work with equipment designed to improve sustainability and protect the environment. Employers encourage learners to take responsibility for completing projects and liaising with customers, which helps them to improve their confidence and develop their employability.  Learning sessions in the college draw well on the experience of learners in the workplace and constantly reinforce the importance of safe working practices. Learners participate enthusiastically in lessons and work together to solve problems or make useful presentations of their work. Functional skills lessons are effective because they draw together learners from different construction trades and are planned well to take account of learners’ different framework requirements and levels of ability.  Resources for learning are good. Workshops are resourced well with a plentiful supply of tools and consumable materials. Learners have good access to learning resources, including animations, course materials and assessment exercises on the college’s virtual learning environment. Learners appreciate that they can gain access to these materials from any place where there is an internet connection.  Learners benefit from frequent visits from their teachers when they are in the workplace so that they can be assessed undertaking real work. Employers provide a good range of activities for learners but are not always fully aware of the NVQ qualification framework so that opportunities to gather and witness relevant evidence are sometimes missed. In some trades assessment is delayed for too long after the start of the programme. Progress reviews are thorough, take account of all aspects of the NVQ framework and set challenging targets for progression.  Additional learning support is good. Staff work together well to ensure that support is relevant and linked to the main craft. Learners with particular difficulties receive very good support. The college has devised a new sign language to cover technical terms for deaf learners and provided video clips on the virtual learning environment which feature a signer so that deaf learners are able to participate fully. Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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 Equality and diversity are integrated well into teaching and learning. Lessons encourage learners to consider the diversity of the people they may carry out work for, including sensitivities during religious festivals. However, some of the questioning used by teachers to check learners’ understanding of equality and diversity is insufficiently challenging.

Hairdressing and beauty therapy

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good and contribute strongly to the very high percentage of learners who achieve hairdressing and beauty qualifications. Most learners quickly develop good technical skills and a deep understanding of the theory that underpins salon work. Progression to higher level qualifications is good. Learners demonstrate a good attitude to learning and work hard to complete set tasks but their attendance requires improvement.

 The best lessons are well planned and managed. Teachers consistently make good use of challenging questions to help learners develop their understanding. Learners develop technical skills quickly and to a high standard as a result of the good individual training they receive. However, in a minority of lessons there is insufficient focus on developing commercial skills such as customer care, retailing and working to time. The teaching lacks sufficient pace and challenge in these lessons.

 Teachers regularly check learning and ensure that learners reflect carefully on their work so that they understand how to improve their performance. In many lessons learners engage in very good peer- and self-evaluation. During a practical hairdressing salon session learners used feedback from teachers and their peers to add to their own ideas so that they were able to improve their original hairstyles.

 The college’s virtual learning environment provides a comprehensive range of resources for learning and is very well used by learners for independent study outside their timetabled lessons. Learners particularly value the opportunity to catch up on work missed or to prepare materials in advance of lessons.

 Teachers assess learners’ work thoroughly. Verbal feedback is constructive and helps learners understand how to improve. Teachers and learners keep detailed records of performance and make good use of this information to plan assessment. Performance targets are clear and are used effectively. Learners are very clear about the progress they are making and what they need to do to achieve their goals.

 Tutorials provide good support for learners and are highly valued by them. Learners say, and inspectors agree, that group tutorials are highly effective in developing an understanding of broader social issues while individual tutorials help to resolve barriers to learning and underpin learners’ good progress.

 The support for learners who require extra help to achieve their potential is highly effective. Learning support assistants plan support sessions well and make good use of diagnostic assessment outcomes to help learners develop long and short term targets. They work closely with teachers to ensure classroom support is planned effectively in advance of lessons. Learners also benefit from the support of a faculty student liaison officer who helps them to overcome financial and personal barriers to learning.

 Learners have a good understanding of diversity in the context of the hair and beauty industry. Teachers make positive efforts to develop learners’ understanding of diversity in lessons, for Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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example by comparing racial characteristics of skin structure and function and the impact of perming on Afro-Caribbean hair.

Hospitality and catering

Apprenticeships Other work based learning

Good  Outcomes for learners are good and reflect the high standards of teaching, learning and assessment that inspectors observed. Success rates are consistently high for different groups of learners; adults and learners aged 16 to 18 achieve equally well. Learners demonstrate safe working practices in all practical settings and develop high levels of practical skills.  Teachers and assessors are well qualified and use their experience and up-to-date knowledge of apprenticeship frameworks effectively to develop and extend the skills and confidence of learners in both college and work place settings. Assessors use coaching effectively to consolidate learning and to help learners to develop their skills still further in the work place.  Learners are provided with challenging, and often complex tasks which help them to familiarise themselves with the demands of professional kitchens. In practical lessons learners feel confident to experiment with a wide range of dishes and evaluate the final products well using peer- and self-assessment. Teachers and assessors involve a wide range of employers and food specialists in providing enrichment activities which further stimulate learning.  Teachers make effective use of information and communications technology to provide good quality learning resources, including for learners who do not attend college. Good text materials and video clips of current kitchen practices help learners link theory to practice and to improve their skills in professional cookery.  Learners’ progress is supported well. College-based staff use a social networking site to communicate with apprentices while they are in the workplace and to ensure that assessment takes place at appropriate times. Assessors visit apprentices regularly and plan and monitor their progress well. Written assignments are marked carefully, with plenty of advice about how the work could be improved.  Target setting varies in quality. The majority of teachers use specific targets well to help learners improve but quite often the targets are not broken down sufficiently to identify small gains in achievement. Sometimes too many targets are not completed in time and have to be carried forward.  Learners receive effective initial advice and guidance which ensure that they follow the most appropriate apprenticeship framework. Learners receive good advice on their next steps in training, which assists their progress to higher level apprenticeship programmes.  Teachers use the initial assessment of learners’ attainment in English and mathematics well to inform their lesson planning. They pay close attention to how learners are improving their standards of English and mathematics and mark their work carefully to include advice on improving grammar and spelling.  Learners demonstrate respectful behaviour in both the college and the workplace but although opportunities to consider equality and diversity issues occur in most learning sessions, they are not always exploited sufficiently to develop understanding. The preparation of learning resources to support wider understanding of equality and diversity issues is underdeveloped.  Diversity is promoted well through initiatives including a multicultural cuisine event planned in conjunction with sub-contracting partners. A successful ‘diversity in apprenticeships’ project helped to increase the participation of females in hospitality and catering.

Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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Sport, leisure and recreation

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good  Learners’ success rates are high because in the vast majority of subjects retention and achievement have improved since the last inspection. Learners are strongly motivated by success and their behaviour, punctuality and attendance are very good. Progression to more advanced courses and into higher education is good.  Learners develop very good sports coaching skills through well-planned and highly effective practical lessons and enrichment activities. Most learners improve their employability by completing additional coaching qualifications and leading sports activities in local schools and community venues. All sports learners participate in volunteering events in the community and abroad.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and plan lessons well to provide engaging, often motivational activities which build on learners’ prior knowledge and experience. Learners particularly value groupwork activities which are designed to develop their practical skills through teamwork and peer-assessment.  Most teaching and learning is good but inspectors observed a minority of lessons which were outstanding. In one lesson learners were required to develop ideas for a business proposal for personal trainers which had to be attractive to a wide range of different client groups. They presented their ideas and financial proposals confidently to a panel which included an industry expert. Some functional skills lessons and group tutorials require improvement because they do not interest learners as much as their vocational sport lessons.  Teachers use a good variety of reliable assessment methods in lessons to set individual learning goals and to reinforce learning. The majority of lesson plans contain helpful references to assessment criteria and teachers make sure that learners are aware of what the criteria are and how they relate to learners’ progress. In one coaching session learners set the criteria for the activity themselves and constructively reported back to their peers on the quality of their work.  Procedures for improving learners’ progress through target setting are in place but the targets which are agreed are not always sufficiently precise or challenging. Intermediate level learners are not always able to identify exactly what they need to do to achieve higher grades in their course work assignments and few learners are able to record their training goals accurately.  Learners receive good information, advice and guidance which helps them select a study programme that matches their interests and ability. Initial assessment is thorough and identifies accurately any learners who have additional support needs. Study support sessions for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are effective; all functional skills classes have learning support workers who help keep learners focussed and on track.  The majority of teachers give a high priority to promoting equality and diversity in their lessons. Inspectors observed some excellent examples where learners challenged stereotypes and demonstrated empathy with vulnerable people. However, this highly effective practice has not been widely shared so that some teachers promote equality and diversity much more successfully than others. Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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Media and communication

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good  Success rates are high and have improved significantly as a result of the increasing number of learners on advanced level courses who complete their courses. Learners’ development of employability skills is excellent and their standards of work are high.  Learners make very good progress, develop high levels of independence and apply their knowledge well, for instance in creating interactive games to suit particular client groups. Learners develop excellent presentation skills as they confidently pitch their ideas to panels of experts and refine their ideas in response to their feedback.  Most learners make good progress in developing their technical skills in programming, design and the manipulation of computer software. However, in a minority of lessons, particularly those where teachers introduce new theoretical concepts or technical skills, learners are often not sufficiently involved and their progress is slow.  In the majority of lessons teachers employ effective strategies to make sure that learning tasks are appropriate to learners of all abilities. However, in a minority of less effective lessons teachers do not choose activities which enable all learners to participate fully. In these lessons learners tend to be more passive and easily become disengaged as teachers talk too much.  Assessment is well planned. Media learners have assignment course books that contain all the briefs for the year with associated learning materials that are supplemented by some excellent resources on the college’s virtual learning environment including book lists, video clips, links to useful websites, drop boxes where learners can deposit their assignment work for marking, and discussion forums. However, not all areas of the virtual learning environment are as well populated or interactive, leading to frustration for some learners.  The feedback which teachers provide on most assessed work is highly detailed, positive and constructive, giving learners a very clear idea of what has been done well and what skills have been utilised and developed. However, in a minority of cases feedback lacks sufficient detail to be of any help to learners. Feedback to individual learners in lessons is detailed and specific and supports learning well.  Learners’ personal and additional support needs are assessed accurately and quickly. Teachers and support assistants work well together to ensure that learners benefit from a co-ordinated response to their needs. As a result, learners make good progress in developing their subject knowledge and independent learning skills.  Learners’ targets are too variable. As a result of some precise target setting some learners make swift progress in achieving their goals because they are clear about what needs to be done to improve the quality of their work. However, targets are often too vague, making it difficult for learners to know what practical steps to take in order to meet them.  Teachers plan learning activities carefully to provide learners with good opportunities to develop their appreciation of equality and diversity but do not always take advantage of opportunities that arise in lessons to further develop learners’ understanding. In one assignment the learners identified for themselves the equality and diversity criteria that they needed to consider. Learners who produce the “Banter” magazine regulary include articles which cover disability, legal, ethical, social and cultural issues. Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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Business

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Requires improvement  Success rates have declined in recent years and are now below average. Although there has been a very recent improvement in learners’ progress, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment still requires further improvement. Learners enjoy their courses and attendance is good.  Learners develop their skills well and on the majority of courses produce good written work. Learners who are based in the college’s enterprise and entrepreneurship academy demonstrate particularly high levels of business skills.  Teachers mostly plan their lessons well so that learners enjoy their learning and improve their understanding of business concepts. Teachers use questioning to good effect in lessons to make sure that learners understand their work. In a minority of lessons teachers do not give sufficient consideration to the starting points of learners when planning their lessons, making it difficult for them to meet learners’ individual needs.  Some lessons require improvement because teachers do not provide enough different learning activities. In these lessons teachers dominate discussion and do not provide learners with enough opportunities to develop their own views. At times the pace of the lesson is too slow and the more able students are not sufficiently stretched.  Most learners who find learning difficult receive effective support to help them overcome their problems. Teachers and support staff demonstrate a caring approach that is sensitive to individual needs. However, support during lessons for some English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) learners has only recently been provided.  Assessment is rigorous and accurate. Learners are clear about assessment requirements and deadlines and can plan their work carefully to make sure that they produce their best work, and within the agreed time. The majority of teachers provide supportive and constructive feedback on written work but inspectors observed a significant minority of assignments which had been marked cursorily and did not provide learners with sufficient written feedback on how to improve their work.  The development of learners’ English and mathematics is satisfactory. Students have the opportunity to develop their skills in lessons and through assessed work such as numeracy skills in accountancy lessons. Learners on advanced courses often develop good language skills because they use complex management and industry terminology as part of their verbal feedback during activities.  Learners value the pre-course information, advice and guidance they receive. They say, and inspectors agree, that they are placed on business and professional management programmes which match their individual requirements well. Initial assessment generally identifies accurately learners’ current skill levels and the subsequent monitoring of their progress is detailed and effective. Learners’ performance targets are mostly clear and appropriate.  Equality and diversity has a high priority and is mostly promoted well. Teachers develop specific learning materials to improve learners’ awareness and most lessons contain references to equality and diversity. Learners frequently share information and discuss the cultural differences between different groups of people and nationalities so that they can challenge stereotyping. Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Good  Clear values, vision and high aspirations underpin all of the college’s work. The principal, senior managers and governors have combined effectively to set a highly appropriate strategic direction for the college which has at its heart a strong focus on enterprise and employability. Staff and learners understand and support this strategy fully and morale is high.  Governors monitor the college’s performance carefully and receive helpful reports on the quality of provision, including equality and diversity and arrangements for safeguarding. The college has a good record of meeting its performance targets and outcomes for learners have improved since the last inspection. Curriculum management is good.  The college places a high priority on improving teaching, learning and assessment. The vast majority of staff participate in peer observations to improve their teaching and most benefit from developmental lesson observations from curriculum quality leaders. Staff appraisal and performance management are well established and rigorous. All teachers have an annual graded observation which informs their appraisal and personal development plan.  Observations of teaching and learning are broadly accurate and identify well strengths and areas for improvement. However, despite using the same process, the observations for employer responsive provision are less critical, have less focus on learning and provide an overgenerous assessment of the quality of teaching and learning.  The college has a robust self-assessment process which is well-informed by performance data, draws on course and programme reviews and makes good use of learner and employer views. Quality assurance is effective in identifying and addressing underperformance at programme level. Managers take appropriate actions, including the cancellation of courses where necessary. Sub-contracting arrangements are scrutinised very carefully.  Nevertheless, despite the general trend of improvement, there remains too much inconsistency in a few aspects of provision, including the quality of support in lessons for English and mathematics, the use of personal learning plans and the quality of individual learner targets.  The college continues to build on its reputation for strong partnerships. It takes a lead role in a number of initiatives in response to local skills needs and is at the forefront of a number of projects related to future growth in science industries, health services and sustainability. The college led successfully the bid for a university technical college (UTC) specialising in biomedical science for Cambridge. It also collaborates well with local agencies to support learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and to help young people who are not in education, employment or training.  The college has successfully made the transition from its substantial Train to Gain provision by introducing a range of new apprenticeship frameworks and more than doubling the amount of apprentices enrolled. The college has also expanded its offer of higher education provision to meet the demands of its students who want local progression routes.  The college analyses equality and diversity data well at whole college and programme level so that any areas of concern can be addressed speedily. There are currently no significant differences between the performance of different groups of learners.  Staff receive regular updates on current practice and promote equality and diversity in lessons more effectively than at the previous inspection. Managers of the work based learning provision have improved the recruitment of underrepresented groups and make sure that equality and diversity are considered as part of all learning and curriculum reviews. Equality impact assessments are carried out for formal college policies but not for some vital processes such as the development, or cancellation of courses.  Policies and procedures on safeguarding and health and safety are clear and implemented well, ensuring that the college meets its statutory responsibility for safeguarding learners. The college has a comprehensive single central record, three designated officers, a nominated governor and Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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good links with the local safeguarding board. All staff receive safeguarding training at induction and update training at least every three years. Safeguarding, including e-safety is promoted to learners through the college’s tutorial programme and an annual ‘safeguarding month’ in the autumn term. Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) Cambridge Regional 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

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

Construction crafts Hairdressing and beauty therapy Hospitality and catering Sport, leisure and recreation Media and communication Business 2 2 2 2 2 3

Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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Provider details

Cambridge Regional College

Type of provider

General further education college

Age range of learners

14+

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year

Full-time: 3,373 Part-time: 5,125

Principal/CEO

Mrs Anne Constantine

Date of previous inspection

March 2008

Website address

www.camre.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+

Full-time

480 51 675 112 1,300 273 N/A 0

Part-time

147 384 333 397 193 249 N/A 137

Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 378 19+ 744 16-18 244 19+ 858 16-18 0 19+ 37

Number of learners aged 14-16 Number of community learners

207 304 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:

 Anderson Stockley Accredited Training  Cambridgeshire Football Association  Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust  Community Skills Development Agency

  

 NCC Skills  Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Independent Windscreen Academy Lifetime Training Group Fitness Qualifications Trust  Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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Trust  R&P Partners  Speedy Asset Services  Welcome Skills

Inspection report: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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Additional socio-economic information

Cambridge Regional College is a large college located in the north of the city, next to the Cambridge Science Park. The college serves a wide catchment area which includes both prosperous areas within the city and rural communities with poor public transport and declining industry. A much higher proportion of people in Cambridge than the national average possess advanced level qualifications, but this is not the case in the surrounding rural areas. Unemployment is six percentage points below the national average. The proportion of pupils aged 16 in Cambridgeshire who achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, in 2012, was slightly above the national average.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Lindsay Hebditch 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 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: Cambridge Regional College, 22 – 26 October 2012

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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 'Complaining about inspections', 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 or if you have any questions about Learner View please email Ofsted at: learnerview@ofsted.gov.uk