The College of West Anglia Ofsted Report

Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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

 Raise teachers’ expectations of advanced level learners in lessons and support them to set challenging tasks, promote the development of higher level skills and ensure learners develop very good independent learning skills in order to increase advanced level success rates and the proportion of high grades. These improvements will also help increase the proportion of outstanding lessons.  Strengthen assessment practice so that it is consistently good or better. Help teachers to use on-going assessment during learning activities to inform the structure, appropriateness of tasks and level of challenge of their lessons. Focus strongly on ensuring that all feedback includes detailed evaluation of strengths, areas for improvement, including development of English and mathematical skills, and leads to specific improvement points.  Through training, strengthened moderation and/or validation processes and the sharing of best practice, ensure a strong and consistent focus on learning within classroom observations. This will help teachers, observers and managers assess the quality of lessons better. Additionally, strengthen the emphasis that managers place on teaching and assessment in teachers’ performance review.  Improve the consistency of curriculum management further by securing even greater rigour in the college’s evaluation of provision. Make sure all course reviews and self-assessment reports include a better use of appropriate national averages so they are more self-critical and enable managers to identify clearly areas of priority.  Refresh approaches to promoting equality and diversity across the college in order to celebrate all aspects of diversity with equal enthusiasm and imagination. In addition, sharpen aspects of analysis, such as ensuring the performance of all groups of learners, such as looked after children, are analysed and reported clearly through the college’s self-assessment report.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Good  The proportion of learners who successfully gain qualifications has increased notably over the last three years and was high in 2011/12. In the same year, long course success rates also increased, most markedly for adult learners, to be just above average. Many learners successfully achieve additional subject specific qualifications alongside their main qualification, which supports their specialist skill development and enhances their employability.  Despite significant improvements in success rates on foundation and intermediate level courses in 2011/12, improvements at advanced level and in a minority of subject areas are uneven and less marked mainly due to a lower than average proportion of learners, particularly those aged 16 to 18, staying on to complete their qualification. The college’s in-year retention data indicate many more learners at advanced level are attending their courses compared with the same point last year.  Many learners aged 16 to 18 enter the college with below average prior attainment at GCSE, and most adult learners have few qualifications on entry. Nevertheless, pass rates across all ages and levels of study are high. The proportion of learners gaining high grades, particularly on vocational and/or academic programmes at advanced level however, remains below average.  Outcomes for learners on apprenticeships and those following workplace learning programmes are good and improving, particularly for advanced apprenticeships. A high proportion of Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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apprentices complete their qualification in the agreed time. Success rates in construction, a subject area with larger numbers of apprentices, are consistently very high.  Given their starting points and prior attainment, most learners make at least the progress expected of them and the majority make good progress towards their individual course targets. Much good progress observed by inspectors in lessons, particularly on foundation and intermediate courses, confirmed this view. Learners’ progress on subsidiary and extended diplomas has improved on the previous year and is now at least in line with expectations. Learners’ show positive attitudes to their work and enjoy attending college.  In most cases, different groups of learners achieve at least in line with their peers. Where gaps in achievement exist such as for learners with learning disabilities and/or disabilities on apprenticeship programmes, the gap is closing notably. Performance between genders is similar although female adult learners achieve better than their male counterparts on foundation and advanced level programmes do. While the college does not report systematically on the performance of looked after children or care leavers, the majority of these learners successfully achieved their qualifications in 2011/12.  The standard of learners’ work, particularly practical work, is good. Fashion learners in visual arts and fabrication, welding and motor vehicle apprentices in engineering produce work of a particularly high standard. Learners are encouraged to enter local and national competitions and several are successful, helping to further raise learners’ future aspirations.  Learners develop a good range of work-related and personal skills that prepares them well for when they leave college. For those already in employment their courses support them well in developing the skills they need and in helping gain promotion. Success rates on functional skills in English and mathematics are high. For a minority of the most able learners, particularly on advanced level courses, the development of reflective and higher order thinking skills are less well developed.  A very high proportion of learners, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and learners aged 14 to 16, progress successfully onto a higher level of study, employment or training on completing their course.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  The quality of teaching is improving because the large majority of teachers focus on promoting learning; this evaluation mirrors the improving trend in learners’ success rates. The large majority of teaching and training is good but not enough is outstanding. Skilled teachers motivate learners by setting realistic employability-linked tasks and by involving them in interesting projects.  Learners show good attitudes to learning and have productive relationships with teachers, assessors and support staff. Learners contribute well and often enthusiastically to learning activities and are mostly confident in answering questions or raising queries. However, sometimes teachers help learners too much rather than insisting they think and work things out for themselves.  The large majority of teachers use a wide range of teaching strategies very effectively. However, occasionally teachers’ strategies are not always well matched to learners’ abilities; sometimes they talk too much, use over-generalised questions, do not structure group work effectively or use peer and/or self-assessment sufficiently.  In a minority of lessons, particularly for more able advanced level learners, teachers’ expectations are low. Rather than make demands of learners to aim higher by developing higher-level skills such as in research or analysis, they set unchallenging objectives and a low bar for skill and knowledge development. In a few subjects, teachers’ schemes of work lack detail and do not support a coherent enough learning programme. Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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 Many learners’ develop independent learning skills well by their increasing use of the relatively new and well-populated virtual learning environment. Teachers refer regularly to this as a reliable source of learning materials, as a reference point and as a basis for independent study; learners make mostly good use of it. Teachers use information and communication technology effectively in lessons.  Teachers understand the importance of using assessment to support learning but assessment practice is not yet consistently good. Several shortcomings, such as a lack of rigour in internal verification, over-assessing and inaccurate grading are being rapidly resolved. Other aspects such as the effective use of on-going assessment and the provision of consistently high quality feedback to aid improvement are taking longer to establish within all teachers’ practice.  Teachers support class-based learners to develop English and mathematical skills very well and mostly well in workplace learning. In more advanced study, the extent of development varies across subjects. For example, in some subjects such as health and social care, teaching staff pay close attention to correcting learners’ spelling and developing their use of technical language, but this is not widespread across all subjects. Additional learning support is very effective although in a small minority of lessons teachers do not direct learning support assistants’ work sufficiently.  Staff provide constructive and helpful information and guidance to learners at all stages of their learning programmes. Learners receive good support and staff pay close attention to learners’ attendance and punctuality, which are improving.  In most cases, staff carefully review and check learners’ progress using much-improved systems. Learners are set challenging target grades which help raise their aspirations.  Employers contribute well to training and assessment in work-based learning. Trainees develop skills effectively and teachers assess these frequently. Assessors’ practice is thorough, well organised and integrated into trainees’ study programmes. Progress reviews are mostly rigorous and often support the broadening of learning opportunities for trainees.  In a number of subjects, such as visual arts and health and social care, teachers explore equality and diversity themes sensitively and thoroughly, including through specific projects. In workplace settings, teachers give adequate attention to developing trainees’ understanding of equality and diversity. Teachers use general prompts in work-based progress reviews but miss opportunities to contextualise these to ensure more than a superficial learning of equalities.  Wide-ranging subject-based enrichment activities enhance many learners’ studies successfully. Their participation in these activities sometimes involves a high level of challenge, for example, in catering for a Royal Garden Party at Sandringham, running equine events at the Milton equestrian centre, or taking part, often successfully, in national skills competitions.  Learners who require it as part of their studies benefit from well-managed mandatory work experience. Others are supported well in seeking out bespoke opportunities to develop their employability skills. Teachers use learning environments, such as the restaurant and hairdressing salons effectively to support learning. Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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Health and social care Early years and play work

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good on foundation and intermediate courses and contribute well to the high success rates at these levels. At advanced level they are improving, are mostly good and are having a positive impact on in-year retention rates compared to the same point in the previous year.  Teachers set challenging targets, particularly for advanced level learners, which promote learners’ progress, which is mostly good. Teachers’ rigorous monitoring and tracking of progress ensure that they identify underachieving learners quickly and set clear and timely actions for improvement.  The quality of schemes of work and lesson plans in a minority of lessons requires improvement. In such cases, schemes contain limited planning to include a full range of assessment activities and do not develop subject content to ensure breadth, depth and challenge in learning. In a few lessons, teachers’ planning sometimes lacks a sharp focus on the precise skills that learners need to achieve and opportunities are missed to extend these skills.  In the majority of lessons, learners develop their knowledge and skills of health and care well and use relevant care sector language confidently because teachers link learning strongly to their workplace experience. For example, learners relate workplace observations to the Early Years Foundation Stage framework accurately; they identify health and safety issues astutely and follow the correct procedures to make work areas safe.  A minority of lessons are less successful. In these lessons, teachers over-direct and do not fully involve learners. They often provide examples rather than drawing on learners’ experiences from work placements. Additionally, teachers miss opportunities for directed questions to individual learners and as a result, do not check all learners’ understanding and knowledge sufficiently.  Learners have good attitudes to their study. They are motivated, enthusiastic and engage well in health and care activities such as exploring mental health issues. They enjoy their studies and find lessons interesting and exciting.  Learners successfully achieve and benefit from a wide range of additional subject-related qualifications. For example, they learn important skills in personal health awareness, first aid and money management through working towards extra qualifications, all of which enhance their employability.  Teachers support learners well in the development of their English and mathematics skills. They check spelling, punctuation and grammar regularly and promote peer assessment to support learners in developing and practising their skills and knowledge. Teachers frequently take advantage of opportunities to develop literacy and numeracy skills in lessons.  Aspects of assessment require improvement. Learners receive regular feedback but the quality of written feedback by teachers is too variable. While some provide written feedback of a high quality that clearly informs learners what they need to do to improve their work, others provide only cursory comments.  Learners benefit from effective tutorials which provide frequent opportunities to review the progress they are making. Staff provide good information, advice and guidance including about future destinations in the care sector. On completing their qualifications, a high proportion of Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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learners move successfully into higher-level programmes, related employment or apprenticeships.  The promotion of equality and diversity and learners’ knowledge and understanding of these topics are good. For example, in one lesson a learning activity powerfully challenged perceptions about stereotyping and provided learners with very good opportunities to discuss their own views and opinions on this topic. Teachers challenge learners’ views well regarding diversity in order to develop learners’ deeper understanding.

Science Mathematics and statistics

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good  The large majority of teaching, learning and assessment is good but a minority requires further improvement. The impact of good teaching is evident in the above average success rates on science courses; however, this is not the case in mathematics where success rates are broadly average.  Most teachers plan lessons well to ensure learners participate fully and make good progress. Learners enjoy and benefit from contributing to discussions and group work, particularly in laboratory-based practical lessons. Accordingly, learners develop good science-based skills, such as data handling in subjects like biology. Teachers give health and safety a high priority and consequently learners adopt safe working practice in lessons.  The structured building of learners’ science and mathematics knowledge and understanding over time is evident in teachers’ schemes of work that comprehensively plan for learning and assessment activities over the duration of the course. However, a few schemes of work are inadequate, containing little more than a list of topics and insufficient structure to support clear systematic learning.  In the minority of less effective lessons, teachers do not challenge learners enough. The work set is undemanding and this slows the pace and momentum of learning. Teachers occasionally miss opportunities to promote issues relating to equality and diversity during lessons.  Teachers use assessment regularly and thoroughly to support learning. They provide detailed feedback which ensures learners know exactly what they have achieved and what they need to do in order to improve further. The mathematical and science subject content on the college’s virtual learning environment is still developing; nevertheless, learners and staff use this resource well to prepare for lessons.  Teachers and personal tutors support learners well and monitor their progress carefully. On a few courses, such as advanced level mathematics, extra well-attended workshops are available to help extend and reinforce learners’ understanding. Learners know how to get help and many benefit from the extra support provided.  The ambitious target grades set by teachers contribute positively to the good progress learners make. Subject teachers record learners’ progress electronically and this information is monitored carefully by personal tutors who help to keep learners on target. Any learners who fall behind with their work, or whose attendance is low, receive prompt and effective individual support to help them catch up quickly.  Advice and guidance are good. Clear entry requirements help to ensure learners enrol to the correct course and level of study. Teachers provide good guidance about university applications and often hold extra activities, such as mock interviews, to build learners’ self-confidence and Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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prepare them well for entering higher levels of education. The support provided to learners to find relevant and bespoke work experience is good.  Most learners progress successfully onto higher-level courses. Nearly half of learners on the medical access course last year gained entry to medical colleges and learners’ rates of progression from other advanced level courses are high. Most of the remaining learners go into employment and a few remain within further education. Learners’ progression through the levels of study within the college is good.

Engineering Motor Vehicle

Apprenticeships Other work based learning

Good  Good training and assessment mean that a higher than average proportion of motor vehicle and engineering apprentices complete their qualification in the time allocated, as shown by their high success rates. Skilled, enthusiastic staff share their knowledge and experience well to increase apprentices’ skills and attainment beyond the minimum expectations of the qualification.  Staff set high expectations and apprentices learn very effectively from the good teaching of practical topics and thorough skills-based assessment. Comprehensive practical workshop sessions combined with frequent work-place assessments enable apprentices to attain a good, and sometimes very good, level of subject knowledge and practical skill over the duration of the programme.  Teachers and assessors use questioning techniques, observation and discussion very well and successfully develop and extend learners’ understanding. For example, engineering apprentices use computer numerically controlled factory machinery to professional standards and motor vehicle apprentices diagnose faults and problems using complex electronic equipment. Welding apprentices produce highly accurate templates to enable them to fabricate metals proficiently.  In most practical lessons, teachers make strong links between theory and practice to reinforce learners’ theoretical knowledge. In a minority of theory lessons however, teachers do not plan well enough to stretch the more able apprentices or support less able learners sufficiently. These theory lessons do not always encourage apprentices to participate fully and teachers miss opportunities to link theory to recent practical activity.  Assessment is good, both in practical lessons and within the workplace. Employers actively participate in the production of well-planned assessment schedules and progress reviews to ensure apprentices’ learn and develop skills that align closely to their business and operational needs. Staff use progress reviews well to reinforce learning and knowledge and carefully assess the progress learners are making.  Apprentices benefit from a thorough initial assessment to ascertain their prior attainment and where required, they receive additional learning support quickly. Progress reviewers, teachers, employers and assessors communicate well to make sure any additional support is comprehensive and carefully planned. As a result, apprentices in receipt of additional support often make exceptional progress.  Staff provide encouraging and clear verbal feedback that informs apprentices of what they have achieved and what they can improve further. Workplace assessors’ use verbal feedback well to set detailed and ambitious targets for improvement and this helps apprentices gain a firm knowledge and understanding of their industry.  Written feedback on apprentices’ theory work is insufficiently detailed. Teachers written comments on learners’ work are often too general and tend to focus on achieving the minimum Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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level of knowledge to meet the course standards. As a result, teachers sometimes miss opportunities to direct and deepen apprentices’ theoretical knowledge.  Teachers develop apprentices’ mathematical skills particularly well in practical lessons and in the workplace. Advanced apprentices develop their mathematics skills further through specific applied numeracy lessons and by applying complex formulas or by operating very specialist machinery processes in the workplace. While teachers constantly reinforce learners’ mathematical skills, they do not focus sufficiently on improving apprentices’ spelling, punctuation or grammar.  Staff provide good initial advice and guidance that ensures apprentices are placed on the correct courses and at the right levels. Learners’ attendance is good and employers are fully involved in monitoring and where appropriate, chasing up attendance. Apprentices are aware of progression routes available to them and receive clear and timely information about next steps into employment or education.  The promotion of equality and diversity requires improvement. Apprentices recognise equality and diversity themes, but too many demonstrate a limited understanding. A culture of mutual respect exists between apprentices and staff, however teachers and progress reviewers miss opportunities in lessons and workplace assessments to emphasise equality themes and widen apprentices’ understanding.

Sport Public Services

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good  Teaching learning and assessment in sport and uniformed services are good. These have contributed to the high success rates on many courses, particularly in 2011/12. Learners enjoy their lessons and the majority make good progress. Attendance is good and standards of behaviour are very good.  Teachers plan and manage most lessons well, ensuring learners’ engagement through a variety of interesting tasks and activities. Staff use directed questions effectively to check learners’ understanding of the subject matter. Learners are enthusiastic about their subject and emulate the high expectations placed on them by teachers. Teachers are well qualified and maintain their subject knowledge through regular professional development.  In a minority of lessons where learning is less effective, teachers do not always adequately plan to extend the ability and knowledge of the most able learners. In these lessons, the development of learners’ self-evaluation and critical analysis skills requires improvement to enable them to achieve higher-level skills more rapidly.  Very good links with employers exist, helping to improve learning activities and the acquisition of learners’ vocational skills. For example, in public services, an excellent variety of serving members of the uniformed services, such as the police and fire service, regularly attend the college as guest speakers and their input benefits learners’ understanding of the world of work.  Learners are motivated to learn and show high levels of enthusiasm during sessions. Learners work diligently on individual and team tasks and frequently volunteer answers during teacher directed discussions.  Resources are of good quality and are used effectively to enhance learning. The relocation of facilities to the local sports centre in King’s Lynn has brought about significant benefits to learners who are able to access a wide array of modern sports equipment to support their career aspirations. Resources include a sports science lab and numerous specialist sports halls Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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and learners are encouraged to use the facilities to enhance their leadership skills, for example by leading group sport sessions for their peers during breaks.  The development of learners’ English, mathematics and functional skills is good. Teachers correct grammar and spelling errors in marked work and learners use this feedback as a mechanism for improving their grades. Teachers use professional uniformed services recruitment selection tests effectively to motivate learners and help them consider and prepare for their future career choices.  Learners receive good guidance and advice regarding their next steps in education and/or work. In a sports tutorial, learners focused on their preferred career choices and considered in detail the skills and abilities they needed to achieve their desired job role. They debated and evaluated the pros and cons of different career paths maturely and articulately.  The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The management of diversity is integrated into learners’ courses and the teaching of the subject is stimulating. For example, sports learners had their awareness of disability heightened by being involved directly in the planning and implementation of a sports day involving children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

Visual arts

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good  Teachers set high expectations for their learners in most lessons. As a result, the number of learners who successfully pass their qualifications is high, although historically few learners have achieved high grades. In 2011/12, most success rates were broadly average because too many learners withdrew from their course. The college’s in-year data show many more learners remain on their programmes of study than at the same point last year.  Most teachers plan their lessons well and this contributes to the good progress most learners make. Lessons include varied, interesting tasks, which stimulate learners’ creative imagination and they enjoy opportunities to experiment with a wide variety of media including clay, photography, sculpture, and screen-printing. Lessons include numerous fun activities such as games and quizzes. Learners are well motivated and work enthusiastically in the majority of lessons.  The overall quality of assessment requires improvement. Assessment is thorough on most foundation and intermediate courses. On advanced level programmes however, teachers often assess too frequently leading to learners producing high quantities of work but with insufficient focus on the quality of the work produced. In a few cases teachers mark learners work too harshly which has resulted in some learners being graded merit when they may have been graded a distinction.  Teachers’ monitoring of learners’ progress against their targets grades has improved significantly this year and is good with most learners currently on schedule to achieve merits or distinctions. Good use is made of drawing, textile, and graphics master classes to underpin the development of learners’ core art and design skills. In a minority of advanced level lessons however, teachers do not always challenge and inspire the most able learners to achieve higher grades.  Functional skills lessons are effective at helping learners to develop good writing skills and use mathematics with confidence, for example when budgeting for creative projects. Learners benefit from opportunities to learn about work-related skills such as how to apply for jobs in the art and design sector and tips on how to succeed in interviews.  Learners produce work of a high quality and in fashion, 3D and graphics, the quality of learners’ work is often outstanding. Teachers work hard to ensure that learners achieve professional skills Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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and gain confidence. Inspiring displays of learners’ work in fashion, jewellery, fine art and photography are exhibited throughout college to a high standard. Several learners achieve success in national competitions.  Teachers and learners make good use of information learning technologies to enhance learning. For example, teachers often use computers to present interesting visual examples of art and design work and to spark debate in lessons and learners frequently upload digital photographs of their work and submit graphics assignments electronically.  Support for learners is very good, leading to significantly improved attendance this year. Teachers and support staff prepare learners well for their next steps in education, training or employment. In 2011/12, more than half of advanced level learners in art and design progressed successfully onto higher education.  The promotion of equality and diversity and safeguarding in lessons is good. Teachers integrate equality issues and safe working practices well into their planning of lessons. Learners’ enhance their awareness of diversity through their study in contextual studies and practical lessons of art and design from many cultures. Several learners complete projects covering pertinent topics covering gender and disability issues.

ESOL Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment on ESOL courses are good. This correlates with the significant increase in retention and very high success rates in 2011/12. Assessment of learners’ work is frequent and provides helpful feedback on how learners can improve their language skills.  Learners make good progress in speaking and listening. For example, well-structured enrichment activities, including visits to restaurants and residential trips, enable learners to practise and reinforce their language skills. Learners’ significantly improve their confidence and develop their social networks in these settings. Following these visits, learners are encouraged to write about their experiences, enabling them to improve their written skills, spelling and punctuation further.  Lessons for full-time ESOL learners in personal and social skills are mostly good. Teachers use a wide variety of teaching methods, including interactive whiteboards and fun practical activities, well to support learning. For example, one teacher used a game of snakes and ladders to extend learners’ knowledge in grammar. However, in a few lessons teachers miss opportunities to enable learners to apply their newly acquired English skills in topics such as mathematics, which would help give learning greater context.  Teachers’ planning of lessons is good overall, enabling learners to build on their language skills and increase their confidence week on week. However, in a small minority of lessons, particularly those with very mixed ability groups, learners tend to work on similar tasks directed at learners of middling ability. As a result, the more able learners are not always challenged enough to reach their potential and less able learners sometimes find the tasks too difficult.  Personal support for learners is very effective. Teachers and support staff provide comprehensive guidance to learners, including advice with housing and money problems. Specialist support agencies visit lessons to provide advice and guidance to learners on matters such as personal health and preparation for employment. For example, visits by employers provide learners with a good insight into what employers look for in prospective employees.  Teachers’ recording and review of learners’ progress requires improvement. The college’s online progress tracking system, designed to capture and measure learners’ progress over time is not Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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yet fully established in the ESOL department. As a result, teachers do not effectively record all steps in learning and/or progress made by ESOL learners.  Teachers ensure lessons celebrate learners’ diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences well. Organised events that celebrate foods and festivals from around the world help to extend learners’ English skills. Teachers select learning materials carefully to match different backgrounds and experiences effectively. Course timetables enable part-time employed learners the opportunity to attend sessions at different times to accommodate their shift work.

The effectiveness of leadership and management

Good

 The leadership team, including governors have steered the college well through a period of severe financial restraint resulting from the collapse of the FE capital grant process. Following several restructurings to reduce its cost base, the college is a very lean and efficient organisation.  Remaining inconsistencies in a few curriculum areas, high staff workloads and absenteeism represent on-going challenges. Despite these, there have been marked improvements in the quality of teaching and learning and success rate performance alongside vital improvements to accommodation at all college sites.  Aspirations are high and most targets, for both the college and its learners, are ambitious. The college has met most of its targets in recent years, but has a shortfall in current recruitment of 16 to 18 year olds. The significant improvement in the availability of ‘real time’ data within curriculum areas has been a key factor in the strongly positive trend in success rates.  The governing body monitors the college’s financial position very effectively. They provide excellent support and challenge in relation to key strategic decisions such as the outsourcing of information technology service. Managers recognise that the current form of reporting on learner outcomes to the governing body lacks sufficient detail to enable governors to review the academic performance of the college as rigorously as they might.  Managers use a wide range of performance management processes successfully to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Managers tackle underperformance promptly through support and development or, when appropriate, capability procedures. Annual performance reviews of staff provide a good evaluation of teachers’ wider role but currently pay too little attention to the quality of their teaching and assessment. Staff development now focuses more strongly on teaching and learning, contributing to better outcomes such as the improved review and tracking of learners’ progress.  The refreshed teaching, learning and assessment policy provides a sound set of principles to underpin the continued improvement of teaching and learning. Despite steady progress, this strategic priority would benefit from more inspirational leadership. Too many internal lesson observations still focus on the teaching rather than the quality of learning which undermines the reliability of the college’s grade profile as a quality measure.  Curriculum areas are increasingly taking advantage of the good opportunities to share good practice. The college leads a peer review group with five other colleges and uses the opportunities this presents well to share good practice.  Since its introduction two years ago, the college’s Learning Practice unit has become an effective resource for supporting improvements in teaching and learning and course management, especially when intervention is needed to address specific weaknesses. Good use is made of a coaching system, drawing on a pool of 30 trained in-house coaches, to support staff to improve their curriculum and operational management.  Quality improvement processes underpin all aspects of the college’s engagement with learners. Managers are adept at identifying areas in need of improvement and targeted quality improvement interventions have proved very effective in securing, sometimes rapidly, notable improvements in individual course performance and specific curriculum management teams. Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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 While curriculum management has improved notably, in a few areas too much inconsistency remains in the implementation of quality assurance processes, such as the use of course reviews. The management of work-based learning provision is very good and there is thorough quality assurance of sub-contracted provision.  Self-assessment procedures are well established. Self-assessment reports are broadly accurate in terms of overall judgements and set specific and measurable targets for improvement. Inspectors agreed with most but not all of the grades awarded. The self-assessment report seeks to be self-critical and incorporates learners’ views well. A few reports use data selectively to paint too positive a picture and insufficient use is made of national averages to compare performance with similar colleges.  The strategic plan focuses strongly and straightforwardly on learners. Its ambitions align well with government priorities. The college contributes very productively to local and regional strategic groups and economic development agencies. Programme managers are responsive in extending the curriculum when they see opportunities to introduce courses that provide the skills for emerging or changing occupational roles within the Eastern region.  The sponsorship of academy schools, the significant growth in apprenticeships for those aged 16 to 18 and the wide range of bespoke training programmes developed for companies are evidence of the college’s excellent partnership work with schools, local authorities and employers.  The college has effectively widened participation for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds and/or for those might otherwise not enter into education. Aspects of equality and diversity are effective. For example, the college has successfully narrowed the gap in achievement between most groups of learners and notably reduced variations in success rates across college sites. However, some aspects of equality and diversity, such as the analysis of learner surveys to indicate any inequalities in the experience of different groups, are underdeveloped. The college’s promotion of diversity, including towards Black and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups, is adequate but lacks imagination.  The college meets all essential legal requirements in respect of safeguarding. It deals with reported incidents of bullying appropriately and the overwhelming majority of learners feel safe at the college. Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) The College of West Anglia

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

Health and social care Early years and playwork Science Mathematics and statistics Engineering Motor Vehicle Sport Public Services Visual Arts ESOL

Provider details

The College of West Anglia

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Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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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: 5,032 Part-time: 6,479

Principal/CEO

David Pomfret

Date of previous inspection

November 2007

Website address

http://www.cwa.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

704 86 983 120 1,574 357

Part-time

154 973 96 1,315 45 539 0 0 0 68

Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 280 19+ 238 16-18 166 19+ 276 16-18 19+ 0 0

Number of learners aged 14-16 Number of community learners Number of employability learners

476 617 199

Funding received from

Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

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

Learning Curve (JAA) Ltd

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 NCC Skills Ltd  Essex County Football Association (ECFA)  Waste Management Assessment Services  Huntingdonshire County Football Association

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 Norfolk Fire Service (Princes Trust). Premier Training International Inspection report: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 2013

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Additional socio-economic information

The College of West Anglia is a large general further education college in rural Norfolk and Cambridgeshire providing programmes in all 15 subject areas. The college has three main sites based in King’s Lynn, the Isle campus in Wisbech and the Cambridge campus in Milton, Cambridge and a number of smaller community venues around Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Most full-time learners are enrolled on intermediate and advanced level programmes. The college draws a significant number of learners from areas of high deprivation. The proportion of pupils attaining five or more GCSEs at A* to C including English and mathematics in local schools is below the national average. Around 12% of the learners are of minority ethnic heritage, higher than that in the local population.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Deborah Vaughan-Jenkins HMI

Three of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and six additional inspectors, assisted by the head of organisational development and 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: The College of West Anglia, 14–18 January 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 '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