The College of West Anglia Ofsted Report

Full report

Information about the provider

• The College of West Anglia is a large general further education college in rural Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, providing programmes in all 15 sector subject areas. The college provides learning across several sites in King’s Lynn, Wisbech and Cambridge and also in a number of smaller community venues around Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Just under a half of all learners reside in the King’s Lynn area. The college also serves rural areas of Norfolk and north Cambridgeshire that include 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. More people of working age are employed than nationally. A far smaller proportion of the local population is educated to levels 3 and 4 than nationally.

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

• Improve teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that:
  • teachers promote high expectations of what their learners can achieve and that they set demanding work that challenges learners to make good progress
  • teachers use all assessment information on learners to plan teaching, learning and assessment that challenges them to make the progress of which they are capable
  • teachers set and review precise targets that enable their learners to improve the standards of their work, accelerate their progress and achieve to the best of their abilities
  • teachers plan theory work that improves learners’ higher-level thinking skills, enables them to understand and apply theory confidently and routinely produce high-quality written work
  • teachers of English and mathematics improve their teaching, identify learners’ skills gaps accurately and ensure that learners consolidate their understanding and excel through honing the required techniques and approaches in lessons and through independent work.
• Improve learners’ attendance by monitoring absence closely and intervening effectively to follow up absenteeism.
• Leaders and managers should accelerate the rate of improvement by ensuring that self-assessment and quality improvement processes focus specifically on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and their impact on learners’ progress and outcomes; and that swift interventions take place where standards of teaching are not high and where learners’ progress is not good.
• Leaders and managers should collect and utilise robust data that enables them to monitor effectively and understand precisely the progress all learners are making.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders, managers and governors are ambitious for all learners and apprentices but they have not secured sufficient improvement to ensure that outcomes for all groups of learners are good or better. Apprenticeships provision is outstanding, but too many learners enrolled on study programmes or adult learning courses do not make the progress of which they are capable. In 2015/16, the proportion of learners of all ages who successfully completed their courses declined and was below that nationally.
• Although leaders identify accurately a number of key areas of underperformance and plan actions to improve these, they have not secured sufficiently swift progress in too many. For example, in 2015/16, English and mathematics courses comprised almost four tenths of all provision, but too many learners did not improve their skills sufficiently. In order to rectify this concern, leaders have changed timetables to suit the needs of learners and implemented an innovative method to rectify the shortage of English and mathematics teachers. However, too many learners continue to make insufficient progress in these subjects in the current year. Teaching, learning and assessment are not good across the majority of study programmes and adult learning provision.
• Leaders have not ensured that all quality assurance processes are rigorous and focus accurately on the impact of teachers’ practice on learning; as a result, the weaknesses in provision such as A-level programmes are not improving sufficiently. Leaders ensure that the observation of teachers’ practice is a fundamental part of the performance management of teaching staff, but it is not used well enough to improve teaching. Too many observations focus narrowly on a limited aspect of teaching rather than learners’ progress and outcomes. In too many subjects, observers judge a high proportion of teachers’ practice to be good or better when too many learners do not achieve or make good progress. Not enough managers make sufficient use of the findings from ‘learning walks’ through lessons that focus on key learning principles to improve teaching, learning and assessment.
• Leaders and managers ensure that subcontracted provision is of good quality. Through good management and excellent levels of communication and support, leaders and managers ensure that subcontractors understand fully the need to meet the expected high-quality standards. Leaders terminate any subcontracted provision that fails to improve to required expectations.
• Leaders do not ensure that the self-assessment process is suitably rigorous. Too many self-assessment reports do not focus sufficiently on the impact on learners. For example, the self-assessment report for teaching, learning and assessment does not include any reference to the characteristics of teaching, learning and assessment; it fails to question why, in too many subjects, high proportions of practice are judged to be good or better when outcomes for learners are not good. The self-assessment report for governance includes very few references to learners’ outcomes and pays scant attention to the impact of actions designed to improve the proportion of learners who achieve their qualifications. Too many leaders’ and managers’ action plans do not contain sufficient focus on improving teaching, learning and assessment.
• Leaders’ self-assessment and recent ‘position paper’ on English and mathematics provision do not analyse sharply the weaknesses that have resulted in low achievement on too many courses; leaders make little reference to teaching, learning and assessment or the very low attendance in 2015/16 and in the current year.
• Leaders and managers have established outstanding apprenticeships provision through often innovative and comprehensive working partnerships with employers that create high-quality bespoke apprenticeships. For example, the college is a regional niche provider of apprenticeships in industries involving polymers and nuclear waste.
• Leaders have established highly effective partnership working with a host of employers, local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), higher education organisations, voluntary sector agencies and local authorities. This has resulted in a well-planned and diverse range of provision across a wide expanse of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire that provides learners with clear pathways to progress from entry to degree level. For example, through highly productive partnership working between leaders and managers of the college and the local authority, learners studying sports and leisure subjects improve their understanding of the demands of the sports and leisure sector by both studying and working in a multi-complex sports centre facility in King’s Lynn. Over time, leaders have secured significant partnership funds to provide new learning programmes equipped with high-quality accommodation and resources to meet skills priorities in the region such as in the electro-technical sector.
• Leaders and managers do not use assessment information to effectively track the progress of learners and to target suitable intervention and support. The monitoring of apprentices’ progress and of learners studying health and social care is effective and enables managers to put in place restorative actions swiftly, but this is not the case in other areas. Inconsistent approaches to the use of data make it difficult for leaders to hold subjects to account.
• Leaders ensure that provision for learners with high needs is well planned and has a clear focus on preparing them for independence. The progress of learners with high needs is carefully monitored and, as a consequence, the majority make good progress. In response to poor levels of achievement over time for learners with experience of local authority care, leaders have implemented revised processes that provide improved support and tracking of this group’s outcomes.
• Leaders and managers ensure that the large majority of staff promote equality of opportunity and diversity effectively; staff take up regular training that improves their understanding and confidence to promote adeptly a broad range of equality and diversity and safeguarding issues. Consequently, the college’s campuses are positive learning environments that exude tolerance and respect among learners and staff. However, too many learners do not have a good understanding of the importance of British values and the potential dangers posed by extremist groups.

The governance of the provider

• Governors hold leaders to account through the information contained in a range of reports submitted by leaders and managers on the performance of the college. However, information provided is not consistently accurate and, in instances, is over-optimistic. For example, at a governing body meeting in May 2016, leaders informed governors that a higher proportion of learners studying A-level programmes would make much improved progress against their starting points than in previous years; this was radically different from the actual progress of A-level learners in 2015/16, which continued to be poor for the large majority.
• Governors have a range of relevant experience and skills. Additional members of the governing body are currently being recruited to add further educational expertise. The large majority of governors play an active role in college life, including conducting learning walks through lessons of teachers’ practice.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding issues and keep arrangements under review appropriately. The college’s safeguarding team risk assesses potential vulnerabilities frequently and effectively. For example, procedures to ensure the safety of learners aged 14 to 16 who study part time are precise and regularly reviewed.
• Staff demonstrate high levels of vigilance and awareness of safeguarding processes and have a sound understanding of potential safeguarding issues that learners and apprentices may face. For example, teachers ensure that learners’ understanding of domestic abuse and mental health issues in relation to potential safeguarding concerns is thorough.
• Leaders are assiduous in ensuring that relevant child protection records are transferred from schools in a timely manner and, where appropriate, the information is acted upon as the young person enrols at the college.
• Learners and apprentices are safe and feel safe. Learners and apprentices are aware of whom to contact should they have a concern and/or wish to make a disclosure.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Too much teaching, learning and assessment is not good. Learners in subjects such as performing arts, engineering and early years make good progress and achieve their qualifications. Teachers’ and assessors’ use of high-quality assessment and coaching enables the large majority of apprentices to make very good progress. However, too many learners enrolled on study programmes and adult courses do not make the progress of which they are capable because teachers’ expectations of what they can achieve are too low.
• The majority of teachers and assessors plan their lessons effectively to challenge learners and apprentices to improve their practical skills well; they design practical tasks and activities that build on learners’ understanding, knowledge and skills. These teachers and assessors check learners’ understanding routinely using skilfully crafted questions to develop learners’ and apprentices’ practical skills effectively. In subjects such as catering, motor vehicle, engineering and animal care, teachers and assessors link subject content closely to the practical tasks learners undertake; they empower them to solve a broad range of demanding problems and transfer this learning to the workplace. For example, in an electrical engineering lesson, the teacher coached adeptly, using high-quality industry-standard resources to enable learners to install complex circuit boards correctly and swiftly.
• In contrast, the teaching of theory requires improvement. Most teachers do not plan activities that motivate learners to understand the relevance of theory by bringing theoretical concepts ‘to life’. Too much teaching in subjects – for example, English, mathematics, hairdressing, health and social care, and business studies – does not challenge learners to grasp theoretical concepts and apply these confidently. In too many lessons, teachers rely too much on worksheet activities that necessitate limited analysis and research and do not develop learners’ higher-level thinking skills sufficiently. Too many teachers do not plan activities and tasks that reinforce learners’ understanding of subject matter or challenge them to improve the standards of their written work. Not enough teachers promote the value of independent working to consolidate knowledge and skills. Too many teachers do not use questioning techniques to assess learners’ understanding or set additional tasks to challenge and extend their learning; as a result, learners do not accelerate their knowledge and skills and make the progress of which they are capable.
• At the start of courses, most teachers use the assessment information on their learners to record minimum and aspirational target grades and identify the gaps in their skills and knowledge. However, not enough teachers in subjects such as health and social care, English functional skills, public services and access to nursing use assessment information to plan learning that builds upon learners’ existing knowledge and skills. Too many teachers, particularly of courses at level 2 and level 3, plan the same tasks and activities for all learners. Consequently, too many learners are not challenged sufficiently; too often, the most able learners find the work set is too easy and they are not expected to excel.
• Assessors use target-setting extremely well to enable apprentices to expedite their progress; they review and monitor apprentices’ targets assiduously and coach them effectively to make good progress in achieving their next steps. Most teachers’ feedback is frequent but often perfunctory, and too much does not enable learners to understand fully how to make swift progress in their studies. The majority of teachers do not set learners demanding targets that enable them to improve the standards of their work. Not enough teachers review targets with learners effectively or often enough; as a result, while most learners are aware of their targets, too often they do not know sufficiently what they need do to achieve them. For example, too many learners studying A-level courses are not aware sufficiently of how they can improve and consolidate their learning in order to achieve high grades.
• The majority of teachers of high-needs provision plan challenging learning bespoke to learners’ needs; as a result, the majority of learners with high needs develop independent learning skills that will equip them effectively for their future life and work. For example, in a foundation studies lesson, the teacher challenged learners successfully to plan different day trips to a variety of destinations using public transport timetables and entrance prices of attractions; learners calculated accurate travel times and the exact costs that they would incur and presented this information back to their peers confidently.
• Teachers and learning coaches work collaboratively to provide good additional learning and pastoral support with younger learners who need extra support with their studies. As a consequence, a higher proportion of learners enrolled on study programmes remain in learning than in previous years. However, too many adult learners, particularly those studying on access to higher education courses, drop out of learning.
• Teachers broaden learners’ and apprentices’ understanding of the diverse range of races, cultures and faiths living and working in modern Britain by planning lessons that elicit learners to consider, discuss and reflect upon a host of contemporary issues, including gay rights, assisted suicide, mental health and the Paralympics. Most learners have recently completed learning modules that have improved learners’ awareness of online internet safety.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare

• Overall attendance has improved on previous years, but remains variable dependent on

Requires improvement

subject area and is too low in too many subjects. For example, it is high in public services, computer studies, sports and health and social care, but very low in mathematics and low in English and construction across all campuses and low in business studies on the campus at King’s Lynn. Not enough adults attend their lessons regularly; for example, attendance on access to higher education courses is too low. Too much of managers’ attendance monitoring does not lead to immediate interventions that follow up absenteeism rigorously.

• Apprentices’ practical skills development is outstanding. The standards of work that learners produce depend on how effectively their teachers challenge them to excel; most learners enrolled on study programmes make good progress in their practical skills development but not enough develop their higher-level thinking skills and deepen their knowledge, understanding and application of theory sufficiently.
• Not enough learners develop a good understanding of the world of work because not enough teachers reference relevant occupational standards or provide sufficient industry-specific contexts in their theory teaching. In the current year, leaders have plans to ensure that all learners on study programmes studying at levels 2 and 3 benefit from meaningful work experience that extends their understanding of the demands of employers. At the time of the inspection, just under a half of these learners have benefited from such opportunities. However, too often the gains learners make from work experience opportunities are not used to inform their learning in lessons and in their studies.
• Despite leaders’ and managers’ actions to improve English and mathematics provision, not enough learners improve their skills or appreciate the importance of these essential skills in helping them achieve their career aspirations.
• The large majority of learners benefit from an enrichment programme that includes guest speakers from a host of relevant organisations; taking part in trade skills competitions; charity fundraising events and visits to employers. As a result, these learners improve their personal, social and ethical knowledge and skills and understand their value in enabling them to develop the required attributes to secure purposeful employment.
• The large majority of learners benefit from a revised weekly tutorial programme that places good emphasis on ensuring that learners understand how to achieve their career goals. The majority of learners and apprentices acquire a good understanding of the diverse needs of different groups in society and the importance of tolerance and respect. However, too few learners have a good understanding of the importance of British values and the dangers of extremism.
• Learners and apprentices exhibit high levels of respect, tolerance and understanding with each other and with staff.
• Learners are safe, say that they feel safe and demonstrate a good awareness of safeguarding issues such as online safety, harassment and bullying. They know to whom and how to report their concerns if they do not feel safe. Apprentices have a good understanding of how health and safety issues relate to their job roles in the workplace.
• In order to improve the retention of learners and ensure that all leave the college to purposeful destinations, leaders have strengthened the provision of careers information, advice and guidance in the current year. The tutorial process and learner support services now ensure that learners and apprentices receive a greater level of pertinent information, at appropriate stages during the year, on their next steps or help with future career choices.

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

• In 2015/16, the proportion of both younger learners following study programmes and adults who successfully completed their courses declined and was below that nationally. In particular, too many learners studying courses at entry level and level 1 did not achieve.
• Just under a half of all younger learners study at level 3; most of this cohort enrol on vocational programmes. Since the previous inspection, the proportion of learners studying at level 3 who achieve higher grades has increased. Between 2013/14 and 2014/15, leaders ensured that more study programmes learners studying vocational courses made better progress to just below that of their peers with similar prior attainment in similar colleges. However, in the current year, not enough learners studying vocational courses make good progress when compared with their starting points and do not produce work routinely that is of a high standard.
• The proportion of apprentices who complete their programmes successfully has increased over time and is above that nationally. In 2015/16, a far higher proportion of apprentices completed within the agreed planned timescale than in similar colleges. The large majority of apprentices make excellent progress and, as a result, enhance their contribution in the workplace.
• Just under a tenth of all younger learners studying at level 3 are enrolled on A-level programmes; too few learners make the progress of which they are capable and too few achieve high grades. For example, in 2015/16, learners studying English at A level excelled but very few learners studying law or history made good progress.
• In 2015/16, the proportion of adults who achieved their qualifications declined and was below that nationally. This decline is most significant for learners studying courses at levels 1 and 3. Too many adult learners, particularly on non-accredited courses, do not make good progress.
• In 2015/16, English and mathematics qualifications comprised nearly four tenths of all qualifications studied by learners of all ages. In the current year, too many learners are not improving their English and mathematics skills sufficiently. Leaders’ data for 2015/16 indicates that too many learners studying English and mathematics functional skills courses did not achieve; conversely, the large majority of apprentices achieve their functional skills. In 2015/16, less than a fifth of all younger learners and a third of adults achieved GCSE grade passes at A* to C in mathematics. The majority of adults and just over two fifths of study programmes learners achieved high grades on their IGCSE English courses, above the low national average.
• Most groups of learners achieve at broadly equal rates. However, until recently, learners with experience of local authority care fared far worse than their peers. In the current year, leaders have strengthened the support and monitoring processes for this group and, as a result, far more learners are staying in learning.
• In 2014/15, around four fifths of all learners left to higher levels of learning, higher education or employment. However, leaders do not know the destinations of the remaining one fifth. In the current year, leaders have deployed more resources and are commissioning a private limited company to track the actual destinations of learners who left in 2015/16; just under four tenths of leavers remain unknown. The vast majority of apprentices continue in employment after completing their programmes.

Types of provision

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

• Currently 2,852 learners are enrolled on 16 to 19 study programmes, which represents just under a half of the college’s overall provision. Study programmes cover a broad range of subject areas and levels with the largest numbers of learners studying at level 3. A total of 65 learners enrolled on study programmes are aged 19 and are studying in their education ‘Year 14’.
• Leaders ensure that the principles of the study programme are being met. Learners who have not yet achieved a grade A* to C pass in English and mathematics are enrolled on appropriate courses. However, too many make slow progress in improving these essential skills. Too many learners on English and mathematics GCSE and functional skills courses do not achieve and make good progress.
• All learners studying at levels 2 and 3 have either taken up, or have planned, purposeful work experience. However, not enough teachers ensure that the learning from these opportunities informs subsequent teaching and assessment. Too many learners studying at entry level and level 1 are yet to benefit from planned opportunities to bolster their employability skills. An increasing proportion of learners with high needs improve their work-related skills because the effective supported internships programme works productively with local employers to provide purposeful job placements in industry.
• Leaders have recently improved the provision of information, advice and guidance for learners; as a result, most learners are able to make informed decisions about their next steps to achieving their career aspirations.
• Teaching is often at a higher standard in practical sessions such as in construction, where teachers enable learners to enjoy their learning and improve their practical vocational skills effectively. In these lessons, teachers challenge learners effectively and most learners demonstrate high levels of endeavour. Teachers place a good emphasis on relevant industry-specific contexts and the demands of the world of work; as a consequence, learners augment their understanding of professional occupational standards in the industry in which they aspire to work.
• In too many classroom-based lessons, teachers do not plan learning and assessment routinely that motivates and challenges all learners to grasp and apply theory confidently and excel. In these lessons, too many learners do not make good progress. Teachers’ feedback does not ensure that all learners understand what they need to do in order to improve their work. Too often, teachers plan learning that expects all learners to work at the same level on the same tasks at the same pace; as a consequence, the most able are not challenged to accelerate their learning and excel. Teachers do not maximise the time in lessons to enable these learners to realise their potential. Not enough teachers promote the value of independent study sufficiently to galvanise all learners to consolidate their knowledge and skills and make good progress.
• Not enough teachers plan to promote English and mathematics routinely in their vocational teaching; consequently, too many learners do not value the importance of these subjects or make the expected progress in developing their English and mathematics skills.
• Leaders and managers ensure that resources are of high quality and fully reflect industry practice effectively; state-of-the-art equipment and realistic work environments support teaching, learning and assessment well. In particular, resources in the college’s motor vehicle and land-based studies engender learners to make good gains in their practical vocational skills development.

Adult learning programmes Requires improvement

• A total of 1,048 adults are enrolled on a range of courses at all levels including English, mathematics, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), hairdressing, business studies and access to higher education. Just under 300 learners study on subcontractors’ provision. A small proportion of courses are non-accredited. The majority of adults study a range of subjects alongside learners aged 16 to 19.
• Leaders ensure that adult learning provision is responsive to local employers’ and communities’ priorities, for example providing ESOL courses for new migrants working in the region and working in partnership with the Prince’s Trust and a host of small voluntary sector organisations to promote ‘first steps’ learning opportunities in targeted areas of deprivation.
• Not enough learners attend their lessons frequently, and this limits the progress they make. Learners’ attendance on too many courses, including English GCSE, was too low during the inspection. In 2015/16, too many adults studying on access courses to higher education dropped out of learning. Managers have recently improved the quality of careers information, advice and guidance for adults, but the retention of learners remains a concern on nearly half of all access courses. Too many of these learners are not working at the required level to excel and progress to higher education.
• Where teaching and learning are effective, teachers take into account the needs and abilities of their learners and plan pertinent activities that challenge their learners to make good progress. For example, in an ESOL lesson, the teacher provided a series of demanding tasks using quizzes, paired work and independent learning that inspired learners to develop their English speaking and listening skills well. In stronger teaching, teachers use questioning techniques skilfully to challenge learners to think analytically, apply their reasoning to the topic and extend their understanding.
• Teachers rely too much on worksheets in lessons and, as a result, learners tire of repetitive tasks that often fail to challenge them to excel. Too many teachers use poor-quality resources and materials in their teaching, which inhibits learners’ understanding of how to improve their written English skills, particularly when the worksheets themselves contain errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation. Most teachers’ feedback to learners studying on access courses challenges them to develop their critical analysis skills effectively and improve the subject content of their work. However, too much of their feedback on learners’ written work fails to highlight poor structure and errors in their spelling and grammar. Consequently, not enough teachers enable these learners to improve the quality of their writing to ensure that it meets the academic standards required for study at higher levels.
• Teachers enable the majority of learners studying GCSE English to develop their English skills well; for example, learners were able to identify accurately how and why different authors had deployed a range of literary devices in particular sets of prose. However, in too many mathematics lessons, teachers do not check to ensure that learners understand fully and are able to problem-solve confidently before moving on to the next topic.
• Vocational teachers promote the value of English and mathematics effectively in practical lessons such as cookery and hairdressing; as a consequence, learners improve their English and mathematics skills and apply these fluently in vocational contexts.
• On all non-accredited courses and a minority of accredited courses, learners’ targets are too generic and often the same for many learners; they are insufficiently precise to enable learners to understand what they need to do to excel. For example, teachers set objectives such as ‘improve grammar’ or ‘increase confidence’. Teachers do not record and monitor learners’ progress and achievement; as a result, learners do not know what progress they are making.

Apprenticeships Outstanding

• At the time of inspection, there were 982 apprentices in learning; just over a half of all apprentices were aged 16 to 18. The college provides programmes in eight sector subject areas, with the most popular qualifications studied in engineering, manufacturing and construction subjects. Just over four tenths of all apprentices study at intermediate level, around a half at advanced level and the remainder at higher level. A minority of apprentices follow programmes with two subcontractors.
• Leaders ensure that the provision meets the principles and requirements of apprenticeships. Managers work very productively with local and regional employers to ensure that apprenticeships provision meets the needs and skills shortages of specialist industries very effectively. This includes designing specific bespoke programmes that ensure that the range and relevance of vocational units meet employers’ needs very well.
• Teachers and assessors use their considerable subject knowledge and expertise effectively to plan and provide high-quality practical teaching, learning and assessment. Teachers and assessors use questioning techniques skilfully to enable apprentices to understand subject content thoroughly; as a result, apprentices make outstanding progress in practical lessons. For example, in a lesson, electrical engineering apprentices studying at advanced level were able to problem-solve effectively by using programme logical controller simulation software adeptly. Apprentices following early years programmes at intermediate level articulated confidently and appropriately how they lead the practice fire evacuation procedure in nurseries.
• The large majority of apprentices make excellent progress in understanding the underpinning theory aligned to their practical skills development. However, a very few teachers do not challenge their apprentices sufficiently to master relevant concepts and principles swiftly and, as a result, a small minority of apprentices do not deepen their understanding of their subject. For example, in an engineering lesson, apprentices spent too much time copying the teacher’s notes from a board and were not challenged to apply this learning to problem-solve successfully.
• Assessors and training advisers coach and support apprentices very well in the workplace. Assessment practice is outstanding. Assessors and training advisers challenge thoroughly apprentices on their understanding of the subject. Most apprentices flourish through the assessment process and are inspired to accelerate their knowledge and skills; as a consequence, most excel and a high proportion progress swiftly to more complex work tasks. Employers play a full part in assessment and ensure that apprentices have regular supervision that enables them to be more effective in their job roles.
• Assessors and training advisers provide good-quality feedback to apprentices on their performance; they place good emphasis on ensuring that apprentices complete all their agreed actions prior to their next assessment or review visit. Target-setting is outstanding because it challenges apprentices successfully to do their very best and reach their potential; targets are recorded precisely, involve employers fully and are reviewed frequently. For example, horticulture and construction apprentices know exactly what they need to do to achieve their targets and how they can excel in their work; their employers know exactly how they can ensure that their work tasks are allocated to enable their apprentices to surpass their learning and assessment outcomes.
• Employers speak highly of the added value their apprentices provide to their businesses. Almost all apprentices remain in sustainable employment on completion of their programme. A majority of apprentices gain promotion or increased responsibilities, or achieve additional qualifications through courses as diverse as first aid at work, computer-aided design, welding or safeguarding young children and vulnerable adults.
• Most apprentices achieve their functional skills qualifications and improve their English and mathematics skills beyond the required level to complete their programme. However, a few teachers do not enable all apprentices to augment their skills sufficiently because they do not provide sufficient challenge in lessons; as a consequence, a small minority of apprentices do not make the progress of which they are capable. The large majority of apprentices apply their English and mathematics skills in their vocational subjects well. For example, in a motor vehicle lesson, apprentices at intermediate level recorded accurately a series of different electrical measurements in their practical tasks working on engines, and within a demanding timeframe.

Provider details

Unique reference number 130763 Type of provider General further education college Age range of learners Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 16+ 7,500 Principal/CEO David Pomfret Telephone number 01553 761144 Website www.cwa.ac.uk

Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 756 204 898 467 1131 442 0 0 Intermediate Advanced Higher 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 318 145 204 239 1 75 16–19 0 19+ 0 Total 0 Number of traineeships Number of learners aged 14 to 16 0 Number of learners for which the provider receives high-needs funding 113 Funding received from: Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors: Norfolk County Council Waste Management Assessment Services Ltd Premier Training international Ltd NCC Professional Ltd Solutions 4 Polymers Ltd Art Academy East Bodywork Company Cambridge Ltd

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of organisational development and quality, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspection team

Matt Vaughan, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Steve Hunsley Harpreet Nagra Andrew Fitt Kath Townsley Priscilla McGuire Alun Maddocks Stefan Fusenich Claire Griffin Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector