Shooters Hill Sixth Form College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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

 Raise levels of attendance overall and especially in English and mathematics at GCSE level and below. Devise well-considered actions to improve attendance and motivate students more in lessons.  Make teaching, learning and assessment more effective by:

− ensuring that all teachers use information on students to plan and teach lessons which meet the full range of students’ capabilities

− ensuring feedback to students is more specific and meaningful to them

− training teachers in how to promote and teach understanding of equality and appreciation of diversity in lessons.  Ensure that the process of self-assessment contributes more effectively to improving teaching, learning and assessment. Train managers to use the data on students’ outcomes more insightfully and effectively at course and curriculum level to improve teaching.  Review the process for observing teaching, learning and assessment to ensure that this improves teaching more swiftly.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Requires improvement  In 2012/13 the academy’s overall success rate improved again and is now approaching the national average for general further education colleges, reflecting its diverse curriculum. There is, however, significant variation between individual academic subjects and between vocational areas.  The vast majority of students who finish their courses achieve their qualifications. Retention of students on advanced level courses, although in line with local colleges offering a similar curriculum, is still not high enough. Retention of students on lower level courses is high, but not enough achieve their English and mathematics at GCSE grade A* to C before they leave.  Retention and attendance on the great majority of courses have improved due to swift and effective strategies to improve attendance and they are now good. However, attendance on English and mathematics GCSE courses is too low and punctuality on a few courses is poor.  The majority of students make good progress from low starting positions, particularly students on intermediate level courses who have very few or low level qualifications. On several advanced level courses, such as psychology, English language, the extended diplomas in art and design and information technology, students achieve higher grades from low starting points.  On many courses, where teaching is motivating and engaging, students consistently achieve well and produce very high standards of work. This is particularly the case in catering, sociology, humanities and art and design. In other areas the standards of work are more variable and do not match the high expectations of the academy.  The excellent attention, planning and direction provided for students with learning difficulties and disabilities have ensured consistently good outcomes for them; this includes good progression within the academy and to work after leaving it. During their time at the academy they develop good skills to help themselves become more independent.  Many students develop useful knowledge and additional skills through taking part in voluntary and charity work which helps them when they leave the academy. The many who participate in enrichment activity such as the Duke of Edinburgh programme acquire good personal, team-working, leadership and social skills. Inspection report: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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 Through a creative and highly engaging literacy campaign held across the campus, students are improving their reading and writing skills quickly. Students’ written responses demonstrate its impact. For example, many students were recently inspired to contribute work of high standard to the 100 word story competition, titled ‘A woman of inspiration’, launched in conjunction with International Women’s Day.  Over three quarters of students on advanced level and advanced-vocational programmes, progress to study at university. The academy’s curriculum of foundation and intermediate courses provides appropriate transition and progression routes for its many students who are not yet ready for advanced-level study. In addition to good development of life skills, many students with learning difficulties and disabilities achieve entry level qualifications including construction and catering.  Students’ behaviour is excellent and the students are very respectful of each other. They are polite and welcoming and use their leisure and spare time productively, taking part in recreational sport such as table tennis, badminton, chess and other games.  Senior managers robustly monitor the performance of the many different groups and ensure that no particular group does less well than others. Managers have been successful in making sure different groups perform and achieve as well as each other. For example, the difference between performance of female and male students has reduced significantly over the last two years.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Requires improvement  Teachers have high expectations of students, but these are not translated regularly enough into their teaching. Consequently, not enough students make the progress that enables them to get the grades they might achieve with more careful planning and purposeful teaching.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment varies much between courses in both academic and practical subjects. It is good and sometimes outstanding in, for example, catering and subjects such as history, sociology and psychology. However, in mathematics and construction, teaching, learning and assessment are not yet consistently good. Teaching on advanced level English courses is much better than teaching of English at lower levels where it is only adequate.  In the most successful lessons, well-planned teaching and assessment develop students’ thinking and study skills effectively. In these lessons teachers cater thoughtfully for all students through well-chosen activities. Students increase their subject knowledge and skills through carrying out practical tasks. For example, health and social care students gain a thorough understanding of risks in the workplace by carrying out a risk assessment of an ordinary kitchen compared with one designed for disabled people.  Other successful lessons are characterised by high levels of productive student participation and purposeful engagement. As a result, students make good progress and enjoy their learning. In effective revision lessons in humanities, students explain to each other essential terms and concepts under time constraints. In sociology, history and business studies lessons, students exchange key ideas quickly and constructively. Teachers skilfully link these to course assessment objectives, preparing the students well for their examinations or final assessment.  In less effective lessons, teachers’ planning and teaching concentrate too much on students in the middle grouping. As a result, the more able students lose interest because activities do not challenge them sufficiently. Lower achieving students struggle to complete work because it is too advanced and they become easily distracted.  Students do not always make the progress they might during group discussions or whole-class teaching, which are not managed carefully. The reliance on general questions without a clear purpose, often to the same students, does not develop knowledge sufficiently. The ineffective use of questions and discussion does not deepen understanding or engage all students. The result is unproductive use of time. Inspection report: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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 The excellent relationships between students and teachers greatly help teachers to manage the behaviour of students. These relationships and the sensitive understanding of students’ situations by teachers greatly contribute to calming students when difficulties arise.  On higher level courses, such as media and art and design, the excellent rapport accounts for some highly imaginative and excellent work. The inventive pieces on staircases and on a chair using solely recycled materials from the department illustrate the creativity teachers inspire.  Assessment and feedback on marked work vary from the highly helpful and informative to simple general encouragement. On a majority of courses, students receive detailed and helpful feedback, for example helping them to improve structure, content, analysis and evaluation. Students evaluate their own progress and receive clear targets for improvement from teachers. However, in a minority of areas, feedback is superficial with no detailed actions explaining how students can improve.  Not all teachers pay enough attention to developing students’ English and mathematical skills in lessons. In a minority of subjects, students receive detailed and constructive feedback on all aspects of their written English. However, in the majority of subjects, students’ work is not routinely corrected for spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. Teachers do not persistently enough look to improve students’ use of English.  Exceptional care and support contribute significantly to students completing their courses and developing good interpersonal and social skills. Good academic support and catch-up sessions ensure students stay on track with their work. External expertise is very well used. For example, workshops run by postgraduate students from local universities help students develop appropriate study skills.  ‘Personal progress tutors’ provide effective pastoral support, particularly to students identified as needing more assistance on vocational courses. They complement the work of tutors well. The tutors use well-chosen themes in tutorials during the year that develop students’ employability skills, attendance and achievement. More vulnerable students and those in public care receive intensive and effective support from the pastoral team and specialist external agencies. Managers and tutors act as role models and provide good mentoring for these students.  Students receive good advice and guidance before they start their courses. This continues during their courses and is helpful when they apply for higher education. On being assessed when they commence their courses, they receive challenging and motivating end-of-course target grades. Nevertheless, not enough teachers monitor and set suitably challenging shorter-term improvement goals, and therefore progress slows.  Learners with learning difficulties and disabilities are taught well. In common with the vast majority of students from many different backgrounds, they have a strong and positive sense of belonging. However, in lessons, not enough teachers promote understanding of equality and appreciation of diversity sufficiently, despite natural and appropriate opportunities.

Science and mathematics

16-19 study programmes

Requires improvement  Success rates are low for most A-level and GCSE courses and attendance on intermediate courses is low. However, success rates for the advanced vocational science courses are above the national average. Students on these courses, in particular, develop good practical and study skills. Several recently-introduced changes are starting to have an impact in improving teaching and learning.  The quality of teaching and assessment varies too much across subjects. In the more effective lessons, teachers maintain students’ interests well by using well-planned activities that engage and stretch them. For example, they organise students to create displays or question and assess each other on work they have prepared on mathematical problems. Inspection report: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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 A few teachers use interactive boards effectively to improve learning. For example, students in advanced vocational science develop their confidence and mathematical skills by taking turns using the board to check formulae against theories.  In less effective lessons, teachers do not manage the balance well between talking and giving information, question and answer activities and consolidation of learning. Checking of students’ understanding is limited and the ripple of low-level chatter of uninterested students distracts their peers. The result is that students do not use lesson time productively.  The environment, technology and resources for learning are good. Most classrooms display relevant subject vocabulary as well as diagrams, students’ work and posters. Displays that explain key ideas are eye-catching and link well to topics taught, such as laws of science in everyday use. Not enough teachers use these as aids, and to optimal effect, to support learning.  The majority of lessons in science develop students’ English adequately. Students identify key words and record the meanings, and in the more effective lessons their understanding is checked before they leave. Within mathematics, teachers are creating an extensive dictionary of mathematical terms to develop students’ understanding of the language of the subject.  In GCSE mathematics lessons, teachers do not use the information they have on students’ prior attainment in planning and teaching frequently enough. Their feedback is not precise enough to help students to improve and they do not motivate students to achieve their qualification.  Assessment practices within science and mathematics have improved this year. Formal assessment is now undertaken regularly at set times. Recording and monitoring of outcomes are now more systematic and given regularly to parents. Extra study support lessons help students who are underachieving. However, follow-up for the few students who do not attend is not effective.  All students are well supported by their teachers and their tutors in regular group and one-to-one tutorials. Extra help given by second year students to first year students benefits both. Additionally, mathematics post-graduate students from local universities work well with students and support their learning either as catch-up or extension activity.  Students receive good careers advice and help with applying to universities, apprenticeships or jobs. They are helped to find appropriate and relevant work experience. For example, a geology student found good work experience on a farm analysing soil samples and a prospective medical student worked with St John’s Ambulance and gained a first aid certificate. Graduates, past students and employers regularly visit the department and talk about their chosen careers.  Promotion of equality and diversity is weak. Teachers do not identify and develop equality and diversity themes during lessons. Schemes of work do not identify how relevant aspects can be integrated into topics. As a consequence, students’ wider learning and understanding within the context of science or mathematics is limited.

Construction

16-19 study programmes

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement, as reflected in the low success rates for most courses. However, the success rate on advanced level electro-technical programmes is high. Retention of students in 2013/14 has significantly improved and is now high. In spite of the careful attention of teachers and managers to improving students’ attendance, this is low compared to the academy’s target.  The most effective lessons are practical, where teachers use their vocational expertise well in linking theory to industry standards. This approach improves students’ work-related skills. For example, students in electro-technical lessons develop good understanding of electrical power through calculating the current required for household appliances. Inspection report: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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 In other successful lessons, students enjoy the ‘hands-on’ elements, develop good practical skills and produce work of a high standard. Carpentry students construct industry-standard dovetail joints and brickwork students build stretcher bond brick walls, having accurately interpreted their work specification diagrams.  In unproductive lessons, students do not have opportunities to practise or reinforce skills. These lessons are also less effective because the explanations of topics are often long or poorly presented. Students do not then have sufficient opportunities to explore or reinforce their understanding. They do not enjoy or learn enough in such lessons.  In other less effective lessons, teachers teach too much to the middle ability grouping. They do not provide or emphasise extension work for higher achieving students who become restless. Opportunities are limited for students to develop their own learning and study skills out of class using different resources and technologies.  Teachers give good, helpful verbal feedback. From this, students learn effectively. However, these constructive explanations are not carried through into written feedback and formal assessment frequently enough. Feedback is encouraging, but not precise enough to help students to improve. Teachers often do not develop students’ use of English and correct spelling and punctuation in written work.  Not enough students have regular progress reviews. Where reviews are completed, many targets are not specific enough to help students improve. In particular, they do not push high achieving students to reach their full potential.  Students profit from teachers’ close links with employers and their commitment to improving their employment prospects. Teachers organise a wide range of good work placements that enhance the students’ skills and understanding of working on construction sites. They also gain useful work experience in other ways, for example through renovating an academy building. Teachers ensure that students pay close attention to health and safety.  The vast majority of students receive good advice and guidance to ensure they make informed choices about their learning and employment goals. Teachers and additional support tutors effectively support students in practical lessons, which improves their skills and progress.  Teachers have excellent working relationships with students that greatly help if problems arise over issues of conduct, for example. They are very respectful of one another. However, actions to foster appreciation of equality and diversity in lessons and other learning have not been successful.

Foundation English

16-19 study programmes

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment for foundation level and GCSE English require improvement. Success rates and high grades for those taking English examinations are too low. Attendance at lessons is also low. However, outcomes for students with learning difficulties and disabilities are good. A significant proportion of these students progress to vocational courses and into employment.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is too variable. In the good and better lessons, teachers use their knowledge of students effectively. They plan and teach activities which improve students’ communication skills and make students more confident in reading, writing and presentation.  Students in more effective English lessons analyse written texts competently and confidently after the teacher has ensured they understand the content and context. They follow this up with drawing out the principles and ways to analyse and then apply these in their own work. The well-planned range of tasks reinforces learning very effectively, resulting in good skills development and increased confidence. Inspection report: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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 In other well-planned and successful lessons, students learn English in meaningful contexts. The achievement encourages them to learn more. For example, students with learning difficulties learn new language and communication skills while gardening and planting seeds. They learn to read vocabulary such as ‘compost’ and ‘trowel’ and how to write so that they can identify their own seedlings later.  In the less effective lessons, students become bored and do not concentrate because the content and materials of the lesson do not match their skills and needs. As a result, they do not always produce English work to the standard of which they are capable.  In other less successful lessons, a minority of teachers concentrate on identifying technical terms. They do not explain their use and fail to develop students’ ability to apply these in practice. When giving explanations, they answer their own questions without allowing students time to think and reply. Consequently, students lose interest and they do not attend.  The quality of assessment is too variable. Not enough teachers use the results of assessments carried out at the start of courses sufficiently well when they plan learning activities and prepare materials. Consequently, learning targets are vague and do not specify the language skills students need to develop. This affects the quality of learning especially for low and for high achievers. The recruitment of more specialist teachers has not had time to have sufficient impact.  The majority of teachers mark written work well and identify errors accurately, but their written feedback is not specific enough. As a result, students do not always know how to improve their work further.  Teachers and teaching assistants provide good support. They work well together in classes to help learners who have an identified need. Students with learning difficulties and disabilities receive excellent pastoral and learning support, both to promote well-being and personal and social development. These students also receive especially good advice and guidance on the development of work skills and progression into employment.  The inclusive learning team has created good opportunities for students to develop their English language and employability skills. Teachers use preparation for work experience effectively to help students to practise the use of English in the workplace. For example, in rehearsal interviews for jobs and in CV writing, they develop good oral and written communication skills.  Teachers and staff provide a friendly and safe environment. Students get on well together and treat each other fairly. However, there is insufficient active promotion of equality of opportunity in lessons.

The effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement  Experienced leaders and managers are highly committed to the comprehensive ideals and values of the academy. They are ambitious for the students and work hard in their interests. The Director, senior leaders and governors are vigorous champions for the inclusive character of the academy. They have been particularly effective in ensuring that all students feel welcome and stay safe. Their concerted efforts for students to progress to work and higher education have been successful, but actions to deliver rapid improvement of student qualifications have been less effective.  The direct and well-considered actions of leaders and managers to improve teaching, learning and assessment are starting to show clear impact. The observation of teaching and learning, closely allied to sound performance management of teachers, has raised standards in many courses. Improvement targets are challenging and realistic, but the achievement of these targets has not always been quick enough or critically evaluated. The effect is that the quality of teaching and outcomes for all students have not improved swiftly enough.  Professional development is regular and helpful. Teachers are improving their professional teaching skills and vocational practice through highly appropriate activities and resources. These include participation in external conferences and development activities. However, impact has Inspection report: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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been limited. Follow up to the activities is not sufficiently thorough in ensuring teachers put the training into practice. For example, training on using questioning techniques and planning for individual learning have not yet had impact on the full range of teaching and learning.  Self-assessment at senior level is good. It accurately identifies the areas for development and results in an appropriate quality improvement plan. Leaders and managers use their data judiciously and have good capacity to make the necessary improvements. Self-assessment at course level is less well developed in evaluating student outcomes and the features of teaching that are good, and those which require improvement.  Target setting for improvement has been effective in closing differences in achievement between different groups of students. Support is highly effective for those students whose personal circumstances might make it harder for them to succeed. This is improving attendance and has enabled higher numbers of students to stay in education.  The academy works very well with parents, employers and other stakeholders. Leaders and managers use their views sensibly to shape its curriculum and make improvements, for example in making changes to the timetable. Curriculum planning is well considered and results in a curriculum that adapts to employers’ needs quickly.  The academy has successfully introduced programmes of study, with strong attention to providing appropriate and well-planned work experience for the majority of students. Strong external careers guidance from prestigious companies complements the programmes well. For very many students this has been a good avenue to securing employment or apprenticeships.  The programmes of study provide a good range of choice, with specific progression routes for students. In particular, the academy meets the needs and interests of foundation level students and those with learning difficulties and disabilities very well.  The provision of English and mathematics qualifications does not adequately help a significant number of students. Students on vocational courses have been enrolled on English courses that many do not successfully complete. Teaching and assessment on lower level mathematics and English courses do not secure sufficiently high pass rates. Recent changes, however, to organisation and management of these areas are now starting to show improvements.  Governors and senior leaders ensure that their strong commitment to equality and diversity is taken seriously throughout the academy. Thought-provoking images and messages pervade the classrooms and corridors; these remind students and visitors of what people can achieve through persistence, talent and in the face of adversity.  The provider meets its statutory requirements for safeguarding learners. A strong and vigilant attention on safeguarding is maintained across the campus at all levels. Governors and senior management oversee this attentively and the approach is supported by all staff. Consequently, the very diverse range of students enjoys a campus which is safe and harmonious.

Inspection report: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus

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

3 3 3 Science and mathematics Building and construction Foundation English

Inspection report: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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Provider details Type of provider

16-19 academy

Age range of learners

16-18

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year

Full-time: 1262 Part-time: N/A

Principal/CEO

Mr Mark Vincent

Date of previous inspection

November 2009

Website address

www.shootershill.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

284

Part-time

- 2 - 325 - 7 -

Number of traineeships

16-19 19+ - -

575 71 - -

-

- - - -

Total

Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ - - - - - -

Number of learners aged 14-16

36 Full-time N/A Part-time 36

Number of community learners

N/A Number of employability learners N/A

Funding received from

Education Funding Agency (EFA)

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

Not applicable Inspection report: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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Contextual information

Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus was established in September 2002 and was one of the largest ‘school 6th forms’ in England and Wales. It was formally constituted as a ‘Post 16 Community School’, but is now a 16−19 academy. It aims to ‘provide the most effective, inclusive and engaging combination of the best practice found within school sixth forms, sixth form colleges and colleges of further education’. It provides a wide range of academic and vocational courses from foundation to advanced level. Shooters Hill serves an area with high levels of social deprivation from a diverse community. Over half of the student population is of minority ethnic heritage and about 37% of the students have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The majority of students come from lower income backgrounds and the proportion of those that were eligible for free school meals is significantly higher than the national average.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Peter Green HMI One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and five additional inspectors, assisted by the Assistant Director, Advanced Studies 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 parents; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant 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: Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, 29 April–2 May 2014

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What inspection judgements mean

Grade

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4

Judgement

Outstanding Good Requires improvement Inadequate Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Handbook for the inspection of further education and skills 2012, Part 2:

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/handbook-for-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills-september-2012

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

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

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