Shooters Hill Sixth Form College Ofsted Report

Full report

Information about the provider

• Shooters Hill Sixth Form College is located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The college serves an area of London with both some high levels of deprivation and pockets of affluence. The student community reflects the diverse range of ethnic groups in the local area.
• The college offers a broad range of vocational and academic programmes to approximately 1,200 students, the majority of whom are aged 16 to 19. A third of students are on advanced-level programmes with approximately two thirds of them studying vocational courses and a third studying A-level courses. The remainder of the students are evenly split between level 1 and level 2 vocational programmes.
• The college has 193 students in receipt of high needs funding of whom two thirds are on vocational study programmes and one third in discrete provision.

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

• Leaders and managers should improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by:
  • ensuring that students understand the learning objectives of lessons and check progress against them during and at the end of lessons
  • ensuring that students develop appropriate study skills that enable them to consolidate and recall their learning and be prepared for future lessons
  • ensuring that teachers make clear their expectations of learning support assistants so that students are supported well and make the progress of which they are capable.
• Leaders and managers should improve English and mathematics teaching to ensure that students make good progress and achieve their qualifications.
• Teachers should ensure that students improve their punctuality and arrive at lessons motivated and ready to learn.
• Managers should ensure that more students on study programmes develop appropriate work-related skills through an individualised approach to work-related learning and meaningful, external work experience.
• Managers should ensure that more students benefit from high-quality, impartial careers advice to inform their future career aims and aspirations.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Governors, leaders and managers have been slow to take action to remedy the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. A new chair of the governing body, appointed in March 2016, and further new governors appointed a new principal who took up post in September 2016 and who has acted rapidly to halt the declining standards. However, it is too soon to see a sustained improvement in learning and students’ outcomes.
• Leaders have a strong commitment to improving the English and mathematics skills of students and have taken actions to address weaknesses identified in the previous inspection report. While the management of English and mathematics has improved, too few students achieve their qualifications in these subjects.
• Managers have recently strengthened the quality improvement processes, through which they clearly identify areas for improvement. Leaders and managers monitor effectively the impact of improvement actions. Although managers have reversed the decline in student achievement in 2015/16, they have not improved standards quickly enough.
• Leaders’ own assessment of the college’s performance remains an area requiring improvement. Although leaders have a good understanding of the main strengths and weaknesses, much of the analysis is not detailed enough and managers do not make enough use of all data to identify specific reasons for strengths and weaknesses in order to secure future improvements. Managers’ oversight of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is much improved and is now accurate.
• Leaders and managers do not make good use of the information they gather on students’ next steps into further training, employment or higher education. The analysis of data is too cursory and does not provide managers with sufficient information to evaluate fully the impact of teaching and learning on students’ destinations.
• Independent careers advice and guidance available to students are insufficient. Managers have a clear focus on employment but the strategy for careers advice and guidance is at an early stage of implementation. Newly appointed staff are working well to implement comprehensive advice and guidance but it is too soon to measure the impact.
• Until the start of this year, managers have not had a comprehensive overview of how many students benefit from work-related activity. Managers have now revised the strategy to provide students with a more individualised approach to developing work-related skills, but not enough students have benefited from this.
• Managers have established effective partnerships within the local community that benefit students well. For example, improved work with local schools ensures that students have a good understanding of the college prior to joining. Students know the contributions they can make to improve the lives of others while learning to be tolerant and considerate.
• Leaders and managers respond exceptionally well to the views and concerns of students. They maintain the highly inclusive atmosphere that permeates the college and, through consultation with students, parents and employers, have agreed the principles that will guide and inform the future of the college.
• Performance management arrangements are strong. Managers use a broad range of measures to monitor the quality of learning and focus closely on the progress students make. Training and development, following on from observations of lessons, enable teachers to improve their practice. Managers have recently recruited well-qualified teachers to the subject areas where students’ outcomes have remained low.

The governance of the provider

• In the last 18 months, since the reformed governing body was established, governors have worked to secure the long-term financial health of the college and improve the persistent weaknesses reported in successive inspections. They are now beginning to make the improvements required.
• Governors, with the principal, have established a clear strategic direction for the college based on a careful analysis of local and regional skills needs. This clearly identifies the contribution the college will make to improve employment opportunities and life chances for young people in Greenwich.
• Governors’ scrutiny of the work of leaders and managers has improved and is now good. Governors are well informed and challenge managers appropriately and well. They have a good understanding of the college’s overall strengths and weaknesses.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Managers responsible for safeguarding students have a very good understanding of the potential risks to the safety and well-being of students at the college. For example, they use their detailed knowledge of local gangs’ known behaviour and criminal activity very effectively to inform staff and governor training. Staff are able to identify those students vulnerable to exploitation and protect them very effectively.
• Senior leaders’ and managers’ response to the ‘Prevent’ duty is effective and has a positive impact. They carry out their responsibilities towards implementing and maintaining the duty extremely well.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

• Too many teachers do not make clear to students the intended learning outcomes of lessons. They do not routinely summarise the learning points during or at the end of lessons, or check that students have acquired the relevant knowledge or skills. As a result, students are not well prepared for subsequent learning and do not understand what they were supposed to have learned.

Requires improvement

• Not enough teachers ensure that the range of activities they use, and the pace of learning, keep students enthused and engaged. As a result, a minority of students lose concentration during lessons and do not participate in learning. Too often, students do not respond readily to questions and discussion points from teachers and are not able to demonstrate their prior learning or the ability to apply their learning to new situations.
• On study programmes, teachers do not consistently make best use of learning support assistants (LSAs) in lessons. Where teachers provide clear guidance to LSAs, they help and support students to acquire and develop specialist vocational skills, for example in catering and electrical installation. A minority of teachers, however, do not identify clearly enough their expectations of the LSA and, as a result, the LSA’s activities do not support students effectively to make good progress in lessons.
• Teachers do not routinely provide feedback to students to help them develop their skills in English or mathematics, both in lessons or when providing feedback on marked work. For example, they do not always correct spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors. As a result, students are not aware of the need to rectify these. On occasions, teachers’ handouts and presentations also contain spelling and grammatical errors.
• Teachers do not ensure that students develop appropriate study skills, or help prepare them for more advanced studies. For example, despite requests from teachers, a minority of students make few or no notes during lessons. As a result, they do not have a suitable reference point from which to consolidate their learning.
• Teachers do not provide or ensure that students do sufficient work outside lessons to broaden or deepen their learning. Students on level 3 courses have good access to facilities and support as part of timetabled independent study time. Those who attend these sessions work effectively and make good use of their time. However, the take-up from students is low. Teachers are yet to promote consistently the online virtual learning environment, which is new this year, to further develop and enhance learning.
• In the minority of lessons, where teachers provide concise introductions to students and make it clear to them what they are going to learn, students participate well in learning and are motivated. For example, in an art lesson, following a stimulating and succinct introduction from the teacher, students worked enthusiastically and creatively to construct sculptures to act as habitats for insects.
• Teachers have good subject knowledge. Most are enthusiastic about their subject and, where appropriate, have relevant industry expertise. As a result, they are able to make learning meaningful. For example, in a health and social care lesson, the teacher encouraged students to reflect on the range of skills acquired by young children from playing with a variety of toys.
• The quality of teaching on programmes for students with high needs is good. Teachers use their assessment of students’ skills and abilities when they start their course well to plan learning and monitor the progress of individual students. Teachers and LSAs support students well to achieve their qualifications and develop their personal and social skills.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

• Students’ attendance in 2016/17 improved from the previous academic year. Early indications suggest that this improving trend is continuing and attendance at the time of the inspection was good. Teachers monitor attendance effectively and students understand the importance of good attendance to the achievement of their qualifications and their future careers. Students do not, however, routinely arrive at their lessons on time and a small minority do not arrive at lessons ready to learn. Too few teachers challenge students’ punctuality or have high enough expectations of them to come to lessons well prepared.
• Too many students do not have opportunities for relevant work experience so do not develop a good enough understanding of the occupational areas in which they plan to work. In a minority of subjects, students benefit from external work-related learning. For example, make-up students were able to talk about work experience that supported their progression into employment. Plans to address this are in place but it is too early to judge the impact of managers’ new approach.
• Managers have ensured that independent careers advice and guidance are available to students at college, including those students with high needs who receive specialist support. However, the majority of students on study programmes do not know how to access this advice and too many students do not benefit from the impartial advice and guidance available.
• Teachers do not develop students’ English skills sufficiently in lessons and, as a result, students do not improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar quickly enough. Students with high needs develop good mathematical skills through practical situations such as ordering stock and calculating income in the college shop.
• Students behave well around the college and treat each other and staff with tolerance and respect. Students develop their confidence and self-esteem well while at college. They benefit from the inclusive culture that staff create at the college and feel confident to express their views and opinions to teachers and managers. For example, students successfully requested space for independent learning and a broader range of enrichment activities.
• Students feel safe in college. They have a good understanding of the risks associated within their local context, such as gangs, knife crime and risks associated with working online. They know how to keep themselves safe outside the college environment. Students are confident to disclose any concerns that they might have. They know where to report such concerns and feel that staff deal with any issues swiftly and effectively. Students are able to identify risks and indicators associated with radicalisation and extremism well.
• Many students achieve additional qualifications to support their progression into employment, such as the Community Sports Leader Award and courses in British Sign Language.
• Teachers develop students’ personal and social skills well. Students are aware of how to access support for a range of issues associated with their well-being and staff are well trained to support students. As a result, students who access support are able to remain on their programmes and achieve their qualifications.

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

• The proportion of students who achieve their qualifications has improved since the previous inspection, but too many students do not make sufficient progress from their starting points. There is too much variation in the progress of students in different subject areas. For example, students in English, mathematics and science do not make sufficient progress, while those in art and design and information and communication technology (ICT) make good progress.
• The majority of students on A-level courses make the progress expected of them and achieve their qualifications, but students on AS-level courses do not make good progress in relation to their starting points and achievement rates remain too low.
• Students on the majority of vocational programmes make good progress. They develop good practical and vocational skills that support them to progress to their chosen career or onto the next level of study. Achievement rates on diploma programmes at all levels have now improved and students achieve their qualifications well. Students with high needs achieve well and make good progress in their learning.
• The proportion of students making good or better progress in both English and mathematics is too low. The proportion of students achieving a grade 4 or above in GCSE English has improved but remains low. The proportion of students achieving a grade 4 or above in GCSE mathematics has declined and is poor. Too few students studying functional skills at levels 1 and 2 in both English and mathematics achieve their qualifications. Students taking entry-level qualifications achieve their functional skills well.
• Leaders and managers monitor the progress of different groups of students well, including vulnerable students. Managers’ interventions have led to previously identified achievement gaps being closed. For example, achievement rates for students in receipt of free school meals have improved and are now in line with those for other students. The number of students with English as a second language (ESOL) has increased year on year and they achieve at least as well as non-ESOL students. There are no identified achievement gaps between different groups of students.
• A large proportion of students continue their studies or progress into employment, with a small proportion gaining places at university or progressing onto an apprenticeship.

Requires improvement

A-level courses. Students enrolled on study programmes at levels 1 and 2 account for nearly two thirds of students. The largest subject areas are ICT, health and social care, media and science.

Types of provision

16 to 19 study programmes

• The college provides study programmes for almost 1,200 students on both vocational and
• The majority of teachers do not teach lessons sufficiently well to meet the needs of different students. Too often, students do the same work regardless of their starting points and abilities. Teachers do not make sure that students are cognisant of the skills and knowledge they are developing in lessons. Where teachers use questioning to assess learning, they do not do this well enough to check what students have learned, or to deepen or extend their learning. At the end of lessons, teachers do not provide students with sufficient time to reflect on or consolidate their learning.
• Too many teachers on vocational courses do not develop students’ relevant English skills effectively. Teachers do not consistently reinforce the meanings of key words or develop students’ spelling, punctuation or the correct use of grammar when opportunities arise in lessons. In a minority of curriculum areas such as media, the correction of spelling, punctuation and grammar is meticulous. In some subjects, including ICT and plumbing studies, students produce good standards of written work.
• In mathematics lessons, teachers do not ensure that students have time to practise their skills or ensure that they have a clear understanding of concepts prior to moving on to the next topic. Too often, teachers do not explain tasks clearly to enable students to start work quickly or to work independently. Teachers do not set additional activities for those who complete tasks early and, as a result, students become distracted.
• While considerably more students went on relevant external work placements in 2016/17 than in the previous year, the numbers remain too low. Students in subjects such as hairdressing, beauty therapy, health and social care, and sports gain relevant work-related skills from their work experience with employers. However, too many students in other subjects do not have the opportunity to do so.
• Teachers in most subject areas use external visits and guest speakers well to enhance learning. The majority of students on study programmes develop a clear understanding of their subject and good practical and technical skills, for example in arts, hospitality and catering, and make-up. In hospitality, students develop very high professional standards and behaviours, such as customer service skills in the restaurant and working to industry timings.

Provision for learners with high needs Good

• There are 193 students with high needs, of whom a third are on discrete programmes and the remaining two thirds are on study programmes across a range of vocational subjects and levels. All students are on programmes leading to qualifications.
• Leaders manage the provision for students with high needs well. A new manager, in place to make student transition from school to college more straightforward, has been effective in ensuring that staff support students well when they join the college. As a result, the number of vulnerable students leaving the college early has declined since this time last year.
• In discrete provision, teachers skilfully challenge students to develop and extend their knowledge and understanding. For example, teachers use well-organised activities to help students to distinguish between different types of food they need to eat and types of exercise to keep themselves healthy. Consequentially, students make good progress and achieve their qualifications.
• Teachers support students well to become more independent and develop their personal, social and life skills, including understanding personal care, budgeting and cooking. As a result, teachers prepare students well for their future lives.
• In discrete provision, teachers use a detailed analysis of students’ starting points including education, health and care plans, and assessment of English and mathematics skills, communication and social skills. Teachers use this information well to plan learning, set individual targets and monitor students’ progress.
• In the majority of study programmes, teachers help students with high needs well to develop personal and vocational skills that prepare them for future employment. In hairdressing, students learn how to cut and blow-dry hair in preparation for salon work and develop relevant customer care skills. The number of students with high needs who go on external work placements has increased since the previous inspection and is now high.
• In vocational areas, teachers do not use their assessment of students’ skills at the start of their course to plan individualised learning. As a result, they do not set challenging targets or monitor students’ progress well enough.
• Teachers in vocational subjects do not consistently utilise LSAs effectively to support students with high needs on study programmes. As a result, these students do not make the progress of which they are capable.
• Students’ attendance and punctuality require improvement. A small minority of students, both in discrete provision and within study programmes, do not attend enough lessons. Those students who arrive late at the beginning of lessons or after a break disrupt the learning of other students.

Provider details

Unique reference number 138966 Type of provider Sixth form college Age range of learners 16–18/19+ Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 1,140 Principal/CEO Mrs Janet Atkinson Telephone number 020 8319 9700 Website www.shootershill.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+ 399 8 352 3 436 35 0 0 Intermediate Advanced Higher 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 0 0 0 0 0 0 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 193 At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors:

Not applicable

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the vice-principal, 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

Lynda Brown, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Jules Steele Richard Moore Peter Nelson Kanwaljit Dhillon

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector