Lambeth College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Lambeth College, 8–12 December 2014 2 of 23

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

 Take urgent steps to ensure that industrial action does not continue to affect learners so they can be confident in the continuity of teaching and the likelihood of completing their qualifications successfully.  Increase the amount of good and outstanding teaching, learning and assessment through more opportunities to share good practice; a continued focus on maintaining the rigour of lesson observations; improved planning of lessons; and more detailed feedback to learners about what they need to do to improve their work.  Urgently improve attendance in all subject areas and learners’ appreciation of the need to arrive at lessons on time as an important part of developing their work readiness. Reinforce with teachers the importance of setting clear expectations about attendance and punctuality, including learners’ adherence to college rules.  Take advantage of the increasingly good relationships with local employers and companies involved in local regeneration projects to arrange work placements for learners so they can experience the commercial demands of the workplace.  Strengthen arrangements for quality improvement and performance management to raise standards in the significant number of subject areas where teaching, learning and assessment and outcomes for learners are not yet good.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners Inadequate  Three quarters of learners at the college are adults, the majority of whom are on part-time courses at level 1. The college provides study programmes for learners aged 16 to 18 at levels 1, 2 and 3. The numbers of apprentices are increasing, but they make up only a small proportion of the college’s learners. The highest numbers of enrolments are in health and social care, construction and on English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses.  Following the previous inspection, success rates increased rapidly, from a low base, contributing to a two-year trend of significant improvement in the numbers of learners achieving their qualifications. Despite this, success rates still required improvement at the end of 2012/13. After an encouraging start to 2013/14, during which retention was high, a prolonged period of industrial action at the end of the year adversely affected the performance of the college. Success rates declined and are low because too many learners aged 16 to 18 present at the time of the disruption failed to complete their qualifications; and the numbers of their adult counterparts who staff were able to retain until the end of their courses fell.  Staff successfully minimised the number of young people who left the college during the disruption. Similarly, the proportion of adult learners who remained after the industrial action and who then achieved their qualification only declined marginally from the previous year. A significant number of teachers in subjects such as science and health and social care worked tirelessly throughout the holiday period after the industrial action and into the current academic year to help learners complete their studies successfully.  Success rates are particularly low for learners aged 16 to 18 on study programmes at level 2 and for adults on courses at levels 1 and 3. At level 2, the proportion of adults who achieve their qualifications is much better, but still requires improvement, as is the case for learners aged 16 to 18 on study programmes at level 3. Success rates in a small number of subject areas improved over the past year despite the disruptions, including health and social care, early years, construction and information and communication technology (ICT). However, they

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declined in the majority of subject areas and are particularly low in, for example, sport, performing arts and media.  In 2014/15, to date, very few learners have left their courses early. Success rates have started to improve and are high for learners who have completed their studies in subjects such as ESOL and accounting and for those who have enrolled on courses with the Prince’s Trust. Good partnership working with Jobcentre Plus and a range of different employers has helped significant numbers of formerly unemployed people back into work and enabled them to gain useful qualifications which enhance their employability.  Success rates for apprentices are inadequate. In 2012/13, learners in the workplace performed well. Numbers of apprentices completing their qualification in the timescale planned for them when they started their training were high, but subsequently declined in 2013/14 and are now low. While learners on intermediate apprenticeships in business administration achieve well and success rates are improving for construction apprentices, too few apprentices in health and social care, early years and electrical installation complete their training successfully.  Attendance at lessons is improving, but is still poor. It varies too much between different subject areas. Learners do not arrive on time in a significant minority of lessons. Learners feel safe around the college and behave well, both in lessons and in public areas. They are courteous and those who attend regularly evidently enjoy coming to college. Learners show great maturity in the ways in which they discuss challenging topics, listening carefully to each other’s views and showing respect for opinions that differ from their own.  The progress made by learners in different subjects is too variable and requires improvement. Learners in construction develop good, and sometimes outstanding, practical skills. Learners on courses for those with moderate or severe learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress, take pride in their achievements and learn to work independently. By contrast, the development of learners’ knowledge of theory requires improvement in both construction and engineering. Too many learners on business courses make slow progress in lessons. Very few learners on study programmes at level 2 or level 3 achieve high grades for their main qualification.  More than two thirds of learners aged 16 to 18 enrol at the college without GCSE English and mathematics qualifications at grades A* to C. The majority of learners who are subsequently successful in achieving high grades in GCSE mathematics at the college is in marked contrast to the very low proportion of learners who achieve grades A* to C in GCSE English. Success rates are high for adults on discrete functional skills courses. Learners perform well on functional skills courses in English and mathematics at levels 1 and 2 taught alongside their main studies. By contrast, their performance at entry level in both subjects requires improvement. Progression rates to higher-level functional skills or to GCSEs in English and mathematics and attendance at lessons are too inconsistent and require improvement.  Learners undertake work placements in very few subjects, although plans are well advanced in a number of curriculum areas to ensure they take part in work experience in the current year. Staff have developed a large number of very successful and imaginative enterprise activities, enabling learners to be involved in interesting and exciting projects such as the setting up of ‘pop-up shops’ and a bar selling smoothie drinks. These initiatives and others taking place outside the college help to raise learners’ confidence and aspirations and encourage learners to consider career opportunities that they might otherwise think are not available.  College managers have been successful for the most part in reducing differences in achievement between very diverse groups of learners. Male learners perform slightly worse than their female peers overall, but significantly so on courses at level 2, largely because of poor success rates in sport, public services and business. Young male learners from Black Caribbean communities have continued to achieve less successfully than their peers, as they did at the previous inspection. However, the difference in performance has reduced significantly as a result of the introduction of a range of very effective activities to fully understand and remedy the reasons for their lack of success. Learners identified as requiring additional learning support have performed much better than their peers for the past three years.

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 Success rates for learners who were formerly looked after children have improved over the past two years and are high. They are well above the college rate for learners aged 16 to 18 as a whole. Staff have been extremely successful in retaining almost all of the very large cohort of young learners in receipt of free school meals who enrolled at the college this year. Success rates for the small numbers of school pupils aged 14 to 16 who attend courses at the college require improvement, particularly in engineering.  Progression to further education, training or employment for learners is good despite the significant challenges faced by learners who completed their studies at the end of 2013/14. Managers have been successful in capturing data on the majority of learners’ destinations when learners leave the college. A high proportion of learners have a positive progression outcome, including into employment. Those aged 16 to 18 on study programmes progress well to higher level courses within the college. Learners with moderate and severe learning difficulties and/or disabilities progress to other courses, to supported employment and into voluntary work in local communities. By contrast, while the numbers of adults progressing to higher level courses have increased significantly over the past three years, they still require improvement. Progression to higher education is good in a very small number of subjects such as engineering, but too few learners on courses at level 3 overall progress to university or other higher education courses.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement  The main aim of the college is to provide vocational courses to enable learners, particularly adults, to gain employment in the local region. The numbers of learners aged 16 to 18 at the college are increasing. The eight subject areas inspected and reported on represent a sample of the college’s most significant provision. Inspectors evaluated study programmes for learners aged 16 to 18 and foundation mathematics, reflecting government priorities.  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement. While learners’ achievements were affected badly by the disruption at the end of the previous academic year, a significant minority of subject areas and individual courses performed well because of teachers’ commitment to ensuring their learners succeeded. Inspectors observed a high proportion of good teaching in three subjects and a clear return to the journey of improvement, which was evident prior to the industrial action taken last summer. However, learners remain concerned about the continuity of their studies for the remainder of the current academic year.  Teachers in the subjects which perform well, such as health and social care and independent living and leisure skills, have high standards for what learners can achieve. They expect learners to adhere closely to the professional standards necessary to enter employment. However, this desire to want the best for learners is not yet fully apparent on all courses. Whilst inspectors observed very little inadequate teaching, they also observed almost none that was outstanding.  Whilst attendance and punctuality are improving, they still require improvement. Adult learners face significant personal challenges in attending college regularly, but teachers do not always persevere in reminding them of the importance of attributes such as good attendance and timekeeping as important employability skills. Initiatives to improve attendance and to publically celebrate those courses where it is good through rewards for learners are starting to have a positive impact on their attitudes to coming to college regularly.  Good lessons are characterised by a business-like start in which teachers leave learners in no doubt as to the seriousness with which they should approach their learning. Poor punctuality and behaviour are not tolerated. The pace of lessons is brisk, ensuring learners work purposefully to achieve tasks within demanding time limits. Teachers develop a constructive rapport and good working relationships with learners, each treating the other with mutual respect. As a result, learners quickly improve their understanding and knowledge of the subjects they are studying.  However, the majority of teaching in lessons requires improvement. Teachers do not always plan their lessons in sufficient detail to ensure their teaching will meet the wide ranging needs of learners. As a result, too many learners make slow progress in understanding important topics

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and those who are more able become bored and frustrated at the lack of challenge and inability to fulfil their potential.  Teachers’ confidence in the use of information and learning technology (ILT) to enhance learners’ understanding of topics in lessons varies too much and requires improvement. Teachers do not always encourage learners to take advantage of online resources outside lessons to develop their independent research skills. In the best examples, learners use ILT imaginatively to record evidence of their progress. In visual arts, learners use smart telephones creatively to capture images of sculptures they have made as part of their course assessment.  The development of learners’ skills in discrete English lessons requires improvement. Standards of teaching vary too much and have an adverse impact on the progress learners make and their ability to achieve high grades in GCSE English. The best lessons are well planned, resulting in learners who are motivated and who participate well in learning. However, too many lessons are characterised by weak planning which leads to an unproductive use of classroom time for learning. Learners lack sufficient focus and make limited progress in their studies and in developing verbal and written communication skills that are needed for employment.  The majority of learners enrol at the college with very few qualifications. The use of initial assessment to establish their pre-existing skills varies too much and requires improvement. In less successful subject areas, staff do not use the data gathered from a range of assessments to plan learning which meets learners’ individual needs sufficiently well. Teachers in these subjects do not set specific targets for learners which they review on a regular basis. Monitoring of learning is not rigorous enough and learners fail to make the progress expected of them.  The quality of feedback on learners’ work requires improvement. It varies considerably across subject areas. In the majority of subject areas, learners receive detailed, specific feedback that enables them to improve their written assignments and the standards of their practical work in lessons. By contrast, learners in other subjects receive limited and superficial feedback on marked work. For example, learners whose assignments are good do not receive specific guidance on how they can improve their work to be outstanding in future. A small number of teachers do not correct poor spelling, punctuation and grammar in learners’ work.  Staff have well-organised and very effective processes whereby learners with identified learning needs, or who face particular challenges in attending college, receive good support to achieve successfully. Single-parent mothers value the very good support they receive through childcare and breakfast and after-school clubs to enable them to attend college. Teachers and tutorial learning coaches provide very good pastoral support for learners both in lessons and outside the classroom.  Teaching and learning in discrete mathematics lessons are good, as reflected in learners’ successful outcomes. Teachers use an imaginative range of activities to bring topics to life and to relate them to learners’ everyday lives. As a result, learners see the relevance of mathematics in helping them to progress into jobs and to further education. Teachers have high expectations of learners, encouraging them to carry out additional independent study.  The majority of teachers skilfully weave the teaching of English and mathematics into their vocational lessons. Learners acquire an appreciation of the importance of improving their skills in these subjects as an important part of the progress they make in their vocational studies. They understand the positive impact that good English can have on the quality of their assessed work and the ways in which they are likely to use mathematics on a daily basis in their future careers.  Initiatives implemented since the previous inspection to improve the quality of teaching and learning have been partially successful. Staff understand the lesson observation process well and increasingly recognise its benefits in helping them to improve their classroom practice. Senior leaders have appointed a small team of advanced practitioners who provide good support to staff who need to improve their teaching. However, the proportion of good and better teaching observed by inspectors was significantly lower than in the most recent tranche of lesson observations carried out by college managers.

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 Information, advice and guidance are good. The college prospectus contains clear and detailed information about courses. Individual interviews with subject specialists ensure learners enrol on the right combination of study programmes to suit their individual needs. Staff give learners good advice about careers choices and what qualifications they need for particular jobs, resulting in high levels of progression to other courses in the college. Staff in the college’s careers academy have developed good links with local schools through delivering successful initiatives such as ‘skills showcases’, ‘careers in action’ and ‘apprenticeship roadshows’. Enrolments for learners aged 16 to 18 on study programmes have increased since senior leaders rebranded the college as a ‘careers college’.  The promotion of equality and diversity is good in the majority of subjects. Learners from a very diverse range of backgrounds work alongside each other in a harmonious and inclusive environment, displaying high levels of respect and tolerance. Teachers emphasise the importance of thinking about different people’s needs well in lessons. For example, in dentistry lessons, learners find out how important it is for them to be aware of the differences in making dentures for people from diverse cultures. By contrast, teachers in a small minority of lessons do not take advantage of opportunities to link the topic being taught to relevant issues affecting people in different parts of society.

Health and social care

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good, as reflected in learners’ outcomes. Success rates for learners on health and social care courses are high and improving. The majority of learners on BTEC courses at level 3 achieve high grades at the end of their studies. Attendance in lessons requires improvement. However, punctuality for those who do attend is good.  Teachers have high expectations for learners. They focus very effectively on good development of learners’ employability, personal and social skills. In the best lessons, learners have a very clear understanding of what they need to achieve by the end of the class and of the targets set for them by teachers. Teachers are very well prepared with additional activities to extend learning. They focus strongly on the development of learners’ independent learning and research skills. Learners make good progress in gaining knowledge and practising their skills in health and social care settings. However, learners do not receive enough support when on work experience and do not have their practical skills formally assessed in the workplace by college staff or employers.  Teachers are well qualified, with a wealth of very relevant vocational experience in health and social care which they use well to provide real-life illustrations of topics in lessons. They plan learning well, using up-to-date examples to support theory teaching. Learners receive ample time to contribute their own ideas to lessons and to reflect on group discussions and debates. For example, during a discussion on the problems faced in a number of West African countries by the outbreak of ebola, learners were able to contribute thoughtful and detailed insights which they have gained from news features and from family contacts.  Access to ILT to enhance learning is good. Learners are confident in the use of ILT inside and outside the classroom, taking advantage of the college’s virtual learning environment (VLE) as an excellent resource to support their independent learning. They quickly learn how to develop a very useful range of research and presentation skills. For example, prior to a functional skills English assessment, a group of learners confidently researched information for a news report on rights and responsibilities to present to the group in order to develop and practise their presentation skills.  Feedback to learners in lessons is good and extends learning. Learners receive clear guidance on how to develop their personal professional development plans and on the setting of specific targets to fulfil their potential. Teachers give learners clear guidance when marking their work

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on how to improve their grades. They check learners’ spelling and grammar in written work carefully.  In vocational lessons, teachers plan a relevant and interesting range of activities to support the development of learners’ English and mathematics skills, focusing on those aspects which will be most useful to learners for a career in health and social work. Teachers incorporate imaginative activities for learners to practise their English and mathematics skills. For example, when learning about complementary therapies, the teacher set a mathematics challenge that checked learners’ abilities in using multiplication and percentages to work out invoices for beauty therapy treatments, including how to calculate discounts. However, teachers do not always consistently model good professional practice, both when using poor handwriting to feedback on learners’ written work and when presenting information on whiteboards in lessons.  Learners’ outcomes in functional skills in English and mathematics require improvement, as does their attendance at these lessons. Teachers do not systematically use the outcomes of diagnostic assessments of learners’ English and mathematics to empower learners to take individual responsibility for improving those skills which will be most influential in helping them to achieve their career aspirations.  Teachers give learners very helpful and clear advice and guidance during the initial interview process prior to enrolling on courses at the college. Their guidance sets out the high expectations of, and demanding requirements for, learners hoping to work in professional health and social care settings and emphasises the need for good attendance and punctuality during periods of work experience. Teachers make learners very aware of the importance of the development of good English and mathematics skills as important attributes in completing courses at the college successfully and in obtaining jobs in the industry.  Learners have high aspirations for their future careers, and the majority of information, advice and guidance they receive on progression and employment during their studies is good. Learners are very clear on their rights and responsibilities in the college, as well as in the workplace.  The promotion of equality of opportunity and diversity in lessons is outstanding. Teachers constantly refer to topics such as human rights and the contributions of people from different ethnicities who have shaped thinking on health and social care. They use the knowledge and understanding of learners from different backgrounds very well to explore specific health and social care practices, particularly those relating to supporting people from the Afro-Caribbean and other local communities.  A number of teachers who are active in local community projects that support people with mental health and other challenging conditions use their experience to promote learners’ understanding of these problems, both in health and social care and more widely around the college. Learners feel safe in the college environment and are very aware of the procedures they need to follow if they have any concerns about their welfare.

Engineering and motor vehicle

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Requires improvement  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement. Teaching is good in practical lessons, but is not of a sufficiently high standard in theory classes. Although success rates have been low in the past, and were adversely affected by industrial action last summer, a number of successful and very timely actions has improved teaching, learning and assessment. Other positive improvement strategies have included more accurate self-assessment and the sharing of key performance indicators for all courses with teachers. In-year retention is high and learners are making good progress this year. However, attendance and punctuality require improvement.

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 In the best lessons, teachers make good use of their extensive knowledge and experience to enthuse, motivate and challenge learners. They plan a variety of teaching techniques including discussions, explanations by other learners, time-constrained competitions and practical demonstrations that develop learners’ skills well. For example, in a particularly good engineering mathematics lesson, the teacher prepared the learners skilfully for assessment through the very effective use of competitive peer group exercises. This required learners to demonstrate their understanding and derivation of a solution using an interactive whiteboard, during which their efforts were judged by their peers.  Learners make good progress and acquire industry-standard skills in practical lessons. They use engineering components and assemblies skilfully and confidently. In a good motor cycle engineering lesson, learners used manufacturers’ data banks to diagnose and rectify faults in a range of different motor cycles, enabling them to restore the machines to their normal working order. In a well-managed practical electronic engineering projects class, the teacher set learners a challenging task requiring them to plan their work to tight deadlines laid out on industrial standard Gantt charts, and to rate their progress towards completing the task, which they all did successfully.  The lack of clear learning objectives in a minority of theory lessons makes it difficult for learners to understand what teachers expect of them. Learners make slow progress in these classes and are not motivated to learn. The use of ILT to make lessons interesting and to help learners understand theory requires improvement. In too many lessons, learners have difficulty in seeing what teachers are demonstrating on interactive whiteboards. Teachers fail to use ILT to assist in explaining complex theoretical concepts or to illustrate types of electronic components.  Teachers’ attention to health and safety is good in the vast majority of lessons. However, in a motor vehicle lesson, learners failed to wear overalls and boots correctly and were not reprimanded for doing so by the teacher.  Teachers’ strategies for the development of learners’ English and mathematics skills in discrete lessons require improvement. Teachers do not take sufficient account of learners’ individual needs or precise areas of improvement when planning their teaching. While success rates for learners on functional skills courses at level 1 in English and mathematics are good, they require improvement for learners studying the same subjects at level 2. Teachers’ integration of English and mathematics within the engineering curriculum is good.  The standard of marking of learners’ work is good. Teachers are assiduous in correcting poor spelling and grammar. They make helpful comments that assist learners to improve the standards of their written work. In the best lessons, teachers’ oral feedback on learners’ progress is detailed and thorough. Learners make good use of the VLE to further their studies when not in college and to complete homework and prepare for forthcoming classes.  Support for learners is good. Learners benefit from well-planned academic and personal development support provided by tutorial learning coaches and specialist staff. A successful ‘careers college’ initiative provides the opportunity for a small number of learners to participate in a paid internship with engineering companies and to have a personal mentor from industry. However, the majority of learners do not take part in any formal work placements to develop their skills for employment and to raise their awareness of the pressures of working in a commercial setting.  Resources are good. The motor vehicle and motor cycle workshops are well equipped with a modern range of vehicles, motor cycles and tools. Specialist electronic testing laboratories contain a wide range of equipment, components and soldering stations. Staff are well qualified and draw on their considerable industrial experience to enhance their teaching.  Initial advice and guidance for learners are good. A significant proportion of learners on engineering courses progress to higher levels of study. For example, more than two thirds of the learners studying electrical and electronic engineering courses at level 2 progressed to programmes at level 3 in 2013/14. Rates of progression to university degree courses and other higher education provision are high. Staff have well-organised and productive links with a number of local universities. Learners on a number of courses attend university once a week to

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study various subjects and to familiarise themselves with the requirements of higher education. This helps to raise their aspirations and broaden their knowledge of possible career choices.  The promotion of equality and diversity requires improvement. Learners respect each other and their teachers. However, teachers fail to identify the potential for broadening learners’ knowledge of equality and diversity in too many lessons. Building and construction

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement, which reflects the low but increasing numbers of learners who complete their courses successfully. The vast majority of learners who attend regularly and punctually make good progress and have a positive outcome, either progressing to their next stages of learning or into employment. While practical teaching is good, theory teaching is less successful in preparing learners for jobs or progression to the next stage in their careers.  Attendance and punctuality require improvement. Poor, or erratic, attendance hampers learning for a significant minority of learners who have already missed too many lessons. While managers recognise this is a serious problem, they have not yet instilled in teachers the confidence to challenge learners’ poor attitudes to timekeeping robustly. Many lessons are interrupted as teachers wait for late arrivals to settle. This disrupts the learning for those learners who make every effort to be punctual.  Standards of practical work are high with most learners developing highly relevant trade and site skills. The best teachers are very flexible in their use of a wide range of teaching approaches to enthuse and motivate learners and are prepared to move them onto higher-level work as soon as they are ready. For example, the best learners on plastering courses at level 2 are already starting to create complex decorative friezes as a result of their excellent progress in their first term at college.  Teachers use their knowledge and industrial experience well to inspire and motivate learners. They encourage learners to become self-reliant and to develop good independent learning and team-working skills. The majority of teachers encourage learners who have already worked on construction sites to contribute their experiences to whole-class discussions, enabling their peers to gain an appreciation of the real-life pressures of the workplace. Learners are conscientious and keen to improve their skills. In painting and decorating and plastering, learners enjoy taking part in refurbishment projects for the college, local charities and refuges.  In practical lessons, teachers plan learning activities well. They devise outcomes to lessons which clearly show how learners develop their skills and knowledge successfully. Teachers demonstrate their own skills in ways which learners can understand and check learners’ work carefully at each key stage of practical tasks in order to monitor their progress. Teachers have high expectations of their learners with regard to the accuracy and aesthetics of finished pieces of work.  Too many theory lessons require improvement. Teachers do not encourage learners to work sufficiently hard to fulfil their potential. They do not make enough use of the outcomes of initial assessment to set realistic starting points for learners, who become bored if they do not understand in-class exercises or if they are not sufficiently challenging. Not all learners see the relevance of the theory they are learning or the activities they are given to do. Learners do not use ILT outside the classroom to extend their learning. A minority of teachers rely too much on learners completing worksheets which learners find repetitive and mundane.  Staff support learners well to work and learn productively, both collaboratively with their peers and on their own. They expend a lot of effort in ensuring learners enjoy the practical aspects of their learning. Learners with identified learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive very good

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assistance from highly experienced specialist staff who work closely with teachers to remove their barriers to learning and to help them achieve well.  Assessment requires improvement. Teachers assess learners’ work frequently and return it promptly, ensuring their marking is accurate and will help learners to improve their answers. However, while the majority of teachers use in-class activities to check learners’ skills and understanding and to adjust the pace of learning accordingly, they do not record their feedback formally so they can use it to help plan future lessons and to set targets for learners to improve. As a result, too many learners struggle to recall the advice given to them on how to make a better contribution in lessons once they have finished.  Learners develop good mathematics skills in construction lessons. Teachers are adept at weaving the teaching of these skills into lessons, and particularly so in practical classes. Learners acquire an appreciation of the importance of mathematics in construction through interpretation and scaling of site and assembly drawings, accurate measurement and setting out, working to industry tolerances and planning labour and materials costs. In painting and decorating and tiling, learners routinely calculate application rates and quantities of materials for real jobs based on manufacturers’ coverage rates.  The development of learners’ English skills requires improvement. Learners do not acquire the level of English necessary to improve their study and report writing skills quickly enough. Teachers do not routinely correct learners’ poor spelling and grammar in lessons. A significant minority of learners arrive for lessons poorly prepared and without pens or paper to make notes for future reference or revision. Teachers do not work closely enough with specialist English teachers to develop ways in which to set tasks to improve learners’ written and spoken English.  The monitoring and recording of learners’ progress by teachers require improvement. Teachers make good use of highly visual and easy-to-understand charts in workshops to track learners’ achievements, and integrate these with learners’ electronic individual learning plans. However, the use of clear and detailed short-term targets to help learners progress is too variable. Target setting focuses too much on unit completion, and not enough on learners’ skills and personal development.  The arrangements to ensure learners experience the real-life pressures of the workplace require improvement. Many learners benefit from part-time jobs in the industry and through working on college and community projects. However, staff have yet to formalise arrangements for planned work experience as part of a coherent study programme that would allow all learners to practise their skills in a commercial setting.  The promotion of equality and diversity requires improvement. Teachers foster good working and social relationships in college with, and between, learners. Learners feel safe and show respect towards staff and their peers. While the college promotes a strong respect agenda, teachers are not yet sufficiently confident in equipping learners with knowledge of scenarios relating to equality and diversity that they might experience when working in industry.

ESOL

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement which reflects the low success rates on the majority of courses in 2013/14. Industrial action at the end of the year affected ESOL more than any other subject area in the college, with a significant number of learners unable to complete their studies. However, a high proportion of learners have already completed their ESOL courses in English and mathematics successfully in 2014/15, to date, and very few learners have left the college early. Knowledgeable teachers interact well with learners, but their expectations for them vary too much and require improvement. As a result, not all learners are sufficiently well motivated to want to succeed in their studies.

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 Learners develop good skills for employment and grow in confidence and self-esteem. They improve their social skills and value the personal and economic benefits gained in their everyday lives. For example, they become more effective communicators in their local communities, using the skills they develop to make everyday tasks, such as shopping and reading a newspaper, much easier. Others use the skills they gain to search more productively for employment and to broaden their career options.  Teachers’ expertise in planning their teaching to ensure learners progress to their full potential requires improvement. In the best lessons, learners are enthused and lively, responding well to prompts to improve their English skills. Teachers explore learners’ answers in depth, making sure learners improve their intonation patterns and pronunciation skills. As a result, they quickly develop the self-confidence to speak clearly in lessons. Learners gain new vocabulary that enhances their fluency in English and their ability to understand others’ language in everyday life and at work.  In the significant minority of less successful lessons, learners do not learn from each other through, for example, paired and small group work. As a result, they make slow progress in acquiring new language skills and developing the confidence to speak in front of each other. Teachers do not plan a sufficient range of activities to challenge learners to achieve their full potential. Erratic attendance at lessons disrupts learning and slows learners’ progress, particularly when teachers do not challenge instances of poor punctuality. Teachers monitor learners’ work during lessons and usually provide feedback on how to improve it further, but do not always use questioning well to deepen and extend learners’ understanding of the topic being taught.  Teachers’ use of ILT and audio-visual aids to support learning requires improvement. In the best lessons, teachers use interactive whiteboards well to emphasise key words which help learners to construct accurate sentences. However, teachers restrict the use of ILT to just electronic presentations of information in too many lessons and this does not enrich or enliven learning. They make too little use of audio equipment to develop learners’ listening and comprehension skills.  Teachers complete detailed initial and diagnostic assessments of learners’ English and mathematics, including their pre-existing levels of writing, reading, speaking and listening skills. However, they do not routinely use these results to plan learning and activities to meet learners’ individual needs. As a result, learners do not achieve their full potential.  Assessment requires improvement. Teachers’ feedback to learners is too prescriptive and often focuses too much on whether learners achieve course objectives, rather than on how they can improve their skills and knowledge. Teachers routinely correct written work for spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Teachers do not promote the relevance and importance of mathematics sufficiently well in lessons. For example, too few of them take the opportunity to weave the use of addition, subtraction and multiplication into their lessons. Teachers do not encourage learners to think about how they might use mathematics in their everyday lives, such as when they are shopping.  Good advice, guidance and support help to raise learners’ aspirations and career ambitions. A high proportion of unemployed people, referred to ESOL courses by Jobcentre Plus, progress into jobs. Learners understand why they are on a particular level of course and the importance of improving their language skills to progress further at college and work and in their personal lives. Learners value the good support they receive from helpful teachers to prepare for job interviews and to complete application forms for employment.  The promotion of equality and diversity in lessons is good. Teachers adapt learning resources well to enable all learners to access learning. Discussions about equality and diversity are a strong feature of the majority of lessons. Teachers plan activities which enable learners to consider different lifestyle choices, religions and cultures. As a result, learners are very well prepared for life in a multicultural society.

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Independent living and leisure skills

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment on employment and independence pathways are good, leading to successful outcomes for learners. Teachers have high expectations for their learners and act as positive role models when they are in the classroom. As a result, learners attend well, are punctual and are highly motivated. Teachers are enthusiastic, know their learners well and are very skilful at capturing the interest of those who have particularly challenging behaviours. Learners maintain good levels of concentration and develop good communication and social skills.  Learners become confident in their abilities, take great pride in their work and acquire relevant employability skills. They enjoy new friendships and take part in sporting activities, volunteering and work experience. Those learners with profound and multiple learning difficulties and/or disabilities are energised by their new-found ability to communicate with others through dance and music. Learners on catering courses learn to prepare food to professional standards, which they sell at lunchtimes in the college café; while those on retail courses demonstrate high levels of professionalism when serving customers in the college shop.  Teachers are experts in their subject areas and plan lessons with particularly good attention to the individual needs and abilities of their learners. Teachers deliberately carry out tasks at a challenging pace as this helps learners to concentrate and to make full use of their time in lessons. Learners enjoy participating in interactive activities and work together very collaboratively. In a highly stimulating lesson, learners enjoyed reviewing how well their peers had progressed in achieving their goals. In another successful lesson, learners had much fun helping each other in small group exercises to see who could produce the longest paper chains for their Christmas decorations.  Accommodation and access to adaptive equipment require improvement. The kitchen at the Clapham centre is poorly designed and equipped. Ventilation is poor in some classrooms, so they become overheated and affect learners’ concentration and energy levels. Adaptive equipment is not always available in a timely manner for wheelchair users, which reduces their participation levels.  The use of ILT in lessons requires improvement. While learners in the best lessons use the interactive whiteboards and computers to practise spelling, to discuss their progress, or to develop individual profiles, the majority do not have sufficient access to ILT to consolidate their practical skills or to demonstrate how they can complete tasks electronically.  Assessment is good. The identification of learners’ individual needs and starting points is thorough. Learners benefit from clear, challenging and measurable targets, which help them understand what is expected of them. Teachers use learner profiles very effectively to plan learning and to challenge more-able learners to fulfil their potential.  Oral feedback is effective in guiding learners on what they need to do to improve their work. Teachers provide constructive and timely advice during lessons, and this helps learners maintain their attention and improve their communication and practical skills. However, the standard of written feedback varies too much and is not always effective in guiding learners on what, and how, they can improve.  Staff provide outstanding support to students, including highly effective preparation for job interviews. Risk assessments are comprehensive and clearly identify the care support needs of individual learners. The quality of support provided in the classroom is excellent. Well-qualified assistants and technicians work very effectively alongside teachers to provide a wide range of well-directed additional learning support. Highly effective specialist personal support helps learners gain sufficient confidence to contribute fully in lessons, to work independently, and to

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respond successfully to challenges set by teachers. Learners with dyslexia make good use of drop-in sessions to access good-quality specialist support or assistive technology, such as speech to text and mind-mapping software.  Advice and guidance are good. Learners progress well from one level of course to the next and to other training, supported employment or voluntary work. The range of programmes to develop independence and employment skills is good and the programme for learners with mental health difficulties is well established. Learners enjoy taking part in a wide range of activities, such as sports, dance, music, arts and craft and cooking, all of which help them to develop good personal and social skills. Learners immerse themselves fully in a range of work-related activities through which they gain valuable experience in realistic working environments, either at college or with employers.  Learners develop their English, mathematics and computing skills well during lessons. A significant number of them choose to enrol on functional skills courses, which they complete successfully. In a discrete English lesson for learners with mental health difficulties, they used their spelling books and dictionaries well to check new words. In catering lessons, learners apply their mathematics skills confidently to cooking tasks, calculating weights and proportions for recipes. Other lessons often incorporate enjoyable word games to develop learners’ vocabulary.  Staff ensure learners’ safety well, and respond quickly to any matters related to safeguarding. They promote equality and diversity effectively, providing an inclusive learning environment. Learners interact with each other with respect, enabling them to express their views freely and with confidence. Learners increase their knowledge of e-safety, bullying and sexual health whilst at college.

Foundation mathematics

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good, reflecting teachers’ clear expectations of learners and the high success rates for the majority on functional skills and GCSE mathematics courses. Since the previous inspection, staff have undertaken a considerable amount of high-quality development work, resulting in a much more consistent approach to the planning and delivery of teaching and learning. The introduction of an extensive library of electronic resources has helped to standardise good practice in mathematics teaching across the college, whilst also allowing flexibility for teachers and learners in each subject area to select those tasks and activities which are most relevant to their vocation and future careers.  Standards of teaching in discrete mathematics lessons are good. Teachers in the best classes make good use of a range of activities to stimulate learners’ thinking, discussion and learning. Learners working towards different levels of qualifications in the same lesson receive good targeted support. Teachers are successful in meeting the particular needs of individual learners through giving them extra support and learning resources which help them with specific aspects of mathematics, such as fractions and decimals. They encourage learners successfully to undertake additional independent learning at home. The vast majority of teachers require learners to complete additional learning tasks prior to their next lesson, often using the wide range of electronic resources they have available.  Good links between mathematics teachers and those in vocational subjects help the latter to weave the teaching of mathematics successfully into their lessons and to make the subject relevant and stimulating. For example, learners with moderate or complex learning difficulties and/or disabilities benefit from particularly good development of their understanding of the use of money and weights and measurements. Learners across the college also develop good mathematics skills through taking part in volunteering and enterprise activities, such as the ‘pop-up shop’.

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 In a minority of subject areas, teachers are less successful in teaching mathematics as part of learners’ study programmes. In discrete mathematics lessons in health and social care, for example, teachers do not plan the teaching of mathematics sufficiently well to reflect the specific needs of learners entering those professions. Whilst a more consistent approach to the teaching of mathematics is clearly evident throughout the college, a small number of teachers have yet to strike the right balance between the flexibility afforded to them in the selection of learning resources to make their teaching relevant and stimulating and the need for all learners to understand general mathematics concepts.  The use of questioning in lessons to check learning requires improvement. While questioning in lessons is often frequent, a small number of teachers rely too much on direct questions to check learning and do not involve all learners. This approach fails to check fully the learning of all learners present, particularly where the range of their abilities is diverse. By contrast, in the best lessons teachers plan questioning well to elicit good discussions between learners to explore fully the reasons for their answers. For example, in a particularly good lesson on graphs and sequencing, the teacher made sure each learner was able to explain their findings before moving on to the next task. This approach ensured learners made very good progress and felt confident about the subject.  Staff are well qualified and benefit from continuing professional development, which focuses strongly on the advantages of a range of different teaching methods and how they can help learners to progress well.  The layout of classrooms hinders learning in a small minority of lessons. Learners cannot always easily see whiteboards at the front of the room used by teachers. In a number of classes which take place in rooms set up for computing lessons, learners have insufficient desk space for them to work effectively.  Attendance rates vary too much and require improvement. They are very high on some courses, but poor on others.  Initial assessment of learners’ pre-existing mathematics skills is thorough. Teachers use the outcomes of initial assessment well to identify accurately which level of mathematics qualification each learner should work towards. This is very important, given that a significant majority of learners enrol at the college with no mathematics qualifications. Teachers in the best lessons make good use of the results of initial assessment to match learning closely to learners’ specific development needs.  Feedback to learners on their progress is good. Teachers mark learners’ assessments promptly and provide learners with clear written feedback, which highlights areas of their work they need to improve most. Learners are able to identify easily the priority topics requiring further development on the front of mark sheets. Frequent informal feedback both in, and between, lessons helps learners to understand clearly what they need to do to improve.  Learners develop good English skills in the majority of lessons. Teachers make good use of opportunities to improve learners’ communication skills and provide learners with helpful advice on how to understand and interpret questions. Teachers act as good role models to learners wanting to improve their English.  Learners have a clear understanding of why they are undertaking their mathematics courses and of the standards they need to achieve to progress. They appreciate the importance of mathematics to their future careers and the need to progress to studying the subject at GCSE level wherever possible. However, progression rates between different levels of mathematics courses vary too much and require improvement.  Teachers promote equality and diversity well in lessons. They make good use of a number of innovative resources to develop learners’ understanding of equality and diversity topics through mathematics concepts. For example, learners increase their awareness of cultural and historical issues by analysing the proportions of males and females working in ‘high tech’ companies, calculating the numbers of soldiers who took part in the First World War, and by exploring the role of mathematics in Islamic culture.

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Business

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement and this is reflected in outcomes for learners on accounting and finance, administration and business management courses, which were poor in 2013/14. Learners’ successful completion of courses was affected badly by the industrial action taken at the end of the year, as well as by other staffing issues.  Recent changes in the delivery of accounting courses have resulted in improved outcomes for learners in 2014/15, to date. Learners achieve well on functional skills courses in English and mathematics at levels 1 and 2, but their outcomes on entry-level functional skills programmes require improvement.  Poor attendance and punctuality contribute to learners’ slow progress on a number of courses. A significant minority of learners do not understand the importance of arriving on time for lessons as an important business skill. Lessons do not always begin promptly and learners who are punctual have to wait until everyone is present to start doing tasks and activities.  Improved timetabling of accounting courses this year has enabled adults to fit their studies around other commitments, such as taking children to school in the morning. As a result, learners arrive punctually for lessons and make good progress in learning key accounting principles.  Learners on accounting and other work-related courses at level 3 benefit from teachers who have good subject knowledge and are well qualified. Teachers use their expertise skilfully to enthuse learners who enjoy learning about business principles and applying them in real-life contexts, such as the management of household budgets and setting up small businesses.  On other courses, teaching is less successful in ensuring learners work to professional standards commensurate with industry practice. Teachers do not plan lessons sufficiently well. Activities set for learners to complete do not follow on from each other in a logical sequence to help learners understand important business principles. A small number of teachers give misleading or incorrect information to learners. When challenged by learners, teachers defend their own incorrect version instead of praising learners for thinking independently or for having carried out their own research to check information.  Teachers in the best lessons encourage learners to work well in pairs and small groups so they develop good communication skills. Learners enjoy learning from each other and discussing business topics. However, a small minority of teachers do not make the best use of information they have from group profiles to put learners with different skills together in teams in ways which ensure they benefit fully from group work.  The setting and monitoring of targets for learners require improvement. Teachers do not use learner profiles sufficiently well to establish how they take account of learners’ pre-existing skills and experience to fulfil their potential. While the majority of learners set themselves detailed individual targets, they do not then formally record what actions they have taken to achieve them. In too many instances, targets are either vague or reinforce low expectations, such as improving attendance from 55% to 60%. Individual targets for learners for whom English is not their first language are ineffective in helping them to develop their speaking, reading and writing skills in lessons.  Assessment practices vary too much and require improvement. Written feedback on learners’ assessed work often lacks sufficient detail to help them improve and to achieve higher grades. In too many instances, teachers ignore learners’ spelling, punctuation and grammatical mistakes in assignments. They do not encourage learners to proof read their work. However, learners do receive regular encouraging oral feedback on their performance in lessons which motivates them to work hard and participate fully. Teachers circulate around the classroom well in order to

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provide learners with good individual support, asking them pertinent questions to ensure they understand the tasks they are completing.  Support for learners is good. They value the very effective assistance they receive from tutorial learning coaches in individual and group tutorials. Many learners have found part-time employment as a direct result of the help and advice they have received from staff to practise interview skills, to complete applications forms correctly and to write eye-catching personal statements.  A small group of learners selected for the careers academy programme benefits considerably from extra-curricular activities designed to enhance their employability skills. They receive highly effective mentoring from business experts and take part in paid internships which quickly develop their business skills. Learners are inspired and excited by the presentations they receive from well-known business people, who act as strong role models for young people in local communities. Well-planned workshops delivered by external businesses help to stimulate learners’ interest in particular aspects of running a company.  Too few learners on study programmes currently take part in formal work experience to improve their work readiness and to find out about the real-life commercial pressures of working in a business environment. Plans are in place to increase the number of work placement opportunities this year.  Learners gain valuable experience of using ILT to enhance their studies, both in lessons and outside the classroom. They make good use of the college’s VLE for revision purposes, to practise for examinations, and to catch up on any work they have missed. Learners develop complex word-processing skills through using ILT independently, such as learning how to use watermarks in documents. They share these skills willingly with their peers through the VLE.  The development of learners’ English and mathematics skills requires improvement. Teachers do not contextualise the resources they use in functional skills lessons so that learners can relate the teaching of English and mathematics to their business courses. Teachers do not plan lessons to meet the needs of the very wide range of learners’ abilities and the pace of learning is slow.  Teachers engender a culture of mutual respect and support in lessons. They promote equality and diversity well in the majority of lessons through allowing learners to discuss topics and debate their views on issues such as fairness in the British benefits system. Learners respect each other’s opinions and work well together.

The effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement  Leadership and management require improvement. Inspectors’ findings confirm the college’s own assessment that managers’ accountability for learners’ outcomes has strengthened over the last year, but that this is not yet consistent in all areas of the college. Whilst improvements in curriculum management have led to more subjects being judged to be ‘good’ than at the previous inspection, too much teaching, learning and assessment still require improvement and, in too many subjects, the quality of provision is not improving quickly enough. Specific aspects of the college’s provision are not yet of a sufficiently high standard in the majority of subjects, including learners’ attendance and punctuality and the use of ILT in teaching.  Following the previous inspection, where success rates were exceptionally low, prompt and effective action by the new leadership team resulted in a significant rise in learners’ outcomes at the end of 2012/13, albeit that they still required improvement. In 2013/14, success rates declined due to a prolonged period of industrial action that resulted in many learners not being able to complete their courses. Contingency plans and the hard work of many staff helped to mitigate some, but not all, of the impact of this action on learning.  Resolute and resilient management by the Principal and Deputy Principal, allied to good strategic leadership, has improved the culture of the college and instilled a determination in managers and the majority of staff to want to provide a professional service befitting their description of the college as a ‘careers college’ with a strong emphasis on employability. This determination

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has led to an increase in enrolments from young people, rapidly improving links with employers and a much strengthened financial position. Managers are very supportive of senior leaders and the strategies they are implementing to secure the future stability of the college.  Quality assurance arrangements, including self-assessment and performance management, have not been sufficiently effective in raising standards in all subject areas. Whilst improvement activities are having a positive impact on teaching, learning and assessment and outcomes for learners in a minority of subjects, this is not yet consistent in every subject area. In 2013/14, the arrangements for lesson observations resulted in an over-generous view of the quality and effectiveness of teaching, learning and assessment in several curriculum areas, which managers have now rectified in the current year. All staff receive an appraisal, although the quality of reviews of their performance is not yet consistent enough to ensure all staff improve quickly. In several areas, a high turnover of staff has been necessary to ensure the maintenance of standards. However, the implementation of this deliberate strategy by managers has not yet ensured a consistent and long-term approach to improvement work.  Managers’ implementation of study programmes for young people enrolled at the college requires improvement. Managers have been quick to establish good arrangements to ensure learners study English and mathematics at the right level based on their prior attainment. However, the development of suitably good provision in English has not kept pace with that in mathematics. Functional skills success rates and high grade GCSE achievements show too much variation for different groups of learners. College managers have implemented a carefully designed strategy to improve teachers’ skills in teaching English, mathematics and ICT. Opportunities for learners to gain external work experience, whilst improving rapidly this year, have been very limited to date.  A combination of extensive research and good partnership working ensures that staff provide customised training closely linked with employment demands in south London. For example, the college is closely involved in plans to provide training in modern construction techniques at the site of a very large local regeneration project affecting the whole of the south London area. New apprenticeships in journalism have started in response to demand from a number of prestigious television and newspaper companies. Several local borough councils, Jobcentre Plus offices and businesses use the college for a wide range of specific projects that provide learners with successful routes to employment.  Senior leaders have successfully transformed the college’s main campus to provide good-quality vocational training facilities and comfortable and welcoming public areas. Imaginatively branded concepts, such as ‘pop-up shops’ and a ‘skills exchange’, allow learners to improve their skills for employment and to seek careers advice in environments that mirror the professional standards found in industry. The two other college campuses are being refurbished with the aim of providing similarly high-quality training environments in the community.  A much-changed board of governors, with very relevant experience and skills, is assisting in the new developments at the college. The governors’ pragmatic approach and close scrutiny of business plans help senior managers to focus on the viability of new projects. The board has been particularly effective in advising on the college’s financial recovery and refurbishment. Governors have recently started to carry out more detailed scrutiny of teaching and learning, such as learning walks, so they can fully support managers to ensure standards improve quickly. Previously, they focused more on the substantial improvements in learners’ outcomes from a low base, rather than the relative performance of the college when evaluating its success.  Equality and diversity are very actively promoted in the college and this has a positive effect on learners’ behaviours. Specific events, such as a conference on people’s sexuality, have been particularly influential in helping learners to understand and respect differences in their peers. Imaginative projects help targeted groups of learners, such as lone parents and those in care settings, to think about how they can progress to further education and into jobs.  Safeguarding of learners is good. The college meets its statutory requirements for safeguarding learners. Very productive partnership arrangements with external organisations result in good training and awareness raising for staff, and assistance for those learners most at risk of not

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completing their studies because of safeguarding concerns. Tutorial learning coaches make good use of tutorials to cover a broad range of relevant safeguarding topics with learners, including sexual abuse, cyber bullying, mental health and for the majority of, although not all, learners, awareness raising on extremism and radicalisation. Awareness briefings on female genital mutilation by specialists have led to self-referrals by learners who have then received support from specialist partner organisations. Good teamwork with local neighbourhood police teams has reduced crime against learners in the immediate vicinity of the college. However, a significant minority of learners often remove their identification badges after having been asked to put them on at the entrances to the college.

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) Lambeth College

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate

Overall effectiveness

Outcomes for learners The quality of teaching, learning and assessment The effectiveness of leadership and management

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3 - - 3 - 3 - - - 4 - - 4 - 4 - - - 3 - - 3 - 3 - - - 3 - - 3 - 3 - - -

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

Health and social care 2 Engineering 3 Motor vehicle 3 Building and construction 3 English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) 3 Independent living and leisure skills 2 Foundation mathematics 2 Business 3

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Provider details

Type of provider General further education college Age range of learners 14+

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year

11,672 Principal/CEO Mark Silverman Date of previous inspection March 2013 Website address www.lambeth.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) Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 547 2,921 383 1,417 494 1,285 1 184

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 35 94 27 69 - -

Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total - - - Number of learners aged 14-16 41 Full-time N/A Part-time 41 Number of community learners N/A Number of employability learners N/A

Funding received from Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

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

 None

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Contextual information

Lambeth College is a large general further education college situated in the borough of Lambeth in south London. The college has campuses in Clapham, Brixton and Vauxhall. Lambeth is an extremely diverse borough, both ethnically and socially. Residents speak more than 150 different languages. A large proportion of them face significant personal and financial challenges in their everyday lives. Employment in the borough is mainly in the public sector, education and health. The proportions of people of working age with qualifications at levels 1 to 3 are well above regional and national averages. The unemployment rate is at both the local and national average.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector Richard Moore HMI Three of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI), one associate inspector and seven additional inspectors, assisted by the Vice Principal (learning and improvement) as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on learners’ achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all 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.

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What inspection judgements mean

Grade Judgement

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Requires improvement Grade 4 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 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

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