Hartlepool College of Further Education Ofsted Report

Full report

Information about the provider

• Hartlepool College of Further Education is a medium-sized further education college that serves the local community of Hartlepool. It offers provision in a wide range of subject areas. The college specialises in vocational training, with courses from entry level to level 3, and apprenticeship programmes. It has one main site in the centre of Hartlepool that has been rebuilt in recent years.
• Hartlepool is an area of high social and economic deprivation. Unemployment is significantly higher than the regional average and almost double the national average. The proportion of local residents with qualifications at level 2 and above is much lower than the regional and national averages.

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

• Use staff training and quality improvement activities to ensure that teachers plan lessons carefully, taking into account learners’ starting points and information from assessment, so that activities are interesting and challenging for all learners.
• Provide training, support and challenge for teachers so that they are better able to agree specific and challenging targets with learners that help them to understand how to make good progress in developing new skills and achieving their goals.
• Increase the proportion of learners that achieve English and mathematics qualifications by:
  • ensuring that learners attend lessons in these subjects more frequently
  • further developing effective strategies to identify gaps in learners’ knowledge and ensuring that teachers focus on individual learners’ areas of weakness.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The principal and his senior leadership team have a strategic ambition to become outstanding in the next few years. The principal and other senior leaders model their high expectations for the quality of teaching and learning by continuing to teach classes and by leading on the observations of teaching, learning and assessment.
• The culture of the college is good. The principal has created an ethos that effectively holds all staff to account for the quality and outcomes of their work, while giving them the autonomy to take responsibility for their actions. As a result, leaders and managers have tackled successfully most of the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.
• Managers use data effectively to identify areas for improvement. Staff at all levels make effective use of the detailed and timely data available to them. As a result, they have a good understanding of their learners’ progress, which enables them to intervene swiftly when learners’ progress declines below the targets set, or learners’ attendance drops. Senior leaders are acutely aware of when they need to intervene further to improve the quality of provision.
• Managers successfully encourage staff to improve their teaching craft through collaboration, risk-taking and the sharing of best practice. The continuing professional development available to staff is effective, comprehensive, and based on identified individual needs. As a result, the majority of teachers and assessors improve their skills.
• Senior leaders use self-assessment effectively to improve the quality of provision. Staff at all levels contribute to the development of a self-assessment report that accurately identifies the college’s strengths and areas for improvement. The process is evaluative, honest and self-critical. It is based on an analysis of learners’ progress and achievement on every course and in each department, and is informed by rich feedback from partners. Managers use the findings of self-assessment effectively to plan actions for improving the quality of provision, with clear targets that set out the required impact. As a result, more learners and apprentices now achieve their qualifications, and managers have clear, identified actions to improve the quality of provision further.
• Managers develop the curriculum very successfully to meet employers’ needs. Careful consultation with local, regional, and more recently, international employers ensures that the skills that learners gain through the broad and varied curriculum allow them to progress into sustained employment. Managers proactively use their contacts with employer groups to identify emerging employment opportunities. They are currently designing courses to develop skills in tele-care, electric vehicle production, and maintenance of offshore renewable technologies.
• Managers and teachers promote the values of tolerance and respect well. They are skilled in enabling learners to understand why it is important to respect cultural differences when they enter the workplace and in the wider community. Learners’ respectful behaviour and good attitudes in the college reflect their good understanding about life and citizenship in modern Britain.
• Despite taking concerted and carefully considered action, managers have not been able to increase the proportion of learners who achieve their English and mathematics qualifications. Learners now make better progress than in previous years in the development of their English and mathematical skills, but the pace of improvement is still too slow.

The governance of the provider

• The governing body has a good balance of skills and expertise to provide the principal and senior leaders with effective support and challenge. Governors develop their own, clearly focused lines of enquiry based on the college’s self-assessment, which they review throughout the year to ensure that the college meets its quality improvement targets. They now use data more confidently to scrutinise the actions of senior leaders and intervene if learners’ progress or achievements decline.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Managers review and update the college’s safeguarding policy and procedures regularly to ensure that they meet all statutory requirements and emerging good practice. The central register of the checks on staff is complete and up to date. Staff promote a strong health and safety culture across the college site and with employers who take learners on placements.
• The three designated safeguarding officers have developed effective working relationships with social care and support agencies in the local area. This enables them to deal quickly with any safeguarding concerns. The team of education welfare staff gives effective preventative support to learners at risk from mental health problems, domestic violence and substance misuse.
• Good systems are in place to monitor internet use by staff and learners in the college. ‘Trigger words’ that are used online result in immediate investigation by designated safeguarding officers, some of which have resulted in referrals to support agencies for learners with mental health problems. Learners have a good awareness of how to stay safe online.
• Managers’ well-developed relationships with the local police and ‘Prevent’ duty agencies enabled them to refer two cases through the ‘Channel’ process, with the result that extremist attitudes were quickly defused. Learners have a good awareness of how to protect themselves against the risks of radicalisation and extremism.
• While the college has met all statutory requirements, a small number of staff have not yet completed the college’s required training on how to refer learners to the ‘Channel’ process. Managers have been slow to ensure compliance.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Most teachers and assessors have high expectations of learners, and carefully plan teaching and learning that enable learners to make good progress. The vast majority of learners and apprentices demonstrate good knowledge of their subjects. Teachers record learners’ progress effectively through a mixture of electronic and paper-based systems.
• Resources to support learning are outstanding. Teachers skilfully use the excellent resources in classrooms and workshops to enable learners and apprentices to develop good practical skills that prepare them well for progression to employment or higher levels of education and training.
• Well-qualified teachers and assessors use their expert knowledge and up-to-date vocational experience well to link theory and practice. This enables learners to understand the range of employment opportunities in their chosen career paths. For example, teachers in art and design support their learners well to create products based on real-life projects for local companies.
• Additional support for learners is highly effective. Learning support staff are well qualified and they provide unobtrusive support, enabling learners to develop self-confidence and participate fully in lessons. Wide-ranging support strategies help learners to participate in mainstream courses. For example, in bricklaying, teachers devise innovative targets and activities to ensure that learners with considerable personal problems and high levels of absence catch up with course content and assessments. Managers effectively support learners who need financial help to enable them to attend college and complete their course. For example, means-tested bursaries pay for childcare, transport and meals while learners are at college.
• Apprentices receive excellent support from their assessors in all subject areas. This includes frequent visits to their workplaces, very effective assessment, and frequent contact between visits. During reviews, assessors successfully evaluate the development of apprentices’ vocational skills. Apprentices receive highly effective feedback at work and from assessors and, as a result, they develop a clear understanding of what they need to do to improve, and make very good progress from their starting points.
• Communication with parents, carers and employers is good. Regular contact from college staff means that parents are kept well informed about learners’ progress and achievements, and receive detailed reports at regular points throughout the year. Employers participate actively in the reviews of apprentices and ensure that apprentices’ targets relate to their training needs.
• Teachers use initial assessment in English and mathematics well. They identify learners’ individual needs, assess what learners can already do, and plan to develop learners’ skills in the areas where they are not yet confident. Teachers track and monitor learners’ progress effectively. The recent introduction of a ‘traffic light’ system to identify gaps in learners’ knowledge is thorough and, while it is showing that a high proportion of learners are making good progress in the current academic year, it is too early to judge the full impact of this strategy. The proportion of learners who achieve qualifications in English and mathematics is not high enough.
• Managers effectively gather learners’ views in a range of ways, such as learner surveys, learner forums and two elected learner governors. Senior leaders carefully analyse the feedback they collect and respond appropriately when needed. As a result, learners are highly satisfied with their courses.
• A minority of teachers do not use initial and ongoing assessments well enough to plan learning that helps learners to improve their individual areas of weakness. In a few instances, targets set by teachers are not precise enough to help learners develop specific skills. Too often, the most able learners complete work that is insufficiently challenging. As a result, a small minority of learners become bored and do not make the progress of which they are capable.
• While teachers’ assessment of learners’ work is accurate, in a small minority of lessons, learners do not receive helpful and constructive written feedback on marked work. As a result, they are unable to identify what they need to do to improve their work and some make the same mistakes repeatedly.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

• The very large majority of learners and apprentices demonstrate excellent behaviour in classes, in the workplace and around college. They are respectful of each other and tolerant of different views. They demonstrate very positive attitudes to their studies, take pride in their work, and produce work of a high standard, particularly in practical subjects.
• Personal and welfare support for learners is outstanding. College staff ensure that highly effective and early support is available to learners who have issues that would otherwise affect their ability to study. Support within college includes drug and alcohol counselling, referrals to appropriate out-of-college agencies, and the work of an on-site educational psychologist. Where necessary, valuable financial support is available to learners. As a result, the vast majority of learners remain on their courses.
• Learners and apprentices understand the benefits of staying fit and healthy. College staff promote the principles of a healthy lifestyle effectively. Excellent support arrangements enable learners to make changes to their lives for the better. For example, college staff are able to prescribe medicinal support to learners wanting to stop smoking. The majority of learners on study programmes take part in a range of exercise options within college that enable them to improve their personal fitness, such as fitness classes in the well-equipped gym, competitive sports teams and recreational ‘boxercise’ classes.
• College staff provide highly effective careers information, advice and guidance. All learners and apprentices take part in an interview prior to starting at college to ensure that they are on the right course for their future career goals. Subject staff provide learners with highly detailed and personalised information throughout their courses to ensure that learners make informed choices about their next steps.
• Learners know how to keep themselves safe, have a very good understanding of personal safety, including digital and online safety, and know how to raise concerns. Learners are very aware of the potential risks of radicalisation and extremism, and are able to speak about local threats to their safety.
• Learners benefit significantly from extensive enrichment opportunities that are centrally coordinated within the college. They work well with their peers to raise money for local and national charities and take part in activities to raise awareness of particular issues in society, such as International Women’s Day.
• The large majority of learners develop their subject-specific skills well through curriculum-based enrichment. Most learners develop good work-related skills and study additional qualifications relevant to their future employment. Local employers are involved effectively in identifying the additional qualifications that add most value. As a result, learners develop a broad range of skills that employers need.
• Almost all learners and apprentices attend lessons on time. Learners and apprentices arrive to classes well prepared and ready to learn.
• Learners and apprentices develop good subject-specific literacy and numeracy skills. Teachers identify what learners can already do and carefully plan how they can effectively contextualise topics to help learners and apprentices to understand the importance of literacy and numeracy in their future careers. As a result, the vast majority of learners make good progress in developing the skills that they need to move into further education, an apprenticeship or sustainable employment.
• Managers and teachers have developed an extensive work-experience programme with a wide range of employers. The vast majority of learners take part in carefully planned, individual and relevant placements. Employers ensure that learners are able to develop their understanding of the world of work, and college staff use work experience as an opportunity to provide ongoing careers education. Those who are not ready for external work experience complete work-related tasks, such as real projects for employers, or complete work experience within the college. As a result, most learners know what they want to do after they have completed their current course.

Outcomes for learners Good

• The vast majority of learners on study programmes achieve their main qualifications. Most learners develop good knowledge and skills that prepare them well for their next steps.
• A very high proportion of adult learners studying short employability training achieve their qualifications. Most adult learners studying substantial, longer term courses achieve their qualifications and learning goals.
• The proportion of apprentices who complete their qualifications has risen since the previous inspection, and is now very high, particularly in engineering and information technology. The large majority of apprentices complete their courses within the planned timescale. In the very small number of subjects where apprentices perform less well, clear and targeted actions are in place to improve the proportion of apprentices that complete their course.
• The vast majority of learners progress to further education or employment. Most apprentices remain in employment after completing their course. College managers are meticulous in tracking learners’ and apprentices’ next steps. They regularly review the content of courses to ensure that they support learners to achieve their career aspirations.
• The standard of learners’ and apprentices’ practical work is high. The equipment in learning environments is comparable to that in commercial settings, and learners and apprentices use resources confidently. Teachers and assessors use their up-to-date vocational knowledge to review the work learners and apprentices produce, and provide constructive verbal feedback based on industry standards. As a result, learners and apprentices develop vocational skills that prepare them well for moving into employment.
• Managers closely monitor the performance of different groups of learners. No significant differences exist in learners’ achievements by gender or ethnic group. The majority of learners who have learning difficulties perform less well than their peers; after careful analysis, managers have put in place actions to support the progress of these learners.
• The proportion of learners who achieve grades A*–C in GCSE English and mathematics is too low. Not enough learners on study programmes achieve grade C or above at GCSE; although adult learners do better, not enough learners achieve the higher grades. Too few learners studying functional skills achieve their qualifications.

Types of provision

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• The college has approximately 1,100 learners on study programmes. The largest subject areas are engineering and construction. Almost all learners are on vocational programmes. Approximately half study at level 3, around a third study at level 2 and the remaining learners study at level 1 and below.
• The large majority of learners make good progress in relation to their starting points. Learners’ assessed written work demonstrates good progress since the start of their course. The majority of teachers provide clear, constructive and effective verbal feedback that informs learners of what they need to do to improve the quality of their work further.
• Most learners develop very good practical skills. They work effectively in well-resourced learning environments with industry-standard equipment. Teachers encourage learners to work to challenging standards, such as time constraints, which are often above what learners need to do to pass qualifications. For example, learners in engineering and construction complete job cards accurately, replicating the real working environment. As a result, learners develop the skills that they need to move into employment.
• College staff support learners well. Initial support ensures that learners join courses that interest them and are appropriate to their future plans. Ongoing careers guidance informs learners about options available for their next steps. Staff recognise that a minority of learners have issues in their personal lives that could hinder their learning, and use a range of effective strategies to ensure that learners are able to succeed. Learners who need extra help receive appropriate support in lessons to ensure that they complete their work, achieve their learning goals and remain on their courses.
• Most learners undertake relevant external work experience relating to their study programme. Learners who are not yet ready for external placements take part in well-planned, work-related learning that improves their confidence and skills. Teachers use their vocational expertise very well and as a result, learners are able to connect theoretical concepts to workplace practices.
• Learners develop English and mathematical skills well in vocational lessons. Teachers effectively plan activities that link these skills to the subject that learners are studying. As a result of teachers’ high expectations, learners use specialist terminology confidently and understand the value of developing their literacy and numeracy skills for their future careers. However, learners’ attendance rates in English and mathematics lessons are too low, and as a result, too few learners achieve their English and mathematics qualifications.
• Learners know how to keep themselves safe, and have a good awareness of whom to contact if they have a concern. They understand how to keep safe from radicalisation and extremism, and are aware of local threats to their safety. Learners know how to keep themselves safe online. They demonstrate good health and safety standards in practical lessons.
• Attendance in vocational lessons is good. The vast majority of learners attend lessons, arrive on time and prepare well for learning.
• Teachers’ use of assessment is good. In the majority of lessons, teachers use questions skilfully to challenge and extend learners’ thinking. Teachers effectively use a range of tasks to reinforce the themes introduced in lessons and build on learners’ knowledge. However, a minority of teachers do not provide learners with sufficiently precise guidance on how to develop their skills further.
• A minority of teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities for learners to work outside the classroom. In a minority of subjects, teachers use the virtual learning environment as an electronic filing system, rather than as an effective way of providing resources to help learners work independently.

Adult learning programmes Good

• The college has approximately 945 adult learners. Courses include short employability training in business, information technology and manufacturing, and longer programmes in access to higher education, English and mathematics. Adult learners also participate in vocational courses in a number of subject areas, including construction, hospitality and catering, and health and social care.
• In most lessons, teachers use their subject knowledge and industrial experience well to develop learners’ understanding of their subjects. Learners work purposefully in classes and workshops, demonstrating good teamwork and problem-solving skills. For example, in a manufacturing employability programme, learners work in a simulated high-volume manufacturing environment to improve their understanding of the processes involved in the assembly and manufacturing of domestic electrical plugs.
• Learners’ practical work is good. Teachers effectively create situations where learners work to high standards and produce high-quality pieces of work. For example, a group of learners in professional cookery, when preparing a mushroom and tarragon sauce, worked quickly and safely, demonstrated deft chopping skills, and operated effectively in a busy environment similar to that found in a commercial kitchen.
• Teachers prepare learners well for their next steps. College staff provide good initial support and guidance that ensure that learners know how the course will help them achieve their learning goals and what their next steps will be. Teachers provide ongoing careers education that is personalised and enables learners to move forward in their careers. As a result, the majority of adult learners find employment, gain promotion or go on to further study after their course.
• Adult learners improve their English and mathematical skills well. Teachers effectively encourage learners to use complex vocational terminology in lessons. Learners add key words to subject-specific glossaries and support each other in spelling challenging words. Teachers successfully support learners to improve their use of punctuation and grammar through research assignments that also extend their skills in using evaluative language. In vocational lessons, teachers identify work-related situations where mathematical skills would be useful and support learners to develop these skills; for example, in construction, learners use mathematical skills well when measuring, marking and cutting timber flooring.
• Teachers plan learning well in the large majority of lessons. They take learners’ starting points and individual needs into account and plan lessons that build on previous learning, making good use of the resources available to them. However, in a small minority of lessons, planning for learning does not reflect the starting points of learners or their individual needs, and consequently, a small minority of learners struggle to keep up or find the tasks in class too easy.
• The punctuality and attendance of a small minority of learners are not good enough. In the period leading up to inspection, there had been a dip in attendance in the access to health diploma. As a result, some learners are falling behind in their studies.

Apprenticeships Outstanding

• Almost all of the 796 apprentices at the college are on intermediate- and advanced-level programmes, with a very small number on higher-level apprenticeships. Most apprentices follow programmes in engineering and manufacturing, business and administration, and construction. The remaining apprentices follow programmes in clinical healthcare, customer service, cleaning and environmental support services, property services, hairdressing and beauty therapy, and catering. Around two thirds of apprentices are aged 16 to 18.
• Management of the apprenticeship provision is outstanding. The courses available meet the needs of employers and apprentices very well. College staff and employers work highly effectively together to analyse data frequently, and monitor apprentices’ progress. As a result, most apprentices achieve their qualifications within the planned timescale.
• Teachers and assessors provide highly effective support for apprentices. They set and agree clear and challenging short-term targets for apprentices during regular reviews of their progress. This enables a high proportion of apprentices to make very good or better progress towards achieving their qualification and career goals.
• Apprentices benefit significantly from carefully planned learning programmes that reflect their specific needs and starting points. College staff and employers work very effectively together to plan learning activities in both the college and the workplace that enable apprentices to develop the skills that they need to be successful in work. As a result, almost all employers value their apprentices highly; the proportion of apprentices remaining in sustainable employment at the end of their course is very high.
• Apprentices show high levels of respect for others, and are confident and articulate. They develop a high level of personal, technical and employability skills that employers need, and almost all apprentices make positive and measurable contributions to their workplace. For example, engineering apprentices designed the installation of an inverter drive to a hydraulic system, saving their company a significant amount of money in maintenance costs.
• Apprentices produce work that is of a high standard. The quality of most apprentices’ practical and theoretical work is excellent. Apprentices work very well both in the college and in the workplace, and demonstrate a high level of skill in their subject areas. Teachers’ assessment of apprentices’ work is thorough and accurate. The verbal feedback that teachers and assessors give to apprentices is extremely constructive and supportive, enabling them to improve their work further.
• Careers guidance is highly effective. College staff work very well with employers to recruit apprentices. In the early stages of a programme, teachers use initial information, advice and guidance and diagnostic assessments highly effectively to ensure that apprentices are on the right course. College staff work closely with employers to ensure that workplace settings allow apprentices to develop the necessary skills. Teachers, assessors and employers provide apprentices with personalised, ongoing careers advice and guidance. As a result, the vast majority of apprentices are aware of the options available when they complete their programmes.
• Apprentices feel safe. All apprentices are aware of safe working practices and know how to keep themselves safe. Apprentices routinely check their working environments for any possible hazards and wear appropriate personal protective equipment. Managers, staff and employers effectively assess risks and pay close attention to providing safe learning environments.
• Apprentices’ understanding of life in modern Britain is good. Assessors ensure that apprentices understand how these values affect them in their workplaces and local communities through highly effective reviews. Apprentices are open and honest and show great respect for their peers. For example, as part of International Women’s Day, a group of clinical healthcare apprentices shared views and opinions very professionally on different cultural beliefs, facilitated by the excellent coaching skills of the teacher.
• Apprentices develop their English and mathematical skills well. Where appropriate, teachers skilfully integrate literacy and numeracy into the vocational context of practical and theoretical sessions to extend apprentices’ knowledge. As a result, apprentices are able to use English and mathematics in their workplaces with confidence. In a small minority of cases, teachers do not routinely correct apprentices’ spelling, grammar and punctuation to help them improve their written English skills.

Provision for learners with high needs Good

• The college currently receives funding for 43 learners with high needs. The vast majority of learners are studying vocational qualifications alongside their peers, and the remaining learners are following specialist programmes that include employability and personal development qualifications.
• Managers use the funding for learners with high needs appropriately. Managers and teachers plan and deliver personalised learning programmes that help to increase learners’ independence and prepare them for further study or future employment. Teachers’ assessment of learners’ individual needs is rigorous, ensuring that learners follow courses that meet their learning and support needs well.
• Managers work well with partner organisations to share relevant information about learners with high needs. Learners receive good careers guidance and almost all have clear goals and aspirations for the future.
• Support for learners with high needs is very good. Support staff are well qualified and highly dedicated, and they provide support of an exceptionally high standard that enables learners to overcome any potential barriers to learning. Managers carefully plan support arrangements for learners, appropriately reducing these over time to encourage learners to become more independent. Learners benefit greatly from the use of assistive technologies and adapted resources that help to promote learning and greater independence. For example, visually impaired learners are able to work more independently using text magnifiers and enlarged keyboards.
• Most teachers use assessment information effectively. They effectively use a range of challenging teaching and learning activities to develop and reinforce learning, promote independence and refine learners’ practical skills. Teachers have high expectations of learners with high needs. They use learning activities effectively to promote the development of learners’ communication skills and, as a result, learners increase their ability to work effectively with their peers. However, not all teachers use information about learners’ starting points well enough to adapt their teaching to enable learners with high needs to understand key aspects of learning and work more independently.
• Most learners with high needs are punctual and well prepared for lessons, and they demonstrate a positive attitude to learning. Learners display good behaviour and high levels of respect for their teachers and peers. However, attendance rates for a significant minority of learners with high needs are too low.
• Too often, teachers set targets for learners with high needs that do not identify the specific skills that they need to acquire. As a result, too many learners do not fully achieve the goals and targets within their education, health and care plans quickly enough.
• Although the large majority of learners with high needs move on to further courses, insufficient opportunities exist for them to progress into employment, apprenticeships or supported internships. Managers have plans in place for the implementation of supported internships, but at the time of the inspection, these were not available to learners.

Provider details

Unique reference number 130567 Type of provider General further education college Age range of learners Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 16+ 4,875 Principal Darren Hankey Telephone number 01429 295111 Website www.hartlepoolfe.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+ 183 353 344 251 569 277 0 44 Intermediate Advanced Higher 16–18 19+ 16–18 182 84 301 19+ 221 16–18 19+ 3 5 16–19 0 19+ 0 Total 0 Number of traineeships Number of learners aged 14 to 16 Number of learners for which the provider receives high-needs funding 0 43 Funding received from Education Funding Agency At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors

Skills Funding Agency Fine Industries English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the assistant 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

Ken Merry, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Charles Searle Derek Whitehead Elizabeth Lamb Simone Collpitts Neil Clark Philippa Firth David Sykes Gill Reay

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