Bolton Sixth Form College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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

 Further improve teaching and learning so that all students make good progress and achieve to their potential by:

increasing the proportion of outstanding lessons by ensuring that internal lesson observation systems identify the precise characteristics of the very best teaching and learning, and building upon current strategies to share best practice ensuring all lessons have sufficient stretch and challenge to meet the needs of all students, including the most able, so they can accelerate their progress actively promote equality and diversity in lessons particularly by using naturally occurring opportunities to develop students’ wider understanding of issues.  Tackle underperformance on a few weaker courses by:

improving the percentage of higher grades at GCE AS/A level improving pass rates on a few GCE AS-level courses developing a comprehensive and systematic approach to improve students’ mathematical skills through the curriculum on all courses making better use of value-added data to identify courses where students’ progress is less than good, and by reviewing all aspects of the teaching, learning and assessment in those courses identifying precisely what needs to be improved

increasing the proportion of students achieving grades A* to C at GCSE level in English and mathematics.  Ensure quality assurance systems are applied consistently in all subject areas to tackle underperformance and to enable high-quality delivery across all college provision. By doing so ensure that all staff recognise and value the contribution they make to students’ success and effective learning.

Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Good  The average attainment of students on entry to the college is significantly lower than that typically seen in sixth form colleges. Students’ success rates for advanced level courses have improved consistently and significantly over the last four years and are now in line with the high national average for sixth form colleges.  Since the last inspection success rates at intermediate level have also improved significantly and are now good. Achievement rates in a small minority of subjects require speedy improvement. The achievement of higher grades at GCE A level, while improving, remains too low.  Students on advanced vocational courses make excellent progress. Students on GCE A/AS-level courses make good progress. The college is increasingly successful in supporting students to complete their courses. The overall picture of good student achievement and progress disguises some significant underperformance at GCE AS level. Although most students achieve final grades that are broadly in line with their targets, this is not consistent across subjects.  Gaps in achievement between different groups have been narrowed. The historic gap between male and female students has been successfully closed in 2012/13. The gap between White male students and other groups has narrowed significantly over the last two years. Students who need additional help with their studies achieve well and those who have previously underachieved at school make good progress.  College leaders acknowledge that the proportion achieving higher grades in GCSE English and mathematics, while close to the national average, requires further improvement. Teachers focus well on developing students’ English skills in lessons but they pay less attention to the development of mathematical ability.  The overall standard of students’ work seen during the inspection was good. In most subjects students clearly understand what they need to do to make progress. In many vocational subjects, for example in applied sciences, information and communication technology, and business studies, students are developing good practical skills.  Students develop good personal, social and employability skills. Almost all attend well and are punctual. The college presents a harmonious community where the growth and care of the individual are nurtured and promoted. A number of students commented on how the college had ‘opened their eyes’ to the joys and challenges of cultural experience, political and social consciousness and scientific curiosity.  A high proportion of students gain a place at a higher education institution. In 2012/13, over one third of those who went to university were from families with non-graduate parents or carers. Just under a third progress into employment or training. A large proportion of students move from intermediate to advanced courses during their time at the college. Progression from GCE AS level to GCE A level is high.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Teachers have high expectations, care deeply about their students and provide very good support. In the majority of lessons they use their extensive subject knowledge well to inspire students to enjoy learning and achieve.  In the good and better lessons teachers plan a wide range of activities to engage students and help them develop very good independent learning and thinking skills. Students interact well together and collaborate effectively in class to support each other’s learning. Teaching and learning are generally well planned. A variety of teaching methods and learning resources are employed effectively to interest and engage students in their learning and most students respond enthusiastically. Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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 In those lessons that require improvement, students’ progress is limited because of a lack of challenge coupled with low teacher expectations of students. Superficial questioning fails to check students’ understanding and progress. Learning activities do not always develop students’ ability to think critically and deeply enough about the topic. Activities and work are not always well designed to ensure the most able benefit fully and are sufficiently challenged. Opportunities to work collaboratively or reinforce learning are limited.  Professional staff development has improved and is now having a positive impact on improving teaching and learning. The very effective teacher-led, teaching and learning group identifies areas of development and facilitates the sharing of good practice across the college. Staff development days are regular and well attended. However, inspectors saw too few lessons that were outstanding.  Accommodation and resources to support learning are very good. Many curriculum areas use the online virtual learning environment (VLE) imaginatively to encourage students to work independently both in and outside the classroom. In many subject areas teachers are accessible to students through the use of the VLE, email and, in some cases, other forms of social media.  Assessment is very good. Teachers provide helpful comments and advice on students’ written work to help them improve their grades and move to the next level. One-to-one support for individuals is good and effective. Teachers and senior tutors monitor students’ progress effectively. A well-developed electronic monitoring system enables teachers, students and their parents to have up-to-date information on progress and ensures swift intervention if any student is falling behind.  In the vast majority of curriculum areas, teachers encourage and help students to develop their written English by routinely correcting errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Leaders, managers and teachers provide ample opportunities in lessons and in general access areas for students to develop their spoken English and, as result, many students have very good levels of verbal communication. However, the promotion of numeracy skills is underdeveloped in the majority of curriculum areas.  Target-setting and the monitoring of students’ progress are rigorous and contribute significantly to students’ motivation to do well. Students appreciate the close monitoring of their progress and the regular tutorial sessions they have with their teachers and tutors.  A comprehensive range of trips and visits strongly enhances learning and develops students’ wider interests and employability skills. Students participate in an excellent range of enrichment activities, from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and voluntary work along with musical productions. Many students participate in the ‘world of work’ initiative which develops good employability skills in preparation for their progression into the workplace and/or university.  Pre-induction and programme support and guidance are good. Teachers are very skilled at helping students to settle quickly into the college and their courses. Students develop confidence and good attitudes to learning very early in their studies. Students who need additional help receive good support through the provision of well-attended, additional timetabled lessons.  Pastoral support is very effective. The tutorial programme delivered by senior tutors is good and provides clear guidance for progression. Students and staff are highly respectful of each other and equality and diversity pervade the college. However, teachers often miss naturally occurring opportunities to promote students’ awareness of equality and diversity matters in lessons.

Science and mathematics

16-19 study programmes

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement. Overall success rates are just below the national average with a trend of year-on-year improvement. However, too much variability in results remains, especially at GCE AS level. The success rates for the GCE AS biology and A- Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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level mathematics courses, however, are high. Too many students who resit GCSE mathematics do not achieve a grade C or better.  In the better lessons, teachers are effective in planning tasks that enable students to apply their knowledge and develop analytical skills. In practical lessons, students improve their scientific skills through carefully planned experiments. For example, in a lesson on enthalpy change, students improved their skills in planning, measurement and weighing and extended their mathematical knowledge. In the better mathematics lessons, teachers challenge more able students by encouraging them to attempt higher-level questions.  In a minority of lessons, students are asked to spend too much time researching facts and not enough time analysing and applying data. In these weaker lessons activities are not planned sufficiently well to cater for the wide range of students’ abilities. Consequently, the more able students are left unoccupied, waiting for the others to catch up, or the level of the topic is too advanced and some of the less able students are left behind.  Students’ progress on their course is carefully monitored by regular and frequent testing. Students working below their target grade are directed to timetabled support sessions. The majority of these students make good progress in these support sessions, especially in developing techniques for interpreting and answering scientific questions. Chemistry students keep a clear record of their homework marks and set themselves specific improvement tasks, for example, ‘learn how to calculate volume’.  Students value the level of support they get from their tutors and subject teachers outside the classroom. Homework is set weekly and returned promptly with specific and useful comments from the teacher on what they need to do to improve. Most GCE AS- and A-level students produce good written work and science students are adept at interpreting graphs and clearly tabulating their results. Written work from some advanced-level BTEC students lacks depth, for example, containing sparse practical reports and poor labelling and drawing of scientific diagrams.  The majority of successful A-level students go on to university, usually to study a science or mathematics based course. As part of the college’s enrichment activities, science students can join ‘The Science Academy’ which meets weekly to carry out interesting laboratory experiments such as manufacturing shampoo from grapefruits or making and purifying aspirin. Students commented that such activities developed their enjoyment of, and curiosity for, science.  Resources and accommodation are good. Science and especially mathematics students effectively use the VLE to gain access to additional lesson resources, teachers’ notes and presentations in order to review and revise their work. Students particularly value the links provided to websites which offer online testing and marking as a quick and effective check on their progress.  Attendance and punctuality are good. Teachers do not do enough to develop students’ employability skills, for example, by relating their topics to wider-world and industrial applications. All classrooms and laboratories have eye-catching and thought-provoking posters that promote values of equality and diversity, for example, the Eastern origins of algebra and string theory. However, these values are not promoted strongly enough by the teachers during lessons.

Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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Visual arts and media 16-19 study programmes

Good

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Success rates have risen steadily over the last three years and are above the high national averages for sixth form colleges. The proportion of high grades achieved is low in GCE A-level art and design and A-level communication studies. Retention on the advanced level BTEC art and design course was low but is now improving.  Teachers have high expectations for students. Lessons are well paced and there is urgency in their delivery and an insistence that students are always actively involved. Questioning is effectively used in all lessons. Teachers display excellent subject knowledge which they use well to enthuse and motivate students. Lesson activities are thoughtfully planned with a variety of tasks that are successfully designed to engage and sustain interest.  The standard of students’ work is good. In GCE AS media, students make good progress and are confident in their use of subject and industry-specific language. In GCE AS fine art, teachers place a strong emphasis on students acquiring correct drawing technique and this further supports and enables their good progress.  The planning of teaching and learning activities for students is good. Careful consideration is given to the differing abilities of students for collaborative learning so that they can benefit from each other’s ideas and creativity. Teachers have a relentless focus on communicating assessment criteria for each chosen subject. Peer assessment is used effectively. Students benefit from electronic learning resources, especially for off-site work.  Initial assessment is thorough and swiftly identifies those students requiring additional support. Individual learning plans accurately record long- and short-term targets as does separate subject documentation. Students can clearly see how they can make progress and what they need to do next.

 Teachers’ assessment is assiduous and the tracking of students’ progress against aspirational target grades and actual attainment is rigorous and demanding. Feedback and subsequent action planning are detailed and helpful. The majority of teachers are external examiners or moderators and this ensures that good practice seen elsewhere is beneficially absorbed into their own teaching.  Spelling and grammatical errors in submitted work are corrected. Students are expected to build up ‘word banks’, and the correct use of language is consistently evaluated. The application and use of numeracy is less well developed in classroom practice. Though accommodation and equipment are excellent, the layout of some media rooms restricts learning.  Information, advice, guidance and support for students are generally good and help motivate students to succeed in their learning. Students appreciate the help they receive from their tutors and teachers. Progression to specialist degree programmes at highly prestigious and competitive higher education institutions is good.  Equality is promoted well and students’ behaviour is consistently very good. The rapport between teachers and the diverse groups of students is excellent. Teachers endeavour to supplement gaps in the students’ experience through a positive programme of enrichment activities with the result that several students have visited galleries and exhibitions for the first time. Valuable visits to nearby higher education graduate shows provide exemplary and aspirational opportunities for students.

Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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Social sciences and psychology

16-19 study programmes

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement. Achievement rates in GCE A-level subjects are good. In 2012/13, too many students studying AS-level psychology, sociology, economics and geography did not achieve the qualification. In previous years too many students did not make the progress that they should have made. This historic record of poor performance has led to robust performance management including changes to the management and teaching teams. Most current students are making satisfactory or better progress.  In the better lessons teachers use carefully directed questioning to develop and check students’ understanding. Students work well together and enjoy the opportunities to take part in group or paired activity. These collaborative activities help them to adopt a critical approach to their work. In an AS-level economics lesson on the impact of taxation the teacher asked challenging questions of every student and drew links with contemporary social and economic events using short video clips and web pages. Students felt confident to raise additional questions and put forward examples of their own; learning was focused and developmental. Students display confidence in using subject specialist terminology and concepts. In most lessons, teachers place a strong emphasis on reminding students of the skills required to do well in examinations.  In the weaker lessons teachers do not always use strategies to challenge more able students. They rely too much on whole-class discussion and questioning and do not provide sufficient opportunities for students to take charge of their own learning. In a minority of lessons, checks on learning were too superficial and the tasks set were simple and did not enable students to work at the level required for the examination.  Most teachers make effective use of information and learning technology (ILT) to support and enhance learning. They take full advantage of the well-equipped classrooms to include video clips and extracts from websites as part of their presentations. In sociology and economics, good use is made of social media to communicate with students and to share information on available resources, such as web-based articles and news events.  Students appreciate the high levels of support they receive from their teachers. Monitoring of their progress is thorough and regular. Students are clear about the progress they are making. Timetabled support lessons have been introduced in sociology and psychology to assist students whose progress is below that expected. Students who attend these sessions have shown improvement in their written assignment work. Students attend well and are highly responsive in lessons.  Feedback on assessed work is regular and accurate although teachers do not always provide sufficiently detailed comments on how students could improve. Satisfactory attention is paid to correcting spelling and grammatical errors. Students are very clear about their learning targets and these are regularly reviewed with teachers.  Students have access to good resources. Classrooms are well equipped and pleasant working environments. Attractive display materials help to give the rooms a subject presence. The college’s VLE contains a wide range of subject-related materials, including lesson content and links to other web-based resources.  Teachers are sensitive to students’ differing backgrounds and experiences and build this into their lesson planning and delivery. A high percentage of students progress to higher education to study social science subjects. Teachers are responsive to naturally occurring opportunities to discuss issues relating to equality and diversity.

Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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Business, accounting and law

16-19 study programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. There has been a sustained improvement in overall success rates within the area since the last inspection. Overall success rates rose again in 2012/13 and are now higher than national rates. Many students taking advanced-level accountancy and business achieve high grades. Performance has been weaker in GCE A-level law but is beginning to improve.  In stronger lessons, teachers use their skills and expertise to plan and deliver learning activities which are engaging and offer effective opportunities for individual, paired and collaborative work. In these lessons probing and inclusive questioning is used to check understanding and to develop learning opportunities. Students commented that these approaches help them to clarify their thinking and monitor their own progress.  In a few lessons, activities do not support learning well enough. While a variety of learning opportunities are planned, less effective teacher communication limits students’ opportunity to think for themselves and develop their knowledge. Often teachers miss opportunities to consolidate the learning before moving onto another activity. Questioning is used less effectively in these lessons, often allowing more dominant students to answer at the expense of those who are less confident.  Teachers have high expectations of what students can achieve. Individual targets are set for students at induction and many in accountancy and business exceed those targets. Students’ learning is supported and reinforced by very good additional resources and out-of-class activity. Students in accountancy and business enhance their learning outside college through regular use of the college’s VLE.  Attendance and punctuality are good. Students are extremely well mannered and are well supported in developing wider skills to prepare them for employment and progression to university.  Assessment practice is thorough. In better lessons students’ learning is enhanced by the effective use of self- and peer assessment. Students receive timely, constructive feedback which helps to move their learning forward. Individual progress is closely monitored.  Resources are very good. Classrooms are conducive to learning with many displays which encourage and motivate students. For example, teachers make frequent use of graphs showing links between regular attendance and high achievements. Information technology equipment to support learning is readily accessible. ILT is used well to support learning.  Students receive good advice and guidance to ensure they are on the right programme. Students benefit from additional diagnostic exercises and taster sessions, which allow students to clarify their choices and to take the opportunity to change programmes at any early stage.  Students have effective induction. They take ownership of their targets and this is supported by an internally designed electronic individual learning plan. Students’ progress is monitored by both subject teachers and through tutorials. Students benefit from timely interventions to ensure that they make sufficient progress.  The development of students’ skills in English and mathematics is variable. Literacy and particularly numeracy skills were not sufficiently embedded in lessons observed.  There was insufficient evidence of teachers taking naturally occurring opportunities to promote equality and diversity during lessons. However, there is a strong inclusive ethos within the area with many examples of students from different cultures working together harmoniously.

Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leadership and management are good. Governors, leaders and managers are strongly committed to an ambitious vision of a college where all students achieve highly and benefit from positive learning experiences. The college has a strong culture of fairness, respect and tolerance where everyone is valued equally. Leaders and managers work hard to encourage students to have high aspirations.  Governance and leadership are good and governors work collaboratively with senior leaders to eradicate underperformance. Governors contribute actively to self-assessment and discuss fully trends in student outcomes and the quality of teaching and learning. Governors set precise targets for improvement and challenge the Principal and managers vigorously on the college’s performance.  The college is continuing to improve in many areas and outcomes for BTEC students at both advanced and intermediate levels are particularly good. Performance management is increasingly effective. Teachers’ performance is closely monitored by department heads. Managers receive high-level training to enhance their performance monitoring and coaching skills. Underperforming managers and teachers receive good support to aid improvement. In cases where practice does not improve, competency procedures are implemented and staff leave the college. The stringent monitoring of performance and prompt action have started to improve the poor success rates in some GCE AS-level subjects, although the college acknowledges there is still much to do.  Lesson observation practice is carefully moderated to ensure accurate grading and identification of areas for improvement. Measures to assure that the college promotes good learning are sound although not enough teaching sufficiently challenges more able students. The college knows it needs to improve further the proportion of students achieving higher grades.  Quality improvement measures focus sharply on promoting effective learning although in a few areas teaching is not consistently good. Professional development opportunities are prioritised and increasingly staff benefit from acquiring better teaching practice from their colleagues or visiting practitioners. Many teachers are qualified examiners. Both college campuses offer excellent accommodation and resources and good access to learning technologies.  Self-assessment practice has improved since the last inspection. The college is particularly good at identifying areas of weakness at headline and subject level. Extensive use of data is made to inform findings and make judgements about overall quality. All teachers are required to assess their own performance using a broad range of indicators and to help monitor improvements in their practice. Quality-assurance procedures have improved since the last inspection and are now mostly good. Systems to monitor students’ progress are now stringent and accessible to staff and students.  Curriculum management is mostly good. The broad range of academic and vocational advanced-level courses meets well the needs of students and the local community. Support for progression both from partner schools to college and from college to further education and to university is good. Student numbers have progressively increased each year although they fell slightly in 2012/13. The attention paid to improving students’ English and employability skills is mostly good, although some inconsistent and uneven practice occurs in mathematics.  The college is highly inclusive and offers good access for all students. The three equality and diversity coordinators promote good initiatives to help teachers explore additional equality issues with students. They run a programme, in partnership with the police, to develop ‘natural born leaders’ which attracts many participants. The diversity calendar is used well to prompt monthly activities and discussions around particular themes such as the Holocaust and a celebration of Bollywood dance. Gaps in the performance of particular groups such as between genders and for Pakistani heritage males have reduced. Staff and students are protected strongly from harassment or bullying. Not enough attention is paid by some teachers to extending students’ understanding of wider equality and diversity matters through the curriculum. Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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 High priority is given to safeguarding arrangements and students benefit from a safe learning and working environment. Students are courteous and their behaviour is exemplary. The monitoring of and support for young people at risk are very thorough. Good early warning systems ensure prompt identification of any concerns about internet safety or cyber bullying. The college meets well its statutory requirements for safeguarding students.

Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) Provider name

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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NA NA

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2

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2

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NA NA NA NA NA 2 NA NA 2 NA NA NA NA NA 2 NA NA 2 NA NA NA NA NA 2 NA NA 2 NA NA NA NA NA

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

Science Mathematics and statistics Visual Arts Media and communication Social Sciences Psychology Business Accounting and finance Law and legal services 3 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 2

Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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Provider details Type of provider

Sixth Form College

Age range of learners

16-19

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year

Full-time: 1738 Part-time: 2

Principal/CEO

Mr Steve Wetton

Date of previous inspection

November 2011

Website address

www.bolton-sfc.ac.uk

Provider information at the time of the inspection Main course or learning programme level

Level 1 or Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 below and above

Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships)

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

Number of traineeships Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age Full-time Part-time

20 NA NA NA

16-19 NA

115 NA 1491 33 NA NA NA NA

19+ NA

NA NA NA NA

Total NA

Intermediate Advanced Higher

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

Number of learners aged 14-16

Full-time N/A Part-time N/A

Number of community learners

N/A Number of employability learners N/A

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

Education Funding Agency

 

N/A Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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Contextual information

Bolton Sixth Form College operates on two sites, with approximately 1,200 students in the town centre and around 450 at Farnworth. There is a further education college in the town. There are other colleges in the surrounding areas and a number of schools with sixth-form provision. Many of the college’s students are from areas of high disadvantage. The percentage of students from minority ethnic backgrounds is high at 50%. Achievements at GCSE in Bolton schools are mixed, but the overall pass rate for five passes at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics in 2012/13 was just over the national figure. The vast majority of students at the college are aged 16 to 18 and most of them follow full-time BTEC advanced and GCE AS- and A-level courses: half the advanced-level cohort now enrols on BTEC courses. The college has grown significantly in numbers over the last few years.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Patrick Geraghty HMI Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and five additional inspectors, assisted by the vice- principal 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 of the provision at the provider. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the provision and graded the sector subject areas listed in the report above. Inspection report: Bolton Sixth Form College, 14–17 January 2014

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What inspection judgements mean

Grade

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4

Judgement

Outstanding Good Requires improvement Inadequate Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Handbook for the inspection of further education and skills 2012, Part 2: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/handbook-for-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills-september-2012

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

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

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