Myerscough College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

2 of 15

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

 Increase the proportion of outstanding lessons by strengthening the role of advanced teaching practitioners to ensure teachers improve their professional practice.  Raise adult learners’ long-course success rates, particularly at intermediate level.  Raise functional skills success rates and ensure teachers develop better these skills in classroom activities and by correcting English and mathematics in learners’ written work.  Improve access to appropriate technology across the college by implementing the plan already in place and by providing additional specialist resources and assistive technologies for learners on independent living and leisure courses.  Develop better use of ICT across the curriculum by sharing good practice to promote more effectively its use and by placing higher expectations on staff to develop their skills to use it.  Strengthen strategic leadership to ensure the college gives appropriate priority to equality and diversity to ensure learners have more opportunities to develop further their understanding of equality and diversity and increase the participation rates of minority ethnic groups.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Good  Learners’ outcomes have improved significantly since the last inspection and are good. These improvements are evident in most curriculum areas. Evidence collected during the inspection indicates further improvements during the current academic year.  Most learners’ long-course success rates are well above average when compared with other colleges.  Adult learners do not succeed as well as 16 to18-year-old learners. On short courses, younger learners’ success rates are above average and adult learners’ success rates are high.  Both male and female learners aged 16 to18 succeed equally well at all levels. Although adult learners’ success rates are high at foundation level and above average at advanced level, they are low at intermediate level. This is because their pass rates are below average. Adult women learners are less successful than adult men and their success rates are below average. Learners aged 14 to16 have very high success rates and they achieve equally well in all subject areas.  Younger learners from different ethnic backgrounds have similar success rates but the small number of adults is less successful. The majority of learners with learning difficulties and disabilities succeed better that those without, especially adults.  Learners’ functional skills success rates at foundation level are above average but at intermediate level they are below the national average, especially in mathematics and English. College in-year data indicate moderate improvements in success rates.  Learners are keen to learn and this is evident in their good attendance at, and punctuality to, lessons. They are attentive and respectful and develop good work-relevant skills. Most learners’ progress is at least in line with expectations. The progress of a very small minority of learners on independent living and leisure skills courses requires improvement. Most learners on BTEC courses make good progress relative to their starting points and achieve high-grade passes.  The college tracks the progression that learners make closely and a high proportion gain employment or progress onto other further or higher education. Many of these learners continue their education at Myerscough College.  The proportion of apprentices who complete their qualification is just above average. However, younger apprentices’ success rates are low. Whilst horticulture and forestry apprenticeship success rates are above average, a few apprenticeship programmes are below average. There is too much variation in success rates between men and women and apprentices with learning Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

3 of 15

difficulties and disabilities do not succeed as well as those without. The college has taken effective action to address these pockets of underperformance.  Apprentices’ timely completion of their qualification has improved considerably over the last three years and is well above average. This is particularly marked for adults. Learners’ success rates on other workplace learning are at the national average.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Staff development and increased sharing of good practice is improving teaching skills. Learners enjoy coming to college and make good progress in most lessons.  Teachers use their extensive knowledge and vocational experience to make most learning interesting and relevant. For example, in a sports psychology session the teacher’s use of links with professional golfers helped to motivate learners and they made good progress in understanding the topic.  Most teachers help learners to understand theory by relating it well to practical work, and learners develop skills that prepare them well for employment. In a lesson about hydraulic oil pumps, learners were able to identify skilfully a range of common faults and explain how to rectify them and to prevent them from occurring again.  Many learners benefit from a good range of enrichment opportunities to extend their knowledge and skills, and bring learning to life, through talks from external experts, participation in competitions and trips and visits. Teachers use opportunities well to display learners’ work at public events. For example, photography learners demonstrated a high level of skills in preparing for an exhibition at the college’s open day.  Most teachers are skilled at providing a range of learning activities that ensure all the learners understand their work. They carry out frequent and effective checks on learning, including skilful questioning to probe for answers and stretch learners’ thinking.  A minority of lessons are less well planned and delivered. Learners are insufficiently clear about what they are supposed to be learning. Questioning techniques do not engage learners well. Learners work on the same task and the more able are not given sufficiently demanding work.  Assessment of learners’ work is carried out frequently and to a good standard in most cases. Work is returned promptly with detailed and helpful comments on how it can be improved further. However, there are examples of cursory marking or learners waiting too long to receive feedback.  Teaching, learning and assessment are good for apprentices and other workplace learners. Trainers and assessors deliver an effective mixture of theory and practical activities and assessment practice is highly effective.  Occasionally, they allow trainees to take too long to complete a task. Employers are positive about the progress made by trainees.  ICT is used very effectively in work-based learning to assess learners’ competence and progress, but for college-based courses its use to aid learning and assessment is more mixed and on a number of courses it is little used. Inspectors saw very good examples of teachers and learners using the college’s VLE and devices such as smartphones. Learners report difficulty in gaining access to computers at busy times. The college is aware of these issues and plans are in place to invest further in infrastructure and staff training.  Learners with additional learning needs have very good support. Teachers, personal tutors and support staff work closely together to ensure support is put in place promptly. Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities on mainstream courses receive good support and achieve well. Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

4 of 15

 The progress of a small group of learners on independent living courses requires improvement. In a few instances, trainees on workplace learning do not receive extra support, for example to help with dyslexia.  Initial advice and guidance to ensure learners are on the right course is good. Learners are assessed well at the start of their course. Teachers and learners share high expectations, which are reflected in challenging target grades, and learners’ progress is monitored very effectively. Learners receive timely careers education and advice to help them to progress at the end of their course.  Learners’ mathematical skills are developed well in many lessons. The development of English skills in vocational areas is less consistent and marking does not always identify spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.  Learners display a respectful attitude towards others. They are polite and considerate. In lessons, too few teachers include opportunities for learners to deepen their understanding of diverse communities. Very effective examples take place in some areas, for example in floristry learners learn about different cultural traditions that they need to be aware of when creating displays for special occasions.  Resources to support learning are generally good, including specialist vocational equipment. Health and safety are well promoted with learners.

Agriculture and environmental conservation

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Outstanding  Learners’ outcomes are outstanding and their long-course success rates are very high. The proportion of learners on BTEC courses who achieve a high grade is high. Functional skills pass rates have recovered significantly this year and are now very good.  Teaching, learning and assessment are excellent. Learners acquire new skills and knowledge that considerably enhance their employment prospects. For example, advanced-level learners can accurately relate milk quality and volume to contractual aspects of production while foundation-level learners improve their confidence and acquire excellent employability and life skills by training mature beef cattle for a livestock show.  Teachers use excellent questioning techniques to check learners’ knowledge and understanding. Mathematics is integrated skilfully into theory lessons. Learners are alert, engaged, polite and interested. Punctuality is excellent and behaviour is very good. Learners enjoy their course and speak highly of the knowledgeable, caring and approachable staff. Learning support staff are used effectively to support learning.  Learners agree robust and challenging targets, which are recorded in electronic individual learning plans. Learners, with their teachers, make very good use of these plans, which contain other helpful information, during highly valued tutorials to monitor their progress.  Teachers have high levels of industrial knowledge. Learners studying a farm business module were given very good advice on tenant farming legislation from a teacher’s personal perspective. Another teacher made good use of their knowledge of deer stalking to illustrate a lesson about constructing a hide. The industrial relevance of the curriculum is significantly improved through input from a technical advisory board and relevant trips, visits and visiting speakers.  Many teachers use ICT very effectively, including a variety of materials such as YouTube clips, websites, home-produced videos and quizzes. Teachers make very good use of an application that sends texts to groups of learners to issue reminders about homework, kit-lists and visits.  Teachers take great care to ensure the safety of their learners. For example, one learner with Asperger’s syndrome was given advice about personal safety on a canal walk. Water and sun-screen are routinely available for learners to use during outdoor lessons. In a small minority of lessons, teachers do not give enough priority to reinforcing safety during practical activities. Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

5 of 15

 Assessment is fair and appropriate for the level and grade of qualification and is used very well to gauge and monitor progress and attainment. Teachers’ feedback is clear and provides encouraging guidance that enables learners to achieve high grades. Learners’ hand-written work contains too many uncorrected spelling errors.  Careers advice and guidance is very good. A good range of industrial partners assist with job talks, practice interviews and workplacements. A large majority of learners progress onto further or higher education or employment.  Teachers and learners are respectful and equality and diversity are promoted effectively by teachers through planned activities. In a significant minority of lessons, teachers miss opportunities to challenge learners’ perceptions of ethnicity and diversity issues into classroom discussions.

Horticulture, sportsturf and arboriculture

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good  Recently introduced changes to the provision have contributed to higher success rates which are above average. Learners gain a number of additional qualifications, which makes them more employable, and progression into employment is high. In lessons, learners make good progress in gaining practical skills and background knowledge. Work-experience opportunities help learners to develop further their personal, social and work skills.  Teachers are well qualified and experienced and expect learners to make progress towards high industrial standards. Teachers plan lessons well. Theoretical concepts are integrated well into practical activities. Teachers make good use of the commercial units and grounds during lessons. Learners behave well and enjoy lessons.  Teachers structure most lessons well, with activities that enliven learning, and learners work purposefully. In practical lessons, learners have a good awareness of health and safety and learners work independently demonstrating a good range of horticultural skills including planting, plant care and maintenance. In the best lessons, teachers make good use of questioning techniques to stretch and challenge learners, for example, during an interactive team quiz the teachers asked the more-able learners additional questions to check the depth of their horticultural knowledge. In a minority of lessons, questioning techniques do not fully engage all learners or provide sufficient challenge.  Learners demonstrate good ICT skills despite having difficulties in accessing college computers at peak times. Mobile technologies are used well, providing teachers with a range of images to enhance lessons, and learners with a wide range of photographic evidence for assessment purposes. Learners develop good skills using computer-aided design programmes. Not all learners use the VLE effectively to support their independent learning.  Learners’ assignments and assessments are of a high standard and learners complete a good range of interesting and vocationally relevant work. Teachers’ feedback on learners’ marked work is comprehensive and sets out clearly what learners need to do to make improvements. The majority of learners’ work is corrected for grammar, spellings and punctuation.  Teachers know their learners well and they use the results of initial assessment well to set challenging targets for learners to achieve. Learners requiring support are identified quickly and their progress is monitored frequently. Learners attend tutorials at which their targets are effectively reviewed and they agree actions that help them to make good progress, and on BTEC courses to achieve high grades. Learners are provided with good support to improve their mathematical skills in lessons. Although this is not so often the case with English, learners’ skills in using technical language are good.  Learners receive good information, advice and guidance. This helps them to make good career choices and to plan effectively their next steps in learning or into employment. Learning Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

6 of 15

programmes are well structured and provide good progression routes to further study or employment.  Teachers use the organic garden well to demonstrate principles of recycling, composting and sustainability. Learners have a high level of respect and good relationships with others. Teachers do not routinely incorporate into lessons opportunities to increase learners’ understanding of equality and diversity.

Animal care

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment contribute significantly to learners’ good outcomes. Success rates on intermediate-level courses are consistently high. Success rates on advanced-level courses have improved significantly since the last inspection from a very low base to at or just above the national averages. Comparative in-year data on course staying-on rates indicate further improvements. Most learners on advanced courses make good progress and achieve high grades.  Teaching staff have good vocational experience and use this well to reinforce learners’ understanding of the links between theory and practice. In better lessons teachers use a good variety of activities to engage learners, including group work, peer assessment and imaginative use of ICT.  Learners are well motivated and the majority make good progress in lessons. In a science class the teacher used questioning techniques well to engage all learners and gave learners who did not wish to take part in a dissection an innovative activity using icing to model and correctly label the organs. In a minority of lessons teachers do not provide learners with sufficient stretch and challenge. In weaker practical sessions, teachers reinforce insufficiently good practice in techniques and routines, especially at advanced level.  Learners’ initial assessment is very thorough and ensures they are on the right course. The college is careful to ensure learners with additional learning needs have support plans which will help them make good progress and be successful. Learners value the availability and quality of the support they receive. Learners receive good tutorial support. With their tutors they use the VLE well to identify, set and review target grades. Most tutors discuss and record progress at tutorials well. In a minority of cases, learners’ targets and action plans are insufficiently detailed to help them know what they need to do to succeed.  The standard of learners’ work and level of understanding are mostly good. Learners complete a varied range of assignments. Teachers’ written feedback on their work is clear and informative but in a minority of cases it does not give sufficient guidance on how learners can improve their work. Teachers regularly correct English, spelling and grammar in learners’ written work.  Learners work with a good range of animals in the college’s animal units. In a minority of sessions high learner numbers restrict suitable access to animals. At the Liverpool campus, learners have insufficient opportunities to develop their skills working with dogs and cats. Animal unit maintenance is satisfactory overall but housekeeping in the feed rooms requires improvement.  Learners receive good support to improve their mathematics and English. Teachers integrate mathematics into most lessons where appropriate and learners develop their skills effectively. By taking part in planned work experience and successfully achieving a satisfactory range of relevant additional qualifications most learners effectively increase their chances of employment.  Learners show respect for each other in classes and work together well. Learners’ attendance and punctuality are good. Learners behave well and enjoy their studies. Teachers’ promotion and reinforcement of equality and diversity in teaching and learning are satisfactory.

Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

7 of 15

Motor vehicle

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment on motor vehicle courses are good. Success rates reflect this and are above national averages.  Teachers have high expectations of their learners. They use a good range of teaching and learning methods to motivate and inspire learners. Teachers relate theory to practice well and use relevant examples from industry to reinforce learning and to extend learners’ awareness.  Most teachers use their good vocational knowledge and industrial experience to devise purposeful lessons, which are planned well to meet learners’ individual needs. In the better theory lessons, learners develop good knowledge of the mechanics of motorsports vehicles. In one lesson, advanced-level learners were able to identify correctly the functions of transmission systems of high performance competition vehicles.  In a minority of lessons, the pace is slow, activities lack rigour and are insufficiently challenging for the more-able learners. Teachers make insufficient use of directed questions to engage all learners and to check their understanding.  In most practical lessons, learners work productively on realistic engineering tasks that mirror what takes place commercially. Learners enjoy these lessons and develop good skills as technicians and mechanics. Many learners are progressing to employment in leading companies such as McLaren and Mercedes-Benz.  Teachers emphasise health and safety well. Learners carry out effective risk assessments to identify the hazards when using the workshops. Learners feel safe.  Teachers make good use of ICT including the VLE to support learners’ independent learning. The VLE provides learners with an extensive range of motorsports materials.  Tutorials are effective. Learning support staff work well with teachers to support effectively learners with additional needs. Electronically based individual learning plans include a good range of information about each learner and this is used well to monitor learners’ progress.  Learners benefit from good enrichment activities. They participate in rally competitions and study trips abroad to build their confidence and to extend their knowledge and experience.  The quality of most learners’ written work is good. Assessment of learners’ work is accurate. Teachers’ written feedback on assignments requires improvement. The majority of feedback, although supportive, is insufficiently detailed. In a minority of cases, feedback is very good and helps learners understand what they need to do to improve their work.  Learners’ develop good mathematical skills. In contrast, teachers’ development of learners’ English skills requires improvement. A minority of teachers take insufficient care to correct learners’ technical, grammatical and spelling mistakes.  Information, advice and guidance are good. Initial assessment is thorough and ensures that learners are on the right programmes. Teachers are skilled in helping learners to progress to further education or employment. Learners have a clear understanding of progression routes.  Teachers plan well for individual learners’ needs. Learners are respectful and their behaviour in classrooms and workshops is exemplary. Learners are aware of issues relating to equality and diversity. Teachers’ promotion of equality and diversity through teaching and learning when opportunities exist requires improvement. Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

8 of 15

Independent living and leisure skills

Learning programmes for 16-18 Learning programmes for 19+

Requires improvement  Most learners achieve externally accredited qualifications at an appropriate level. Learners make satisfactory progress in lessons. However, lessons require improvement. They do not sufficiently challenge the more-able learners. As the college recognises, individual learning plans are not used effectively to plan progress and this limits learners’ opportunities to reach their full potential.  In the better lessons, learners are challenged well and develop a wide range of everyday life and work-related skills. In one independent living session, learners quickly developed and practised skills including following instructions and demonstrating good health, safety and hygiene skills whilst making hot and cold drinks. In a horticulture lesson, learners had a good understanding of the seed planting process. Equality and diversity are integrated well into lessons, for example, taking turns and respecting others and their views.  Less successful lessons are often dull and uninspiring and lack challenge. In one budgeting lesson, the mathematics work was too easy for a significant minority of learners. Too often lessons focus on the achievement of activities for qualification completion and do not sufficiently stretch and challenge learners.  ICT is insufficiently available in classrooms and the range of assistive and adaptive technology is very limited. This was an area for improvement at the time of the last inspection. Staff have not had sufficient training on learning strategies to support learners with complex and multiple learning difficulties and to establish professional boundaries.  Learners significantly develop their confidence through a wide range of well-planned enrichment activities. Learners are able to speak confidently to unfamiliar people in a range of community settings. Residential trips, visits to museums, post offices and cafes have successfully enabled learners to travel safely and independently and carry out everyday activities including posting letters, shopping and ordering food and drinks at cafes.  Learners benefit from comprehensive and frequent feedback on their progress, further encouraging them to try new activities and improve their work. Learners produce good work in their portfolios and take care with presentations and ensure that their writing is legible and spellings are correct.  The quality of planning to meet individual learners’ needs requires improvement. Planning varies significantly in quality. Teachers record learners’ recent progress against classroom activities. However, detailed assessments of learners’ needs are not used effectively to develop plans that ensure learners are stretched and challenged in all areas of their learning programme including personal and social skills, vocational learning and English and mathematics. In a minority of cases, learners were inappropriately required to record their learning difficulties on their plans such as ‘developmental delay’ and ‘significant learning difficulties’.  Personal support is effective. Teachers and support staff work closely with learners, successfully encouraging and enabling them to participate in lessons using distraction techniques that improve learner behaviour. Good links exist with parents, carers and external agencies. Through effective personal support strategies, several learners have been able to live independently, enabling them to attend college; a few learners have attended overseas trips and others have remained in learning. Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

9 of 15

Animal care and veterinary nursing

Apprenticeships Other work-based learning

Good  Good teaching, learning and assessment contribute significantly to outcomes for trainee veterinary nurses, which are above average. Success rates for the few animal care apprentices are low but comparable in-year data provided by the college indicates a marked improvement. The standard of learners work is good and several trainees have had work published in professional journals. Learners’ attendance and punctuality are very good.  Teachers are knowledgeable, enthusiastic and engaging. They have high but realistic expectations of learners. Good lessons are lively, enjoyable and engage learners well. Teachers use probing questions and learners make good progress, developing good levels of veterinary nursing knowledge and skill.  Teachers make insufficient use of ICT, but examples of innovative use include using a smartphone as a microscope with apprentices in the workplace to examine the structure of a flea. A minority of lessons are insufficiently interactive, the pace is slow and teachers do not check learners’ progress enough or use learner profiles sufficiently well to develop classroom strategies for learners with dyslexia.  Teachers provide good feedback on learners’ work. Written feedback clearly explains how marks are awarded and highlights areas of improvement. Teachers correct English, spelling and grammar extensively. Learners’ development of mathematics in the classroom and in the workplace is good.  Facilities are good. For example, the pony-stud is allocated to trainee veterinary nurses, providing appropriate conditions for them to develop confident animal handling skills. Practical resources and vocational examples are well used to reinforce background knowledge.  Trainee veterinary nurses use the VLE frequently, although its use is not thoroughly audited. Animal care apprentices and employers use well established electronic portfolios in which to complete their work and assessors use ICT well to communicate with them.

 The college’s links with subcontractors and the wide range of employers are good, including veterinary universities, the RSPCA and high profile veterinary practices. Employers are supportive of the college. Communications between the college and employers are good and the college works well with employers to accommodate their business needs.  Learners’ progress is closely monitored and teachers take prompt action if learners are not progressing quickly enough. Arrangements to monitor the training learners receive in the workplace are satisfactory, although corrective actions when workplace training is insufficient are sometimes slow.  The college’s arrangements for recruiting apprentices require improvement as apprentices are not always aware of the demands of the apprenticeship. Animal care apprentices’ progress is well monitored but the college does not always act quickly enough to prevent apprentices from leaving before they have completed their qualification.  Learners receive good support and guidance from their teachers and they feel safe in college. Tutorials are thorough and well documented but do not set sufficiently precise and measurable targets. The promotion of equality and diversity is not explicitly taught or referred to in lessons, however, mutual respect is demanded at all times and learners’ behaviour is very good.

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The college’s recent initiatives have led to clear improving trends in overall retention, achievement and the strategic plan, succinctly summarised in four key aims, is shared with all staff. Managers have clearly communicated their expectations and most of the challenging Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

10 of 15

targets set have been met. Senior leaders have successfully established a culture that promotes high expectations. College strategies to improve teaching and learning have also played an important part.  Governors provide clear strategic leadership and are highly committed. They have rightly increased their scrutiny of the college’s performance through a revised committee structure. Governors place a strong emphasis on setting measurable targets to monitor and challenge performance effectively and focus more strongly on teaching and learning. The challenging performance targets they have set have almost all been met.  Heads of curriculum areas have responded positively to the clarification of their roles and responsibilities. The appointment of assistant heads has strengthened leadership at this level. Improvements in information services and managers improved understanding of the data have helped to focus on the need to improve outcomes. Data are analysed and used effectively to monitor attendance, retention and achievement, with tangible results.  Together with a more refined curriculum offer, more tailored advice and guidance and improved support, staff have worked hard to ensure that learners are enrolled on a suitable course and that they succeed. Arrangements to identify and support at risk learners are effective and include a valuable central recording system. Partnerships are a strength and contribute well to curriculum development and enrichment.  Performance management of teachers is appropriately focused on outcomes for learners. Teachers at all levels have a strong understanding of the college’s targets and of their responsibility for driving improvement. Attention has been given to improving teaching and learning, for example, through the appointment of advanced teaching practitioners. Where observation grades show teaching that is less than good, corrective action is taken promptly. The college recognises the need to further strengthen the strategic leadership of teaching and learning.  Work-based learning is managed effectively. The college takes decisive action where subcontractors have been responsible for poor outcomes. Improved monitoring and support of existing subcontractors are improving outcomes.  The self-assessment process has been refined and college staff are more astute at identifying strengths and areas for improvement. Quality improvement plans to address identified weaknesses sometimes lack sufficient detail. Self-assessment grades are broadly accurate and based on a wide range of evidence. Staff at all levels are involved well in the process.  Inspectors had a high degree of confidence in the college’s process for observing its teaching and learning; actions are followed through and lead to improvements. Surveys, focus groups and representative meetings are used effectively to collect learners’ views. Actions taken by the college in response is evident around the college.  Arrangements for safeguarding learners are effective. The college meets its statutory requirements for safeguarding learners and a wide range of strategies are in place to ensure that all learners are safe. Health and safety are well managed. Regular training for staff and governors ensures they are clear about their responsibilities for learners’ well-being. An effective system for recording concerns ensures that all relevant staff have access to key information.  Equality and diversity are promoted satisfactorily. The college’s support arrangements for learners with specific needs have strengths. Some gaps in achievement between particular groups have been reduced or closed, such as the gender gap for learners aged 16 to 18. Other gaps remain including the gender gap for adults.  Strategic leadership of equality and diversity is weak. Self-assessment and action planning for equality and diversity do not adequately identify and address key weaknesses. The proportion of learners from minority ethnic backgrounds is very low and does not reflect the local community or national population. Success rates for adult learners of minority ethnic heritage were low in 2012, and retention for this group has declined this year. Complacency about the gender stereotyping exists on many courses. The promotion of equality and diversity through teaching and learning requires improvement. Although some actions to address these issues have been taken their impact has been very limited. Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

11 of 15

Record of Main Findings (RMF) Myerscough College

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

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

Overall effectiveness

i gnnraeL 81-61

semmargorpi gnnraeL +91

semmargorp2 2 i sphsecitnerppA2

llarevO2

Outcomes for learners 2 2 2 2 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment 2 2 2 2 The effectiveness of leadership and management 2 2 2 2 desab -krow rehtOi gnnrael2 2 2 2

Subject areas graded for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment Agriculture Environmental conservation

Horticulture and forestry Animal care Motor vehicle Independent living and leisure skills Animal care and veterinary science

Grade 1 1 2 2 2 3 2

Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

12 of 15

Provider details

Myerscough College

Type of provider

Specialist further education college

Age range of learners

14+

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year Principal/CEO

Full-time: 1,673 Part-time: 783 Ms Ann Turner

Date of previous inspection

May 2010

Website address

www.myerscough.ac.uk

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

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

Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships)

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

Full-time Part-time

157 134 262 35 947 138 N/A N/A 124 139 142 119 64 195 N/A N/A

Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 277 19+ 451 16-18 48 19+ 329 16-18 N/A 19+ N/A

Number of learners aged 14-16 Number of community learners

240 N/A Number of employability learners N/A

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

Horsepower Progress Sport Achievement Sport Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

      

Chestergates Veterinary Referral Hospital Lynwood Veterinary Group Pinehurst Limited Virtual Alliance Inspection report: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

13 of 15

Additional socio-economic information

Myerscough College is a specialist land-based and sports college, located near Preston. The college has other centres in Lancashire, Liverpool and specialist centres further afield. The college offers courses from foundation to post-graduate level. The percentage of learners with a minority ethnic heritage is lower than that of the local population. In 2010, the proportion of pupils aged 16 in Lancashire who achieved five or more GCSEs at grade A* to C, including English and mathematics, was above that nationally. Unemployment in the North West is about average. The workforce has qualifications similar to the rest of the country except at level 4, which is below average, and the proportion who have no qualifications is above average.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Simon Cutting HMI

Four of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and six additional inspectors, assisted by the director of quality 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: Myerscough College, 3-7 June 2013

14 of 15

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