Hugh Baird College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

2 of 16

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

 Improve the quality of teachers’ written feedback ensuring that learners are clear about what they need to do better to improve the standard of their written work. Set clear and challenging targets to ensure that more learners, particularly the most able, achieve high grades.  Make sure that all learners attend and are punctual; review existing strategies to ensure that they are applied consistently by all teachers and managers across the college.  Ensure college-wide improvement in teaching, learning and assessment in functional English and mathematics, and increase learners’ successful completion of qualifications in these subjects. In particular, make sure that subject teachers emphasise to learners the importance of gaining qualifications in English and mathematics to secure employment and places in higher education.  Make certain that all learners achieve their qualification for the minority of subjects where success rates are low.  Ensure that all learners progress into higher study or employment through improved careers guidance and by teachers more closely focusing on learners’ plans for their future careers.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Good  The college provides study programmes for learners aged 16 to 18 at levels 1, 2 and 3, and these make up the majority of the provision. Adult learners study on levels 1, 2 and 3 full- and part-time courses. The number of apprentices, the majority of whom are on intermediate level apprenticeships, is increasing but makes up only a small proportion of the total learner numbers. Very few learners undertake their training through the college’s subcontractors. A small number of learners aged 14 to 16 study at the college full time.  Over the past three years, the proportion of learners on college-based programmes achieving their qualification successfully has risen, and it is now high. More learners aged 16 to 18 working towards study programmes achieve their qualifications. Success rates are high in construction, information and communication technology (ICT) and hospitality and catering. Performance in a small minority of subjects remains too low particularly in hairdressing, beauty therapy, and travel and tourism.  The proportion of adult learners who achieve their qualification successfully continues to improve and is now high. The improvement has been most notable at level 2. Adult learners make good progress in a number of subject areas, including health and social care and engineering.  Learners often make very good progress on their courses. Based on their attainment before coming to the college, many exceed their expected progress. Learners’ work is often good or better and most develop good skills, especially relating to their vocational studies. For example, learners in hospitality prepare menu dishes to exacting industry standards, and learners aged 14 to 16 produce a range of wooden gifts to sell as part of developing their enterprise skills.  Learners aged 14 to 16 gain good levels of confidence, and many take up their learning and career aspirations again in a positive way, after troubled times at school. They attend well, enjoy their studies, and make good progress relative to their starting points.  Achievement of apprentices and learners who study in the workplace is now good. Managers have been effective in ensuring that many more apprentices are successful in completing their studies although the number completing successfully within agreed timescales remains low. Good partnerships with a range of employers result in substantial benefits for learners who progress well at work and are very successful in achieving their qualifications. Learners on Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

3 of 16

subcontracted courses achieve well, particularly those on fenestration and in health and social care.  Learners’ success in achieving their qualifications in functional skills English and mathematics remains low and for learners aged 16 to 18 studying at level 2 is inadequate. Attendance and punctuality in lessons is often poor. Adult learners achievement of functional skills English and mathematics qualifications is higher than those aged 16 to 18, however the rate has declined recently. Too many learners who enter the college with grade D in English or mathematics do not progress to GCSE courses sufficiently swiftly.  Learners’ development of a wide range of skills in English and mathematics, in their vocational subject is good. For example, learners aged 14 to 16 made good progress in their ability to weigh and accurately measure ingredients in a practical catering lesson and understood well how to increase the proportions of a recipe to feed more customers. The majority of learners develop good verbal and written communication skills.  GCSE results for the very small number of learners who study a GCSE in English and mathematics are outstanding; those gaining grades A* to C are very high.  Learners behave well in lessons and around the college. They take pride in studying at the college and feel very safe. Managers ensure that the college provides an inclusive culture where learners’ respect for each other is evident.  Teachers focus well on preparing learners for employment. In several vocational areas, for example construction, hairdressing and in hospitality, links with employers are good. However, not enough learners, at all levels, benefit from work experience as part of their study programme. Managers have been slow to ensure that learners on courses at level 1 have external work experience as the central aim of their programme.  Managers have succeeded in reducing differences in achievement between groups of learners. Male learners now perform better than was previously the case; learners who need extra help with their studies benefit from the good support they receive, and achieve as well as their peers. Young learners in the care of the local authority do well in their studies.  The number of learners who continue to a level 2 course are high. Many learners succeed in progressing to further education or training and a small number, to higher education. However, the number of learners progressing to a level 3 course is low. Too few apprentices move onto an advanced level apprenticeship, and the destinations of the minority of learners who do not achieve their qualifications remain unknown.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  Inspectors covered six subject areas during this inspection. These areas provide a representative sample of the range of the college’s provision by subject, level, prior performance, and mode of study. During inspection, inspectors visited lessons and other learning activities in most subject areas across the college, at employers’ premises and within the community.  Good teaching and learning is prevalent for much of the provision, leading to good outcomes for learners overall. Teaching and learning in a small minority of subject areas are of a significantly lower standard than in the better quality provision. Teaching and learning for apprentices and for learners aged 14 to 16 are good.  Enthusiastic teachers make good use of their extensive occupational experience to develop learners’ skills and prepare them well for future study and employment. For example, sport learners develop the technical and coaching skills that the industry requires because of careful teacher guidance and well-supervised practice sessions. Learners studying floristry are able to explain clearly the techniques they use to produce imaginative floral displays and funeral wreaths and then critically appraise their work.  Teachers’ development of learners’ English and mathematics skills within most vocational learning is good. Learners understand the importance of acquiring good skills to prepare them for the workplace. For instance, in business, learners practise spelling correctly appropriate Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

4 of 16

complex technical terminology and competently convert decimals into fractions. In floristry, learners calculate the costs of floral bouquets expertly, add on the cost of value added tax and prepare an accurate invoice for customers in the college shop.  While teaching and learning in GCSE English and mathematics is generally good, it is not of a consistently high standard in functional skills English and mathematics and much requires improvement. Additionally, attendance in lessons is poor. Managers and teachers have not been successful in ensuring that learners understand the importance employers place on the successful achievement of qualifications when considering a job application.  The majority of learners benefit from well-planned learning delivered at a good pace. The most successful learning ensures that learners take an active part in, and benefit from, imaginative and well-planned activities that take account of their individual study needs and enables them to make good progress in their learning.  However, in a minority of lessons, particularly at level 3, teachers do not always plan teaching to ensure that all learners, particularly the most able, work hard on relevant activities and make good progress.  Learners develop good work-related skills that prepare them well for employment and the work environment. Teachers place continual emphasis on the development of learners’ broader employment skills, for example, leadership skills and working effectively within a team. Work-related tasks and activities are a key feature of much practical learning.  Most teachers assess learners’ work regularly and provide clear and detailed feedback on how learners can improve their grade. However, a minority of teachers do not provide sufficient detail in their written feedback to help learners improve their work and rely too heavily on providing feedback through discussions with learners during lessons.  Learners benefit from a number of good opportunities to learn more widely about their subject. In hairdressing and beauty therapy, learners value the chances to hear from visiting industry guest speakers and learners in construction work on live projects such as building paths for community gardens. Many learners take part in external skills competitions and attend trade shows and exhibitions.  Apprentices receive good training and individual coaching that staff plan well and align carefully with the needs of employers. The majority of apprentices make a valued contribution in the workplace. Apprentices receive frequent and well-planned assessments to which most employers contribute well. Assessors monitor apprentices’ progress closely; as a result, apprentices achieve well.  Learners aged 14 to 16 years make good progress in their studies and benefit from good accommodation in a dedicated, secure area. Learners study an appropriate range of subjects that includes GCSE English and mathematics, with three vocational pathways aligned well to local and regional skills needs. Learners develop a positive approach to their learning; attendance at college is good, and they work hard to succeed because of the very good support staff provide.  Learners benefit from good quality learning environments and industry standard equipment and workshops. However, too few teachers make effective use of the good quality information and learning technology (ILT) available to them to enhance and extend learning outside the classroom.  Learners receive clear and appropriate advice and guidance that ensure they enrol on a suitable course. Apprentices receive good information about the demands of their chosen occupation before they begin their apprenticeship. Staff work closely with schools, social services and other support agencies to ease the transition to college for vulnerable learners and those learners aged 14 to 16.  Highly effective additional help for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is quickly available. Learning assistants, who support learners with sensory or complex needs, work productively with teachers to ensure these learners make good progress. By contrast, additional in-class help for learners is not always sufficiently targeted or effective in helping learners to Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

5 of 16

progress; attendance at drop-in reinforcement sessions are low and a minority of learners who have asked for support have not yet received it.  Managers and teachers ensure that the diversity of the college community is celebrated through their choice of learning activities: learners’ wider understanding is developed well through a broad range of external trips and visits to cultural events. In a minority of instances, teachers’ planning for this in lessons is insufficient. Learners have an appropriate understanding of British values particularly those of fairness and opportunity for all. Learners’ behaviour around college is excellent; learners treat staff, guests and other learners respectfully.

Health and social care

16-19 study programmes 19+ learning programmes

Good

Teaching, learning and assessment in health and social care are good because:

 the proportion of learners who successfully complete their qualification in health and social care is high and a large majority of learners produce work of a good standard  highly qualified teachers use their vocational experience well to plan relevant and lively lessons that learners enjoy; they use current scenarios that capture failings in care provision for the elderly and the consequences of the international Ebola crisis to stimulate group discussion and challenge learners’ thinking  teachers prepare learners well for next steps in learning and employment; learners improve their use of complex terminology which equips them with the professional language required when working in the care sector  teachers are skilful in setting learners subject-related tasks that extend their understanding and develop their skills well; learners become skilful in preparing care plans and other beneficial activities for a range of service users with often complex needs  learners develop good work-related and interpersonal skills and benefit from participating in a wide range of additional learning activities that enable them to broaden their understanding of the care sector; for example, visits to care homes and listening to external guest speakers  teachers skilfully weave mathematics into learning; learners develop good mathematics skills through, for example, using demographic statistical data to analyse mortality and the prevalence of illness and then investigating the impact this has on health and social care services  learners develop a thorough understanding of the very diverse nature of work in the health and social care sector; for example, learners understand well how to adapt their approach when working with adults suffering from dementia  learners quickly develop a good understanding of their responsibility and duty as carers to maintain their own and their service users’ safety and well-being; learners follow clear industry guidelines and safe working practices.

Teaching, learning and assessment in health and social care are not yet outstanding because:  teachers’ written feedback is not always detailed enough to challenge learners to achieve high grades  a small minority of teachers do not always plan learning well enough to challenge the more able learners; these learners do not then make sufficiently rapid progress in their learning  not all teachers ensure that learners’ written work meets the standards expected of health and social care professionals; a small number of learners are not sufficiently able to complete individualised care plans for service users or competently complete medical charts used in care homes. Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

6 of 16

Construction crafts

16-19 study programmes 19+ learning programmes

Good

Teaching, learning and assessment in construction crafts are good because:

 the proportion of full-time learners aged 16 to 18 who complete their qualification successfully is high and has improved consistently over a three-year period; current learners’ work is of a good standard  teachers support learners well in their studies and consequently, learners make very good progress in developing their practical skills; for example, in bricklaying, they move quickly on from constructing a garden wall to being competent and able to build a garden arch  teachers use their own extensive industry experiences very effectively to ensure that learners have a deep understanding of the subjects studied, as a result, learners enjoy their learning  in practical session, learners work with growing confidence, both individually and in small groups; they develop good personal and team working skills  teachers extend learning well through a wide range of learning experiences both in and outside the college; learners benefit from talks by guest speakers, and volunteer their technical services through local employers  learners are well prepared for employment and the majority of learners develop a good range of skills through a variety of community- and employer-based projects, for example, on a local sustainable housing project they construct staircases, paint and decorate rooms and landscape gardens  learners develop good mathematical skills in the majority of practical sessions; learners practise calculating areas, volumes and pricing for a range of client jobs such as constructing garden decking, building retaining walls and wallpapering rooms in a local community centre.

Teaching, learning and assessment in construction are not yet outstanding because:

 teachers do not always plan learning to challenge the most able learners; these learners become disinterested in lessons and do not always make good progress  not all learners develop good skills in their written English or fully understand technical language correctly.

Hairdressing and beauty therapy

16-19 study programmes 19+ learning programmes

Requires improvement

Teaching, learning and assessment in hairdressing and beauty therapy require improvement because:

 the proportion of learners who complete their qualification successfully is low; too few learners make good progress in their studies  teachers do not always reinforce the importance of punctuality; many learners regularly miss the introduction to the lesson and teachers do not always check learners’ understanding of what they learnt in the previous lesson or link how it relates to the current topic  too few teachers set sufficiently challenging, imaginative and interesting learning activities; too many learners become bored with their learning Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

7 of 16

 teachers do not always check that learners understand the theory behind their practice or develop learners’ technical knowledge sufficiently; in a minority of cases, learners do not understand why a treatment has been unsuccessful or understand how to make their own corrections  not all teachers are sufficiently confident to develop learners’ mathematics skills in practical salon sessions; for example not enough learners undertake basic costing of client treatments and products  teachers do not always develop learners’ understanding of the wide range of clients’ needs sufficiently; learners are not always taught about how they might adapt their techniques when working with clients from different nationalities, cultures and/or with a variety of hair and skin types.

In hairdressing and beauty therapy the college has the following strengths:

 as a result of good teaching and learning on level 2 media make-up, nail technology and level 3 spa therapy programmes, the proportion of learners who successfully complete their qualification is high  learners benefit from excellent industry standard hairdressing and beauty therapy salons and facilities which ensures that the large majority of learners develop good practical hairdressing and beauty therapy skills; media make-up learners blend and mix colours well and hairdressing learners cut good graduated hairstyles  learners’ opportunities to learn more widely about their chosen career are good; learners attend national trade exhibitions, participate well in competitions and well-known guest hairstylists and beauty therapists enhance learners’ technical and practical knowledge.

Foundation English

16-19 study programmes 19+ learning programmes

Requires improvement

Teaching, learning and assessment in foundation English require improvement because:

 a low proportion of learners aged 16 to 18 studying functional skills English achieve their qualifications; this is improving at level 2, although too few learners studying at level 2 make sufficient progress  teachers do not plan learning for apprentices that is relevant to their vocational subject; too few apprentices in engineering and hairdressing attend sessions, and the progress apprentices make in completing their qualification is generally too slow  learners’ attendance in the majority of functional skills English lessons is low; while tutors work closely with vocational and support staff to identify barriers to learners’ attendance, this has not ensured that most learners attend as they should do as part of their study programme  in functional skills English lessons, teachers do not always use the results of the thorough initial assessment to plan individual learning well; learners with a wide range of skills are often grouped together and in many cases, learners all work towards the same tasks and targets  in too many functional skills lessons the work is too easy for more able learners and as a consequence, they are bored and make slow progress  not all teachers consistently correct spelling, punctuation and grammar in learners’ work during lessons; learners are not then always able to see how they can improve their work or their skills  additional support for learners is not always sufficiently effective in helping learners to progress; drop-in support sessions outside of lessons are not well attended. Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

8 of 16

In foundation English the college has the following strengths

 in most vocational lessons teachers use effective methods to help learners to recognise the importance of, and improve, their use of English in a vocational context  much teaching in GCSE English is good; teachers use ILT well to enliven learning and motivate learners; they use video clips and interactive games and quizzes to maintain learners’ interest and to assess their learning  the large majority of learners studying towards GCSE English achieve grade C or above; these learners make very good progress and develop good skills in composition and proof reading, and are able to relate technical vocabulary and terms well to their area of vocational study.

Independent living and leisure skills 19+ learning programmes

Outstanding

Teaching, learning and assessment in independent living and leisure skills are outstanding because:

 the proportion of learners who successfully complete their qualifications is extremely high: progress to higher-level courses is particularly good; learners make outstanding progress in developing their skills to manage money, improve their personal hygiene, play sport, prepare and cook nutritious food and develop skills of a very high standard in English and mathematics  teaching and learning support staff are expert at planning imaginative lessons that challenge and inspire learners to engage and take an active part in their own learning; personal and learning targets ensure that all learners make outstanding progress in their personal and learning development  through well-planned and structured role play learners develop excellent interpersonal skills; money and groceries are used particularly well during food shopping role play which enables them to understand how to handle small change when purchasing goods from the till handler and learners very effectively communicate with each other to ensure that they receive the correct change  as appropriate, learners complete work experience activities in local parks and gardens that prepare them well for paid employment; learners understand well the skills and behaviour expected of them by an employer  learners develop excellent enterprise skills, for example, learners grow crops to produce jams and chutneys for sale and produce high-quality craft items; all learners develop an extensive range of English and mathematics skills through planning, costing and evaluating each activity  learners acquire high levels of English skills; for example, in cookery lessons learners very successfully read aloud and write accurate sentences to remind them of the seven stages of health and safety in the kitchen  learners gain very good mathematics skills; for example as part of a hygiene lesson learners are particularly successful at remembering how to count how many seconds they had to wash their hands to ensure that any germs were gone  learners on preparation for work courses develop outstanding work-related skills such as communicating with customers effectively, managing their own time, understanding how to present themselves appropriately for work and the importance of personal hygiene  learners on personal progression courses develop excellent communication and money management skills and become increasingly independent of their parents and carers Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

9 of 16

 staff provide high levels of personal care and exceptional learning support that enables learners to attend lessons and participate fully; for example a blind learner is very successfully enabled to participate fully through a range of interactive tactile experiences.

Business administration and management Apprenticeships

Good

Teaching, learning and assessment in business administration and management are good because:

 the proportion of apprentices who successfully complete their apprenticeship has significantly improved and is now good; apprentices benefit from a new team of highly experienced assessors who inspire and motivate them to complete their learning aims and the majority of current apprentices are making good progress  apprentices’ needs and interests are met effectively through individual workplace coaching; they appreciate assessors’ flexibility in planning their learning  apprentices develop a wide range of good work-related skills, for example, administration apprentices have created databases for their employers and management apprentices confidently carry out staff appraisals, chair meetings and learn effective leadership skills  apprentices develop high levels of confidence which is valued by employers, and as a result, apprentices have been given additional roles and responsibilities in the workplace; for example intermediate apprentices supervise play workers’ tasks and activities  care and support for apprentices is highly effective, they benefit from monthly assessor visits and are in frequent contact with their assessors by telephone, email and text messages; assessors make effective use of ILT to develop learning outside of workplace tutorials  apprentices make good progress and assessors are skilful in providing good verbal and written feedback; apprentices develop good English skills, and the standard of their written work and portfolios is high  apprentices develop their skills, knowledge and understanding through a good range of reliable assessment methods that include observations, work product, witness statements and professional discussion.

Teaching, learning and assessment in business administration and management are not yet outstanding because:

 too few apprentices complete their qualifications within the planned time  assessors do not sufficiently develop apprentices’ understanding of cultural diversity; apprentices do not always understand sufficiently how to moderate their conduct and behaviour when leading and managing teams.

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Governors, the Principal and senior managers provide strong leadership. They implemented skilfully a clear strategy for improving teaching, learning and assessment and for raising standards. A clear strategic plan identifies managers’ aspiration to deliver outstanding teaching and learning for the community of South Sefton and to create clear progression routes for learners aged from 14 years to full honours degree level.  The proportion of learners and apprentices who go on to achieve their main qualification has risen and is high. Much teaching, learning and assessment is good. However, a number of weaknesses remain in the teaching of functional skills English and mathematics, the low Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

10 of 16

attendance and slow progress of a minority of learners, and in ensuring all relevant learners have access to work experience.  Governance is good and highly effective in supporting improvement and strengthening accountability at all levels. Governors support the college well by providing challenge to leaders to improve performance and become more outward looking and responsive to the local community and its learning needs. Through their link roles with subject areas of the college, managers are encouraged and supported well to engage more effectively with local employers.  Managers have made good progress in their implementation of the requirements for the 16 to 19 study programmes. They ensure that lessons reinforce learners’ understanding of the skills they need to develop for employment and provide good opportunities to develop these skills through practical tasks and work-related projects. However, while the majority of learners on study programmes benefit from work experience, learners at level 1 do not always have sufficient opportunity to do so.  Senior leaders have strengthened the arrangements for the management of staff performance. Managers provide good support and an appropriate action plan for teachers who underperform. The small minority who did not improve quickly enough have left the college. Self-assessment is robust and links closely to the development plan. Governors and managers use a range of indicators well to monitor performance. While the resulting self-assessment report is broadly accurate and identifies most of the key strengths and areas for improvement identified at inspection, it does not focus sharply enough on the detail and quality of teaching, learning and assessment and judgements in a minority of subject areas are overgenerous. Managers correctly identify functional skills English and mathematics as a key factor affecting underperformance of learners aged 16 to 18. However, actions to date have not yet had the desired impact or improved learners’ successful outcomes sufficiently.  Excellent partnership working with a range of local employers benefits learners across the Liverpool Local Enterprise Partnership area. A comprehensive and well-resourced curriculum meets a very wide range of identified local and regional priorities. For example, managers have developed a range of maritime-related qualifications to support local offshore wind farms and the Liverpool ‘Superport’ project. Good links with the hospitality sector and the vocational subject choices of the 14 to 16 curriculum meet the ‘visitor economy’ priorities identified by the Liverpool Local Enterprise Partnership well.  The 14 to 16 curriculum meets statutory requirements well, providing good opportunities for learners to move onto a wide range of vocational and academic subject choices well aligned to regional and national priorities. The personal and academic help provided for learners ensures a smooth transition into learning. Learners benefit from a dedicated learning suite with secure access and good practical workshop facilities. Learners are positive about their learning and particularly enjoy their mathematics studies and practical learning experiences. Managers and teachers have quickly established a successful ‘code of conduct’ focused on respecting and valuing individual differences. Learners understand well how to behave; they dress appropriately while at college and are eager to learn.  The understanding of equality and celebration of diversity at the college is good and a key component of all learners’ programme of study. Dedicated workshops, for example on ‘hate crime’ covers equality themes in depth and help learners develop a good understanding of tolerance and mutual respect. Managers and teachers manage misbehaviour well. Senior managers’ ‘Preventing learners from becoming at risk of radicalisation’ strategy and action plan is providing a good focus to promote further the positive aspects of British culture.  Managers closely analyse the performance and satisfaction levels of different groups of learners to identify any problems. Management action to ensure that male learners achieve as well as female learners has been largely successful. However, managers do not carry out sufficiently detailed analysis of learners’ destinations on completing their programme of study to assess accurately how well the provision helps all learners into sustainable employment, further training and higher education. Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

11 of 16

 The safeguarding of all learners and apprentices is outstanding. Governors and managers place the highest focus and attention on the concept of the ‘safe learner’ through thorough and well-thought-through safeguarding arrangements. The promotion of safeguarding across the college is very clear and explicit. Help for learners with financial and personal issues is very good. Managers follow best practice in relation to safe recruiting. The single central register that details the status of Disclosure and Barring Service checks for all staff is comprehensive and up to date. Managers monitor the register stringently. All staff have carried out mandatory safeguarding training and understand the range of support available to keep all learners and apprentices safe. Effective working between managers, safeguarding coordinators, teachers and site security staff ensures that learners identified as ‘at risk’ are sensitively and appropriately helped to remain in learning and make good progress in their studies. Senior managers and staff promote e-safety well. The designated officer for safeguarding at the college has an excellent working relationship with the local authority.

Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

12 of 16

Record of Main Findings (RMF) Hugh Baird College

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance: 1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate Overall effectiveness Outcomes for learners The quality of teaching, learning and assessment The effectiveness of leadership and management

noisivorp emit-trap 61-41

N/A N/A N/A N/A

noisivorp emit-lluf 61-41

2 2 2 2

llarevO

2 2 2 2

semmargorp yduts 91-61

2 2 2 2

semmargorp gnnrael i+91 i sphseenarT i

N/A N/A N/A N/A 2 2 2 2

i gnnrael ytinummoC ytililbayopmE

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

i sphsecitnerppA

2 2 2 2

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

Health and social care Construction crafts Hairdressing and beauty therapy Foundation English Independent living and leisure skills Business management Administration 2 2 3 3 1 2 2

Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

13 of 16

Provider details Type of provider

General further education college

Age range of learners

14+

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year

4,312

Principal

Yana Williams

Date of previous inspection

February 2010

Website address

www.hughbaird.ac.uk

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

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

Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age Number of traineeships

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 202 265 688 452 720 219 2 5

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 89 19+ 236 16-18 49 19+ 229 16-18

N/A

19+

N/A 16-19 N/A 19+ N/A Total N/A

Number of learners aged 14-16

71 Full-time 71 Part-time N/A

Number of community learners

312 Number of employability learners 21

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

Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

 

Absolute Training Solutions Limited Universal Learning Streams Inspection report: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

14 of 16

Contextual information

Hugh Baird College is a general further education (GFE) college situated in Bootle in the south of the borough of Sefton, in the wider Liverpool City region. The college operates in a competitive environment in close proximity to five GFE colleges and where most local schools have sixth form provision. Significant numbers of learners are from the most socially disadvantaged areas in England. In Sefton, the number of adults living on benefits is twice the figure for Liverpool. The number of pupils achieving five GCSE grades A* to C including mathematics and English is significantly lower than the national rate.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Julie Steele HMI

Three of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and six additional inspectors, assisted by the Vice- Principal Curriculum and Quality as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the college’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on learners’ achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the college. 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: Hugh Baird College, 2–6 February 2015

15 of 16

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: www.gov.uk/government/publications/handbook-for-the-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills-from-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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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

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