Eastleigh College Ofsted Report

Full report

Information about the provider

• Eastleigh College is a large-sized general further education college in Eastleigh, Hampshire. The college provides a wide range of vocational education and training from pre-entry to level 6. At the time of the inspection, approximately 10,200 learners and apprentices were enrolled at the college. The college is well positioned to support the diverse population of south Hampshire and Southampton that includes large areas of deprivation and prosperity. The number of pupils at schools in the region that achieve five GCSEs grades 4 to 9 including English and mathematics is below national rates.
• The college also provides training, education and apprenticeships across the whole of England through a large network of subcontractors. In 2017/18, subcontracted provision accounted for around two thirds of the college’s provision.

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

• Teachers should make sure that learning activities challenge all learners and apprentices, so they can achieve their full potential.
• Managers must develop sufficient external high-quality work experience opportunities for all study programme learners to make sure that they are able to acquire skills for future employment.
• Leaders and managers should implement and closely monitor their strategies to improve the number of study programme learners achieving their qualifications.
• Leaders and managers must make sure that all learners have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe from local risks posed by radicalisation and extremism.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and managers are ambitious for their learners and staff. They work effectively to raise the aspirations of learners in both the college and the subcontracted provision. Staff are proud to work at Eastleigh College. They value the strong leadership of the senior management team.
• Senior managers work closely and strategically with LEPs around the country to make sure that the subcontractors’ offer aligns well to local area needs. They map skills shortages in detail and in conjunction with LEP skills plans, introduce appropriate new courses to meet employers’ needs. They have designed the curriculum to ensure clear progression routes for learners into higher levels of learning and to employment. For example, they have recently introduced courses in installing smart meters and portable meters to cater for the increased need for fitters in these specialist areas.
• Employers, stakeholders and subcontractors are very positive about working with staff in Eastleigh College. They value the frequent communication they have with managers and the adaptability and positive approach that managers have in developing and running courses. The effective working relationships between teaching staff and employers means that teachers have up-to-date industry knowledge.
• Leaders and managers manage the subcontracted provision well. Staff in the subcontractors value the purposeful meetings that college managers arrange for them. Managers from subcontracted provision consider themselves part of a consortium of providers and employers rather than stand-alone organisations. Frequent, well-planned meetings help subcontractors’ staff share good practice and improve their skills. For example, staff recently shared their knowledge of new apprenticeship standards, policy updates and teaching and assessment practice.
• Leaders and managers have recently introduced new processes to strengthen further teaching, learning and assessment and improve progress for learners. Teaching and learning coaches identify staff who need support, including subcontractors’ staff, and work closely with them to improve their teaching skills. Managers use observations of teaching well to identify strengths and weaknesses in the college. They plan and provide useful and targeted training to improve weaknesses quickly. Recent training includes improving target-setting for learners with education, health and care plans.
• Managers from subcontractors value the effective rigour, challenge and support provided by college staff to help them improve their teaching, learning and assessment. College specialists have supported subcontractors to improve the development of English and mathematics skills in vocational lessons.
• Leaders and managers react swiftly to concerns about the quality of their own direct work and their subcontractors’ work. They track underperforming courses effectively within the college and intervene where necessary to make improvements. If necessary, with subcontractors’ provision, they suspend enrolments until subcontractors have addressed weaknesses and there is suitable evidence of improvement. For example, when two companies went into liquidation they acted quickly to make sure that the majority of apprentices were helped and supported to get back on track and continue their learning with another subcontractor, Sutton Coldfield Training Limited.
• Managers have been effective in improving substantially the quality assurance processes for subcontractors over the last year. College managers routinely risk assess subcontractors’ financial and quality performance. Members of the compliance and quality improvement teams visit subcontractors frequently. Leaders have changed contract details to ensure that each partner has a dedicated quality improvement member of staff. College staff carry out quality reviews if there are causes for concern and the detailed results are reported to senior managers monthly. College managers complete thorough risk assessments of subcontractors’ performance which help them to identify quickly emerging weaknesses or concerns in the majority of cases and deal with them.
• Staff appraisals lack clear and measurable targets and consequently managers cannot fully judge progress against these targets or hold staff to account for their performance as effectively as they could. Managers do not routinely include targets and actions from lesson observations in appraisals to improve teaching practice. Managers have recently strengthened the appraisal process to include targets from lesson observations, but it is too early to judge the effectiveness of these actions.
• Leaders and managers do not yet have a clear overview of the key strengths and weaknesses of teaching in subcontractors’ provision. In 2017/18, fewer than half of teachers in subcontractors were observed. Subcontractors’ self-assessments do not detail the improvements that are needed to improve teaching, learning and assessment. As a result, college managers are not completely clear about the quality of teaching and learning in all subcontractors or what needs improving.

The governance of the provider

• Governors know the college well. They are well qualified and experienced. They visit college frequently as link governors and write useful reports on what they have seen. They talk to learners to extend their understanding of the college.
• Governors receive frequent and detailed reports from senior managers that allow them to understand fully the strengths and weaknesses of the college and to challenge managers.
• Senior leaders and governors work together closely to make sure that the college is financially sustainable. They plan well to improve college facilities and resources. They are fully engaged in the strategic direction of the college and make sure that the curriculum mirrors local and regional needs.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Learners and apprentices feel safe and are safe. They know what steps to take if they want to report concerns. All learners receive a detailed induction which covers safeguarding thoroughly. At college, this is supported by a tutorial programme that explores these topics in more depth.
• A well-trained and proactive safeguarding team, led by the designated safeguarding lead (DSL), track safeguarding concerns effectively. They keep detailed records of actions they take and use their close links with external agencies well.
• Monthly safeguarding reports, including those completed by subcontractors, are presented to college leaders and governors to keep them fully informed of safeguarding concerns. The college DSL runs effective training sessions for college subcontractors’ staff.
• Managers keep a detailed and up-to-date single central record. They carry out appropriate checks on new staff and record these in detail. Those interviewing new staff understand and carry out safer recruitment practices. Managers make sure that college staff update their training frequently and, because of this, they know how to respond to safeguarding concerns.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The large majority of teaching, learning and assessment is good. Most teachers plan sessions carefully and include a variety of interesting teaching methods that motivate and engage learners. Learners respond well to the activities set and make good or better progress. In practical sessions, learners and apprentices progress well and develop their vocational skills and theoretical knowledge. For example, carpentry learners use accurate measurements to ensure that joints fit and in motor vehicle sessions, learners work to the set standards required for MOTs.
• Learners enjoy their learning and are keen to achieve their best. Adult learners are highly motivated and make good progress in developing their skills, so that they can learn more independently. Teachers make good use of online resources to support adult learners to help to develop their research and independent study skills.
• Learners in receipt of high needs funding benefit from a varied and interesting practical and academic curriculum across a range of vocational courses such as hairdressing, cookery and woodwork. They learn to make informed decisions about the next steps in their careers. Staff work effectively with these learners to develop their skills and support their transitions into adulthood.
• Learners and apprentices who need additional support are identified quickly and benefit from a wide range of support. This makes sure that they successfully achieve their qualifications and progress as well as their peers. Arrangements to support learners with high needs are good. Close working relationships with external agencies, healthcare professionals and the local authority help learners to settle quickly into life at the college.
• Learners and apprentices use technical terminology accurately and with confidence to prepare them well for work. For example, early years learners link and discuss theorists’ opinions to a nursery setting, identifying the new skills which children are developing.
• The vast majority of teachers set high expectations for their learners and use their industry and subject knowledge well. As a result, learners develop relevant skills and knowledge for work and make good progress. For example, in the college’s training restaurant, hospitality learners carry out front-of-house services to standards expected in the workplace for members of the paying public.
• Teachers in most areas give learners detailed feedback which helps learners understand what they have achieved and how to improve the quality of their work.
• Learners trust their teachers and feel confident asking questions and seeking advice. This means learners explore ideas to clarify their understanding and make progress. In one adult session, the teacher used encouragement well for learners presenting to their peers and sharing experiences of work.
• In a minority of lessons, teachers do not provide sufficient challenge for learners and, consequently, these learners do not make sufficient progress. In these lessons, teachers do not plan to meet the identified needs of learners sufficiently to ensure that learners are working to their full potential. As a result, the pace of learning is too slow and these learners soon become bored.
• In the small minority of off-the-job taught sessions apprentices continue with the same work from the previous lesson, which does not meet individuals’ needs. They are set the same activities and, as a result, are not challenged to develop more complex skills.
• In a small minority of lessons teachers fail to check learners’ understanding sufficiently well. Teachers too frequently ask open questions to the group without assessing individuals’ understanding. In a small minority of sessions teachers are too quick to answer questions themselves. This means that some learners’ progress is slow.
• A small minority of teachers do not identify and routinely correct spelling errors, poor punctuation and grammatical mistakes. As a result, learners do not improve these skills in their vocational qualifications and repeat the same mistakes.
• The majority of teachers do not use the information about study programme learners’ and apprentices’ previous skills and knowledge effectively to set challenging targets. Targets set are not aspirational and as a result, the learners’ and apprentices’ progress is slow.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

• Learners are respectful to each other and staff and demonstrate a positive attitude towards their learning. They increase their confidence and display exemplary behaviour around the college. They produce good standards of work and develop valuable work-related skills.
• Learners on study programmes benefit from a range of additional qualifications to increase their employment opportunities. For example, theatrical make-up and public services learners participate in a simulated serious incident with the armed forces, which allowed them to understand how to respond to major incidents and accidents.
• Learners at college benefit from useful support and information to help them decide on their next steps. Careers advice and guidance staff provide a good service through information sessions and workshops for learners. These help them to develop curricula vitae, complete applications for work and university and prepare for interviews.
• Learners and apprentices benefit from teachers’ industry and commercial expertise to ensure that work is produced at the standards expected by employers, using safe working practices. For example, in refrigeration, apprentices use precise measurements to British Standards to cut and braise copper and steel pipe. Trainees studying with Learning and Skills Solutions Ltd benefit from work experience in construction at Battersea Power Station and security at Covent Garden. This helps them to gain approval to work in security or gain a construction skills certifications scheme card.
• Learners feel safe in college, most know how to report concerns and are aware of the ‘run, hide, tell’ procedure. Learners follow health and safety requirements and wear appropriate personal protective equipment in workshops and practical areas. Although adult learners know how to report concerns, they have less understanding of the risks of radicalisation and extremism.
• Learners at college benefit from a range of enrichment activities, including access to the college gym, sports activities and community fundraising events. Learners demonstrate their understanding of why it is important to keep fit and healthy. As part of the ‘Kickstart’ programme, foundation learners promote the awareness of mental health in society. Learners in receipt of high needs funding can identify the range of foods that benefit their well-being and what they should eat for a balanced diet.
• Leaders and managers celebrate teachers’, learners’ and apprentices’ achievements in an annual awards ceremony, which showcases their successes. The focus of celebration is on the exceptional achievement of workplace values by demonstrating British values, professionalism, ambition and resilience.
• Learners’ and apprentices’ attendance is high; they arrive on time, are punctual and are ready to learn.
• Less than half of learners on study programmes benefit from external work experience to improve their skills for work. Learners have insufficient targets during their work experience and too many do not understand fully what they need to achieve in this period, nor how it links to their classroom learning.
• The majority of adult learners who do not routinely attend the college premises have a limited knowledge of, or access to, the wider services which are available to college-based learners. For example, they are not aware of careers and next-step guidance or counselling.

Outcomes for learners Good

• The large majority of adult learners complete their qualifications and achieve well. Achievement rates for partner-delivered provision are high and similar to those delivered directly by the college. Learners with subcontractors Strive and Sutton Coldfield Training Ltd achieve particularly well and almost all of them complete their qualifications. Adult learning programmes account for almost half of the provision.
• A high proportion of apprentices complete and achieve their apprenticeships. Achievement rates for apprentices improved in 2017/18 and are now above similar providers nationally. Apprentices training with subcontractors I.V.S. Training and Assessment Ltd achieve particularly well, gaining glass industry and civil engineering qualifications. The large majority of apprentices acquire new skills, enhance existing skills or are promoted on completion of their apprenticeship programme.
• Adult learners who take GCSE English and mathematics qualifications at the college achieve well. Those taking GCSE mathematics qualifications achieve higher than the national rate.
• Learners develop useful English and mathematics skills for work and the large majority achieve basic skills qualifications. Learners taking functional skills qualifications achieve at a higher rate than those at similar providers. Subcontractors’ learners achieve as well as those at the college.
• Learners with high needs and those on entry-level courses achieve well. Teachers have developed a valuable programme that includes travelling on buses, budgeting, shopping and cooking meals. Learners develop their independent living and work skills well. They make good progress to a higher level of study, supported apprenticeships and towards employment through supported internships.
• Trainees with the subcontractor Learning and Skills Solutions Ltd benefit from well-planned programmes that improve their English and mathematics skills and prepare them well for work. They gain valuable work experience. A high proportion of trainees achieve mathematics and English qualifications which help them gain employment.
• Most learners stay on their programmes until the end of their course. Leaders and managers track student retention and monitor effectively the reasons why learners leave the college before completing their courses. These learners are directed to, and supported well by, careers staff and local agencies to make sure that they are aware of the options available to them.
• Teachers prepare learners well for their next steps in education, training or employment. The large majority of learners aged 16 to 18 progress to a higher level of study or employment and training. Most adult learners gain places at university on successful completion of their access to higher education course. However, managers do not analyse destinations of learners sufficiently well to understand if employment following their studies is linked to the subject areas. They do not know how learners use the skills and knowledge gained from their courses in their job roles.
• Leaders and managers analyse differences in achievement between specific groups of learners well, but have not been successful in reducing all of these. For example, disadvantaged learners aged 16 to 19 on study programmes do not achieve in line with their peers. Managers identified that these learners are mostly on the recently rebranded ‘Kickstart’ programmes and they introduced a number of interventions to manage poor behaviour and attendance concerns, which had had an effect on achievement. It is too early to measure how successful these actions have been.
• Leaders and managers have not been successful in improving the achievement rates for the small proportion of learners aged 16 to 19 on study programmes. In 2017/18, the achievement rates were particularly low for those studying on level 1 programmes.
• The proportion of learners on study programmes achieving grades 9 to 4 in GCSE English and mathematics increased in 2017/18 but remains too low.

Types of provision

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

• The college provides study programmes for around 1,300 learners across a wide range of vocational courses. The largest subject areas are construction, retail and commercial enterprise and engineering. Study programmes account for a small proportion of all learners studying at the college. A very small minority of learners are on a subcontracted programme with St Mary’s Training Centre Ltd.
• Managers plan study programmes well to meet the diverse needs and interests of the local learners. Learners are supported effectively with useful advice and guidance prior to starting at the college to make sure that they enrol on appropriate courses which match their career intentions.
• Learners are supported well in the next steps of their careers. Careers staff attend tutorials in subject areas and learners benefit from guest speakers from universities and employers. For example, early years learners attend sessions with speakers from Portsmouth and Winchester universities and sport learners on the Saints foundation programme learn about opportunities for football scholarships in the United States of America.
• In the majority of sessions teaching, learning and assessment are good. Lessons are well planned and structured, containing a range of tasks that interest and challenge learners. The majority of learners work at an appropriate level and make good progress. Learners in practical sessions develop good vocational skills and follow safe working practices. In a practical beauty session, learners develop their skills in hot waxing well and apply their knowledge of safe practices, for example, testing the temperature of the wax.
• The large majority of learners participate in either external work experience or work-related activities in the college to gain skills for work. However, less than half benefit from external work experience to develop skills that employers value. Learners in some vocational areas develop their skills by working in college facilities, for example beauty learners, once at an appropriate skill level, work with paying clients in the salon.
• Most students move on to relevant further education, training or employment, with many going directly into employment. However, less than half the learners aged 16 to 19 years on study programmes progress to higher levels of learning within the college.
• A small minority of learners do not participate in lessons. While they do not disrupt learning, these learners are making limited or no progress.
• Leaders and managers have been too slow to improve the proportion of learners who achieve grades 9 to 4 in GCSE English and mathematics. Recent actions, including a new approach to delivering these subject has resulted in a higher proportion of learners improving their GCSE grades, but the overall achievement rates remain lower than similar providers nationally.
• Too many learners are not challenged sufficiently well to make sure they achieve their full potential. In a small minority of lessons the pace is too slow and teachers’ questioning was not effective to develop learners’ independent thinking skills. For example, in a mathematics lesson all learners were set the same question and given the same time to complete this, with no additional activities given for those learners who completed this ahead of others.

Adult learning programmes Good

• At the time of the inspection there were around 5,350 adult learners studying at the college. Over two-thirds of these learners study with partner organisations. A significant majority of learners are studying qualifications in English and mathematics with the remainder studying a range of vocational or employment-related qualifications in areas such as plumbing, gas, finance and refrigeration. The vast majority of learners study part-time, while a small number are on full-time courses such as access to higher education.
• Leaders and managers carefully plan the adult learning provision to meet employer and community needs. They have a detailed understanding of local, regional and national skills priorities and use this information effectively. The college managers work closely with a large number of subcontractors to maximise opportunities for learners. For example, they work with employees in a large hospital to develop skills in English and mathematics, which helps these staff progress onto vocational qualifications and improve their job prospects.
• Most teachers have high expectations of learners and use their industry and subject knowledge skilfully to create interesting lessons. As a result, the vast majority of learners attend their lessons on time, come prepared to learn and enjoy their studies.
• Adult learners quickly develop positive relationships with their teachers and are confident to seek help and guidance, which results in good progress. Learners work well together, supporting each other’s learning. They share ideas and valuable experiences of work and how they have applied their learning in their job roles.
• Learners are proud of their achievements. Learners’ work is of a good standard and, where applicable, conforms to, or exceeds, relevant industry or academic standards. Learners on technical courses develop skills closely aligned to the needs of industry. For example, learners studying smart metering make good use of a recently devised industry standard app in both the classroom and the workplace.
• Teachers support learners well to develop a wide range of skills in areas such as mathematics, customer service and information technology. For example, learners studying business improvement techniques develop their skills in team-working and problem-solving.
• Learners use the skills and knowledge they gain through their qualifications to contribute to their employers’ workplaces well. For example, learners studying human resources use the knowledge and skills gained as part of their programme to develop new working practices in areas such as disaster recovery planning.
• The vast majority of learners receive useful information, advice and guidance to help them develop clear plans for their future learning and employment. Learners have a good understanding of how their current studies will help them achieve these plans. Their initial levels of skill in English, mathematics, and, if applicable, the vocational trade they are seeking to study, are assessed. This information is used well to plan their programme. During their programme, learners receive further advice on their next steps in learning or employment.
• A small minority of teachers do not use questioning effectively and are too quick to answer questions themselves. This limits the opportunities for learners to think independently, check their own understanding and clarify what they know.

Apprenticeships Good

• At the time of the inspection around 3,400 apprentices were enrolled at the college. Subcontractors provide most of the apprenticeships for a wide range of subject sector areas, including engineering, manufacturing, construction and care. Over half the learners are currently studying on level 3 apprenticeship programmes.
• The large majority of apprentices benefit from positive working relationships between employers and the college. Because of these relationships, apprentices quickly acquire new skills and become valuable employees. For example, in plumbing, where learners needed opportunities to undertake second fixes, they were provided with additional opportunities in different workplace settings.
• Tutors and assessors work closely with employers to make sure apprentices are developing the skills they need for their specific workplaces. The vast majority of employers are involved in the planning of the apprenticeship programme and in the reviews of apprentices’ progress and assessments. As a result, apprentices quickly develop new skills that their employers value and apprentices improve their workplace practices. For example, in refrigeration, apprentices make good progress in their skills as they prepare for their F-Gas assessments.
• Leaders and managers regularly review the quality of subcontracted provision. They select carefully the subcontractors that they work with. As a result, the large majority of apprentices benefit from good-quality provision, with the large majority competing their qualifications within the planned timescale.
• Nearly all tutors use their in-depth knowledge and industry experience well to make sure that learning is relevant to apprentices’ jobs and meets the demands of the qualifications. For example, assessors discuss professional behaviours when communicating with residents in a care home setting and the prevention of cross-contamination of disease for veterinary nurses.
• In a small minority of lessons, teachers do not challenge apprentices sufficiently well to develop their knowledge and skills further.
• Targets set during progress reviews focus on unit completion and deadline dates. In too many cases, targets do not focus on learning or the knowledge development. As a result, apprentices and their employers do not know what specific skills and knowledge they need to develop in the workplace.
• A small number of assessors do not visit their apprentices often enough. These apprentices do not receive timely feedback on submitted work or sufficient reviews of their progress. Consequently, these apprentices make slow progress towards achieving their qualifications.
• Leaders and managers do not record in sufficient detail the off-the-job training which is completed by apprentices in a small number of sub-contractors. Consequently, managers do not know whether this small minority of apprentices are receiving their full off-the-job training entitlement.

Provider details

Unique reference number 130692 Type of provider General further education college Age range of learners 16+ Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 21,668 Principal/CEO Dr Janet Edrich Telephone number 02380 911000 Website www.eastleigh.ac.uk

Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age Number of traineeships Number of learners aged 14 to 16 Number of learners for which the provider receives high-needs funding At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors: 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 412 2,072 374 2,567 501 497 18 212 Intermediate Advanced Higher 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 235 1,003 222 1,657 3 19+ 275 16–19 0 19+ 97 Total 97 0 44 Aim Skills Development Limited Artswork Limited AWC Training Ltd Alert Training UK Limited Buttercups Training Limited Centrepoint SOHOH Creating Confidence Limited Equestrian Training Limited DA Training and Consultancy Limited Fencing and Construction Training Ltd Free to Learn Ltd I.V.S. Training and Assessment Ltd Lean Education and Development Limited Learning & Skills Solutions Limited Mor Training Ltd Professional Development and Training Ltd Red Ensign Limited Showcase Training Ltd St Mary’s Training Centre Limited Strive Training (London) Limited Sutton Coldfield Training Limited Straight A Training Limited The NVQ Training Centre Limited Total Support Training Limited Track Training Ltd University College of Estate Management Vocational Skills Solutions Limited Hampshire Football Association Limited Hampshire Combined Fire and Rescue Authority Call Wiser Ltd Cordie Ltd MYF Training Limited Stockport Engineering Training Association Limited(The) SeaRegs Training Ltd

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the vice-principal, curriculum and quality, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers and staff; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

Inspection team

Kate Hill, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Andy Fitt Margaret Garai Lynne Plested Catherine Gunn Jill Arnold Suki Dhesi Roland White Clifford Shaw Roger Pilgrim Lyn Bourne

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