Goldwyn Sixth Form College Ofsted Report

Full report

Information about the provider

• Goldwyn Sixth Form College is a small independent specialist college located in Ashford, Kent. It opened in 2016 with 10 learners. Most of the learners have complex learning difficulties that include behavioural, social and emotional difficulties.
• The college provides vocational education for learners aged 16 to 25 in light vehicle maintenance, vehicle body repair, motorcycle maintenance, construction and employability skills.
• At the time of inspection 43 learners, from three local authorities, were studying at the college.

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

• The governing body should:
  • immediately and urgently secure the governance and senior management arrangements for the college so that governors can act effectively to support leaders in improving provision.
• Leaders and managers should ensure that they:
  • formalise and improve the ways that they assure the quality of the provision and ensure that all members of staff work within the new quality arrangements
  • establish arrangements by which they can effectively and accurately evaluate the quality of the provision, identifying the key areas of strength and the areas requiring improvement, and then systematically plan, monitor and report on the actions taken to secure the improvements required
  • implement an effective process to monitor all learners’ progress in their study programmes, so that their starting points are clearer and the incremental steps and targets that they achieve are accurately identified and recorded
  • develop effective external, independent and impartial careers advice and guidance for all learners
  • provide work experience for all learners, making sure that it fully meets the needs of each individual and matches their personalised learning programme
  • raise the profile of English as a core employability skill so that more learners successfully achieve their formal qualifications and can more readily apply their skills to work
  • improve learners’ mathematics skills across all areas so that more achieve their mathematics qualifications.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders and managers have not been able to secure and sustain improvements in teaching, learning and assessment. Leaders have expanded the college rapidly since it opened, but they have not made sure that arrangements to assure the quality of provision are suitable. As a result, leaders and managers do not have a sufficiently detailed understanding of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in the college.
• Leaders and managers do not use self-assessment well enough to capture accurately key areas of strength and areas for development. As a result, they do not focus the actions identified in their development plan sharply enough on the key priorities. Also, they do not identify the impact of any improvement actions. Although leaders and managers are aware of most of the areas requiring improvement, they have not been able to systematically plan, monitor and report on the actions taken to secure the improvements required.
• Leaders and managers check and track the progress of learners on their accredited programmes but are not able to pull together the information gathered about each learner to assess progress on a whole study programme. Systems to track the various elements of a learner’s progress are too fragmented. As a result, leaders cannot oversee learners’ progress in areas beyond individual qualifications.
• Staff do not always collect information carefully enough about learners’ previous achievements. As a result, staff find it hard to monitor the incremental steps that individual learners make from their starting points. Leaders have not made sure that management information systems combine all of the information available about learners. Leaders and managers lack sufficient levels of detail to judge improvements needed and the effectiveness of actions to promote these.
• Managers do not put in place good-quality impartial careers advice and guidance for learners. Although learners benefit from visiting speakers from industry and visits to a range of workplaces, they do not have independent and impartial careers guidance.
• Leaders and managers are ambitious for all learners and have a clear vision of the purpose of the curriculum. They work in partnership with the local authority to ensure that they provide education for the most vulnerable learners through the personalised delivery of a vocational curriculum.
• Learners benefit from well-designed, individually-tailored programmes that meet their needs. The programmes allow them to develop good work-related skills and behaviours such as working collaboratively, having a good attitude to work and being punctual. Learners benefit from individual English and mathematics tutoring and develop confidence in using technology through their vocational studies. Because of excellent individual support, learners develop their confidence and independence and can progress to further education or training.
• Leaders and managers provide effective professional development for staff and encourage them to improve their professional practice. Staff receive help from extensive training in areas related to their roles. These include courses in managing behaviour, adolescent mental health and specific conditions or learning difficulties appropriate to the learners with whom they are working. Staff value these activities.
• Leaders and managers have created a positive and harmonious environment for all learners and staff at the college. Through the effective and consistent management of learners’ behaviour, staff have helped learners to manage their own behaviour. As a result, the majority of learners are increasingly able to tackle situations and interactions that they would previously have found overwhelming.
• Staff provide excellent practical facilities that support learners to develop skills in a good range of vocational areas.

The governance of the provider

• Governance arrangements for the college are not yet stable and urgently need resolving. The governing body cannot currently provide effective challenge or hold leaders to account for improving the quality and effectiveness of the provision. This is significantly slowing down the growth and development of the college. Governors recognise the urgent need to secure the college on a legal footing and to strengthen the board of governors and the management capacity of the college.
• Reports from senior leaders to governors have been too descriptive, focusing only on the positive aspects of the provision. These reports lacked the level of rigorous evaluation needed to identify areas requiring improvement. As a result, governors have not been able to appreciate fully the support that leaders need to secure and sustain a good quality of provision.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Learners feel safe, well supported and well informed about safeguarding procedures. They know who to go to if they need help or advice. Learners keep themselves safe when working in practical sessions by always wearing the proper personal protective equipment and following safety instructions.
• Leaders, managers and staff respond effectively to any concerns raised. They work closely with external agencies to support safeguarding. Well-established partnerships with a range of external organisations and agencies support learners who are signposted to external support services.
• Leaders and managers take all aspects of safeguarding seriously and have put in place effective support arrangements. They have implemented the requirements of the ‘Prevent’ duty well and the vast majority of learners demonstrate a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe online. Leaders embed British values well through the charter of the college and learners and staff demonstrate them throughout the college.
• Staff recruitment procedures are effective scrutinising the suitability of job applicants. All staff, volunteers and governors receive frequent safeguarding training that is appropriate to their role.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teaching, learning and assessment are not yet consistently good. Tutors gather a broad range of information about learners and know their learners well. However, they do not use the information collected to identify learners’ starting points, nor do they have a clear understanding of the learners’ prior knowledge, skills and experience or their barriers to learning and work. As a result, targets set for learners are not specific or easily measurable and tutors’ comments to support progress towards their achievements are vague.
• In a minority of lessons, teachers offer learners the answers to questions too readily. In such lessons, learners do not learn to solve problems for themselves. For example, a teacher told a learner how to spell several words, without encouraging him to find the spelling himself or to try spelling the word.
• Tutors in vocational subjects do not encourage and support learners to improve their English skills in their written work. Tutors do not develop learners’ English skills enough in vocational lessons.
• Tutors in vocational subjects have excellent industry knowledge. This supports learners to develop good practical skills. Learners receive clear feedback on their vocational skills during practical sessions and this helps them to make good progress. Tutors and support staff skilfully question learners to gauge understanding and encourage reflective practice.
• Learners make good progress in mathematics lessons because the tutor supports and challenges learners to do well. Learners receive helpful and immediate oral feedback on their work and know what to do to improve it. Learners make good progress in their practical vocational lessons. In these classes, the quality of their work is very good.
• Teachers make sure that learners understand how to apply college expectations for equality of opportunity and make sure that they value diversity. Learners receive good personalised learning because tutors adapt their approach to make sure that they support each learner to achieve.
• Staff receive good support to understand learners’ complex needs and to provide the appropriate help for them to succeed. The special educational needs coordinator provides good support to staff and learners. As a result, tutors and learning support assistants are clear about the individual needs of learners. They also know how to support learners to achieve their learning and career goals and move on to positive destinations.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

• Learners are clear about their goals and aspirations. They speak positively about the college and the programmes they are on. Learners are proud of what they have achieved and proud of the ways they have overcome problems. At the college, they become more confident and develop realistic aspirations.
• Behaviour is excellent during lessons and during non-structured times. Learners are tolerant of each other and work well in teams when required to do so. They are polite and friendly towards each other and support each other’s learning. For example, during a construction lesson one learner advised another on whether a piece of wood was appropriate for the task at hand.
• Learners communicate well with peers, tutors, employers and members of the public. Learners are pleased to demonstrate their skills and explain why they are doing what they are doing.
• Tutors use information and communication technology well during vocational lessons. One learner made good use of a laptop to revise for an online health and safety exam, while learners in a level 2 mechanics lesson used the internet effectively to research potential problems with a starter motor they were working on.
• Learners show good levels of perseverance and engagement in practical lessons. Staff help learners to develop their employment skills in vocational lessons. Staff also develop these skills well in life skills and personal and social development lessons. Tutors and support staff work with learners to arrange a wide range of enrichment activities that improve employability, personal and social skills. Learners gain a good understanding of different views and perspectives and understand the value of working in a team to, for example, support a charity, plan a trip or arrange a visit to an employer. The learner council plays an active part in this process.
• Attendance is often poor. Senior leaders and tutors do employ a range of interventions to support learners’ attendance, with mixed success. Some of those who are persistent non-attenders improve their attendance rates over time. Staff promote attendance and engagement well and offer prizes as an incentive to good attendance.
• Staff help learners to explore personal and social topics in tutorials and group discussions. These include discussions about bullying, extremism and radicalisation and about how to keep themselves and others safe, including online. Staff help learners to identify and minimise risky behaviours and this is pivotal to learners being successful in their education programme.
• Senior leaders and tutors are developing appropriate tools to identify learners’ behavioural and mental health needs. Managers provide additional support and counselling as necessary, alongside any identified therapies outlined in learners’ education, health and care plans. As a result, learners can explore and deal with personal and social barriers that have slowed their development and/or limited their progress in the past.
• Staff keep parents and carers well informed about the progress that learners are making. Learners also know their progress well. Tutors ensure that they update education, health and care plans in language that is easy to understand.
• Learners are gaining the vocational skills and confidence necessary to be clear about their next steps in learning and/or work. For example, one learner would like to become a carpenter and will be starting a level 3 course at a local college next year.
• Too few tutors develop learners’ English and mathematics skills in lessons. Staff do not refer to or promote these core employability skills enough in lessons.
• Tutors do not always identify or correct errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar in learners’ vocational subject portfolios. As a result, learners are not making the improvements of which they are capable in these core skill areas.
• Too few learners have taken part in a meaningful work experience programme. Formal work experience is not yet available for all learners. Where learners do take part in placements they gain clear benefits. For example, a few individuals were so successful in the work placements they did take part in that their employers offered them extended placements or part-time work.

Outcomes for learners Good

• Most learners are making good progress on their accredited vocational programmes. They also make good progress in mathematics and, to a lesser extent, in English. The majority of learners produce work of a good standard.
• Learners’ achievement of vocational qualifications is outstanding and is significantly above the achievement of learners in other similar providers.
• Learners’ achievement of basic skills in English and mathematics qualifications is low and below the achievement rates of learners in other similar providers.
• Learners enjoy their learning and are proud of the new skills they have developed that enable them to progress towards their career aims.
• The large majority of learners move onto the next level of study within the college or at another provider, or into an apprenticeship.
• Learners receive effective, individualised, specialist support that helps them to thrive in the real work environments of the car or construction workshops. As a result, they can demonstrate behaviours and skills that will allow them to become more independent and to gain jobs or move to further courses, improving their life chances.

Provider details

Unique reference number 142910 Type of provider Independent specialist college Age range of learners Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 16+ 23 Principal/CEO Steve Badder Telephone number 01233 622 958 Website www.goldwyn.kent.sch.uk

Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 38 2 3

• Intermediate Advanced Higher 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+
• 16–19
• 19+
• Total
• 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:

• 43

Information about this inspection

This was the provider’s first inspection. The head of college, as nominee, assisted the inspection team. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and parents; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews and reviewed documentation. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

Inspection team

Judy Lye-Forster, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Rosy Belton Ben Walsh

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector