Brooklands College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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

 In order to improve success rates and students’ progress: - make sure that teachers provide activities in lessons which meet differing needs and abilities, particularly for students aged 16 to 18 on advanced courses, and for adult students on intermediate courses; - ensure that all teachers demonstrate high expectations by setting students realistic but challenging targets, which focus sharply on how to improve, are regularly monitored and reviewed, and aim for high achievement and added value; rapidly improve the quality of the college’s in-house apprenticeship and work-based courses, by monitoring learners’ progress more accurately, and rapidly supporting learners at risk of not completing their programme on schedule; regularly monitor the performance of different groups of learners, and take effective action to improve outcomes for underperforming groups.

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 In order to improve teaching, learning and assessment: - ensure that teachers on A-level courses, and in theory lessons on vocational courses, use initial assessment information and prior attainment data to plan work that challenges students and better meets their ability levels; - co-ordinate learning and assessment opportunities better within the workplace, through the setting of specific short- and medium-term learning targets for all students; - ensure that all teachers provide detailed feedback when marking students’ work, to inform them precisely what they need to do to improve the quality of their work; - develop teachers’ skills and confidence in the teaching of English and mathematics, and in how to promote equality and diversity in lessons.

 In order to improve leadership and management: - ensure that sound evidence is used during self-evaluation and action planning, and that

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judgements are based on high expectations for students’ outcomes, high quality teaching, learning and assessment, and effective leadership and management; increase the proportion of good or better teaching, learning and assessment across the college by using the lesson observation system to identify, monitor and disseminate best practice.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Requires improvement Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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 Overall long course success rates have steadily improved over the last three years and are now in line with sector averages. Success rates on all long courses for students aged 16 to 18 have risen from a low base and are now similar to those of other colleges. These students account for the very large majority of the college’s provision.  At foundation level, success rates for students aged 16 to 18 are very high, and on intermediate level courses they are around the national average. However, on advanced level courses, which account for a small minority of the college provision, success rates have slightly declined and are now just below the performance of other similar colleges. Success rates for the few students who enrol on GCSE, GCE AS and A-levels courses are low and declining, as are the proportion who achieve high grades. Most pupils aged 14 to 16 from local schools, who attend college part-time, successfully achieve their qualifications and a small minority progress on to full-time college courses.  The proportion of adult students who successfully complete their courses has steadily improved, and success rates are now broadly in line with the performance of other similar colleges. Adult students achieve particularly well on foundation level courses, where success rates are very high. Outcomes on advanced level courses for adult students are around the sector average, and while success rates on intermediate courses have declined, they still remain above national averages.  Success rates for apprenticeships and other workplace learning courses require improvement. In 2011/12, success rates for apprenticeships and other workplace learning declined sharply; more recent performance data indicate that a high proportion of apprentices successfully completed their courses within the planned time. A large majority of the college’s apprenticeship provision was provided by subcontractors who achieved very high success rates; however, success rates achieved by apprentices trained by college staff are low. The proportion of students on other workplace learning courses who successfully completed their studies within the planned duration, although improving, still remains too low.  Managers and staff have ensured that the under-performance of some groups of students has been reduced, but a few gaps in achievement still remain. For example, adult students are less successful than students aged 16 to 18. On classroom-based courses, students of Irish, White Asian or Traveller heritage succeed less well than other students in the college, or their peer group nationally. On apprenticeships and workplace learning courses, learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities do not achieve as well as others.  Success rates on functional skills, GCSE English and mathematics courses require improvement. The proportion of adult students who successfully complete their functional skills qualifications at foundation and intermediate level is low. Few students aged 16 to 18 achieve their functional skills at intermediate level. Students succeed better in mathematics than in English. Not all teachers reinforce essential skills such as spelling and punctuation in the vocational areas.  Students gain good vocational and employability skills through a wide range of initiatives, such as work experience, fund-raising and volunteering activities. Through the college’s good links with local employers, students benefit from an extensive range of work experience placements, some with prestigious and high-profile employers. These placements provide students with good opportunities to develop an understanding of what is required to succeed in the workplace, and a small minority go on to gain employment. Across most subjects students clearly understand what they need to do to progress in their chosen career.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good overall and enable students on the majority of vocational courses, especially in practical lessons, to develop a wide range of useful skills. Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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Success rates are rising on most courses and are high in several curriculum areas, especially in hospitality and catering and on childcare courses.  Students benefit from a wide range of well-used support services, including additional learning support and in-class support, which contribute significantly to helping students learn, make appropriate progress and achieve. However, in a small minority of lessons, learning support assistants are not always deployed appropriately to ensure that students who require help receive it.  Teachers use their vocational experience and expertise very well to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding, and are skilled at developing students’ practical ability in lessons. Practical teaching is good and demonstrations, together with highly effective individual coaching, enable students to make good progress and to produce work of a high standard. Close attention is paid to promoting good health and safety practice, and to developing students’ employability skills through team-working activities and problem-solving tasks.  In theory lessons, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is variable across the college. In the best lessons, teachers plan learning well to meet students’ individual learning needs, and use a wide range of teaching strategies to motivate and interest students in lessons. Questioning techniques are used very effectively to check learning frequently, and interactive tasks ensure students are fully involved in meaningful and enjoyable activities.  In the minority of less effective theory lessons, and especially on A-level courses, students are not sufficiently challenged by teachers to make the progress they are capable of. In these lessons teachers do not use information about students’ prior attainment, their initial assessment results or learning styles to plan lessons to meet individual needs effectively. In these lessons, students are often inactive for long periods of time while the teacher talks, or the work set for students is not sufficiently interesting, motivating or challenging.  The use of information learning technology, including the college’s virtual learning environment, continues to develop. In the best areas, for example on childcare courses, students can watch video clips of child development topics by using an application on their ‘smartphones’. However, in other curriculum areas, technology is not used to its full potential to enhance learning; in many instances the virtual learning environment is simply a repository for information rather than an interactive learning tool.  Staff are more effectively placing students onto the correct course at the right level, through better initial advice and guidance. Courses have clear entry requirements. Students’ progress is frequently monitored and reviewed, although not all teachers are effectively using information about progress to aid students’ further achievement. In several curriculum areas, the targets set for students to achieve are insufficiently precise, and the monitoring of students’ progress is not specific enough to ensure that all students make good progress.  The development of students’ English and mathematical skills requires improvement. Functional skills lessons develop students’ literacy and numeracy skills, although initial diagnostic assessment is not always effective in identifying the specific development needs of individual students. Opportunities for students to enhance and apply literacy and numeracy skills in vocational lessons are often missed. Non-specialist literacy and numeracy teachers often lack the confidence to ensure students’ skills are securely developed.  Students are assessed frequently and the majority have a clear understanding of the assessment requirements of their course. Most students are set appropriate learning targets or minimum target grades and are aware of the level at which they are working. Assignments and course work are generally marked promptly, although the quality of the written feedback provided by teachers is variable. In the best examples, detailed feedback informs students precisely what they need to do to improve their grade; however, this does not happen consistently in all curriculum areas.  The promotion of equality and diversity in lessons is too variable in quality. In several curriculum areas, students’ knowledge and understanding are developed, and key themes are promoted and reinforced well, but this is not universal. In a minority of curriculum areas teachers do not Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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plan to incorporate the promotion of equality and diversity and in too many lessons naturally-occurring opportunities to do so are missed.

Early years and playwork

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment in early years and playwork are good. This is reflected in the high success rates on most courses. The proportion of students on advanced level courses who achieve high grades is above the national average. The number of students who progress to further study in early years and who enter related employment is also high. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good.  Staff set high expectations for their students. In most lessons students are fully involved in learning through very well-planned activities that challenge and further develop their child care skills. In an advanced level lesson on immunisation, students evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of research evidence suggesting a link between specific immunisation programmes and autism. Another advanced level group discussed the application of a wide range of data collection methods that could be used in early years’ settings.  Teachers and students make very good links between theory and vocational practice. In a foundation level lesson students worked very productively in groups, developing a range of craft activities that could be used in settings suitable for young children. Students were able to identify the age group for whom the activities were best suited, the developmental benefits of the activities and the health and safety aspects to be addressed. Work experience is well managed and used effectively in lessons to confirm and extend students’ learning and understanding of the early years’ services.  Staff have very good subject knowledge and use their extensive professional experience to provide clear vocational guidance to students. Teachers are passionate about their subjects and this generates an enthusiastic response from most students, who participate confidently in discussion and debate. However, a few teachers do not give appropriate encouragement to students to project their voice in a clear audible tone during class discussions, which is a necessary skill in the early years’ sector.  Students’ written work is carefully assessed. Feedback is appropriately detailed and students understand what they need to do to improve. Teachers routinely correct errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Students make good use of information learning technology (ILT) to further their knowledge and understanding.  In most lessons the promotion of literacy skills is good. In one lesson students had a personal glossary of key terms that they used well. Teachers routinely check the understanding and spelling of specialist vocabulary. Some students, however, need further support and guidance in making full and comprehensive notes. Opportunities to develop mathematical skills to an appropriate level are sometimes missed.  Initial advice and guidance are good. Students who have specific additional learning needs are identified early in their programmes. Teachers know their students very well, and their support in addressing personal and individualised learning needs ensures that all students are able to take an active part in lessons. Students’ progress is very carefully monitored through the tutorial programme. Individual targets are clear, understood by the students and regularly reviewed.  The promotion of equality and diversity is good on early years courses. In planning activities for use in early years settings, students ensure that the diverse needs of children are met and activities adapted to ensure that all children are included.

Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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Transportation operations and maintenance

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes Apprenticeships

Requires improvement  In transportation, operations and maintenance the standard of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement. This is reflected in the long course success rates which, although improving, are below those of other similar colleges. Apprenticeship success rates, and the proportion of apprentices who complete their course within the planned duration, are also low.  In the better lessons, teachers make good use of their good vocational expertise and industry experience. They illustrate and reinforce key motor vehicle concepts, building upon students’ prior knowledge and understanding; this further develops students’ interest, encouraging them to make good progress. In an advanced level lesson, students were able to explain and demonstrate the correct diagnostic procedures when fault-finding on a fuel injection system. Students demonstrated good vocational and employability skills, such as extracting relevant technical information from workshop manuals, using specialist tools and equipment in a safe manner, working towards industry standards and demonstrating good team-working skills.  In less successful lessons, teaching and learning activities are dull and uninspiring; teachers talk too much, and the pace of the sessions is often too slow, failing to interest, challenge and motivate students. Limited use is made of the college’s virtual learning environment to enliven learning on transport maintenance.  A minority of teachers make insufficient use of the information collected through initial assessment to plan learning to meet individual students’ needs. As a result, when provided with unsuitable tasks, students lose concentration, become distracted from learning and do not make sufficient progress, particularly the more able who find some tasks too easy.  The monitoring of students’ progress requires improvement. Staff frequently fail to provide precise learning targets for apprentices following progress reviews, and the follow-up actions are insufficiently detailed or challenging. Not all apprentices can monitor their own progress reliably, because of some weak individualised short- and medium-term learning targets.  Teachers provide good oral feedback, but written feedback and the marking of students’ work is too variable. A minority of teachers give good evaluative comments; this feedback enables students to improve the quality of their work and to extend their skills. Other teachers provide very brief comments that lack detail on what students need to do to improve their performance.  The development of students’ functional skills in English and mathematics require improvement. Opportunities to improve functional skills are not sufficiently integrated into students’ vocational learning activities. Teachers do not consistently inform students on how they can improve their English, punctuation and grammar. The majority of teachers do not plan for literacy and numeracy or take advantage of relevant opportunities to develop students’ skills in this area.  Information, advice and guidance are good. Initial assessment is very thorough and ensures that students are placed on the right programmes and appropriately supported. Teachers are skilled and knowledgeable in helping students to consider their options for further training or employment, and most students have a clear understanding of progression routes. The majority of students progress on to higher level training or into employment.  The promotion of equality and diversity requires improvement. Teachers and assessors do not extend students’ understanding of equality and diversity in sufficient depth during reviews and taught sessions. Some teachers have a limited understanding of equality and diversity themes, and lack the confidence to include the promotion and celebration of these into their lessons. Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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Hospitality and catering

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Outstanding  Teaching, learning and assessment are outstanding, which is reflected in the improving success rates, many of which are now also outstanding. Students develop excellent skills and external speakers are used very well to broaden further their skills and knowledge. Attendance, punctuality and retention rates for current students are excellent.  Advanced level students are very creative and use their skills with imagination and flair to create complex three-dimensional centre pieces in chocolate. Students have excellent skills and prepare and cook high quality dishes under industrial conditions. They have excellent time-management and problem-solving skills, and are able to take responsibility in the kitchens and restaurant. In theory and practical lessons, students develop very good independent learning and problem-solving skills.  Students are motivated and enthused by very experienced and well-qualified teachers. Teachers have high expectations of their students and help them realise their ambitions.  All lessons are particularly well planned. Teachers make excellent use of personal information about students gathered during interviews and initial assessment, in order to meet the individual needs of all students.  Students learn from well-planned demonstrations such as poultry boning. Work experience is planned well and students gain many additional skills from working in diverse high-quality placements. Questioning is used particularly well to check and extend students’ knowledge and understanding.  Excellent use is made of students’ participation in a wide range of prestigious national and international catering events to help broaden their experience and skills, such as the Paris Airshow, Goodwood Festival of Speed and Silverstone race meetings. All students take part in a ‘boot camp’ at the start of the academic year, through which they develop very good confidence and communication skills which help them in securing employment.  Computer technology is used very well to help students locate and use relevant video clips and websites to broaden their learning further.  Teachers’ monitoring of achievement encourages further good progress. Oral feedback is very good and motivates students. Students fully understand the progress they are making and what they need to do to achieve. Hand-written feedback sometimes lacks detail and does not always help students to identify how they can achieve higher grades.  Functional skills in English and mathematics are integrated well into most lessons, and students understand the importance of developing these skills. They are encouraged to calculate quantities of ingredients in recipes, the selling prices of dishes and gross and net profit. Students use technical terminology well.  Students benefit from good support, advice and guidance. They are supported in applying for part-time work while at college. Tutorials are effective and students are motivated well to present their personal qualities to employers. Job vacancies are promoted well on department noticeboards and on group social media sites. Pre-course information is very good. Students have clear information about the further courses available, opportunities for progression and the salaries they can expect in the industry when they graduate.  Specialist support is used well to help students resolve problems and remain on their programmes and achieve. Additional learning support is effective and students are supported well in theory and practical sessions. Students value the support they receive highly.  Equality and diversity are promoted well through the use of posters displayed in the department, but in some sessions too many opportunities are missed to extend students’ knowledge and understanding of broader equality and diversity topics. Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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Sport, leisure and recreation

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Students produce high standards of work on their courses, leading to good outcomes on their qualifications. Nearly all students progress to higher level courses at college or university, or to employment.  Most students respond well to the high expectations teachers set for behaviour and attendance. Students in sports hall sessions treat each other with mutual respect and behave well. A small minority of students on foundation level courses have poor attendance and struggle to maintain attention in the classroom.  Students develop good knowledge in theory lessons and apply it well. For example, they record and analyse each other’s diets, suggesting improvements in sports nutrition lessons. They are able to explain complex terms well, such as those relating to physiology. In practical sports lessons, students increase their confidence in coaching a group by teaching sports sessions to their classmates and assessing their own strengths and weaknesses.  Teachers know their students well and assign tasks within lessons that match each individual’s level of ability, leading to good progress. Teachers assess learning well through directed, inclusive questioning, for example, checking that students have understood legislation on health and safety in sport. In a few lessons at intermediate level, the pace and variety of learning are not sufficient to sustain the interest of students for the whole lesson.  Teachers are well qualified in sports subjects and in teaching. Their expertise and examples support the development of students’ knowledge in theory lessons. Teachers’ experience in coaching supports good skills development in extra-curricular sports sessions, such as basketball and football held at lunchtimes and in the ‘enrichment’ hour.  Learning and employability are enhanced by the provision of a fitness instruction qualification. However, students do not undertake a sufficient variety of additional industry qualifications to improve their opportunities for employment. Sometimes, students participate in competitive events but timetabling prevents regular participation in college league sports.  Most students produce written work of a high standard, as a result of detailed feedback on what they have to do to improve enough to pass or to achieve higher grades. They also appreciate the oral guidance which helps them produce detailed work and present it well.  Teachers monitor students’ learning and attendance very closely and maintain good communication with parents so that lapses can be addressed quickly. Students receive weekly tutorials where the good monitoring of progress is a key feature. Students are very aware of their long-term target grades. Most have short-term targets, but these are often insufficiently specific to help them improve.  Students who require additional support are identified early in their programme and benefit from specialised individual help, tailored to their needs. Students receive good help with university applications, so that they choose appropriate courses suited to their career aspirations. Students intending to go into employment are well supported in the preparation of curriculum vitae (CVs) and letters of application.  The development of some English skills in lessons requires improvement; for instance, making sure students know how to extract key points from a text. However, students practise their mathematical skills well, for example when calculating heart rates in fitness training.  The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Teachers emphasise the importance of values and appropriate behaviour in coaching and training, bringing about a good appreciation of how to treat clients with empathy and respect diversity. Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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Teaching and lecturing

19+ Learning programmes

Good  The college offers courses validated by awarding bodies for teachers and trainers in further education or training settings, for those who are supporting learning in schools, and for trainees who wish to teach English as a foreign language. A small proportion of trainees are current teachers at the college.  Trainees on all routes benefit from good teaching and learning and rigorous assessment, and as a consequence nearly all make good progress and achieve their qualifications. Teacher educators model good practice, and ensure that trainees acquire quickly the fundamental pedagogical skills and knowledge that enable them to develop into thoughtful, reflective practitioners. Second-year trainees are developing their teaching skills well, although they are not yet accomplished practitioners. Most trainees benefit from supportive mentoring, although arrangements for selecting mentors are insufficiently rigorous.  Trainees enjoy their training sessions. They are highly motivated, and keen both to hone their teaching skills and develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the key issues in the sectors in which they work. Teacher educators use their undoubted expertise to showcase good practice. Sessions are planned thoughtfully and meticulously, and include a wide range of activities and tasks that give trainees ideas for their own practice. Appropriate connections are made between the theoretical aspects of the courses and trainees’ actual practice, and trainees benefit significantly from hearing about teaching techniques in the diverse range of settings in which their peers work.  Learning materials are of a high standard, and teacher educators are adept at incorporating information and learning technology into their lessons. Teacher educators are particularly skilled in promoting good discussion in most sessions, and they draw well on topical issues in education to encourage trainees to develop a deeper interest in, and understanding of, policies and practice in the lifelong learning sector. Although materials on the college’s virtual learning environment are undeveloped and can be hard to get into, teacher educators are increasingly promoting the use of new technologies, for example social media, in their sessions.  Appropriate focus is given to helping trainees both to improve their own English and mathematics, where appropriate, and to give them the skills and ideas to develop these skills with those they teach. Trainees who need to improve their own skills are identified at the start of the course and given tailored support to help them to improve. The training ensures that trainees develop good habits with their own students, for example in correcting spelling and grammar, or using opportunities to set students numerical problems.  Trainees’ written work, and their teaching, are assessed thoroughly and helpfully. Teacher educators write perceptive commentaries that help trainees to improve their practice. However, a small number of trainees who work at the college were not sufficiently clear about what they need to do to improve their classroom practice, following lesson observations by college managers.  Trainees are recruited carefully to the programmes from a wide range of social and professional backgrounds, and their diversity is used well by teacher educators to promote the centrality of equality of opportunity and the importance of understanding social and cultural diversity in their practice.

Foundation English

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Requires improvement Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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 Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement. This is reflected in the need to improve the outcomes for students at foundation and intermediate level in functional English and the proportion who achieve higher grades in GCSE English.  In better lessons, teachers plan learning well, using questions effectively to test students’ listening and understanding skills while maintaining a lively pace. Teachers identify accurately the range of abilities among their students, and then use detailed worksheets to challenge and develop further students’ language and literacy skills at an appropriate level. Students with more complex needs are supported well by in-class learning support assistants.  Good relationships between teachers and students ensure that students know they are expected to achieve well. The majority of teachers have a good knowledge of their students learning needs, and take these into account when planning sessions. For example, construction students complete a ‘prepare to learn’ checklist at the start of every lesson; at the end of the session students then self-assess their own learning and identify the skills which need further development.  Good use is made of information learning technology to reinforce oral instructions to students in lessons. Model answers are displayed and annotated, and videos from the internet are used well to bring language alive and allow students to interact with the learning resources.  In less effective sessions, students are not sufficiently encouraged to make the progress they are capable of. Some staff lack the confidence and technical skills in English to support students to develop their writing and language skills to an appropriate level. However, English teachers use examples which are relevant to the students’ area of study; this motivates students and highlights the importance of language skills in their employment area, as they understand why they need to learn English skills.  The results of initial assessment are not consistently used across all curriculum areas to provide students with the appropriate level of study in English. In the less effective lessons, students with differing needs sometimes undertake the same learning activities. For example, entry level and foundation level students in an early years' lesson were carrying out the same cutting and pasting tasks with adjectives, which did not challenge the more able students.  Learning plans do not always set clear and measurable targets. Initial learning plans are not sufficiently detailed; they do not provide specific targets broken down into small steps so that students know what they need to do to improve. Students are not sufficiently involved in reviewing their own progress in functional English, so that they understand their skill development.  Students understand the importance of improving their English skills and appreciate the contribution this makes to their future study and career prospects. Teachers provide a good level of support and ensure students are confident about what is expected of them.  Equality and diversity themes are well promoted in many sessions. For example, in an early years class, students were encouraged to consider children with differing needs when selecting toys as part of a session on adjectives.

Accounting, finance and business management

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. This is reflected in outcomes: on the majority of courses, particularly in accounts and finance, students are now succeeding at rates well above national averages. Outcomes for students on foundation level courses in book-keeping, and on intermediate programmes in business management, require improvement.  The majority of students benefit from the high expectations and excellent motivation provided by staff to develop good practical business and accountancy skills. They effectively apply these skills in their jobs or in college projects such as ‘Boombox Live’ or charity fund-raising projects. Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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On business management courses, students are supported to find their own work placements; this enables them to develop useful skills such as job searching, writing CVs and developing their communication skills for job interviews. However, on foundation level courses, particularly in book-keeping, students are directed by teachers to focus solely on learning the core content of the module without activities to develop a wider range of skills.  Most staff use their industry and commercial skills well to plan and teach interactive lessons with interesting videos and useful case studies. A few teachers are encouraging students to make good use of online business resources and social media in order to establish excellent business networks with others in their locality. However, few students use the college’s virtual learning environment for independent study.  Many students have successfully progressed from intermediate to higher level courses with appropriate support and guidance from their teachers. Teachers know their students well and use detailed group profiles which inform lesson planning to ensure that students are challenged to aim for high grades.  Students receive good oral feedback through supportive and detailed monitoring in lessons. In the better lessons, which form the majority, group activities are structured well, students are able to ask questions and receive helpful feedback from their peers. In a few lessons, teachers talk too much and not all students have the opportunity to ask questions or demonstrate their understanding of key business concepts.  In the majority of good or better lessons, teachers highlight the importance of proofreading and accurate spelling and grammar in order to be competitive in business. For example, in one lesson, students discussed a case study relating to a local authority which had prepared posters promoting primary school education in the borough; these featured a misused apostrophe. The council was unable to use these posters and had to pay for additional corrective work. Students undertake essential literacy and numeracy activities such as note-taking in class, preparing presentations and working out financial budgets. However they do not actively expand their vocabulary, create business glossaries or practise simple calculation without calculators.  Good pastoral care and effective use of additional learning support (ALS) help students to stay on their programmes and make good progress. For example, students with dyslexia support needs or hearing impairments are quickly provided with tailored support to enable them to succeed. Students for whom English is not the mother tongue are guided to take additional classes in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) to improve their language skills.  In most lessons, equality and diversity are promoted very well through excellent resources that inspire confidence in a diverse range of settings. However, in a few classes, teachers do not adequately facilitate discussions among students to challenge stereotyped images.

The effectiveness of leadership and management

Good  Since the previous inspection, the senior leadership team have continued to consolidate and improve students’ achievements and the standard of teaching and learning. The new strategic plan is challenging and clearly supports the college’s journey towards becoming an outstanding college. The Principal continues effectively to develop a stable management team and to be supportive whilst persistently pursuing improvements. Regular newsletters from the Principal effectively inform staff of key messages and celebrate college successes. Staff morale continues to improve even in a climate of persistent financial constraint. Overall, curriculum management is good. After much turbulence, the management of subcontracted provision is now sufficiently secure and forecasts for improvements across all subject areas are high.  Governors’ understanding of their roles has much improved and they bring a broad range of skills that effectively support the strategic direction of the college and the community in which the college operates. They provide an appropriate level of support and challenge to the Principal and senior managers. However, the presentation of key performance information is not always Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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sufficiently clear for them to have a thoroughly critical view of college improvement to the curriculum.  Strategies to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment have been successful in reducing the proportion of less effective teaching; the majority of teaching and learning is now good. The college has recently introduced new ways to help more teachers provide outstanding lessons. Staff training is focused well on developing teaching and learning even further.  Curriculum managers ensure that high priority is given to maintaining and improving the standards of teaching and learning. Recently introduced ‘walk-through’ visits to lessons are starting to highlight effectively areas where teaching is weaker, and extra support is quickly put in place. In this endeavour, managers are well supported by good teaching and learning mentors. The college has developed useful support materials to help teachers working towards outstanding practice. However, the current procedures for observation of teaching and learning, and actions for improvement following an observation, do not focus specifically on how teaching improves learning. Inspectors noted that in a few cases, the college was over-generous in grading lessons and the process for the sharing of best practice is not always sufficiently well-developed.  Overall, quality assurance arrangements are good. Key areas for improvement from the previous inspection have, in the main, been rectified. Data are used well, and constant monitoring ensures that all staff understand how well their courses are progressing against realistic operational targets. The use of feedback from students to improve their experience in the college is good. The self-assessment report is appropriately judgemental, and presents a reasonably well-balanced picture of the college’s strengths and areas for improvement. However, it is over-generous in judging a few aspects of its provision. The quality improvement plan does not always cover areas for improvement in sufficient detail, for example, intermediate adult success rates. Curriculum self-assessment reports are of variable quality and actions for improvement are not always measured against sufficiently clear indicators of success.  Curriculum planning is good. The college offers a broad range of programmes and has taken steps to ensure that it is meeting the main needs of the local business community. Arrangements to develop students’ employability and entrepreneurship skills are well established and are being extended even further. Overall, the college’s A-level provision has struggled over time to achieve good outcomes, and actions to improve some courses have been too slow. The college has recently ended five of its weaker A-level courses and alternative provision has been introduced.  The management of equality and diversity is good. The college ethos is respectful and calm and students have appropriate opportunities to increase their awareness of equality and diversity through a range of well-planned events. Data and procedures are monitored well and variations between different groups of students are minimal. Recent efforts to improve the promotion of equality and diversity in lessons have achieved mixed results.  Safeguarding arrangements are particularly effective. Students feel safe. Those identified as being ‘at risk of significant harm’ are effectively supported by well-trained safeguarding and counselling staff, and achieve good outcomes. Safeguarding services are closely monitored and links with local agencies are well developed and effective. The college meets its statutory legal safeguarding requirements. Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) Provider name

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

noisivorp emit-trap 61-41

2 2 2 2

llarevO

2 3 2 2

semmargorp yduts 91-61

2 3 2 2

semmargorp gnnraeL +91i

2 3 2 2

i sphsecitnerppA

3 3 3 3

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

Early years and playwork Transportation operations and maintenance Hospitality and catering Sport, leisure and recreation Teaching and lecturing Foundation English Accounting and finance Business management 2 3 1 2 2 3 2 2

Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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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

Full-time: 1900 Part-time: 4157

Principal/CEO

Maureen Kilminster

Date of previous inspection

February 2012

Website address

www.brooklands.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

306 40 379 39 870 104

Part-time

98 680 46 358 127 225 - 2 - 61

Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 81 19+ 42 16-18 242 19+ 108 16-18 19+ - 2

Number of learners aged 14-16

Full-time N/A Part-time 252

Number of community learners

55

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

Professional Training Solutions Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

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SPLASH (Youth Support Service, Surrey County Council) Star Training SCL Security Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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Contextual information

Brooklands College is a large general further education college that serves the population of Surrey and the neighbouring county of Middlesex. The two main campuses are located close to their respective town centres in Weybridge and Ashford. The minority ethnic population of Surrey is 9.6%. The proportion of pupils in Surrey schools attaining five GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, is above the South East and England averages. The proportion of qualified residents in Surrey is higher than the regional and national averages at all qualification levels. The area served by the college has no significant levels of deprivation, and levels of unemployment are below those found nationally. Employment in the area is highest in the service sector including finance and business, public administration, education and health, distribution and hospitality.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Victor Reid HMI

Four of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and six additional inspectors, assisted by the deputy principal as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on learners’ achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all of the provision at the provider. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the provision and graded the sector subject areas listed in the report above. Inspection report: Brooklands College, 2–6 December 2013

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What inspection judgements mean

Grade

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4

Judgement

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

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

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

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