Chichester College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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Full report

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Monitor rigorously the impact of current strategies to improve the progress that learners make relative to their starting point on a small number of courses.  Work to ensure that teaching, learning and assessment in GCSE and functional skills mathematics consolidate learners’ understanding and that learners receive enough opportunities to practise their skills through regular assessment.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Outstanding  Outcomes are outstanding. A very high proportion of learners complete their qualifications successfully. Overall success rates are outstanding and have improved consistently for learners of all ages. The very significant cohort of learners in the college who study vocational courses achieve very well and make significant progress relative to their starting points.  Apprenticeship success rates for the very high numbers of learners training in the workplace are outstanding and have been significantly and consistently above national averages. In 2012/13, the large majority of apprentices completed their apprenticeships within the planned timescales, as did most learners studying qualifications in the workplace. Many apprentices develop very good essential trade skills that improve their career prospects. They further their development by undertaking additional projects with their employers to improve their industry skills.  A-level programmes constitute a small proportion of the college’s total provision. Learners’ achievements on A- level programmes are comparable to those in similar colleges. While success rates on AS courses have improved over time, not all learners make the progress expected of them relative to their prior attainment. In the current year, senior leaders have implemented a series of monitoring processes that place greater emphasis on ensuring that learners on A-level courses receive better individual support through more frequent tracking of progress against set targets. This has resulted in learners making better progress towards achieving the grades of which they are capable.  The standard of learners’ written and practical work is outstanding on the large majority of courses. Learners develop highly relevant technical skills and language that prepare them very effectively for employment. Learners are enthusiastic about their learning, are able to articulate very fluently the progress they have made and use their skills extremely well to work independently. Learners appreciate the commitment and effort made by staff to support their achievement and progression.  No significant performance differences exist between different groups of learners or apprentices. Staff work hard to ensure that learners requiring additional support with their studies achieve as well as other learners across the college. Outcomes for unemployed adults studying on discrete provision are outstanding.  Success rates for learners on functional skills courses are high and, for learners aged 16 to 18, outstanding. For the historically smaller number of learners who studied English and mathematics at GCSE, the proportion who achieved A* to C grades was at the national average in mathematics and above in English. There has been a substantial increase in the number of learners aged 16 to 18 studying GCSE English and mathematics in the current year.  The college’s very extensive provision of work experience, enterprise initiatives and realistic working environments ensures most learners develop extremely good personal, social and employability skills. For example, in 2012/13, a significant number of learners at all levels of study worked alongside representatives from 35 local and national employers in ‘Splash’ events Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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that championed enterprise and which had a significant impact on the development of learners’ employability skills.  The large majority of learners at all levels progress to higher-level study or employment. The focus on supporting learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to progress to further study or supported employment is particularly strong. The number of learners progressing to higher education continues to increase and is high The very large majority of learners aged 14 to 16, many of whom have been excluded from school education, progress successfully to full-time study at the college.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Outstanding  Teaching, learning and assessment are outstanding. Much outstanding teaching in theory and practical lessons, together with a high level of pastoral and academic support, ensures that learners have the best chance of success. Leaders, managers and teachers place learners at the centre of all college activity, with the result that the vast majority of learners make excellent progress and achieve very successfully.  Teachers use their extensive subject and/or industry knowledge, skills and expertise to inspire, challenge and extend learners through a range of highly-effective approaches that develop their independence and which encourage them to excel. Teachers use verbal prompts and question-and-answer techniques very effectively to summarise and consolidate learning. They continually encourage learners very skilfully to reflect, explore and apply new meanings, technical language, knowledge and concepts to their work.  The very large majority of lessons feature excellent planning that is highly effective in meeting the needs of all learners. Teachers deliver stimulating topics purposefully and keep all learners enthused and motivated to achieve. They are particularly adept at ensuring learners can fully relate theory to practical tasks on vocational courses.  Teachers use information and learning technology (ILT) very imaginatively in many lessons in order to enliven and enrich learning. For example, learners with specific learning difficulties use interactive video programmes to significantly improve their reading, speaking and listening skills. Learners make very good use of the college’s virtual learning environment (VLE) and the excellent range of resources in the library in order to improve their independent learning and research skills.  On the very large majority of courses, individual tutorials are highly effective in monitoring learners’ progress and supporting their achievement and progression. Employers are fully involved in the excellent tutorial and review processes for apprentices that include very good checking of skills developed in the workplace and progress against targets for improvement. Teachers and staff who are responsible for learners with additional support needs use highly relevant tutorials to help them develop excellent social and independent learning skills.  Teachers use the outcomes of initial assessments to develop very detailed and useful individual profiles of learners and to ensure their teaching and assessment methods meet learners’ needs fully. Teachers and managers promote a very clear ethos of inclusiveness and all learners receive exceptionally strong support where needed. This contributes very significantly to the outstanding success rates. Learning assistants’ participation, and support for learners, in both theory and practical lessons is extremely effective. Learners are able to discuss their work in a highly articulate fashion, gaining confidence and maturity from the high levels of mutual respect between staff and learners.  The ways in which teachers assess learners’ progress and achievements are outstanding. Teachers regularly provide constructive, relevant feedback on learners’ written work that ensures learners are clear about the progress they are making and what they need to do to improve. In the vast majority of lessons, teachers correct mistakes in English thoroughly and accurately. On apprenticeship programmes, assessment is excellent. Assessors are very experienced, appropriately trained, knowledgeable and professional. They have a very detailed knowledge of all aspects of learners’ training programmes, including their attendance and Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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performance at college, and use this information to set realistic targets for apprentices to improve and to promote timely achievement.  Learners’ views clearly inform a range of improvement processes regarding teaching, learning and assessment. For example, learners are involved in an innovation initiative across the college that seeks to improve the use of teaching and learning resources. Learners benefit from a varied and well-resourced enrichment programme that includes a particular focus on developing employability skills through enterprise activities. Competition work is widely promoted as a valuable way to celebrate learners’ development and skills attainment, with many learners having achieved highly prestigious local, national and international awards for their work.  On the very large majority of courses, teachers promote the importance of developing skills in English and, for the most part, mathematics, very well, both planning and seizing opportunities to contextualise their relevance very skilfully within the subject topic.  Managers and staff provide extremely useful and pertinent information, advice and guidance to ensure learners make informed study and career choices. The ‘Positive about Futures’ team is particularly effective in providing detailed information on employability and labour market trends for managers and teachers to use to inform curriculum planning. Learners make very good use of an on-line resource that provides clear information about jobs and employment opportunities across the region.  Leaders, managers and teachers promote equality and diversity extremely thoroughly through a wide range of activities, including regular and highly pertinent themed events. Teachers use a variety of subject-specific materials and resources which ensure that equality and diversity are highly integrated in most lessons. Staff receive regular training on current diversity issues and passionately commit to a culture of inclusiveness across the college that ensures learners are at the heart of all college activity.

Health, social care and early years

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Outstanding  Teaching, learning and assessment are outstanding and this is reflected in the very high success rates on most courses. The standard of learners’ work is excellent, preparing learners extremely well for employment or to progress to higher education.  Highly qualified and experienced teachers passionately promote the college’s ethos of changing lives through learning. They have very high expectations of their learners to be able to comprehend challenging material successfully in order to develop their understanding of topics in health, social care and early years.  The highly successful teaching inspires learners to make significant gains in knowledge, skills and understanding and to want to progress to achieve their full potential. Learners have very positive attitudes towards their studies and their behaviour is excellent at all times. They frequently ask relevant questions to develop their knowledge and understanding.  Teachers successfully encourage learners to develop skills in independent learning. The promotion of peer learning and assessment is very effective. For example, through skilful facilitation by the teacher, learners on the Access to Healthcare course were able to work out the structural formula of ethanol. Learners use ILT very effectively to enhance learning. In one lesson, learners were able to reflect very usefully on the day-to-day care of a child with cerebral palsy through a carefully selected video clip.  Learners enjoy their lessons, which are highly relevant and interesting. They often contribute examples of their own experiences from their well-organised work placements. In most lessons, learners acquire very good skills and a thorough knowledge of the topic that they can directly apply to working in childcare and care settings. They successfully develop excellent skills in Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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making resources to use in their placements, such as sign language books and sensory garden resources.  Teachers accurately assess learners at the start of their courses so that they can set them realistic and challenging targets. The monitoring of targets is excellent and involves learners fully in reviewing their progress. The VLE provides an excellent range of materials for learners to undertake course work and further research, whilst enabling teachers to track and support their progress in detail.  Teachers set imaginative and challenging tasks and assessments that motivate learners to create highly individual portfolios of work. As a result, learners produce outstanding work. The feedback they receive from teachers is very helpful in enabling them to improve their work further.  Teachers focus very effectively on the successful development of learners’ English and mathematics skills, particularly on level 1 courses. In an outstanding lesson, learners improved their mathematical skills significantly through using data to calculate percentages to measure the time children played indoors and outdoors in a nursery.  Learners benefit from outstanding support. Teachers work very productively with the ‘Positive about Futures’ team to ensure learners receive consistently excellent and comprehensive advice, guidance and support. This helps learners to fulfil their potential and to achieve their career goals.  The focus on equality, diversity and inclusion in lessons and work placements is outstanding. Learners embrace aspects of equality and diversity very positively through highly engaging debates, discussions and activities on issues such as the development of boys’ literacy skills, the challenging of stereotypes regarding female and male dominated job roles, and the positive promotion of inclusion of children with learning difficulties.

Science, mathematics and statistics

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Success rates on A-level courses are high. Managers have recently recruited new teachers and introduced a range of quality improvement measures that have brought fresh impetus to increasing the number of learners who successfully achieve their qualifications on those AS-level and GCSE mathematics courses where achievement rates have historically been low.  Much teaching is inspiring, commanding the interest and attention of learners. Teachers design imaginative group activities that enable learners to develop strong collaborative, communication and problem-solving skills. For example, in a mathematics lesson, a group of learners worked out the maximum angle that a car could park in a bay, demonstrating their understanding of a challenging and complex multi-stage problem.  Learners develop sound, safe and confident practical skills in science. Teachers are effective in enabling learners to achieve a deep understanding of the link between theory and practice. During a practical investigation of the chromatography of spinach, learners took part in a dramatic role play, with learners playing the part of different elements, and this deepened their understanding of the experimental process.  Learners on level 3 courses find their work interesting and challenging. They make valuable use of their time and are highly motivated. They work hard and make good progress. The supportive and encouraging ethos gives them the confidence to ask questions and offer contributions in class. In a minority of lessons, however, opportunities to extend more able learners’ development are lost as these learners wait for others to finish their tasks.  In the best mathematics lessons, teachers motivate learners by placing their learning in a vocational or practical context. However, significant numbers of GCSE learners lack confidence Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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and fluency in basic numeracy skills. They make clear progress in lessons, but do not sufficiently consolidate their learning between classes. Attendance is low in GCSE mathematics.  Science technicians support learners helpfully in practical sessions, and learning support assistants make a real difference in the classroom, providing extra help to support and monitor learning, especially for those with additional learning needs.  Teachers check learning frequently through a range of approaches, including excellent question and answer techniques, the use of mini-whiteboards and learners’ response cards. In a minority of lessons, teachers rely on learners to shout out answers voluntarily, which results in a few learners dominating the class and less effective checking by the teacher that everyone understands the topic.  Teachers set learners on level 3 courses regular and varied homework. Feedback sheets are useful, and they help learners identify and target areas for improvement. In psychology, teachers set reading extensions to enable more able learners to evaluate complex theory. Learners in GCSE mathematics have regular class tests, but are not given homework tasks.  Learners improve their literacy skills through a range of contextual activities. In one very good lesson, AS-level psychology learners produced highly imaginative mock tabloid newspaper articles on a psychological study. Science teachers insert deliberate spelling errors into their presentations in order that learners will identify them, and encourage learners to spell out technical terminology correctly.  Teachers support learners closely throughout their course. Rigorous systems are in place to identify and support learners at risk of underperformance. Productive relationships with personal tutors inform accurate and timely monitoring and appropriate target setting for learners. Learners know their minimum target grades and are aware of how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve. Learners receive very helpful assistance with university applications and other progression options.  Learners appreciate the inclusive ethos of the college, and they feel respected and safe. Staff utilise classroom displays very effectively to promote learners’ awareness of wider social and cultural issues. Teachers take advantage consistently of naturally-occurring opportunities to discuss aspects of equality and diversity with learners.

Animal care and veterinary science

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Outstanding  Teaching, learning and assessment are outstanding, leading to a very high proportion of learners successfully completing their courses. Teachers are passionate about their subject and the majority are experts in their field. Teaching in dog grooming, veterinary nursing and equine studies is particularly stimulating and highly effective, and reflects the very high standard of learners’ practical work in these areas. Teaching in animal management is good, but is less consistent and does not always focus sufficiently on the needs of individual learners. Teachers and managers have very high expectations of, and set high standards for, their learners in both theory and practical lessons. Most learners achieve these high standards and make excellent progress in lessons.  Teachers have a particularly strong focus on employability and prepare learners very effectively for work or progression to further study. Teachers make abundant use of the college’s excellent practical resources to prepare learners for employment. They have considerable industry experience and use this expertise extremely well to bring a commercial focus to their teaching.  Teachers question learners carefully and skilfully in lessons to develop and test their knowledge, and the very large majority of learners work enthusiastically. Teachers manage health and safety particularly well, and risk assessment is thoroughly embedded into routine duties and Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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practical lessons. Most learners access the college’s VLE to use the high quality, stimulating course materials that enable them to review and extend what they have learned in their lessons.  Teachers build very effectively on learners’ prior knowledge and, as a result, learners make very tangible progress in most lessons. Links between theory and practical lessons are particularly strong and learners swiftly acquire skills and knowledge through being able to see how theory relates to work. Learners requiring additional learning support make rapid progress through the sensitive deployment of support staff. Learners devise their own targets and these, once agreed with teachers, help them to measure their own progress towards industry standards.  Learners receive positive and helpful feedback from their teachers in lessons and this aids them to progress and improve their work. Teachers’ assessment of learners’ work is of a very high standard. Written work is carefully marked, and feedback from teachers helps learners to continually improve and make progress.  Teachers use a range of practical activities and tasks to develop learners’ mathematics skills. In an outstanding lesson, learners calculated the weight of horses based on girth measurement, and subsequently were able to calculate the feed requirements of each horse accurately. The promotion of learners’ use of English, in both theory and practical lessons, is less consistent and teachers do not always correct grammatical errors.  The college’s ‘Positive about Futures’ team provides excellent support and guidance to learners on careers and progression to further study. Consequently, learners make clear plans for the future and a significant number progress to higher-level courses or into related employment. Learners speak very highly of the academic and pastoral support they receive from staff.  Teachers present a range of relevant examples in lessons to extend learners’ understanding of equality and diversity. For example, in an outstanding veterinary nursing lesson, learners were shown how injuries and diseases in animals can be compared to human conditions and life chances.

Hairdressing and beauty therapy

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Outstanding

 Teaching, learning and assessment are outstanding, leading to high success rates that have been sustained over the last three years, and that are far higher than those nationally for similar colleges. Learners make very good progress in lessons. At all levels, they develop excellent client care and retail skills and work constructively with each other and their teachers. Teachers have considerable knowledge and expertise and use their highly proficient skills very effectively to successfully teach, assess and support their learners.

 Teachers are extremely effective in developing learners’ skills and knowledge of key technical aspects of hairdressing, beauty and holistic therapies, such as ‘electrical’ facials and the elaborate dressing of long hair into avant-garde styles. Teachers plan and deliver a variety of extremely thoughtful and imaginative lessons, such as the use of a popular ‘game show’ format to learn about essential oils in aromatherapy and mask making for foundation level learners. Teachers reinforce high standards in the salons, and provide exceptional support and care for learners, ensuring they develop consistently safe working practices.

 Many learners achieve very relevant additional qualifications in related hairdressing, beauty and holistic therapies. Topics such as stone therapy and Indian head massage increase their employability skills. All learners have abundant opportunities to participate in high-profile national competitions, with some learners achieving notable success and gaining international recognition. However, learners do not always have sufficient opportunities to undertake relevant work experience.

 Learners make swift progress towards their qualifications and make very good progress in lessons, developing their skills and knowledge in complex areas such as the pigment Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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components of hair colourants or the features and benefits of Thai massage. In particular, learners on level 1 courses are highly motivated and ambitious to progress to the next level.

 Advice, guidance and the use of initial assessment are excellent. Hairdressing and beauty therapy teachers ensure learners are on the right course, resulting in most learners completing their courses. Teachers use initial assessment productively to plan teaching that fully meets learners’ individual needs.

 Assessment is regular, rigorous and of a very high standard, often leading to the early achievement of qualifications. In practical sessions, learners work enthusiastically to demanding targets for timed activities, and meet them by applying themselves very diligently to the achievement of difficult skills such as perming long hair and applying ‘fantasy’ make up. Teachers provide a high level of support through frequent and expert technical feedback. Marked work effectively enables learners to develop their written English and to improve future work. However, the review of learners’ pastoral, academic and skills targets is not always frequent enough to ensure all learners make rapid progress.

 Teachers ensure a planned, sustained focus on the development of English in lessons. Learners write self-evaluations and develop technical language whilst improving their written English. Teachers focus sharply on the development of learners’ employability skills, and this is reflected in their very high standards of client care and retail awareness. The promotion of mathematics skills is identified in lesson plans, but less evident in practice.

 Teachers maximise opportunities to develop learners’ awareness of highly relevant equality and diversity issues, such as ‘body image’ and the expanding market of male beauty treatments. They promote very positive relationships between learners who are sensitive to each other’s differences.

Visual and performing arts

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Outstanding

 Teaching, learning and assessment are outstanding, with overall success rates well above the national averages for similar colleges. The vast majority of learners, particularly in the performing arts, achieve additional qualifications, for example in dance and music.

 Teachers motivate and challenge learners skilfully in order to develop excellent skills and knowledge. Learners produce extremely high standards of work through the reinforcement and refining of skills, particularly in performance, sketch book and research work. Learners review their own learning regularly and articulate confidently how it will influence their future study and progression plans. They are enthusiastic and frequently work independently towards clear targets and aims.

 Project briefs are inspiring and ensure learners have abundant opportunities to produce a wide range of creative and original work through theatre, vocal harmony, pop bands and jazz ensembles. Learners benefit from excellent working relationships with their highly experienced teachers. Teachers utilise their industry contacts extremely well to develop very imaginative live project briefs with learners in musical theatre productions, music concerts and through designing brochures and logos for a range of external organisations.

 Learners develop excellent professional and technical skills that support high standards of production in, for example, lighting, sound, making computer-based music garments and architectural design, all of which enhance the quality of their creative work very well. Learners acquire relevant industry knowledge through the promotion of specialist terminology and through expertly planned approaches, such as definition booklets and word banks in music analysis. Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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 Learners use learning technology particularly effectively to enhance their learning across all areas. High quality on-line resources inspire and enable learners to make regular use of specialist sites to research, create, manipulate and document their artwork. Learners develop excellent technical skills through frequent access to, and interaction with, high quality industry standard software and technology.

 Assessment feedback is very detailed, critical and challenging. It clearly identifies and illuminates areas to help learners to improve, encouraging them to develop action plans and to be responsible for their own progress. Teachers provide a high level of individual support in lessons that encourages learners to excel. However, a minority of assessment feedback is insufficiently detailed to ensure all learners are consistently challenged to achieve higher grades.

 Learners take full advantage of the excellent opportunities to practise and develop their English skills through discussion, debate, peer feedback, learning lines and the development of lyrics, resulting in fluent and articulate spoken skills. Teachers pay careful attention to correcting learners’ written work. However, the development of learners’ mathematical skills is not as well embedded in lessons as English skills.

 Learners benefit from frequent, high quality individual support. Attendance at, and participation in, lessons is very good. Learners also have plentiful access to specialist resources and staff outside lessons to help them complete specialist work to a high standard.

 Initial advice and guidance are very thorough. Learners receive frequent, timely and high quality specialist advice and guidance to help with higher education applications, portfolio building and with selecting inspiring and relevant audition and interview material. Progression to further levels of study and employment is high.

 Equality and diversity are widely promoted within the curriculum. Teachers encourage a full understanding of different cultures within assignment briefs. Learners value highly the inclusive learning environment, including safe spaces to discuss sensitive issues. They tackle a wide range of issues, for example the representation of women in theatre and issues of status and gender. Learners on visual arts courses develop and sell products to promote issues such as Black history and world poverty, and they also produce the college’s equality calendar.

English

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Outstanding  Teaching, learning and assessment are outstanding. As a result, a very high proportion of learners complete their qualifications in English successfully. Extremely rigorous quality improvement systems have contributed to a relentless drive to improve teaching and learning. Teachers place strong emphasis on challenging learners to work hard and this has resulted in excellent high grade pass rates for learners on the second year of their A-level studies and improved high grades at AS level. The proportion of learners who achieve high grades on GCSE English is significantly above the national average for similar colleges.  Support for learners is excellent. Carefully planned monitoring and reviews ensure learners receive excellent guidance, both inside and outside the classroom. Learners take charge of their own learning and have at their disposal an impressive choice of support mechanisms such as ‘Achievement Plus’, a discrete area where they can study quietly and seek expert advice from staff.  Learners value the intense passion and expertise of their teachers. Learners develop outstanding spoken skills. They articulate their ideas fluently, with complex vocabulary that teachers develop and reinforce skilfully at all levels. Learners regularly use technical expressions such as ‘grapheme’, ‘morpheme’ and ‘pathetic fallacy’ in their responses and discussions. Teachers Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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encourage learners at all levels to use, for example, a Thesaurus and dictionary and, in so doing, learners develop very effective independent learning skills.  Extremely adept, probing questions challenge learners to think and reflect about concepts in depth. Teachers make highly effective and seamless links to examination criteria in lessons. Learners are encouraged to use exemplars and examiner reports to develop their understanding of how to write sophisticated and analytical text.  Outstanding teaching is characterised by lessons where teachers are highly effective in keeping learners focused on making progress and meeting their goals. In a small minority of classes, this is not so evident and learners do not always maximise the time available to perfect their skills.  Staff ensure that learners’ profiles are extremely detailed and focus very specifically on areas for improvement. Learners know precisely what they need to do to improve their work, and teachers are relentless in supporting and appropriately challenging all learners to achieve and excel.  Written and verbal feedback to learners is exemplary. Targets are very meaningful and detailed. Teachers also ensure they routinely correct basic mistakes in learners’ work, such as words that are commonly misspelt, and provide useful punctuation tips.  Learners find the VLE easy to navigate and extremely useful to access materials for examinations, course work, job opportunities and university courses.  Learners develop excellent social skills through a variety of collaborative teaching methods, peer support and assessment. Teachers strongly encourage and model respect and dignity in every lesson. Teachers and learners treat each other with a mutual respect that encourages learners to express their views and opinions in a safe learning environment.  Learners benefit from the consideration of set texts which prompt discussions and written analyses of equality and diversity issues, for example Small Island, Othello and The History Boys.  In addition to excellent higher education advice and guidance, learners on the second year of their A-level studies benefit from a variety of thought-provoking work experience opportunities that not only develop employability skills and financial awareness but also finely hone academic skills such as research and creative writing.

Business, administration and law

Apprenticeships

Outstanding  Teaching, learning and assessment for apprentices in the workplace are outstanding and reflect the very high proportion of learners who achieve their qualification. Outcomes for apprentices are significantly above national rates in all areas of business and at all levels. Apprentices are very successful in achieving their qualifications within the timescales set for them when they started their training. Many progress to higher-level qualifications.  Assessors successfully extend apprentices’ development through the setting of high expectations and challenging targets. Apprentices thoroughly enjoy working independently and learning with their peers. They are highly motivated by their involvement in the world of work and are enthusiastic about developing their vocational knowledge. They further their confidence and development by undertaking additional projects that demonstrate their industry skills.  Apprentices apply accounting, finance, marketing and management concepts skilfully to real working briefs. They produce high quality work-related reports on subjects such as the presentation of coding skills in clinical practices, calculating ‘job lots’ with precision materials, and analysing the impact of search engines in digital marketing.  Apprentices benefit from a comprehensive induction, both in college and in the workplace, and quickly assimilate the professional code of working practices required in their work environments. They receive excellent support through comprehensive, regular reviews that Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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involve assessors and managers in setting specific, achievable, and timely targets linked to work-based activities. Apprentices develop excellent practical and technical skills through assessors’ skilful coaching techniques, imaginative use of virtual learning sites and high quality training away from the workplace.  Initial assessment is extremely thorough and comprehensive, ensuring that apprentices enrol on the right level of course and that staff plan appropriate, timely support to help learners who have additional learning needs. Apprentices value highly the focused individual support they receive from their functional skills teachers and from their specialist assessors who provide flexible workshop support. Apprentices undertake functional skills study early in their programmes in order to meet their needs and the demands of work-based practices.  Assessors use innovative approaches and well-planned assessment activities to build and further extend apprentices’ vocational knowledge and their application of skills. They provide accurate, purposeful and timely feedback to apprentices on their assessments, both online and in meetings. Apprentices receive highly effective developmental evaluations of their strengths and areas for improvement. They welcome corrections made to their written work regarding spelling, punctuation and grammar and value the improvements that arise as a result.  Prompt actions taken by assessors are very successful in identifying the skills needs of apprentices. As a result, apprentices develop very good speaking, writing, mathematics and computing skills. For example, apprentices working at a car manufacturing company have embedded mathematics calibrations when calculating the balancing of wheels and monitor results through formulaic codes on an electronic database.  Apprentices show respect for each other and their work colleagues. They are aware of the service delivery standards of the organisations in which they work and adapt their behaviour appropriately when meeting internal and external customers. Apprentices develop excellent understanding of equality and diversity in the workplace.  Assessors reinforce learners’ compliance with, and the application of, current legislation during reviews. Apprentices are encouraged to interpret and promote legislative requirements in the workplace. For example, they carry out accurate and informative risk assessments in high risk care homes to ensure that clients and employees are safe at all times.

The effectiveness of leadership and management

Outstanding  Leadership and management are outstanding. The Principal, senior managers and governors have developed, and successfully communicated to staff and learners, a comprehensive and ambitious strategic vision and direction for the college. This vision, and the way it is being implemented across both campuses, has resulted in very successful outcomes for learners and an outstanding focus on developing their employability skills.  The governors work productively with managers and staff to support the development of the college and improvements to teaching and learning. They bring considerable, pertinent expertise to their roles and challenge managers appropriately.  Senior and middle managers have worked very hard to develop a culture of constant improvement across the college. Staff teams are passionate about their work, are highly effective and speak confidently about the clear guidelines and support they receive from managers. This has resulted in teams who are proactive in developing a highly responsive curriculum and very good quality services within the college. Staff teams regularly seek out links with other organisations that will bring benefits to learners and to the economy of the region.  Managers and staff have been highly successful in ensuring that the college curriculum meets local and national priorities. The college is a key provider of education and training in West Sussex, East Hampshire and beyond. The extensive range of work-based learning provision is responsive to, and reflective of, the needs of the local and regional business communities.  The wide range of programmes, both full and part time, make a significant contribution to workforce development and social cohesion. High numbers of unemployed people and young Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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people not in education, employment or training, gain self-confidence and valuable qualifications at the college. For example, managers and teachers have worked in collaboration with Jobcentre Plus to help unemployed people complete work preparation courses. This valuable work has resulted in high numbers of learners obtaining employment, some for the first time in many years.  Quality assurance policies and procedures are rigorous and highly effective. Managers and staff accurately evaluate the provision across the college and in the workplace. Teams use and analyse management information and data very effectively to secure improvements. Self-assessment reports and annual reviews are detailed, highly evaluative and lead to thoughtful action plans to identify areas for improvement and rectify issues. However, in a minority of cases, reports and monitoring documents do not place enough emphasis on how teaching and learning can be improved. Review and evaluation processes are very well supported by clear guidance, excellent training and highly supportive monitoring.  The lesson observation system is mature and highly effective. Judgements on strengths and areas for improvement are accurate and evaluative. Professional learning coaches and quality managers give very good support to teachers in order to further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  Teachers make very good use of an excellent range of professional development activities specifically aimed at meeting their individual development needs, such as the nationally recognised ‘Licence to Observe’. Across the college, the focus on staff development is outstanding and appraisals for staff are evaluative and highly motivating. Morale is high and staff are passionate about what they do. They are emphatic when stating that the college is a great place in which to work.  Managers make extensive use of feedback from learners and employers to ensure that the courses offered help learners gain qualifications and/or employment. Many learners are involved in carrying out lesson observations and they complete the same training undertaken by staff in the same role. They are also involved in the annual review and self-assessment process and course representatives have an important role in making sure they communicate learners’ views and concerns to college managers.  A group of committed and proactive staff and learners enthusiastically leads the promotion of equality and support for diversity across the college. Managers analyse the outcomes of different groups of learners closely to identify any necessary interventions and to put into place actions to narrow any achievement gaps.  Managers have been particularly successful in encouraging staff to develop their practice to reflect the college’s equal opportunities policies and to embed equality and diversity into their teaching. In a highly successful engineering project, learners designed and built proto-types of assistive technology items for wheelchair users with working dogs. Learners deepened their understanding of physical disability and the role working dogs can play in the lives of their owners, whilst at the same time designing real artefacts to demanding specifications.  Staff and managers promote safety and well-being highly effectively and the college fully meets its statutory requirements for safeguarding learners. Managers have very productive links with relevant local agencies in order to respond swiftly to safeguarding issues. All staff and governors have completed, or recently updated, safeguarding training. In addition, all learners complete appropriate training at induction. During the inspection, inspectors observed safe working practices in classrooms, laboratories, workshops and studios.

Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) Chichester College

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

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

Overall effectiveness

Outcomes for learners The quality of teaching, learning and assessment The effectiveness of leadership and management

noisivorp emit-trap 61-41

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

Health and social care Early years and play work Science Mathematics and statistics Animal care and veterinary science Hairdressing and beauty therapy Performing arts Visual arts English Business 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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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: 3,732 Part-time: 10,897

Principal/CEO

Shelagh Legrave

Date of previous inspection

February 2008

Website address

www.chichester.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

425 158 792 210 1655 438

Part-time

783 3776 378 1562 350 573 6 7 16 98

Number of traineeships

16-19 19+ Total

Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

0 0 0

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 392 19+ 971 16-18 157 19+ 1201 16-18 0 19+ 14

Number of learners aged 14-16

168 Full-time 32 Part-time 136

Number of community learners

499 Number of employability learners 1923

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

Hill McManus Ltd Darley Training Ltd Albion in the Community Lifetime Training Group Ltd Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

         

Quest Training (South East) Ltd Phonex 4 Training LLP Middleton Murray Ltd Tempus Training Ltd Stafford Rhodes Ltd Skills UK Ltd Inspection report: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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Contextual information

Chichester College is a large general further education college that offers a broad range of vocational and academic courses and apprenticeship programmes across its two main sites in Chichester and Brinsbury, near Pulborough. In addition, the college operates outreach centres in Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Worthing. The proportion of pupils who leave school with five or more GCSE qualifications at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, is at the national average. Small to medium-sized business enterprises comprise the large majority of local employers. The area around Chichester is generally affluent, although several areas served by the college are considerably less prosperous, particularly along the coast to the south of the city.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Matt Vaughan HMI Four of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and nine 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 relevant 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: Chichester College, 3−7 March 2014

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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