Hereward College of Further Education Ofsted Report

Full report

Information about the provider

• Located in Coventry, Hereward College (the college) is a very small general further education college with a specialist remit. It is a charity by exemption. The college offers residential on-site provision for 23 learners and day provision for 250 learners. The provision of courses from pre-entry level to level 3 incorporates specialist facilities and support staff for young people who have a wide spectrum of types and complexity of disability and additional needs. In addition, workplace learning and distance learning programmes account for around 100 learners. Around one in five college learners are of minority ethnic heritage and just over two thirds are male.

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

• Managers should develop further the knowledge and skills of teachers and individual learning support staff, so that they are more able to support routinely and proactively the progress and achievement of learners.
• Ensure that teachers give due attention to the needs of the most able learners, so that they progress at the pace that they are capable of and achieve their potential.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and governors have worked hard and with success to resolve many of the significant weaknesses identified at the previous inspection in October 2016. Learners feel safe and protected, and standards of behaviour continue to improve across the college because of the strong and relentless focus on improving safeguarding arrangements.
• Governors and senior leaders have a strong and clear vision for the future of the college and they have shared this vision well with staff. Senior leaders are now more approachable. They welcome suggestions for improvements from all staff. Staff across the college have a high level of trust and confidence in the leadership team to continue to improve the provision.
• The performance management of staff is now good. Senior leaders have made significant improvements since the previous inspection. They have set clear standards and have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the teaching team. When staff do not achieve the required standards, managers give good, practical support to help them improve. Where this support is not effective, leaders take appropriate action to ensure that learners are not disadvantaged.
• The records of staff appraisals are detailed and have a strong focus on teaching and professional development. However, the objectives set for staff do not link clearly enough to a measurable impact on learners or to specific college priorities. Too often, they are suggested tasks to complete or compliance actions.
• College leaders have revised the curriculum offer to ensure that each learner can follow a personalised learning programme, which enables them to achieve their potential and their long-term goals. Managers continue to make good use of local labour market information and other intelligence to identify gaps in the current curriculum offer. Managers are developing vocational routes into hospitality and retail, to improve the current low rates of learners’ progression into employment.
• Managers are developing strong partnerships with local employers and national companies. Staff contacts with employers are beginning to increase the availability of work experience. Managers are expanding supported internships, which provide learners with a realistic opportunity to progress into employment.
• A local careers guidance company provides high-quality independent careers education, information, advice and guidance. The specialist adviser has very good knowledge of local and national educational and employment opportunities and of the support available to learners. As a result, the face-to-face interviews give learners and their parents a clear picture about the opportunities ahead and the support available.
• Staff place a very strong emphasis on improving behaviour. They use the behaviour management and disciplinary policy well. As a result, the standard of behaviour across the college has improved significantly since the previous inspection. The number of behaviour-related incidents has reduced substantially.
• The college’s English and mathematics strategy is largely successful in ensuring that learners have the necessary skills required for their next stage in life. In the majority of sessions, teachers link English and mathematical skills well to the learning activity taking place. As a result, learners are developing and reinforcing these skills well.
• The good self-assessment arrangements encourage staff to be reflective and self-critical and to make judgements. Learners are central to the process. The current report supports the college priorities for improvement and makes good use of the previous inspection report to demonstrate the progress made. Staff have contributed their views and recognise the judgements made in the current draft self-assessment report.
• The effectiveness of support provided by individual learning support (ILS) staff is too variable. In the best cases, staff encourage learning, and know when to guide, intervene or provide guidance or instruction. In other sessions, teachers do not deploy or manage ILS staff effectively.
• Teachers prepare learners well for life in modern Britain. Throughout the year, teaching staff focus on different themes such as race, religion and belief, and sexual orientation. They make good use of national events, including Black History Month and Mental Health Awareness Week, to help learners understand their place in their local community and develop the skills to live in modern Britain.

The governance of the provider

• At the previous inspection, governors were unaware of many of the problems facing the college. Governors now know their college well. They provide strong strategic support and direction and ensure that the college remains viable during a time of uncertainty. The governors’ quality and standards committee plays a strong role in improving provision, for example by making very good use of the data and other information available to monitor college performance, and report to the full board. Governors hold senior leaders to account appropriately.
• Governors demonstrate a high level of commitment to the college and are passionate about improving the experience for learners. The increased formal and informal contact with learners and the links between individual governors and areas of the college give them valuable information about the progress the learners are making.
• The newly appointed governor with responsibility for safeguarding has a good range of appropriate skills and experience.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have ensured that all staff give safeguarding the highest priority. As a result, the likelihood of a safeguarding incident taking place has significantly reduced, as has the probability of the failure to report an incident.
• Managers have made small but significant changes to the environment, which have reduced the likelihood of unsuitable or unwelcome people entering the college campus. This includes locking the front gates during the college day and the introduction of an electronic signing-in system.
• Managers have also fenced off certain areas and removed hedges and shrubbery to increase the security of and visibility around the site to keep learners safe. They have reduced learners’ unsupervised time and introduced a staff supervision rota for the more vulnerable learners. These actions have resulted in a significant decrease in the number of safeguarding incidents and concerns. The increased watchfulness by all staff reduces the possibility of learners undertaking any form of inappropriate activity.
• The comprehensive training and development programme and rigorous enforcement of the safeguarding policy ensure that staff understand safeguarding better, detect unsuitable activity, and report concerns appropriately. All staff and governors are required to undertake online training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty before starting at the college. Contractors and supported internship providers are now required to undertake safeguarding training as part of the contract.
• Following the extensive training programme and raising of safeguarding awareness among the staff, there was an initial rise in referrals to the safeguarding manager. Referrals have now settled to levels that are more appropriate and, in particular, there has been a sharp reduction in reports of sexualised behaviour. This was a grave concern at the previous inspection.
• Mangers have now implemented a college-wide system to report safeguarding concerns, so that staff can easily make a referral to the safeguarding team. Safeguarding staff diligently monitor any referrals. Staff are clear when to report a concern or incident. Designated safeguarding staff refer serious concerns to the appropriate organisation or agency promptly.
• Partnership working with external agencies is strong, and includes work with the NSPCC, the police, Coventry children’s services, the Coventry rape and sexual abuse centre, and the child exploitation and online protection centre. These groups provide personalised support and guidance to small groups of learners on specific topics, including healthy relationships and protective behaviours.
• At the previous inspection, the use of risk assessments was weak. Since then, the safeguarding team has introduced a thorough risk management regime. Risk assessments are now a routine part of the admission procedure, which makes use of information from parents and previous schools or colleges. Each learner has an individual risk assessment, which informs the class-group risk assessments. Further work is required to ensure that all risk assessments are appropriately personalised, identify specific hazards and, where appropriate, link to behaviour management plans.
• The college is now compliant with the ‘Prevent’ duty requirements and has in place a strategy and action plan, which the ‘Prevent’ duty coordinator for Coventry has endorsed.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The majority of full-time learners follow one of three pathways. The ‘foundation’ pathway is a non-accredited programme offering pre-entry to entry 2 level courses for 51 learners. The ‘explorer’ pathway offers entry 3 to level 1 accredited courses for 129 learners. The ‘discovery’ pathway offers level 2 and level 3 courses for 66 learners. Nearly all learners are in receipt of high-needs funding. The college also offers short distance-learning courses in health and social care for around 100 learners.
• Learners enjoy their learning because they are taught by well-qualified and experienced teachers with good subject knowledge and industry and employer links. Recent staff training has been very effective in enabling staff to meet the increasingly complex needs of learners.
• Staff assess all learners before they join the college. Assessment records are comprehensive and detailed. They draw on a wide range of sources, including information from parents, school reports and diagnostic testing. This ensures that a variety of appropriate and targeted support is available to meet learners’ needs. As a result, learners’ starting points and support needs are well known.
• Learners on the ‘foundation’ pathway have appropriate targets for learning based on their starting points. Teachers break these down to short-term, achievable goals, which they monitor closely. Consequently, ‘foundation’ learners make at least the progress expected, and the majority make good progress. The vast majority of learners receive good support. As a result, they are able to achieve their goals and personal targets, including those relating to specific barriers to learning and participation.
• Learners on the ‘explorer’ and ‘discovery’ pathways can clearly explain their personal targets and the progress they make towards achieving them. All are aware of their next steps in education, and level 3 learners are clear about the routes which they may take. The large majority have improved their communication and social skills and have become more confident learners. They value the support they receive.
• For a minority of learners, their personal targets are still too broad. The evidence collected by teachers for a minority of learners on the ‘discovery’ pathway does not adequately illustrate their learning achievements. Records are too general and descriptive rather than evaluative.
• Teachers’ feedback states clearly what learners need to do to improve. Learners value this and the useful signposting that teachers give to further information and websites to extend their learning.
• Progress reviews for learners have improved since the previous inspection. They are more detailed, and the majority contain measurable targets. However, there are still a few general comments, which do not explain clearly which of the learners’ skills or abilities have been improved, or need improving.
• Managers closely monitor attendance, behaviour and the progress of learners’ English and mathematical skills. Staff intervene quickly with those at risk of falling behind. This has led to improvements in outcomes.
• Teachers plan lessons well, make good links to previous lessons, and signpost well what they will cover next. They integrate safeguarding, English, mathematics, and equality and diversity themes carefully into lessons. Learners also explore religious and cultural issues when studying a topic. For example, in a lesson on contraception, learners understand that some people have differing views on the use of contraception, depending on their religious or cultural perspective.
• Teachers use and adapt learning resources well to meet learners’ needs. For example, those learners who can, are given the option of writing answers; those who do not have finer muscle control have the option of alternative methods to illustrate their answers. As a result, learners’ specific learning needs are met, and they respond to tasks well.
• Since the previous inspection, a range of initiatives has been introduced to ensure that learning support staff are included in planning for learning. This has led to their better deployment and more effective support for learners.
• A minority of learning support staff do not interact sufficiently with learners or are not used effectively in lessons. As a result, not all learners are sufficiently challenged to do better. In a minority of lessons, the most able learners are not sufficiently challenged to achieve as well as they could.
• Learners develop their emotional resilience in the safe environment of classrooms. They become more aware of how to manage their own behaviours and use a range of strategies to manage stress more effectively. Teachers adapt exercises to ensure that all learners, including those who use wheelchairs, can participate in physical activities safely and effectively.
• Learners develop extremely high levels of skills, particularly information and communication technology (ICT) skills, in internship positions. For example, one learner was able to use two bespoke company IT systems and transfer information extremely efficiently between the two systems to issue refunds to customers who had complained to the water company about the quality of their water supply.
• Managers and teachers across vocational subjects work well together and with progress coaches and mentors to make English and mathematics a full part of the vocational lessons, and to prioritise these subjects as a core life and employability skill.
• Teachers mark learners’ written work thoroughly and give detailed feedback, which is motivating as well as developmental. Learners on GCSE English and mathematics courses are being challenged appropriately and assessed regularly. As a result, learners have a clear understanding of what is required of them.
• The standard of work is at least at the level expected, and for a large majority of learners it is good. For example, media level 2 work is very detailed, and learners can demonstrate a good ability to critique both photographs and paintings, for example, to explain how shading is achieved using a variety of colours.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

• Learners make good progress in developing their personal and social skills. Staff provide highly effective support for learners. As a result, learners are able to develop effective strategies to build these skills and use self-management plans well. For example, learners will remove themselves from stressful situations to safe places before returning to lessons.
• Learners become more confident. The Equal Love Group sent two learners who identified as transgender to the inaugural NUS Trans Conference, where they delivered a presentation; the group has since drafted the college’s first specific transgender policy.
• Learners feel safe and have a clear understanding of how to keep safe and whom to report to on campus or on work placements if they have concerns. Managers and leaders have developed a comprehensive programme to raise learners’ awareness of safeguarding and the dangers of extremism and radicalisation.
• Learners benefit from a developing range of work experience placements and visits to employers. The majority of learners have access to work-related activities, and the most able learners have work experience with local and national companies. For example, on a visit to a large hotel chain, learners were shown how to shape elephants using towels, a skill they demonstrated to other learners on their return to the college. Managers are continuing to build links to improve further the opportunities available to learners.
• Managers have strengthened an effective supported internship programme, through which learners with a wide variety of complex needs work in appropriate roles in a range of large organisations. Employers recognise the significant contribution they make in the workplace. Learners develop and demonstrate a very good understanding of health and safety practices at work. For example, a non-verbal learner developed confidence in their communication skills and was able to make confident presentations to team members and directors. Not only was their development in confidence and working practices highly valued by their manager, but the development of conversational skills has also had a positive impact on their behaviour at home.
• Teachers and support staff, including job coaches, progress coaches and mentors, support learners very effectively in their transition into college and onto their next steps. Staff work closely with local schools, parents, carers and other organisations to provide regular visits to the campus, to prepare learners very well before the start of their course. Staff training is very effective and equips them well to provide highly specialised support to meet the individual needs of learners when they start at the college. Managers work closely with local authorities to embed the results of education, health and care plans into the highly individualised timetables for learners.
• Learners benefit from a good range of enrichment activities, which develops their confidence, builds their understanding of how their communities work and encourages healthy living. Learners are represented on the local council’s disability, equality advisory panel (DEAP). As a result, the college is leading a safe parking campaign. Media learners are developing publicity materials, and other learners are engaged in promoting the initiative in the city. Learners are developing their communication skills and positively contributing to a public campaign. Learners take part in the local authority’s ‘Democracy Week’, visiting the council offices and seeing local government in action.
• Careers information, advice and guidance are impartial and effective. Learners access independent guidance from a local provider; they receive good support to identify career pathways and to prepare for life after college.
• Learners benefit from very good support for their physical and emotional needs. They become more independent in daily living skills, and improve their mobility on campus and in the community. They develop their communication skills and confidence in using aids and adaptations well. The college has a comprehensive team of specialist staff, including a speech and language therapist, physiotherapists and psychologists, who work closely with all staff to implement effective strategies across programmes to build learners’ skills. Managers work very effectively with external specialists to access regular training, advice and support, to ensure the precise meeting of learners’ needs.
• In a small minority of activities, the reinforcement of e-safety is insufficiently thorough. While there is good practice externally on internships, this is not reflected in the college sessions as effectively.

Outcomes for learners

Good

• The proportion of learners who successfully complete their programme has improved in the last year and is high. The majority of learners in each pathway make good progress. Most learners produce work of a high standard.
• Nearly all learners on the ‘foundation’ pathway achieve their non-accredited learning goals and aims. Teachers set learners appropriate targets matched well to their starting points and capabilities. These are rigorously monitored and moderated. Nearly two thirds of learners progress internally or to supported internships.
• Learners on the ‘explorer’ pathway also achieve well, and the vast majority progress to a higher level course within the college or to an internship.
• Learners on the ‘discovery’ pathway achieve less well. One in four learners do not successfully complete their programme. However, a high proportion of those learners who complete the programme progress to a higher level course or a supported internship.
• Internships successfully enable learners to develop high levels of skills, particularly in ICT and working with others. On internships, learners blossom and work at higher levels than expected of them.
• The vast majority of learners who leave the college go on to other further education colleges or adult and community learning courses, or undertake voluntary work. A significant minority progress to paid employment. Leaders and managers have set an ambitious target to increase the proportion of learners who progress into paid employment.
• The proportion of learners successfully completing functional skills qualifications has improved in the last year. Achievement rates are high and well above the rates for similar providers. Most of the few learners who re-take GCSE English and mathematics gain at least grade 4.
• Managers monitor the performance of different groups well, and there are no persistent gaps in performance by gender, ethnicity, age or disability.
• The college has a small proportion of distance-learning learners undertaking certificate and diploma courses relating to health and social care. Low retention rates have led to too many of these learners not completing the course. College data indicates that current learners are remaining on the course better than in previous years.

Provider details

Unique reference number 130474 Type of provider General further education college Age range of learners Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 16+ 514 Principal/CEO Paul Cook Telephone number 02476 461231 Website www.hereward.ac.uk

Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 65 115 23 138 4 13 - 1 Intermediate Advanced Higher 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ - 1 - 3 - - 16–19 - 19+ - Total - Number of traineeships Number of learners aged 14 to 16 - Number of learners for which the provider receives high-needs funding At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors:

238 N/A

Information about this inspection

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

Inspection team

William Baidoe-Ansah, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Rosemary Belton Nigel Evans Lesley Talbot-Strettle Jenny Sims Ofsted Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Helen Humphreys Social Care Regulatory Inspector Susan Gay

Ofsted Inspector