Strathmore College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Strathmore College, 25–27 February 2014

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

 Ensure learning support in lessons is of a consistently high standard. Make sure staff receive appropriate training to better support all learners whatever their cognitive ability, including those with more complex learning difficulties, disabilities and communication needs. Additionally, ensure all teachers deploy learning support effectively in lessons.  Make sure staff set meaningful targets for learners to achieve, including those relating to learners’ personal and social development. Ensure they frequently review and record learners’ progress within individual learning plans. Managers need to monitor and scrutinise the quality of these targets and plans frequently.  In order to extend learning, make certain all staff understand the broader aspects of the personal and social curriculum and ensure this includes routine access to health, sexuality and relationships education.  Improve the quality of teachers’ written feedback on learners’ work so that learners are not just clear what they do well but are also clear about what it is they could do better.  Ensure all teachers and support staff receive clear and time-bound actions following lesson observations so they are better placed to improve their practice. Additionally, ensure managers systematically check the quality of all learning, including the impact of support staff and staff who deliver work experience.  Make sure quality improvement plans and strategic plans are sharply focused and have clear interim measures and milestones identified to enable managers to review and assess, with confidence, the full impact of their actions. Use data better, including trend data, to inform the self-assessment process.  Strengthen the performance management of staff by making certain all managers receive further training in how to set and review timely appraisal objectives for their staff. Ensure managers monitor staff development targets closely and routinely review the impact of staff training and mentoring.  Implement the supervisory body’s plans to strengthen further the monitoring of the college’s performance. Ensure greater scrutiny of the impact of management actions and the quality and effectiveness of managers’ target-setting. This will help increase the rate, consistency and sustainability of improvements across key areas of the college’s work.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Good  Nearly all learners working towards externally accredited outcomes succeeded in 2012/13. However, college data analysis is not yet sufficiently robust to provide an accurate picture of trends over time. College data indicate no significant differences in achievement of different groups of learners for 2012/13.  The achievement of functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics is good for the very few learners on these courses. The good integration of English and mathematics within the wider curriculum ensures that the majority of learners improve these skills in vocational and social situations. For example, learners working in a café can now operate the till and take food orders successfully.  Learners on non-accredited programmes improve aspects of their personal and social skills effectively. However, the tracking and recording of learners’ personal and social development are not always good enough to provide a comprehensive review of the gains and progress they Inspection report: Strathmore College, 25–27 February 2014

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make in the development of these skills. The college is currently revising this process to provide greater rigour in capturing better the progress of all learners.  Learners improve their ability to manage their behaviour appropriately and this has been central in enabling them to integrate effectively within the community and with their peers. For example, one learner is now able to moderate his response to frustration, does not lose his temper so quickly and is more aware of what constitutes acceptable behaviour particularly when at work.  Most learners arrive on time and attend regularly. For learners with a history of very poor attendance in previous education, this is a considerable achievement.  Learners enjoy their learning which includes taking part in sports activities, identifying plants in horticulture and working in a community café. They produce work of a good standard in vocational activities. For example, a group of learners successfully produced bouquets of flowers to sell and worked cooperatively with each other to complete the task. In another lesson, a learner produced a hanging mobile from wooden birds that he had made and painted himself.  Learners make good gains in developing their employability skills. For example, one learner is working in a local hospital. His duties include fetching magazines for patients and this work provides him with good opportunities to use his improved listening skills. Learners regularly take part in sports events and recently won eight gold medals in a Paralympic-themed badminton competition in Scotland.  Learners successfully develop their ability to live independently. For example, they shop for ingredients and then cook their own lunches based on their personal preferences. Progression into further education and voluntary or paid work is good. Nearly all learners achieve their long-term goals. Other learners become more ready to cope with the demands of further education after their time at Strathmore.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment, while improving, are not yet consistency good or better. As a result, not all learners are extending and deepening their learning as effectively as they could be. However, good management of learners’ behaviour along with good-quality work experience are the key reasons why the majority of learners continue to gain good outcomes that support their future independence.  The majority of teachers plan lessons carefully. Learners often work on the same task but use a range of individualised resources that enable them to work effectively towards their targets. The range and use of assistive technologies to support and extend learning and learners’ communication skills, both in and outside of lessons, is adequate.  In too many lessons, the quality of learning support is not effective. In these lessons, learning support workers are not always adequately skilled, or are insufficiently proactive in supporting learners, or teachers do not deploy them appropriately. As a result, the degree to which all learners extend their skills and are fully involved in the lesson reduces significantly.  Behavioural support is good. Teachers use de-escalation techniques effectively to make sure most learners can continue to integrate in lessons and activities. For example, one learner began to become frustrated with a task in a lesson and the teacher arranged for a short break for him, after which he returned calm, focused and able to continue learning.  Teachers develop learners’ listening skills very effectively. However, for a number of learners, particularly those with lower cognitive levels, there is insufficient understanding of their communication needs. Consequently, the progress these learners make is more limited. For example, in one lesson a learner with a target to make choices, was given the choice-making activity to choose between two types of glue, which was neither motivational nor purposeful for the learner.  Support for the small but growing number of learners who were previously not in education, employment or training is particularly effective. For example, a learner who came to the college Inspection report: Strathmore College, 25–27 February 2014

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with a history of substance abuse and was unable to sustain attendance at a mainstream college is now attending regularly and studying for a foundation level qualification in horticulture.  Staff assess learners’ support needs appropriately and use this information very effectively to plan their individual programmes of study. While teachers develop learners’ personal and social skills, their planning and setting of meaningful targets to extend these skills further is insufficient. For example, not all learners are routinely taught about sexuality and relationships.  The monitoring and recording of learners’ progress require improvement. Managers are working to strengthen this process. A recent college audit of individual learning plans, however, identified that not all staff were completing targets. Managers have yet to undertake an audit that focuses directly on the quality of the targets within individual learning plans. As a result, some targets set are still too broad to be meaningful for learners such as ‘to work towards a goal’.  Learners receive good oral feedback during lessons that helps them understand what they have done correctly and what it is they need to do to improve further. The quality of teachers’ written feedback, however, varies too much. For example, feedback on how learners can achieve their unmet targets ranges from constructive, detailed information to work marked with only ticks and crosses.  Teachers skilfully integrate targets for English and mathematics into lessons and programmes and learners apply these skills effectively to a range of work-related and real-life situations. For example, learners in a vocational horticulture session worked together effectively using written calculations in measurement, weight and time to produce a tender for landscaping an area.  Enrichment is mostly good and provides several opportunities for learners to take part in trips and activities to broaden their learning outside of lessons. One learner is successfully improving her team-working skills and ability to interact with the public by taking part in a volunteering project at a local community venue. She is now able to communicate with others effectively through her improved confidence to speak loudly enough for others to hear her clearly and by using appropriate eye contact.  Transition arrangements are effective. A comprehensive tutorial programme for all learners is effective in helping them plan for their future destinations.  Tutors establish a sense of respect and tolerance of others within sessions and across the college. Teachers plan and create good opportunities to promote disability and culture in some lessons, but they pay less attention to raising learners’ awareness of wider equality and diversity themes such as gender and sexual orientation.

The effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 While managers have made steady progress since the previous inspection and maintained good outcomes for the majority of learners, the overall quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and aspects of leadership and management are not yet consistently good.  The Principal and senior managers have managed the relocation of the college site in 2012/13 very effectively. The new campus provides a safe and appropriate environment in which to learn.  The Priory Group, the college’s supervisory body, has strengthened its monitoring of the college’s performance and is providing greater challenge and support to managers. As a result, managers are increasingly reviewing and reporting on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. The supervisory body recognises there needs to be further focus on the impact of management actions to help speed up improvements.  Leaders have revised the college’s strategic plan to outline its vision for the next three years. The key performance indicators for this plan, however, are insufficiently specific. Consequently, this makes it difficult for managers and the supervisory body to review the degree of progress made towards the college’s main strategic priorities. Inspection report: Strathmore College, 25–27 February 2014

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 The college has well-established partnerships with employers that provide learners with a good range of opportunities to gain real work-related experience. For example, managers have successfully forged links with a local hospital and café to enable learners to have more opportunities to undertake work within a variety of work settings. These opportunities, along with good behaviour management, continue to have a positive impact on learners’ outcomes.  Managers are effectively raising awareness of learning difficulties and/or disabilities in the local community. For example, a recent initiative, spearheaded by the Principal, invited a group of local employers to discuss how they can be involved in supporting work opportunities for learners, including the possibility of internships.  Managers are steadily improving the quality of teaching. The college observation team has increased its focus on the importance of meaningful learning in lessons. A well-founded process is in place to validate observers’ judgements. However, the detail of written feedback to teachers by most observers is insufficient. As a result, the majority of staff do not receive specific enough actions, within clear and considered timescales, to help them improve their practice.  Arrangements to manage the performance of staff are insufficiently rigorous. While all staff receive an appraisal of their work each year, the annual objectives set by most managers to support individual staff development are far too vague to ensure focused, timely improvement. Staff training has been effective in some areas, such as improving behaviour management, but it has been less effective in other areas, such as improving the consistency of learning support.  Quality improvement processes are not yet sufficiently cohesive or rigorous to ensure managers make enough rapid and consistent progress in all key areas of the college’s work. The college has appropriate arrangements to monitor the quality of subcontracted work. The self-assessment process is well established but key areas for development in the self-assessment report are not sufficiently sharp. Managers are still not using data well enough to review trends and inform self-assessment.  Managers review action plans frequently but plans do not provide managers with clear enough measures and milestones by which they can review the effectiveness, and evaluate thoroughly the impact, of their actions. Consequently, this impedes the speed at which they can bring about firm and widespread improvement in all areas of the college’s work.  Study programmes are effective in providing English, mathematics and work experience for all learners at an appropriate level. There are good opportunities to progress within vocational areas and there are an increased number of accredited courses from entry level up to intermediate level.  The promotion of cultural diversity within the college is good. One example of this is a volunteer project in Bulgaria, where students renovated rooms in an orphanage. The project offered excellent opportunities for students to gain insight into a different culture, food, religious festivals and language. The promotion of wider equalities themes is less well developed.  The college meets its statutory requirements for the safeguarding of learners. Staff receive appropriate awareness-raising training on how to safeguard young people and vulnerable adults. In most practical lessons, including horticulture and catering, teachers’ attention to health and safety is thorough. In a small number of lessons, however, teachers do not always reinforce good health and safety practice to learners. Inspection report: Strathmore College, 25–27 February 2014

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) Strathmore 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 noisivorp emit-lluf 61-41

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

semmargorp yduts 91-61

3 2 3 3

llarevO

3 2 3 3

semmargorp gnnraeL +91 i

3 2 3 3

i sphsecitnerppA ytililbayopmE i gnnrael ytinummoC

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

i sphseenarT i

N/A N/A N/A N/A

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

Independent living and leisure skills

Grade

3

Inspection report: Strathmore College, 25–27 February 2014

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Provider details Type of provider

Independent specialist college

Age range of learners

16+

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year Principal/CEO

Full-time: 30 Part-time: 0 Ms Kate Ward

Date of previous inspection

March 2011

Website address

www.priorygroup.com

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

5 26

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Part-time

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of traineeships Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

16-19 N/A 19+ N/A Total N/A

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18

N/A

19+

N/A

16-18

N/A

19+

N/A

16-18

N/A

19+

N/A

Number of learners aged 14-16

N/A Full-time N/A Part-time N/A

Number of community learners

N/A Number of employability learners N/A

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

Education Funding Agency (EFA)

 

Stoke-on-Trent College Newcastle-under-Lyme College Inspection report: Strathmore College, 25–27 February 2014

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Contextual information

Strathmore College is an independent specialist college, located in Stoke-on Trent, which provides education for learners with mild to severe and complex learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There are a number of learners with autistic-spectrum conditions, emotional and social-behaviour issues, and speech and language difficulties, coupled with other mental or physical difficulties and/or disabilities. The college is enrolling an increasing number of learners with challenging behaviour and/or those who have been disengaged from previous education. Of the 31 learners, four are residential and the remainder attend the college on a day-release basis. The large majority of learners are White British. The curriculum has two distinct pathways, vocational programmes and an independent-living programme. At the previous inspection, the college was owned by Craegmoor, which merged with The Priory Group in 2011. During 2012/13, the college relocated to the Trentham Business Park.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Deborah Vaughan-Jenkins HMI

One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and two 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. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the provision. Inspection report: Strathmore College, 25–27 February 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