Leeds College of Building Ofsted Report

Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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

 Secure further improvements in students’ success rates on college-based courses by ensuring that the curriculum is well planned to meet all students’ individual needs and circumstances. Continually review, strengthening where necessary, strategies and actions to improve and sustain high levels of retention.  Improve the quality of discrete English lessons so that they meet the varied needs of all students and relate well to their vocational learning and experiences.  Increase the proportion of good and outstanding teaching by improving the rigour of the lesson observation process so that it identifies areas for improvement in teaching more effectively. Ensure managers use the information and findings from the lesson observation process with greater consistency to inform teachers’ appraisals, quality improvement plans and professional development.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Good  A good proportion of apprentices achieved their qualification in 2012/13. Apprentices at all levels, including higher level, have continued to make good progress during 2013/14. The proportions completing within the planned time have improved further and are now high.  Success rates for students on college-based courses have improved since the last inspection when they were too low. At that time, although most students that remained at the college achieved successfully, too many did not complete their courses. Actions taken since the last inspection have secured a significant improvement in the proportion of students aged 16 to 18 who will complete their study programmes this year.  Students following advanced-level study programmes in building surveying and construction management make good progress, often exceeding expectations based on their prior attainment. Students in building services and construction crafts make good progress in acquiring vocational skills.  A high proportion of adults taking workplace-learning qualifications, many through subcontracted providers, achieved successfully in 2012/13. High levels of success have been sustained this year with a further improvement in the proportion achieving in the planned time.  Adults who have remained on their college-based courses this year make adequate and often good progress. However, although improved since the last inspection, other than at foundation level, the proportions that have remained on their courses are too low and require improvement. Inadequate retention rates at one subcontractor that the college has now stopped using were a factor in this.  Apprentices and the large majority of students on college-based courses improve their practical skills well. A few apprentices have achieved motivational successes in skills competitions. During the week of inspection, roofing apprentices came first and second in a regional skills competition and will now represent the region in the national competition.  Students on study programmes improve their personal, social and employability skills well through enrichment and work-taster activities. A high proportion of students in the second year of study programmes undertake a planned period of work experience through which they improve further their employability skills.  Students and apprentices improve their mathematics skills and range and use of appropriate language and technical terminology well in vocational learning. Students on study programmes Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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are enrolled on functional skills qualifications at appropriate levels based on their often low levels of prior attainment and achieve well in these subjects.  School pupils attending the college’s 14 to 16 academy acquire a good range of basic construction skills. Very high proportions achieve a variety of relevant accredited qualifications and many progress to college courses or apprenticeships when they leave school.  Few differences exist in the performance of different groups of students other than between adults compared to students aged 16 to 18. Actions taken to improve the retention rates of both groups have been slower to bring about improvement for adults.  A good proportion of students progress to higher levels of study, apprenticeships or employment upon completion of their programmes. However, although reducing, the proportion leaving to unknown destinations remains too high.  Almost all apprentices remain in employment in the construction industry when they complete their programmes. A good proportion of advanced apprentices progress to higher apprenticeships or higher-level professional qualifications at the college.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good and enable an increasing proportion of students to complete successfully and achieve their qualifications. Teaching, especially in practical lessons, enables students to develop good vocational skills and to produce work of particularly high standards. Students develop good employability skills preparing them very effectively for the world of work.  Teachers use their wide range of industry experience and expertise very effectively to enhance students’ experiences. Staff skilfully link theory to practice, bringing lessons to life by recounting their industry experiences to reinforce key learning points. Practical demonstrations are particularly good. Staff frequently show students several different ways to complete and achieve tasks.  Teaching in practical lessons motivates and engages students enabling them to develop good skills. Students use tools, equipment and machinery competently and confidently to install and maintain hot water heating systems, electrical power and lighting circuits, erect brick and block walls, and timber roofing structures to high standards. Students thoroughly enjoy practical lessons.  Teaching in theory lessons has improved since the last inspection and is now good overall. Teachers engage students more in lessons and use a wider range of teaching strategies including group work, activity-based learning, discussion and debate, to ensure students remain interested and attentive. Teachers generally use questioning techniques well to check students’ knowledge and understanding. However, questions are not always targeted sufficiently to check the learning of individuals in a group.  A small minority of theory lessons are insufficiently well planned to meet the learning needs of all students. In these, the more able are not challenged enough by the tasks set or by the pace of the lesson and the least able are not provided with the support they need.  Staff use their skills and knowledge as examiners or moderators for awarding organisations, or as consultants for industry professional bodies extremely effectively to support students to achieve high standards. They are involved in the design of qualification standards and so ensure they keep fully up to date with the latest technological advances in industry practices, frequently reviewing and refreshing course content to ensure their teaching reflects this.  Teachers use competitions very effectively to improve students’ practical and employability skills, encouraging them to produce work of a high standard. They promote health and safety well in lessons and good teaching ensures students have a thorough understanding of their rights and responsibilities.  High-quality resources support teaching and learning extremely effectively. Students benefit from well-equipped classrooms and practical workshops that provide realistic working Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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environments. Well-maintained tools, machinery and equipment reflect industry standards. The virtual learning environment (VLE) continues to improve, supporting learning well outside the classroom. The addition of video clips and links to additional learning material help to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of particular topics and encourage independent learning.  Assessment is good, frequent and fair. Well-designed assignment briefs with relevant and interesting scenarios test students’ knowledge and understanding. Teachers provide good and detailed feedback that informs students and apprentices what they could do to improve. Assignments and evidence portfolios are well presented and teachers closely track and monitor students’ progress. Assessment processes for students on higher apprenticeships appropriately involve employer representatives from large building and civil engineering companies.  Work experience, site visits and talks by manufacturers and employers significantly enhance the learning experience, enabling students on full-time programmes to experience the world of work and put learning into practice in real-life situations. A well-designed vocational curriculum enables students on full-time courses to achieve industry-recognised certification that allows access to construction sites to enable them to develop further their skills and knowledge.  Career advice and guidance is impartial. Advice and guidance, including initial assessment and induction arrangements, are comprehensive ensuring students are placed on appropriate courses. The college provides a wide range of support and welfare services that are used well by a significant number of students. Students benefit from a comprehensive tutorial programme that includes advice on progression to higher-level study, to employment and to self-employment.  Good teaching in vocational lessons helps students to improve English and mathematical skills particularly well. Teachers frequently use learning tasks that require students to calculate solutions to construction-related scenarios such as calculating quantities, areas and volumes, or cable sizes. However, discrete lessons that focus specifically on developing students’ English skills are not always sufficiently engaging or meaningful for students and the teaching in these lessons requires further improvement.  Teachers promote students’ understanding of equality and diversity in lessons satisfactorily. In the best lessons, teachers use naturally occurring opportunities to extend students’ knowledge and understanding of key equality and diversity themes. Teachers confidently challenge inappropriate behaviour or language and discuss issues related to disability, religion and gender both within a vocational context and more generally. However, a minority of teachers lack the confidence or knowledge to promote further students’ understanding of equality and diversity.

Building and construction

Apprenticeships 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Good teaching, learning and assessment lead to good outcomes for apprentices and adult students on workplace learning programmes. Well-planned assessments result in apprentices and students making good progress towards achieving qualifications and in improving their skills. Success rates are good and high proportions of apprentices and students achieve within the planned time.  Teachers use class profiles effectively to ensure that their lessons meet apprentices’ individual needs and circumstances. They use their industrial experience well to plan and deliver good off-the-job lessons. Well-planned theory lessons enable apprentices to develop good underpinning knowledge. For example, a group of shop fitting apprentices in one lesson discussed in detail how the characteristics of different types of timber would affect the appearance of the finished product. Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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 Assessment is good. Teachers and assessors provide regular and timely feedback that clearly identifies how apprentices and students can improve their skills. Assessors work closely with apprentices, students and employers to ensure they collect appropriate evidence to support assessment. For example, a painting and decorating employer moved an apprentice who needed to be assessed working at height to a site employing access platforms to decorate a building. A wide range of assessment techniques enables individuals to record achievements as they naturally occur. For example, assessors review video recordings of work taken on site by apprentices and students to confirm competence.  Good support at college and in the workplace helps apprentices to make good progress and reach their potential. During induction, good links with local schools enable college staff to identify any support new apprentices received during their secondary education. This helps the college establish appropriate arrangements to ensure apprentices experience a smooth transition between school and their apprenticeship.  Teachers and assessors set high expectations, demanding that the quality and standard of work students and apprentices produce is high. As a result, they develop high levels of practical skills enabling them to produce work that routinely meets industrial standards. Teachers and assessors guide apprentices and students to consider and improve their employability skills. The majority do this well and with it raise their career aspirations and ambitions. Employers value the increased benefits of these attitudes to their businesses.  Teachers integrate mathematics well into their lessons and make skilful use of the many examples that occurs naturally in construction workplaces. For example, plastering apprentices learnt how to take account of the different porosities of walls built of different materials to order sufficient materials to complete projects with minimum waste. Teachers support apprentices to improve their English skills well, for example by reinforcing the need for good communication with customers.  Teachers and assessors plan their activities so that apprentices improve their understanding of equality and diversity appropriately throughout their programme. Prompts on progress reviews enable reviewers to identify gaps in knowledge and understanding and set appropriate targets to address this. Staff routinely challenge industry stereotypes.  Initial assessment is good. Well-organised procedures, including the use of employer questionnaires to confirm that the range of work they can provide is sufficient to satisfy the requirements of apprenticeship frameworks, identify appropriate programmes for apprentices. However, this information does not routinely lead to programme targets that are specific to individual apprentices’ circumstances with the majority being set very similar interim and end-date targets.  Apprentices’ individual achievements are recorded during progress reviews and within individual learning plans. However, apprentices and their employers have insufficient knowledge of how this compares to programme targets to enable them to judge whether their progress is sufficient.  Staff promote health and safety well in training and on employers’ premises. Students adopt safe working practices and fully understand risks associated with their work.

Building services

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good, which is reflected in improved retention on the large majority of courses this year and the good progress current students make. Teachers set high standards and have high expectations of students. Students enjoy learning and their standard of work is good. They develop good practical and employability skills and the attitudes they need to secure employment. Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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 In the large majority of theory and practical lessons, teachers check students’ understanding accurately and challenge them further to apply this knowledge to their practical work and assessment activities. For example, in an electrical theory lesson, after successfully measuring insulation resistance in a domestic lighting circuit, students also answered challenging questions thoroughly about the electrical principles and formulae used to calculate the resistance and check continuity in cables and switches within other circuits.  Teachers plan learning carefully and develop a range of challenging tasks which successfully improve students’ knowledge, skills and confidence. As a result, students become independent in their learning and gain essential team-working skills. However, although students gain an appropriate knowledge and understanding of equality and diversity through planned enrichment and tutorial activities, a few teachers lack confidence and knowledge to promote it further in vocational lessons, even when the topic provides good opportunities.  Teachers encourage students to use the good quality resources and specialist equipment well. The college’s VLE contains a wide range of useful teaching and training materials to enable students to work independently outside of the classroom. However, not all staff sufficiently promote this. As a result, a few students do not take advantage of this valuable resource.  In the very small proportion of weaker lessons, teachers do not take into account students’ existing skills or progress. They demonstrate techniques to the whole group, including those who have already mastered these and proven their competence.  Teachers set high expectations for students to pay good attention to health and safety practices. As a result, they comply well with regulations and established procedures in what are by their nature, dangerous working environments. Teachers encourage students to assess the risks posed by machinery and equipment carefully. They then demonstrate a good understanding of procedures for minimising risks to themselves and to others. Students feel safe and know who to speak to if they have concerns about safety.  Progress tracking of vocational tasks and skills is thorough and motivates students to develop the skills they need and complete stages of their learning. Support for students falling behind in their studies is good with appropriate interventions to get them back on target. However, although tracking of individual elements of students’ study programmes is detailed, there is no overview of their progress through the programme as a whole preventing teachers from easily identifying overall progress and possible areas of concern.  Initial assessment is thorough and includes an interview with a curriculum manager to ensure that students are placed on a programme that best meets their needs. The assessment of students’ work is detailed and thorough. Verbal and written feedback to students is clear and helps them to understand how to develop and improve.  Students develop and improve their skills in mathematics well during both theory and practical lessons through measuring and setting out their work. In electrical installation, students improve their skills in geometry. They accurately set out, cut and fix steel and plastic conduit to ensure that cables are safely enclosed and do not pose a risk to consumers. However, although teachers do ensure that students’ technical language is good, they do not consistently help students to improve their English skills by correcting spelling and grammatical errors.  Information, advice and guidance are thorough. College open days and taster days provide good opportunities to present the range of building services programmes to potential students. Staff provide good guidance to students about potential next steps in education, training and employment.

Construction crafts

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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 Teaching, learning and assessment are good. This is reflected in much improved retention rates. Students make good progress towards achieving their qualifications and the proportions that progress to a higher level of study and to employment are good. They work safely in practical workshops and around the college.  Teachers demonstrate construction techniques and procedures well in practical lessons. They highlight good industrial practice in the well-resourced workshops. As a result, most students produce high-quality work, make good progress and develop good employability skills. In a lesson in site carpentry, students used hand and power tools safely to erect and brace a full-size trussed rafter roof, including a gable ladder, to industry standards. However, teachers do not routinely extend students’ underpinning knowledge sufficiently well. For example, in a bricklaying lesson on the construction of a segmental arch, students were unable to describe its structural purpose.  In theory lessons, most teachers incorporate a good range of teaching and learning methods to interest and motivate students. Students work in groups and develop communication and teamwork skills well. In a small minority of lessons, however, teachers do not ask directed and probing questions to engage all students and to check their knowledge and understanding sufficiently.  Teachers use learning technology well. Younger students are encouraged to access the VLE to complete assignments, developing their independent learning skills well. Teachers regularly upload course materials and links to construction websites and new construction products. However, teachers do not make adult students sufficiently aware of the content or benefits of the VLE.  Good links with the local community enable staff to design meaningful community projects, helping students gain valuable employment skills. For example, construction crafts students recently refurbished the basement and the communal areas at a lodge that cares for the disadvantaged members of the local community.  Support for students is good. Workshop facilitators and support staff work well with teachers to help and support students. As a result, students make good progress. Teachers monitor students’ progress well.  Assessment is accurate, sufficiently rigorous and varied. Assignment briefs are interesting and of an appropriate level. The standard of students’ written work is good. It is well organised and incorporates annotated photographs, drawings and, where relevant, calculations to support the work. Building and construction students carry out good background research into their subject areas and include references and websites that they consulted in their reports. Teachers mark students’ work thoroughly. They provide supportive and helpful written and verbal feedback to improve students’ work.  Teachers embed mathematics well in students’ work. For example, painting and decorating students accurately calculated the legal working height of a tower scaffold prior to erecting it. The development of students’ English skills is adequate. In the better lessons, teachers introduce spelling tests to help students acquire technical vocabulary. On technical diploma courses, teachers guide students to improve their grammar and spelling well whereas on construction craft courses, only a few teachers do this well.  Information, advice and guidance are good. Initial assessment is effective in ensuring students are placed on appropriate courses. It identifies accurately the support needs of students. Induction programmes prepare students well for their courses. Students receive clear and timely information on progression routes and employment opportunities.  Teachers promote equality and diversity adequately. In addition to delivering the college themes through enrichment events and tutorials, most teachers introduce equality and diversity topics relating to their vocational areas well to help raise students’ understanding. For example, in one lesson students researched the height of sockets, cupboards and worktops and designed a kitchen for wheelchair users. However, in a minority of lessons, the examples used by teachers are superficial and not relevant to the lesson. Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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Foundation English

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment have improved since the last inspection and are good, leading to good outcomes for students and apprentices. Students make good progress relative to their starting points, gaining useful skills in English that help them achieve vocational goals. Students achieve competence and confidence in important employability skills including reading, writing, speaking and listening. They recognise the contribution good English skills make in improving their future lives.  Timely, careful and effective initial assessment to test English skills ensures that students are placed on courses at the right level. Teachers make good use of the college tracking system to record progress against starting points ensuring students are progressing towards their intended goals. Teachers encourage students to take personal responsibility for their own progress. However, in a few lessons, teachers do not use information available to them about students’ individual progress sufficiently to plan learning that meets their needs.  Good additional learning support is provided through a range of options. These include specialist assistants in classes, individual tutorials, mentoring and drop-in classes which all help students who would otherwise struggle to improve their English skills. The thorough six-week induction ensures that students settle into the college well. During the induction staff promote and reinforce thoroughly the importance of improving their skills in English to their success.  In the majority of lessons, good teaching by skilled staff using a wide range of imaginative teaching methods, engages students in lessons and holds their interest. As a result, learning and progress are good. For example, in a technical diploma lesson, students improved their verbal communication through lively presentations and discussions about strength in structures after they had constructed model bridges using paper clips and straws. In an English class, students competed with each other to spell and define technical terms that they will use at work. Students practice writing, reading and comprehension through letters, curriculum vitae and reports that they will use in daily life. Where appropriate, teachers introduce equality and diversity themes into these reports.  Vocational teachers successfully embed the teaching of English into their classes so that students learn to improve their functional language skills within the context of work. In the best classes, students are challenged to work out solutions for themselves, in pairs and in groups. Teachers give them time to think through a problem to find their own solution. However, not all vocational teachers correct basic errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar and in a few cases students’ recurrent errors are not identified or dealt with sufficiently.  Teaching of English in discrete lessons does not always meet the needs of every student and requires further improvement. In too many lessons, teachers do not tailor learning targets and activities sufficiently to meet individual students’ needs or relate them well to students’ vocational study programmes or practical experiences.  Good verbal and written feedback by teachers helps students to build upon their skills and to learn from their mistakes. In one example the teacher and student were able to review three drafts of a written assignment to consider the improvements made in accurate spelling and grammar from the first to the third. In vocational lessons, teachers and support staff have developed trade-specific dictionaries, encouraging students to build a glossary of technical terms with correct spellings and definitions. One support assistant had prepared pictorial trigger cards to help a student with dyslexia remember spellings by associating the image of the trade tool with the image of the word. Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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 Advice, guidance and support for students are good. Students know what their options for progression are and what qualifications and skills, including good use of English, they will need to reach their study programme and vocational goals.

Foundation mathematics

16-19 study programmes 19+ Learning programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good, contributing to good outcomes for students. Students improve their mathematics skills well in lessons and make good progress towards achieving functional mathematics qualifications. Students develop personal learning and thinking skills and are confident in applying mathematical concepts to the workplace and in everyday situations.  Teachers prepare a good range of learning activities that engage students, and both challenges and extends their learning. In GCSE mathematics classes students complete advanced activities with confidence enabling them to prepare for university studies. Embedded higher-level mathematical assessment activities in vocational construction lessons helps students to develop their skills and enable them to prepare for the next level effectively.  Skilful planning of learning activities generates lively and enthusiastic discussion regarding the application of mathematics in the context of vocational study programmes. For example, students use calculations successfully to set out brick courses in various bonds, use time calculations in preparing Gantt charts for site activities and use area and scale correctly when drawing site plans.  Mathematics teachers do not promote the college’s VLE sufficiently well, using it as a repository for course notes rather than considering how content could encourage learning beyond the classroom. Students engage less well in a small minority of discrete mathematics lessons where the learning activities do not relate sufficiently to the vocational area.  Support for students is good. Teachers devise well-planned strategies to maintain students’ interest during mathematics lessons, ensuring that the majority make good progress. Teachers adapt group work activities to ensure that less able students can contribute and develop their skills. In one lesson, the teacher provided unobtrusive, targeted individual support enabling a student lacking in confidence to complete a construction-related calculation exercise and to understand why this is important in minimising material wastage.  Vocational and specialist mathematics teachers work closely to ensure that students and apprentices have a good understanding of the value of mathematics and its relevance to construction workplaces. Construction craft teachers routinely reinforce mathematics in a vocational context. One apprentice described in detail how the skills developed in mathematics lessons helps him to check the safe commissioning of electrical boards, understanding the implication to customers’ safety if he made incorrect calculations.  The initial assessment process effectively identifies students’ existing levels of skill in mathematics, placing students on an appropriate level of programme as a result. Teachers and students agree appropriate mathematics improvement and qualification targets within their study programmes and monitor progress towards achieving these regularly.  Teachers provide students with good feedback on their progress and areas for improvement. In addition, teachers also mark assessed work using examination marking criteria so that students can gauge their own progress towards achieving qualification goals. Students are encouraged to assess their own performance against targets. In one lesson, the teacher asked students to use red, amber or green highlighter pens to rate their confidence in answering exam questions, enabling them to identify quickly areas of mathematics they have less confidence in and need to improve through revision. Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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 Students develop a good understanding of equality and how this is reflected, often through stereotypes, in the construction industry. In one lesson, a female student explained to her male peers the positive value her gender will have in potentially attracting, elderly, female and vulnerable customers. Teachers foster a safe and supportive environment and as a result students have confidence to express their views and explore cultural issues.

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leadership and management are good. The three-year strategic plan sets ambitious aims, and annual targets are appropriately challenging. The college has responded well to the areas for improvement noted at the last inspection. Leaders monitor progress made against the post-inspection and other improvement plans thoroughly.  Underperformance receives robust attention. The strategy to improve retention, a key area for improvement at the last inspection, has been effective in securing improvement across all areas of provision although the retention of adults remains an area for improvement. Data available to support quality improvement are impressive and tailored well to meet need.  Governance is good. Governors challenge managers robustly. Governors bring a wide range of expertise to the college, are well informed about college developments through the wide range of reports they receive and their link work in the college. They contribute well to decisions on the college’s character and strategic direction, monitoring progress towards achievement of targets closely. They have led on ensuring the reports they receive are sufficiently precise and evaluative although not all reports meet this requirement yet.  Leaders and managers are making a significant impact in improving the quality of provision. Evidence to inform self-assessment judgements and improvement priorities are drawn from a wide range of sources including stakeholder views and the observation of teaching. Outcomes from the observation programme are analysed thoroughly. However, individual observations focus insufficiently on students’ progress or identify sufficiently rigorously the strengths and areas for improvement of teaching. As a result, self-assessment reports, although detailed and evaluative in many aspects of work, are over-optimistic about the quality of teaching and deal too cursorily with areas for improvement in the teaching.  The quality assurance of work subcontracted from the college to other providers is robust and appropriate. Subcontractors speak highly of their relationship with the college and the help they receive.  Performance management of managers is good; however, the appraisals of staff require improvement. The process focuses well on competences appropriate to staff roles, linking well to college values. However, the quality and usefulness of appraisal reports is mixed. For faculty managers they are detailed, rigorous and evaluative, and useful targets are set and monitored. For teachers they are often cursory and give too little attention to teaching.  Professional development is matched well to college need and is a key factor in the college’s improvement. Support provided for the few teachers identified as requiring improvement through observations is effective.  The college meets the needs of students and employers particularly well. Employers contribute very generously by way of donations of often high value equipment and materials. Managers use labour market information, gathered in part from the college’s wide range of contacts with construction employers particularly well to develop provision. Work for employers is extensive and highly regarded by them. For example, the apprenticeship programme is large, off-the-job training is provided for many training providers and full-cost work earns substantial income, helping the college fulfil its ambitions for all students.  Partnerships are strong. The college has led on the development of new qualifications, for example the new higher apprenticeship. Work with school pupils is good and highly regarded. Well-devised study programmes include an appropriate mix of vocational and employability skills development. Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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 Managers have made the embedding of equality and diversity into the curriculum a priority. Arrangements to promote equality and diversity through enrichment events, tutorials and the wider curriculum are now good. For example, induction activities are themed around equality and diversity and a pool of materials, ideas and projects for use in teaching, have been developed. Through the enrichment programme, students celebrated equality and diversity week and themed catering events coincide with faith calendars.  Managers identify and successfully close gaps in achievement of different groups. The college leads on a range of events with employers to promote the recruitment of women into construction.  Arrangements for safeguarding students and apprentices are comprehensive and the college meets its statutory requirements. Links with the Local Safeguarding Board are strong and good links exist with schools to help identify vulnerable students. The induction and tutorial programme raises students’ awareness of safeguarding well. Staff receive appropriate training in safeguarding and in safe recruitment. Arrangements to raise awareness of cyber-bullying are strong. Students work safely in college.

Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) Leeds College of Building

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

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2 2 2 2

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2 1 2 2

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

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2 2 2 2

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N/A N/A N/A N/A 2 3 2 2

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

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2 2 2 2

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

Building and construction Building services Construction crafts Foundation English Foundation mathematics

2 2 2 2 2

Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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Provider details Type of provider

General further education college

Age range of learners Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year

14+ 5297

Principal/CEO

Mr Ian Billyard

Date of previous inspection

February 2013

Website address

www.lcb.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) Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age Number of traineeships

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 543 718 324 1276 160 247 2 58

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 279 19+ 175 16-18 288 19+ 306 16-18 N/A 19+ 56

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

Number of learners aged 14-16

Full-time N/A Part-time 217

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:

Brookhouse Training All Trades Training Limited Learning Curve Skills Centres Ltd. C & G Assessments and Training Limited Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

         

South and City College Birmingham North West London College City of Bristol College Salford City College Trafford College NG Bailey Inspection report: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 2014

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Contextual information

Designated as a general further education college, Leeds College of Building specialises in construction education and training. The college delivers programmes from entry level through to higher education. Delivery takes place across six main campuses in the City of Leeds and through a number of subcontractors. A high proportion of those undergoing training and assessment with the college are apprentices or adults employed in the construction industry. Most of the students are White males. The majority come from Leeds and surrounding areas, but students from a much broader catchment area access the specialist provision that few other providers in the country offer. The number of school leavers in Leeds gaining five or more GCSEs, including English and mathematics, at grades A* to C in 2012 was just below the national average and the average for the Yorkshire and Humber region. A significant proportion of students on courses at Leeds College of Building are recruited from areas of socio-economic disadvantage.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Malcolm Fraser HMI

Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and seven 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 students’ 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 students 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: Leeds College of Building, 2 – 6 June 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 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

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