John Leggott Sixth Form College Ofsted Report

Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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

 Sustain and continue the strategies that have led to the improvements made in teaching and learning over the last three years so as to eradicate the remaining small proportion of weaker teaching. Ensure that: - all students are questioned more skilfully so that they are stretched and challenged in their learning - on all courses, students are given work that is sufficiently demanding both in lessons and for independent study.  Increase students’ attainment and progress in a small minority of subjects where these are still low. Ensure that maximum use of value added data is made to identify all courses where students are underperforming, and then: - - review all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment on those courses to identify what is needed to improve continue to increase the proportion of higher grades so that they exceed the national average.  Improve attendance on intermediate courses through the continued and accelerated use of present strategies.  Ensure that all managers have clarity and sharpness in understanding the root causes of underperformance so that improvement strategies have universal impact across all courses on the quality and improvement of teaching and learning and students’ outcomes.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Good  Over the last two years there has been speedy and sustained improvement in students’ achievement. Success rates for advanced-level courses are now above the high national averages for sixth-form colleges. Data show a significant and rapid rise in results at AS level. Results on vocational courses are good. In a few subjects, outcomes and the achievement of higher grades remain too low. On intermediate courses students’ achievements are in line with national averages. The percentage of students achieving grades A* to C in GCSE mathematics and English has improved significantly.  The great majority of students make expected progress on A-level and advanced BTEC courses and an increasing number make better than expected progress. Students on a small number of courses do not make the progress expected. Inspectors, through their evaluation of learning and scrutiny of work, confirmed continuing improvement in both the achievement and progress that students are making.  Gaps in achievement between different groups of students have narrowed. Males on the majority of courses perform as well as females. The performance of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good. Students in receipt of financial support are as successful as other students. Students’ progress is monitored closely and regularly. Staff identify quickly those falling behind and take speedy action to tackle any underperformance. The college’s mentoring systems play a key role in ensuring that students do well.  The standard of students’ written work is generally good. Teachers correct punctuation and grammar errors. Most marking stresses how students can improve further. Literacy is well developed across subjects although there is less evidence of the promotion of numeracy skills. Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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Many opportunities exist for students to develop oracy and discursive skills both within classes and in the impressive range of extension programmes offered by the college.  Students are courteous and engaging; they espouse high aspirations and an eagerness to enquire, debate and challenge. The development of students’ leadership and participatory skills is a notable strength of the college; this exemplary practice promotes the development of highly articulate and reflective young people. Students enjoy college life and relish its harmonious and diverse nature.  Many students obtain useful additional qualifications and some gain valuable workplace experience. Careers and university advice and guidance are well developed. Behaviour is exemplary. Punctuality is good. Attendance on intermediate courses requires improvement.  An increasingly high proportion of students gain a place at university or progress to employment. Progression rates to the most prestigious universities have increased impressively in recent years. In 2012/13 half of those who went to university were from families with non-graduate parents or carers. Progression from AS level to A level is good.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good and improving. Teachers plan lessons well and use high-quality resources to support learning. They have increasingly high expectations of their students and what they can achieve. Improved teaching has had an impact on the increasing numbers of students who complete courses successfully.  Lessons where learning is most effective are characterised by well-planned activities that take full account of the diverse range of students’ starting points and their abilities. Learning is checked by astute and probing questioning that develops students’ understanding and subject knowledge. Students work well together in class to support each other’s learning. They develop good independent learning and thinking skills. Staff promote high expectations and celebrate success.  In the few lessons where learning requires improvement, teachers fail to check students’ understanding and progress. Their questioning does not explore more challenging concepts and ideas sufficiently. Skills of deeper analysis and critical thinking are not extended. The more-able students do not have sufficiently challenging tasks and extension activities.  A strong ethos of sharing best practice and innovation has been developed across the college. Teachers are encouraged to experiment, try new ideas and to be ambitious in their teaching and expectations of students. Innovation in teaching is supported and rewarded. Professional staff development has improved and is now having a positive impact on improved teaching and learning. Staff development days are regular and well attended.  Accommodation and resources to support learning are good. Inspectors saw good use across subjects of the online virtual learning environment (VLE). Students use the VLE extensively to work independently both in and outside the classroom. For example, in archaeology, students have extended their knowledge by carrying out an additional online higher extension course through an Ivy League university’s massive open online courses programme.  The accuracy of assessment and the quality of feedback provided to students are good. Teachers provide detailed guidance and challenge to students as to how they could improve their work and achieve higher grades. The standard of students’ written work is good. Staff correct punctuation and grammar errors. In a minority of written work, feedback fails to stress how students can improve further.  Target setting is sharp and focused well. However, personal and progress targets agreed with students in a few areas are vague and lack challenge and focus. Students appreciate the close monitoring of their progress and the regular sessions they have with their teachers and with mentoring staff. One-to-one support for individuals is good and effective. Students are motivated to improve their achievement and they are aware of the progress they are making. Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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 The college has developed a strong culture around the development of literacy and oracy. The development of subject-specific vocabulary is good. Teachers plan activities well in lessons to elicit the development of spoken English. The promotion of numeracy skills is less well developed.  The college values the contribution that students make to their own learning and to the overall quality of the learning experience. Students reflect upon their teaching and learning experiences and their views are acted upon. For example, after some poor results in a mock examination in biology, students were asked where the weaknesses were. They identified the weak area and from this teachers produced a guide booklet. Students were successful in subsequent assessments. In psychology, students’ feedback on teaching and learning led to further coaching of psychology staff to enable them to stretch and challenge ‘A*spire’ students better.  A comprehensive programme of enrichment activities and focused workshops ensure that students increase their awareness of social and employability skills. Students benefit from good information, advice and guidance prior to enrolment and throughout their time at college. Preparation for university is thorough and very well focused. Students benefit from talks given by visiting employers about careers and the world of work.  The college is a welcoming and inclusive environment. Staff and students have created a very positive atmosphere and learning culture. Students feel safe and value the opportunities provided by teachers and managers to allow them to express their views and opinions and to engage in challenge. Equality and diversity are explored well in most lessons.

Science and mathematics

16-19 study programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. On too many courses success rates have been low and students did not achieve as well as expected. New, enthusiastic and ambitious curriculum managers have established a culture of high expectations for staff and students. Teaching is now uniformly good. Staff promote a relentless classroom challenge to students to do better, learn and understand more. Consequently, students’ performance has improved. Achievement across many courses improved significantly in 2012/13.  In lessons where learning is more effective, students make good progress and demonstrate a good understanding of their subjects. They are able to evaluate their own learning critically and, with the help of teachers, they are able to identify gaps in their knowledge and skills and plan where further work needs to be done.  Teachers employ good questioning techniques and ask searching questions to make students think deeply and justify their answers. Many teachers use questions to check learning by asking students to display their answers on portable whiteboards, giving the teacher immediate feedback on learning and progress. In a few lessons teachers allow a minority of students to remain passive.  Staff promote independent and collaborative learning skills well. For example, in a biology lesson, students planned an essay based on an examination question on the importance of surface area in living organisms. All students produced their own plan and then each student added their contribution to a class plan under the guidance of the teacher. The teacher encouraged students to tackle the more difficult and advanced aspects of the essay to attain full marks in an examination. The end result was an excellent and challenging learning experience together with the useful plan for an examination answer.  Assessment is good. Teachers set homework regularly and mark it promptly. Students seldom miss deadlines for handing in homework. The standard of students’ work is high. Outcomes Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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from homework are often used in lessons to consolidate and extend learning. Feedback helps the students to learn and to improve their knowledge and skills.  Accommodation and resources are good. Science and especially mathematics students refer frequently to the VLE for lesson resources, teachers’ notes and presentations in order to recap and revise their work.  Teachers ensure that students develop appropriate skills in English. Students develop a good specialist vocabulary of mathematical and scientific terms. Staff encourage good grammar, spelling and punctuation.  Teachers agree challenging target grades with their students. They make good use of data from lesson activity and from assessments to monitor students’ progress against targets. Underperformance is identified quickly and appropriate support is put in place. Staff and managers continue to monitor progress to test the effectiveness of the support.  Initial assessment is good. Staff arrange appropriate support quickly for identified learning needs. Attendance at support classes is good. Students benefit from very good academic support arising from effective assessment and monitoring of progress. Information, advice and guidance are good. Advice on university application and careers is effective and timely.  Students have a satisfactory understanding of equality and diversity, despite the lack of promotion in lessons. They have a good knowledge of harassment, bullying and the dangers of the internet. Students feel safe in the college environment.

Sport 16-19 study programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Success rates and high grades achievement in 2012/13 were at or above national averages on most courses. Subject leadership and staff have a strong focus on improvement. On a few courses male students achieve less well than females.  In lessons where the impact on learning is best, knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff build positive relationships which motivate and inspire students in their learning. They plan lessons well and use a variety of practical activities to ensure that students are actively engaged and eager to learn. Skilful questioning probes and challenges students’ learning. In one lesson, students benefited from an innovative role-play activity to reinforce the key concepts of blood distribution in the body.  Strategies for consolidating and retaining knowledge are good. Teachers use innovative ways regularly to check understanding, and use peer assessment frequently to enhance learning activities. They encourage students to develop higher-order thinking skills.  In a small minority of lessons students are too passive and activities lack variety and focus. Too much time is spent recalling previous learning and questions do not challenge students sufficiently to develop their ideas. On occasions, the slow pace results in some students becoming disengaged.  Assessment is regular and thorough. Verbal and written feedback on students’ work is detailed and supports students to reflect upon and improve their work. Staff monitor progress regularly and display tracking sheets to motivate students to improve their grades.  Staff have no clear strategy for the consistent development of literacy and numeracy and do not always take opportunities to develop these skills. In the lessons where learning is most effective, staff provide a strong emphasis on the importance of literacy and give a clear focus to key subject terminology and the checking of spelling. The promotion of numeracy skills is less evident. Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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 Information and learning technology (ILT) is used effectively in many lessons. Staff encourage students to use mobile phones for in-class research and cameras are used to record practical performance to allow for immediate analysis. Students use the college’s VLE to enhance their independent study and extension activities.  Support and guidance for students are good. Students talk positively about the high levels of support they receive from their teachers and mentors. The ‘Insights’ programme provides a wide range of focused workshops to help develop study skills and prepare students better for progression to university or employment.  Industry links are strong and staff have developed effective partnerships with local sporting clubs and schools. These links have facilitated some work-placement opportunities for students. Managers recognise the need to extend links with local employers further to enable more work experience and placement opportunities.  Equality and diversity are promoted effectively throughout the curriculum. In one lesson, a Sports News activity was used to encourage students to highlight current issues reflecting equality and diversity, for example, women in sport and minority sports. Staff and students work well together. The profile of staff promotes good role models for gender and disability.

History and Archaeology 16-19 study programmes

Good  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good. Success rates are high and match national averages at A level and have improved to high and well above at AS level. Students make good progress in achieving higher grades than would be expected given their starting points. Students’ written work demonstrates good progression over time.  Teachers challenge and encourage students to develop their higher-order thinking, research and analytical skills. Lesson planning is effective. Students are stretched and challenged to their full ability. For example, in an archaeology lesson, students led the learning process from the initial recap of previous work, to taking responsibility to teach each other about the specialism they had researched. This led to lively interactions with students posing testing questions, which developed their understanding, subject knowledge and communication skills.  In a few lessons, the more able students are not always fully stretched and are kept waiting for others to complete activities and work. In a few instances teachers miss opportunities to extend and encourage fully students’ in-depth responses to questions.  Students use ILT well to develop and extend their learning and carry out additional work. Most students access materials outside lessons to expand their knowledge through extension exercises, website and video links. Within lessons students frequently use the ILT facilities to research questions and present their findings. For example, in a history lesson, students used the internet skilfully to analyse and compare similarities and differences in attitudes to modern day witchcraft and that of the 16th century.  Teachers use students’ prior attainment and ability effectively to evaluate progress and judge how well they are performing. Students also use this information for self-evaluation, which gives them a clear understanding of what they need to do to improve. Staff monitor progress carefully and take timely action where there are any concerns.  On written work, students receive frequent feedback, which gives clear direction that both challenges and supports them in making progress and developing their analytical awareness. Teachers support students to improve their English and, where appropriate, mathematical skills. They have a clear focus on developing students’ communication and writing ability. Students are required to use the correct terminology and develop their vocabulary by using a glossary of terms. Staff correct grammatical errors and spelling appropriately on most pieces of work. Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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 Students benefit from effective guidance, which ensures that they are placed on the right programme of study. Students feel supported well by staff and additional learning support, both in and outside the classroom and in some cases beyond normal college hours. Appropriate and timely advice at key stages within their course supports students in making good progress to higher education or employment.  Teachers promote equality and diversity themes well and students develop their understanding through topics within the subject, such as religion and gender. Teachers are adept at developing opportunities from past events to discuss current equality issues, for example the Viking colonisation of Normandy, to discuss the benefits of immigration and the effects of poverty on Elizabethan society matched to modern-day deprivation.

English and Modern foreign languages 16-19 study programmes

Requires Improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement. Success rates have been below national averages on most courses. The proportion of students gaining high grades is low. However, high-grade achievement improved significantly in 2012/13 in AS-level English. The proportion of students making good progress improved in 2012/13. Actions by managers and teachers have been slow to bring about improvements. Recent changes to staffing and progress tracking have promoted a greater focus on students’ performance.  In lessons where learning is most effective, teachers plan well and ensure that students work productively. Teachers use questioning well to enable all students to participate, and build on students’ contributions skilfully in class discussions. Good monitoring of pair and group tasks helps students to learn, and builds confidence.  English students use linguistic and literary terminology accurately, and many make insightful comments about the effect of lexical choices; for example, one group discussed thoughtfully how covert meanings are created by the use of personal pronouns and possessive adjectives. Modern languages students discussed scientific advances, expressing complex ideas confidently in the target language, with authentic pronunciation and intonation.  Where teaching is less effective, activities go on too long and instructions are not always clear or are too open-ended, with the consequence that some students lose focus. A significant minority of modern languages students are insecure when using the target language, and are reluctant to speak. A few students of English find it difficult to move from recall and description to analysis and evaluation. The more able students have insufficient opportunities to develop higher-level skills.  Assessment is mostly thorough, and used well to help students improve. Teachers check learning through questions, self-assessment of students’ levels of confidence and peer assessment. Many students complete personal learning checklists and progress charts, but this practice is inconsistent. Written work is annotated with detailed comments to help students improve.  Resources are good and mostly used well to support students’ learning. Classrooms and corridors are full of colourful and informative displays, creating an attractive learning environment. However, most teachers do not make best use of ILT to enhance learning. For example, interactive whiteboards are used mostly to display text. The college’s VLE has useful resources, but teachers do not direct students to extension activities and do not monitor students’ use of this resource.  Monitoring of progress has improved, and teachers and managers use electronic recording systems to identify underperformance. Interventions to address problems include one-to-one Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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support, the involvement of student mentors and compulsory attendance at support sessions. However, teachers do not monitor the impact of interventions systematically.  Teachers emphasise accurate use of English, and correct grammar, punctuation and spelling meticulously. They help students to develop an awareness of nuance, register and language use in context. The promotion of numeracy skills is less evident.  Students generally receive good pre-enrolment guidance and information, although some students of modern foreign languages were not well prepared for the demands of the course. Appropriate advice at key stages within their course supports students in making good progress to higher education or employment. Attendance has improved and is now good.  Staff promote equality and diversity well. English students consider questions of race, gender and social class; one group discussed gender differences in language use with insight and maturity. Modern languages students appreciate the value of other countries and cultures, and consider themes such as immigration, racism and changing family relationships.

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leadership and management are good. The Principal and senior team, supported by governors and staff, have developed an ambitious vision that promotes excellence and high aspirations for students’ performance. This vision is understood well by staff and students.  A culture characterised by a capacity for rapid change, effective challenge and creativity, has driven improvements in provision since the last inspection. A new management structure and a number of new processes are supporting the drive to improve quality at all levels. Students, as key stakeholders, play an active part in these processes.  Arrangements to improve teaching, learning and assessment have been effective. Lesson observation practice is moderated carefully to ensure accurate grading and identification of areas for improvement. Very close attention to data relating to individual students’ performance is informing improvement actions. This has been particularly effective in mathematics and science. While the overall pace of change is rapid, the impact of change is slower in a small minority of areas.  Governance is good. Governors have a strong focus on providing challenge to improve teaching and learning and students’ outcomes. Governors are clear on the strengths and areas for improvement of the college. While there is an awareness of the need to test the sustainability of new initiatives to ensure they have the greatest impact, governors’ reports and minutes of meetings are not always sharp enough to support this.  The college is taking very effective action to tackle underperformance. The lack of rigour in the appraisal system identified at the last inspection has now been tackled. The performance of teachers and managers is monitored closely. The use of in-year data allows managers to identify issues and supportive action is taken swiftly. For example, decisive action to tackle historical underperformance in mathematics and science is proving to be successful and students’ performance has improved significantly.  Quality assurance and self-assessment have driven sustained improvements in success rates in the last two years. Self-assessment judgements are accurate. However, in a few subject areas, there is not a sharp enough link between students’ outcomes, and teaching, learning and assessment judgements and how they inform improvement strategies. The self-assessment report recognises accurately the variability in the progress students make in a minority of subject areas.  Students’ leadership skills are developed very well through elected and appointed roles in the student union. Training and induction for these roles are good and valued highly by students. Students meet regularly with managers and governors and lead on some aspects of improvements. The arrangements to collect, and act upon, the feedback from student representatives are strong. Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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 The curriculum offer is improving with additional vocational and intermediate provision, options to combine academic and vocational courses and a new small higher-education offer. This, combined with improved information, advice and guidance has supported improvements in students’ retention. Progression to positive destinations, including employment, is good. Recognition of local economic priorities has prompted the attainment of science-hub status and the desire to become a science centre for excellence.  Employers and partners report that the college is responsive. The support for students to develop their employability skills is reflected as a priority in the new staffing structure and the work-experience opportunities on offer are valued by those students who take them. Courses and work experience are planned and organised well.  The college meets its statutory duty in relation to equality and diversity. A single equality scheme and action plan is in place. Governors receive regular reports. A committee, including student representatives, oversees a programme of activity to raise awareness of equality and diversity issues and monitors action taken where gaps in performance exist.  The college meets well its statutory requirements for safeguarding students. All staff have had appropriate training, starting at induction, with at least annual updates and a vetting check. The ‘Insights’ programme for students reflects and supports the promotion of safe lifestyle choices. Case work is detailed and managed carefully, with referrals made to relevant support agencies. Staff monitor individual students at risk and support them to achieve their learning goals. The college monitors accidents and incidents through clear recording, tracking and follow up of actions taken.

Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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Record of Main Findings (RMF) John Leggott Sixth Form 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

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N/A N/A

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2

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2

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

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

Science Mathematics and statistics Sport History Archaeology English Modern foreign languages

2 2 2 2 2 3 3

Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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Provider details Type of provider

Sixth form college

Age range of learners

16 18

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year

Full-time: 1,719 Part-time: 48

Principal/CEO

Mr David Vasse

Date of previous inspection

February 2013

Website address

www.leggott.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 Part-time

6 1

N/A

5 70 13 2 8 1,552 25

N/A N/A

87 8

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 and Skills Funding Agency



N/A Inspection report: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 March 2014

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Contextual information

The college recruits students from a wide geographical area that encompasses Lincolnshire, the East Riding and South Yorkshire, with the majority living in North Lincolnshire. This area is economically and socially diverse, with pockets of socio-economic disadvantage and low educational attainment among the adult population. The proportion of school leavers that gained five or more GCSEs at grades at A* to C, including English and mathematics, was below the national average in 2013. In Scunthorpe, where the college is based, the occupational profile is largely unskilled or low skilled. The largest minority ethnic populations in Scunthorpe are Bangladeshi and Pakistani.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Patrick Geraghty HMI

Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and five 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: John Leggott Sixth Form College, 25–28 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