Longley Park Sixth Form College Ofsted Report

Full report

Information about the provider

• Longley Park Sixth Form College is situated in the north of Sheffield on one purpose-built campus. In summer 2017, the college joined the academy trust, Brigantia Learning Trust, joining five schools located nearby. The area served by the college has very high levels of social disadvantage. Around 1,100 students enrol each year, the vast majority of whom are aged 16 to 18. Most students take vocational courses, choosing from a wide range of subjects, with the large majority studying at level 3. The number of students studying A-level programmes has decreased in the last two years. Just over half of all students at the college have low attainment on entry in English and mathematics.
• Nearly two thirds of students are from minority ethnic backgrounds, which is a higher proportion than that among local residents. Unemployment locally is higher than the national average and GCSE achievement for schools in Sheffield is at national rates.

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that all teachers plan and teach challenging lessons that inspire all students, including the most able, to make fast progress.
• Analyse the reasons why a minority of students on A-level courses and White British students underperform, and act quickly to improve performance.
• Improve the analysis of data, particularly on students’ participation in work experience and the destinations of students progressing into employment, and use this analysis to identify fully strengths and weaknesses in course content relating to employability, and to make improvements where needed.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders, managers and governors have high expectations of staff and students. They set challenging targets for themselves to improve the quality of education at the college. They are passionate about making sure that students who would not otherwise have access to academic and vocational courses can study and succeed.
• Leaders and governors work productively with other trust members and local partners to improve the standard of education in Sheffield. They recognise the advantages that being part of the academy trust brings them. They are proud that they can provide a range of educational benefits to the local community.
• Senior staff have designed the curriculum skilfully to cater for local needs. They frequently review the courses that they offer. They add and change courses when required to support the needs of their students. For example, the introduction of a programme of two-year level 3 courses helps students to build the skills and knowledge that they need to be successful in their qualifications and progress to higher education. The introduction of two-year GCSE courses in English and mathematics supports well those students who have become disengaged from these important subjects at school.
• Leaders, managers and teachers discuss frequently how they can improve teaching and learning. Managers plan training well for staff and personalise it to make sure that it meets staff’s needs. They measure the impact of training effectively. Peer mentors and research projects enthuse staff and help them to develop their skills.
• Leaders and governors have a broadly accurate understanding of the quality of education at the college. They identify most strengths and weaknesses and plan sensibly and effectively for improvement. However, they have an overly positive view of the quality of teaching. This impedes their ability to improve quickly the skills of a small minority of teachers.
• Staff make sure that students improve their knowledge about the importance of equality during their time at college. Staff and students value the rich diversity of the college population. They work harmoniously with each other in an atmosphere of respect and tolerance. Students learn, develop and put into practice British values during their time at college.
• Leaders and managers plan well for the provision of English and mathematics. They make sure that the large numbers of students who have not attained at least a grade 4 in GCSE English and mathematics when they start at the college can flourish in these subjects. Leaders have lengthened these courses to improve further the knowledge and understanding that students develop. Subsequently, in 2018, the proportion of students who gained a grade 4 or above in these qualifications was higher than that seen nationally.
• Senior staff make sure that students are well informed about their options for employment, training and further and higher education. Managers have developed beneficial links with local universities and employers. Students receive good-quality independent careers advice which informs them thoroughly about their next steps. A high proportion of leavers progress to university. However, leaders do not analyse in enough detail the destinations of those not progressing to higher education to make sure that they cater fully for the needs of these students.
• Leaders and managers do not ensure that the small minority of teachers who need to improve do so quickly enough. They do not take enough account of students’ progress and achievement when evaluating the quality of an individual staff member’s teaching and learning, particularly for those teaching A levels. Managers do not set measurable or challenging enough improvement targets for a small minority of teachers.
• Leaders have access to a wide variety of data about the performance of the college. However, they do not evaluate or analyse all this information fully. As a result, they overlook a few strengths of the provision and do not understand fully or plan to address a few weaknesses.
• A small but significant minority of A-level courses have underperformed over the past two years. Leaders and managers have not acted quickly enough to improve students’ progress in these subjects.

The governance of the provider

• Highly trained and experienced governors have the expertise that they need to govern effectively and hold senior leaders to account. They are ambitious for the college and its students. The chief executive officer and trust members work well with governors and senior managers to incorporate the college into the trust.
• Governors successfully hold leaders to account for improving the quality of the provision. They work effectively with leaders to bring about further improvements. Governors, leaders and trustees all have a singular vision, which is to provide access to all levels of high-quality education for local students.
• Governors understand the main strengths of the college and are largely aware of the main areas for improvement. However, excessively positive reports on the quality of teaching and learning and unduly optimistic predictions for achievement and pass rates in summer 2018 have given them an exaggeratedly confident view of the college’s performance. Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Students feel safe and are safe. They know how to report any concerns. They learn about how to keep themselves safe in detail during induction and tutorial lessons. They are well informed about local risks concerning radicalisation and extremism. They know how to keep themselves safe when online.
• Experienced and well-trained senior managers oversee safeguarding arrangements efficiently. They use their wide-ranging links with local external agencies effectively to support students. All staff receive comprehensive and frequent training on safeguarding. This includes bespoke and targeted guidance to develop their knowledge and skills.
• Managers keep an up-to-date and accurate single central register of the security checks made during the recruitment of staff. Safe recruitment practices are effective. Managers record and track safeguarding concerns in detail. They use internal and external help to support students well. They prioritise the severity of safeguarding concerns successfully, but do not always identify when safeguarding investigations have been completed.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers have high expectations of what students can achieve. They build good relationships with students. Students from diverse backgrounds work well together and listen carefully to the views of others. Students enjoy learning, and almost all develop the skills and knowledge that they need to achieve their qualifications.
• Most teachers plan learning successfully. They devise interesting activities that engage and enthuse students. For example, students on an A-level three-dimensional art course created and developed impressive computer models of new buildings influenced by designs that they had examined with their teachers. In law, students assessed a scenario using their knowledge of the police ‘stop and search’ rules at the beginning of a lesson. After more study and peer discussion, they revisited the scenario and corrected and improved their analysis, as informed by their learning.
• Teachers assess students’ work frequently and comprehensively. Most question students effectively in lessons to check their understanding. Teachers apply their specialist subject knowledge well to explain new concepts and terminology clearly. They make sure that students correct any mistakes quickly and improve their analytical skills.
• Students receive helpful feedback from teachers to confirm and improve the progress they are making. For example, science students receive precise guidance about practising and refining their experimental techniques to improve their grades. Most students know how to improve their work and act on the feedback that they receive.
• Teachers use technology successfully to help students improve their independent learning. Students use the college’s online environment frequently to access work, submit assignments, work with their peers and respond to feedback. Students develop their work well outside lessons. They develop good independent learning skills that prepare them well for future study.
• Teachers plan learning that develops and extends students’ literacy and numeracy skills. For example, students studying applied science developed higher level mathematical skills to help them with their calculations. In childcare lessons, students developed budgeting skills when planning an outdoor play area for a nursery. Students on an information and communications technology (ICT) course developed their literacy skills by presenting their findings about screen resolution to their peers.
• Staff identify new students’ support needs effectively. They use their good links with partner schools and other agencies to identify and provide prompt learning support for students. Learning support staff work successfully with students who have high needs. As a result, these students participate well in lessons and make the progress of which they are capable.
• Students with additional needs receive good support. For example, hearing loops help students who have auditory needs to take part fully in lessons. Carefully developed online learning resources help students to work at their own pace. Assistive technology allows students who have visual impairment to participate well in lessons.
• A small minority of teachers do not take enough account of students’ prior learning to plan challenging lessons. Students all complete the same tasks and the most able students do not make fast enough progress.
• A few teachers on A-level courses do not plan learning well enough. They do not make sure that they frequently review, check and improve students’ knowledge and understanding. A small minority of teachers of vocational courses place too much emphasis on teaching to the assessment, rather than developing students’ deeper knowledge and extended skills.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

• Students behave well, attend lessons punctually and are ready to learn. They work respectfully with staff and with each other and take pride in their work. They understand how their learning will help them to achieve their next steps in education and employment.
• Staff and students all contribute positively towards a respectful and safe learning environment. Staff demonstrate inclusion and acceptance well and students reflect this in their behaviour, as they learn about and develop respect for the views of others. They improve their understanding of their rights and responsibilities as citizens.
• Students benefit from a wide range of additional activities which improve their confidence and social skills. These activities raise their awareness about life in modern Britain. Students develop increased aspirations, improve their study skills and gain confidence. They become better at making informed choices about their future. For example, students in the debating society improve their skills in developing and sharing arguments. Male students learn to cope better with anxiety as a result of attending male yoga workshops. Students develop their reading skills by taking part in reading challenges and clubs.
• Effective and impartial careers advice and guidance help students to make informed choices about their next steps. Final-year students receive helpful and detailed information about higher education and apprenticeship opportunities. Staff work closely with them to make sure that they are well prepared for the move to employment, training or university. Students studying at lower levels receive detailed information about what they can do next both in and outside the college. High numbers of students progress successfully to the next level of learning at the college.
• Most students learn how to keep themselves fit and healthy during their time at college. Students attend a broad range of tutorial activities to improve their emotional and physical well-being. Teachers discuss health and fitness effectively in lessons. Students on level 1 courses learn about healthy diets. They create food diaries and share these with their peers to assess the benefits of the food they eat.
• A wide programme of visits, talks, work placements and external trips improves students’ knowledge of the world of work. Students on business and ICT courses access good-quality work placements through internships. In mathematics lessons, teachers link lesson content to employability and British values. This work has enabled students to see how they can use mathematical skills in everyday life; however, they are less sure about how these activities will help them obtain and keep a job in future.
• Most students attend well and arrive on time for their classes. Teachers follow up instances of poor attendance promptly and involve parents and carers when necessary. However, attendance at lower level English and mathematics lessons is still too low.

Outcomes for learners Good

• Students on level 3 vocational courses, who form the largest number of students at the college, make good or better progress in their studies. The vast majority of these students achieve their qualifications, and this helps them to progress to further or higher education, training or employment. Pass rates for level 2 vocational students are high and well above those of other colleges.
• Most students stay at the college until the end of their course. Leaders track student retention in detail and analyse effectively the reasons why the few students who leave the college before completing their courses do so. They can account for the destinations of all their early leavers in 2017/18.
• Teachers set students challenging goals, and most students aspire to exceed these. On most vocational courses, students produce good-quality work that meets and often exceeds course requirements. Students make particularly strong progress in applied science, applied law, creative media, art and design, and health and social care.
• The large numbers of students who re-take GCSE English while at the college achieve well. Over half achieve a grade 4 or above, which is well above national rates. Although achievement of high grades for those taking GCSE mathematics declined slightly in 2017/18, it remains higher than the very low national rate. Most students taking functional skills mathematics qualifications achieve well.
• Teachers prepare students well for their next steps in education, training and employment. Almost all students who complete their courses at lower levels progress internally to higher programmes of learning at the college. Most students on two-year level 3 courses progress successfully from year 1 to year 2 of their courses. A high and increasing proportion of final-year students progress to university.
• Leaders and managers analyse differences in achievement between specific groups effectively. They identified poor performance by students who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities in 2017 and supported these students successfully throughout the year. These students now achieve as well as their peers. However, they also identified poor performance by the most able students and White British students in 2017 and have not yet been successful in closing these achievement gaps.
• Not enough of the small number of students taking A-level qualifications make rapid enough progress or achieve grades that reflect their potential.

Provider details

Unique reference number 144886 Type of provider Sixth form college Age range of learners Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 16+ 1,088 Principal Mo Nisbet Telephone number 0114 262 5757 Website www.longleypark.ac.uk

Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 73 3 232 10 691 42 0 0 Intermediate Advanced Higher 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 0 0 0 0 0 0 16–19 0 19+ 0 Total 0 Number of traineeships Number of learners aged 14 to 16 Number of learners for which the provider receives high-needs funding At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors:

1 25 N/A

Information about this inspection

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

Inspection team

Andy Fitt, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Malcolm Fraser Sarah Stabler Michelle Brabner

Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector