Independent specialist colleges
Teaching and learning
Overall, colleges provide a flexible curriculum to meet the needs of learners, but in a minority of colleges learning activities are not consistently well matched to learner needs.
What’s going well
- Most learners in independent specialist colleges make secure progress towards their individual targets. Around half of colleges have recently improved processes for tracking this progress.
- Support staff develop highly positive relationships with learners and act as positive role models. In around half of colleges visited, the sensitive and skilled support from learning support workers is a notable strength.
- Colleges provide a flexible curriculum, informed by learner interests and future needs. In around half of colleges visited, this offer is being strengthened through links with mainstream further education colleges.
- Overall, learners in these settings benefit from opportunities to develop practical skills in real world settings. Around half of the colleges visited this year have made improvements to their learning environments.
What needs to improve
- In a minority of colleges, learners complete worksheets that do not further their skills development or learning. Further, these activities are not always well matched to the ability level of the learner.
- In a minority of colleges, the quality of learning support is too variable.
Well-being, care, support and guidance
Overall, staff in these colleges develop positive relationships with learners based on a strong understanding of their needs and interests.
What’s going well
- All colleges have established bright and welcoming learning environments where learners felt happy and safe.
- In all of the colleges visited, staff develop a strong understanding of learners’ needs and interests and build positive, and nurturing relationships with them.
- In all of the colleges visited, learners benefit from the support of a therapy team. Where this was most effective, learners use this support to develop important skills.
What needs to improve
- In a few colleges, learner attendance remains an area for improvement.
- In a few colleges, processes to record and follow up on learner absence lack clarity and rigour.
Leading and improving
The stability of leadership is improving but self-evaluation remains and area for improvement in around half of colleges.
What’s going well
- Overall, leadership across the sector is more consistent than in the previous few years. The majority of colleges have a stable leadership team with a clear, learner-centred vision.
- In the majority of colleges visited this year, leaders have established a committed staff team. Staff develop positive relationships with learners based on a strong understanding of their emotional needs and interests.
- In around half of the colleges, links with the senior leadership team of the parent organisation have been strengthened. As a result, leaders benefit from appropriate support and challenge.
- Around half of colleges have recently strengthened improvement planning processes.
What needs to improve
- In around half of colleges, self-evaluation processes do not consistently focus on the impact of teaching on learning.
Overview of recommendations from inspections and monitoring visits
- Over the six visits we completed this year that have published reports, we left a total of 11 recommendations. Nearly all colleges received recommendations following a visit or inspection.
- Recommendations around teaching and learning focused on the quality of learning support and ensuring that the quality of learning experiences were well-matched to the needs of learners.
- The majority of recommendations were in relation to leading and improving, in particular focusing on improving quality assurance processes.
Effective practice identified during inspection
Teaching and learning
Coleg Elidyr: Inspection report
Coleg Elidyr – Celebrating Welsh language and culture
Learners participating in ‘Clwb Clonc’ show positive attitudes towards the Welsh language and culture. They engage well with activities the college has developed to improve their Welsh language skills. Where possible, most fluent Welsh speakers naturally converse with their tutors and peers in one-to-one conversations using Welsh.
Coleg Elidyr – Enriching the curriculum
The college uses a range of high-quality additional activities to enrich the curriculum. For example, the college encourages learners to participate in local and national vocational skill-building competitions. Learners are successful in demonstrating their skills with few learners winning gold and silver medals at national level. Additionally, a few learners achieve gold for the Duke of Edinburgh Award and the Young Leader Award having demonstrated leadership abilities and successfully completing a four day expedition. Nearly all learners participate in relevant work experience placements. Around half support learners to integrate in the local community, for example placements in National Trust estates, museums, horse stables and local businesses.
Care, support and well-being
Aspris College South Wales: Inspection report
The Aspris Hwb – coffee shop
Learners develop a range of important skills for their future lives within the college coffee shop. This is open every lunchtime to members of the public, selling meals, snacks and hot drinks. Leaders have planned this provision as a vehicle to develop a range of skills, for example social skills, basic food hygiene, cooking and money skills.
Learners complete an application to be considered for the role and then sign a contract with the college on appointment. In preparation for placements, they complete accredited qualifications in food hygiene and barista training, which could be transferred to future employment.
Aspris College South Wales – Partnership working for positive transitions
All learners have individual transition pathways upon entry into the college, which are reviewed regularly and ensure that they are being supported to achieve their long-term interests, education objectives and support needed. This enables the college to develop goals. There is valuable information captured about learners during their assessment, which includes their personal appropriate pathway trackers for every learner.
There is a strong partnership between Aspris College and Coleg Gwent. Regular meetings take place between college leaders where important information is shared regarding all current and potential learners. Staff at the college benefit from observing sessions at Coleg Gwent to enhance and develop their own teaching practice as well as enabling them to provide accurate information about courses to their learners. As a result, many learners successfully transition from Aspris College to Coleg Gwent to continue their education.