DN Colleges Group

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Information about this provider

DN Colleges Group is a general further education college group with two main sites, Doncaster College and North Lindsey College in Scunthorpe. There is also a small specialist engineering centre in Hull.

At the time of inspection, there were 4,505 learners aged 16 to 18 on education programmes for young people. Most learners were enrolled on a range of vocational courses from entry level to level 3, with 363 learners studying T levels. There were 186 learners with high needs across both colleges.

The majority of these learners were studying vocational programmes across nearly 30 curriculum areas, and around a third were enrolled on specialist programmes, including a few on s...upported internships. There were 1,776 apprentices, with the vast majority studying at levels 2 and 3.

There were 2,345 adult learners, including around 500 studying courses in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL).

Adult learners study a range of courses, both at college and in community venues. These include short courses on specialist topics, such as sector-based work academies in infection control, and longer courses, such as access to higher education programmes.

The provider works with four subcontractors, including Club Doncaster Community Sports and Education Foundation, where 130 learners study sport at levels 2 and 3.

What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners and apprentices grow in confidence and resilience during their education and training. They value highly the wealth of support and pastoral services available to them. This includes dedicated well-being coaches, several on-site counsellors and behavioural specialists.

Learners and apprentices are nurtured to believe in themselves, and they take pride in their achievements.

Learners and apprentices contribute to a respectful and tolerant culture in the colleges. Equality, diversity and inclusivity are actively promoted through activities, including learners taking part in 'Reyt Proud' Pride events in Doncaster.

Female apprentices in engineering have contributed to national events to support making personal protective equipment in sizes and cuts that suit females.

The vast majority of learners demonstrate positive behaviour at the colleges. Tutors set clear expectations, and lessons are calm and purposeful.

Learners develop the professional behaviours they need to be successful at work. Leaders take swift action in the few instances where behaviour falls below their expectations.

Most learners and apprentices attend well and are punctual to their lessons.

Tutors swiftly follow up any absences and provide additional sessions to help learners and apprentices catch up on learning that they have missed. However, in a few subjects, including English and mathematics, attendance is too low.

Learners on education programmes for young people benefit from a highly effective personal development programme.

Staff provide opportunities for learners to put forward topics for tutorials, such as sexual health, knife crime, finance and self-employment. A high number of learners take part in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, talks from guest speakers, such as 'Prison! Me! No Way!', and a wide range of enrichment activities.

Learners have purposeful experiences of the workplace.

Most learners attend well-planned, relevant work placements. Where learners are not ready for work experience, staff plan other meaningful experiences, such as site visits and guest speakers from industry. For example, learners in level 1 construction who are not yet ready for independent work experience benefit from talks and site visits with the on-site building contractor.

Adult learners have a wide range of opportunities to study courses which are relevant to their aspirations. These take place at various times and locations, which enables learners to fit studying around their other commitments, such as raising families. Experienced tutors provide high-quality teaching, and most learners achieve their qualifications and progress on to higher levels of learning or into employment.

Apprentices study programmes designed to meet regional and national skills needs and which often lead to careers that meet their aspirations. Leaders have recently taken action to improve their provision for apprenticeships, which included revising the curriculum, increasing the involvement of employers and creating action plans to support apprentices who were past their planned end dates. As a result, a high proportion of apprentices complete their programmes successfully, and an increasing number achieve merit and distinction grades where they are available.

Learners with high needs in specialist provision do not experience consistently high-quality teaching. Too often, tutors do not plan or teach the courses effectively and do not ensure that there is an appropriate level of demand to enable learners to make suitable progress.

Learners with high needs in vocational areas experience the same good-quality teaching as other learners on education programmes for young people.

Tutors adapt the curriculum appropriately, and learners with high needs make progress in line with their peers. However, managers and tutors do not consistently help learners to develop the skills and behaviours that are identified in their education, health and care (EHC) plans, such as increasing their confidence and independence.

Contribution to meeting skills needs

The college makes a reasonable contribution to meeting skills needs.

Leaders engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders to understand the skills needs across the regions which they serve. They focus their curriculum on meeting skills gaps, such as in engineering, manufacturing and health. They work in partnership with other providers to ensure that they do not replicate provision, such as for agriculture which is offered by specialist providers in the region.

Leaders have responded successfully to the skills needs of specific large stakeholder partners. For example, they work with a leading global technology business to provide engineering apprenticeships which focus on the maintenance and operation of wind turbines. Leaders have specialist provision in Hull to provide skilled operatives in the refrigeration sector and work exclusively with a national food retailer.

Leaders provide training which meets employers' needs, including sector-based work academies in areas such as customer service and logistics and transportation.

Leaders recognise the importance of learners and apprentices developing skills for employment in their chosen sector. In most curriculum areas, learners and apprentices have specific sessions to develop employability skills and many complete additional relevant qualifications.

For example, learners in animal management complete animal first aid courses to enhance their skills and help them secure employment after their programmes.

Leaders are working towards meeting the breadth of skills needs in their region, with some plans still in their infancy. For example, they are developing a strategy to respond to the need for green skills.

Leaders have yet to fully engage with stakeholders in all areas in which they provide education and training to understand the changing skills needs in these sectors.

What does the provider do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have developed a broad curriculum that successfully meets the needs of the communities that they serve. They have entry points at multiple levels of learning to support learners and apprentices to access the training they need to move closer towards their future goals.

Although the provision is broadly similar at both colleges, leaders tailor the selection of courses to meet learners' needs, such as responding to a demand for legal secretaries by offering a T level in legal services at Doncaster College.

Leaders and managers have invested in facilities across both colleges so that learners and apprentices train in well-resourced environments which replicate the sectors in which they aspire to work. For example, learners on T-level health courses at Doncaster College learn in classrooms that simulate clinical settings, with a hospital ward, waiting area and laboratory.

At both colleges, leaders have invested in immersive classrooms with VR headsets to provide new ways of teaching, including linking classes at different sites and with external partners.

Experienced and well-qualified tutors plan the curriculum well. They design learning that builds learners' and apprentices' knowledge and skills over time.

For example, learners on animal management gain a deep understanding of animal welfare and ethics before moving on to more complex areas such as animal biology and genetics. Team leader apprentices develop interpersonal skills before moving on to leadership and communication skills, which they later apply to solve complex problems in the workplace.

Tutors enhance the curriculum beyond the requirements of the specifications.

For example, maintenance and operations engineering apprentices complete additional qualifications to prepare them for offshore work. Many learners on education programmes for young people take part in skills competitions, such as World Skills, which are woven into the curriculum. Tutors plan relevant trips, such as providing the opportunity for adult learners on ESOL courses to visit York Museum and Whitby Abbey to practise language and learn about British culture and heritage.

Tutors use assessment early in programmes to measure the starting points of learners and apprentices accurately. They use this information to plan learning and identify any additional support needed to help learners and apprentices to succeed. For example, tutors on short courses for adult learners use a rigorous process of initial assessment to plan each activity precisely to enable learners to make rapid progress.

Tutors identify quickly any additional support needs and make appropriate adjustments to help learners and apprentices to succeed. For example, tutors make their teaching resources available to learners prior to lessons and wear hearing loop microphones for learners with hearing aids. Learners with high needs in specialist provision receive expert support, including physiotherapy and speech and language therapy in line with their EHC plans.

Tutors mostly use a range of effective teaching strategies to develop learners' and apprentices' knowledge and understanding. They use roleplay and workplace scenarios to help learners and apprentices to apply what they have learned to real-life situations. For example, in counselling, adult learners take part in therapeutic triads, swapping the roles of client, counsellor and reviewer to build their confidence in using active listening with clients.

Tutors allocate time in lessons for learners and apprentices to practise, strengthen and consolidate their skills so that they develop mastery. Tutors check that learners have understood the taught concepts and become confident in basic skills before applying these to more complex tasks. For example, in level 1 plumbing, learners repeatedly test sections of copper pipe to ensure they are watertight and finish each joint correctly.

Tutors use assessment well to check what learners and apprentices know and can do, and they use this information to adapt their teaching. They start lessons with recaps and retrieval exercises to help refresh learners' and apprentices' knowledge, and so that learners and apprentices are ready to apply what they have learned to new topics. For example, adult learners on construction skills courses reflect on their previous performance when completing time management tasks.

Tutors mostly provide timely, helpful feedback which learners and apprentices use to improve their work. Tutors demonstrate effective techniques in practical settings to help learners understand and correct practice. For example, tutors in animal management demonstrate safe animal handling techniques to recap techniques and build learners' confidence.

However, on a few courses, including access to higher education and travel and tourism, tutors provide feedback that is not clear or provided quickly enough, which slows the progress that learners make.Tutors develop learners' and apprentices' English and mathematical skills well through the vocational subjects. For example, learners in level 1 catering develop their skills in producing written instructions for cooking items such as pasta.

Learners on level 1 carpentry complete practical tasks using mathematics, such as measuring materials and costing resources. Learners also study a wide range of online modules to enhance their digital skills, such as managing a social media presence and presenting information effectively.

Apprentices have frequent, useful reviews with their tutor and employer to reflect on their progress and to identify clear targets.

From this, apprentices gain opportunities for further learning in their job role, such as shadowing colleagues. Tutors provide effective support to help apprentices catch up if they fall behind.

Learners and apprentices produce work of a good standard and make steady progress relative to their starting points.

For example, learners with no prior experience in plumbing can set out and assemble low-carbon steel pipework found in commercial hot- and cold-water systems.Learners and apprentices receive effective careers advice and guidance. This helps them to understand the career options and study pathways that are available to them and the steps they need to take to progress on to them.

For example, tutors hold 'next steps' meetings with learners to discuss their aspirations. Numerous careers fairs and events involving employers and higher education providers are well attended by learners.

A high proportion of learners achieve their qualifications and progress on to higher levels of study or into employment.

For example, learners on ESOL courses rapidly develop their skills and confidence, enabling them to integrate into their communities. Apprentices who complete their programmes achieve their apprenticeships, with nearly half gaining distinctions. Learners and apprentices who plan to continue their studies in higher education secure places on competitive courses and at highly regarded universities for their sector of study.

Leaders and managers evaluate the quality of their provision and that of subcontractors frequently. They visit lessons and review learners' and apprentices' work to monitor tutors' performance. However, leaders have not identified the improvements needed for learners with high needs in both specialist provision and on vocational programmes.

Leaders and managers provide good support for tutors to improve and enhance their teaching practice. They ensure that tutors have the time to maintain currency with their subjects through ongoing training, so that they can teach accurately the content required of their courses.

Leaders recruit well-qualified tutors with the expertise and industry experience to teach their subjects.

All new staff complete the highly effective 'Let's Teach' programme, which is based on the latest educational research, and have the support of a mentor. As a result, tutors are equipped with tools and techniques that they can use immediately in sessions and are keen to engage in further development of their teaching practice.Leaders and managers support the well-being of their staff.

For example, they provide staff with a medical service so staff and their families have access to an appointment quickly. They provide access to mental health support and staff can request flexible working should they experience any personal challenges. Most staff feel valued by leaders and that their workload is manageable.

Governors bring a wealth of expertise to the college group, including in senior leadership in schools, higher education, estate management and finance. They use their experience to challenge senior leaders effectively and hold them to account for the quality of education. Link governors work with curriculum staff on key priorities.

For example, governors were very involved in the recent successful improvements in apprenticeship provision.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the provider need to do to improve?

• Improve the quality of education in specialist provision for learners with high needs.

• Ensure that learners with high needs across the provision understand the targets in their EHC plans and make good progress towards achieving these. ? On courses where attendance is low, identify the causes and implement actions to raise attendance rates. ? Provide learners with timely feedback on the courses where this is not good enough, which helps them to understand how to improve.