Morley College London

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Information about this provider

Morley College London is a dedicated institute for adult learning (IAL) located in central London. On 3 February 2020, Kensington and Chelsea College joined Morley College London to form one of the largest IALs in England. The merged college operates from three main sites in Waterloo, Chelsea and North Kensington.

Most learners at the college are adults. There is a smaller cohort of students aged 16 to 19 years enrolled on study programmes at the North Kensington Centre for Skills and the Chelsea Centre for Creative Industries. A high proportion of learners enrol on more than one course.

At the time of the inspection, there were 7,218 enrolments across the college, of which ...354 were aged under 19 and 6,864 were aged 19 and above. There were 19 learners in receipt of high needs funding.

The largest proportion of adult learners study courses in English, mathematics and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL).

There were 2,993 enrolments on courses in creative arts and design, and 1,308 on health and social care courses. Most learners on study programmes follow vocational pathways in crafts, creative arts and design, media and communications, and performing arts.

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

Learners across all centres study in a calm and well-ordered environment, where they build positive relationships with their teachers and other learners.

On most courses, learners' attendance is consistently high, and learners arrive promptly for the start of lessons.

Adult learners appreciate their teachers' skills and specialist subject and technical knowledge. They value highly the chance to study on courses with teachers who have excellent reputations in their field of work.

On creative and performing arts courses, learners benefit from well-equipped, industry-standard facilities, such as ceramics workshops and music studios. Learners are proud of the work they produce and enjoy the chance to exhibit their work in the college's exhibition spaces and the college's art gallery.

Learners have plentiful opportunities to take part in competitions and events as part of college life.

For instance, learners who are part of the college's Big Band regularly perform, including at awards ceremonies. Learners on the esports study programme successfully compete to win national skills challenges. Learners frequently undertake voluntary work, such as fundraising activities in support of a local mental health charity, and learners on early years courses serve meals at local community centres during Christmas and Ramadan.

Consequently, learners grow in confidence and broaden their horizons beyond their courses.

Young learners with high needs find the college a welcoming and supportive place, where they feel safe and where staff allow them to be themselves. Learners develop positive, professional behaviours and apply these very effectively to their studies.

They achieve their qualifications in line with their peers.

Learners studying online courses through the college's subcontractor, The Skills Network, like the flexibility that studying around full-time work commitments provides for them. However, they do not consistently receive prompt feedback on the work they submit.

A few learners get frustrated with the college's information technology facilities. They find that their learning is disrupted when computers do not work properly.

Contribution to meeting skills needs

The college makes a strong contribution to meeting skills needs.

Senior leaders and managers work highly effectively with stakeholders to identify local and regional skills needs. They have gained a significant understanding of existing employment opportunities and employers' future skills requirements. They work collaboratively with key partners to plan and deliver courses that meet their needs.

Leaders have become members of strategic employer partnerships, such as the South Bank Employers' Group. They work with high-profile employers, including the National Theatre and the British Film Institute, to plan courses in performing arts that offer progression pathways from pre-entry level to higher education.

Leaders and managers work very successfully with a range of voluntary organisations to provide educational opportunities that meet the needs of the most disadvantaged learners in the community.

They have designed courses aimed at learners such as refugees, those in crisis because of mental ill health and those experiencing financial hardship. Managers hold courses in learning environments where learners feel safe and supported. A few learners progress to further learning or voluntary work.

Leaders have established very productive relationships with local headteachers. They plan activities such as careers fairs for pupils, and college staff attend schools on GCSE results days to provide information, advice and guidance to pupils about college courses. Leaders plan to offer younger pupils taster sessions in subjects not available in schools, such as music technology, esports, filmmaking and textiles.

Managers and teachers place a strong and clear focus on links with employers in the fashion and creative arts sector, particularly at the Chelsea Centre for Creative Industries. Industry experts often set professional project briefs for learners to undertake. For example, learners on the level 4 foundation art course are challenged to develop essential industry skills, such as the curation of pieces of work for exhibition spaces.

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

Leaders have a clear vision for the education they provide to the communities they serve. They have thoughtfully reviewed what they offer to create clear progression routes, from community-based courses through to college provision. At the Waterloo Centre, leaders offer a very wide range of courses in, for example, the creative and performing arts that enable learners to start as a beginner and build their skills to become an expert.

A high proportion of adult learners achieve their learning goals and progress well through various levels of learning.

In the Chelsea and North Kensington centres, leaders have developed a rich and challenging curriculum. They teach young learners highly relevant skills needed for work and further learning, such as in games design.

Most learners on study programmes progress successfully to the next level of learning. However, learners' achievement of qualifications across study programme subjects varies. In art and photography courses, achievement is high, but on the diploma in games design, it is too low.

Across different provision types, teachers plan effectively to teach new knowledge and skills that gradually deepen learners' understanding of their subject. For example, on ESOL courses for adults, learners start with the essential skills they need in everyday life, such as speaking and listening, before moving on to reading activities. On study programmes in film and television, teachers set learners assignments in the second year that build on the skills and knowledge learned in the first year, such as editing work, framing and story writing.

Consequently, learners develop a sound understanding of the subjects they study.

Learners with high needs develop a range of new knowledge, skills and behaviours because of the teaching and support they receive. Their confidence improves in asking questions and listening to each other.

On media courses, they learn new skills, such as how to design websites and create presentations. Most learners with high needs complete their courses and progress to further learning. In a small minority of instances, learners experience delays in receiving the specialist therapeutic support they need to take part fully in lessons.

Leaders do not communicate sufficiently clearly with the parents and carers of learners about the process of securing additional support. Consequently, learners feel unsettled.

Most teachers are highly qualified and knowledgeable in the subjects they teach.

On courses in creative and performing arts, a considerable proportion of teachers are practising professionals. They bring to their lessons a wealth of highly insightful, industry-specific experience. Teachers use their expertise to help learners understand new concepts.

For example, in bookbinding courses for adults, teachers demonstrate skilfully how to cut book covers with complex patterns so that these match across covers. This helps learners to complete their work with confidence.

Managers and teachers make suitable checks on both new and returning learners' starting points at the beginning of their courses.

On non-accredited courses for adults, teachers and learners review learners' progress at regular intervals before setting objectives for new projects. For example, on ceramics courses, experienced learners are challenged to stretch their knowledge by learning about several types of firing or working with different glazes. This enables learners to consolidate their knowledge and build effectively on their existing skills.

Most teachers use assessment appropriately to check what learners know and can do. They use this information to give learners useful feedback on how to improve their work. Teachers help learners practise techniques in creative arts and music until they get these right.

In a few instances, teachers do not consistently check learners' understanding of key terms and concepts before moving on to the next task. When this happens, learners do not fully grasp new knowledge.

Learners enjoy learning in a socially diverse environment and take pride in promoting diversity and inclusion across the college.

For example, learners attend additional lectures to learn about women's rights and women's noteworthy achievements in celebration of International Women's Day. Staff organise visits for learners to museums, such as the Queer Britain Museum. Learners share what they have learned by, for example, arranging LGBTQ+ themed exhibitions in the college.

Leaders do not ensure that learners across the college understand consistently the dangers and risks of radicalisation and extremism. Through the tutorial programme, learners on study programmes learn how to protect themselves and can explain the meaning of 'Prevent' duty. However, a high proportion of adult learners cannot recall learning anything about the signs of radicalisation or whom they would go to in the college if they had concerns about someone.

Leaders have put in place a suitable programme of careers advice and guidance. However, learners' awareness of the support available to help them make choices about their next steps varies. For example, most adult learners on evening courses do not know how to access careers advice.

Learners on study programmes receive useful one-to-one interviews that provide helpful information about future education and employment options. However, learners on study programmes do not systematically benefit from a programme of planned work experience. A few learners in the second year of their courses have not undertaken work placements and do not know when these will happen.

Leaders provide a tailored programme of professional development to help teachers and support staff improve their skills and subject knowledge. For example, teachers of mathematics receive training in how to use technology to develop learners' understanding of mathematics. Staff take part in training that helps them provide suitable support to learners with specific learning difficulties and conditions such as dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Teachers and support staff apply their newly acquired skills in lessons effectively.

Governors have a broad range of suitable backgrounds and expertise and have recently recruited two new governors with experience in finance and commerce. Governors have a clear understanding of their role.

They provide effective support to leaders and challenge them appropriately about the areas that need to improve. For example, governors have now set up a 'people' subcommittee to discuss employee-related matters, including workload. Governors monitor closely the quality of education through an engagement programme of themed learning walks.

Consequently, governors are well placed to provide effective oversight of the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have developed appropriate arrangements to keep young people and adults safe in learning.

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy DSLs receive relevant training and have suitable experience for their roles. Safeguarding staff at each site wear purple lanyards to make them easily identifiable. They record and check safeguarding concerns effectively and report these to the governing body.

Staff consult closely with contacts in the police and local authority to ensure that they have up-to-date information on current risks and threats in their communities.Young learners have a good understanding of topics such as healthy relationships and appropriate sexual behaviours.

What does the provider need to do to improve?

• Leaders should ensure that learners on study programmes achieve their qualifications consistently well across their range of subjects.

• Leaders should ensure that learners on study programmes, including those with high needs, know when the planned programme of work experience will take place. They should make sure that all learners benefit from timely work experience placements. ? Leaders should develop a relevant, age-appropriate curriculum for adult learners, to raise awareness about the dangers of radicalisation and extremism.