South Essex College of Further and Higher Education

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Information about this provider

South Essex Colleges Group (SECG) consists of three local colleges: Basildon College, Thurrock College and Southend City College. SECG aims to provide curriculums that recognise the distinct communities in which each college is located.

The college has six sites, which are located along the Thames estuary.

SECG provides vocational and academic courses for 16- to 19-year-olds, courses for adult learners and apprenticeships. The college has about 6,400 students and apprentices.

At the time of the inspection, around three-quarters of students were aged 16 to 18, one-fifth were adults, and there were about 670 apprentices. Most apprentices are training on level 3 qualif...ications in engineering or construction. Just under three-quarters of apprentices are aged under 19 years.

The college has 164 students in receipt of high-needs funding. Most of these students are enrolled on study programmes across the college. There are 23 students on a pathway to independence programme and fewer than 10 students on supported internships.

The college provides a broad range of vocational and academic courses from level 1 to level 5. This includes a newly introduced A-level offer in biology, computing, physics and mathematics. The college also offers T levels in accounting, digital, business and administration, engineering and manufacturing, construction, health and science, education and early years subjects.

SECG have approximately 180 students on T-level foundation programmes.

The college provides adult learning curriculums in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) from entry level 1 to entry level, English and mathematics and a broad range of short workforce development courses. Adults can study on Skills Bootcamps for HGV drivers.

There are 99 adults enrolled on Skills Bootcamps.

At the time of the inspection, leaders worked with two subcontractors. They partnered with Knights Academy to offer a range of sports-related courses such as spectator safety.

In addition, they partner with London College of Business Studies to offer leadership and management courses and routes into employment courses for adults in the East London region.

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

Most students are positive about their college experience and see their course as a valuable opportunity. Students study in a calm and inclusive environment that is conducive to learning.

Students are treated as adults by staff and they behave respectfully in lessons. Students work well with their peers, listening and learning from each other. Students with high needs feel they belong and are well supported at college.

They describe having more independence and can take responsibility for themselves.

Students and apprentices benefit from high-quality facilities and resources. Staff in public services have created a realistic prison cell for conducting cell searches.

Students in level 3 art and design benefit from a broad range of physical and digital resources, including specialist studios with technical support. T-level students on digital production, design and development benefit from the college being an academy for high-profile global companies that provide resources and materials for students. Students develop confidence and skills in using these employer resources.

Students, adults and apprentices have high rates of attendance at their vocational lessons. Teachers reinforce the importance of attendance and punctuality, and most students arrive to lessons on time and ready to learn. Students are motivated to attend lessons because they enjoy their subject and value the teaching they receive.

Adult students value that teachers are always available for advice and to answer questions. Too few students replicate the same high attendance at English and mathematics lessons.

Students increase their confidence during their time at college.

Students on supported internships understand the link between college and work and the relevance of their training. Students learn about effective working behaviours such as personal hygiene and reporting sickness. This helps to ensure that they are well prepared to start in the workplace.

T-level digital production, design and technology students develop confidence when they attend their industry placements. They take a full part in team meetings and projects while they are at work. Their employers value their contribution to the workplace.

Adults on ESOL courses who lack the confidence and language skills to contact the police benefit from a visit by the police community safety team. This experience encourages them to ask for help and to keep themselves safe.

Students and apprentices receive good ongoing careers advice and guidance.

Students understand the progression routes available both at the college and when they leave. External speakers provide talks and workshops to raise students' awareness of their career options. T-level foundation students have careers talks from organisations, such as 'Healthcare Watch', to talk about apprenticeship routes.

Assessors have helpful discussions with apprentices to develop their understanding of future career pathways. Careers information, guidance and transition arrangements for students with high needs are good. Careers and learning support staff work together effectively to assess support needs and arrange taster sessions.

Most students are prepared effectively for life in modern Britain. They are aware of the importance of professional standards and of respect and tolerance that underpin a harmonious workplace and community. Teachers adapt topics to make them relevant and age-appropriate.

Adult students consider multicultural examples and links to British values when responding to tutors' questions. Public service students understand they will meet people from different backgrounds than their own and that as part of their role, they need to be understanding and tolerant. Students with high needs have an effective understanding of British values and the risks associated with radicalisation and hate crime.

Staff encourage students to participate in activities which encourage them to socialise and develop new skills outside of their comfort zone. T-level foundation students in health and social care develop workplace skills such as communication and building personal empathy. Students in public services participate in ping pong, abseiling, axe throwing and a video games event, all of which enable them to meet new people and develop new skills.

Students understand the benefits of following a healthy lifestyle. Students have access to a wide range of support and activities to help them with their mental and physical well-being. Adult ESOL students discuss the role of positive family relationships and identifying the signs of negative conduct, such as controlling or coercive behaviours.

Adults on workforce skills programmes undertake a level 1 certificate in personal well-being at work. Teachers provide information on deals from local supermarkets to help students on low incomes purchase healthy food options.

Students and apprentices feel safe at the college.

They understand the dangers associated with interacting with strangers online and know how they could be groomed online into involvement with extremist groups. They know the signs to recognise if someone is being radicalised and know the importance of rapid reporting to a trusted adult. Students are fully aware of whom to contact, and on the rare occasions that incidents occur, staff deal with these quickly and appropriately.

Contribution to meeting skills needs

The college makes a strong contribution to meeting skills needs.

Leaders are working very effectively with partners across Essex on the skills strategy. They work with partners such as local authorities, other Essex colleges and skills groups in their communities.

Leaders have developed a skills agenda that is at the heart of their vision and strategy to be an anchor institution in each locality. Leaders are collaborating on major high-profile projects such as the national highways and Thames Freeport project. They are working with large employers, such as Balfour Beatty and the Murphy Group, for the Lower Thames crossing.

Leaders are very well represented on a wide range of local and regional partnership networks. They have developed effective curriculums to meet the need for skills in new and emerging technologies such as green skills and hydrogen technology. Leaders have a strong input on major employment and skills forums across the county.

These include the Southend Business Partnership and the Southend City Business Improvement zone. Leaders ensure that the college is at the forefront of major economic developments such as the Thames Freeport initiative. Leaders have developed a specialist marine engineering and hybrid-powered vessels apprenticeship.

They introduced this in response to an identified need by a large Thames-based water transportation company.

Leaders instil very clear expectations in the curriculum planning process with managers. Leaders plan for stakeholders, such as the Essex Chambers of Commerce and borough councils, to talk to curriculum managers so that managers are fully informed about the local skills landscape.

Leaders empower curriculum managers to make decisions to respond to any curriculum gaps. Managers consider future job opportunities and career pathways to inform their decision-making.

Leaders have been instrumental in the development of the South East Institute of Technology.

They have worked effectively with other education providers in the region. Leaders ensure there are higher-level progression routes in skills shortage subjects such as engineering, logistics, construction and digital technologies.

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

Leaders have responded effectively to the recommendations from the previous inspection.

Leaders promote high expectations for students' and apprentices' achievement and progress effectively. Leaders have implemented a range of effective strategies to improve achievement rates. Leaders' frequent reviews of underperforming subjects have significantly improved the outcomes in most of these areas.

Leaders have developed skills-rich and inclusive curriculums to meet local and regional demand. They ensure that adults develop the communication skills to participate in the community and function effectively in their personal lives. Leaders work effectively to encourage participation with hard-to-reach groups.

They offer summer schools to develop speaking and listening skills for ESOL students seeking to obtain entry-level jobs. In HGV Skills Bootcamps, they actively encourage participation of female students who are under-represented nationally in this profession. Students with high needs acquire new skills through individually tailored teaching and support.

Staff are well trained and qualified for their roles. Leaders recognise the dual professionalism of their teaching staff as teachers and industry experts. Teachers in public services visit various institutions and places of work, including police headquarters, the fire station and prisons.

They take part in an active crime day to ensure that they have a thorough understanding of the latest developments in the sector. T-level teachers received useful exam-teaching training that helped them improve their assessment strategies in lessons. Leaders and managers have developed a whole college strategy for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the curriculum.

They recognise the value of AI as a tool for saving teacher's time.

Leaders and staff sequence their curriculums logically. Marine engineering apprentices learn how to use technical information and understand essential regulations for the sector.

Apprentices learn about the materials, tools and basic principles of fabrication, welding, mechanical and electrical engineering. Having secured this foundation knowledge, they move to more advanced engineering techniques such as tungsten inert gas welding. Students with high needs learn about money management before budgeting for a meal and planning a menu.

Staff carry out useful assessments of what students and apprentices know and can do at the start of their course. Teachers identify students' skills gaps or previous qualifications and subject experiences during the first few weeks. Teachers use this information effectively to provide support and tailor teaching.

Staff ensure that students and apprentices with high needs or special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the right support. Teachers know their students and apprentices very well. Motor vehicle apprentices with high needs benefit from extra help to organise their work, simplify language and break down tasks into smaller chunks of learning.

This helps students and apprentices with high needs make progress at least in line with their peers.

Teachers use a variety of effective teaching methods in their lessons. Teachers help students learn more and remember more by simplifying theory topics into smaller components.

Teachers provide frequent demonstrations or learning activities to help students consolidate learning points. Teachers use videos, explanations and real-life scenarios to support students' and apprentices' understanding of the subject. Teachers in marine engineering make innovative use of QR codes which link to short educational videos about engine components.

This helps apprentices to identify and explain the function of a piston, connecting rod, camshaft, valves and crankshaft.

Staff use assessment effectively to check students' and apprentices' understanding of new concepts. Staff use this information constructively to identify any gaps in knowledge and plan further teaching.

Staff use questioning, quizzes, peer discussions, presentations and written work to check students and apprentices understand the topic. T-level digital teachers challenge students to model data-cleansing techniques on the interactive whiteboard. This helps students develop data-cleansing skills and improve their confidence in using these techniques.

Students and apprentices receive helpful feedback from teachers that they use to improve their work. Staff annotate students' written work and provide guidance on what they need to do to develop their work. Fashion design students receive precise feedback on strengths and developmental areas against each assessment criteria.

This helps them to know what to do to improve and achieve a distinction grade. In a minority of cases, teachers do not always provide students with developmental feedback. In reviews, staff provide supported internship students with feedback that is mostly positive and encouraging.

Staff do not make effective links between their learning in the workplace and in college. Too few staff provide students with useful developmental actions. As a result, most supported internship students cannot describe what they need to do to progress.

Staff conduct effective reviews of apprentices' vocational knowledge and skills development. Staff ensure that reviews involve the employers and apprentices who understand what apprentices need to do to improve. Too few staff ensure that apprentices develop a good understanding of wider topics, such as life in modern Britain or how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Too few staff discuss or review these topics with apprentices to ensure that they develop a good understanding.

Leaders have designed a wide-ranging enrichment programme to help students develop their interests and understanding of citizenship. The programme provides opportunities for students to develop an understanding of consent, knife crime, drug awareness, money management and first aid and to learn from motivational speakers.

Most students who take part in these sessions benefit from learning about these topics. In a few cases, students choose not to participate and prioritise other commitments, have timetable clashes or question the relevance of the sessions. A minority are unaware that these opportunities exist.

Most teaching staff develop students' and apprentices' English, mathematics and digital skills effectively throughout the time on their course. Staff support students in developing skills such as academic writing. Staff ensure that students and apprentices use professional language and terminology such as immersion and submersion when referring to hot and cold temperatures.

In a few instances, teachers do not give apprentices feedback on errors in punctuation, spelling and grammar to help them improve their written English.

Students' achievement of grade 4 or above in GCSE English and mathematics remains too low. Leaders have not ensured that students receive good-quality teaching to support their achievement.

In GCSE mathematics, teachers' classroom management does not ensure that students stay on task in lessons or follow instructions promptly. Leaders have recently employed specialist managers and teachers for English and mathematics. These newly recruited teachers have designed high-quality teaching and learning resources and activities.

However, it is too early to see the impact of their actions on students' experience and achievement.

Most students, apprentices and adults now remain on their course and achieve their qualifications. They are well prepared for their next steps and a high proportion move on to positive destinations such as employment or further areas of study in further and higher education.

Governors bring a wealth of experience. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the college. Following an external review, they have recruited new board members to fill skills gaps and increase diversity.

Governors hold leaders to account for the educational performance of the college. Following disappointing achievement results in previous years, leaders and governors increased the regularity, timeliness and scrutiny of performance monitoring. Governors challenge the assumptions and accuracy of predicted results.

They participate in curriculum reviews alongside managers.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the provider need to do to improve?

• Ensure that students benefit from high-quality English and mathematics teaching so that they can pass their GCSE examinations.

• Ensure that apprentices develop a good understanding of personal development topics beyond the vocational curriculum. ? Ensure that students on supported internships know what they need to do to further develop their skills and knowledge. ? Ensure that students understand the benefits and participate in an enrichment curriculum that supports the development of their wider skills and interests.