Warwickshire College Group

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Information about this provider

Warwickshire College Group is a general further education college across Warwickshire and Worcestershire. It has six colleges.

They are in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwick, Rugby and Moreton Morrell in Warwickshire. It also has Pershore and Evesham colleges in Worcestershire. Royal Leamington Spa College and Rugby College are both general further education colleges.

Moreton Morrell College and Pershore College are both specialist land-based colleges. Warwick Trident College focuses on engineering and motor vehicle subjects. Evesham New College focuses on technical subjects.

At the time of the inspection, 3,278 learners aged 16 to 18 were enrolled at the college. Most l...earners study level 3 courses. For this age group, leaders provide mostly vocational courses, with a few A levels.

Vocational courses cover almost all subject areas, including land-based courses. T levels are available in engineering, construction, education and digital services.

Leaders offer 41 apprenticeships from levels 2 to 4.

They also provide a level 6 manufacturing engineer apprenticeship. At the time of the inspection, there were 1,444 apprentices enrolled at the college. Most apprentices were over the age of 19 and studying level 3 apprenticeships.

Apprentices study across all college sites and in a wide range of trades. These include engineering, building and construction, agriculture, horticulture, health and social care, and administration.

For adult learners, leaders offer access to higher education (HE) courses.

They also offer English for speakers of other languages, vocational and professional courses across a range of subject areas. At the time of the inspection, there were 1,327 adult learners enrolled at the college. Leaders provide HE courses at levels 4 to 6.

Higher-level courses were not visited as part of the inspection.

At the time of the inspection, 447 learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) were enrolled at the college. Learners with SEND receive support at all college sites and in all subjects, studying alongside their peers.

Learners with education, health and care (EHC) plans also study on supported learning courses across Leamington Spa, Rugby, Moreton Morrell and Pershore colleges.

In partnership with schools, leaders offer vocational courses across all six colleges for learners aged 14 to 16. Electively home-educated learners can apply to join a course to study alongside post-16 learners.

At the time of the inspection, 78 learners were attending the college. Of these, 30 were directly enrolled on to vocational courses.

The college does not work with any subcontractors.

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

Most learners and apprentices learn in productive environments. They enthusiastically participate in sessions. Learners are respectful of each other and their teachers.

They mostly enjoy their studies and carry out their work diligently. Because of this, most learners develop the skills they need. For example, younger learners studying level 3 equine at the Moreton Morrell College showcase their newly learned skills by taking part in the British Eventing horse trials.

Most learners and apprentices respond well to the high behavioural expectations set by leaders. In many cases, learners are motivated and curious about their learning. When appropriate, learners and apprentices wear their uniforms with pride.

They are delighted to be associated with the college and employers. Therefore, most learners achieve the qualifications for which they have studied.

Most learners and apprentices successfully develop their character and capabilities.

Leaders provide enriching opportunities that lead to learners' and apprentices' broader skills development. This enables learners and apprentices to develop and discover their interests and talents. For example, younger learners studying motor vehicle take part in live projects to build a track day sports car.

Animal management staff promote volunteering opportunities at animal-based charities. These charities are in the United Kingdom and abroad.

Attendance of younger learners is not yet high enough.

This is particularly true for learners undertaking GCSE English and mathematics. Leaders have implemented strategies to improve this. They check and track attendance and incentivise good attendance.

When needed, targets are set to help learners to improve. Although improving, leaders rightly recognise the need to accelerate improvement in this area. This is to ensure that learners acquire the skills they need to be successful.

Apprentices are polite and respectful. Level 3 engineering apprentices studying at the Warwick Trident College benefit from high-quality resources and facilities in which to learn. For example, engineering workshops are well resourced with industry-standard equipment.

Apprentices develop the skills they need. They also learn to use industry-standard equipment in preparation for work.

Apprentices are mostly keen to learn and study in calm learning environments.

Attendance to sessions is high. However, a few level 3 engineering technician apprentices displayed low-level behaviour issues. These issues cause a distraction from learning for others.

Because of this, many of these apprentices do not make the progress of which they are capable.

Adult learners develop their confidence and the skills they need to succeed. Teachers create a supportive classroom where adult learners ask questions, challenge each other, work together and flourish.

Attendance to sessions is high. Adult learners commit to their learning and develop skills that lead to their success. For example, a small number of adult learners have won awards at national floristry events.

Learners with SEND are proud of their work and studies. They can recall the skills they have developed and know how these skills can support them at home and with future employment. For example, level 1 catering learners who study at the Royal Leamington Spa College develop the customer facing skills they need to support them in their new internships.

Consequently, learners are confident in their abilities.

Learners with SEND learn in a purposeful environment. At Pershore College, learners benefit from a positive, inclusive culture where everyone successfully works together.

As a result, learners have a positive attitude towards their learning.

Learners and apprentices develop knowledge that helps them to protect themselves. They have a robust and appropriate understanding of sexual health.

Most learn about a range of topics. These include sexual harassment, consent, extremism, terrorism, and sexual health.

Learners and apprentices feel safe.

They explain how to work safely in college workshops, at work and online. Learners recognise the importance of wearing lanyards in college. Learners with SEND understand that they should use 'run, hide, tell' if an aggressive intruder is present in the college.

Learners and apprentices know who to report concerns to. Most learners and apprentices have not experienced or witnessed any bullying. However, when a situation of this nature has taken place, leaders have taken swift action to resolve the situation.

Contribution to meeting skills needs

The college makes a reasonable contribution to meeting skills needs.

Leaders and managers engage effectively with many employers and stakeholders. They do so at both strategic and curriculum levels.

Curriculum leaders hold valuable employer forum meetings with employers to discuss how the curriculum can best meet their needs. Where this is effective, managers adapt the curriculum to help learners develop current industry skills. For example, in level 3 land-based service engineering apprenticeships, manufacturers provide apprentices with equipment such as combine harvesters and GPS systems.

This is to ensure that apprentices get up to date and relevant training. However, in a few areas, such as hairdressing, this collaboration is in the initial stages of implementation. Therefore, hairdressing learners do not routinely benefit from developing the wider skills which employers require.

Leaders have a solid understanding of the local and regional skills needs. Leaders are members of the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and the Hereford and Worcester Chamber of Commerce. As part of this work, leaders contribute to the chambers' response to the local skills improvement plan (LSIP).

Leaders provided expertise by sharing regionally specific knowledge, such as the skills challenges facing rural areas. Because of these relationships, leaders know about the current and future initiatives needed to meet the skills gaps. This understanding has resulted in leaders swiftly securing significant funding aligned with the LSIP priorities.

Governors have developed a good understanding of the skills strategy for the regions in which the college operates. Leaders successfully support the board of governors through strategy days, which focus on curriculum planning, the LSIP priorities and the challenges these create. Governors recognise the shortfall in specialist teachers needed to meet the LSIP goals.

They have identified that the LSIP does not detail all the skills deficits across the region. Therefore, governors have the knowledge to support and challenge leaders appropriately. This enables leaders to make the most effective curriculum choices for the college.

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

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the local and regional skills needs. Leaders recognised that the new creative quarter in Royal Leamington Spa is one of the strongest clusters of video game employers in the country. Leaders have implemented a level 3 games art and design course at the Royal Leamington Spa College to support these employers.

They have expanded engineering courses. They added the level 3 engineering design and development T level at the Warwick Trident College and the Rugby College. Therefore, learners and apprentices gain the skills they need for employment.

Leaders and managers successfully plan and sequence the curriculums sensibly and logically. In level 3 engineering technician apprenticeship, apprentices start with learning filing, cutting and drilling. They then move on to more complicated skills such as milling and turning.

Learners with SEND studying on the ready-for-adulthood course first build trust and confidence with their peers and teachers. Then, they learn core job skills. As a result, most learners gain important skills over time.

Leaders have not made sure that the GCSE English curriculums are ambitious enough for all learners. Too often, learners studying GCSE English repeat learning. Learners are not typically taught the English skills they need.

Most learning focuses too highly on examination preparation. Therefore, few learners learn to understand broader English skills beyond the examination requirements.

Teachers are experts in their fields.

In most cases, teachers use their expertise successfully to secure and deepen learning. They use their industry knowledge to bring learning to life effectively by linking theory to practice. Many vocational teachers continue to work within the sectors that they teach.

For example, floristry teachers work as competition judges and sit on expert panels. As a result, learners benefit from successfully taught curriculums that develop their knowledge, skills, and behaviours effectively.Teachers do not routinely use the starting points of apprentices effectively.

Apprentices undertake interviews, skills scans and assessments of their English and mathematics skills at the start of their apprenticeship. However, teachers do not take the time to identify or resolve the gaps in learning. Therefore, apprentices continue to make the same mistakes in their written work.

A few apprentices also struggle with mathematical calculations needed for their job roles.

Most teachers use a range of effective teaching strategies to secure learning. In level 2 floristry, teachers break down complex botanical terms and vocabulary.

This is to ensure that adult learners gain a good technological understanding. In the level 3 veterinary nurse apprenticeship, teachers use videos and images to reinforce key learning points, such as how to perform lavage in wound management. Teachers of learners with SEND plan and use strategies such as recall and recap frequently.

They revisit topics periodically and reinforce learned concepts. As a result, learners and apprentices learn more and can remember more over time.

Many teachers do not routinely provide helpful feedback.

The quality of written feedback for most learners is not valuable. Too often, errors in spelling and grammar in adult learners' work are not identified. Therefore, they continue to make the same mistakes.

Feedback for learners and apprentices is often too generic and does not target areas for improvement well enough. As a result, many learners and apprentices do not develop their written work to its full potential.

Leaders have not been quick enough to reduce the numbers of level 3 engineering technician apprentices who have passed their intended completion date.

This has been impacted by a lack of qualified assessors. It has led to missed site visits.However, leaders have recently taken steps to resolve this situation.

At the time of inspection, many apprentices were making steady progress towards achieving their apprenticeship.

Teachers and support staff prepare most learners and apprentices for future success in education, employment, or training. Teachers and staff provide high quality, up to date, and locally relevant careers guidance.

Many learners and apprentices move on to positive next steps because of their studies. Learners moving on to HE have the study skills and work-ready strategies they need to be successful.

Leaders and managers have created a comprehensive self-assessment report.

Leaders work with department managers and include feedback from key stakeholders, staff, and learners. Because of this, leaders have a good understanding of areas in need of improvement.

Leaders have in place effective arrangements for governance.

Governors are appropriately experienced and qualified for their roles. They use their knowledge and expertise to support and strengthen the college leadership and contribute to shaping its strategic direction. For example, governors play an active role in updating the colleges' corporate plans.

They have direct input into curriculum planning. They also influence the addition of 'social successes' to the college's strategic priorities. This involvement is seen in the governing bodies' effective understanding of the college's strengths and weaknesses.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the provider need to do to improve?

• Provide an ambitious curriculum for learners who study GCSE English. Ensure that learners develop the wider English skills they need for everyday life.

• Ensure that teachers routinely provide feedback that helps learners and apprentices make the improvements they need to reach their potential. ? Swiftly respond to the needs of level 3 engineering technician apprentices who have gone beyond their completion date. ? Rapidly improve attendance for younger learners with a particular focus on learners studying GCSE in English and mathematics.