2024 Full Inspection ReportWhat does the provider do well and what does it need to do better?Leaders have designed curriculums that are highly ambitious and help learners and apprentices to build their knowledge, skills and behaviours over time. For example, adult learners on tailored family learning on the early years, education and childcare pathway firstly study family English and mathematics and subjects such as robotics and coding with their children in community settings. They continue to build on their learning and develop and apply their knowledge and skills when they study a level 1 or level 2 qualification in support work in schools and colleges. Consequently, many adult learners improve their confidence significantly and find jobs or volunteer in schools. Young learners on the digital production, design and development T level learn about emerging technologies and business environments in their first year. The knowledge they gain in year one helps them to learn and apply more complex knowledge and skills in year two, such as when they write project proposals. Teachers make highly effective use of teaching strategies such as discussions, questioning, case studies and practice assessments. They use very clear explanations and instruction. For example, teachers on the adult learning level 2 support work in schools and colleges course teach learners key concepts about special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), such as the different aspects of neurodivergence. They use case studies to help learners identify a range of techniques so that learners can provide tailored support for the children they work with. Teachers routinely check and consolidate learning so that learners and apprentices build their knowledge over time. Learners and most apprentices acquire significant new knowledge and skills and produce work of a high standard. Learners, including those with high needs, and most apprentices retain knowledge in their long-term memories and make exceptional progress from their starting points. Most teachers accurately and routinely monitor the progress that learners make from their starting points. They use assessment exceptionally well. Teachers frequently and systematically check and consolidate learning through, for example, oral questioning, quizzes, essays and short answer papers to make sure that learners and apprentices have a secure understanding of topics. For example, on the Inspection report: Nelson and Colne College 10 to 13 December 2024 6 level 3 access to higher education health pathway, teachers use online quizzes to test learners’ understanding of enzymes, specifically the bonds in enzyme structures. Teachers and learners receive immediate feedback from the quizzes and these assessments help teachers to identify specific areas where learners have gaps in their learning. Teachers adapt their teaching and revisit topics where necessary. Young learners, adult learners and learners who have high needs make exceptional progress. In a few instances, teachers do not effectively monitor the progress that apprentices make from their starting points. Teachers do not support these apprentices well enough to quickly develop their knowledge and skills and apply these in the workplace. While leaders and managers are aware of how much progress most apprentices have made, too many apprentices have fallen behind in their learning. Managers do not always support teachers to intervene quickly enough to enable apprentices who have fallen behind in their learning to catch up swiftly. Achievement in a few apprenticeships is too low. Leaders and managers have put in place actions to improve the quality of training that these apprentices receive. It is too soon to see the impact of these actions. Most teachers provide highly effective and developmental feedback to learners. Learners act on this feedback swiftly to improve their work. As a result, the quality and complexity of learners’ work improves over time. However, in apprenticeships, feedback is occasionally not specific enough to enable apprentices to improve their work quickly. In a few instances, such as on the level 2 early years practitioner apprenticeship, feedback highlights that apprentices’ work is too brief to achieve a merit grade but does not identify the areas that need to be improved. Leaders have created an exceptionally inclusive culture across the college group. A strong sense of community surrounds the college. Staff feel that they are recognised for what they do well through staff awards and praise from senior managers. Staff enjoy working at the college and feel proud of what they achieve with their learners, apprentices and wider communities. Leaders manage their subcontracted provision highly effectively. They conduct frequent and rigorous quality assurance activities with their subcontractors. These activities include observing the live masterclasses run by staff, scrutiny of learners’ work, learner survey discussions and checking of outcomes against contractual agreements. Leaders monitor the quality and performance of subcontractors very closely and meet with them frequently to challenge performance and set actions for improvement. Consequently, the quality of subcontracted provision remains consistently high. Leaders continually review the offer from their partners and ensure that it is tailored appropriately and based on the needs of the local region. Governance of the college is extremely effective. Board members receive detailed information from leaders and managers to enable them to provide scrutiny, challenge and support for priority curriculum areas. Board members understand the strengths of the provision and focus on supporting areas for improvement. They meet with learners, apprentices and curriculum managers in areas identified as Inspection report: Nelson and Colne College 10 to 13 December 2024 7 having low performance. They use these meetings to confirm that actions are having the desired impact. Board members are aware of the interventions in place to improve the quality of training for the few apprenticeships where achievement is low. They recognise that there is still work to do to improve their apprenticeship provision. 2022 Full Inspection ReportWhat does the provider need to do to improve?No areas for improvement. 2022 Full Inspection ReportAreas for improvementNo areas for improvement. 2008 Full Inspection ReportAreas for improvementThe college should address:
2005 Full Inspection ReportWhat should be improved
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- Jed Keenan
- Inspection Report Recommendations
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