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| Grimsby Institute - students seem happy enough but staff say their workloads are 'too heavy' |
GOOD - but could do better!
That's the verdict of independent inspectors who went walkabout at Grimsby Institute between September 26-29.
Although they were unable to detect any signs of excellence, they rated performance across the spectrum to be "good".
Good - with one important exception. They determined that leadership and management "requires improvement".
The report from the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) also spans the institute's sister colleges within the TEC Partnership:
* East Riding College (with campuses in Beverley and Bridlington)
* Scarborough TEC
* Skegness TEC
* Modal Training
* National Employer Training.
* Community learning centres in Immingham, Louth and Hull.
It states:
Quality of education: Good
Behaviour and attitudes: Good
Personal development: Good
Leadership and management: Requires improvement
Education programmes for young people: Good
Adult learning programmes: Good
Apprenticeships: Good
Provision for learners with high needs: Good
Overall effectiveness at previous inspection: Good
"Across all campuses, teaching and support staff work hard to ensure that learners and apprentices receive a good quality of education.
"However, too many staff report that their workload is very heavy, and that this has a negative impact on their well-being and their ability to manage their work.
"Teachers and managers are keen to undertake industrial updating to maintain their professional knowledge and currency.
"However, they are often unable to carry out this training because of heavy schedules, having to cover teaching vacancies and high workloads."
At the time of the inspection, across the TEC Partnership, there were 4,218 learners on education programmes for young people, including T levels and the T-level foundation year and full-time provision for learners aged 14 to 16 years.
There were 1,345 learners on adult learning programmes, including skills boot camps in food manufacturing management and heavy goods vehicle driving.
There were 850 apprentices across a range of apprenticeship standards and 216 learners with high needs on specialist and vocational pathways.
The report continues:
"Most learners and apprentices enjoy the education and training that they receive.
"They appreciate the harmonious and welcoming atmosphere on campus and the high level of respect shown by teaching and support staff.
"On skills boot camp programmes, for example, tutors create an environment in which adult learners are confident to exchange ideas that are relevant to their workplaces.
"Tutors encourage them to explore these ideas with their peers, who listen respectfully.
"Leaders and staff place a high priority on ensuring that learners and apprentices attend well.
"Learners and apprentices understand the importance of having good attendance and punctuality. Most attend well and arrive on time for their lessons.
"When attendance falls below expectations, learners and apprentices benefit from well-considered personalised support strategies and interventions to help them engage with their studies.
"Learners and apprentices study and train in high-quality learning environments.
"Plumbing apprentices are provided with new boilers and industry-standard equipment, such as air source heat pumps which they use to practise and to refine their newly acquired knowledge and skills.
"Learners on the level 3 forensic science course work on simulated crime scenes that enable them to apply their knowledge of criminology and work to solving mock cases.
"These resources help bring learning to life and support learners and apprentices to understand the practices that they need to be familiar with as they progress to further learning and into work.
"Most learners and apprentices participate in well-planned and coordinated extra-curricular activities.
"Many take part in skills-based competitions which help them to develop their knowledge and understanding of high-quality professional working standards in different industries.
"For example, apprentices have recently been successful in a prestigious hair-colouring competition.
"Learners and apprentices study a well-planned tutorial programme. Staff teach them about the importance of adhering to British values, such as the rule of law.
"As a result, learners and apprentices know how they can contribute positively to society.
"On the T-level foundation year, learners develop a good understanding about what makes a positive member of society.
"They learn the importance of being respectful, treating people equally and ensuring that individual rights are upheld.
"Learners recognise the importance of British values when supporting someone they are caring for.
"Most learners and apprentices are provided with appropriate careers information and guidance that helps them to know about career routes and what they need to do to take their next steps into further and higher education and into employment.
"However, on a few courses, adult learners are not clearly signposted to the jobs that they could apply for on completion of their course.
"For example, on courses in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), staff do not focus sufficiently on supporting adult learners to identify routes into employment.
"Too many learners on vocational education programmes for young people do not benefit from support in accessing suitable work experience placements.
"For example, on the level 3 T level in digital production, plans to provide learners with work experience have been too slow to materialise, and too many learners are yet to experience a work placement."
"The document continues: " The college makes a reasonable contribution to meeting skills needs.
"Leaders and managers work successfully with civic stakeholders and regional employers to influence local and regional skills policy.
"The curriculum offer in the different geographical areas that the partnership serves relates well to local skills improvement plans and reflects the needs of local and regional economies across
Yorkshire, the Humber and Lincolnshire.
"Leaders and managers work very well with other education providers, such as schools, academies and further education providers, to share information about their provision and collectively to design new programmes to meet area needs.
"As a result, they contribute fully to ensuring that provision across the areas in which they work responds well to meeting skills needs.
"Leaders and staff ensure that, in most curriculum areas, employers and other stakeholders are sufficiently involved in the design and implementation of the curriculum.
"For example, a national renewable green energy company based in
Grimsby leads on an annual classroom-based wind shore project which level 2 and level 3 engineering learners undertake, producing operations and maintenance schedules for a wind farm.
"Learners use this valuable experience when applying for apprenticeships with the company as it gives them a competitive edge compared with other applicants.
"However, in a few other curriculum areas, employers and stakeholders are unaware of the opportunities available for them to contribute to the further enrichment of the curriculum.
"Leaders and managers select learning and training programmes that are relevant to the communities, employers, businesses, learners and apprentices in the regions that they serve.
"Each strand of provision successfully develops the skills and knowledge that learners and apprentices need to be successful in their future careers.
"For example, the adult curriculum offer has been developed to include skills bootcamps in the food manufacturing industries where employers need their staff to have a secure understanding of food safety and quality.
"The partnership works with these employers to understand their business needs so that the training provided is helpful in upskilling their workforce.
"Tutors and assessors are well qualified and highly experienced in their vocational sectors.
"Most staff have extensive experience both as teachers and as specialists in their vocational area and hold, or are working towards, relevant teaching qualifications.
"For example, trainers and tutors in motor vehicle engineering have held vehicle and master technician roles with large vehicle manufacturers.
"They use their knowledge and experience to teach learners and apprentices the fundamental aspects of motor vehicle systems.
The report concludes by identifying the following areas for improvement:
* Ensure that ongoing strategic developments are implemented quickly and effectively and are fully communicated to staff.
* Ensure that staff receive sufficient support to help them to manage their workloads.
* Ensure that the plans in place for safeguarding reporting and monitoring across the group are swiftly implemented.
* Ensure that all tutors and assessors make effective use of information about learners’ and apprentices’ starting points when planning learning.
* Ensure that all adult learners benefit from effective careers information and guidance to understand how to achieve their long-term career goals.
* Ensure that learners on vocational education programmes for young people benefit from effective and suitable work experience.
A total of 15 inspectors, led by Chloe Rendall, carried out the inspections across the various campuses.
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