Ofsted round-up – This week: Results for Peter Rowley Ltd and Royal College of Dean

Peter Rowley Ltd, Lincolnshire

 

Summary of grades awarded:

Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

Capacity to improve Satisfactory: Grade 3

Achievement and standards Good: Grade 2

Quality of provision Good: Grade 2

Leadership and management Satisfactory: Grade 3

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4

Sector subject area:

Business management Good: Grade 2

 

Established in 1997, Peter Rowley Ltd was initially working to provide training and assessment in National Vocation Qualifications (NVQ) at level 2 in business improvement techniques for engineering and manufacturing technologies particularly in the food sector. Peter Rowley Ltd has a Train to Gain contract with Yorkshire and Humberside and the North East LCS’s. Currently 180 learners are on Train to Gain programmes.

Ofsted found that the overall effectiveness of the provision is satisfactory with achievement and standards also being good. Peter Rowley was found to have satisfactory capacity to improve. Overall success rates for learners are very high and being maintained, although timely success rates were poor and Peter Rowley introduced measures to improve these which are now having an affect.

Inspectors said the self-assessment process satisfactory and the judgements within the self-assessment to broadly match inspection findings. Members of staff had little involvement in the self-assessment process but good use was made of learners’ and employers’ feedback. Key strengths include very high overall success rates, very effective development and improvement of social and work-based skills, good training and learning, very effective programme to meet employers’ and learners’ needs, good strategic leadership and direction and well managed sources.

Achievements and standards are good with overall success rates being very high at 95% in 2007/08 and 96% in 2008/09 to date. However, timely success rates are poor. In 2007/08, timely success rates were 33% and in 2008/09 to date, 10%. Effective strategies are now in place to monitor and improve timely success rates on all sites, and recent data shows that timely success rates have improved.

 

Royal College of Dean, Gloucestershire

 

Summary of grades awarded:

Effectiveness of provision Good: Grade 2

Capacity to improve Good: Grade 2

Achievement and standards Satisfactory: Grade 3

Quality of provision Good: Grade 2

Leadership and management Good: Grade 2

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

Sector subject areas:

Health, public services and care Satisfactory: Grade 3

Construction Good: Grade 2

Information and communication technology Satisfactory: Grade 3

Hairdressing and beauty therapy Good: Grade 2

Arts, media and publishing Satisfactory: Grade 3

 

Established as a tertiary college in 1985, Royal College of Dean is a small college situated in a rural area of Gloucestershire with a low population density. The participation rate of those under 19 in the Forest of Dean includes 11% in work-based learning and 9% in employment with training. Currently, 124 learners are on work-based learning provision, mainly apprentices in hairdressing and construction, with a further 121 learners on Train to Gain programmes.

The overall effectiveness of provision is good, however not enough learners on Train to Gain provision complete their qualification in the time allotted. Learners receive good support and make especially good progress in practical lessons. Ofsted has found that the use of challenging targets to help learners to improve in underdeveloped in some areas. The college’s approach to education and inclusion is outstanding.

The self-assessment report is broadly accurate but action planning to address areas for improvement is not always sufficiently detailed. Ofsted found it to be generally accurate as it identifies key areas for improvement. The college demonstrates good capacity to improve and learners’ achievement has improved and success rates are around the national average. Key strengths include, good teaching and learning, outstanding support and guidance for learners, good strategic leadership and management, highly effective partnership working, a welcoming and inclusive environment, good responses to learners’ views and good contribution to community cohesion in the Forest of Dean.

Achievement and standards are satisfactory overall and good in work-based learning, as identified in the self-assessment report. For adult learners, level 1 long course success rates were poor at the previous inspection and remain very low. Work-based learning success rates are high, overall and timely success rates for apprentices are significantly above the national average. In 2008/09, overall success rates have improved but not enough learners complete their qualification in the time allotted.

Natalie Hailes