Estyn Inspection October 2010

John Phelps, Assistant Principal

Background

The 2010 Inspection

Lines of enquiry

Inspection week

Summary judgements

Overall judgements

Recommendations

Achievements

BackgroundColeg Morgannwg was established in 2003

resulting from a merger of three FEIs from 1995 to 2003 (Pontypridd, Rhondda and Aberdare)

Serves the second largest unitary authority approx 230 000 people with 67% of learners from designated areas of deprivation

19 Comprehensives in RCT with 6th forms (School links fallen from 221 to 98 in 4 years)

Four campuses across RCT (approx 2200 f/t)Since 2004, staffing levels have fallen from

586 to 412 FTEs

Background (contd.)Coleg Morgannwg learners, like many others,

have issues with basic skills83% at Level 1 or below with 12% at Entry Level 3

or below for Literacy86% at Level 1 or below with 28% at Entry Level 3

or below for Numeracy

Those in comprehensives gaining GCSE grades at A* to C for the five including Maths and English/Welsh is approx 37% across RCT

Increasingly aged population with high levels of economic inactivity

Background (Contd.)

2005 Estyn InspectionGeneral Inspection of all FE provision

involving over 50 HMI and Peer Inspectors over 2 weeks (16 Learning Areas)

KQ 1 - Grade 3

KQ 2 - Grade 3

KQ 3 - Grade 3

KQ 4 - Grade 2

KQ 5 - Grade 3

KQ 6 - Grade 3

KQ 7 - Grade 3

What Happened Next?

Re-structure of middle and senior management plus teaching staff

4 Heads of Faculty to 2 Assistant Principals16 Heads of School to 6 Curriculum Area

Managers (2006)13 Senior Curriculum Leaders with specific

quality roles/responsibilities (2006)One Additional Assistant Principal

(Planning & Performance, 2007)New Principal and Deputy Principal (2008)SMT re-alignment of roles (2010)

2010 Estyn Inspection

Lighter touch – 1 week & smaller team;4 weeks notice of the inspection;List of requirements that needed to be

prepared and sent to them e.g. Current SAR and QIAP, 3 year data sets, learner surveys (plus one for Estyn), structures etc;

Pre-inspection meeting with Lead Inspector Janice Thomas;

Feedback to senior managers and governors only at the end of the week.

Lines of enquiry

5 main lines of enquiry:Standards – curriculum areas looked at

more closely in terms of data were Art & Design, Computing & IT, Hair & Beauty and Health & Care;

Quality systems impacting on standards;Curriculum planning & design;Effectiveness of Basic/Key Skills support;Strategic Partnerships and roles.

The Inspection WeekTeam of 10 HMI plus 5 Peer Inspectors;Looked at the FE and WBL provision;ACL Inspection across RCT ran parallel with

college inspection;Team reviewed documentary evidence,

carried out over 50 classroom observations investigating their “lines of enquiry”;

Spoke to tutors, SCLs, CAMs, Governors, SMT plus other staff involved with key areas e.g. Essential Skills, met with Head of LEA and telephoned employers;

The Inspection WeekInspection Team meetings at the end of

each day and feedback to Principal each day with no evenings;

Classroom observations completed by the end of Wednesday;

Final Judgement Meeting on Thursday afternoon;

Feedback to SMT on Friday morning at 11 am.

Judgement Descriptors

Excellent - Many strengths, including significant examples of sector-leading practice

Good - Many strengths and no important areas requiring significant improvement

Adequate - Strengths outweigh areas for improvement

Unsatisfactory - Important areas for improvement outweigh strengths

Summary JudgementsKQ 1 – How good are outcomes? Adequate

Standards – Adequate

Wellbeing - Good

KQ 2 – How good is provision? GoodLearning experiences - Good

Teaching - Adequate

Care support & guidance – Good

Learning Environment – Good

KQ 3 – How good are leadership & managers? GoodLeadership – Good

Improving quality – Adequate

Partnership working – Good

Resource management - Good

Overall Judgements Current Performance – Adequate

Standards that learners achieve at the college are

adequate overall; Rates at which learners have been successful in

gaining their qualifications have shown modest improvements over the last two years;

Most learners are positive about their experiences at the college and make good progress;

Most learners are well motivated and enjoy their learning. They are positive about their experiences and report that their self-confidence and self-esteem have grown since starting their programmes of learning;

Current performance –contd.the senior management team provides

effective leadership and has already demonstrated effectiveness in managing change;

the team has a clear vision and has established a secure platform for achieving its mission and priorities;

Overall Judgements- contdProspects for improvement – Good

The prospects for improvement are good because: the college has addressed all the recommendations

from the previous inspections; leaders and managers provide good leadership and

work very well together; planning for improvement is strong and senior

managers have established good lines of communication in the college, high staff morale and a culture of trust to support the effective management of change;

the rates at which learners complete and attain qualifications are improving;

there are appropriate arrangements in place for sharing good practice in teaching and learning.

Prospects for improvement - contd.

N.B. Although the judgement for key question 1 was

lower than that for key questions 2 and 3, the

inspection team’s evaluations indicated that senior

management team have clear strategies for

managing change and improving standards and

quality, and these are having a strong and noticeable

impact throughout the college.

KQ 1 – How good are outcomes?Why Adequate?

The rates at which learners achieve their quals are adequate overall and similar to other FEIs;

Variation between success rates in different areas across the college;

Evidence of high grades in some areas but not across all areas of the college;

The rates at which learners gaining their quals have shown only modest improvements over two years;

Success rates are adequate for WBL;Learners struggle with technical accuracy in written

work;Small numbers of learners develop Welsh language

skills especially those from Welsh medium schools.

KQ 2 – How good is provision?Why Good?

Broad and balanced curriculum from entry to level 4;Good progression routes;Meets the needs of learners well and provides a

good experience;Effective use of the WBQ to enhance learners’

experiences and skills;Tutors use their subject knowledge well;Excellent relationships between tutors and learners;Well planned lessons linking theory to practice;Very good care, support and guidance;Particularly good at supporting those vulnerable

learners.

KQ 3 – How good are leadership and management?

Why Good?Managers at all levels understand their

responsibilities with clear lines of accountability;Managers at all levels work well in teams; Staff morale is high;Significant improvements to communication and

culture;The college has responded very well to new national

and local priorities;Resource management is good and provides good

vfm; Joint planning with LA, FEIs/HEIs, ACL, Employers

and SSCs is strong.

RecommendationsIn order to improve, Coleg Morgannwg needs to: Improve the rates at which learners complete and

attain their qualifications;Use data more effectively to compare learners’

outcomes within the college and with other providers to plan for improvement;

Improve the overall quality of teaching;Make sure that learners have opportunities to

develop their essential skills within the context of their main course of study; and

Make sure that learners have more opportunities to develop and to maintain their bilingual skills, particularly those who have progressed from Welsh- medium schools.

College Achievements since 2008● Wales Quality Award 2009 (Bronze);● Wales Quality Award 2010 (Silver plus Most

Improved Organisation Award);● Investors in People (2009);● Corporate Health Standard 2010 (Silver)● Green Dragon Level 2 (2010);● AoC Beacon Awards 2010/11(Edge Award

and President’s Award);● Global Enterprise Challenge 2010 (3rd place

behind Australia and Japan);● Best Companies ‘One to Watch’ (2010)