St Vincent College Inspection Report January 2000
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St Vincent College REPORT FROM THE INSPECTORATE 1999-00 THE FURTHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL THE FURTHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL The Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) has a legal duty to make sure further education in England is properly assessed. The FEFC’s inspectorate inspects and reports on each college of further education according to a four-year cycle. It also inspects other further education provision funded by the FEFC. In fulfilling its work programme, the inspectorate assesses and reports nationally on the curriculum, disseminates good practice and advises the FEFC’s quality assessment committee. College inspections are carried out in accordance with the framework and guidelines described in Council Circulars 97/12, 97/13 and 97/22. Inspections seek to validate the data and judgements provided by colleges in self-assessment reports. They involve full-time inspectors and registered part-time inspectors who have knowledge of, and experience in, the work they inspect. A member of the Council’s audit service works with inspectors in assessing aspects of governance and management. All colleges are invited to nominate a senior member of their staff to participate in the inspection as a team member. Cheylesmore House Quinton Road Coventry CV1 2WT Telephone 024 7686 3000 Fax 024 7686 3100 Website www.fefc.ac.uk © FEFC 2000 You may photocopy this report and use extracts in promotional or other material provided quotes are accurate, and the findings are not misrepresented. Contents Paragraph Summary Context The college and its mission 1 The inspection 6 Curriculum areas Science 10 Health and community care 17 Modern languages 24 Cultural studies 31 Basic skills 36 Cross-college provision Support for students 43 General resources 52 Quality assurance 58 Governance 65 Management 72 Conclusions 80 College statistics St Vincent College Grade Descriptors Student Achievements Inspectors assess the strengths and weaknesses Where data on student achievements appear in of each aspect of provision they inspect. Their tables, levels of achievement are shown in three assessments are set out in the report. They use ways: a five-point scale to summarise the balance • as number of starters, which is the number between strengths and weaknesses. of enrolments on qualifications where the The descriptors for the grades are: student was expecting to complete the qualification that college year. For • grade 1 – outstanding provision which has example, a student on a two-year many strengths and few weaknesses programme who began their programme • grade 2 – good provision in which the in October 1995, would appear in the strengths clearly outweigh the weaknesses results for 1996-97 because this is the • grade 3 – satisfactory provision with year in which they expected to complete strengths but also some weaknesses their qualification • grade 4 – less than satisfactory provision • as a retention rate, which is the in which the weaknesses clearly outweigh percentage of qualifications which students the strengths have completed as expected or where they are continuing their studies beyond the • grade 5 – poor provision which has few expected end date of the qualification. For strengths and many weaknesses. programmes of study of two years or more, Audit conclusions are expressed as good, retention is calculated across the whole adequate or weak. programme, that is, from the start to the Aggregated grades for aspects of cross-college end of the qualification provision and curriculum areas, for colleges • as an achievement rate, which is the inspected during 1998-99, are shown in the number of qualifications students have following table. fully achieved as a percentage of completed qualifications with a known Grade outcome. Partial achievements are not included. 12345 %%%%% Curriculum areas 10 53 30 7 – Cross-college provision 14 54 23 7 2 Source: Quality and Standards in Further Education in England 1998-99: Chief inspector’s annual report Sample size: 104 college inspections Summary St Vincent College consultative and supportive; communications are open and productive and all staff invest South East Region significant time and energy in quality assurance. Governors are enthusiastic and demonstrate Inspected January 2000 high levels of commitment to the college. The corporation is efficiently clerked. St Vincent College is a community sixth form Accommodation is much improved since the last college in Gosport, Hampshire. The college inspection and IT and learning resources have offers courses in all 10 of the FEFC’s benefited from significant investment. The programme areas. The inspection covered four college should: address declining student programme areas and led to five grades being retention rates in some subjects; consider awarded. The college produced its fourth strategies for overseeing aspects of cross-college self-assessment report in November 1999. work such as basic skills and diagnostic Evidence to support judgements was clearly assessment for learning support; continue to presented. Inspectors agreed with most of the pursue its IT strategy so that computers are judgements in the self-assessment report. They available in more classrooms; develop the use of considered that some strengths had been its increasingly accurate management overstated and identified a few additional information; and continue to improve access for weaknesses. Inspectors awarded grades lower students with limited mobility. Governors than the college in two curriculum areas and in should establish clear methods for monitoring cross-college areas one higher and one lower. the college’s academic performance. St Vincent College has a strong commitment to The grades awarded as a result of the inspection its local community; it utilises its extensive are given below: range of partnerships to develop innovative projects aimed at enhancing the education, training and leisure provision for the Gosport area. Teaching is effective and imaginative, staff are well qualified and experienced and there is a strong emphasis on celebrating success at all levels and encouraging students to succeed. Tutorial support is comprehensive and students benefit from an extensive range of extra-curricular activities. Students’ achievements are outstanding in some areas of the curriculum. Leadership from managers is Curriculum area Grade Cross-college provision Grade Science 2 Support for students 2 Health and community care 2 General resources 2 Modern languages 2 Quality assurance 2 Cultural studies 2 Governance 2 Basic skills 3 Management 1 St Vincent College 1 Context The College and its Mission £15,000 or less. The percentage of adults with low literacy and numeracy is higher than the 1 St Vincent College was established as an national average. The college receives no open access sixth form college as part of a funding under the present criteria for the reorganisation of secondary education in widening participation factor. Gosport in 1987. The staying-on rate was 4 St Vincent College has five faculties: significantly below the Hampshire average at cultural studies and languages; business and that time, and reorganisation was intended to mathematics; sciences; society and leisure; and encourage more students to remain in education performing and expressive arts. There are also beyond the age of 16. The college has grown in three college units for lifelong learning, learning the last decade. It sponsors adult education support and vocational and professional courses. programmes in five partner community schools The college works with eleven 11 to 16 schools and provides their adult basic education in Fareham and Gosport, and enrols students courses. The staying-on rate in Gosport has from further afield. Students are also enrolled risen to 70%. From an initial intake of 250 in from schools for students with moderate and 1987, the college now has 1,142 full-time and severe learning difficulties. One Gosport school 2,151 part-time enrolments. Over 90% of was given permission to re-establish a sixth full-time students are aged 16 to 18. form, which opened in 1996. The nearest of six 2 The college is sited on a former naval further education colleges in the Portsmouth establishment. The 12-hectare site has an area is only 4 miles away. interesting waterfront on a tidal creek which 5 The mission states that ‘the college will flows into Portsmouth Harbour. A new primary provide a challenging educational environment school has been built on the site and has shared where everyone can achieve both individual and use of the playing field. The college continues to group potential. The college will continue to run a community leisure centre and has value and strive for quality provision building on extended its work in the community. It is the best traditions of the sixth form ethos’. The embarking on a community arts programme. college defines these features as being: a 3 Gosport has a population of 76,700 flexible, responsive curriculum; progression clustered on a peninsula which has poor road opportunities for students; an accessible and no rail communications. It is linked to learning environment for all members of the Portsmouth and the railway by a passenger community; a rewarding learning experience ferry. There are few major employers, apart and a social context in which individuals feel from the Ministry of Defence. Most jobs in the valued. The college also aims to offer the local area are in defence, health care, retailing, community opportunities for taking part in catering and business administration. There are high-quality leisure, recreational and cultural fewer employment opportunities for activities. professionals and managers than for semi-skilled manual workers. The loss of major employers and the contraction of defence work have caused hardship in the area during recent years. The current rate of unemployment in the area is 4.7%, which is significantly higher than the regional average of 2.7%. Of the households in Gosport Borough, 20% are on means-tested benefits and over 50% have a gross income of St Vincent College 2 Context The Inspection 7 The inspection was carried out in conjunction with three inspectors from the 6 The college was inspected in January 2000.