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Atlantic College Inspection Report on Atlantic College Atlantic College St Donats Castle Llantwit Major CF61 1WF Date Inspection Completed 19 & 20 November 2019 Welsh Government © Crown copyright 2019. You may use and re-use the information featured in this publication (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government License. You can view the Open Government License, on the National Archives website or you can write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] You must reproduce our material accurately and not use it in a misleading context. Description of the service UWC Atlantic College is one of 18 schools provided by the United World Colleges. It is registered by the Welsh Government as an independent boarding school and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) is appointed to carry out inspections of its boarding provision. The principal is Peter Howe. There are seven boarding houses which are all on the main college campus. At the time of our inspection, there were 347 students boarding at the college. No day pupils attended. The college provides link and host families that students are able to visit and stay with. Link families provided opportunities for students to visit but not normally to stay overnight. Host families provided opportunities for students to stay with them if not returning home for instance during school holiday periods. The college is closed for two months during the summer and for a month during Christmas periods. Summary of our findings 1. Overall assessment Systems to assess the suitability and resilience of students prior to their admission have improved and students have access to a well-coordinated range of support to promote their well-being. The boarding culture is inclusive and feedback from boarders indicates that they experience a sense of security and belonging at the college. They have access to sports and leisure facilities and the standard of catering is good. There is effective leadership and management and systems for safeguarding and promoting student welfare are mostly well developed. Staffing structures have improved and all staff demonstrate a shared vision and commitment to supporting students to fulfil their potential. Systems for record keeping needed improvement. There were no records to confirm the number of students that had visited or stayed with link or host families or how students had been cared for if not returning home at least three times per year. The accommodation is generally well maintained and two new boarding houses are being built. 2. Improvements A range of improvements have been made since the last inspection which include: A strategic approach to developing the boarding provision, including new leadership and staffing structures. The appointment of an additional part time counsellor, a safeguarding lead and two deputies and a safeguarding governor. Systems to assess the resilience and suitability of students prior to admission. Systems for managing information about student welfare. The WIFI system. Storage in student bedrooms. A new gymnasium / dance studio and reception building. Page 1 Two new boarding houses are being built. 3. Requirements and recommendations Our recommendations for improvement are set out in section five of this report. They relate to documentation and records, information about raising concerns and making complaints, the independence of school counsellors, welfare plans, student surveys, showering facilities, external lighting and pathways, staff training and link and host families. Page 2 1. Well-being Our findings Students feel safe and have a sense of belonging. Their welfare is promoted and they have positive relationships with each other and with staff. Feedback from students indicated that they felt safe and experienced a sense of belonging that supported their ability to manage the challenges they faced while away from home. We saw that students and staff engaged well together and that staff made themselves accessible when requested. The boarding community was international and student feedback indicated that cultural differences were celebrated. We saw in documentation that students were invited to bring clothing with them to represent their heritage. Students were seen to have developed friendships and support networks with others and to be relaxed and confident as they went about their routines. This is evidence that students and staff relate well together within a community that is supportive and promotes individuality. Students maintain contact with people who are significant to them. They told us it was not always easy to have private conversations with family members although staff were flexible if they needed to contact them at night due to time differences with their countries. This is evidence that students have opportunities to maintain relationships that support their well-being. Students do things they enjoy. They told us that trips were arranged to visit places of interest and that the balance between their studies and free time was acceptable. Some said they did not feel that enough was done to arrange sporting events with other schools but we were told that students had arranged one football match with another school. They were able to access the new gymnasium and dance studio and play sports such as badminton. The college promoted outdoor pursuits which included climbing, caving and water sports. Staff told us that consent was obtained from students’ parents to take part in these and that any specialist instruction was provided by personnel with relevant qualifications and insurance. The college was potentially isolated and local facilities were limited although the college was on a bus route. There was a local public house with restaurant which some students went to and a restaurant and takeaway in a nearby village. We conclude that students have opportunities to socialise and engage in activities but can feel isolated. Students have a voice. There were five student councils and feedback from students indicated that their views were actively sought and given due regard. Helpline posters were displayed in the boarding houses and information in the student handbook was generally comprehensive and rights focussed. The statement of boarding principles and practice and student handbook did not include Page 3 information about making complaints; other than in relation to staff or peers. They did not include information about raising concerns with Care Inspectorate Wales. We conclude that students are listened to and their views are valued but information about complaints and concerns needs improvement. Page 4 2. Care and Support Our findings Students have access to detailed information about the college. They told us they had attended a comprehensive induction programme when they arrived and this included information about the support services the college provided. The information in the statement of boarding principles and practice and student handbook provided well for this purpose. Information in the support and well- being team handbook 2019 made reference to counsellors but the information about their roles referred to psychologists. We confirmed that the counsellors were not qualified as psychologists but were advised that counsellors were commonly referred to in other EU countries as psychologists. The college had improved systems for requesting information from students’ parents / guardians as recommended at previous inspections. The revised forms included a request for information about any known history of mental health support needs and any associated behaviours. We were advised that psychologists had become involved in student selection processes to assist in the assessment of their resilience and ability to manage the academic, emotional and other challenges they might face at the college. Consultation with leadership staff indicated they had a good understanding of the challenges students might face and that this underpinned their approach to safeguarding and promoting their well-being. We conclude that systems to assess the suitability of students have improved as well as systems to understand and meet their support needs. Personal tutors were allocated to have an overall view of students’ progress and to liaise with their parents / guardians, teachers and house parents to ensure their support needs were known and provided for. They also liaised with health or other professionals if any specific support needs were identified. Whilst feedback about the tutor and house parent system was mostly positive some students told us they felt there was a potential conflict of interest when senior members of staff fulfilled these roles. For example the Principal was also a tutor. This conflict could also arise within the context of managing discipline. Confusion was expressed by some students about who they should speak to if they had difficulty with a member of their support team if they were also in a senior position. Students are confident and have positive relationships with staff and peers. We observed that students were confident in their environment and engaged in emotionally warm relationships with each other and boarding staff. Documentation stated that house parents were responsible for the day to day running of the boarding houses and for promoting the well-being of students. Student feedback about house parents was very positive with several describing them as being like their parents. One
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