Sir George Monoux College REPORT FROM THE INSPECTORATE 1998-99 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 01203 863000 Fax 01203 863100 Website http://www.fefc.ac.uk © FEFC 1999 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 5 Curriculum areas Mathematics 8 Information technology and computing 13 Media and performing arts 21 Social sciences 27 Cross-college provision Support for students 33 General resources 41 Quality assurance 47 Governance 53 Management 61 Conclusions 69 College statistics Sir George Monoux 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 expected completions, which is the between strengths and weaknesses. number of initial enrolments on The descriptors for the grades are: qualifications where the student expected to complete the qualification in a given • grade 1 – outstanding provision which has year. For example, a student on a many strengths and few weaknesses two-year programme who began their • grade 2 – good provision in which the programme in October 1995, would appear strengths clearly outweigh the weaknesses in the results for 1996-97 because this is • grade 3 – satisfactory provision with the year in which they expected to strengths but also some weaknesses complete 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 the the strengths students have completed as expected (or are continuing with the prospect of late • grade 5 – poor provision which has few completion). For programmes of study of strengths and many weaknesses. two years or more, retention is calculated Audit conclusions are expressed as good, across the whole programme, that is, from adequate or weak. the start to the end of the qualification Aggregated grades for aspects of cross-college • as an achievement rate, which is the provision and curriculum areas, for colleges number of qualifications students have inspected during 1997-98, are shown in the fully achieved as a percentage of following table. completed qualifications with a known outcome. Partial achievements are not Grade shown. 12345 %%%%% Curriculum areas 9 60 29 2 – Cross-college provision 18 54 24 4 – Source: Quality and Standards in Further Education in England 1997-98: Chief inspector’s annual report Sample size: 108 college inspections Summary Sir George Monoux College which compare favourably with national averages for sixth form colleges. The average Greater London Region GCE A level point score per entry and per candidate have risen steadily over the past four Inspected January 1999 years. GNVQ results are similar to national averages. Impartial advice helps students make Sir George Monoux College is a sixth form informed choices about which courses to follow. college in the London borough of Waltham Induction programmes are effective. There is a Forest. The college produced a comprehensive well-organised tutorial system which provides self-assessment report that proved to be both good support for students. Major developments rigorous and realistic. All sections of the have taken place in quality assurance since the college, including the governing body, had been last inspection and there are now effective involved in its production and inspectors agreed review processes for courses and services which with most of the strengths and weaknesses are reinforced by rigorous internal inspections. identified in the report. The majority of the Governors are involved in the systematically weaknesses had been addressed by the time of organised strategic planning process. The the inspection but, in some cases, it was too recent organisational restructuring has been early to assess the full impact of some of the successfully managed in a manner that staff intended improvement which had been have found very supportive. Good planning is undertaken. Inspectors agreed with three of the supported by reliable management information four curriculum grades awarded by the college, and the rigorous monitoring of progress on and three of the five cross-college grades. action taken. The accommodation and specialist The college offers some provision in seven of the equipment have been substantially improved FEFC’s programme areas. Provision in three of since the last inspection. The college should these areas was inspected. The main provision address: aspects of teaching and learning in of the college covers GCE A level, GNVQ and some areas; some poor GCSE results; low two GCSE courses for 16 to 19 year olds. The retention on some courses; the induction and college has made significant progress since the training needs of governors; the monitoring of last inspection in all areas of its activity. The the effectiveness of the new learning support college’s management is outstanding. arrangements; and the careers support available Programmes of study are well organised and the for students not progressing to higher education. quality of most teaching and learning is good. The grades awarded as a result of the inspection GCE A level grades are generally in line with are given below. expectations based on students’ GCSE entry scores and many subjects have achievements Curriculum area Grade Cross-college provision Grade Mathematics 3 Support for students 2 Information technology and computing 3 General resources 2 Media and performing arts 2 Quality assurance 2 Social sciences 2 Governance 2 Management 1 Sir George Monoux College 1 Context The College and its Mission 3 The principal took up post in September 1996. The college’s management, curriculum 1 Sir George Monoux College was established management and support services were in 1986 as part of a reorganisation of secondary restructured within the first two terms of the education in the London borough of Waltham 1996-97 academic year. The college employs Forest. It is located on a single 17.5 acre site in 81 full-time equivalent staff of which 43% are Walthamstow. The main building is set back support staff. Staffing costs as a percentage from the road in landscaped grounds, of total income have reduced sharply since surrounded by two playing fields. The college 1995-96 and in 1997-98 were 65%. serves a wide catchment area and 55% of its 4 The college’s mission is to provide high- students live in the neighbouring London quality education primarily for 16 to 19 year boroughs of Newham, Haringey, Hackney, olds in a supportive and friendly environment Enfield and Tower Hamlets. In the area covered where students come first. The college values: by the London East Training and Enterprise Council (TEC), within which the college is • consistently high achievement situated, there are six general further education • good relationship with students colleges and four sixth form colleges. • the development of personal and social Unemployment in Newham and Waltham Forest skills. at 11.1% and 7.1%, respectively, is higher than the average of 6.1% for Greater London. The Inspection 2 In December 1998, there were 1,066 5 The college was inspected during the students at the college, all of them 16 to 19 week beginning 11 January 1999. Before the year olds on full-time courses. The Further inspection, inspectors considered the college’s Education Funding Council (FEFC) has identified self-assessment report and reviewed information the college as one of a group of colleges which from other directorates of the FEFC. This typically recruits a high percentage of students included data on students’ achievements from from disadvantaged areas. Over 80% of the 1994 to 1997 which were derived from the students come from minority ethnic individualised student record (ISR). This was backgrounds and this is higher than the supplemented by data provided by the college percentage of people from minority ethnic on students’ achievements in 1997-98. These groups living in the London East TEC area. Of latest data were checked against class registers the students recruited in 1998, 53% are female. and pass lists from examining bodies. The The college curriculum provision includes 28 college was given about two months’ notice of general certificate of education advanced level the sample of provision to be inspected. The (GCE A level) subjects, seven advanced, six inspection was carried out by a team of nine intermediate and two foundation general inspectors and an auditor working in the college national vocational qualifications (GNVQs), for a total of 40 days.