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R E P O RT FROM THE INSPECTORATE

1999-00

Shena SimonCollege

THEFURTHEREDUCATIONFUNDINGCOUNCIL

THE FURTHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL

The Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) has a legal duty to makesure further education in England is properly assessed. The FEFC’sinspectorate inspects and reports on each college of further educationaccording to a four-year cycle. It also inspects other further educationprovision funded by the FEFC. In fulfilling its work programme, theinspectorate assesses and reports nationally on the curriculum,disseminates good practice and advises the FEFC’s quality assessmentcommittee.

College inspections are carried out in accordance with the framework andguidelines described in Council Circulars 97/12, 97/13 and 97/22.Inspections seek to validate the data and judgements provided by collegesin self-assessment reports. They involve full-time inspectors and registeredpart-time inspectors who have knowledge of, and experience in, the workthey inspect. A member of the Council’s audit service works withinspectors in assessing aspects of governance and management. Allcolleges are invited to nominate a senior member of their staff toparticipate in the inspection as a team member.

Cheylesmore HouseQuinton RoadCoventry CV1 2WTTelephone 024 7686 3000Fax 024 7686 3100Website www.fefc.ac.uk

© FEFC 2000 You may photocopy this report and use extracts inpromotional or other material provided quotes ar eaccurate, and the findings are not misrepresented.

Shena Simon College

Contents

Paragraph

Summary

Context

The college and its mission 1

The inspection 8

Curriculum areas

Mathematics and science 11

Business and accounting 16

Psychology, sociology and English 21

ESOL 27

Basic skills 32

Cross-college provision

Support for students 38

General resources 45

Quality assurance 54

Governance 62

Management 69

Conclusions 77

College statistics

Grade DescriptorsInspectors assess the strengths and weaknessesof each aspect of provision they inspect. Theirassessments are set out in the report. They usea five-point scale to summarise the balancebetween strengths and weaknesses.

The descriptors for the grades are:

• grade 1 – outstanding provision which hasmany strengths and few weaknesses

• grade 2 – good provision in which thestrengths clearly outweigh the weaknesses

• grade 3 – satisfactory provision withstrengths but also some weaknesses

• grade 4 – less than satisfactory provisionin which the weaknesses clearly outweighthe strengths

• grade 5 – poor provision which has fewstrengths and many weaknesses.

Audit conclusions are expressed as good,adequate or weak.

Aggregated grades for aspects of cross-collegeprovision and curriculum areas, for collegesinspected during 1998-99, are shown in thefollowing table.

Grade

1 2 3 4 5% % % % %

Curriculumareas 10 53 30 7 –

Cross-college provision 14 54 23 7 2

Source: Quality and Standards in Further Educationin England 1998-99: Chief inspector’s annual repor tSample size: 104 college inspections

Student AchievementsWhere data on student achievements appear intables, levels of achievement are shown in threeways:

• as number of starters, which is the numberof enrolments on qualifications where thestudent was expecting to complete thequalification that college year. Forexample, a student on a two-yearprogramme who began their programme in October 1995, would appear in theresults for 1996-97 because this is theyear in which they expected to completetheir qualification

• as a retention rate, which is thepercentage of qualifications which studentshave completed as expected or where theyare continuing their studies beyond theexpected end date of the qualification. Forprogrammes of study of two years or more,retention is calculated across the wholeprogramme, that is, from the start to theend of the qualification

• as an achievement rate, which is thenumber of qualifications students havefully achieved as a percentage ofcompleted qualifications with a knownoutcome. Partial achievements are notincluded.

Shena Simon College

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Summary

Shena Simon College

North West Region

Inspected May 2000

Summary

Shena Simon College is a designated sixth formcollege located in the centre of Manchester.Its recruitment and curriculum is not typical fora sixth form college. The college produced adetailed and thorough self-assessment report. It was prepared with the involvement of staffand validated through panels which includedgovernors. Inspectors agreed with many of thejudgements in the report but considered thatinsufficient importance had been attached toweaknesses in retention and achievement. The quality of teaching and learning had beenoverestimated. Inspectors agreed with one of thecurriculum grades awarded by the college butconsidered that the remaining curriculumgrades and all the grades for aspects of cross-college provision had been overgenerous.

The college offers courses in seven out of the 10 FEFC programme areas. Provision in four ofthese areas was inspected together with basicskills and aspects of cross-college provision. The college has diversified its curriculumconsiderably since the last inspection in linewith its stated aim to meet the needs of its localcommunity. A very high proportion of its

students are drawn from disadvantaged areas.Provision of ESOL courses is outstanding. The college’s courses are generally well plannedand benefit from good specialist resources. A well-conceived accommodation strategy hasenabled the college to implement substantialmodernisation and refurbishment of part of itsbuilding whilst also improving its financialposition. There are good links with a broadrange of external partners. Retention rates onmany courses are poor and the proportion ofstudents beginning courses who achieve thequalification is low. Reliable managementinformation is not widely available noreffectively used. The college should improve: thequality of teaching and learning; retention ratesand the number of students achieving theirintended qualification; the implementation of itsstudent support system; the use of managementinformation to monitor and review itsperformance; the rigour of its quality assurancearrangements; and the use of performanceindicators and targets in the management of allareas of college activity.

Curriculum area Grade

Mathematics and science 4

Business and accounting 4

Psychology, sociology and English 4

ESOL 1

Basic skills 3

Cross-college provision Grade

Support for students 4

General resources 3

Quality assurance 4

Governance 3

Management 4

The grades awarded as a result of the inspection are given below

Context

The College and its Mission

1 Shena Simon College is located in thecentre of Manchester. It is on a single site in agrade II listed building dating from the end ofthe nineteenth century. The college wasestablished in 1982 as part of Manchester’sreorganisation of secondary education.

2 Manchester is a city which has benefitedfrom economic regeneration in recent years. It isa financial, media and cultural centre andretains a manufacturing base. It has the largestconcentration of universities in Europe. Nationalagencies and businesses are based in the city.Beyond the city boundaries are areas ofsignificant social and economic deprivation.These are amongst the 10% most deprivedwards in England and Wales. The city ofManchester itself is ranked the third-mostdeprived local authority in England. Of itsresident population of around 405,000, 12% areunemployed, the highest percentage within theNorth West and double the national average.The population is diverse with 13% coming fromminority ethnic groups.

3 Only 51% of the city’s school-leaverscontinued in education in 1998 which is belowthe national average of 71% and the North Westregional average of 66%. Of the 16 year oldscompleting their compulsory education, 29%achieved five or more general certificate ofsecondary education (GCSE) passes at grade Cor above compared with the national average of 46%.

4 The choice for students progressing fromyear 11 in Manchester schools is extensive.There are sixth forms in eight independentsector schools, two schools with sixth forms,seven with elements of sixth form provision, twogeneral further education colleges and threesixth form colleges. In the other three City Prideauthorities of Salford, Tameside and Traffordthere are a further four general furthereducation colleges and three sixth form colleges.Colleges in Stockport and Oldham are also

within easy travelling distance for somestudents.

5 The Further Education Funding Council(FEFC) has identified the college as one of agroup which typically recruits a high percentageof students from disadvantaged areas.Approximately 50% of the student population in1998-99 was from minority ethnic groups. Thecollege offers courses at entry, foundation,intermediate and advanced levels andfoundation courses for international studentsprogressing to higher education. By November1999, the college had enrolled 1,480 students.Of these 728 were full time. A significant trendhas been the increase in the number of adultstudents who now represent approximately 60%of the total enrolment. In particular, there hasbeen an increase in students taking courses inEnglish for speakers of other languages (ESOL).

6 The senior management team of the collegecomprises the principal, the curriculum anddevelopment manager, the finance andresources manager and the administrativemanager. At middle management level there arethree curriculum programme directors, aninternational manager with responsibility forESOL, a director of student services and adirector of quality. As at July 1999, the collegeemployed 44 full-time equivalent teaching staffand 28 full-time equivalent support staff.

7 The college’s mission is to ‘provide a choiceof educational opportunity which enablesindividuals to fulfil their potential’. Its corevalues are commitment, quality and diversity. Inworking to fulfil its mission, the college hasestablished five strategic objectives linked toprovision, quality, finance, human resources andphysical resources.

The Inspection

8 The college was inspected during the weekbeginning 22 May 2000. The inspection teamhad previously evaluated the college’s

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Context

self-assessment report and had studiedinformation held by other directorates of theFEFC. Inspectors used data on students’achievements drawn from the college’sindividualised student record (ISR) returns to theFEFC for 1997 and 1998. The college wasunable to submit reliable data on students’achievements for 1999. A summary table ofstudents’ achievements for the college is notincluded in this report. Inaccuracies in collegedata found by inspectors suggest that previousdata may be unreliable. The college was notifiedapproximately two months before the inspectionof the sample of its provision to be inspected.The inspection was carried out by 11 inspectorsworking for 40 days and an auditor working forfive days. Inspection team members observed 64 lessons, evaluated students’ work andexamined college documents. Inspectors heldmeetings with college governors, managers,other college staff and students. They consulteda number of representatives from local bodies.

9 The following table shows the grades givento the lessons inspected and the national profilefor all colleges inspected in 1998-99. Of thelessons observed, 49% were judged to be goodor outstanding which compares unfavourablywith the national average for all collegesinspected in 1998-99 of 65%, and 6% werejudged to be less than satisfactory, the sameproportion as the national average.

Programmes Grade Totals1 2 3 4 5

GCE A/AS level 0 5 9 0 0 14

GCSE 1 2 7 1 0 11

GNVQ 1 1 2 1 0 5

Tutorials 0 3 4 2 0 9

Other* 10 8 7 0 0 25

Total (No.) 12 19 29 4 0 64

Total (%) 19 30 45 6 0 100

National average,all inspected colleges 1998-99 (%) 20 45 29 6 0 100

Source for national average: Quality and Standards in Further Education in England 1998-99: Chief inspector’s annual repor t*includes basic education and basic skills

Lessons: inspection grades by programme of study

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Context

10 The following table shows the attendancerates in the lessons observed and the nationalaverage for all colleges inspected in 1998-99.

Average number Average attendanceof students (%)

Shena Simon College 8.9 69

National average, all inspected colleges 1998-99 11.2 78

Source for national average: Quality and Standards in Further Education in England 1998-99:Chief inspector’s annual repor t

Attendance rates in lessons observed

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Curriculum Areas

Mathematics and Science

Grade 411 Inspectors observed 10 lessons coveringgeneral certificate of education advancedlevel (GCE A level) and GCSE mathematicsand science courses. Inspectors agreed with most of the judgements in the college’ sself-assessment report. However, theyconsidered that strengths had beenoveremphasised and some weaknesses hadbeen overlooked.

Key strengths

• helpful additional revision lessons

• some good equipment and specialistresources

Weaknesses

• failure of much teaching to take intoaccount the needs of students

• poor retention on all courses

• low pass rates on many courses

• lateness and poor attendance rates

12 The college offers a range of science andmathematics courses leading to GCSE and GCEA level qualifications. This strength wasrecognised in the college’s self-assessmentreport. A change to modular syllabuses hasincreased the flexibility in attendance patterns.Science teams meet regularly to plan coursesand review assessment procedures. However,there are few significant improvements to theprovision arising from course review andevaluations. Target-setting is over-ambitious andtargets are not being met. The data on students’achievements used in this process are notaccurate. Students’ attendance during inspectionwas poor. For example, only five out of 10students turned up to a revision lesson inpreparation for an examination. The college didnot acknowledge this weakness in its self-assessment report. There is some evidence that

the strategies recently introduced to improveattendance are having an effect.

13 Although all the lessons observed were atleast satisfactory, the proportion which weregood or outstanding is less than the nationalaverage. The self-assessment report recognisesthe need to extend the range of teachingmethods in use. Relationships between teachersand students are good. Inspectors agreed withthe self-assessment report that most teaching iswell organised. Students state that teachers arewilling to help them outside of formal lessontimes. For example, teachers offer additionallessons during lunchtimes on a regular basis.Attendance at these is good and they provide afocal point for students’ revision. In the bestlessons teachers motivate students well. Forexample, in a GCSE physics lesson the teacherleapt into the air and then had a livelydiscussion with students about the number offorms of energy involved. In another lesson,mathematics students of widely differingabilities were managed effectively andconcentrated well on their studies. However, inmany lessons clear learning goals are notestablished. Teachers’ presentation ofinformation lacks imagination and is often dull.Students are not sufficiently involved in thelessons and become bored. In some lessonsstudents arrived late or left early. There is apolicy for setting and marking students’ workwhich is adhered to by teachers. Some of themarking, however, is insufficiently rigorous andin marking their work teachers missopportunities to extend students’ learning.

14 Retention rates are low on all courses, aweakness recognised in the college’s self-assessment report. Retention on GCSEmathematics courses, where there are largenumbers of students, is consistently low at about55%. The evidence from the current studentcohort indicates that improved monitoring ofattendance and a more thorough inductionprogramme are improving matters. In 1998,only 35 out of 146 students who were expected

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Curriculum Areas

to complete GCE A level courses passed. In GCEA level chemistry only 30% of students whocompleted the course passed. Few studentsprogress to higher education courses. Manystudents lack confidence and have poorpresentation skills. Poor English hamperedstudents’ ability to organise and present theirwork effectively. Frequently experimentalprocedures or the assessment requirements ofcourses were misinterpreted.

15 The science and mathematics sections havebeen relocated into refurbished accommodation.It is light and airy, and in good decorative order.There is a lack of bench space for practical workwith large classes. The biology and physicslaboratories do not have blackout facilities. Thishas caused problems with some work, especially

when practicals on optics are involved. Studentsare encouraged to use information technology(IT) which is easily accessed in a nearbylearning centre. Science subjects are effectivelyserviced by technicians. There is sufficientequipment of a good standard for the needs ofcurrent courses.

Type of qualification Level Numbers and Completion year

outcome 1997 1998 1999

GCSE physics 2 Number of starters 26 * *Retention (%) 73 * *Achievement (%) 21 * *

GCSE mathematics 2 Number of starters 220 224 *Retention (%) 56 55 *Achievement (%) 24 33 *

GCSE biology 2 Number of starters 29 24 *Retention (%) 55 63 *Achievement (%) 13 53 *

GCE A level chemistry 3 Number of starters 35 36 *Retention (%) 66 58 *Achievement (%) 30 30 *

GCE A level physics 3 Number of starters 28 18 *Retention (%) 61 44 *Achievement (%) 29 67 *

GCE A level mathematics 3 Number of starters 50 66 *Retention (%) 48 48 *Achievement (%) 62 58 *

Source: ISR (1997 and 1998), college (1999)*data unreliable

A summary of retention and achievementrates in mathematics and science, 1997 to 1999

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Curriculum Areas

Business and Accounting

Grade 416 Inspectors observed 10 lessons coveringacademic and vocational business studies and accounting courses. They agreed withmuch of the college’s self-assessment, but considered that some strengths wer eoveremphasised and weaknesses relating to student retention and achievement were understated.

Key strengths

• good pass rates on general nationalvocational qualification (GNVQ)intermediate business courses

• good use of IT in business studies

• productive use of local links incoursework

Weaknesses

• infrequent opportunities for students totake an active part in lessons

• poor retention rates on most courses

• poor pass rates on GCE A level businessstudies courses

• declining enrolments on many courses

17 The college offers full-time courses in GCE A level and GCSE business studies andaccounting, and GNVQ intermediate andadvanced business. Part-time one-year courses in GCE A level business studies, basicbook-keeping and text processing are offered inthe evening. As the self-assessment reportobserved, recruitment for all full-time courseshas fallen significantly since 1997. For example,total enrolments for GCE A level and GCSEbusiness studies fell by 34% and 50%,respectively, from 1997 to 1999. As a result ofconsistently poor retention and achievementrates for part-time GCE A level courses, thecollege has decided to introduce a BTECnational certificate from next year. A number of

students received insufficient guidance beforejoining their course.

18 Most teaching was satisfactory. Inspectorsjudged two of the 10 lessons observed to begood or outstanding. This is considerably belowthe national average in this programme area. In the best lessons teachers set clear objectivesand set demanding work for their students. In these lessons, teachers use probingquestioning to check students’ learning. In many lessons, the teaching is uninspiring, andfails to sustain students’ interest. Studentssometimes spend lengthy periods listening to the teacher. On most courses, students work on individual tasks and have few opportunitiesto work together. Some teachers make poor use of teaching aids. For example, in twolessons, teachers confused students by presenting graphical displays inaccurately.

19 Inspectors agreed with the college thatbusiness studies students make effective use ofIT. A GCSE business studies student used theInternet to obtain company annual reports andaccounts to compare the financial performanceof two major companies. GCE A level businessstudents use relevant software to revise formodular examinations. Accounting studentshave fewer opportunities to use IT in lessons.Key skills are effectively developed on vocationalcourses. The use of learning materials linked tobusiness contexts has improved students’motivation. Most vocational assignments arewell planned. In the best examples, students areprovided with detailed assessment plans,supported by briefings from teachers. Inspectorsagreed that students have a wide range ofopportunities to undertake investigation of localbusiness contexts. For example, GNVQintermediate business students were required toassume the roles of ‘mystery customers’ invisiting a local outlet for a national pizza chainfor an assignment on customer service. Internalverification processes for GNVQ courses are wellplanned and effective. Whilst specialist teaching

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Curriculum Areas

rooms are bright and contain topical displays,lighting and acoustics are poor. There are textbooks available for all courses. IT resources areavailable in most specialist rooms.

20 The college recognises that retention ratesare poor. Most are significantly below nationalaverages. Only two-thirds of students completedthe GNVQ intermediate business and GCE Alevel accounting courses in 1998 and only halfcompleted the GCE A level business studiescourse. The college also identified poorachievement on some courses as a weakness.However, it has not attached sufficientsignificance to the extent of this weakness, or tothe low number of students enrolled on courseswho achieve the relevant qualification. Forexample, of 39 students enrolled on the GCE Alevel business studies course in 1998 only fourobtained the qualification. Few students gainedhigh grades on GCSE accounting. Of those whocompleted the course only 25% and 7% achievedhigh grades in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Pass

rates on GNVQ intermediate business courseswere above the national averages at 80% in1997 and 88% in 1998. On courses which arecontinuously assessed, students’ portfolios andproject work are of an appropriate level for thegrades awarded. A significant minority ofstudents display weak analysis and evaluationskills, which affects their ability to perform wellin external examinations.


outcome 1997 1998 1999

GCSE accounting 2 Number of starters 24 18 *Retention (%) 54 83 *Achievement (%) 25 7 *

GNVQ intermediate 2 Number of starters 20 27 *business Retention (%) 55 67 *

Achievement (%) 80 88 *

GCE A level accounting 3 Number of starters * 13 *Retention (%) * 62 *Achievement (%) * 13 *

GCE A level business studies 3 Number of starters 35 39 *Retention (%) 74 51 *Achievement (%) 42 27 *


A summary of retention and achievementrates in business and accounting,1997 to 1999

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Curriculum Areas

Psychology, Sociology andEnglish

Grade 4 21 The inspection covered English andsocial sciences at GCSE and GCE A level. Tenlessons were observed. Inspectors broadlyagreed with the judgements in the self-assessment report, but considered that theweaknesses in retention and achievement hadbeen given insufficient emphasis.

Key strengths

• well-documented courses and thoroughmarking of students’ work

• good individual support for students

Weaknesses

• some dull and unimaginative teaching

• low attendance at lessons

• poor retention rates on all courses

• unsatisfactory pass rates on some courses

• insufficient use of IT

• ineffective co-ordination of sociology

22 English, psychology and sociology coursesare offered at GCSE and GCE A level. They areeach managed by a course leader. Practicevaries across the three areas and in sociology,subject co-ordination is ineffective, a weaknesswhich was not identified in the college’s self-assessment report. Targets are not consistentlyset or achieved. Insufficient use is made ofvalue-added data to improve performance. Mostcourses are well planned and suitablydocumented. There are common schemes ofwork, shared handouts and good course files.Subject teams meet regularly and minutes aretaken. However, actions from previous meetingsare not followed up in subsequent minutes.

23 Most teaching is satisfactory, althoughsome was dull and undemanding and failed tosustain students’ interest. In some lessons,

teachers gave students little opportunity to worktogether or to contribute to the development ofthe lesson. In others, teachers failed to use asufficiently wide range of appropriate methodsto excite and motivate students. This weaknesswas not recognised in the self-assessmentreport. During the inspection the average classsize was 5.9. In one GCSE psychology lesson,only three students attended and this severelylimited discussion of the revision topic.Inspectors graded three of the lessons observedas good. There are detailed lesson plans andhelpful worksheets. In the best lessons, teachingis demanding, lively, and well managed.Teachers make good use of questioning and ofstudents’ contributions. In a GCSE Englishlesson students presented their researchfindings on a set text and faced somechallenging questioning. Attendance variedacross lessons observed but was poor overall at59%. Students arriving late for lessons alsodisrupted teaching.

24 Support for individual students is effective,a strength identified in the self-assessmentreport. Teachers review students’ progressregularly and organise extra sessions for thosewho require additional help. Students spokeenthusiastically of the support received fromtheir teachers. Assignments are carefullyplanned and documented. Most students’ workis marked thoroughly and teachers providestudents with detailed and helpful feedback onhow they can improve their performance.Students’ errors in spelling and punctuation arecorrected. Teachers hold meetings tostandardise their marking.

25 Inspectors agreed that retention on allcourses is poor. Most courses lose over half oftheir students before the end of the course. Passrates at higher grades for GCSE English arebelow the national average. Pass rates for GCEA level sociology are poor. ISR data show that nostudent passed GCE A level psychology in 1997.The number of students enrolled whosuccessfully complete their qualification is low

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Curriculum Areas

on all courses. For example, of 24 students whoenrolled on a two-year course in GCE A levelsociology in 1996 only two achieved thequalification in 1998. In English, a pilot projecthas been implemented in response to the poorretention, but has yet to show anyimprovements. The self-assessment report doesnot give sufficient significance to the weaknessesin achievement and retention. Most students’coursework is well presented and standards areappropriate for the level of the course. Somestudents demonstrate good levels of subjectknowledge. Many are developing analytical andevaluative skills, which is reflected in theirwork. However, some students’ files are poorlypresented and disorganised and do not helpstudents’ further study or revision. They areseldom checked by teachers.

26 Teachers are appropriately qualified andexperienced. Most have a degree in theappropriate subject and a teaching qualification.Most teaching takes place in dedicated rooms,which are generally in need of renovation andupdating. There are excellent examples ofstudents’ work displayed in English rooms butthere are less elsewhere. Students do not makeeffective use of the library. Books and referencematerials are held locally in subject rooms.There is a strong reliance on handouts, most ofwhich are of a satisfactory standard. There isinsufficient use of IT, the Internet and overheadprojectors. Most students do not routinely usewordprocessing in presenting their work. Theseweaknesses were not identified in the college’sself-assessment report.


outcome 1997 1998 1999

GCSE English language 2 Number of starters 161 166 *Retention (%) 55 57 *Achievement (%) 46 29 *

GCSE social studies 2 Number of starters 12 18 *Retention (%) 67 61 *Achievement (%) 71 50 *

GCE A level English 3 Number of starters 50 30 *language Retention (%) 50 37 *

Achievement (%) 70 80 *

GCE A level psychology 3 Number of starters 42 32 *Retention (%) 33 47 *Achievement (%) 0 73 *

GCE A level sociology 3 Number of starters 29 24 *Retention (%) 55 29 *Achievement (%) 36 29 *

GCE A level English 3 Number of starters 28 13 *literature Retention (%) 43 46 *

Achievement (%) 75 * *


A summary of retention and achievementrates in psychology, sociology and English,1997 to 1999

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Curriculum Areas

ESOL

Grade 127 The inspection covered a range of full-time and part-time lessons in ESOL. Fifteenlessons were observed, three of which were ofESOL with IT. Inspectors agreed with thecollege’s self-assessment but also identifiedadditional strengths and one weakness.

Key strengths

• well-managed provision

• broad curriculum, covering six levels

• much outstanding teaching

• good pass rates

• good attendance in most lessons

• IT well integrated with learning activities

• well-qualified and multilingual staff

Weaknesses

• some unsuitable teaching accommodation

28 ESOL courses are provided by a recentlyestablished section of the college, ‘The Academyfor International Students’. A broad range offull-time and part-time courses is available at sixlevels, from beginners to university entrance.Inspectors agreed with the college that thedepartment is well managed. Managers andteachers work well together to meet thechallenge of rapidly expanding provision. Theysuccessfully address the needs of local andoverseas students of all ages and backgrounds.The quality of course documentation is excellent.For example, the staff handbook and thedetailed calendar give all relevant curriculumevents and staff training programmes. Regularteam meetings provide the forum for effectivecommunication and the sharing of good practiceamongst staff.

29 Inspectors agreed that teaching andlearning is of high quality. Of the 15 lessonsobserved nine were judged to be outstanding

and the others were good. Teaching is based onthoughtful course planning and clearassessment. Schemes of work take into accountnot only the requirement of accreditation, butalso students’ individual language needs.Examination preparation and consolidation ofprevious work is built into schemes of work on asix-weekly cycle. In most lessons, the teaching islively and imaginative and ensures that studentsare actively engaged in a range of learningactivities and working well together. Teachersgive clear instructions, and rigorously checkstudents’ learning. In all lessons, teachers haddetailed lesson plans with clear learningobjectives for the group. A detailed class logsheet also enabled them to refer to the specificlearning needs and attendance patterns ofindividual students. Teachers effectively employa range of teaching methods and activities,using a variety of resources such as overheadprojectors, tape recorders, flashcards, picturesand objects. They elicit a lively response fromthe students. In one elementary level lesson theteacher used a dummy of a human body on thetopic of health. In a class preparing for theuniversity entrance test, one student did anexcellent presentation and other studentsevaluated her performance. Inspectors foundgood examples of IT well integrated withlanguage learning. In one lesson, at an upperintermediate level, students used the Internet forresearch, practised their writing skills and laterdiscussed their findings. Most students useappropriate course books. Teachers, however,take care to change the course book activitiessufficiently so that they meet the needs of theirparticular group of students. Homework is wellintegrated with class teaching.

30 Students gain in confidence, developlanguage skills and progress to higher levels ofESOL qualification or to other college courses.Students have access to appropriateaccreditation three times in the year. They areentered both for the Pitmans and Cambridgeexaminations twice a year. Pass rates are high.

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Curriculum Areas

In the current year, the pass rate for the spokenPitmans test at elementary level is 95%. For thePitmans higher intermediate written test thepass rate is 70%. These are well above nationalaverages. The college has a good system tofollow up those who fail. Areas of languagerequiring further development are identifiedwith individual students and help is provided toovercome any weaknesses diagnosed.Attendance is excellent often resulting in largeclasses. The average class size was 15 students,well above the national average. Students’progress is monitored and well recorded.

31 Teachers have specialist English as aforeign language (EFL) and ESOL teachingqualifications. Half are them are alsomultilingual. A suite of newly refurbished roomsprovides a pleasant learning environment. Someother teaching accommodation is unsuitable forthe size of the classes. This was a weakness notidentified in the self- assessment report. TheESOL resource base is well stocked withrelevant course materials and audiovisual aids.Handouts are of high quality and adapted fromvarious sources to meet the students’ needs.Where classes take place in the IT learningcentre, additional specialist IT staff offer goodindividual support.

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Curriculum Areas

Basic Skills

Grade 332 Inspectors observed 10 lessons in basicskills. They did not agree with some strengthsidentified by the college and identified someadditional weaknesses.

Key strengths

• readily available additional support inbasic skills

• good classroom management on access tocontinuing education courses

• some effective use of responsive andflexible teaching methods

Weaknesses

• lack of a co-ordinated approach to themanagement of basic skills

• insufficient rigour in monitoringindividual learning plans

• inappropriate learning goals for somestudents

• most teachers not appropriately qualified

33 Basic skills is not a separately identifiedcurriculum area within the college. The teachingof basic skills occurs in four distinct areas.These include an access to continuing educationcourse, the mathematics GCSE department, theEnglish GCSE department and additionallearning support. Inspectors were able toobserve teaching and learning in two of theabove areas. There were no basic skills lessonsin the GCSE departments at the time of theinspection. Pre-GCSE English and mathematicsis taught in conjunction with GCSE and by theend of the autumn term most students havebeen awarded the Associated Examining Board(AEB) accreditation and are established withinthe GCSE programme.

34 The provision lacks coherence and clearmanagement. There are inadequate links

between the different areas involved in basicskills teaching to develop the provision. Nor isthere any clear college strategy for basic skills.Clear quality standards have not beendeveloped. The committed and enthusiastic staffshare some good practice, but this is notsufficiently formalised. This weakness isrecognised in the self-assessment report.

35 Inspectors observed 10 lessons and judgedthat three of these were good or outstanding.None were less than satisfactory. They agreedwith the college that some teachers use teachingmethods and learning support strategies thatare both effective and stimulating. Teachers onthe access to adult continuing education courseoften effectively use group activities. Someimaginative and highly relevant tasks are usedto fully engage the interest of students and theselessons are well managed to maintain students’involvement. Many other lessons rely too heavilyon work with printed materials. The aims oflesson plans are often generic and do not relatesufficiently to the basic skills needs of individualstudents. Inspectors did not agree that work isdifferentiated to help all students. In one smallnumeracy class there were no materialsavailable to address the specific needs of onestudent and he quickly lost interest.

36 Additional support in basic skills is readilyavailable to those who need it. All daytimestudents are screened to assess their basic skillsneeds. Students can refer themselves to thelearning skills centre or be referred by theircourse tutor. Some support is also provided forstudents in their main classes by the learningsupport team. There are plans to extend thisprovision further. Inspectors agreed thatprovision is flexible and can be amended to suitindividual circumstances. Both the access tocontinuing education and learning supportteams have developed flexible learningprogrammes. However, there is insufficientdetailed diagnostic assessment of students’ basicskills needs to enable appropriate individualprogrammes to be prepared. General learning

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Curriculum Areas

needs are identified at entry and matched to a small range of basic skills awards. Learning goals are reviewed once a term. There is insufficient rigour attached tomonitoring individual learning plans andreviewing progress.

37 Inspectors did not agree with the college’sassessment that there were well qualifiedteachers in this area. Most staff teaching basicskills do not have appropriate specialistqualifications. There is no programme of staffdevelopment to address this weakness. Lack ofexpertise in this field means that opportunitiesto promote learning are missed. Some staff areunaware of good practice in developing andassessing basic skills. Staff have organisedinformal peer observation and have beeninvolved in some team teaching to make bestuse of their skills. Students have good access tocomputers. However, little use is made of themor of specialist software to develop basic skills.The learning skills centre in which mostlearning support activity takes place is brightand welcoming. Classrooms used by the accessto continuing education course are in need ofsome refurbishment.

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Cross-college Provision

Support for Students

Grade 438 Inspectors agreed with some of thejudgements in the self-assessment report butconsidered that others had been overstated.They also identified additional weaknesses.

Key strengths

• well-documented student support system

• good links with local schools andcommunity organisations

Weaknesses

• insufficient co-ordination of aspects ofstudent support

• underdeveloped counselling service

• ineffective careers education and guidance

• some inadequate tutorials

39 The different aspects of student support arenot adequately co-ordinated. Managers of thevarious parts of the service do not meet formallyto plan or review progress. The college has goodlinks with local schools, recruiting from over 50in the Manchester area. It organises a range ofactivities that include ‘taster’ sessions, theatreroad shows, summer schools and openevenings. Staff also attend school careersevenings. Each activity is evaluated to judge itseffectiveness. There are good links with localcommunity groups, including those representingrefugees and asylum seekers. High-qualitymarketing materials are widely available toprospective students. Effective induction forstudents includes a student handbook which isavailable in several languages.

40 All full-time and part-time students arescreened on entry for numeracy and literacysupport needs. The results are available beforestudents enrol so that advice may be given onthe appropriate course and the necessaryadditional learning support. Students are

referred to support tutors in the learning skillscentre. However, of those diagnosed as needingsupport only 45% received it. There is someevidence that those who take up learningsupport are more likely to stay on their course.Specialist equipment is provided to supportstudents with disabilities but the response is notalways timely.

41 Services providing advice and guidance onpersonal issues are underdeveloped. Use of thecounselling service is poor. During the springterm 2000, no counselling service was offeredby the college for a four-month period. Thisfollowed the departure of a member of theteaching staff who also acted as a counsellor.Responsibility for providing a counselling serviceto students has recently been allocated to anexternal agency. Clear service level and qualitystandards have been established. Studentsreceive good welfare and financial advice from acollege welfare officer. Language support indealing with these issues is also provided by anAsian language speaker. Students are referred toexternal agencies where necessary. Liaison withbenefit agencies also takes place on behalf of thestudents. The work of the welfare officer has notbeen formally monitored or evaluated.Accommodation for student services as a wholeis fragmented and is not welcoming to students.One of the two interview rooms does not provideadequate confidentiality.

42 Inspectors found significant variety in thequality of tutorials for 16 to 18 year oldstudents. This weakness was not identified inthe self-assessment report. In one tutorialintended to help students update their record ofachievement, the tutor provided little assistanceand students quickly lost interest. Full-timestudents meet with their tutor in groups for a 45minute session each week. Tutors are alsoavailable daily for individual meetings. Thecollege’s personal achievement through studentsupport system is well understood by tutors. Itcovers student records, induction, progressreviews, attendance monitoring, course changes,

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tutorial programmes, welfare services andcareers education and guidance. It is supportedby a comprehensive tutor handbook. However,the college relies heavily on personal tutors toprovide effective access to a range of supportservices. There is no effective system formonitoring the quality of tutorials or checkingthat all aspects of the personal achievementthrough student support system are covered bytutors, including referral to other supportservices.

43 Students intending to go on to highereducation receive inadequate support inpreparing and submitting their applications. Thecollege has a careers co-ordinator who workswith the local careers service in providingcareers advice and guidance. He has limitedtime allocated to this role and does not monitorthe work carried out by personal tutors incareers guidance. A further careers co-ordination post has been vacant for some time.In 1999, 28% of students applying for highereducation missed the Universities and CollegesAdmissions Service (UCAS) deadline date. Tutorsare provided with a set of careers educationactivities to undertake with students in tutorials.These activities are different for different levelsof courses and are well devised. There is a smallbut well-stocked careers library. Its usage andeffectiveness for students is not checked.

44 The college has recently introducedelectronic registers as part of its attendancemonitoring system. Weekly reports onattendance are now available for tutors.Attendance reports are discussed with studentsin tutorials. There are some indications thatattendance has improved this year. Students areset a target minimum grade for achievementand their progress against this is discussed attutorials and action plans drawn up, wherenecessary. There is a good range of enrichmentactivities for students which are co-ordinated bythe student liaison officer.

General Resources

Grade 345 Inspectors agreed with most of thejudgements in the college’s self-assessmentreport but identified additional weaknessesthat had not been recognised by the college.

Key strengths

• well-conceived and well-managedaccommodation strategy

• well-equipped learning centre

• high standard of refurbishment of somespecialist areas

• good access for students with restrictedmobility

Weaknesses

• poor development and maintenance ofcollege IT network

• inadequate library facilities

• many classrooms and common areas inneed of refurbishment

46 The college is located on one site in thecentre of Manchester in a grade II listedbuilding. This provides an attractive externalenvironment but also financial and logisticalproblems for the college in attempting tomodernise its accommodation.

47 Inspectors agreed with the college thatthere is an effective accommodation strategywhich is reviewed regularly. Part of the building has been leased out for redevelopment as residential apartments. Thishas generated a substantial income to enablethe planned improvement of college resources.Investment in refurbishment has resulted insome good specialist teaching areas. Theseinclude the provision of a commercial theatreand studio facilities for performing arts coursesand a centre for international students. A smallconference centre has been established. This is

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used by external groups and for collegemeetings. Other areas of the college are still inneed of considerable improvement.

48 There is good access for students withrestricted mobility to all teaching areas andcommon facilities. Those who require it areissued with a lift pass. There is a stair lift at aseparate entrance available for wheelchair users to allow access from the street. Thecollege reception is not easily accessible tostudents and visitors. There is no reception area near the student entrance and poor signinginside the building to direct any visitors. Thecollege has improved security by restrictingaccess to two supervised entrances. There aresecurity staff at the student entrance, but theyare not easily identifiable. Students believe the college generally provides a safe, secureenvironment for learning. There are regulardocumented health and safety checks on the premises.

49 Some classrooms have been refurbishedand decorated and provide a pleasant learningenvironment within the constraints of thebuilding. Others are in need of modernisation.In some rooms the acoustics are poor and noise from the corridor, adjacent rooms andoutside can disturb learning. There is a largestaff work and common room with refreshmentfacilities. All staff have a locker. There are fewstaff work areas and access to computers islimited. In a staff survey in October 1999 over50% of the staff considered that work areaswere not adequate.

50 The college has significantly increased thenumber of computers in the college. The ratio ofstudents to computers is now 5:1. All computershave been transferred to a centralised collegenetwork. The establishment of the new networkhas not been well managed. There has beenover-reliance on the work of one key personwho has been absent for long periods owing toillness. This has resulted in frustration for staffand students because of the regular failure andpoor maintenance of the network.

51 Despite recent improvements the library issmall and is not well used by students. Thisweakness was not recognised by the college. Ithas workplaces for 34 students in a quiet studyarea. There are also eight computerworkstations with Internet access. A surveyconducted in the summer term 2000 indicatedan average of 15 to 22 students using the libraryat any one time. This is low for the number ofstudents in the college. There is no library areafor students to undertake group work. Inaddition to resources for the curriculum there isa good range of videos available to students forgeneral interest.

52 The learning centre, adjacent to the library, contains designated areas for IT,learning support and careers guidance andcounselling. The IT area is well equipped with40 computers in three rooms. One room ismostly used for class teaching. The others arealways available for ‘drop-in’ use and are wellused. There is good specialist help for students.The college has recognised the need to introduce joint planning of library and learningresource developments.

53 The college has responded well to studentrequests for improvements in the refectorywhich has been refurbished this year. It is brightand spacious. A range of good-quality food isavailable providing good value for money.There is a small centrally located studentcommon area. The college recognises the lack offacilities for sports and leisure at the college.However, arrangements have been made withother centres for access by students at reducedcost. A student liaison officer organises a rangeof team sports.

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Quality Assurance

Grade 454 Inspectors agreed with some of thestrengths and most of the weaknessesidentified in the self-assessment report. Theyidentified some weaknesses not recognised inthe report.

Key strengths

• progress in standardising qualityassurance procedures

• good staff development arrangements

Weaknesses

• lack of rigorous use of performanceindicators and targets

• decline in the quality of teaching andlearning since the last inspection

• lack of improvement in retention

• some inadequate course reviews

• underdeveloped quality assuranceprocedures in some service areas

55 There has been progress in standardisingquality assurance procedures since the lastinspection. For example, a calendar has beenintroduced to ensure that teams reviewperformance and report regularly. Compliancewith college systems is efficiently checkedthrough regular audit. The quality assurancepolicy and strategy are clearly stated, but theydo not describe arrangements for businesssupport areas. Some service areas, such aspersonnel, have fully defined standards ofservice. Others, such as student supportservices, are at an early stage in developing andusing such standards. This uneven developmentis recognised in the self-assessment report.

56 There is an established annual cycle ofprogramme reviews and team action plans.Targets for retention and pass rates have beenset at course and college level. There is lack ofrigour in the use of these targets to bring

about improvement in individual courses, aweakness recognised in the self-assessmentreport. The quality of course reviews varies and some are unsatisfactory. Not all teachersuse the standardised documentation for coursereview. Poorer course reviews do not use targetsfor retention and achievement to evaluatecritically poor performance. Many action plansfail to address key issues. Some staff areunaware of the targets set for the courses onwhich they teach.

57 Retention remains poor and the quality ofteaching and learning is declining. There hasbeen no significant improvement in the poorcollege retention rates over the last three years.Retention is below the national average at alllevels for young and adult students. There issome recent evidence of improvement on somecourses. The college has an extensive annualprogramme of lesson observation. Teachers aremade aware of the criteria used through staffdevelopment and briefing sessions. A trainedteam of managers observes lessons and ensuresthat observation outcomes are appropriatelydocumented and analysed. The self-assessmentreport contained an overgenerous internalassessment of teaching quality. A more recentassessment by the college resulted in lowergrades. There is a now a good match betweenthese observation grades and those awarded byinspectors. Inspectors identified 49% of lessonsas good or outstanding compared with the 54%identified by the college. This is significantlybelow the national average and show a declinefrom 64% at the last inspection.

58 The college systematically collects andanalyses the views of students on the quality ofits provision. Surveys of students’ opinions aretaken twice a year to cover induction, teachingand learning. Further information is obtainedfrom the student council and focus groups. Theoutcomes are analysed and communicated tocourse teams to inform action-planning. Thereare good examples of action taken as a result ofissues raised. The student council is active inarticulating student opinion. Students do not get

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formal feedback on outcomes of the surveys.There are few opportunities for students tocontribute at course meetings. The collegecharter sets out key statements of students’entitlement. Many students are unclear about itscontents and the complaints procedureassociated with it.

59 Inspectors agreed with the college viewthat there is a robust internal verification systemwhich takes place in vocational areas. Astructured approach by trained assessorsensures consistency of assessment. Records aredetailed and key issues are shared in teammeetings. The assessor manual iscomprehensive. The internal verificationprocedures have been used as an example ofgood practice in other colleges.

60 The annual professional review of staff iswell established and includes all full-time andpart-time staff. Each review results in anindividual development plan which takesaccount of personal training needs and collegestrategic objectives. The college places a highpriority on staff development. Each member ofstaff spends approximately eight days annuallyin training and development. There aresignificant improvements in staff development inthe last year which include the development of atraining database, staff induction and trainingfor the appraisal process. Teachers have alsoupdated their skills in IT. Opportunities forsharing good practice in teaching and learningare underdeveloped. Staff appraisal is not fullyestablished for all staff. This weakness wasidentified by the college. The college hasrecently achieved the Investors in People awardfor the second time.

61 The self-assessment report iscomprehensive. Staff have good opportunities tocontribute to it. Managers increasingly usenational benchmarking data produced by theFEFC to analyse retention and achievement.Team and programme area self-assessmentreports were scrutinised by a validation panelwhich included an external adviser and a

governor. There is a poor match between gradesawarded by inspectors and those in the college’sself-assessment. Inspectors lowered the gradesin four out of five curriculum areas. In cross-college areas, inspectors lowered the grades inall five areas.

Governance

Grade 362 Inspectors and FEFC auditors agreedwith some of the strengths in the self-assessment report but considered that otherswere overstated. They agreed with all theweaknesses but also identified others notnoted in the college’s report.

Key strengths

• effective use of governors’ wide range ofexperience

• involvement of governors in setting thecollege’s mission and strategic aims

• close oversight of an improvement in thefinancial position of the college

• effective working with senior managers

Weaknesses

• some ineffective clerking related toquoracy of meetings

• inadequate rigour in setting andmonitoring retention and achievementtargets

• unsystematic approach to induction andtraining of governors

• underdeveloped approach to assessinggovernors’ effectiveness

63 The FEFC’s audit service concludes that,within the scope of its assessment, thegovernance of the college is weak. Thegoverning body does not conduct its business inaccordance with the instrument and articles ofgovernment. It also does not fulfil its

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responsibilities under the financialmemorandum with the FEFC.

64 The governing body has a determinedmembership of 15. There is currently onevacancy for a co-opted governor. For most of1999 the governing body had four or fivevacancies, a weakness recognised in the self-assessment report. Attendance at governingbody meetings is low and there are no targetsset. The procedure for re-determination ofmembership, as a result of statutory changes,has been ineffective. A search committee met for the first time in January 2000. The relevantnominating bodies have not been specified andsome members have been incorrectly movedfrom one membership category to another.New governors have a brief induction organised by the clerk. A skills audit andtraining needs analysis has been carried out.However, there is no systematic approach to thetraining of governors.

65 Governors have a wide range ofexperience, which is effectively used to supportthe college. For example, they have backgrounds in accountancy, architecture,banking, education, personnel and law. Thisexperience is used well in a variety of ways,including the matching of governors’ expertiseto appropriate committee membership.Governors work effectively with seniormanagers. They have a clear understanding ofthe distinction between governance andmanagement. As stated in the self-assessmentreport, they have had a major influence on themission and the setting of the strategic aims ofthe college. Since 1996, the college has changeddramatically from one teaching mainly GCSEand GCE A level courses to one which now has amuch broader range of courses and clientgroups. Governors have also overseenimprovements in the college’s financial position.Operating deficits from 1996 to 1998 have beenconverted to an operating surplus. The financialforecasts show that this trend is continuing.

66 The governing body has an appropriaterange of committees. The curriculum andstandards committee has been limited in itseffort to review and evaluate the educationalwork of the college by unreliable college data.The self-assessment report states that students’achievements are regularly monitored. However,student retention and achievement targets arenot fully understood by some governors whotherefore find difficulty in monitoring theprogress made towards these targets. Terms ofreference for the search committee and itsprocedures for appointment of governorsrequire updating. For example, they need toconsider criteria for the reappointment ofgovernors. The finance and premises committeemeets frequently and considers detailedmanagement accounts at each of its meetings.The audit committee has not considered CouncilCircular 98/15, Audit Code of Practice , and hasnot undertaken all of its required activities.

67 The college administrative manager acts asclerk to the governing body. He has a separatejob description for this role. It does not containsome key functions described in the relevantFEFC guidance. Governing body and committeeagendas and supporting papers are usually sentout in good time in advance of meetings.Governors have adopted sound policies foropenness and accountability including a publicdisclosures policy. However, minutes and papersare not widely accessible. Governing bodystanding orders, membership details and codeof conduct are combined in a useful governingbody handbook. There is a ‘whistleblowing’policy and a complete register of interestsincorporating an eligibility statement. Vacancies,poor attendance of governors and the numberleaving meetings early, have led to problemswith quoracy. For example, there has been oneinquorate governing body meeting and twobecame inquorate due to members leaving.Appropriate action has not been taken whencommittees are inquorate. One meeting took anumber of significant decisions, including

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approval of annual financial estimates andforecasts, and the appointment of twogovernors. Minutes are too brief and frequentlylack sufficient detail.

68 Governors have had a considerableinvolvement in the self-assessment process. Avalidation and grading panel with a governornominee considered each section of the self-assessment report. The report on governancewas co-ordinated and drafted by the clerk. Itwas based on governors’ views obtainedthrough questionnaires, written submissionsand a seminar. Inspectors agreed with thegovernors’ view that they need to developfurther the way they measure their owneffectiveness. No clear performance indicatorshave been adopted. The chair of the governingbody, along with another governor, appraisesthe principal. They also obtain informationabout the appraisal of the other seniorpostholders carried out by the principal. Thisinformation is used by the remunerationcommittee when setting salary levels.

Management

Grade 469 Inspectors judged that in its self-assessment of management the collegeoverstated the strengths and did not givesufficient emphasis to the weaknessesidentified in the self-assessment report.

Key strengths

• diversification of college curriculum offerto meet local needs

• effective community links

Weaknesses

• lack of rigour in oversight of the collegeperformance

• unreliable management information

• failure to meet targets for retention andachievement

• some inadequate curriculum management

• lines of accountability not rigorouslyapplied

70 The college mission, aims and values areembedded in the college strategic plan andobjectives. The senior management team holdsregular staff briefings to reinforce understandingof the mission, values and current collegepriorities. The college has diversified itscurriculum to incorporate a broader range ofcourses and take account of the needs ofinternational students. This process has beenwell managed. The decision to change thestrategic direction of the college was informedby sound community needs analysis.

71 Inspectors did not agree with the college’sjudgement that management information isstrong. The data on students’ achievements for1999 produced by the college’s managementinformation system in preparation for inspectionwere unreliable. Curriculum managers do nothave access to accurate and timely management

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information. This makes it difficult for them toassess the effectiveness of individual courses,monitor student retention and achievement, oridentify areas for improvement anddevelopment. The college is making an attemptto improve the accuracy of its information. Therecent purchase of new software has improvedreporting on student attendance.

72 The college has not met its own targets forstudents’ retention and achievements. Sometargets were set at an unrealistically high level.Progress towards achieving targets for retentionand achievement has not been rigorouslymonitored. This year the target-setting processhas been informed by previous course retentionand achievement rates as well as nationalbenchmarks for individual subject areas.

73 The senior management team does notsufficiently rigorously oversee the performanceof the college. This weakness was not identifiedin the college’s self-assessment report.Individual managers hold review meetings fortheir own areas of responsibility. However, thereis little evidence that significant issues affectingthe whole college such as the quality of teachingand learning and students’ pass rates on coursesare discussed in detail by the management teamtogether. There is no record in the managementteam minutes of any consideration of an£86,000 overspend on staffing or of any plans toreduce the amount in order to meet the plannedoverspend of £50,000.

74 Lines of accountability are clear but notrigorously applied. Managers do not set and useperformance targets to assess the performanceof individual members of staff. The principalappraises senior managers but the process lacks rigour. No clear criteria or targets areused to assess their performance. Course andservice managers meet with their line managersbut these do not result in detailed action plansto improve performance. Although collegepolicies are reviewed there is little evidence ofthe formal monitoring of key policies such as

equal opportunities. Curriculum management is not uniformly rigorous. Some curriculumareas are well managed but others have plansthat are insufficiently detailed and are notcarefully monitored.

75 The FEFC’s audit service concludes that,within the scope of its review, the college’sfinancial management is adequate. The college’sfinancial performance has improved due todisposals of surplus property. An operatingsurplus of £32,000 was achieved in 1998-99compared with operating deficits of £120,000and £149,000 in the previous two years. Thecollege is financially sound having accumulatedincome and expenditure reserves of £897,000and cash balances of £334,000 as at 31 July1999. Management accounts, which would beenhanced by the inclusion of a 12-month rollingcashflow forecast and other information, areprepared monthly for review by the seniormanagement team and members of the financeand premises committee. The annual estimatesdo not include either balance sheet or cashflowinformation. The financial regulations are inneed of enhancement to reflect best practice.The college’s internal auditors reported that in1998-99 the internal control system was sound.However, in respect of 1998-99 the college wasunable to submit its financial statements andstudent record returns in accordance with FEFC deadlines.

76 The college has purposeful and extensivelinks with local, national and internationalorganisations. The principal sits on a number oflocal committees and chairs the Manchester FEColleges’ Group. Links with universities havelead to a significant development of Englishlanguage courses for overseas students. Othercommunity links with social services and thehousing resettlement agency have enabled thecollege to effectively respond to the needs ofrefugees and asylum seekers. The outcomes ofsuccessful international links include aEuropean funded project for Spanish students toattend the college during the summer to learn

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English. This has expanded from 260 studentslast year to 600 planned for this summer.

Conclusions

77 The self-assessment report was a usefulbasis for planning and carrying out theinspection. Each section contained an actionplan. An updated report provided shortly beforethe inspection contained evidence of progressmade in some areas. Inspectors agreed withmany of the judgements in the self-assessmentreport but identified several importantadditional weaknesses and a few additionalstrengths. In particular, they considered that toolittle importance had been attached to poorretention rates. Lesson observation gradesawarded by inspectors were lower than thosethe college awarded internally and well belowthe national average. Inspectors agreed withonly one curriculum grade awarded by thecollege. It awarded lower grades in the otherfour curriculum areas and in all aspects ofcross-college provision. Two of these were twogrades worse.

78 Strengths and weaknesses identified duringthe inspection are listed under each section ofthis report. The main strengths and weaknessesare identified in the summary.

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College Statistics

Student numbers by age (November 1999)

Age %

Under 16 1

16-18 years 39

19-24 years 26

25+ years 33

Not known 1

Total 100

Source: college data

Student numbers by level of study (November 1999)

Level of study %

Level 1 (foundation) 23

Level 2 (intermediate) 30

Level 3 (advanced) 45

Level 4/5 (higher) 0

Non-schedule 2 2

Total 100


Student numbers by mode of attendance andcurriculum area (November 1999)

Programme Full Part Total area time time provision

%

Science 122 124 17

Engineering 1 3 0

Business 42 25 4

Health andcommunity care 19 67 6

Art and design 231 77 21

Humanities 223 278 34

Basic education 90 178 18

Total 728 752 100


Widening participation

Based on a postcode analysis of 1995-96 ISRdata, the college recruited 80% of students fromdisadvantaged areas defined in relation to theDepartment of the Environment Index of LocalConditions.

Staff expressed as full-time equivalents(July 1999)

Perm- Fixed Casual Totalanent term

Direct learning contact 44 0 4 48

Supporting direct learning contact 10 0 0 10

Other support 18 0 0 18

Total 72 0 4 76

Source: college data, rounded to nearest full-time equivalent

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College Statistics

Three-year T rends

Financial Data

1997 1998 1999

Income £2,913,000 £2,708,000 £3,047,000

Average level of funding (ALF) £20.58 £17.91 £17.34

Payroll as a proportion of income 74% 72% 69%

Achievement of funding target 118% 97% 98%

Diversity of income 4% 5% 9%

Operating surplus -£149,000 -£120,000 £32,000

Sources: Income – Council Circulars 98/43 (1997), 00/10 (1998), college (1999)ALF – Performance Indicators 1997-98 (1997 and 1998), Funding Allocations 1998-99 (1999)Payroll – Council Circulars 98/43 (1997), 00/10 (1998), college (1999)Achievement of funding target – Performance Indicators 1997-98 (1997 and 1998), college (1999)Diversity of income – Council Circulars 98/43 (1997), 00/10 (1998), college (1999)Operating surplus – Council Circulars 98/43 (1997), 00/10 (1998), college (1999)

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