College of North West London

College of North West London

Self-Assessment Report

Academic Year

2012-2013

CONTENTS

Part A: SUMMARY

1. Information about the College

The College of North West London is a large general further education college situated in the London Borough of Brent. The College has main centres at Willesden and Wembley. It provides courses from entry level to level 6 with substantial provision for students who have not yet achieved level 2. The College works in partnership with Brent Council and Quintain to offer pre-employment and IAG to unemployed local residents through a one-stop shop at Wembley Works. The college works closely with the local Job Centre Plus to provide a wide-ranging suite of programmes to unemployed residents claiming job-seekers allowance with very effective entry into sustainable employment.The College also offers a range of work-based learning provision and higher education programmes in early childhood, construction, engineering, science and ICT. All local secondary schools have a sixth form. The college provides training for Middlesex University.

The College’s mission is ‘to lead in the provision of knowledge and skills for work, in support of London’s economic success’.

In 2012/13 there were 10,995students enrolled of which 19% were under 19s; 60% male and 40% female. 67% were enrolled on long courses. Of those doing short courses, 37% were enrolled primarily on ESOL programmes. The College has a diverse cohort of learners;74% of our students are of ethnic minority background, 45% have English as a second language and 52% are from a disadvantaged background. 40% of students do not have a level 1 qualification on entry to the college.

The College offers provision in all the subject sector areas except land-based provision with substantial provision in Engineering, Construction, ESOL and ICT (54% of provision). However, fewer than 50 students areenrolled on programmes in each of leisure, travel and tourism, history, philosophy and theology, social sciences and education and training. There are also only 76students enrolled on language, literature and culture. Hence, while the outcomes of these students are incorporated in the whole College analysis and the quality and standard of provision is evaluated rigorously at course level, it is deemed inappropriate to produce separate self-assessment reports for these areas.

In 2012/13 the college worked with the following teaching and training organisations:

Institute of Contemporary Music Performance(ICMP)

Islamic College of Advanced Studies (ICAS)

Carillion Construction Limited

Skills Team Limited

Twin Training International Limited
Aspect Grades

1. Summary of Subject Sector Area Grades

Part B: THE COLLEGE AS A WHOLE

1. Aspect A: Outcomes for Learners Grade 3

3.1Context

There was a 2% decline in overall success rates in 2012-13 to 81%.Success improved or remained consistent in our largest SSAs (74% of provision). Engineering and construction, which together make up 32% of provision have continued a three year improvement trend to significantly above national average. Overall success for 16-18 learners, (19% of provision), were unsatisfactory due to poor achievement for this cohort.

There has been a 1% improvement in overall retention to 92% and 1% improvement in 19+ long course success (32% of learners).Although attendance improved in 9 out of 13 SSAs and only dropped in one it remained the same overall in 2011/12 and 2012/13. Progression within CNWL for those learners whose destination is known, has increased by 5% in 2012-13 and 38% of Job Centre Plus learners progressed into sustainable employment. Progression into employment for those learners whose destination is known has increased by 7%.

The College makes good use of its strong partnerships with the community and local employers such as Wembley Stadium, Transport for London and the local strategic regeneration group, to provide courses with a clear focus on employability. The College has a tradition of supporting students to enter skills competitions and had a highly successful year in 2012-13 with over 25 students winning awards or achieving top 3 places in regional and national competitions.

There is little difference in performance by gender overall although there is some variability by level and by SSA with females generally performing better on long courses. There has been a decline in success rates for white British learners which is reflective of the low success rates at the Institute for Contemporary Music Performance. There are no other significant gaps in achievement by ethnicity. In 12-13 there was a decline in success rates for 16-18 learners overall,a significant proportion of these learners were at the Institute for Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP), Islamic College of Advanced Studies (ICAS)and on sub-contacted provision.

If sub-contracted provision and provision at ICMP and the Islamic Centre for Advanced Studies is excluded college based success rates would be at the 11/12 national average at 84% overall and consistent with success rates for 2011-12.

The GFEnational average for 2011/12 has been used to support analysis.

3.2Key Improvements since last SAR

• 1% increase for 19+ learners on long programmes.
• Improvements in success rates in ESOL by 3% to 86% overall.
• 7% improvement in retention for black African learners over two years with attendance for this cohort above the college average. Improvement in overall success for 19+ African learners.
• Overall success rates for SSA 2 were sustained with improvements in overall success for learners on Access to Higher Education Diploma Science, BTEC diploma in applied science, and improved success rates in GCE AS in human biology and mathematics.
• Improved attendance in the majority of SSAs.
• Improvements in foundation and functional skills English success rates and in all functional skills mathematics levels apart from level 1.
• Higher number of students progressing into employment.

3.3Strengths

Good overall success rates for 19+ learners on long courses

• Success rates for this cohort of learners increased by 1% in 2012/13 to 83% overall which is 3% above the 11/12 GFE national average.
• Success rates for 19+ learners on level 1 programmes are 6% above the national average at 88%.
• Success rates for 19+ learners on level 2 and 3 are 1% above the national average at 80% and 79% respectively.

High success rates in Engineering, Construction and ICT (41% of overall provision)

• Overall success rates for engineering (1,354 students) have improved significantly over three years and are outstanding at89% which is 8% above the GFE national average,success rates in 4.1 reached 91%.
• Overall success rates for construction (1,440 students) have remained high at 85% which is5% above the GFE national average.
• Success rates for ICT (916 students) have remained high at 86% which is 4% above the GFE national average.

Good and improving success rates for ESOL learners (14% of provision)

• Success rates for our 1,505 learners in ESOL, the majority of whom are following the internationally recognized Cambridge suite of qualifications, have improved by 3% to 86% overall which is above the GFE national average for SSA 14.

Success rates for English are good and improving

• 3 year improvement trend in overall English Functional Skills success rates (48% in 10/11 to 71% in 12/13) Entry level has improved from 67% in 10/11 to 79% in 11/12 (2% above national average). Significant improvement in level 1 success rates from 44% in 10/11 to 65% in 12/13 (2% above national average).
• Level 2 success rates have improved by 31% since 10/11 and are now 53% (1% above national average).
• Success on adult literacy qualifications improved from 70% in 10/11 to 86% in 12/13.
• 100% of learners (57 students) achieved GCSE, while 79% of learners gained A* - C compared to the NA of 40%.

Success rates for Engineering apprentices are high

• Success rates for learners on engineering apprenticeships were high with 91% success for advanced apprentices and 85% for intermediate apprentices.

Success rates for students with declared learning difficulty or disability are good

• Overall success rates for learners receiving additional support are good at 89% which is above both the college and the national averages.
• 16-18 and 19+ learners receiving learning support succeed 7% above the college average at 83% and 90% respectively.
• Additional learning support had a notable impact on success rates with those students receiving learning support (both 16-18 and adult learners) at 8% above the aggregate for the cohort compared with the whole College.

Good employability, skills development and progression

• There is good practical skills development and learners develop personal, social and employability skills. Success is celebrated with students participating in, winning and successfully showcasing their skills through regional and national skills competitions including World Skills. This year saw students gaining a record number of awards at the Southern Regional Association of Hairdressers and Therapists Awards, alongside further awards in electrical installation, motor sports, web design, IT, construction, engineering and catering.
• 38% of learners participating in the Job Centre Plus programmes progressed into sustainable employment (5% increase on 2011/12).
• Increase in progression to employment for students whose destination is known (7% increase from 2011-12) with only 2% of students whose destination is known not in employment or further training.

Good levels of student satisfaction

• Learners are generally positive about their courses – internal college surveys indicate that 88% of students were satisfied with the quality of teaching in 2012/13. The latest available data on FE choicesdemonstrates that students rank the college 8/10 in terms of learner satisfaction.
• Student feedback through ‘Meet the Learner’ and ‘Meet the Manager’ forums together with feedback in observations indicates that they generally find lessons stimulating, are clear on how they are progressing and know what to do to improve. There is good learner response to surveys and feedback forums (51% to the college survey), the majority of substantial courses were visited by managers to gain feedback and there is a strong tradition of active involvement by student representatives at learner voice forums).

3.4Improvements Needed

Overall success rates require improvement

• Overall success declined by 2% in 2012/13 to 3% below the 12/13 GFE national average
• Long success rates declined by 2% in 2012/13 to 80% overall which is 1% below the 12/13 GFE national average.
• Success rates for learners on short programmes are inadequate with a decline of 3% in 2012/13 to 83% overall which is 6% below the 12/13 GFE national average.
• Overall success rates require improvement across all levels with a significant drop and inadequate success at level 2 and 3 for 16-18 learners. (Entry, 1%, Level 1, 4%, Level 2, 6%, Level 3, 7% below national average).

Success rates for 16-18 learners are inadequate

• Success rates for this cohort of learners declined by 5% in 2012/13 to 75% overall which is 8% below the 12/13 GFE national average and also highlights a gap of 6% between 16-18 learners and 19+ learners.. This was particularly due to poor achievement of 16-18 learners on long programmes.
• Success rates for learners on level 1 programmes are 4% below the national average at 80%, for learners on level 2 6% below national average at 83% and for level 3 are 16% below the national average at 64%. This was particularlyin relation to poor performance for students at ICMP and for learners on GCE AS levels at ICAS (together these make up 15% of our 16-18 cohort).
• There was poor success for 16-18 learners on a range of courses in retail and commercial enterprise, arts, media and publishing, health, public services and care, construction craftsand on some employability and workskills qualifications.

Success rates for 19+ learners overall require improvement

• Success rates for this cohort of learners declined by 1% in 2012/13 to 83% overall which is 1% below the 12/13 GFE national average

Inadequate overall success in Preparation for Life and Work, Retail and Commercial Enterprise and Arts, Media and Publishing,

• Inadequate overall success rates for learners in preparation for life and work due to poor success on a range of personal social development and employability qualifications (67% success).
• Inadequate overall success for learners on retailing and wholesaling programmes (37%) and success rates for learners on service enterprise programmes require improvement (73% success).
• Inadequate overall success rates for students on arts, media and publishing (57%). This is due to the ICMP delivered level 3 Diploma in Music (163 students) and poor success rates overall for 16-18 learners at level 1 and 2 on the majority of courses in this area.

Success rates on some programmes in Nursing and Health and Social Care, Science and Accounting and Finance require improvement

• Success for students on the Access to Nursing programme (44 students) whilst at benchmark for the programme at 66% requires improvement. This was significantly due to poor retention (77%).
• Success rates for students on the BTEC certificates in Health and Social Care were below national average.
• Whilst success rates for learners on the Level 2 and Level 3 BTECs in Science were above national average AS and A2 science programmes were inadequate at significantly below national average.
• Success rates for learners on Accounting and Finance programmes require improvement as these were 3% below national average at 70%.

Success rates for Functional Skills mathematics requires improvement

• Functional skills mathematics at 65% overall success requires improvement. There was a notable decline in success at L1 from 64% to 58%.
• Level 2 remains significantly below benchmark at 43%.
• Improved success rates at Entry 3 from 70% to 76%.
• 2% improvement in adult numeracy qualifications to 90% success
• 95% of learners (188 students) achieved GCSE, while 55% of learners gained A* - C compared to the NA of 39%.

Success rates for apprenticeship provision overall require improvement

• Low timely success in ICT and business apprenticeships delivered through sub-contracted partnership
• Low success rates on level 2 and 3 construction apprenticeships of 44%

Inadequate success rates for white British learners

• Success rates for white British 16-18 and 19+ learners were below the national and college averages at 65% and 78% respectively.

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College of North West London Self Assessment Report 2012-13

1. Aspect B: Teaching, Learning and AssessmentGrade3

4.1Context

In 2012/13 the College employed 326teaching staff of whom 196were on permanent contracts and 130on hourly paid contracts. All teaching staff have completed appropriate training to level 5 or level 6 or are currently working towards this. In addition in 2012/13 we introduced a short (7 sessions) teaching ‘Essentials’ course for all staff new to the college/new to teaching. In 2012/13 there were 11learning practitioners who supported teaching and learning development through the Teacher Support Programme and faculty–based initiatives and training. Five of the advanced practitioners have completed subject learning coach training.

A number of teaching and learning initiatives were launched during 2012/13 which included the launch of a new teaching and learning strategy “Moving from Teaching to Learning” to respond to areas for development identified in the 2010/11 inspection and 2011/12 self-assessment. This strategy focused on a year of development and innovation in 2012-13 under the themes of ‘Engage, Support, Challenge, Progress’ where the College conducted a large number of learning walks and developmental observations together with a range of CPD interventions including 1-1 coaching to encourage innovation and development in teaching and learning.

Following a ‘root and branch’ review of quality processes in 2011/12, teaching, learning and assessment profiles were moderated and reviewed against a range of performance indicators including attendance, observation, assessment tracking, learning walks which brought the profile to 60% good or better teaching, learning and assessment in line with realistic and robust self-assessment. In 2012/13developmental observations were undertaken across all SSAs and all levels (Entry level – HE level). In addition, there were 17 learning walks conducted across a range of subject sector areas covering approximately 180 classes. Learning walks included participation from the Executive Management Team and college governors. This activity has enabled us to judge teaching and learning overall as 70% good or better.

The College delivers a wide-range of qualifications from entry level to HE level and works with a number of awarding bodies. Overall, assessment is satisfactory although some poor management of assessment in SSA 9 (Arts, media and publishing) and SSA 1 (Health, public services and care) impacted on learner achievement. External moderator and verifier reports indicate that internal verification is fair and accurate in the majority of subject areas. Some weakness was identified in consistency in using formal documentation, the effectiveness of written feedback in some curriculum areas and in ensuring timely completion of assessments.

There has been a renewed focus on teaching, learning and assessment and an enhanced focus on learning with improvements, leading to some good and outstanding teaching and learning and innovative practicein some curriculum areas with improved attendance in the majority of SSAs, an increase in retention of 1% and consistent or improved success for 74% of provision with the teaching, learning and assessment judged good overall in our four largest subject areas (54% of provision). However, there still remains too much satisfactory/requires improvementteaching, learning and assessment across the organisation. Teaching, learning and assessment overall requires improvement.