A troubled college in Northamptonshire has been dealt another blow with a damning Ofsted verdict.
Moulton College - a specialist land-based institution offering courses in animal management, equine student, agriculture and sport - has been rated as “inadequate” overall.
Last year, during a full inspection, Ofsted found that the college was delivering “unsafe” training, and judged it to be “inadequate”. The FE commissioner Richard Atkins intervened over the college’s finances, and recommended that it seek a merger.
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Teaching, learning and assessment ‘declined’
During a monitoring visit in November, the college was found to be making “reasonable progress” in most areas.
But the report on its latest inspection, which started on 30 April, judged it to be “inadequate” in all but one area, with only its adult learning programmes graded “good”.
The most recent report states: “The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has declined since the previous inspection. Although arrangements for improving the quality of teaching and learning are in place, the pace of improvement has not been sufficiently swift. Too much teaching is not good enough. A new lesson observation process is in place, but it is too early for managers to use this effectively to identify where teaching, learning and assessment are strong.”
Feedback ‘superficial and imprecise’
The report goes on to say: “Teachers’ feedback is frequently too positive, superficial and imprecise. As a result, students do not understand how to improve their performance in subsequent assessments.
“Not all staff in animal care and equine studies demonstrate strong subject knowledge. As a result, they do not relate theoretical concepts to practical situations well enough. In a minority of cases, they are unable to respond appropriately when students give incorrect answers to questions or draw incorrect inferences from their own experiences.”
The report also highlights a lack of “high-quality, impartial careers advice and guidance” given to students who have high needs, and criticises the overall provision for these learners.
“Teachers do not use the information they receive about students’ abilities at the beginning of their courses to plan learning activities effectively. Too many vocational staff do not have a good understanding of students’ specific learning and support requirements. They do not make appropriate adjustments to their teaching so that students, including those with complex needs, make good progress,” it says.
However, it adds that staff provide effective pastoral support for students, and also praises the college’s progression on safeguarding, stating that governors, leaders and managers have given this a high priority.
Areas for improvement
In order to improve, the report says the college must work on the training and support given to teachers, and use data and self-assessment processes more effectively.
It also urges the college to ensure that teachers of students with high needs on vocational programmes understand their learning and support needs.
A spokesperson for the college said it was “disappointed with the outcome of the recent Ofsted inspection, which does not reflect the significant progress made in the past 12 months”.
The spokesperson added: “The college is pleased to see that the enhanced board of governors, new leadership team, the change in culture, the high priority placed on ensuring students are safe with very effective, strengthened safeguarding practices, good student behaviour and improved staff morale are all acknowledged.
“The work on improving teaching and learning has still to have the impact desired, but improvements are ongoing to ensure that every Moulton student receives the best possible student experience.”
Corrie Harris, the recently appointed principal and chief executive of Moulton College, will take up the post on 1 July 2019.
