Barking and Dagenham College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Information about this provider

Barking and Dagenham College is a general further education college situated in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Rush Green is the college's main campus, where most courses are taught.

The college also teaches at two centres in Barking, the Technical Skills Academy and the Barking Learning Centre.

At the time of inspection, there were 2,608 learners on education programme for young people. Around 2,360 of whom study at the Rush Green campus, most on a range of level 1, 2 and 3 courses.

Approximately 180 learners were studying T levels in subjects including engineering, science and business. A high proportion of learners study towards qualifications in Eng...lish and mathematics. Around 240 learners are based at the Technical Skills Academy studying subjects including English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), business, information technology and food studies.

There were just under 2,400 adult learners studying at the college, most of whom study at the Rush Green campus. Just over a fifth of all adult learners study at the Barking Learning Centre, and approximately 50 learners attend courses hosted at local primary schools. Approximately 50 adults were studying at the Technical Skills Academy.

A substantial proportion of adult learners study ESOL courses. The college works with two subcontractors, Aspire Sporting Academy Limited and Learning and Skills Solutions, between which approximately 470 learners study functional skills or level 1 and 2 courses in care and childcare.

There were 226 apprentices studying apprenticeships at levels 2 to 5.

A high proportion of whom study apprenticeships in electrical installation and plumbing.

There were 370 learners in receipt of high needs funding. Approximately half of these learners study vocational courses.

Around 30 were on supported internships. There were 174 learners on courses at the Horizon centre at Rush Green and six learners studying in the recently opened Vision provision for learners with complex needs, also based at the Rush Green campus.

What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Across the college, learners appreciate the calm and supportive environment that staff create.

Learners enjoy studying at the college. They feel safe and can easily identify staff who will help them if they need it. Learners make valuable contributions to lessons and readily help their peers.

For example, adult learners studying ESOL help guide each other to form sentences, and those studying engineering demonstrate patience and support, working together purposefully to meet deadlines for practical work. Learners develop a sense of maturity and responsibility, which prepares them well for future academic and professional challenges.

Learners and apprentices value the professional expertise of tutors and the industry standard resources available to them.

For example, young learners on creative media courses benefit from learning in state-of-the-art production and post-production studios with cameras, lights, sound banks and control room technology. They are exposed to current industry standards and are well prepared for their next steps and work.

Young learners experience a high standard of teaching.

The proportion of learners who achieve their qualifications has improved significantly since their most recent inspection and is now high. Learners gain useful knowledge and skills in their chosen subject, and nearly all move on to further study or work on completion of their course.

Adult learners have highly positive attitudes towards their studies.

They gain confidence and improve their career prospects. Staff help them achieve their personal goals and move on to their next steps. Adults studying ESOL become more active in their communities and learn how to resolve problems, for example how to address health concerns with a GP or deal with disputes with their landlords.

Apprentices do not have a consistently high-quality learning experience. Too many are behind in their studies, and too few achieve their apprenticeships. Most apprentices studying electrical installation and plumbing do not benefit from sufficient collaboration between college staff and employers, which is essential for gaining the nuanced knowledge and skills required in the workplace.

By contrast, apprentices on other standards, such as teaching assistant and pharmacy technician apprenticeships, have a better experience.

Learners with high needs benefit from teaching and support that has improved significantly since the previous inspection. Learners value the fact that staff know them well and plan activities tailored to meet their individual needs and progress targets.

They achieve well, and those on vocational courses achieve at least in line with their peers.

Contribution to meeting skills needs

The college makes a reasonable contribution to meeting skills needs.Leaders have a detailed understanding of the priority sectors in their locality and region.

They have increased their engagement with stakeholders since the previous inspection. Stakeholders value the contributions that leaders make to various forums, particularly the leadership that they demonstrate in inter-college skills competitions. Tutors plan and teach subjects such as creative, construction, health and social care, hospitality and digital where industry skills are needed.

Leaders work effectively with a wide range of strategic stakeholders, such as the Greater London Authority, the Association of Colleges, Business LDN, World Skills UK and their local authority. They review and respond to skills needs. In healthcare subjects, for example, leaders work closely with the local NHS trust to include desirable professional behaviours, such as effective communication in their curriculum.

Job coaches work with employers to offer supported internships for learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to enable these learners to develop industry-standard skills that can lead to employment. Leaders meet the need to support local unemployed adults through their subcontractors, who work closely with their local Jobcentre Plus to provide courses leading to useful qualifications.

In most areas, staff work well with stakeholders to influence the design and teaching of the curriculum.

In business, for example, tutors work with banks and businesses who provide employer talks, master classes and business competitions, and influence the content of finance and recruitment units. This ensures that the curriculum is current and relevant. In most areas, learners study an up-to-date curriculum informed by industry experts.

In T level engineering, staff include additional qualifications in pneumatics and electro-pneumatics, hydraulics, wind engineering and solar energy as part of their curriculum. These link well to a breadth of engineering pathways. However, in a few areas such as electrical installation, the curriculum is not informed by current industry practices.

This hinders learners' and apprentices' opportunities to develop a sound understanding of potential career routes and employment opportunities.

What does the provider do well and what does it need to do better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders and those responsible for governance have made improvements to the quality of education and training that they provide. For example, leaders have improved training for staff by providing helpful and interesting development opportunities to improve their teaching.

They make clear to staff the standards of teaching expected. The quality of teaching is now high.

Governors, leaders and staff have improved their oversight of learners' and apprentices' progress.

Staff now use information on learners' progress well to identify learners who fall behind and put in place timely interventions to support them to get back on track. Consequently, most learners make expected progress.However, leaders recognise the need to improve the quality of apprenticeships, which make up a small proportion of their overall provision.

Tutors plan and sequence curriculum content logically. For example, in electrical installation, tutors teach apprentices fundamental electrical principles and calculations for voltage and resistance before they teach wiring systems and their practical application in workshops. This helps learners and apprentices to build on their knowledge, skills and behaviours over time.

Tutors plan courses that prepare learners and apprentices well for their next steps, including progression to higher-level courses. For example, adult learners on functional skills mathematics courses learn how to apply different formulae and use calculus techniques to calculate areas and volumes of different shapes and to solve complex mathematical problems. This helps them gain the knowledge they need to move on to mathematics based vocational courses.

Tutors check what learners and apprentices know and can do before they start their course. Tutors use the results well to set targets based on learners' needs and provide appropriate support where necessary. However, in GCSE English, staff do not always take sufficient account of learners' start points, and as result, a few learners have struggled to master the new knowledge being taught.

Consequently, these learners have made slow progress.

Tutors teach new concepts skilfully. They provide helpful explanations and use demonstrations and presentations to help learners understand theoretical concepts.

At the Barking Learning Centre, ESOL tutors teach learners to write sentences using the correct tense, and check that learners know how to pronounce new vocabulary accurately when reading their written work aloud. Learners use what they have learned about tenses and vocabulary in helpful classroom discussions which help them to remember what they have been taught.

Tutors use a range of suitable assessment strategies to check the knowledge and understanding of their learners and apprentices.

Most tutors ask helpful and probing questions, mark and observe learners' and apprentices' work as they complete it and explain any misconceptions. However, in a few instances, tutors do not check learners' understanding fully before moving on to new topics. For example, when questions are posed to a group rather than to specific learners, responses can be dominated by a few.

In these instances, it is not clear that all learners have learned what they need to make progress.

Tutors give helpful and developmental feedback to adults and young learners. They identify clearly how learners can improve their work.

As a result, they can improve the quality of their work to produce work of at least the expected standard. However, in a few instances on apprenticeships, tutors do not give specific enough guidance to help apprentices make improvements or explain why they did not receive full marks. In a few instances, tutors do not provide feedback in a format that meets the needs of learners who have difficulty in processing written and verbal information.

Learners and apprentices with SEND and additional support needs receive effective support and make expected progress. Most staff provide good opportunities for learners who have high needs to work towards achieving their education, health and care plan outcomes. Staff review targets frequently and share helpful support strategies with each other.

In supported internships, tutors prepare learners for suitable placements, including in health care and leisure companies where learners answer queries and serve customers. Tutors teach learners skills in communication, time keeping and communication at the start of their courses. Job coaches ensure that learners have suitable opportunities in the work placement to apply their knowledge.

Consequently, learners develop their confidence, social skills and their ability to meet the requirements of potential employers.

Most learners achieve well. The achievement of adult learners is particularly high at their subcontracted provision.

Across most subjects, including GCSE English and mathematics, learners' achievement has improved over the previous three years. However, across the provision, too few learners achieve merits or distinctions where these are available. Achievement remains low in apprenticeships.

Too often, apprentices do not know what to expect in their final assessments or how to gain merits or distinctions. Consequently, too few apprentices achieve these grades.

Leaders have planned an extensive tutorial programme covering useful topics such as healthy relationships and the importance of British values.

Learners hold insightful discussions about ethics and confidently and respectfully debate these topics. However, in a few instances, including on apprenticeships, learners' knowledge of these topics is limited.

Many learners and apprentices benefit from taking part in competitions and skills shows that involve employers and stakeholders.

Those who participate develop pride in their work, build confidence and gain insights into industry expectations. An increasing number of learners participate in regional and national competitions.

Most learners, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with SEND, have completed relevant and meaningful work experience placements.

These placements offer learners the chance to apply the skills they have learned in professional settings, preparing them well for work. However, not enough learners on courses at level 2 have experienced work experience placements outside of the college. Therefore, they miss out on the valuable experience of applying their knowledge in an industry setting.

Staff provide learners with effective and helpful careers advice and guidance. Learners are well informed about possible next steps, including apprenticeship opportunities and job roles in their chosen industries. They receive helpful support to complete university and job applications.

The vast majority move on to positive destinations.

The attendance and punctuality of learners are not consistently high. On well-attended courses, learners show a dedication to learning, supported by staff who actively reinforce expectations.

However, managers and tutors recognise a need to improve attendance and punctuality on a few courses, such as ESOL for young learners at the Technical Skills Centre and GCSE English. As a result of their poor attendance, learners on these courses miss valuable teaching that would help them to make swift progress.

Leaders have suitable governance arrangements in place.

Governors are knowledgeable about the further education sector. They scrutinise college data and conduct quality assurance activities and so know well the strengths and weaknesses of their provision. Governors support and challenge leaders effectively to meet key objectives.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the provider need to do to improve?

• Involve employers more effectively in reviewing the progress that apprentices make. ? Improve the support for apprentices on electrical and plumbing standards to enable a high proportion to complete and achieve their apprenticeship.

• Improve attendance in areas including English, mathematics and ESOL for young learners. ? Identify the reasons why too few learners and apprentices archive merits and distinction and take action to improve this. ? Provide opportunities for young learners on level 2 courses to participate actively in work experience to support the development and application of their knowledge and skills.