Epping Forest College

Preparation for Re-inspection monitoring visit report

___________________________________________________________________

Unique reference number: 130677

Name of lead inspector: Tony Noonan, former senior
HMI
Inspection date(s): 14 15 March 2017
Type of provider: General further education
college

Address: Borders Lane

Loughton
Essex
IG10 3SA

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Introduction
The Handbook for inspecting further education and skills describes how
re-inspection monitoring visits (RMVs) to colleges found to be inadequate
overall are normally carried out within three weeks of the publication of
the inspection report. Epping Forest College (the college) received the first
RMV on 26 January 2017. Other follow-up monitoring visits will normally
take place until the full re-inspection is completed, usually within 15
months of the publication date of the most recent full inspection report.
The purpose of re-inspection monitoring visits is to:
promote rapid improvement for all learners
make clear to the provider, learners and other users what steps the
provider has taken to improve the provision and how effective these
have been
inform the funding agencies, government departments and, where
relevant, the Further Education Commissioner or equivalent of the
progress made in improving provision for learners.
The first visit will assess what steps the provider has taken to improve the
weak areas identified in the inspection report and recommend priorities
for further improvement. Follow-up visits will assess the impact of
measures to improve provision for learners and challenge the provider to
improve. Ofsted will publish the findings and share them with funding
agencies and the Further Education Commissioner or equivalent (as
relevant).
Monitoring visits will normally be carried out by one or two inspectors and
last up to two days. Inspectors will report against the areas for
improvement by themes and will set out priorities for improvement
against each theme.
Themes are derived from the areas for improvement in the recently
published inspection report. They focus on actions that will lead to
improvement for learners and not on processes and systems.
Ofsted will normally use the following progress judgements:

insufficient progress: progress has been either slow or insubstantial

or both, and the demonstrable impact on learners has been
negligible
reasonable progress: action taken by the provider is already having
a beneficial impact on learners and improvements are sustainable
and are based on the providers thorough quality assurance
procedures
significant progress: progress has been rapid and is already having
considerable beneficial impact on learners.

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This visit was led by Tony Noonan, former senior HMI, along with another
former HMI, on 14 15 March 2017. It was a preparatory visit for the
second RMV to be carried out by Ofsted and this visit followed the same
processes as Ofsted.

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Preparatory Re-inspection Monitoring visit: main
findings
Context and focus of visit
This is a preparatory re-inspection monitoring visit (RMV) to Epping Forest
College, following publication of the inspection report on 6 January 2017
which found the provider to be inadequate overall. An initial re-inspection
monitoring visit took place on 26 January 2016, during which six progress
themes were highlighted. The principal has made several new
appointments to the senior team and is continuing to finalise the
restructured management team.

Themes
What actions have been taken to ensure that all safeguarding
arrangements for all groups of learners are effective
Reasonable progress
Appropriate arrangements to safeguard learners are now in place. College
managers, working closely with local authorities and other regional
experts, now ensure the more vulnerable learners are safeguarded
effectively. Procedures are better aligned with best practice. For example,
an incident procedure, in which curriculum and security staff coordinated
their responses, was trialled successfully in a recent exercise involving
performing arts learners.
Staff have received training in identifying risks and reporting safeguarding
concerns, including most governors. Assessors will complete their planned
training in April 2017.
Staff have carried out assessments of potential risks, including for learners
aged 14 to 16, so they can support their learning at college more
effectively. College safeguarding action plans highlight key risks, the
progress made against actions and note any further actions they intend to
take. However, the plan is not always clear how successful completion of
actions will be measured, what follow-up actions are required and when
these actions should be completed by.
A stronger focus on developing learners safeguarding knowledge is being
introduced through themed weeks, such as a forthcoming drug
awareness week. Leaders and managers are considering how best to
share resources with apprentices and off-site learners.
A safe room for learners aged 14 to 16 has been created and staff are
reviewing how they can encourage these young people to use the facility
more regularly at lunch times through planned activities.

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Learners at the college spoken to during this monitoring visit reported
they felt safe in and around the college.
What actions have been taken to improve the quality of teaching,
learning and assessment swiftly
Reasonable progress
The newly-formed leadership team is fully committed to improve the
quality of teaching, learning and assessment and this is reflected in the
enhanced staffing resource, the Teaching and Learning Coaches, and the
greater emphasis on the evaluation of teaching, learning and assessment
through graded lesson observations and learning walks that focus on
specific themes.
This emphasis means that teachers now receive more comprehensive
professional development activities, specifically tailored to the
weaknesses identified through the work of inspection and that identified
through the observation of lessons. Recent professional development
workshops including effective questioning and behaviour management of
learners. For example, a whole-college workshop to provide appropriate
challenge to individual learners in lessons has improved the way teachers
plan for learning. In addition, a broad range of podcasts are currently
being developed that will enable teachers to develop their skills at other
times.
The large majority of teachers and support workers are enthusiastic and
fully support the colleges drive for improvement. They instil a culture of
high aspirations to their learners, most of whom are eager to learn and
actively engaged in lessons. For example, during an early years lesson,
groups of learners devised and posed quizzes to each other. The questions
were relevant and specific to the topics being learnt and the teacher was
skilful in maintaining an excited but controlled learning atmosphere.
The experiences gained by learners during work placements is used
effectively to enrich their vocational lessons. Learning support assistants
provided strong support, not just to their nominated learners but to the
rest of the class as well.
Too much lesson time is allocated to learners to write-up assignments.
During this time, little input or teaching is given to support the learners.
Teachers are not ensuring learners develop good independent learning
skills. Not enough sessions are timetabled for learners to complete
homework and their assignments outside of lessons.
The development of English and mathematical skills during vocational
lessons is now given a higher profile than previously. Managers identify
these skills through the observation of lessons, although more rigorous
auditing of the integration of English and mathematics skills, for example

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in schemes of work and lesson plans, would further extend the profile of
this work.

What actions have been taken to ensure that the observation of

teachers practice is strengthened to drive improvements in
teaching, learning and assessment?
Reasonable progress
Since the last RMV, a new Director of Quality was appointed and leaders
have reviewed the colleges procedures for improving the judging the
quality of teaching, learning and assessment. A well-trained team of
observers is now assembled who all have successfully gained external
accreditation for their observational skills. They have instigated more
rigorous systems to observe lessons and improve teachers skills, carrying
out regular learning walks, with identified themes, and graded lesson
observations. Their judgements are accurate and they provide insightful
comments to help teachers improve their teaching practices.
Teachers report anecdotally that they particularly value the learning
walks because of the rapid and accurate feedback they receive. However,
no formal evaluation of this process has taken place.
Key points from the observation of teaching, learning and assessment are
collated into a database, to inform the overall evaluation of the strengths
and weaknesses. Senior and curriculum managers thus gain a more
informed and critical perspective of the quality of the colleges provision.
This information also shapes the professional development activities
planned.
Several initiatives are being introduced to improve the quality of teaching,
learning and assessment. A rudimentary Peer excellence forum
comprised of teachers graded as outstanding is being formed. It is
planned that this group will lead on peer support between teachers and to
extend the sharing of good practice across the college. Regular drop-in
advice sessions now take place in which teachers can receive advice from
an experienced coach to support improvements in teaching and learning.

What actions have been taken to ensure that learners

attendance, punctuality and behaviour are good?
Reasonable progress
Leaders, managers and staff are monitoring attendance rigorously,
including each aspect of the study programme. Monthly rewards for full
attendance have been introduced recently to motivate learners to attend
well. Attendance monitors identify absence and contact learners and their

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parents/carers to establish swiftly the reasons behind any absence;
teachers follow up persistent absence. While learners attendance is
improving overall, it is still not high enough, and managers recognise a
gap remains between attendance on main courses and English and
mathematics lessons, where attendance is lower. At the time of this
monitoring visit, attendance is currently high in motor vehicle and
business, but low in sport, English and mathematics.
The absence of vulnerable learners, other than for learners in care, is not
identified specifically so that contact with these learners can be
prioritised. Learners spoken to on this monitoring visit report that
punctuality and absence are tackled promptly and consistently.
Parents/carers now receive half-termly reports on learners attendance.
The college has increased the number of security officers and established
more rigorous procedures for duty managers. This has enabled better
monitoring of behaviour in and around the college, including more patrols
around the college perimeter. Managers have clear roles and
responsibilities to support good behaviour; for example, speaking with
learners to establish where they should be, visiting communal areas and
liaising with security staff. Behaviour seen in lessons, and in and around
the college, was good on this monitoring visit. Learners spoken to reported
that teachers deal with any instances of poor behaviour swiftly and
consistently.

What actions have been taken to ensure that the progress of

learners and apprentices is monitored rigorously and governors,
leaders and managers understand accurately the strengths and
weaknesses of the provision?
Reasonable progress
Leaders and managers have established more rigorous systems for
ensuring the accurate tracking and monitoring of learners progress.
Predicted achievement rates are now calculated and show the current
worst-case scenario for achievement; this enables staff to carry out
targeted work with underachieving groups to raise attainment rates.
Introducing the use of electronic software (eTrackr) is now providing more
useful information on the way individual learners targets are being held
centrally. This ensures curriculum and senior managers are kept informed
of the progress of individual learners, and the performance of courses, and
enable staff to carry out further work when there is underperformance.
However, some aspects of the eTrackr require refinement to ensure all
performance indicators are accurate.
Monitoring and updating the actions in the quality improvement plan/post-
inspection action plan (QIP) now takes place regularly and so governors,

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leaders and stakeholders are kept informed effectively. For example, a
newly-introduced Governors dashboard will provide governors with
support when monitoring key performance indicators more effectively.
However, although key performance indicators for the quality of teaching,
learning and assessment are discussed, not all governors have a clear
oversight from personal experience of the quality of teaching and
learning.
The college has introduced regular performance appraisal meetings,
chaired by the deputy principal, to monitor the progress of QIP actions.
This enables senior managers to take remedial action if required when
targets are not being met. Senior managers acknowledge that the QIP is
becoming unwieldy and needs to be streamlined to aid more efficient
monitoring.
The characteristics of teaching, learning and assessment currently in the
QIP are sparsely described, with little details of strengths and areas of
development. Senior managers have developed a database that collates
the key points of graded observations and learning walks and there are
immediate plans to enrich the QIP with the characteristics of teaching,
learning and assessment, along with actions to improve weaknesses
identified in teachers practice.

What actions have been taken to ensure that leaders and

managers work effectively with the local enterprise partnership,
employers and community organisations to ensure the range and
content of all provision is aligned to local and regional priorities?
Reasonable progress
Governors are in the process of finalising the restructure for expanding
work with employers and the local community. Leaders and managers are
focusing more strongly on activities and courses that respond to the skills
and training needs of employers, local and regional priorities and on
expanding the business enterprise skills of study programme learners. It is
still too early to comment on the impact of much of this work.
At the time of this monitoring visit, many interesting and relevant
initiatives are still at planning stage. Examples of courses proposed for the
summer and autumn terms include: training to prepare unemployed
adults for work in retail and customer service roles through Jobcentre Plus;
short courses in construction trades; and a new foundation degree in early
years.
Links with key local employers and community groups are being forged,
including with the local enterprise partnership and Chamber of Commerce.
A skills board is being created, chaired by the principal, to explore how

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best the college can support growth along the M11 corridor, to enable
staff to respond to skills and training requirements more effectively.
Leaders are reviewing curriculum development proposals to ensure they
are financially viable and that appropriate resources are available, utilising
existing staff where possible. Governors have set an overall target for
income generation in the current year, which managers report they are on
target to achieve.
Through improved employer and community links, staff have been able to
expand the work experience placements on offer to study programme
learners, resulting in more learners being placed in a setting or role that
better matches their career goals and aspirations.