Ofsted Report

I am delighted to present this summary of Tollbar Business and Enterprise College's Ofsted Inspection Report, Spring 2004.

 

The Governors are proud that the inspection team have recognised the quality of the education, care and guidance that we offer to our students in the main College and the Sixth Form. We intend, with the continued support of our parents, the wider community of North East Lincolnshire and our Education Authority, to use this strong vote of confidence as a springboard to even greater success.

 

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Chair of Governors

It is cost-effective because standards are above average overall, students are achieving well overall and its costs are balanced by its income.

 

Leadership and management are very effective in developing the Sixth Form partnership and ensuring that students' individual needs are met. Teaching is good and students achieve well. Very good relationships exist between teachers and students. Assessment arrangements contribute well to students' achievement. The quality of support, advice and guidance is very good. Links with other educational institutions are very good. Students very much appreciate what the Sixth Form provides and their attitudes and behaviour are very good.

Most students receive good advice about their choice of courses so that few do not complete their studies. They receive full information and guidance before entering Sixth Form, and subsequently have frequent opportunities to review their progress with tutors.

Sixth Form students have very good attitudes to the College. They particularly value the wide choice of courses available. This is one reason for the very high levels of motivation. Students come prepared to work hard and to adjust to a different style of teaching and learning in order to improve. Their relationships with their teachers are very good: this shows clearly in their obvious enjoyment of lessons and their mature behaviour. The Sixth Form is largely run as a separate establishment.

 

Students' attendance and punctuality are good. Their attitudes to their studies and their behaviour are both very good. Their personal development is good overall.

A strong feature of good teaching is teachers' knowledge and understanding of their subjects. They use these effectively to guide students' learning. Teachers combine their good subject knowledge with well-planned lessons and the variety of teaching and methods that effectively meet the needs of their students. Learning is strengthened by the constructive advice and individual support that teachers provide in tutorials. Teachers use assessment and marking particularly well to identify needs and help students improve. These attributes of good teaching are reinforced by very good relationships between teachers and students and amongst students themselves.

 

Assessment in the Sixth Form is good. The performance of students in GCSE examinations in Year 11 is used well to set targets for GCE A-Level examinations. Teachers use the information well to support students' achievement and to plan for the needs of individuals and groups of students. Students' progress is checked regularly and targets reviewed; students are well informed about what they need to do to improve. Teachers assess students' work thoroughly with examination criteria used effectively to ensure that students know how well they are doing in relation to their targets.

The curriculum allows very good equality of access and opportunity for all students. The breadth and range of opportunities available through the partnership with Grimsby college persuade many students who would not otherwise consider a Sixth Form education to do so and also attract students from other institutions. Students whose ICT skills do not reach a minimum standard are given "booster" classes in the Sixth Form. Opportunities for enrichment are expanding thanks to links with, for example, HSBC Bank and the Ogden Trust.

 

Accommodation and resources are very good overall. Students have a separate Sixth Form Centre on the Tollbar site and access to facilities at Grimsby College. ICT facilities have improved considerably and there is very effective use of interactive whiteboards in several subjects to support teaching and learning.

Standards of care are very good, as in the main part of the College. Students receive very good support and guidance during their time in the Sixth Form.

 

Sixth Form students feel that they get very good guidance. This applies both when choosing courses and while they are studying at the College. New systems, such as the academic tutorials, provide particularly good academic support. The guidance that students receive about university or employment choices is good.

Links with parents are good, while links with the community and other colleges are very good. students benefit from the extensive links that the College has established with the local community and from the strength of the North East Lincolnshire partnership. The partnership arrangements work very well. As a result, the range of courses available is extensive. This enables students who would not otherwise choose Sixth Form education to do so.

Leadership and management are very good. Very effective leadership has secured the development of the Sixth Form.

 

Very effective management ensures that all involved have the same expectations and despite the large numbers there is a strong focus on development of the individual students according to need.

 

The strong pre-inspection impression of forward-thinking leadership and very well organised, efficient management was confirmed at the inspection. This is particularly the case in respect of the successful joint partnership arrangement for Sixth Form provision with The Grimsby Institute and St James' School. It demonstrates very clear vision, sense of purpose and high aspirations by key staff.

Students clearly relish Sixth Form life and the opportunities it provides. Teachers respect their increasing maturity and students appreciate what teachers do for them. They are keen to work and do well. They feel valued and supported throughout their time in the Sixth Form.

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