2C:How is success in teaching, training and learning recognised?

Teaching is well matched to students' specific needs and integrated into real-life situations. For example, a student on a vocational taster session in the main college office learned how to format standard letters to be sent out to parents.

Teaching is well structured and effective in most integrated provision. In performing arts, teachers use expressive and creative activities to develop personal and communication skills. For example, in one class, students were practising dance movements to perform at the college fashion show. Students with severe learning difficulties and/or disabilities practised and developed listening and concentration skills, and some effective problem-solving skills in relation to how to waltz without looking at their feet.

Experienced staff are highly effective in using relevant and varied communication strategies to facilitate learning and secure achievement. One lively lesson, based on a project to visit London, provided an environment where an extensive range of specialist aids were used to promote communication.

All staff use many different ways of communicating with each student and this approach enables students to develop their preferred way of interacting with others. Students with dual sensory impairments are well supported, using such methods as hand-on-hand signing. Where relevant, students are successfully encouraged to direct their enablers and to express preferences and choices. Specific objects are used effectively to provide a tactile reference to aspects of the students' world, such as the curriculum and daily living. For example, one student is now able to successfully communicate his choice between gardening and the sensory room through using either an artificial flower or a small beanbag.

Work placements provide opportunities to develop numeracy skills. Stock control and cash handling provide relevant opportunities to embed numeracy skills. Students are taught relevant vocabulary for the areas of work and understanding of terminology is reinforced. In a floristry lesson, students were asked to condition the flowers. They carried out the task and when questioned, without prompting, explained the technique and why it was necessary.

Teaching and learning are very good, particularly in all aspects of specific support for literacy and e-skills. The provision for Braille teaching and learning is outstanding. Most sessions were carefully structured to address the individual needs of the students. Staff provide material in the appropriate medium for each student.

In the most effective lessons, learning is developed through relevant practical activities. A range of appropriate teaching strategies and resources is used to develop literacy, numeracy and communication skills. In an ICT lesson, students were able to practise counting and addition, using a software programme. This activity was then supplemented by physical resources to secure the concept of addition. In a drama and movement lesson, games were used imaginatively to develop students' vocabulary, concepts and social interaction. A ball was passed from person to person by selecting and naming an individual, whilst acting out a concept such as “the ball is hot” or “the ball is smelly”.

Staff give clear instructions which are sufficiently repeated to enable students to understand what is required of them. There is good use of individual core objectives on lesson plans, which are carried over into all aspects of the student's programme, for example, to maintain eye contact when talking and listening.

Effective teaching and learning are supported by the good use of adaptive technology, including Intellikeys, switches, roller ball and one-step communicators. Effective use is made of appropriate software to improve students' literacy, numeracy and communication skills. The development of ICT skills as a leisure interest is promoted. The member of staff appointed as the ILT champion has been allocated a significant amount of time to work with a range of staff to develop provision and suitable resources. ICT has been used creatively, for example, to import photographs of family members into documents to stimulate students' response, and to exploit the motivational use of a switch by connecting it to a stereo.

[There is] much good and imaginative teaching – in a drama lesson students’ thinking, speaking and listening skills were developed through games.

The teaching of basic numeracy is good. Students learn to estimate, sequence and date order, for example, through individual, paired and whole-group activities. There is a real sense of enjoyment and participation in these lessons.

In practical lessons, some teachers successfully integrate the skills of communication and application of number into other learning tasks.

Teaching is particularly good on the access to FE course for Deaf students. In English communication, tutors who are themselves Deaf encourage students to use a range of communication methods. They illustrate through Sign language the sound of difficult pronunciation or words that students do not understand.

Students are given sufficient time and personal space to develop confidence to participate in lessons or conversation.

Teaching is exceptionally well planned to ensure that the majority of sessions offer a range of activities which have an appropriate degree of challenge.

One student with severe learning difficulties was able, using Makaton communication equipment, to produce beautifully presented and detailed pencil drawings to record his learning.

Initial assessment of a student’s literacy and numeracy skills is thorough and is used in the development of individual learning plans.

Assessment processes effectively involve students, parents and carers in the identification of goals for students and their continuous review. Initial assessment is well documented, with evidence gathered from a range of sources, including previous experiences, parents and observations of students’ learning in the first few weeks of their course.