A SPECIALIST college in Warrington has been graded as ‘requires improvement’ by education watchdogs.

Willow Green CIO, originally based at Green Lane Community Special School, was given the low grading by Ofsted after an inspection in April.

The college, which caters for students with SEND, moved premises in 2022. However, despite a recent change in leadership, an official report claimed that there is still more work to be done.

An inspector began by highlighting the ‘supportive’ and ‘welcoming’ environment of the college.

As well as noting that students ‘enjoy coming to the college’ as they make new friendships and build professional relationships with the staff on-site.

They added: “The curriculums include a wide variety of charity work and work in the community. This helps learners to increase their independence, interact with people outside of their immediate circle of friends, develop their resilience and improve their communication skills.”

The inspection report cited ‘recent changes’ in the senior leadership at the setting brought on a ‘thorough and accurate review’.

“Senior leaders have implemented a comprehensive improvement plan swiftly. Although improvement actions are beginning to have a positive effect on the quality of teaching, it is too soon to see the full impact of these on learners’ experiences at college,” the inspector said.

The report also referenced to the fact leaders were aware that the curriculum design set out at the college needed ‘further improvements to ensure learners receive high-quality education’.

“Leaders have plans in place to introduce accredited English and mathematics qualifications and to increase the number of supported internship placements.

“These plans are yet to be implemented.

“Many teachers and learning support assistants are new to the college. Until very recently, they received limited training on working with learners with SEND. Although leaders have now introduced a tailored staff training programme that includes SEND-specific content, too many staff do not yet have the specialist knowledge and skills to effectively teach and support learners with SEND.”

A range of assessments are used by staff to identify learners starting points accurately, the report continued.

However, these plans are not always effectively used to ‘plan and teach personalised learning programmes that meet learners’ diverse needs’.

On an positive note, the inspector added: “Staff support learners effectively to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for the workplace.

“Teachers link clearly what learners do at college and how this is then applied in their work placements.

“When working in a community café, learners demonstrate their competence when preparing and cooking food and using their customer service skills when serving customers. Job coaches incrementally reduce support so that learners develop their independence and confidence. “Most learners achieve their employability qualification and move into jobs, supported internships or volunteering.”

It was said that teachers and learning support also set learners tasks to help develop their learning further, but sometimes they are too quick to intervene and help, meaning that pupils sometimes ‘cannot always recall what they have learned or how they can apply this learning in practice’.

Lastly, it stated: “Staff pay high priority to learners’ well-being and to how they can keep themselves safe and healthy.

“Learners complete ‘Prevent’ duty training to help them understand the threats posed by those with radical or extremist views. Learners keep physically healthy through weekly sports activities.”

To read the full report, visit reports.ofsted.gov.uk/