Active Learning Trust Linc 19 - 25

Overview

Active Learning Trust Linc 19-25 is a specialist centre for learners aged 19 to 25 with severe learning difficulties, receiving a ‘Good’ overall effectiveness judgement. The report highlights ‘Outstanding’ behaviour and attitudes, alongside ‘Good’ quality of education, driven by staff who possess a ‘comprehensive understanding’ of each learner’s complex needs.

Strengths

• Staff ‘know them extremely well’, using nuanced understanding of non-verbal communication to ‘skilfully redirect learners’ interest’ and maintain calm, focused lessons.
• Learners benefit from ‘therapeutic support and specialist facilities’, including a hydrotherapy pool and gym, which help improve physical stamina and well-being.
• The provider fosters a ‘calm and safe environment’ where learners develop self-regulation strategies and show ‘tolerance for each other’.
• Leaders maintain ‘strong’ communication with parents and stakeholders, ensuring families are ‘well informed’ about daily progress and transitions.
• Teachers effectively use assistive technology and sensory activities to help learners ‘express consent’ and communicate their choices and feelings.

Areas to improve

• Teachers must ensure learning activities have a ‘clear purpose’ and link to ‘real-life scenarios’ rather than using abstract representations like shaving cream for snow.
• Planning for numeracy skills is ‘insufficient’, as current activities do not adequately support progress in number recognition or everyday mathematics.
• Leaders need to improve ‘management feedback and training for teachers’, as current feedback is ‘overly complimentary’ and does not sufficiently drive pedagogical improvement.

Safeguarding

The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.