Esher Sixth Form College

Overview

Esher Sixth Form College is described as a provider where learners thrive in a culture of "high expectations" and "inclusive and respectful" behaviour. The report highlights that staff deliver high-quality education, enabling learners to make "exceptional progress" and develop the skills necessary for successful transitions to university, apprenticeships, or work.

Strengths

• Learners demonstrate "exceptionally positive attitudes" and are "highly motivated," benefiting from "frequent, high-quality feedback" that helps them overcome obstacles.
• Teachers "expertly break down complex ideas" and use effective strategies, such as acronyms in biology, to ensure learners "learn new concepts quickly" and build confidence.
• The curriculum is "diligently" planned to foster personal growth, with learners developing "substantial new knowledge and skills" and becoming "exceptional ambassadors" for the college.
• Support for learners with special educational needs and high needs is "very effective," with staff adapting teaching to ensure these learners "achieve at least as well as their peers."
• Leaders maintain "highly effective and robust quality assurance processes" and have developed "highly effective partnerships with local organisations" to align vocational courses with employer needs.

Areas to improve

• Leaders are developing additional monitoring processes to review the impact of support on "non-academic outcomes" for learners with high needs, though it is "too early to see the impact of this work."
• "Not all learners recall fully their learning on local risks," indicating a minor gap in safeguarding education retention.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders ensuring designated leads are trained, staff are recruited safely, and robust monitoring systems keep learners and staff safe.