Nov 12, 2014 ... Callan Method teachers continue to be well supported by the DoS. ... Parents
who wish to book homestay for their child receive notes which ...
Spot check report
Organisation name
ABC School of English, London
Inspection date
12 November 2014
BACKGROUND Organisation profile Inspection history
Dates/details
First inspection
2009
Last full inspection
September 2013
Subsequent spot check (if applicable)
N/a
Subsequent supplementary check (if applicable)
N/a
Subsequent interim visit (if applicable)
N/a
Other related schools / centres /affiliates Other related non-accredited activities (in brief) at this centre
None None
Current accreditation status and reason for spot check Current accredited status Accredited Reason for spot check
Signalled: follow-up on Points to be addressed
Premises profile Address of main site
63 Neal Street, London WC2H 9PJ
Details of any additional sites in N/a use at the time of the inspection Details of any additional sites not in N/a use at the time of the inspection Sites inspected
Main site.
Student and staff profile
At inspection
In peak week (July)
Total ELT/ESOL student numbers (FT + PT)
42
67
Minimum age (including closed group or vacation)
16
16
Typical age range
18-30
18-30
Typical length of stay
Total number of teachers on eligible ELT courses
4-12 weeks Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Brazilian 6
2-12 weeks Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Brazilian 8
Total number of administrative/ancillary staff
3
Predominant nationalities
INTRODUCTION Background The school was started by the two owners/directors in 2002. The majority of the courses run are Callan Method courses. One class of general English is offered at either intermediate or upper intermediate level. Callan Method classes are run at all levels and some students choose to combine Callan and general English courses. One of the directors, who is TEFL-initiated, has the role of director of studies, (principal/DoS), responsible for the academic management of the Callan Method courses. The rationale for the DoS, as academic manager, was accepted at the last inspection. The other director is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the school, for the marketing
and for welfare and student services. A part-time TEFL-qualified academic coordinator (AC) was appointed in August 2013 to take responsibility for the academic management of the general English courses. Accreditation was continued for a further four years after the last inspection in September 2013. However, in view of the lack of continuity in academic management, a spot check was recommended during 2014 to focus on academic management, including continuing professional development for teachers and the review of course design for general English courses. The spot check also focused on the weaknesses identified in the Welfare and student services criteria, which now come under the Care of under 18s section. Preparation The spot check was conducted by two inspectors who had not previously inspected the school. Relevant documents were received and initial contact was made with one of the directors requesting information about any days or times that key personnel might not be available. The inspectors arranged a suitable day and they arrived at 1015 and left at 1515. Programme and persons present Meetings were held with the two directors and the inspectors visited all the classes, four Callan Method and one general English, after introducing themselves to the teachers. As the academic coordinator was not in school at the time of the check, the reporting inspector arranged to contact her by phone later. Relevant documentation was seen. FINDINGS Teaching and learning It is the policy of the school to only ever have one general English (GE) class running at any one time and one teacher is employed specifically to teach it. The AC, who has responsibility for the GE course, has now been in post for over a year and is contracted to work for 15 - 20 hours a month, but works remotely for most of those. She comes into school to observe the GE teacher and to deliver CPD sessions once every three months and to attend meetings. The current teacher started working at the school three months ago and has been observed by the AC. The observation notes were useful and contained action points. The AC offers ongoing support to the teacher by email and phone. Callan Method teachers continue to be well supported by the DoS. In-house development sessions, delivered by the AC, are scheduled every three months and are attended by both the Callan Method and GE teachers. The last two sessions covered tutorials and one-to-one teaching. The Callan Method teachers have additional sessions with the DoS, who is also available to support the GE teacher. Lessons were well prepared, students appeared engaged and motivated and there was a positive learning atmosphere in all the classes visited by the inspectors.
Care of under 18s Criteria
Not met
Met
Strength
See comments
N/a
C1 Safeguarding policy C2 Guidance and training C3 Publicity C4 Recruitment materials
N/a
C5 Suitability checks
N/a
C6 Safety and supervision C7 Accommodation C8 Contact arrangements Comments At the time of the spot check, there were no under 18s enrolled. Publicity states that the minimum age is 16, but that students younger than this may join the Callan Method classes. Under 18s account for about seven percent of students year round, with the majority coming in the summer. Five were enrolled on the Callan Method course in the
peak week and the youngest student in the summer was 13. The school also accepts closed groups of children outside the summer, the youngest being nine years old. Homestay accommodation is not offered to under 16s, but is arranged for 16-17 year olds by the two accommodation agencies used by the school. C1 There is a policy document for under 18s which includes some child protection and safeguarding procedures. One of the directors, who has experience as a social worker and Special Constable with the City of London police, is the designated person, but she is not named in the policy. The policy does not include adequate procedures for safer recruitment, assessing risks or training relevant to the specific context in which the school operates. C2 The under 18 policy is not found in staff handbooks and is not shared with the accommodation agencies used for the homestay provision for under 18s. Staff have not received safeguarding training. C3 Publicity does not refer to the level of support and care given to under 18s. In the terms and conditions it is stated that students under 18 will be placed in adult classes, but no further details are given about the level of supervision. Parents who wish to book homestay for their child receive notes which state that the school does not provide 24 hour supervision. No further details are provided. C5 All staff are required to have suitability checks. However, the results of these checks are not always known until after employment has commenced and reference requests are not made until after the post has been taken up. C6 Although rules about curfew times are made clear, other information sent to parents and students is confusing. Parents are asked for permission for their child (aged 16-17) to travel to and from school independently. The consent form states that their child will be staying with "a family", but that the parent and parent's family ("my family") will be responsible for the wellbeing of their child. However, 16-17 year olds may be placed in homestay accommodation by the school. Parents are also asked to give their permission for their child to go on full-day excursions organised by an independent company. However, it was understood by inspectors that the company used by the school does not accept under 18s on the excursions. There are no additional rules or guidelines for under 18s in the student handbook. Care of under 18s summary The provision fails to meet the section standard. Some of the systems and procedures necessary to ensure the allround care of under 18s are in place, but they lack clarity and consistency and need further development to become fully embedded. POINTS TO BE ADDRESSED Points to be addressed from the previous inspection report with comments (in bold) to indicate how far these have been addressed.
Points which must be addressed within 12 months Management M6 Reference requests do not ask specifically whether there is any reason that employees should not be employed in situations where they have responsibility for, or substantial access to, persons under 18. Reference requests now ask this. However, requests are not made until after employment has commenced. M10 Since 2010, when three in-house sessions on the Callan Method were run by the director/DoS, there have been no CPD activities in the school. This is an area which is in need of review and development. In house training sessions are planned for all teachers every three to four months, which they are paid to attend. The director ensures administration staff have appropriate in-house training. The directors attend external training events. Teaching and learning T14 There was no evidence of regular review of course design for the general English courses. These courses are designed to follow course books, which are regularly reviewed. The general English teacher has recently introduced a weekly out of class activity in order to meet the needs of the students in the general English class. The academic coordinator reviews the course outlines. T19 Younger students, on occasion as young as nine years, may be accepted on the course accompanied by a parent; age must be considered when placing such students. This policy has not changed regarding younger students. A minimum age is not stated, and the youngest student has been 13 in a Callan Method class and nine in a closed group. Welfare and student services W1 Class registers do not currently identify any students under 18. Now clearly identified. W31 The notes for parents and guardians of students under 18 do not specify that lunches are not provided.
This is now made clear. W34 Some of the information in the notes for parents and guardians of students under 18 is confusing and conflicts with rules set out in the curfew form and the school policy document for students under the age of 18. All three documents need to be reviewed. Now C6, see below. W35 Students under 18 are not supervised outside lessons. This is not made clear at the time of booking, either in the booking form or the terms and conditions. This information is given to parents in notes after booking and these are only forwarded to parents if accommodation is being arranged by the agencies. It is not made clear on the booking form or in the terms and conditions.
Other points to be addressed Management M1 The CLA notice was not displayed above the photocopier. Now displayed. M15 The policy on student punctuality set out in the student handbook, stating that students will not be able to enter their classes if they are more than 15 minutes’ late, has been abandoned following negative comments and adverse reactions from students. There was evidence from the school’s database of students arriving late into class and several students arrived late into two of the observed lesson segments during the inspection. The school’s policy in relation to this criterion is in need of review. Students are closely monitored and the situation has improved. M19 The initial feedback forms are administered within the first two weeks of a student’s course but they would be more effective if they were given to students in their first week. This is now done. M23 The following claim, which cannot be substantiated, is made on the website and in the brochure: “Learn English in a quarter of the time”. Publicity in relation to class sizes states that there are “small classes”. As the minimum class size is 12 this is a misleading statement. "Learn English in a quarter of the time" remains on the home page of the website. This was removed after the spot check. The wording "small classes" has been removed. M25 The minimum age is not clear for all courses. Where it is given, as 16, this may sometimes be breached as younger students may be accepted on the course accompanied by a parent. This is still the case. Resources and environment R4 There is no space for students to relax apart from in the classrooms and this was commented on negatively in recent feedback. This remains the case. R8 Appropriate supplementary materials for the general English course are in short supply. The stock of supplementary materials has been increased and is now adequate. Teaching and learning T11 The academic coordinator is a very recent appointment and has provided some guidance and support to the general English teacher but there has been no on-going INSET programme to date and the lack of continuity in academic management is a cause for concern. The AC has now been in post for over a year. She provides ongoing support for the general English teacher and delivers regular in-house training sessions for all teachers. The DoS continues to monitor and support the Callan Method teachers. T13 General English courses are based on published coursebooks. However, there is no statement of principles for these courses in the academic handbook, nor specific reference to relevant supplementary materials, nor was there any clear definition of anticipated student progression. There is now a clear statement of principles in the academic handbook and the syllabus contains checklists and can-do statements for each level. Teachers are free to use supplementary materials according to the needs of the class. T26 In the general English class staging included too much time spent on a listening task. No full observations were carried out in this spot check. T27 The use of mime, which is an important part of the Callan Method, was used more effectively in some lesson segments than others. No full observations were carried out in this spot check. Welfare and student services W18 Neither accommodation agency requires hosts to carry out fire risk assessments.
Risk assessments are now required. W32 Teachers are informed of the age and nationality of new students at the time of placement, but this information is not currently included on registers. Now on the registers.
CONCLUSIONS The school has fully addressed most of the points relating to academic management from the previous inspection. However, some points to be addressed relating to Welfare and student services, which now fall under Care of under 18s have been only partially addressed, and there are additional points arising from the spot check. RECOMMENDATION In view of the findings in relation to the care of under 18s a spot check should be carried out within six months and accreditation should be placed under review. PUBLISHABLE STATEMENT Changes to publishable statement The publishable statement has been withdrawn and must not be used.
