Learning and Quality Committee Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 13th May at 4.30pm at the City Hub, Nottingham

1.0 Welcome and Apologies

Apologies were received from Vanessa Yeung and Rachel Robson. 

2.0 Declarations of Interest

JS declared the following interests: 

• CEO/Principal Nottingham College 
• Trustee and Board Members of Skills and Education Group (SEG), awarding organisation and charity 
• Ofsted Inspector 
• Member of D2N2 LEP Principals’ Group 
• Member of Performance and Quality Committee, Futures Group 

LM 

• Vice Chancellor, Sheffield Hallam University 

No other interests were declared.

3.0 Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The Committee resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 13th March 2024 (distributed as L&Q.130524.002) be approved as a true record. 

4.0 Actions and Matters Arising 

4.1 Actions 

The Committee reviewed the Action Tracker (distributed as L&Q.130524.003): 
13.03.24 – Action 7 – policy and action plan around knife crime – committee to confirm whether action complete under Item 7.1 
13.03.24 – Action 8 – detail around art and fashion end of year shows emailed to governors, action complete 
13.03.24 – Action 9 – apprentice non-working day and work experience – with LW’s departure the response to this action will be provided through the report from the VP Curriculum and Support at the next meeting of the committee. 

All other actions are either not yet due or completed. 

4.2 Matters Arising 

There were no matters arising.

5.0 Quality and Performance

5.1 L&Q committee governor dashboard 

The committee received the governor dashboard and associated report (distributed as L&Q.130524.004). JS alerted the committee to a drop in student retention to below target since the dashboard was last presented, which risks the college achievement target for 23/24. Attendance has also been a challenge this year. The college still anticipates reaching its achievement target. 

A governor asked whether the decrease was mainly related to 16-19 students. JS confirmed this, and that this is the measure that external stakeholders including Ofsted scrutinise. 

A governor asked about the impact of completed QIP actions on attendance and retention and whether there were particular areas of concern across the college. JS confirmed that this data differed between campuses, and included improved attendance at some, although it is being worked on across college. Attendance at each educational level has not been measured to date. 

A governor asked about how resources are being deployed to manage attendance, retention and achievement issues. JS responded that the data for students working at or above target is variable and that any student below target has an action plan to manage this. 

The committee discussed student attendance and noted that low school attendance, as well as low attendance in FE, is an issue that has been reported in the press since Covid. A governor commented that HE student attendance is also low, and is further influenced by factors such as the need to work alongside learning due to the cost of living. Governors noted that all measures will be reported on again at the next meeting of the committee in June.

5.2 Report from the VP Innovation and Improvement 

The committee received the report from the VP Innovation and Improvement (distributed as L&Q.130524.005). This focussed on the national achievement rates (NARTs) and comparison with college achievement for 22/23. College achievement is slightly below NARTs, although this varies across subject areas. 

A combination of measures has been implemented within the 16-19 cohort that enables tracking down to the individual level. Some lower-level qualifications have been changed to improve achievement and progression. Based on retention comparisons with 22/23, an improvement in 16-19 achievement for 23/24 is anticipated. Interventions have also taken place within adult education to ensure improved achievement. 

A governor asked about the lower than target achievement in 16-19 apprenticeships for 22/23. RP explained that this is being monitored more closely for 23/24. LW added that there had been unforeseen circumstances affecting end point assessments in 22/23 that had brought the achievement rate down. A governor asked whether it was possible to analyse apprenticeship achievement data by employer. RP and LW explained that while this was possible, most employers of college apprentices are SMEs which would make it difficult to identify patterns.

Governors noted that while the college will have T level achievement data for 23/24, it will be difficult to benchmark due to this data not being published in NARTs next year. 

A governor asked whether the increased numbers across college presented a risk to achievement for 23/24, and whether a similar proportional increase in numbers is expected for 24/25. RP responded that the priority for campuses such as HP for 24/25 will be improved quality rather than increased numbers.

6.0 QIP 23/24 

6.1 QIP update 

The committee received the QIP update report (distributed as L&Q.130524.006). RP alerted governors to retention having dropped below target with high needs students. Development for LSAs is planned, although recruitment to these positions is proving difficult. All TLIPs are now in place but not being used effectively across all curriculum areas, which is being addressed. 

Engagement in 30 hour work placements has improved but not to the level needed. Data capture in this area is being improved. Governors commented that where proportional information is given in reports, numerical data would also be helpful to provide context, but the overall format of the report was clear and contained what was needed. 

6.2 Progress against KAFI 3 – English and maths 

The committee received the presentation given by RP (distributed as L&Q.130524.007). This provided a deep dive into actions being taken around KAFI 3. Improving English and maths attendance has been a key action for 23/24. Attendance is in line with 22/23 although numbers have grown significantly this year. Teacher recruitment and performance are a challenge. Teachers have undergone student individual needs training but this has not been cemented in all areas, which is being managed. 

A governor asked about support for individual needs within the general curriculum. RP acknowledged that anticipatory adjustments for needs such as neurodiversity need improvement. Quality of feedback also needs to be improved and has been reviewed externally. 

A governor asked about preparing students for exams and RP responded that this has improved this year, as have students’ study skills. This mirrors the efforts made ahead of the November GCSE exams, from which achievement was positive. 

A governor asked about improving the efficiency with which students are assigned to English and maths groups at enrolment. RP explained that for 24/25, English and maths sessions have already been built into the timetable, enabling students to commence these classes earlier in the term.

A governor asked about whether poor English and maths attendance affected progression of students who attend their vocational qualification well. RP responded that this no longer inhibits a student’s progression to the next vocational level, with action plans being put in place for these students. 

A governor noted the comprehensive number of actions going in to improving achievement in English and maths and asked about how the effectiveness of each will be measured. RP explained that the key issue is to improve the quality of English and maths teaching and that it is often a range of factors together that lead to improvements in attendance. 

A governor asked about combatting the sense of failure that students coming from secondary school can have in relation to English and maths and the negative effect this has even in the face of the best quality teaching, and whether the college could go out to local secondary schools to start working with students on this. RP commented that she is currently completing a Masters’ degree related to achieving a growth mindset in students who have had a negative experience with education prior to coming to college.

7.0 Curriculum and Support

7.1 Report from the VP Curriculum & Support 

The committee received the report (distributed as L&Q.130524.008). Where available, information was provided around students engaging with independent learning in response to the action placed at the last meeting. 

A governor asked whether engagement in independent learning could be looked at against KAP levels, attendance and retention to determine whether those engaging in independent study are the students that would be expected to achieve well already. 

A governor asked about the definition of what was referred to as directed learning in the report. RW explained that this was a mixture of students being signposted to resources and specific tasks that are then marked. AB explained that A level learners will be required to do a greater proportion of marked homework from 24/25 to improve achievement. 

The committee reviewed the action plans for the support of SEND students following the external review and the recent internal audit report. 

Action – RW to bring progress against the action plans to the next meeting of the committee to provide assurance ahead of follow-up audit this August. 

Following meetings with other colleges in relation to knife crime, JS and RW are satisfied that the college has a robust safeguarding process, but this will be enhanced with practice learned from other similar colleges. JS welcomed the concern and interest shown by governors in ensuring that the college’s students are kept as safe as possible in the face of this significant issue within the city. 

A governor commented on the need for the board and executive leaders to be aligned on such an important subject, and emphasised the degree to which governors support the approach taken by college leaders, which JS welcomed. 

Action – JS and RW to report college approach to knife crime to the committee when completed, either June or September. This supersedes the action around knife crime in the action tracker.

7.2 Campus report – High Pavement 

Governors received the presentation given by the AP for High Pavement (distributed as L&Q.130524.009). BTECs have been introduced alongside A levels this year in response to labour market information. HP has seen a 35% increase in student number since 18/19, compared with a 13% increase across the college. 

AB alerted governors to the high turnover in teaching staff at HP in recent years, and reported the in-house development of specialist subject teachers to manage this. Training is ongoing with use of the newly developed teacher dashboard, uptake of which needs improving. AB reported that curriculum managers have had to cover classes this year and how that had reduced the time these managers have spent driving improvement. A governor suggested that recruitment of a cover supervisor might mitigate this issue. 

LM left the meeting. 

A governor asked about A level student retention. AB explained that this lower than target figure was over two years so it is not possible to improve it within this year. It also does not reflect positives such as students who are still within the college pursuing apprenticeships and other courses to which they are better suited. 

A governor asked about protecting achievement by not entering students who will fail exams. AB explained that work had been done to engage parents more this year to drive attendance up and make exam success more likely.

8.0 Employer Services

Governors reviewed the report from the Executive Director of Employer Services (distributed as L&Q.130524.010). This covered the key areas of bids and funding and innovation and growth. 25 projects are currently being managed by bids and funding, with around £8.3m won in 23/24. Innovation and growth team success was also reported.

9.0 Link Governors

The committee noted feedback reports from recent link governor visits to the college (distributed as L&Q.130524.011). The chair reminded link governors to send reports to the Director of Governance if they have visited the college.

10.0 Review of Risks

The committee reviewed the risks included in the curriculum and quality section of the risk register (distributed as L&Q.130524.012). Governors suggested that the specific risk of a grade 4 at the next inspection could be taken off as the college is currently grade 2. It was thought that a significant safeguarding failure could be the potential cause of a grade 4 inspection. Safeguarding is a separate risk on the register. 

Action – consideration of the necessity for a dedicated risk of grade 4 at the next inspection to be considered at the next risk management group meeting.

11.0 Agenda Items for the Next Meeting

The committee reviewed and approved the agenda items planned for the next meeting (distributed as L&Q.130524.013). The committee noted that the draft SEND strategy will be presented to the committee alongside the other strategies in the paper. The estates strategy that comes to the next meeting will be key areas and themes rather than a full draft to enable further development over the Summer. The Chair reminded everyone of the importance of highlighting any changes in updated policies.

12.0 Any Other Business

The Chair noted that this was LW’s last meeting before leaving the college. The committee thanked LW for her contribution to the college and wished her well for the future.

13.0 Date of the Next Meeting

The next meeting of the committee will take place at 4.30pm on Monday 24th June 2024. 

The Chair closed the meeting at 6.27 pm.