A CENTRE for disabled people aged 19-25 in Bromsgrove has been warned it must improve by education watchdog Ofsted.

Chadsgrove Educational Trust Learning Centre, in Catshill, was issued with a ‘requires improvement’ rating after inspectors visited it last month.

Four of the five inspection categories – effectiveness of leadership and management, provision for learners with high needs, quality of teaching, and outcomes for learners – must improve.

The Meadow Road centre was, however, rated good in the assessment criteria for personal development, behaviour and welfare.

The visit was Chadsgrove’s first full Ofsted inspection since it was set up three years ago.

Chadsgrove Special School secured funding in 2016 from Worcestershire Local Authority to open Chadsgrove Educational Trust Learning Centre.

The centre opened to provide provision for young people aged 19 to 25 with a physical disability and/or complex medical need. There are currently 11 students on programme.

The Ofsted report’s summary said: “This is a provider that requires improvement.

“Directors, managers and staff are not suitably experienced in working with students in further education settings.

“Senior leaders and directors do not have a sufficiently accurate understanding of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

“Managers do not identify in enough detail how they will bring about improvement.

“Managers have not developed a curriculum to ensure that students develop the skills they require to achieve their short-term targets and long-term goals within their education, health and care plans.

“Those responsible for governance have neither the experience of further education nor the appropriate information to be able to hold leaders and managers effectively to account.

“Managers do not use the outcomes of observations of teaching, learning and assessment to plan support and training for learning support staff to improve their teaching practice.

“Leaders, managers and staff do not sufficiently monitor students’ progress. They do not set learning targets to develop students’ skills. As a result, a minority of students do not make the progress they should.

“A small number of learning support staff do not use resources and language that are appropriate for young adults.”

The report did pick out areas where the centre was doing well, adding: “Students benefit from regular therapeutic support and the use of extensive specialist equipment.

“They improve their health, wellbeing and behaviour. Students have high attendance on their programme.

“Learning support staff plan successful enterprise activities to develop the skills and behaviours students need to access their local communities.

“Learning support staff and therapy staff use well-planned activities to improve students’ communication and numeracy skills.

“Students and families benefit from effective careers education, information, advice and guidance. They receive good support to make choices about their next steps.”

The report advised that the centre must ‘take swift action to recruit teachers and learning support staff who are appropriately qualified and experienced in further education and skills settings’.

It added: “Senior leaders and directors have focused on securing funding and seeking off-site accommodation away from the main school site.

“They have not placed sufficient focus on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. A very small number of staff are well qualified.

“Leaders, managers, directors and staff lack the knowledge, skills and expertise to work with students to prepare them for life after school.

“Too few students are developing the skills and knowledge they need to achieve their long-term goals.”