Wolverhampton Vocational Training Centre

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 November 2023

Students flourish here. They enjoy school and build strong positive relationships with their peers. Students feel safe. Leaders recognise that, in the past, many students' experiences of school have not been positive, and they do all they can to change this reality for students. They work closely with parents and carers to develop a secure understanding of students' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They use this knowledge well to support students to become resilient and independent young people. Staff care deeply about students' well-being. There is a clear culture of mutual respect between staff, students and parents. Students behave very well in lessons and around the school site. Leaders have worked hard to develop this ethos following the COVID-19 pandemic. If students have any concerns, they know who to talk to and are confident that these will be resolved swiftly. Developing students' independence is central to leaders' ambitions. The school's curriculum is carefully tailored to offer students the opportunity to develop their independent living and social skills. For example, through the school's 'travel training', students develop their confidence in using public transport and increasingly engage in independent travel. This work has a clear impact on students and is helping to shape their confidence and sense of self-worth.

What the school should improve

• Leaders do not have a clear understanding of the gaps in students' reading abilities, and effective support is lacking for those who struggle to read. Because of this, those students who struggle to read do not learn to read fluently quickly enough. Leaders should ensure that they have an accurate view of students' reading ability and provide students with the targeted support they need to bridge any gaps in reading.
• In some subjects, the precise knowledge that students will be taught has not been set out clearly enough. Where this is the case, students' learning does not always build on the things they have been taught before, and the activities chosen by teachers do not support students to learn the intended curriculum. The school should ensure that the curriculum is well planned across each subject and that knowledge is clearly defined so that students are able to make strong progress.
• The careers education that students receive is limited in its scope. Consequently, students are not always aware of the broad range of opportunities that are available to them in the future. Leaders should ensure that they provide students with a broad range of meaningful encounters with the world of work to support them to develop their understanding of future career pathways.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)