Care and protection of young people rated OUTSTANDING in latest Ofsted inspection

Myerscough was inspected across several days in November, under Ofsted’s social care common inspection framework, with the findings now verified and the final report released.

In their summary judgement, inspectors said that Myerscough College provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good, and that the actions of the college contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for young people.

In rating Myerscough as OUTSTANDING in overall experiences and progress of young people, the inspectors noted that:

• A stable, experienced, and suitably trained residential team offers warm, nurturing and empowering care that supports students to develop in all areas of their lives.
• Students have positive relationships with the residential staff. They feel comfortable in raising any problems, they feel listened to and can talk to staff when needed.
• Staying at the residential provision has enhanced students’ lives. This is particularly prominent for students with additional needs, whose experience of staying at the residential has provided them with opportunities that they may otherwise not have had access to.
• Students are welcomed to the residential provision through careful and considerate planning to ensure that their individual needs are met.
• Residential staff work collaboratively with parents to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for students to live comfortably and any reasonable adjustments made.
• From their starting points, students are encouraged to express their views, wishes and feelings.
• Parents are very complimentary about the opportunities given to their children and the progress that they make.
• Students are supported to develop their independent living skills and social skills to prepare them for adulthood.
• Students are encouraged to embrace their identities and because of this, they develop their self-confidence and emotional resilience.
• There is a seamless collaboration between all college staff, where all act as equal partners in achieving improvement.
• There is a strong focus on the support and services available for students to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.

The inspectors rated how well young people are helped and protected by the College as OUTSTANDING, noting in particular:

• Safeguarding is of paramount importance and is central to everything that the college and residential staff do. This provides students with a strong sense of safety and protection.
• Highly effective planning takes place to ensure that risks are well managed, and students are kept safe.
• Leaders and managers work collaboratively with other professionals and take a shared approach to managing risk.
• Residential staff benefit from comprehensive safeguarding training and because of this they have an excellent understanding of their roles and
• A team of designated managers provide continuous 24-hour safeguarding support.
• Behaviour management is exceptional, with clear expectations and boundaries for students.
• Complaints are taken seriously and well managed.

The effectiveness of leaders and managers at the College was rated as OUTSTANDING, with inspectors noting:

• Leaders share a vision of creating an empowering community and providing inclusive residential educational opportunities.
• Leaders and managers model and promote an open and transparent culture where diverse opinion is listened to, valued and considered.
• Leaders and managers are ambitious and have high expectations for what students can achieve.
• Improvement is driven by what students believe to be important to them.
• Residential staff feel well supported in their role and the many opportunities provided to them to discuss their work.
• Governors show a good understanding of safeguarding and are initiative-taking in their oversight of student’s safety.

Overall, Myerscough’s residential provision has been rated as OUTSTANDING.

Myerscough College Chief Executive and Principal, Wes Johnson, said: ‘’I’m thoroughly delighted with the results of the inspection.

’’This is a true reflection of our mission and the culture, which we all work so hard to provide.

‘’The inspectors came to the clear conclusion that we are unquestionably outstanding in this area.

‘’The report recognises and acknowledges the hard work and commitment of Myerscough staff across the College and is further proof that we are an inclusive, and supportive college with high levels of student satisfaction, retention and achievement.’’

Myerscough’s residential provision was last inspected in February 2022, with an overall rating of good.

You can read Myerscough’s latest report in full here