Family & Education
Kisharon Langdon to close Manchester campuses after poor Ofsted
Charity says efforts are under way to secure alternative placements for students
August 23, 2024 10:40
Charity says efforts are under way to secure alternative placements for students
August 23, 2024 10:40Langdon College, which serves young Jewish people with special educational needs, or social and emotional difficulties, is to close its two Salford campuses after Ofsted downgraded it to inadequate.
The Manchester sites, which cater for 21 students, will shut at the end of December.
Kisharon Langdon, which runs the college, said it was working with the Department for Education and local authorities to secure “suitable alternative placements” for affected students.
Its Edgware campus, which has 29 students, will remain open, while other Manchester services will “continue to operate”, the charity said.
Ofsted, which visited one of the Salford sites in July, reported: “Too many learners do not develop the knowledge and skills for which they are capable and do not reach their potential. This is due to leaders’ and tutors’ poor planning of most of the curriculums for the strands available.”
The inspectorate said curricula were “not sufficiently personalised” and “too many learners continually repeat the same tasks in lessons, make the same products in practical cookery workshops and do not make sufficient progress in their studies”.
Leaders did not have “high enough expectations” of learners, it said.
But those on the transition strand, who spend three days a week at the college and two in work experience, fared better and made “significantly more progress” than other learners.
Ofsted said the college’s previous governors had not taken “adequate responsibility for holding senior leaders to account”.
But it noted that the recently appointed governing body and members of the education committee were “well qualified and have the determination and expertise to improve the quality of the education for learners. They have extensive experience, both personal and professional, of the needs of learners with SEND. However, it is too soon to see the impact of their actions.”
Safeguarding was “not effective” because suitable arrangements were not in place for the recruitment of staff.
The college was rated good for both attitudes and behaviour and the personal development of learners, whom Inspectors found “respectful and helpful towards staff and their peers, both in the classroom and in social spaces. They are polite and friendly. They welcome visitors warmly and confidently.” They demonstrated “tolerance and respect for their peers and others less able than themselves”.
The charity said that following the inspection findings, the college’s governors and trustees had resigned and new trustees appointed to “drive forward necessary improvements”.
A new principal, Katie Morley, will take up her position at the college in September, while Emma Castleton, chair of the charity’s education committee, has stepped in as interim chair of trustees.
The decision to close the Manchester campuses had been taken after consultation with “key stakeholders”, including rabbinic, communal and government bodies, Kisharon Langdon said.
The charity’s chief executive, Richard Franklin, said, “We deeply value the support from local rabbinic leadership, local authorities, and community leaders. Our actions reflect Kisharon Langdon's unwavering commitment to high standards, safeguarding, and continuous improvement. We are confident these necessary measures will lead to positive outcomes for the future.”