Praise from Estyn for National Star in Wales
Staff at National Star in Wales provide a calm, happy and nurturing environment for students according to inspectors from Estyn.
Estyn inspect education and training in Wales and have a vision of improving the quality of education and training and outcomes for all learners in Wales. This is the first ever full inspection for National Star in Wales since it was set up in 2016.
Encouraging learners
Staff were praised in many areas including how they encourage learners to take an interest and enjoy their learning and support learners to develop their own self-advocacy skills. The way therapists work effectively with the wider team and the excellent use of learning support staff was also praised.
Learner voice was highlighted as a notable feature and inspectors regarded this as a highly successful aspect of the college’s work. Inspectors noted that quality assurance procedures are well-established and there are processes in place to support a culture of continuous improvement.
Improving offer to students
The team has already begun to introduce changes to further improve the offer to students based on constructive feedback from the inspectors.
Staff are ensuring that learners’ plans for what they want to do after National Star are front and centre of all learning, so no opportunity is missed to prepare students for independence after college.
Every half term students explore post-college themes such as how to manage a home, accommodation and various employment and post-college activities.
Staff have also begun to broaden the range of learning experiences outside the classroom including developing a working partnership with a local FE college and approaching several businesses to set up work experience placements for students.
Senior teaching staff benchmark their approach to teaching and learning by being an active member of a peer review network with other specialist colleges across Wales, to share best practice and explore different approaches.
Director of Services John Mann said: ‘Receiving such positive feedback will support plans to develop our education provision in Wales and help us to continue to attract students who will benefit from our personalised approach to education.’
