Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Published date 19 January 2011 Inspection Number 354475 Unique reference number: 54267

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Name of lead inspector: William Baidoe-Ansah HMI

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Last day of inspection: 10 December 2010

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Address:

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council Sandwell Adult Education Service PO Box 2374 Oldbury B69 3DE Telephone number: 0121 569 8242

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Information about the provider

1. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning Service (SAFL) is a local authority provider located within the Learning Directorate of the Children and Families Theme in Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. SAFL offers adult learner responsive and adult safeguarded learning programmes including wider family learning (WFL), family learning literacy and numeracy (FLLN), personal and community development learning (PCDL) and First Steps programmes. The service operates from 3 main sites and 2 satellite sites employing approximately 100 academic, management, administrative and support staff. The service also offers Learndirect & U.K. online provision from 12 venues across the borough.

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Information about the provider

2. Sandwell is a diverse borough with 23.1% of the population from minority ethnic groups. The borough is becoming more ethnically diverse. The make up of the population is changing with the rate of growth being most pronounced amongst the Asian communities. In 2009/10, 3,300 learners were enrolled onto courses across 10 subject sector areas of whom 43% were from minority ethnic backgrounds.

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Information about the provider

3. Their mission is “to offer an inclusive range of learning opportunities that engage with the people of Sandwell enabling them to return to and achieve success in learning, in order to improve their own quality of life and that of their families and the communities in which they live and work”.

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Young learner provision:

Further education (16-18) 37 part-time learners

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Adult learner provision:

Learning for social and personal development 572 part-time learners

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Summary report

Grades: 1 is outstanding; 2 is good; 3 is satisfactory; 4 is inadequate

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Grade

Leadership and management 2 Safeguarding Equality and diversity

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Learning for qualifications Grade

Information and communications technology 3

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Overall effectiveness

4. SAFL is a good provider of adult learning. Most learners make good progress on their programmes and gain new skills and confidence enabling them to contribute more fully to their local community and in some instances gain employment. Success rates for the significant proportion of non-accredited courses are generally high. However, success rates for long courses leading to qualifications are satisfactory.

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Overall effectiveness

5. Teaching and learning are satisfactory, with some good aspects. Tutors plan sessions well and engage learners in activities successfully. However, individual learning plans (ILPS) are not always used to set specific short-term targets. The needs and interests of learners are met well with the service using partnerships creatively to extend the range and offer of courses. Tutors provide very good support for learners, which enables them to make good progress. SAFL’s leaders and managers provide good leadership to improve standards. Curriculum management is effective.

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Main findings

 Success rates for learners on social and personal development courses are high overall, particularly at entry level. Success rates for short courses in 2009/10 are also high and well above national averages having dipped in the previous year. However, success rates for learners on long courses leading to qualifications are low for 2009/10 despite improvement in the previous two years.  Learners make good progress and develop good personal and social skills. Many learners improve their levels of literacy and numeracy and develop confidence as a result of their success. Safe working practices are reinforced well in sessions and learners feel safe.  Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and health problems generally achieve better than other learners. However, over the last three years success rates of Caribbean and Pakistani learners have been lower than those of white British learners and success rates for female learners have been lower

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Main findings

than male learners. Attendance is satisfactory.  Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall with some good aspects. SAFL’s observation of teaching and learning is comprehensive and accurate but has not led to an improvement of good or better teaching in the past two years. Strong features of teaching and learning include the excellent rapport between teachers and learners and the effective use of a variety of learning strategies. However, some classes do not sufficiently differentiate learners’ activities or provide sufficient challenge.  SAFL meets the needs and interests of learners well. They select programmes carefully to provide access to education and training for some adults and young people whose circumstances have made them vulnerable. The provision complements other courses within the borough well and provides a stepping stone and progression route to further learning for many.  Partnership arrangements are very good and well co-ordinated. SAFL has

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Main findings

established strong links with the diverse communities of the borough, particularly with faith groups. Overall partnership arrangements have improved access to learning in environments familiar to learners. In particular, for family learning which has significantly increased since the last inspection.  Support for learners is very good. Comprehensive initial assessment and a good tutor referral system ensure that learners with additional support needs are identified swiftly and supported. The service offers a good range of support including counselling; specialist support for learners with specific difficulties and disabilities as well as support in literacy and numeracy to enable learners to complete their programme.  Leaders and managers promote high standards. The main curriculum areas are particularly well managed. The strategy to develop the provision since the last inspection is good and the impact of budgetary restraints have been minimised.

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Main findings

Provision is closely aligned to national priorities and the Sandwell communities, especially with the much improved offer of family learning and literacy and numeracy courses.  Safeguarding arrangements are good and prioritised effectively. The three nominated safeguarding officers have received a high level of training. All other staff have received training at an introductory level. All staff have had Criminal Record Bureau checks and learning venues have been risk-assessed. Good records are kept of disclosures and subsequent actions.  Sandwell Adult and Family Learning effectively engages with under-represented groups in its communities and the participation rate of minority ethnic groups is well above those of the local population. Staff have received recent equalities training and development planning has also improved. However, not all policies and procedures have been assessed for their impact.

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Main findings

 The engagement with users to secure improvement is good. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning routinely seeks the views of learners and partners in a variety of ways in order to inform improvement. The curriculum offer is adjusted to respond to feedback and partnerships are developed in order to expand the offer to meet the specific requirements of individuals and community groups.  The self-assessment is suitably inclusive and makes good use of learners’, partners’ and staff views. An annual quality cycle enables this information to be gathered systematically. The current report is an accurate reflection of the provision. However, the report does not state areas of strengths and required improvements in sufficient detail.

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What does SAFL need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that actions are taken to address achievement gaps between some learner groups so that all learners achieve their potential.  Ensure all policies and procedures of SAFL are assessed for their impact on equality and diversity by completing work that has commenced.  Improve the commentary in the self-assessment report by ensuring graded areas and strengths and areas for improvement are clearly presented to ensure clarity and secure improvements.  Ensure that the outcomes of teaching and learning observation are analysed and used to inform service wide training to improve the proportion of good teaching and enhance learning.

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What learners like:

 the ability to progress at a pace that is comfortable knowing that help is always available in any circumstance  the flexibility of the course times  the relaxed and friendly atmosphere  the support received during sessions  the excellent training skills in a nice safe environment  the friendly and supportive tutors who give up their own time to help  being able to help their children with their homework  discovering that learning can be fun  getting qualifications to improve job prospects.

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What learners would like to see improved:

 better information and advertising of courses  longer courses and more courses in the evening.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 2

6. Capacity to improve is good. The service has maintained the good success rates in short course provision since the last inspection and has good outcomes for its non-accredited provision. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning has addressed many of the key challenges set at the last inspection with the exception of target setting for learners. At the monitoring visit in 2008, the service was making significant progress in several of the themes reviewed and grades awarded at this inspection are higher than at the previous inspection.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 2

7. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning’s partnership strategy has considerably improved the offer and access to learning, particularly in family learning and learning undertaken in faith venues. Budgetary reductions have been well managed. The process for self-assessment is fully inclusive of users, partner and staff views, satisfactorily informed by the analysis of data. Quality improvement planning, based on the outcome of self-assessment, is in a suitable format with planned actions and responsibilities. SAFL has an appropriate management structure to bring about planned improvements. Governors, managers and staff fulfil their duties well in order to secure a positive experience for learners.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

8. Success rates for social and personal development programmes, which accounts for the majority of the provision, are high overall and particularly good for learners on family learning courses. Overall success rates for learning for qualifications declined substantially in 2008/09 from well above the national average to well below the average. Success rates improved in 2009/10 but are still below the average overall. Success rates for short courses, which make up the majority of accredited provision, experienced a similar decline in 2008/09 but improved substantially in 2009/10 and are well above the average. However, success rates for long accredited courses continue to be below the average despite improvements in 2009/10.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

9. The success rates of different groups show considerable variability. Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities have achieved better than other learners over the past three years. The most consistently achieving group by ethnicity are white British who achieve broadly in line with the average. Other minority ethnic groups’ achievement varies, however, learners of Caribbean and Pakistani origin consistently achieve below white British learners. Over the past three years, female learners have tended to achieve less well than male learners.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

10. Learners generally make good progress and enjoy their learning. A significant proportion of learners have not been involved in any education since leaving school. Most have clear goals towards which they make good progress. Learners in sports and recreation enjoy the health benefits of their courses. They also undertake specific qualifications, which enable them to gain employment in lifeguarding and fitness instructing.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

11. Many learners develop good personal and social skills and develop the confidence to progress to other courses, further education and training and employment. Learners in information technology are using their skills to gain employment or set up businesses.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

12. Learners feel safe. Centres prioritise learners’ safety well and appropriate attention is drawn to e-safety. Safe working practices are reinforced effectively across the provision. Learners in sport are reminded constantly during practical sessions of the need to take appropriate precautions.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

13. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall with some good aspects. Session planning is thorough and tutors one-to-one work with learners is very good. All tutors have an excellent rapport with learners. In the best sessions tutors make good use of active learning tasks. Tutors effectively link learning to the real world to enhance learners’ understanding and engagement. In-class support for learners is effective and unobtrusive. Where available teachers use technology, such as interactive whiteboards, well to enhance learning. However, the less effective lessons lack pace and do not sufficiently differentiate tasks to ensure all learners make effective progress.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

14. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning’s procedures for recognising and recording progress and achievement are effective and well established, particularly in family learning. Tutors use initial assessment well to ensure that learners are on a programme that suits their needs. However, targets in a significant minority of individual learning plans are vague and not sufficiently detailed or challenging. Learning logs do not sufficiently help learners identify the skills and knowledge they have developed during learning sessions.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

15. The observation of teaching and learning scheme is thorough and evaluations are generally accurate. The outcomes are well moderated and lead to individual action plans. However, the rich and detailed evaluations are not collated or analysed sufficiently at a service level to inform staff development and the sharing of good practice.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

16. The provision meets the needs of learners well. The service works closely with partners to ensure that provision meets their needs. The service responds well to requests from headteachers for specific types of provision to meet the needs of their children and parents. Centre managers have good links with their localities to ensure that provision reflects local needs. The service makes good use of local labour market information. 17. Partnership arrangements are very good and well co-ordinated. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning’s has established strong links with the diverse communities of the borough. The partnerships with faith groups are highly valued. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning’s has developed partnership arrangements considerably since the last inspection, improving access to learning in environments which are familiar and comfortable to learners. During the last year this work has led to learning being offered in over 70 locations. The

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The quality of provision Grade 2

service has developed the capacity of the voluntary sector and the family learning curriculum offer has also benefitted from the very good partnership working and has significantly increased in delivery capacity since the last inspection.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

18. Support for learners is good. Tutors know their learners well and have a good awareness of their personal circumstances and offer effective personal support. Tutors are always available. Tutors offer very good support through individual tutorials. The service uses initial assessment well to identify the need for additional learning support and offer support to learners swiftly. SAFL uses learning support assistants effectively to support learners with specific learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The service offers a range of other support to meet individual learners’ needs including counselling and advice and guidance, SAFL makes effective use of its good links with external agencies to ensure that learners have access to expert advice when required.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

19. Leadership and management are good. Leaders and managers promote high standards and the main curriculum areas are particularly well managed. Performance is closely monitored and data is used satisfactorily to inform decision making. Communication between staff and partners is very good and much improved since the last inspection. The strategy to develop the provision since the last inspection is good and the impact of budgetary restraints have been minimised. Managers have developed the provision in order to bring learning closer to the community in venues which are familiar to local learners. Provision is closely aligned to national priorities and the Sandwell communities, especially with the much improved offer since the last inspection of family learning and literacy and numeracy.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

20. Elected members of the council provide frequent scrutiny of the provision. They have a good understanding of the quality of the programmes offered by SAFL and are in regular contact with the senior managers of the provision. They provide close scrutiny through position papers, visits and through the council scrutiny panel.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

21. Safeguarding arrangements are good and prioritised well. The three nominated safeguarding officers have received a high level of training and all other staff have received training at an introductory level. All staff and volunteers are CRB checked and a central list is held. SAFL risk assesses learning venues for both health and safety and safeguarding on a regular basis through a system of audit. They keep good records of disclosures and subsequent actions and have satisfactory links with the local safeguarding board.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

22. Equality and diversity are satisfactory. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning effectively engages with under-represented groups in its communities and the participation rate of minority ethnic groups is well above those of the local population. While learners with disabilities achieve well, not all other groups achieve as well as each other. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning acknowledge this and are seeking to improve the success rates for all learners. Staff have received recent equalities training and development and more is planned for the near future. The promotion of equality and diversity within lessons is generally satisfactory. Equality and diversity improvement action planning has also improved and is directed by a whole service and user focus group. However, not all policies and procedures have been assessed for their impact.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

23. The engagement with users to secure improvement is good. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning routinely seeks the views of learners and partners. For instance, learners complete course questionnaires, attend learner focus groups and partners regularly attend curriculum meetings both on a formal and informal basis. Feedback leads to development and improvement of the curriculum offer. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning develops strategic partnerships effectively to expand the curriculum offer to meet the specific requirements of individuals and community groups.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

24. The self-assessment process is suitably inclusive using learners and staff views well.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

25. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning’s analysis of performance data in the report has improved. An annual quality cycle enables the information to be gathered systematically throughout the year. This is then reviewed by staff at curriculum level and ratified by the senior management team and the elected portfolio holder. The current report is an accurate reflection of the provision. However, the report does not state areas of strengths and required improvements in sufficient detail.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

26. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning provides good value for money. Success rates overall on non-accredited programmes are high and on longer accredited courses satisfactory. The availability and use of resources are good in the main learning centres and satisfactory in community learning venues.

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Context

27. Two hundred and eighteen learners currently attend courses in information and communication technology (ICT). Courses range from non-accredited introductory courses to advanced courses. All use common applications such as word processing and digital image manipulation. Many courses are taught through workshops. The vast majority of the provision is accredited. Learners attend programmes in a range of community venues across all areas in Sandwell.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are satisfactory. In 2009/10, learners’ achievement of their target qualification on accredited courses was satisfactory as was the achievement of learners on non-accredited courses. There are no differences between the levels of achievement of different groups of learners.  Learners develop appropriate skills and their standard of work is mostly satisfactory. The progress that learners make is also generally satisfactory, although a few learners make particularly good progress, being able to use the software with some confidence after only a few lessons.  Learners feel safe. Centres are welcoming with appropriate staffing to ensure safety. Tutors have an appropriate emphasis on safe working practice in lessons. They inform learners about good posture while using computers and the importance of taking regular breaks. They also ensure learners are aware about the safe use of the Internet.

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Key findings

 A few learners are able to use the skills they have acquired to improve their economic wellbeing in, for example, starting a business or in gaining promotion. Similarly, some learners are using their skills to make a positive contribution in their local community. For example, helping in the learner’s temple or running a series of ballroom dancing events.  Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The relationship between tutors and learners is particularly good. Tutors know and understand their learners’ individual needs and preferred learning styles well and many give extra time outside the lesson to help them progress. The rapport between tutor and learners during lessons is relaxed but purposeful.  The best lessons are lively and tutors make the learning fun. One-to-one teaching is good, with tutors giving due recognition to each learner’s needs. Tutors plan their lessons appropriately although a few lesson plans do not show

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Key findings

timings for individual activities in sufficient detail. In some lessons, planned objectives are imprecise and unclear.  Individual learning targets and progress towards them are not always well recorded. Most targets are associated with achievement of the qualification and not the skills to be learnt. Personal targets are insufficiently specific to enable a judgement to be made about their completion. Learner diaries mostly record learner comments with no reference to what they have learnt.  A few outreach centres do not have sufficient information learning technology facilities. In these centres, there are no whiteboards or data projectors to enhance lessons. In one session, the tutor had to show the same task to each learner in turn instead of carrying out a group demonstration.  Sandwell Adult and Family Learning offers an appropriate range of courses to meet the needs of learners. Progression routes from entry level through to

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Key findings

advanced level are clear. Tutors use a range of different teaching methods, including an innovative use of a topic based approach, to engage learners of different skills and abilities.  The service has a few partnerships which it uses appropriately. The library service provides venues enabling courses to run at weekends, and their staff actively promote the SAFL courses to library users. Links with the UK-Online provision, offered by the council are used as very short ICT taster courses to raise awareness of the ICT courses offered by SAFL.  Learners receive very good support. Adult learning support staff are used well where learners have been identified as needing support in, for example, literacy, numeracy or language skills. The service uses additional tutors to assist learners when needed, such as when a learner has missed a number of lessons.  Curriculum management is satisfactory. An appropriate range of meetings and

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Key findings

other mechanisms ensure that all staff are kept informed of key information. The service is currently writing a strategy for the development of the ICT curriculum area.

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What does SAFL need to do to improve further?

 Improve the accessibility of ILT especially in outreach centres so that the quality of teaching and learning is enhanced.  Improve the quality of the learner objectives in individual learning plans making them clearer and more measurable and introduce shorter short term targets to improve learner motivation.  Improve the use of learner diaries to record what has been learnt in each lesson to enhance learner progress.

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Context

28. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning currently offers three accredited programmes and a range of non-accredited programmes in health and fitness. Programmes typically run for between 10 and 30 weeks and classes are between one and three hours’ duration. Two hundred and fifty four learners are currently attending courses, of whom 85% per cent are women, 40% per cent are from minority ethnic groups and 15% per cent have indicated a disability.

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Key findings

 Learners make very good progress on courses that have progression routes such as yoga and the personal health and fitness programmes. Achievements for accredited courses are satisfactory and in line with national averages. Success rates for non-accredited programmes are above the average. Attendance is good.  Learners enjoy their lessons and appreciate the health benefits they gain from courses. They also appreciate the social outcomes from meeting others on a regular basis. Learners feel more confident and better able to cope with problems both at work and home. They learn more about healthy lifestyles and the benefit of regular exercise such as improved relaxation, better balance and self esteem.  Learners feel safe in their classes. During practical sessions tutors constantly remind learners not to overdo things, to take rests and to rehydrate themselves regularly. Tutors take care not to overstretch the learners and ensure that all

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Key findings

possible measures are taken to ensure all health and safety measures are met.  Learners feel more confident about making decisions on healthier lifestyles as a result of attending their courses. The information that they receive on the fitness courses helps them to choose healthier diets and to enjoy greater mobility. Learners on the national pool lifeguarding course and fitness instructing certificate have the opportunity to gain employment on successful completion of their courses.  Teaching and learning are good. Most lessons resulted in learners being able to demonstrate some challenging skills. For instance, in a yoga class the tutor led learners through some difficult positions and kept all learners involved and engaged to their individual limit. Learners enjoy their classes and make good progress in lessons.  Tutors are well qualified. All courses are well researched and tutors produce extensive schemes of work and detailed lesson plans. On the non-accredited

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Key findings

courses, tutors select appropriate outcomes so that learners’ progress can be tracked and targets set for them. Tutors keep individual learning plan records up to date and monitor learners’ progress well.  The range of courses is good with the right balance between the offer of accredited courses and non-accredited health and fitness courses. Meetings are held to discuss provision and whether or not courses can be run viably against requests from learner groups. However, the provision attracts few male learners.  Effective use of partnerships have enabled SAFL to expand its offer. Partnerships with a wide range of voluntary sector organisations have led to opportunities for more courses to run and different learners to get involved in exercise classes.  Learners receive good levels of support on their courses. All learners on enrolment undergo initial assessment and any support needs are identified and

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Key findings

the necessary support arrangements are made. Tutors make every effort to ensure that they support their learners in every capacity. There are many instances where the level of support has helped learners achieve things not thought possible.  Curriculum management is good and effective. Lead tutors meet regularly with the manager to discuss methods and strategies to raise the quality of the provision. Staff are committed to the recruitment, retention and success of all learners. Sandwell Adult and Family Learning promotes the safeguarding of learners and equality and diversity well. Self-assessment is accurate and has enhanced the quality of the provision.

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What does SAFL need to do to improve further?

 Continue to develop the marketing of the sports provision to increase the proportion of male learners.  Continue to develop provision with existing partners to expand the provision and make it accessible to more learners.

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Context

29. Three hundred and fifty eight learners are currently on courses in family literacy, language and numeracy (FLLN) and wider family learning (WFL). A third of learners are from minority ethnic backgrounds and 39% are male. All courses are part-time a, most being for social or learning development. All programmes are delivered in schools, children’s centres and other community settings.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are good. Overall success rates for the past two years have been high. To date 96% of learners choosing to take the adult certificate in literacy or numeracy achieved success. Learners’ work for accredited provision is well presented and of a good standard. Attendance is satisfactory.  Learners develop good personal and social skills. They have increased their communication skills, confidence and self-esteem and talk well about how this is helping them to interact better with their peers, children’s teachers and within the community generally. They enjoy supporting their children with homework and particularly enjoy the interaction within class.  Learners make good progress. Learners on longer courses are improving their levels of literacy and numeracy well. They are enthusiastic about their learning and are motivated by their successes. Some learners progress to further learning programmes, qualifications, volunteering roles or employment.

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Key findings

 Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Tutors are lively and enthusiastic in their delivery and make good use of active learning strategies to interest and engage learners. In the better lessons, tutors successfully differentiate learning and use a good range of assessment methods to regularly check learning. In other lessons, tutors do not always sufficiently differentiate learning. They use a limited range of teaching and learning strategies and there is some over reliance on worksheets.  Target setting is under developed. Tutors help their learners to set goals and regularly review their learning using individual learning plans. However, many of the targets set are too vague and do not effectively measure progress. Learning diaries are used to record progress. However, these are too descriptive and are ineffective in helping the learner to understand the skills and knowledge they are developing.

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Key findings

 The provision meets the needs of learners well. Tutors work closely with partner organisations to identify which courses should be offered to best meet learners’ needs. Ongoing feedback is collected from learners and partners and tutors use this to make improvements. Access to national qualifications is promoted well on longer courses. Throughout the course tutors regularly inform learners of the available progression pathways. All learners on FLLN courses have access to adult literacy and numeracy qualifications at foundation level and intermediate level.  Partnership working is good. Tutors build very positive relationships with staff at a very wide range of community partners and have a good understanding of the contexts of these organisations. Tutors regularly meet with the centre co- ordinators or head teachers and many attend local and area meetings. The family learning service is highly regarded by partners in the community.

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Key findings

 Guidance and support are good. Tutors quickly develop good relationships with their learners and actively build learners’ confidence through praise and celebration of success. Tutors are flexible, supportive and available to help in and outside of sessions. The Skills for Life team and external agencies provide additional support for learners when needed. Specialist information and guidance advisers give good individual counselling on next steps for training, education or employment.  Leadership and management are good. An improved strategy focuses on raising aspirations and expectations for learner success. Communications with tutors are very good with many informal interactions as well as formal meetings and regular visits with centre staff. The arrangements for obtaining feedback from users are good.  Managers have made improvements to the quality of provision including the recruitment of tutors. They carry out regular observations and spot checks of

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Key findings

teaching in the centres and they provide close monitoring and support for tutors through mentoring and coaching. Most tutors are appropriately qualified and experienced, with a few working towards a qualification in teaching.  Tutors promote equality and diversity at induction. Learners’ understanding is satisfactorily reinforced by tutors through teaching and learning. All tutors have undertaken equality and diversity training. The self-assessment process is inclusive and broadly agrees with inspection findings.

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What does SAFL need to do to improve further?

 Extend the opportunities for tutors to share good practice regularly so that tutors’ knowledge and skills are developed and the proportion of good and better teaching and learning improves.  Improve target setting and the review process for learners by increasing tutors’ understanding and practice of SMART target setting and progress monitoring.

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Information about the inspection

30. Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and three additional inspectors, assisted by the provider’s service leader for extended and lifelong learning services, as nominee, carried out the inspection. Inspectors also took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, comments from the local Skills Funding Agency or other funding bodies, Framework for Excellence indicators, the previous inspection report, reports from the inspectorate’s monitoring visit and data on learners and their achievement over the period since the previous inspection.

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Information about the inspection

31. Inspectors used group, individual interviews, telephone calls and emails to gather the views of learners. They looked at questionnaires learners and employers had completed on behalf of the provider. They also visited learning sessions, assessments or progress reviews. Inspectors collected evidence from programmes in each of the subjects the provider offers. Record of Main Findings (RMF)

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Sandwell Adult and Family Learning

Learning types: 14-16: Young apprenticeships; Diplomas; 16-18 Learner responsive: FE full- and part-time courses, Foundation learning tier, including Entry to Employment; 19+ responsive: FE full- and part-time courses; Employer responsive: Train to Gain, apprenticeships. Social and personal development: all adult safeguarded provision

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Sandwell Adult and Family Learning

Outcomes for learners 2 3 3 2 How well do learners achieve and enjoy their learning? 2 How well do learners attain their learning goals? How well do learners progress? How well do learners improve their economic and social well- being through learning and development? Do learners feel safe? 2 Are learners able to make informed choices about their own health and well being?* n/a How well do learners make a positive contribution to the community?* n/a Quality of provision 2 3 3 2 How effectively do teaching, training and assessment support learning and development? How effectively does the provision meet the needs and interests of users? How well do partnerships with schools, employers, community groups and others lead to benefits for learners? How effective are the care, guidance and support learners receive in helping them to achieve? Leadership and management 2 3 3 2 How effectively do leaders and managers raise expectations and

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Sandwell Adult and Family Learning

promote ambition throughout the organisation? How effectively do governors and supervisory bodies provide leadership, direction and challenge?* How effectively does the provider promote the safeguarding of learners? How effectively does the provider actively promote equality and diversity, tackle discrimination and narrow the achievement gap? How effectively does the provider engage with users to support and promote improvement? How effectively does self-assessment improve the quality of the provision and outcomes for learners? How efficiently and effectively does the provider use its available resources to secure value for money? *where applicable to the type of provision Grades using the 4 point scale 1: Outstanding; 2: Good; 3: Satisfactory; 4: Inadequate Overall 16-18 Learner responsive 19+ Learner responsive Social and personal development Approximate number of enrolled learners Full-time learners Part-time learners

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Sandwell Adult and Family Learning

1,246 Overall effectiveness 2 3 3 2 Capacity to improve 2 inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Sandwell Adult and Family Learning

If you would like a copy of this report in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 1231231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Sandwell Adult and Family Learning

You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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Sandwell Adult and Family Learning

Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann’s Square Manchester M2 7LA

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Sandwell Adult and Family Learning

T: 0300 1231231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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