John Jamieson School

Published date 29 December 2010 Inspection Number 360834 Unique reference number: 108119

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Name of lead inspector: Richard Beaumont HMI

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Last day of inspection: 24 November 2010

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Address:

Community Education Lewisham Granville Park Centre Granville Park London SE13 7DX

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Address:

Telephone number: 020 8297 7180 London Borough of Lewisham

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Focused monitoring visit report

Focused monitoring visit: London Borough of Lewisham, 24 November 2010 1 of 4

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Context

Community Education Lewisham (CEL) operates from four centres and a range of community centres across the borough. It offers a broad range of provision and, in 2009, enrolled 5,331 learners. Around 72% of learners enrolled on non-accredited provision with the remainder working towards a recognised qualification. CEL has steadily increased its income from full cost provision to around 25% of total income.

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Context

The previous inspection in 2007 judged CEL’s overall effectiveness to be satisfactory. In March 2009, the main findings of a monitoring visit judged the progress made in six of the seven themes to be reasonable and in one to be significant. Since the previous inspection, CEL has completed a restructuring of its management, roles and responsibilities. This report focuses on the themes explored during the visit.

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progress

Significant progress has been made in improving the effectiveness of the self- assessment process. In part, this is due to the recent introduction of a bespoke and comprehensive management information system (MIS). Self-assessment is now informed particularly well by a broad range of timely and accurate data that links well to other key aspects of CEL’s provision. For example, attendance, retention and success rates of individual courses link to individual tutors and their performance grades from the observation of teaching and learning. User views by subject area are also available from the MIS to inform the self-assessment report and quality improvement plans. Managers have much greater confidence in the information available to support judgements and they use the MIS well. They have good ownership of the self-assessment process and are effectively developing the latest draft subject area self-assessments. A broad range of staff is involved in the process

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progress

and this reflects the well-conceived ‘whole organisation approach’ to developing provision. Quality improvement plans are well linked to the self-assessment report and regular monitoring of progress takes place. However, managers have recognised that, generally, self-assessment reports are too descriptive.

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progress

Overall, the moderation of completed subject area reports are adequate. Moderation meetings include a broad range of staff from across the service, including business support and finance. However, at times, moderation lacks sufficient analysis and rigour to support fully the judgements being made. Focused monitoring visit: London Borough of Lewisham, 24 November 2010 2 of 4

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progress

Overall, success rates have steadily improved since the previous inspection. Over three years, long course accredited provision has improved by 13 percentage points to 70% (this data does not include unit accreditation). However, this is four percentage points below the 2008/09 national average for similar providers. Over the same period, short course success rates have improved by four percentage points to 86%. Provision for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) has seen a significant improvement in success rates since 2008/09. CEL has managed to reduce the gap between minority ethnic group success rates from 28% in 2007/08 to 20% in 2009/10.

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progress

In the latest draft self-assessment report, CEL judges the process of recognising and recording performance and achievements (RARPA) for non-accredited provision to be satisfactory. Success rates have improved over the past three years. However, changes to the RARPA process in 2008 resulted in success rates declining by five percentage points and overall they are 81% in 2009/10. Managers recognise that there continues to be too much inconsistency in the application of the process. Attendance continues to be an area for improvement. Attendance rates improved marginally from 75% in 2008/09 to 77% in 2009/10. The target set in 2009/10 was 80%.

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progress

At the previous inspection, teaching and learning were judged to be satisfactory. Since then, CEL has introduced improved lesson plan and individual learning plan documentation. These clearly recognise the greater emphasis that CEL places upon teachers to actively plan and monitor the progress of all learners’ individual needs. Inspectors noted that there were good examples of where teachers used initial assessment results, personal goals, prior attainment and the progress learners make throughout the programme to plan lessons effectively for all learners. However, there were also examples where a whole-group approach was used to plan lessons and the same generic terms used to plan for differentiation in lessons week after week. In these cases, it was not clear how the teacher developed or recognised all learners’ individual skill levels and/or needs during the lesson.

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progress

In the observation of teaching and learning profile in 2009/10, 76% of teachers are graded good or outstanding. However, in too many cases there is too much focus on the performance of the teacher rather than on the level of learning taking place. CEL has recognised this as an area for further development and plans are in place to review the process. Focused monitoring visit: London Borough of Lewisham, 24 November 2010 3 of 4

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progress

At the previous inspection, progression rates were good. Although it was not made clear how progression was planned for. CEL’s course brochure clearly identifies what range and levels of provision are available within a particular subject area. Tutors continue to offer specialist guidance on progression routes. CEL has recently established formal arrangements with partner organisations to offer advice and guidance for particular groups of learners. However, not all learners are clear what opportunities are available for them to progress into further training, education or work outside CEL, or where to get the appropriate information. CEL has correctly identified in the latest draft self-assessment report that the monitoring of learner destinations is not sufficiently robust. The impact on learner progression of the provision offered by CEL is unclear. However, from the start of the academic year, CEL has started to ask learners for destination information when they complete ‘end

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progress

CEL has recently entered into a ‘learning partnership’ with key training providers within the borough to share information and offer learners a ‘borough view’ of training opportunities. A learner charter has been developed. The vision and mission have been established, aims and objectives made clear and an action plan has been developed. However, it is too soon to judge the impact of these measures.

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progress

Since the previous inspection, significant progress has been made in developing the range and effectiveness of provision to meet local stakeholder needs. CEL has developed a good range of effective strategic partners. A mayor’s commission reviewed adult learning in the borough in 2009 and has helped to shape CEL’s strategic direction. CEL’s aims are now closely aligned to borough-wide priorities. The council provides good corporate support, for example by way of a grant to help the transition of some of CEL’s provision to full cost programmes. Confidence in the quality of CEL’s provision has resulted in the development and delivery of a range of full cost business programmes within the local borough.

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progress

The new management team knows the community well and shapes provision effectively to meet local needs in line with corporate goals. Managers are proactive in a number of key groups, for example those for learners with learning difficulties or disabilities and in the 14 to 19 forums. Much of the provision is developed effectively to focus on areas of greatest disadvantage and a very broad range of partner organisations is successfully widening participation. CEL has successfully increased its number of new learners in non-accredited provision from 42% in 2007/08 to 52% in 2009/10. Focused monitoring visit: London Borough of Lewisham, 24 November 2010 4 of 4

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progress

At the previous inspection, the provision for literacy, language and numeracy support was not fully developed. Since then, reasonable progress has been made. Needs are appropriately assessed and support is provided through a range of mechanisms such as drop-in sessions and discrete courses. In non-accredited provision, pilots have been undertaken to develop bespoke resources for use on courses. These resources are beginning to be used across the curriculum and have raised the awareness of all tutors. CEL has developed a greater focus on monitoring the support for literacy, language and numeracy, for example through the observation of teaching and learning process.

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progress

Enrolment staff have an improved understanding of recognising learners with additional support needs. Pre-course initial assessments and support needs are now well coordinated. Success rates for learners in receipt of additional learning support have improved to 83% in 2009/10. This is now higher than for those learners not in receipt of any additional support. Success rates for learners who speak English as an additional language have improved significantly from 57% in 2008/09 to 81% in 2009/10. However, CEL recognises that overall success rates for numeracy provision are too low. 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

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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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If you would like a copy of this report in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 08456 404040, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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

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T: 08456 404040 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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