The Learning and Enterprise College Bexley

Published date 27 April 2011 Inspection Number 363241 Unique reference number: 53104

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Type of provider: Adult & Community Learning

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Address:

Adult Education College for Bexley Sidcup Arts & Adult Education Centre Alma Road Sidcup DA14 4ED

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Address:

Telephone number: 02083 001056 Adult Education College Bexley

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Focused monitoring visit report

Focused monitoring visit: Adult Education College Bexley, 24 March 2011 1 of 5

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Context and focus of visit

Bexley is an outer London unitary authority situated in South East London. It is a borough of sharp contrasts, with a mixture of relatively wealthy suburbs alongside some pockets of very high deprivation and social disadvantage.

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Context and focus of visit

Adult Education College Bexley delivered over 1,000 courses during 2009/10 to over 8,000 students, attracting more than 13,000 enrolments. It operates from three main centres and around 48 community venues, during the daytime and evenings, including weekends. The college employs around 143 staff undertaking management, administrative or support functions, with over 300 mainly part-time tutors delivering the teaching and training.

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Context and focus of visit

The previous inspection in April 2009 judged overall effectiveness of the college to be satisfactory, as were achievements and standards, the quality of provision and leadership and management. The capacity to improve was good. Three subject areas were reported to be satisfactory: arts, media and publishing; literacy and numeracy; and, independent living and leisure skills. Languages, literature and culture, and family learning, were good.

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Context and focus of visit

This report focuses on the themes explored during the visit, which included the areas for improvement identified in the last inspection report.

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progress

The self-assessment process follows a clear schedule and involves a broad range of staff, stakeholders and partners, including local authority officers and local adult learning providers. The self-assessment report for 2009/10 details key strengths and areas for improvement accurately, although it does not highlight sufficiently the decrease in learners’ outcomes for 2009/10.

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Quality improvement procedures have made a positive impact on provision and have led to a number of improvements since the last inspection. These include improvements to buildings, facilities and equipment, particularly a £1.14 million extension at the Brampton Road site. Managers acknowledge that further improvements are required, such as better oversight and use of management information, for example learners’ attendance rates. Additional staffing has been allocated for quality improvement work to further develop management information systems. Focused monitoring visit: Adult Education College Bexley, 24 March 2011 2 of 5

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Just over half of the college’s provision leads to accredited qualifications and the headline success rates for these courses decreased between 2008/09 and 2009/10. Overall success rates fell by 2.6% for long qualifications and are just below national averages. They decreased by almost 14 percentage points for short courses and are significantly below national figures. Success rates for adults on level 2 courses are above the national average, but marginally below for level 1 and level 3 programmes. They are low for the relatively small number of learners aged 16 to 18.

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Success rates for learners taking non-accredited provision also fell significantly between 2008/09 and 2009/10, from 84% to 70% respectively. Success rates for subject areas are inconsistent. They are below national averages in preparation for life and work, which includes a large proportion of learners. However, current in-year retention rates show an improvement when compared to the equivalent period last year.

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Learners greatly enjoy their time in the college, many feeling that it helps them to lead a fuller and more enriched life. Some learners also improve their job prospects and gain vital employability skills. Progression to further courses is good in some subject areas, but data are not collated centrally, so it is difficult to form an overall picture for progression across the college.

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The previous inspection reported that the observation of lessons focused too much on teaching rather than learning and that improvement plans were not always formulated for teachers as a result of weaknesses identified through these lesson observations. Procedures for evaluating the quality of teaching and learning through lesson observations continue to be reviewed and developed. Recent changes include all lesson observations taking place unannounced and within an annual review cycle. A team of coaches has been established recently to support tutors, such as those who receive no better than a satisfactory judgement. Subject specialists now observe in their own curriculum areas and their feedback is valued by tutors. The judgements of lesson observations are moderated rigorously. In the small number of joint lesson observations undertaken by inspectors and college staff, inspectors confirmed the college observers’ findings. The form used to record judgements has been revised

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and now has a greater focus on learning. However, some records of observations still focus too much on what tutors do rather than the learning that is taking place. Use of information and learning technology (ILT) in the classroom is increasing and inspectors saw good examples where it was integrated well into lessons. The use of Focused monitoring visit: Adult Education College Bexley, 24 March 2011 3 of 5

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the college’s virtual learning environment is increasing, although not consistently by all staff yet.

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The quality of initial assessment and target setting was highlighted as a key area for improvement at the last inspection and progress has been slow to improve this situation. Managers are still in the process of drafting an initial assessment policy and current practice remains inconsistent. Many learners receive an interview prior to joining their course which helps to assess their suitability and chances of success. Good practice is found in some subject areas, with assessments written from a vocational perspective. However, a significant minority of accredited courses do not assess the literacy and numeracy skills of learners, and informal assessment is carried out for learners taking non-accredited programmes. Very few learners are provided with additional learning support as a result of these assessments.

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progress

The completion and quality of individual learning plans are also too variable, as acknowledged by managers. Learning targets agreed with learners in some subject areas are specific and measurable, with very relevant comments to improve learners’ standards. The progress of these learners is reviewed termly and targets are amended accordingly. However, for many courses the individual learning plan is either not completed, or is done in a perfunctory manner listing the overall course objectives without any personalised learning goals. Auditing of these learning plans is not carried out systematically by managers. Staff are briefed on procedures for completing individual learning plans, but insufficient detailed training has taken place. Links between initial assessments and individual learning plans are still not established consistently across all subject areas.

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progress

The previous inspection reported the lack of a clearly defined Skills for Life strategy. A comprehensive strategy and action plan are now in place. The college’s Skills for Life group meets regularly and oversees the implementation of this strategy. The teaching of literacy and numeracy skills in vocational subjects was piloted in a small number of areas, including hairdressing, where relevant tasks are now integrated in lessons and schemes of work for the benefit of learners. Managers acknowledge that this work needs to be extended to other subject areas and there are plans to do this in the next academic year. However, there is slippage in the action plan, for example sufficient Skills for Life champions to share good practice have yet to be identified and more staff training is required. Focused monitoring visit: Adult Education College Bexley, 24 March 2011 4 of 5

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progress

At the last inspection, literacy and numeracy provision was judged to be satisfactory. Since then, a broad range of improvements has been secured. Outcomes for learners have improved consistently over a three-year-period and now exceed national averages. Initial assessment and target setting are carried out well. Learning targets agreed with learners are relevant and personalised, and are reviewed regularly. The use of ILT in the classroom as a tool to enhance learning has increased. Interactive whiteboards are used widely and positive feedback is received from learners on their use. The programme offer has been re-organised to include a greater number of shorter courses, and more weekend and twilight courses. 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),

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

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