Warwickshire County Council

Published date 04 July 2007 Inspection Number 366697 Unique reference number: 55276

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Name of lead inspector: Maxine Mayer HMI

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Address:

Orion House Athena Drive Tachbrook Park Leamington Spa CV34 6RQ Telephone number: 01926 731228

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Information about the provider

1. Warwickshire County Council (the service), based in Warwick, receives funding from the West Midlands Skills Funding Agency for programmes in adult and community learning (ACL). The service offers 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. Programmes are offered throughout Warwickshire in eight subject areas. Around half of the courses provide routes to accreditation. This inspection focuses on the three largest subject areas. The remaining subject areas have not been inspected in full but were sampled and the findings contributed to the main report.

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Information about the provider

2. During 2010/11, 2,224 unique learners made a total of 4009 enrolments of which 1,292 are First Steps; 1,506 are PCDL and 1,211 are family learning. At inspection there are: 755 learners in information and communication technology (ICT); 479 in preparation for life and work; 399 in FLLN; and 773 in WFL.

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Information about the provider

3. The work of the service is overseen by the Head of Communities and Wellbeing/Resources and is supported by the ACL Service Manager and seven other managers. Courses are offered on a part-time basis in a variety of settings including schools, village halls and community venues.

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Information about the provider

4. The percentage of the population in Warwickshire who have no qualifications is 15%, three percentage points above national rates. Unemployment at 6% is just below the national rate.

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Information about the provider

5. At inspection the service was subject to a major review and, since the previous inspection, the provider has transferred its work-based provision to another local provider.

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Provision for adult learners:

Learning for social and personal development 4,117 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 3 Safeguarding Equality and diversity

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Overall effectiveness

6. Warwickshire County Council is a good provider of adult and community learning. Most learners are succeeding well in their chosen programme of learning. Learners on foundation programmes achieve satisfactorily. Learners make good progress and gain new skills and confidence which enables them to contribute more fully to their communities and in some instances improve prospects of employment.

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Overall effectiveness

7. Teaching and learning are mostly good and learners enjoy their courses. However, not all teaching is planned sufficiently to meet individual needs. Courses are provided across the county and the service gives very good attention to the needs of the local communities. Good use of partnerships supported by local development workers is ensuring that courses are provided for those who are at particular disadvantage.

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Overall effectiveness

8. Individual subject areas are managed well. The service’s leaders and managers provide satisfactory leadership to improve standards and have put in place appropriate plans, in difficult economic circumstances, to ensure the future direction of the provision.

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Main findings

 Overall achievement rates are good and from 2007 to 2010 have steadily improved from 74% to 87%. In PCDL courses the majority of learners achieve their learning goals and in the accredited programmes in ICT and preparation for life and work success rates are high.  Learners make good progress. Many learners are improving their levels of literacy and numeracy. They make good gains in confidence and improve their employability. Safe working practices are reinforced well, particularly in e- safety. Learners feel safe.  Learners from minority ethnic groups generally achieve as well as other groups of learners. However, learners with learning difficulties/and or disabilities and men in literacy and numeracy programmes do not succeed as well as other groups. While the service acknowledges this in the self-assessment report, insufficient actions have been taken to rectify the under-achievement. Attendance is generally satisfactory.

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Main findings

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Observation of teaching and learning is comprehensive and leads to accurate judgments. The process has led to improved levels of good or better teaching in the last three years. Strong features of much teaching include well-planned sessions, a variety of activities and good emphasis of meeting individual needs.  In taster courses tutors over-emphasise whole group target setting in individual learning plans and insufficiently record learner progress and achievement for most learners.  The service meets the needs and interests of learners well. Careful attention is given to providing courses that are easily accessible for learners across the county. Wherever possible, routes to higher or further learning are provided or well signposted.  Partnership arrangements are very good and support learners well. The service has developed capacity in the voluntary sector and the family learning

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Main findings

programme benefits from strong partnerships, particularly with organisations that traditionally work with children.  Support for learners is satisfactory. Information, advice and guidance is good. Learners receive comprehensive pre-course information enabling them to make informed choices. Individual support is provided effectively in class by tutors and volunteers. Learners have good access to expert advice through local Next Step provision. Initial assessment is satisfactory and appropriate to course duration and expectation.  Leadership and management are satisfactory. Managers have set an appropriate strategic vision and objectives that link to regional and national priorities. Managers support staff well. Curriculum management is good. Governance is satisfactory. However, new initiatives are not always fully reviewed for effectiveness.  Arrangements for keeping learners safe are satisfactory. The service

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Main findings

appropriately prioritises safeguarding and safe working practices. Learning venues are suitably risk assessed. All staff are subject to Criminal Record Bureau checks. However, not all staff have been assessed for a significant period of time or received appropriate high-level training.  The targeting of under-represented groups is good. Staff and learners understanding of equality and diversity are satisfactory. Promotion of equality and diversity in most lessons is satisfactory. The service does not fully exploit data for equality purposes. Not all staff have received recent and appropriate training. The provider has not completed all relevant impact assessments at service level.  The service appropriately gathers feedback from learners but stakeholders and partner feedback is not systematically sought. Analysis of feedback is satisfactory. Learners and stakeholders do not routinely receive the service's

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Main findings

response to feedback given.  Quality improvement arrangements are satisfactory. Arrangements are thorough and have raised standards. The process to observe teaching and learning is good but too few observations have been completed. The service does not collate or use data sufficiently to inform analysis, decision-making or to set a full range of meaningful targets. The self-assessment process and associated report are satisfactory.  The service provides satisfactory value for money. Outcomes for learners are good and improving. The service has implemented an effective response to reducing its financial deficit and meets funding body targets. Adequate resources are available and appropriately deployed. The provider demonstrates a satisfactory commitment to managing resources in a sustainable way.

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What does the service need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that prompt and effective actions are taken to resolve the lower achievement of men in literacy and numeracy programmes and learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities so that all learners achieve their potential.  Ensure all learners' achievements in taster courses are fully recognised through better recording of their starting points; their progress and success by ensuring records are fully completed.  Establish and implement a suitable sampling strategy to further improve the monitoring and quality of teaching and learning and ensure that all learners receive consistently good teaching.  Improve the promotion of equality and diversity across the service by implementing a comprehensive strategy that focuses on improving staff training, better promotion in teaching sessions and completion of impact assessments at service level.  Improve the effectiveness of performance management by better analysis and

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What does the service need to do to improve further?

use of data and target setting across the service.

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What learners like:

 the good teaching  the good support  the good gains in confidence  the relaxed and friendly atmosphere  getting skills that improve job prospects  that sessions are in convenient locations  the courses that help parents develop their children's skills.

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What learners would like to see improved:

 better information and advertising of courses  longer courses and more in the evening  more notice if courses are to close.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 3

9. The service has improved its grades in many aspects of its provision since the previous inspection and has resolved all of the key areas for improvement identified at that inspection, with the exception of the recognition and recording of learner achievement. At the monitoring visit in 2008, the service was making significant progress in three of the six themes that were reviewed.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 3

10. Since the previous inspection the service has had a financial deficit. An effective response to reducing this has been implemented. The subsequent necessary budgetary reductions have had a significant impact on the availability of staff and other resources. In particular, these challenges have affected the development and availablity of management information systems, and ensuring that the volume of observations to ensure the quality of teaching and learning is maintained.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

11. Overall achievement is good. From 2007 to 2010 achievement has improved steadily from 74% to 87%. Specifically, in PCDL courses achievement is high at 92% and in the two main accredited programmes of preparation for life and work and ICT, success rates for 2009/10 are 81% and 86% respectively.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

12. Learners from minority ethnic groups generally achieve as well as other groups of learners. However, learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and men in literacy and numeracy programmes do not succeed as well as other groups. The service acknowledges these achievement gaps in their self- assessment report but have not yet taken sufficient actions to reduce them. Attendance rates are generally satisfactory and have improved since the previous inspection.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

13. Learners make good progress and enjoy their learning. Many learners improve their levels of literacy and numeracy, make good gains in confidence and improve their employability skills. Safe working practices are reinforced well particularly in e-safety. Learners feel safe.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

14. Many learners develop good personal and social skills that improve their levels of confidence. Learners on family learning programmes particularly value their acquisition of parenting skills which help them to support their children. Learners in ICT programmes use their skills effectively to support community work and improve their employability.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

15. Teaching, learning and assessment are good. The service’s process for the observation of teaching and learning has led to improved levels of good or better teaching in the last three years. Strong features of teaching include well- planned sessions, a variety of activities and a strong emphasis given to meet the individual needs of learners. However,some short and taster classes do not sufficiently recognise learners’ previous understanding or learning style preferences.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

16. Tutors over-emphasise whole-group target setting in individual learning plans in taster courses. The recording of learner progress and achievement are insufficient for most learners. The service recognises this and has taken actions to improve these aspects since the previous inspection. However, while the service has established improved procedures these are not always accurately followed by staff or monitored by managers.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

17. The service meets the needs and interests of learners well. Careful attention is given to providing courses that are easily accessible for learners across the county. Local managers and development workers work well with local communities to establish courses and programmes that best meet the needs of the residents of the county. Many courses provide routes to further learning and there is good progression from family learning to other vocational learning. Routes to higher or further learning are provided or well signposted across the provision.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

18. The service makes good use of partnership working with a wide range of organisations to promote inclusion and widen participation successfully. Partners’ venues and community facilities are utilised well to provide programmes that address areas of identified need. Particularly effective arrangements with external partners engages specific groups including young parents, ex-offenders and those for whom English is a second language. Work with, and to develop, the voluntary sector is good.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

19. Support for learners is satisfactory. Information, advice and guidance are good. Learners receive comprehensive pre-course information enabling them to make informed choices. This is further supplemented by staff who have a suitable range of advice and guidance qualifications. Good individual support for learning is provided by tutors and volunteers. Although funding restrictions have reduced the capacity to recruit and retain the volunteers, learners have good access to expert advice through local Next Step provision. Initial assessment is satisfactory and appropriate to course duration and expectation.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

20. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Since the previous inspection, the council has set an appropriate strategic direction for the service. The service has particularly effective arrangements to recruit specific groups including young parents, ex-offenders and those for whom English is a second language. Relevant objectives for the countywide provision of adult and community learning adequately support regional and national priorities. However, a detailed skills strategy is yet to be formulated and used to inform the service’s provision. Senior managers have communicated an appropriate strategic vision to learners, staff and partner organisations. Managers support staff well during a transition period in which decisions on service restructuring and operation have been delayed. Curriculum management is good. Service information provided to the council's senior staff is adequate to secure a satisfactory level of

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Leadership and management Grade 3

governance. The service does not always fully review the effectiveness of new initiatives.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

21. Measures to safeguard learners are satisfactory. The promotion of safeguarding is adequate in most subjects with good attention to e-safety in information technology (IT) sessions. The service prioritises safeguarding appropriately and has a suitable policy and procedure in place. However, safeguarding has only recently been included as a standard agenda item at meetings. An associated action plan details appropriately how the safeguarding policy is to be implemented. Adequate arrangements are in place to protect all learners, including those who are vulnerable or under the age of 19. Learning venues are suitably risk assessed and safe working practices followed. The training development plan does not explicitly address safeguarding. Most staff have received recent and relevant safeguarding training but few benefit from high- level training. While all staff are subject to Criminal Record Bureau checks, the

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Leadership and management Grade 3

service has not re-assessed many for a significant period of time.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

22. Equality and diversity are satisfactory. The targeting of under-represented groups is good. Development workers support and guide individuals effectively to appropriate learning opportunities. Participation rates of minority ethnic groups generally reflect the proportions found in Warwickshire, with particularly good participation of learners from the Indian heritage. Staff and learners’ understanding of equality and diversity are satisfactory though not all staff have received recent training. Tutors and learners work within a learning environment of mutual respect and cooperation. Tutors promote equality and diversity broadly satisfactorily during learning sessions. However, consideration of cultural diversity and equalities across the services’ provision is insufficiently planned. The service does not exploit data fully to identify trends in the achievement of different groups. Disabled learners and men attending literacy

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Leadership and management Grade 3

and numeracy programmes do not achieve as well as other groups of learners. The service has appropriate polices and procedures in place but has not carried out relevant impact assessments at service level. 23. Managers engage satisfactorily with users to support and promote improvement. Consultation with learners is regular and frequent. However, the provider does not elicit stakeholders’ and partners’ feedback sufficiently. The outcomes of feedback are analysed adequately and managers implement appropriate improvements. However, learners and stakeholders are not routinely updated on the service's response to received feedback.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

24. Quality improvement arrangements are satisfactory and have raised standards since the previous inspection. Arrangements are thorough and cover most key aspects of learning. Managers make use of lesson observations to evaluate accurately the quality of teaching and learning sessions. However, the proportion of observations is only around half that required by the service's policy. Work is at an early stage to enhance capacity in this area but it is too early to judge its impact. Judgements on the quality of sessions matched those of inspectors. Inspectors observed much good teaching.Tutors share good practice effectively to improve session quality.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

25. Performance management is satisfactory. Since the previous inspection, data collection and analysis have improved. However, managers do not routinely use data in a sufficiently detailed form to inform effective evaluation and decision- making or to set meaningful targets, including at the programme level, that aid monitoring. The service does not use data fully to identify trends in performance.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

26. Self-assessment is well established. The associated report is generally evaluative and reflects many of the inspection findings. The self-assessment development and quality improvement plans adequately address areas for improvement. However, the provider did not identify some key areas requiring improvement within leadership and management.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

27. The service provides satisfactory value for money. Outcomes for learners show an improving trend. The service has implemented an effective response to reducing its financial deficit and meets its funding body targets. Adequate resources are available and appropriately deployed to support learning. The provider demonstrates a satisfactory commitment to managing resources sustainably.

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Learning for social and personal development

Other social and personal development learning provision considered as part of the main findings but not separately graded: Science and mathematics, arts media and publishing, history, philosophy and theology, and languages, literature, culture.

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Context

28. Currently 755 learners, of whom 71% are women, are taking courses in ICT. The majority are following programmes that do not lead to formal qualifications although these are available. Learning takes place in the local community across a wide range of venues including libraries, community associations, village halls, church centres and schools. Learners are from a diverse range of backgrounds and ethnic origins with 11% being from minority ethnic groups.

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Key findings

 Success rates on accredited and achievement on non-accredited courses are high. Rates show improving trends over the last three years. The majority of learners from different groups succeed as well as each other. Attendance rates are very good across PCDL and First Steps courses.  Learners feel safe. Safe working practices are used by learners, effectively promoted by e-learning guidelines, wall posters and by tutors in sessions. Tutors ensure learners are aware about the safe use of the internet. Learners participate well in the majority of sessions and enjoy their learning.  Learners develop appropriate skills and their standard of work is mostly satisfactory. However, written feedback to learners to enable them to improve their work is not of a consistent quality. Effective use is made by learners of their new IT skills to make positive contributions to their communities, voluntary groups and for financial enterprise.

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Key findings

 Teaching and learning are generally good, with good participation by learners, good individual coaching, use of questioning and effective use of good resources. The minority of weak sessions have too much tutor-directed activity and insufficient participation by learners and checking that learning is taking place.  The service provides good learning resources and learning environments, including good workbooks for accredited programmes, computers and printers for learners’ use and electronic presentation equipment.  Lesson plans and individual learning plans are insufficiently detailed to ensure individual learners’ needs are effectively met. The majority of tutors use too much generic detail and only use end of course reviews to evaluate individual learner progress.  A wide-range of courses at foundation and intermediate levels, gives a good basis for an introduction to ICT and satisfactory progression opportunities. The

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Key findings

accredited provision is limited and the recognition and recording of skills and knowledge learnt in the non-accredited provision is insufficiently useful to learners.  An extensive range of local community venues across the county provides easily accessible learning locations, benefiting learners and providing good opportunities for social inclusion. Locally based development workers work closely with area managers to develop and promote courses to meet the needs of their respective areas.  Curriculum leadership and management are good. The ICT curriculum strategy for 2010 to 2013 is developed well and includes an equipment replacement programme. Meetings are used effectively for staff communications and sharing of good practice. Staff appraisal is effective. Data are interrogated well to investigate course and minority group success variations and to aid quality improvement.  The promotion of safeguarding to learners is satisfactory. Staff have received

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Key findings

updated safeguarding training and good use is made of comprehensive leaflets in multiple languages to promote safeguarding with learners. However, when required, lesson plans do not contain sufficient safeguarding information.  Promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory and is supported by leaflets in multiple languages and analysis of learner data by gender, ethnicity and learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Lesson planning has inadequate references to equality and diversity. The quality monitoring of course planning and learning materials has insufficient focus on equality and diversity.  Self-assessment reporting is clear, accurate and judgments well-referenced to evidence, including effective use of learner feedback. The ICT development plan is satisfactory. However, the whole service quality improvement plan has insufficient detail in order to reflect ICT improvements needed.

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What does the service need to do to improve further?

 Set clear and measureable learning objectives in lesson plans and in individual learning plans by introducing shorter short-term targets to support close monitoring of learners’ progress.  Fully establish the promotion of equality and diversity and safeguarding in learning, by improved quality monitoring of schemes of work, lesson planning and promotion within learning materials.

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Context

29. Courses in literacy, numeracy and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) have 479 learners currently enrolled of which a small proportion are from minority ethnic groups and 70% are women. Learners study adult literacy, numeracy and ESOL from foundation to intermediate level. The service provides courses in 34 venues across the county. Some 60% of courses lead to a qualification. The curriculum coordinator has responsibility for the overall direction of provision and supports quality improvement, while area managers carry out day-to-day management of staff and programmes, supported by nine full-time and three part-time tutors.

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Key findings

 In 2009/10 overall achievement was satisfactory at 81%. However, achievement for men and people with learning difficulties/disabilities were around 10% lower. Success rates on all accredited courses in literacy, numeracy and ESOL are satisfactory and have improved over the last three years. Examination pass rates on literacy and numeracy courses are high.  The overall standard of work in sessions is satisfactory and in the better sessions good. Learners make satisfactory progress. Attendance in 2009/10 was satisfactory overall at 81% and had improved by four percentage points from the previous year. However, few targets are set to assist in improving attendance.  The development of personal skills is good. Many learners report that learning has improved their confidence. Improvements in literacy and numeracy are helping a few learners with their work or employment.  Teaching and learning are good. In the best sessions, excellent planning

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Key findings

supports a wide range of individual learner needs using a good range of learning strategies and activities to challenge and stretch learners. In the few less effective sessions, activities that meet learners’ different needs are not well planned. Assessment is satisfactory.  Courses meet the needs of learners satisfactorily. Many learners live locally and are keen to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. Learners receive initial and diagnostic assessments to support the planning of their learning. This helps learners to identify what they need to do to achieve their learning goals or succeed in national qualifications.  Resources are satisfactory. In the best sessions, ICT is used to enhance learning. Accommodation is satisfactory and suitable to meet the needs of a variety of learners. Rooms are well-equipped and accessible.  Tutors provide satisfactory support for learners with particularly good individual

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Key findings

support in the better sessions. Partnership working with the Probation Service is good and is satisfactory overall.  Curriculum management of the provision is good. The coordinator provides high quality and supportive leadership to help raise standards. Team work and regular communications help to contribute to effective management of the provision. Sharing of good practice includes the use of external consultants to provide extra support and guidance for tutors.  The arrangements to safeguard learners are satisfactory. Tutors have an appropriate understanding of safeguarding and learners report that they feel safe.  The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Equality and diversity topics are well promoted in the good or better sessions but not clearly embedded or promoted in all of the subject area, as indicated in the self- assessment report. Performance differences exist between different groups of

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Key findings

learners that have not yet been analysed to plan improvement.  The observation of teaching and learning process is thorough. Internal moderation and standardisation of internal observations promote improvements. However, identified improvement actions from lesson observations are not always followed up to improve the practice of tutors whose lessons are graded as satisfactory or inadequate.  The self-assessment process is inclusive and judgments are realistic. The report provides a mostly accurate account of the subject area.

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What does the service need to do to improve further?

 Set and monitor targets more closely to further improve attendance and achievement for men and learners with disabilities, and suitably involve staff in the monitoring of these targets.  Ensure that all identified actions to improve teaching and learning are monitored within set timescales and improvements are recorded.  Improve the promotion of equality and diversity in all lessons by ensuring that all lesson plans contain sections where the promotion is recorded. Follow up the effectiveness of promotion of equality and diversity during lesson observations.

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Context

30. Currently 399 parents and carers are undertaking FLLN courses, and a further 773 on WFL courses across Warwickshire. The programmes vary from short two-hour taster workshops to more intensive twenty-hour literacy and numeracy courses linked to the school curriculum. Around 90% of learners are new to learning. Twelve percent of learners are men, 11% are from minority ethnic groups and two percent state that they have a learning difficulty or disability. In 2009/10, 530 learners took part in FLLN and 908 in WFL courses.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are good. Retention and achievement for non-accredited learning have improved over a three year period and are high. Success rates for accredited learning at entry level 3, level 1 and level 2 are excellent at 98%, although this represents a small proportion of learners. Attendance is good overall.  Learners enjoy learning and develop good personal and social skills. Their children develop good oral skills. Learners participate well in lessons and produce good standards of work. Parents and carers report gains in their children's skills, especially in looking at books and listening to stories. They also improve the frequency of their own reading.  Learners make good progress into further learning to extend their skills and to improve employment prospects. However, the recording of progression is underdeveloped, and this is an area for improvement noted in the self- assessment report. The service expects that course files should include

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Key findings

perceived destination data for learners, but not all staff complete this.  Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are carefully planned, and incorporate extension activities to be completed at home. A wide range of teaching methods and activities are used to motivate learners and retain their interest. More able learners are challenged well by effective questioning. Teachers give good individual support to learners.  Individual target setting is insufficiently developed. Group targets are set that do not meet the needs and interests of all learners. Frequently these targets fail to challenge learners adequately. Although learners are encouraged to set personal goals, many do not. Individual learning plans frequently list tasks completed rather than learning goals achieved.  The provision meets the needs and interests of learners well. A good range of WFL courses is offered in a wide range of easily accessible venues. Provision is

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Key findings

targeted across the county at those parents and children who would most benefit from learning. It is valued highly by learners. However, only 12% of those currently engaged in family learning are men.  Partnership working is good and extends learning opportunities to those who would otherwise not participate. For example, one innovative partnership between the provider, the library service and a children's centre enables parents in a small rural community to attend learning, while their children are cared for in a crèche, and makes available relevant books and materials to support learning.  The processes for reviewing and recording progress are insufficiently rigorous. Tutors do not always record learners’ starting points in sufficient detail. Judgements about learners’ achievements are not supported sufficiently with formalised evidence. Learners find it difficult to monitor their own progress.  Curriculum management is good. Although current management arrangements

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Key findings

are temporary, continuous improvement is well established, and tutors are keen to make improvements to benefit their learners. Team meetings are well focused on improvement and the sharing of good practice. Communications are good, and staff feel well supported.  Arrangements for safeguarding are satisfactory. Family learning uses a suitably detailed risk assessment for assessing venues. Learners adopt safe working practices, and are particularly aware of risks to children. However, in one evening class, access to the premises is not secure.  The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Learners treat staff and each other with respect. In a minority of lessons, specialist equipment is available for learners. However, the promotion of equality and diversity is not planned into the majority of lessons.  Quality improvements are good. The service has a thorough and accurate system to observe teaching, learning and assessment that is developing and

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Key findings

improving tutor practice is highly effective. The current self-assessment report provides an accurate account of the subject area.

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What does the service need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of recording learners’ starting points, and learners’ progress by completing individual learning plans fully and accurately.  Discuss the benefits of setting meaningful targets with learners at the beginning of programmes and encourage them to set personal targets that provide challenge and are achievable by the end of the programme.

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Information about the inspection

31. Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and three additional inspectors, assisted by the provider’s temporary joint acting service manager as nominee, carried out the inspection. Inspectors also took account of service’s most recent self- assessment report and development plans, comments from partners, 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

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

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Warwickshire County Council Adult and Community 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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Warwickshire County Council Adult and Community Learning

Outcomes for learners 2 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? 3 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

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Warwickshire County Council Adult and Community Learning

Quality of provision 2 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 3 3 How effectively do leaders and managers raise expectations and 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

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Warwickshire County Council Adult and Community Learning

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 Social and personal development

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Warwickshire County Council Adult and Community Learning

Approximate number of enrolled learners Full-time learners Part-time learners Overall effectiveness 2 2 Capacity to improve 3 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 assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231 or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you

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Warwickshire County Council Adult and Community Learning

give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann’s Square Manchester M2 7LA

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Warwickshire County Council Adult and Community Learning

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090105

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