Kingston Upon Hull City Council

Published date July 2012 Inspection Number 387984 Unique reference number: 52403

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Address:

Hull City Council The Guildhall Alfred Gelder Street Hull HU1 2AA Telephone number: 01482 616159 Kingston upon Hull City Council

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Information about the provider

1. Hull Training and Hull Adult Education Service (HCC) are now within the 14-19 and Skills area of Localities and Learning within Kingston upon Hull City Council. Hull Training has provided work based learning since 1980 and Adult Education has been delivering provision since early 1900. Hull Training offers apprenticeships and foundation learning for young people, operating from four main training centres within the Humber region. The main areas of provision are engineering, business administration and law, information and communication technology (ICT), construction, catering, foundation learning and care. Hull Training employs 82 full time vocational teachers and teaching staff.

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Information about the provider

2. Hull Adult Education Service’s activities are provided from four main learning centres, with 100 subsidiary community and outreach venues. The service employs 100 tutors, 6 additional learning support workers, 22 crèche workers and over 30 support and administration staff. The service has approximately 17,200 enrolments each year with around 8,500 learners attending provision.

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Information about the provider

3. About 259,000 people live in Kingston upon Hull and this number is increasing. Fewer than 7% of people living in Hull are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Hull is currently the 10 th most deprived area in England. Over 50% of the population live in the 20% most deprived areas of England based on the index of multiple deprivation. It has worse health, higher crime, poorer housing, higher unemployment, lower incomes and more people on government benefits than the national average. The number of people receiving incapacity benefit has been higher than the national average for several years. Hull currently is the city that has the highest unemployment figures in England.

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Information about the provider

4. The following organisations provide training on behalf of HCC:

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Information about the provider

 Quality Personal Development Training Limited  North Humberside Motor Trades Group Training Association  Motorvation Ltd  Prospect Training

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Young learner provision:

Foundation Learning, including Entry to Employment (E2E) 2 full-time learners:

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Young learner provision:

82 part-time learners 156 learners (including E2E)

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Adult learner provision:

Further education (19+) 14 full time learners; 1783 part time learners

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Employer provision:

Train to Gain Apprenticeships 675 learners 526 apprentices

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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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Grade

Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies 2 Health, Public Services and Care 3

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Overall effectiveness

5. HCC has maintained good provision for learners in the Hull region. The service continues to provide a broad range of opportunities for learners to access qualifications, training for work, as well as opportunities to learn something new for the sheer enjoyment and fun of doing it. In the learning for personal development, learners achieve very well. They also do very well in some areas of learning for qualifications such as the foundation levels in literacy and numeracy short courses. However, learners do less well on the longer accredited courses.

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Overall effectiveness

6. Tutors and trainers on all programmes are well qualified and are keen to help and support all learners to do the best they can. The service arranges courses at various times and in as many centres as possible so more learners can access them. It develops and makes good use of partners to both support learners as well as to promote employment opportunities. It provides a good range of support for learners including financial, social and items of equipment to enable as many people as possible to attend the classes. It also has good systems to provide the whole community with free information, advice and guidance regarding training and careers.

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Overall effectiveness

7. The management of the service is good overall even though a re-structuring process is still underway. The service continues to strive to target priority communities identified as having the most need in order to meet the Council’s broader strategic aims.

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Main findings

 Outcome for learners are good. Overall, learner attainment of their main goals is satisfactory. The proportion of the provision responding to learner and employer needs is roughly equal to the adult learning provision responding to community needs. Learner attainment in learner and employer responsive provision is satisfactory and in adult learning is excellent. In foundation level programmes attainment of learner goals improved last year to just below the provider group average. Intermediate level programmes improved and are now close to the provider group average.  Managers and staff do not sufficiently analyse performance data to enable them to identify issues or problems regarding retention, achievement and success sufficiently early to allow them to implement preventative strategies quickly enough.  Current learners, however, are making good progress. Their standard of work is good. Learners on all remits enjoy their learning and identify a wide range of

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Main findings

both social and economic benefits they achieve as a result. They improve their confidence, raise their self-esteem and take opportunities to develop themselves in a number of ways. They meet new people and many learn the English language so they can communicate better both at home and in society.  They feel safe in their classes and in the centres where the service delivers training. Tutors also take opportunities to reinforce safety issues during classes. Learners' ability to make informed choices about their health and well-being is satisfactory. Many learners make a good contribution to their communities through a range of activities, events and fundraising.  Teaching, training and assessment are good. Well-planned lessons include a range of activities and strategies to engage learners, maintain their interest and promote their learning. Assessment is effective and provides learners with good feedback so that they understand what they need to do to improve.

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Main findings

 The service offers a wide range of courses and programmes in order to meet the needs and interests of users and employers; this is satisfactory. In some subject areas, HCC is very effective in providing courses targeted at priority communities with high levels of deprivation. However, they have placed some learners on courses which are too long for them resulting in a high number leaving before the end of their course.  Partnership work is good. The service works closely with a number of both internal and external partners such as the youth offending team, probation service, jobcentre plus, schools and employers to develop provision in a co- ordinated way in the City. Other groups that support the provision particularly well include children’s centres and family learning centres.  The service’s management of the care, guidance and support for learners is good. A well co-ordinated citywide system of ‘drop-in’ centres provides impartial

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Main findings

information, advice and guidance to anyone requesting it. The service provides good individual support to learners in both a formal and informal way. Formal systems include hardship support funds to enable learners to attend by supporting them in travel, equipment and childcare. Tutors are accessible outside of their lessons and readily give additional support when needed.  The service supports well the council’s strategy to increase the educational and skills levels of learners from disadvantaged groups. The service has a strong ethos of partnership working and responds particularly well to the needs of its stakeholders. It systematically monitors the performance of its subcontractors and supports them well to improve.  Arrangements to safeguard learners and staff are good. The service maintains very detailed records of safeguarding issues and takes very effective actions when concerns arise. The service has developed a good multi-agency approach

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Main findings

to learners’ safeguarding issues. The promotion of safeguarding through information booklets, posters and information cards is good.  The service monitors the impact of its policies and procedures on different groups of learners well and addresses any identified issues effectively. The service has provided training and detailed guides for tutors and assessors on how to promote equality and diversity in teaching and learning. Some, however, miss opportunities to incorporate this in their teaching.  The service has developed outstanding arrangements to consult its users. It systematically surveys learners' views through well-developed questionnaires and makes prompt changes. The service has also developed very good questionnaires’, which are designed for learners with learning disabilities or difficulties, and for learners whose first language is not English. They also use well-established and very effective employers’ forums to seek employers’ views

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Main findings

and improve its provision.  The service has an effective procedure for observing teaching and learning that is well established. The process is effective in improving the quality of teaching and learning. The service’s self-assessment process is inclusive although the self-assessment report in parts does not include a sufficient range of evidence. Delays in recruiting key staff have affected the pace of improvements that, until recently, had been slow.  The service offers good value of money. It uses its additional funds well to engage hard-to-reach learners, develop and offer them provision that significantly affects their social and economic well-being.

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What does Hull City Council need to do to improve further?

 Take actions to analyse performance data more effectively so that staff and managers can more quickly identify under-performance, and any other issue having a negative impact, and implement interventions to reduce the impact on learners.  Take actions to ensure that all tutors embed equality and diversity and safety in their teaching and do not miss opportunities to explore these in classes.  Increase the speed of improvement by reviewing and developing management practices to ensure that they deploy resources effectively and in a timely manner.  Improve the rigour of self-assessment by using data and evidence more thoroughly and by scrutinising and challenging the judgements more effectively.

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What learners like:

 being treated with respect as an adult  how the service organises work experience  the opportunity to do practical work and activities  the friendly, helpful and understanding staff  the good atmosphere in the centres  being able to meet new people and make new friends  being able to work at their own pace.

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What learners would like to see improved:

 bigger workshops and more vehicles to work on in motor vehicle  more time in the workshops  more time in lessons – more lessons during the week  fewer questionnaires  the quality of some of the rooms used for classes  the availability of crèche facilities for day time ‘drop in’ sessions.

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What employers and partners like:

 friendly staff with good attitudes  the good support received and regular updates  the way they work ‘hand in hand’ with employers  that staff are always available to help with problems  the good communications.

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What employers and partners would like to see improved:

 the speed at which learners receive their certificates when completed.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 3

8. Since the previous inspection, the service has maintained the good outcomes and good quality of provision for learners. HCC continues to offer provision to the most disadvantaged groups to improve their economic and social well- being. Overall, success rates are satisfactory, although some aspects have declined to the national averages. The service’s arrangements to seek and use learners’, partners’ and employers’ views in making improvements are outstanding.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 3

9. At the previous inspection, the amalgamation of adult education and work- based learning structures was progressing. Since then, the council and the service have experienced a period of significant change. During this period, managers and staff have worked hard to maintain the good quality of provision for engineering apprenticeships and learners on literacy, numeracy and ESOL courses.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 3

10. Although HCC has made some improvements since the previous inspection, the overall pace has been too slow. Too many of the areas for improvements found at the previous inspection have not been improved sufficiently, and they continue to remain areas for improvements. HCC operates through an interim structure. The service has consulted with staff extensively about the changes and managers and staff are generally supportive. However, the effectiveness of the final structure of the service to increase the pace of improvements cannot yet be assessed. The self-assessment process is inclusive, although it does not use learner performance data or other evidence sufficiently to evaluate its provision. The improvement plans are satisfactory tools to bring about further improvements.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

11. Learners on programmes for personal and community development as part of the adult safeguarded learning provision achieve very well. Tutors use the process for recognising and recording progress and achievement (RARPA) in all courses well. The service has a rigorous and robust system to moderate tutors’ application and use of it to ensure that targets for individual learners are sufficiently challenging and that the evidence to support achievement is valid and reliable.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

12. Work based learning success rate are satisfactory overall. The success rate for business administration improved in 2010/11 to an excellent 91%. Intermediate education and training success rates are satisfactory but at advanced level, they are also excellent at 91%. In ICT, the success rates are satisfactory but learners aged 16 to 18 succeed better than the adults do.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

13. The success rates on learning for qualifications short course programmes are high and exceed the national averages for the provider group by 9 percentage points. However, the success rates on long courses have declined over recent years and are below national averages. The service identifies and recognises the cause for this and has introduced strategies to ensure that all learners are able to access shorter courses and programmes giving them a better chance to complete and succeed.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

14. Many learners also recognise the broader benefits of attending their training, other than achieving a qualification. The service provides them with a significant boost to their confidence by developing and improving their self-esteem. The classes and courses provide learners with opportunities to make new friends and learn about other cultures. For a significant number, it is also a chance to learn to speak, read and write in English. Parents develop their literacy and numeracy skills so they can support their children’s education. Many learn in order to improve their employment prospects and to increase their potential to contribute more effectively socially.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

15. The service ensures that premises and classrooms are a safe environment for learners so that they need only concentrate on their learning. Effective systems and security support this at all centres. Some classes and courses include appropriate content to enable learners to make better choices about their own and their family’s health and well-being. A significant number also make very positive contributions back in their communities by fundraising and volunteering as well as acting as positive role models.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

16. The teaching, learning and assessment across all aspects of the provision are good. Tutors plan sessions well using detailed schemes of work and individual session plans very effectively to ensure that they achieve the primary learning goal for each session. Tutors use a variety of teaching methods so that all learners can gain a sense of participation and achievement. The service has delivered effective training to adult education tutors in the application and use of RARPA for non-accredited courses and programmes. The observation of teaching is rigorous and incorporates a sufficient sample size. It provides managers with a clear illustration of the general quality of teaching and allows them to identify generic development needs to incorporate into future staff training and development. The service provides all tutors with a good quality handbook that contains detailed guidance on all aspects of tutoring which many

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The quality of provision Grade 2

17. The service’s priority target group are the communities and parts of the City identified as having very high levels of both social and economic deprivation. It successfully engages with these communities by providing the programmes that these communities want and need in accessible, local centres. Many of the courses and programmes focus on improving adult literacy, numeracy and ESOL but the service also maintains provision across a number of other subject areas. The provision includes a range of programmes to improve employment prospects, as well as a range of adult safeguarded learning that includes some entry level literacy and numeracy programmes, as well learning for personal and community development.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

18. The service makes good links with a range of external partners and organisations to work jointly on a wide range of projects and activities to support both learners and the communities where they live. These include collaborating well with the youth offender team, Jobcentre Plus, local schools and children’s centres to deliver family learning. They also have good partnership arrangements with agencies and other council departments to provide support for learners and the service generally.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

19. Care, guidance and support for learners are strong. The service has good systems in place to provide very effective, independent information, advice and guidance to the community at large, in a number of central locations, using good partnerships with organisations such as the BBC. They develop and nurture good links with local schools to support and contribute to careers advice for year 10 and 11 students. They organise a good range of taster events and other promotions that both engage with priority communities and provide good opportunities to give advice and support. The service provides guidance and support across a range of issues including homelessness as well as domestic and financial hardship. It makes good use of special funds to support learners in dire need. Support is also good in meeting the needs of learners with learning difficulties and or disabilities and other learners with support needs for dyslexia.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

20. The service supports well the council’s strategies to increase the educational and skills levels of learners from disadvantaged areas or learners with low prior educational attainments in Hull. HCC has a strong ethos of partnership working and it has responded particularly well to its partners and stakeholders. For example, in 2010, in discussions with the Skills Funding Agency, it agreed and organised subcontracting arrangements with providers whose performance levels were too low or contracts too small. The service works hard to improve the performance of its subcontractors through systematically monitoring their performance and agreeing action-points for improvements. It takes effective actions when the performance of any subcontractor is too low, for example by removing their contracts.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

21. Following the merger of adult education and work-based learning departments, the service now operates through an interim structure with a very recently appointed management team. The service has consulted well with the staff about the future changes and managers and staff are very positive about the benefits which the merger will bring for learners. Since the previous inspection, the service has successfully made some improvements, for example, it has introduced a new management information system. Following a period of significant change and staffing reductions, the council and the service are more stable now, although there remain a number of tutor positions which are still vacant.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

22. The council supports effectively HCC’s developments and the change process. The arrangements for monitoring the performance of the service are satisfactory. However, the council acknowledges that it needs to have more detailed information about the performance of learners and any barriers to improvements.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

23. The service’s arrangements to safeguard learners and staff are good. Policies and procedures are comprehensive and focus well on vulnerable learners. All staff, including the staff in subcontractors, undergo enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks and have received appropriate training about how to safeguard learners. There are 11 designated officers, one in each centre and each subcontractor, of whom six are women and five are men, allowing for learners’ preference and ease of reporting. Tutors and trainer/assessors are confident in reporting and referring safeguarding issues to the designated officers. The service maintains very detailed records of safeguarding issues and takes good actions when concerns arise. In 2010/11, all the safeguarding issues that learners experienced and reported, took place outside of the service’s venues and classes. HCC’s response to some very complex and sensitive

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Leadership and management Grade 2

safeguarding cases is very effective. Arrangements to liaise with the council’s children and adult safeguarding teams and external agencies are good. The service has developed a good multi-agency approach to learners’ safeguarding issues, such as working with housing agencies for homeless learners. The promotion of safeguarding through information booklets, posters and information cards is good. The service provides effective training for its staff and learners about their rights and responsibilities when using the internet or digital communication equipment.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

24. The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The service has very successfully attracted many hard-to-reach learners from the most disadvantaged wards in Hull. HCC monitors the impact of its policies and procedures on different groups of learners well and redresses any identified issues. For example, through devising a campaign it has successfully encouraged more learners to declare their disabilities and seek support. The service uses data satisfactorily to monitor the enrolment and performance of different groups of learners and, where necessary, take effective action. For example, the low number of male learners in family learning provision has increased significantly. There are no significant differences in the achievement of different groups of learners. The service has provided training and detailed guides for tutors and trainer/assessors on how to promote equality and diversity in teaching, learning and assessment.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

25. Overall, the service has developed outstanding arrangements to consult learners, partners and employers to improve and develop its provision. The service systematically surveys learners' views through detailed and well developed computer-based questionnaires and makes changes promptly in response to learners’ views. On longer courses, HCC surveys learners at the beginning, middle and at the end of courses and informs learners about any changes made. The service has developed very good questionnaires which are very appropriate and accessible for learners with learning disabilities or difficulties or ESOL learners. The service has provided “talking-wall”, an area where learners can write their views about all aspects of their courses and receive responses to their feedback from staff. These are in all centres and learners use the system well to provide feedback at a time convenient to them. The views of employers are sought particularly well through a number of well-

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Leadership and management Grade 2

established and well-planned forums. For example, the service has used the views of the engineering employers’ forum particularly well to update its courses. Additionally, staff and managers use a wide range of formal and informal meetings to seek learners’ views, gain a good insight into their experiences, and make changes to improve their experience.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

26. Overall HCC’s quality improvement arrangements are satisfactory. All staff have satisfactory access to the services’ quality policies and procedures. The quality improvement arrangements for subcontractors are effective and the in-year data indicates much improved pace of improvements in subcontracted provision. HCC’s procedure for observing teaching and learning is effective, well established and broadly accurate. Overall, observation of teaching and learning processes are effective in improving the quality of teaching and learning, although sharing of best practice is not systematic. Since the last inspection, the service’s use of data and information for improvements has improved. However, not all managers use data sufficiently to support improvements. The service and its subcontractors have clear action-plans to improve various aspects of learners’ education, training and assessment. It has developed a good range of

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Leadership and management Grade 2

monitoring tools, which include 43 performance indicators, to monitor all aspects of learners’ training in subcontractors and apprenticeship provision. However, the implementation of the action-plans is not sufficiently systematic in some subcontractors. The service acknowledges that until recently the pace of improvement has been slow.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

27. HCC’s self-assessment process is inclusive of partners’, staff’s and sub- contractors’ views, through formal and informal feedback, providing an effective basis for improvements. The development plan, which is based on the self- assessment report, is detailed and generally accurate. However, the overall self- assessment report which is based on two separate self-assessment reports of work-based and adult provisions, is in parts too descriptive and has made insufficient use of evidence to support its judgements.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

28. The service offers good value for money. It uses its additional funds well to engage hard-to-reach learners, and to develop and offer the provision that most improves their social and economic well-being. Resources, including the teaching venues are generally of good quality and appropriate to the needs of the community and learners.

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Learning for qualifications in employment

Other learning for qualifications in employment provision considered as part of the main findings but not separately graded: construction and the built environment; i nformation and communications technology; business administration and law; education and training.

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Context

29. At the time of inspection, 113 learners attended health and social care courses and 109 attended child development and well-being courses. On the health and social care programmes, 35 learners attended learner responsive provision, 65 were apprentices, seven were advanced apprentices and six were Train to Gain learners. On the child development and well-being programmes, 98 were on learner responsive courses, three were apprentices and eight were Train to Gain learners.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are satisfactory overall. Apprentice success rates have improved over the last three years and are now in line with the national average of 76%. Success rates within the planned timescale for apprentices aged 16 to 18 have also improved and are now just above the national average. However, the success rate within the planned timescale on advanced apprenticeships has declined to significantly below the national averages. Attendance is satisfactory.  Current learners are making satisfactory progress. They enjoy their learning and develop their confidence. In particular, a group of learners who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) gained some important personal and social benefits from their programme. The quality of learners' work is satisfactory and meets the needs of the qualification.  Learners, including vulnerable learners, feel safe and secure in the classroom.

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Key findings

They are able to demonstrate a good awareness of practices to safeguard children and adults and benefited from attending a six-hour safeguarding course. However, there were missed opportunities to reinforce and develop the learners' understanding of keeping themselves safe in certain workplace situations.  Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Nearly all of the learners engage well in the activities offered. The standard of learners' work is appropriate. However, tutors do not always use available opportunities to promote equality and diversity. In some classes, there is insufficient focus on learning with limited strategies to ensure that all learners, including the more capable, are appropriately challenged.  Assessment is satisfactory. Unit completion is tracked effectively which ensures the learners know how well they are progressing. Assessment feedback is positive but is sometimes limited to completion of tasks, rather than prioritising

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Key findings

areas for improvement.  Partnership work is satisfactory. HCC has effective partnerships with a range of organisations supporting learners in accessing courses, employment opportunities and health services. Partnership work is used effectively to recruit and provide programmes for some hard to reach learners. The service continues to develop new partnerships to support both learning and employment opportunities.  Care, guidance and support are good. Highly effective support for the 16 to 18 year old learners who are NEET promotes their well-being. Initial assessment, however, is limited to an assessment of their functional skills ability. The service supports individual learners well. They know whom to contact if there are any issues or questions. Staff give extra time and resources to enable learners to achieve and progress from intermediate to advanced level programmes.  Leadership and management are satisfactory. Performance management of

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Key findings

sub-contracted provision is robust. Staff are appropriately supported by their managers and peers. Managers hold regular meetings but they place too little emphasis on analysing management information to monitor and improve the provision. Target setting at departmental and individual level is under- developed.  The promotion of safeguarding is good. Tutors prioritise arrangements for safeguarding which impacts positively on learners and their learning. They all receive training in safeguarding and the protection of vulnerable adults, which they incorporate in the curriculum delivery. One member of the team attends the training forum of the Hull Safeguarding Board and passes on relevant information to the team.  The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. A culture of mutual respect and understanding is evident in both staff and learners' attitudes and behaviours. Although training for staff in equality and diversity is a priority, this

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Key findings

has not led to sufficient promotion in the classroom. Staff do not use data effectively to monitor and decrease gaps in performance by different groups.  The focus on quality improvement is satisfactory. Staff are involved in the self- assessment process. Course reviews are informal and provide limited contribution to the self-assessment report and staff have limited ownership of the report. They do not sufficiently align areas for improvement identified in the report to the development plan.  The management of observation of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The observation records do not sufficiently focus on the quality and level of learning and do not always reflect the grades awarded. Actions plans for improvement are in place although their completion and the impact in the classroom are not always recorded effectively.

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What does Hull City Council need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and learning by further developing trainers' understanding and implementation of differentiated activities to challenge learners of all abilities, and to promote equality and diversity more effectively within lessons.  Provide evaluative written feedback to the learner about assessments that identifies specifically to the learner how to improve.  Formalise course review processes so that all staff fully contribute and understand the self-assessment outcomes and can be fully involved in implementing changes to improve the quality of the provision.  Make more regular and rigorous use of data to monitor success rates for learners on all programmes and to identify achievement gaps in performance by different groups enabling them to take actions to remedy these earlier.

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Context

30. Currently 183 learners are completing apprenticeships in engineering, sign making and motor vehicle trades. Forty-four learners are on the intermediate programmes, with 139 learners on advanced apprenticeships. Thirty seven percent of apprentices are completing their programme with two local motor vehicle sub-contractors. All learners are employed and most attend the HCC engineering faculty for related theory sessions.

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Key findings

 Success rates have been satisfactory for the past four years. Success rates for learners completing their programme by their planned date have declined to below the national average. The service has supported many learners made redundant and have found work placements or permanent employment opportunities with other companies enabling most to successfully complete their programme. All current learners are making good progress and in-year success rates are now high across all areas.  Learners develop good practical skills and confidently apply these skills needing a minimum of supervision. Learners’ written work in portfolios is of a good standard. They enjoy their learning and talk readily about the progress they are currently making. During their four-week induction, learners successfully complete a range of externally awarded qualifications. Learners confirm they feel safe; they use appropriate personal protective equipment and adopt safe

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Key findings

working systems and practices at work and within the training centre.  Learners' contribution to the local community is outstanding. Some of the many community projects supported by learners include the design and manufacture of a bandstand at a local park, planting of young trees when a new apprentice starts employment with an employer, a yearly industry ‘employer innovation challenge’ for local schools and much support for local and national charity events.  Teaching and learning are good. Trainers use an appropriate mix of activities to stimulate and promote learners' interest. They use information and learning technologies well across all programmes. Tutors in process control sessions make good use of simulation to reinforce circuit diagrams and principles. However, the trainers do not always reinforce and develop functional skills appropriately within theory sessions.  Assessment on apprenticeships is good. Assessors visit learners in the

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Key findings

workplace frequently. Assessment is thoroughly planned but flexible enough to respond to on-site evidence opportunities. Learners include a suitable range of diverse evidence in their portfolios. Checking of knowledge is thorough and trainers give learners clear guidance on any future evidence requirements. Previous staffing resource issues affecting assessment opportunities have now been fully resolved.  The two-stage review process is strong, covering all aspects of the training programme. Trainers set appropriate targets that are reviewed at subsequent meetings. Employers are fully involved in the process and share in agreeing actions for their learners. Some sub-contractor staff have not yet received appropriate safeguarding, equality and diversity training and a few staff use the same question on every review to check learner understanding of these areas.  The current wide range of provision meets the needs and interests of both

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Key findings

learners and employers well. Progression from foundation programmes onto apprenticeship and the advanced programme is good across all areas. HCC responded well to local employers' requirements to offer higher education provision at the training centre. Many learners now progress and successfully complete their higher education programme at the centre.  Learners benefit from the very good partnerships with local organisations. HCC has developed very effective communication with employers through quarterly employers’ forums and the review process. Employers attend and sponsor numerous awards at the yearly awards evening. The centre also has good links with many local schools, successfully running taster events covering a day, or one or two weeks to suit the school's requirements.  Care, guidance and support are good. HCC offers weekly information, advice and guidance sessions for potential apprentices and their parents. Initial

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Key findings

assessment is thorough and effective. Specialist staff at the centre respond promptly to the many learners with identified additional learning needs and staff respond well in supporting learners towards a successful outcome. Personal, pastoral and welfare support are also good.  Leadership and management are good. Communication with staff is very effective. Staff have taken effective actions to improve declining performance and reduce the amount of early leavers. Staff make good use of data to monitor learners’ progress. Success rates are now improving. The observation of teaching and learning process, which includes reviews, is good.  Engagement with users to promote improvement is good. Learners complete the learner survey and learner voice. Learners and employers have a regular opportunity during reviews to comment on existing provision. Learners also benefit from the many informal opportunities at the centre to voice any

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Key findings

concerns. The service makes good use of learner and employer feedback to improve provision. For example, a recent response to learner concerns has resulted in the upgrading of tools and equipment at the centre.  The use of self-assessment to improve provision is good. The self-assessment report accurately identifies many strengths and areas for improvement seen by inspectors and inspectors agreed with the grade awarded. The subsequent quality improvement plan effectively drives improvement. However, opportunities for staff to share good practice are limited.

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What does Hull City Council need to do to improve further?

 Improve success rates by more accurately reflecting individual learner needs when agreeing their planned completion date.  Increase learner understanding of safeguarding and equality and diversity by using a range of different techniques to further promote and develop understanding.  Improve communication across all areas in order to ensure that staff are able to share good practice.

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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: art media and publishing; languages, literature and culture.

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Context

31. HCC currently has 973 learners on adult literacy, numeracy and ESOL courses. Four hundred and thirteen are learning ESOL, of which 66% are female and 34% are male; 560 attend literacy or numeracy classes, 72% of whom are female, 28% male and 8% are from minority ethnic groups. The service provides ESOL, literacy and numeracy classes at a range of venues across the city during the day and in the evening.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are good overall. Success rates on non-accredited provision are very good. Success rates on accredited provision are lower than the national average and the retention of entry and level one learners is weak. However, the significant numbers of learners that continue their studies into the following year brings success rates closer to the average.  Learners enjoy their classes and develop and extend their personal skills. Their progress in developing literacy, numeracy and language skills is good relative to their starting point and learners feel more confident in their daily lives, able to help children with homework or access health services. They like mixing with other learners and the tutors and participate enthusiastically in learning.  Learners develop the essential skills necessary for employment and progression to further learning or jobs is good. Learners who achieve intermediate level in

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Key findings

literacy and numeracy have the opportunity to become volunteers in class with some progressing to teacher education or learning support roles. Learners say they feel safe and comfortable in their classes.  HCC effectively supports learners to become involved in community activities. A ‘Know your Community’ course has resulted in learners raising money for local charities and they are building a garden at the Avenues learning centre. Learners develop an understanding of different communities through taking part in class discussions with others from a range of cultures and backgrounds.  Teaching and learning are good. Initial and diagnostic assessment is effective in setting clear learning goals that tutors carefully and regularly monitor. They plan lessons well, ensuring that learners develop a good range of skills. However, in some lessons tutors do not always check that all learners are learning or ensure that quieter learners are fully involved in discussions. Tutors

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Key findings

are well qualified and make effective use of the good resources in classrooms where learners are able to work individually on computers as appropriate.  Tutors effectively promote equality and diversity in teaching and learning. In one class, ESOL learners discussed cultural and gender stereotypes in job roles, drawing well on their own experience. A learner with disabilities spoke and wrote confidently about disability discrimination.  HCC has developed productive partnerships with a range of statutory and voluntary organisations that extend access to classes for disadvantaged learners and give other learners opportunities for work experience and progression. Development officers actively promote and facilitate routes into work experience for learners with disabilities who can also join a job club recently set up by the service.  The service supports learners with learning difficulties or disabilities well by

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Key findings

either support staff or trained volunteers. Learners with dyslexia are able to access specialist diagnosis and support. Information, advice and guidance are available from tutors and embedded within the learning programmes. However, this is insufficiently standardised to ensure that good practice is consistent across the provision.  The planning of learning programmes at entry and level one is poor and a high proportion of learners leave the year-long courses early. HCC has recognised this and is making changes, both in qualifications offered and in the length of courses.  Leadership and management are good. Strategies for ESOL and literacy and numeracy effectively target local needs in areas of high deprivation. The service organises a wide range of continuous professional development activities to support the team of dedicated tutors. Sharing good practice is part of the regular team meetings. They also prioritise safeguarding and equality and

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Key findings

diversity appropriately.  Arrangements for the observation of teaching and learning are effective. Observation records are detailed and these promote improvements through on- going tutor development. The grades awarded by the service were consistent with the quality of teaching observed during the inspection. Skills for life learners have good opportunities to give their views of the service by participating in learner forums and making use of the ‘talking wall’ in centres.  Quality assurance processes are satisfactory overall. However, the use and analysis of performance data in self-assessment is weak. Staff use data to monitor the performance of different groups but the analysis is insufficiently detailed. They do not use data effectively to drive improvement; targets are not challenging and they do not always achieve them during the year. However, the self-assessment process is inclusive and involves all tutors.

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What does Hull City Council need to do to improve further?

 Improve the planning of programmes at entry and level one so that more learners are successful in achieving qualifications.  Standardise processes for information, advice and guidance so that good practice is consistent across the service.  Analyse data more thoroughly to inform the self-assessment process and drive improvement by setting more challenging improvement targets.

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Information about the inspection

32. Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and three additional inspectors, assisted by the Hull City Council’s assistant head of service 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 funding bodies, the previous inspection report and data on learners and their achievement over the period since the previous inspection.

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Information about the inspection

33. 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 a sample of the subjects the provider offers. Record of Main Findings (RMF)

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Kingston upon Hull City Council

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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Kingston upon Hull City Council

*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 Employer responsive Social and personal development

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Kingston upon Hull City Council

Approximate number of enrolled learners Full-time learners Part-time learners Overall effectiveness 2 2 2 2 2 Capacity to improve 3

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Kingston upon Hull City Council

A. Outcomes for learners 2 2 2 2 2 A1. How well do learners achieve and enjoy their learning? 2 A1.a) How well do learners attain their learning goals? A1.b) How well do learners progress? A2. How well do learners improve their economic and social well-being through learning and development? A3. Do learners feel safe? 2 A4. Are learners able to make informed choices about their own health and well being?* A5. How well do learners make a positive contribution to the community?* B. Quality of provision 2 2 2 2 2 B1. How effectively do teaching, training and assessment support learning and development? B2. How effectively does the provision meet the needs and interests of users? B3. How well do partnerships with schools, employers, community groups and others lead to benefits for learners? B4. How effective are the care, guidance and support learners receive in helping them to achieve? C. Leadership and management 2 2 2 2 2

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Kingston upon Hull City Council

C1. How effectively do leaders and managers raise expectations and promote ambition throughout the organisation? C2. How effectively do governors and supervisory bodies provide leadership, direction and challenge?* C3. How effectively does the provider promote the safeguarding of learners? C4. How effectively does the provider actively promote equality and diversity, tackle discrimination and narrow the achievement gap? C5. How effectively does the provider engage with users to support and promote improvement? C6. How effectively does self-assessment improve the quality of the provision and outcomes for learners? C7. How efficiently and effectively does the provider use its available resources to secure value for money? 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

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Kingston upon Hull City Council

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 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’. Ofsted

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Kingston upon Hull City Council

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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