Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council

Published date 1 August 2012 Inspection Number 404252 Unique reference number: 54194

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Name of lead inspector: Alex Falconer HMI

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Address:

Kensington Town Hall Hornton Street London W8 7NX Telephone number: 020 7361 3000 The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

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Information about the provider

1. The adult learning service in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is managed in the corporate business group of the borough’s policy and partnership unit. In 2011/12 the service recruited over 3,900 learners, enrolled on around 700 programmes. This represents a substantial decrease on 2010/11 as a result of changes to funding and government priorities. Three quarters of the enrolments are in informal adult learning, neighbourhood learning in deprived communities, wider family learning and programmes provided through family learning impact funding. First Steps learning, with opportunities for external accreditation, account for the remainder. Kensington and Chelsea College is contracted to teach almost half of the provision at its four main sites, and a network of nine community providers teaches the remaining adult programmes in community venues. Family learning is taught directly by the borough’s adult and family learning team in partnership with five schools and

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Information about the provider

two other local providers. Half of the learners on adult and community learning programmes are resident in Kensington and Chelsea, the rest come from neighbouring London boroughs.

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Information about the provider

2. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has a population of around 170,000 residents, 80% of whom declare themselves to be White British or from other White backgrounds. Around one in five residents is from a minority ethnic background and over 100 languages are spoken in local schools. It is the most densely populated borough in England and has wide variation in the socio- economic circumstances of its residents. The Multiple Index of Deprivation (2011) shows that the population of some wards in north Kensington, Earl’s Court and west Chelsea have high incidences of deprivation, whilst other wards are very affluent. Half of the employment in Kensington and Chelsea is in property, business services, retail and hospitality. Unemployment in the borough currently stands at 2.7% of the working age population.

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Information about the provider

3. The aims of the service are ‘to ensure that those who need it most can access learning at a cost appropriate to their means, and that fees are charged to those who can afford to pay. Also, to encourage providers to develop clubs and self-financing groups where possible’.

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Information about the provider

4. The following organisations provides training on behalf of the provider:  Action Disability Kensington and Chelsea (specialist work with learners with sensory impairments)  Bevington Primary School (family learning)  Exhale Training Solution (family learning)  Kensington and Chelsea College (a wide range of subjects including arts and media)  Kensington and Chelsea Youth Service (family learning)  Historytalk (local history)  Nova New Opportunities (literacy, numeracy and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL))  Open Age (a range of activities for older people)  SMART (specialist work with learners with mental health issues)  St Anne’s Nursery (family learning)  St Charles Primary School (family learning)  St Francis of Assisi Primary School (family learning)  Clement James Centre (ESOL and family learning)  Video College (film and video production)  Virtual Engine (literacy and numeracy)

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Information about the provider

 Westway Development Trust (ESOL)  Widadia (family learning).

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Provision for adult learners:

Learning for social and personal development 701 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

5. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s adult learning service is satisfactory. Outcomes for learners are satisfactory overall. However, outcomes in the arts and ESOL are good and learners enjoy their studies and gain considerably in skills and confidence. Learners are safe, treated with respect and, on completion, successfully progress to further study or employment. Teaching and learning are good, especially in the arts and ESOL. Learners enjoy their studies and gain significantly in self-esteem. However, literacy and numeracy programmes in family learning do not always meet learners’ needs well. Initial advice and guidance, along with individual support for learners, are good. Learners’ progress is inconsistently recorded and some of their targets are not measurable or monitored sufficiently. The service has developed outstanding partnerships with local providers and charities. These enable the

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Overall effectiveness

service to mount a wide range of programmes that meet local needs and national priorities. Leadership and management are satisfactory and council members and senior managers in the authority support the service well. However, managers do not always formally monitor the performance of the service; strategic oversight at council level is insufficient. Safeguarding is satisfactorily managed and staff have received appropriate training. The promotion of equality and diversity is also satisfactory. However, data on the performance of specific groups of learners are not analysed sufficiently so that improvements can be brought about. Learners’ views are routinely sought and acted upon. Quality assurance is satisfactory. Managers have recently provided training in self-assessment for community partners to improve the thoroughness of their self-assessment. More teachers have been observed this year than previously. However, some grades awarded in family learning and in community

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Overall effectiveness

venues are too generous and do not always lead to detailed action plans to remedy identified weaknesses.

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Main findings

 Outcomes for learners are satisfactory. Learners enjoy their studies, especially practical programmes such as arts and crafts and those based in their communities. They develop useful skills and fluency in English, along with employability skills, and gain in self-confidence. Outcomes for learners, both in terms of qualifications gained and increases in self-esteem, are good in the arts and ESOL and satisfactory in other subject areas, such as family learning.  Learners report they feel safe, adopt safe working practices and are treated with respect. Progression rates to further study and employment are good, but service managers do not always record them.  Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan courses carefully, taking into account learners’ starting points and building learners’ self-confidence well. Specialist teaching in the arts helps learners to produce work of a high standard and learning in ESOL is good.

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Main findings

 However, teachers of literacy and numeracy in family learning programmes rely too much on the completion of written exercises and learners spend too little time practising speaking English and talking about mathematical concepts in English.  Recording of targets and progress in learning plans is inconsistent. In too many areas targets are cursory; teachers do not always complete action plans or monitor them. Initial advice and guidance meet the needs of learners and individual support for learners is good.  The service provides a wide range of programmes which successfully focus on meeting the needs of local communities. Outstanding partnership working with the local further education college, schools and other training providers results in programmes tailored to meet the needs of recreational learners, those seeking activities in old age and vulnerable groups who seek specific training to meet special needs.

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Main findings

 Leadership and management are satisfactory. Senior managers and council members strongly support the aims of the service to provide programmes to meet the needs of the diverse communities in the borough. However, they do not always formally monitor the performance of the service and council members do not provide sufficient strategic oversight, in particular in family learning.  The promotion of safeguarding is satisfactory. Relevant polices are in place and all staff and volunteers are vetted through the Criminal Records Bureau. Staff, from the local authority and partner organisations, have received training to raise awareness of safeguarding issues.  The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. The service and its partners provide courses in a wide range of communities that substantially contribute to social cohesion. However, staff do not analyse records of learners by gender, age, ethnicity and disability to identify under achievement and plan

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Main findings

for improvement.  Learners’ views are sought well and acted upon effectively. The adult learning forum provides valuable opportunities for community partners to share good practice.  Self-assessment and quality assurance are satisfactory. Service managers have worked hard to provide training to improve self-assessment by its community partners. However, many of their self-assessment reports are not sufficiently self-critical. The judgements about teaching and learning in family learning and in community programmes are over generous and action plans to improve their quality are sometimes too superficial.  Accommodation is fit for purpose and very good for the arts at Kensington and Chelsea College. The service provides satisfactory value for money.

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to do to improve further?

 Improve outcomes for learners by making sure that they are fully involved in setting and monitoring their learning targets and evaluating their progress.  Analyse learners’ outcomes more comprehensively to ensure that no gap in achievement is evident for any specific group of learners and instigate support measures to eradicate any gaps that may exist.  Develop the family learning provision to focus more closely on the language, literacy and numeracy needs of learners and improve teaching and learning.  Improve monitoring procedures and ensure senior council officers have greater oversight of the performance of the service by establishing more formal and regular systems for monitoring key performance indicators.  Ensure staff and community partners are more self-critical and accurate in their self-assessment judgements and that the procedures for evaluating the quality of teaching and learning are more realistic, accurate and consistent across the

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What learners like:

 the safe, welcoming and friendly atmosphere  gaining new skills and confidence  supportive and helpful teachers  being able to read in English to their children  good resources in the arts  good crèche facilities at some centres.

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What learners would like to see improved:

 the time spent on practising speaking and writing in English  the heating in some accommodation in winter  the availability of information technology in family learning courses.

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What partners like:

 help and advice from service managers  access to networks of other similar providers  good support for quality assurance systems  good training and relevant professional development.

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What partners would like to see improved:

 the help available to set up intranet resources  the use of learning technologies.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 3

6. Since the previous inspection in November 2008, the service has made good progress to rectify the identified key areas for improvement. The standard of teaching and learning continues to be good overall, despite some over grading of lessons. The large majority of learners receive helpful information, advice and guidance and, coupled with the effective curriculum planning, this enables learners to progress from one level of their course to the next for most subject areas. Accommodation and specialist resources are generally fit for purpose and art is taught in a new building that offers high-quality facilities.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 3

7. The overall effectiveness of the service was judged to be good previously but is now satisfactory, and the judgements about learners’ outcomes and leadership and management are the same. The self-assessment process for many community organisations that work with the service is comprehensive, but insufficiently self-critical, and procedures for assessing the quality of teaching and learning lead to over-generous judgements. Despite the high levels of commitment displayed by service managers, these factors mean capacity to make and sustain improvement is no better than satisfactory.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

8. Outcomes for learners are satisfactory. Learners enjoy their studies, especially those where practical activities and community-based programmes help them to improve in the development of skills, employability and self-confidence. Attainments in the visual and performing arts are good and many learners enrol on these programmes. In areas such as millinery and ceramics, learners often produce work of a professional standard. Where the programmes focus on relevant and interesting language learning or new opportunities for disadvantaged groups, learners’ completion rates are high and learners’ attainments are good.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

9. However, outcomes for learners on social sciences, languages and preparation for life and work are only satisfactory and declined slightly in 2011/12. Inspectors judged that outcomes for learners on family learning programmes are satisfactory. The proportion of learners completing their programmes is satisfactory, but declined in 2011/12, notably in the languages and social sciences. However, retention in other programmes such as the arts, family learning and ESOL are good.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

10. Learner surveys over the past few years and inspectors’ evidence show that satisfaction rates are high. Learners speak enthusiastically about the support they get from teachers that enables them to progress and gain new and interesting skills and knowledge. Progression to further study and employment is good, but not always formally recorded by managers. Attendance is good. Learners report that they feel safe. They are treated with respect and safe working practices are in place in workshops, studios and classrooms. Health and safety have a high priority in the service and are dealt with effectively.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

11. Teaching and learning are good. Where teachers plan practical activities, such as in the arts and crafts, learners make good progress. They benefit from high levels of specialist teaching and often produce work of a high and professional standard. In community venues, teachers are skilled at recognising the starting points of the learners. They plan courses carefully to build up self-confidence and provide relevant activities to develop learners’ employability skills and self- esteem. For example, in an aquarobics session in a local swimming pool, a culturally diverse group of learners was sensitively, but professionally, helped to exercise and introduce their children to the pleasures of exercising in water. Amongst a good deal of humour and delight, the learners kept exercising for around 40 minutes and felt the benefit of the carefully-planned activities.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

12. However, teachers of literacy and numeracy in family learning programmes rely too much on mechanical completion of written exercises and do not always check learners’ progress. The learners themselves report that they would like more time, for example, practising speaking in English and discussing their understanding of numerical concepts in English. Family learning activities that take place in schools and children’s centres, or focus on young mothers, are well planned and learners make good progress. Initial diagnostic assessment is thorough and informs lesson planning and course structures. Learners’ work is assessed accurately. However, the recording of learners’ targets and progress in learning plans is inconsistent. In foreign languages, drama and information and communication technology (ICT) courses in some community venues, learners’ targets are well conceived and measurable. However, in too many other

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The quality of provision Grade 2

curriculum areas and venues, learners’ targets are cursory and action plans are not completed or monitored.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

13. The service has a wide breadth of provision which successfully focuses on meeting local and national learning needs. For example, the Open Age projects cater for older learners and family learning targets young mothers. Good and well-established enrichment programmes attract a large number of learners, especially those on art programmes at Kensington and Chelsea College. They benefit from recreational activities, alongside those with a strong emphasis on developing employability skills and work-orientated projects. Enrichment programmes also promote social cohesion and self-esteem.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

14. The service has developed outstanding partnerships with the communities it seeks to serve. Long standing partnerships with Kensington and Chelsea College, local schools and other training providers successfully result in programmes to meet local and national priorities. Innovative partnership projects have enabled relevant provision to be targeted at hard to reach and vulnerable groups. Care, guidance and support are good. Initial advice and guidance meet the needs of learners and ensure that they are placed on programmes suited to their needs and skill levels. Individual support for learners is good.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

15. Senior officers and council members have a strong commitment to meeting the service’s aims and objectives to provide adult learning programmes that meet the diverse needs of residents. The service aligns much of its work with regeneration projects within the borough, particularly developing the employability skills of learners from the most disadvantaged communities. Service managers have strong links with other council staff and organisations working for economic regeneration. However, strategies for further development of family learning provision are not well established. Almost all provision is subcontracted and taught by staff of Kensington and Chelsea College and smaller local community organisations. The commissioning process is well established and stringent. It ensures the most effective community organisations receive targeted support. Collaborative working between local authority staff and these partner organisations is good. The council’s policy of

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Leadership and management Grade 3

developing community organisations to become adept at self-regulation is appropriate but is not yet fully in place for them all.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

16. An adult learning forum provides valuable opportunities for key staff in the borough to share good practice. Effective curriculum planning and well-planned information, advice and guidance lead to the coherent provision of ESOL across the borough, but not in all subject areas. The service was transferred recently to a different directorate within the council following a recent reorganisation. Senior local authority officers meet regularly with service managers, but formal monitoring of the performance of the service is infrequent, although plans to instigate more thorough monitoring procedures are in hand. The service does not currently have a supervisory group to provide strategic oversight and scrutiny of the service’s performance.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

17. Arrangements for safeguarding learners are satisfactory. The local authority has a comprehensive policy for safeguarding. Providers that are contracted by the local authority to teach programmes are monitored to ensure all staff and volunteers are vetted and details of Criminal Records Bureau checks are held on a single central record. Joint training for staff has raised awareness of safeguarding issues. Learners receive clear and helpful guidance on potential safeguarding issues and are informed how to obtain help.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

18. The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. An equality and diversity action plan contains relevant actions that are monitored for progress. Highly successful training has raised the awareness of teachers about how to deal effectively with equality and diversity issues. The service widens participation very well. The broad range of voluntary organisations is located in small venues within the local community and they foster social inclusion effectively by attracting learners who might not join larger institutions. Learners attending programmes at the local college are eligible to attend the wide range of enrichment activities. For example, the Kensington and Chelsea College open arts lecture programme, open to all community learners, has art specialists reflecting upon their personal practice and external speakers focusing on issues covering race and gender, such as diaspora, cultural identity and gender, and

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Leadership and management Grade 3

sexuality in the arts. The promotion of equality and diversity takes place within lessons when the opportunity arises, but is not planned systematically.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

19. All providers hold detailed records of learners, classifying them by gender, age, ethnicity and disability. These records are held by local authority managers, but currently they do not analyse this information to measure the performance of groups of learners, so it is not possible to identify any inequality among groups or provide support to rectify any underachievement that might exist.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

20. Procedures for collecting feedback from learners are good. Staff take the views of learners very seriously, obtaining them through a broad range of methods. These include analysis of an annual learners’ questionnaire, the evaluation of lessons, focus groups, the use of anonymous interviews and much informal discussion. They frequently make changes in response to learners’ suggestions for improvement.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

21. Service managers provide good support to staff of community organisations. They hold regular meetings at which key performance indicators are monitored thoroughly. Each provider carries out a comprehensive self-assessment, but many are not sufficiently self-critical and the grades awarded are over generous. Development plans to rectify identified areas for improvement are meticulous and comprehensive for provision taught by Kensington and Chelsea College staff, but lack detail in several community providers and family learning programmes. Managers have worked hard to train community staff to observe and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. However, this has yet to make a significant contribution to the overall assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. Quality assurance procedures for teaching and learning, and particularly the observation of lessons, lead to over-generous

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Leadership and management Grade 3

judgements. While the quality of teaching and learning is good overall, too many improvement action plans for teachers are superficial or no plan is compiled.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

22. The standard of accommodation and specialist equipment for visual and performing arts and media in Kensington and Chelsea College is very high and at least satisfactory for community providers. The local authority has provided partners with the platform for a virtual learning environment, but little development has taken place so learners seldom use it. Access to, and the use of information and learning technologies, are limited across much of the provision. The service provides satisfactory value for money.

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Context

23. Currently 459 adult learners study part-time ESOL courses at 10 community venues across the borough. Most courses lead to qualifications at entry and foundation level. However, a minority of programmes is non-accredited to provide ESOL for specifically-identified community groups. Four out of five learners are female and around 1.5% of learners are identified as having specific learning difficulties.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are good. The proportion of learners completing their programmes is high and attainment on accredited courses in 2010/11 was good. However, learners’ attainments on non-accredited courses were satisfactory. Learners make good progress and gain in self-esteem and confidence.  Learners enjoy their lessons and develop a good range of English language skills. In most cases the pace of the lessons is good and the learners work hard. However, in some lessons the more able learners are left waiting while teachers assist those who need extra help.  Teachers integrate employability skills into lessons, learners develop their understanding of the world of work and get help completing applications and improving interview skills. They also successfully promote healthy lifestyles through enrichment visits to local markets to identify healthy eating options.  Learning, teaching and assessment are good. Programmes and activities are

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Key findings

well matched to learners’ needs and are structured appropriately to ensure individuals make good progress. Errors and mispronunciations are systematically corrected and teachers constantly monitor learners’ progress, offering constructive feedback to help them improve their skills.  Initial assessment is appropriately linked to the learners’ programmes of study. All learners receive individual interviews where their needs are discussed; screening takes place and suitable courses identified by negotiation. Diagnostic testing take place in classes and the results are used to inform targets for learners.  All learners have individual learning plans, but these vary in quality. In most cases group and individual targets are set, but they are not used effectively to promote learners’ progress. Teachers do not all carry out regular reviews and targets they set are often not measurable.  Teachers use information technology successfully in lessons to support the

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Key findings

development of learners’ language and to encourage them to use technology to improve their English. In most cases teachers use electronic whiteboards effectively to enhance learning, but no intranet is available to learners to further support learning.  Links with local communities are strong. Successful partnership working encourages learners to take part in voluntary work. For example, a local charity partner successfully works with learners to encourage others to participate in education and training. As a result, learners feel that they are part of the community and gain the confidence to deal with agencies such as schools and doctors’ surgeries.  By timetabling courses carefully and providing crèche facilities, ESOL programmes meet learners’ needs in the community. Courses are organised to ensure learners with few English language skills can gain access to the provision. Progression pathways for learners are clear and good links with the

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Key findings

local college enable learners to move on to further study.  Support for learners with specific learning difficulties or disabilities is satisfactory. Some learners receive additional support and others are supported within the lessons. Teachers make reasonable adjustments for the learners, but if this is not possible the learners are referred to specialist provision. Safeguarding is good and all learners feel safe within a very supportive environment.  Quality assurance is satisfactory. Managers are committed to improving the provision and are encouraging their community providers to take ownership of the quality of their courses, but monitoring and communication arrangements are not yet consolidated sufficiently. The collection of feedback from learners is thorough and staff take action as a result.  The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Learners work collaboratively and are encouraged to learn about each other’s cultures and

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Key findings

countries. However, equality and diversity data are not always used to analyse the performance of learners from different groups.

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improve further?

 Improve the language development of learners by ensuring that their targets and learning plans contain measurable targets linked to specific skill developments.  Help learners become more independent in their studies by extending the use of information and learning technology and through the development of a virtual learning environment.

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Context

24. This year 291 learners have followed courses in family learning. Twenty five courses and workshops are provided by subcontracted community organisations, nursery and primary schools and the borough’s youth service. The service provides five literacy and numeracy courses in children’s centres. Learners attend one- or two-day workshops or longer literacy or numeracy courses of which two are taught in a partnership between the service and schools. Some courses are accredited and run during the day in areas of deprivation.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are satisfactory. Learners on courses taught in partnership with schools make good gains in confidence. They have a greatly increased understanding of how their children play and learn and are better able to help their children at home. Together with their children, they produce work of a high standard and are proud of their achievements.  Learners on accredited literacy and numeracy courses, however, make slow progress developing literacy and numeracy skills. Attendance and retention rates are low. Learners enjoy classes and feel their attendance provides positive role models for their children. Learners feel safe and appreciate the friendly atmosphere in the centres. Families have good opportunities to take part in sporting activities.  Learners are motivated to progress on to further study or employment, but teachers do not always track the progression of learners. Those on programmes

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Key findings

run in conjuction with the youth service progress on to accredited courses and often return to these programmes for support during school holidays.  Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the better lessons learners are actively involved with their children. Teachers give good demonstrations on how to read stories to children, on how to listen and ask questions to help children learn. Learners effectively follow clear instructions from teachers when taking part in fitness exercises.  Schemes of work and lesson plans for literacy and numeracy courses do not contain sufficiently clear and detailed learning objectives to meet the needs of all learners. Learning activities are insufficiently varied. Learners spend too much time completing worksheets and practice papers for examinations, without applying the skills in a practical everyday context or focusing on the language of numeracy.  The range of learning resources and materials is satisfactory; however, teachers

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Key findings

and learners do not make enough use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the classroom. Learners receive satisfactory initial and diagnostic assessment of their learning needs. However, teachers do not always use this information to plan learning. Teachers and learners do not make sufficient use of individual learning plans to record and review progress.  Family learning provision is narrow and does not meet the needs and interests of all users. The timing of classes is insufficiently flexible to meet the needs of learners who require crèche facilities or those who want a more intensive learning programme to develop their skills more rapidly. However, the programme run with the borough’s youth service meets the needs of young mothers very well.  The service has good partnership arrangements with community groups, local schools, children centres and the youth service. Communication with partners is

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Key findings

good and regular meetings inform managers of the views of community groups and service users. Managers respond well to requests they make.  The support for learners is satisfactory. Learners receive individual attention in lessons and get much support from school teachers, health visitors and other specialist staff in the children’s centres. Specialist information, advice and guidance about further study are available only to those learners on the young mothers’ course.  Leadership and management are satisfactory. Managers communicate effectively with subcontractors and are easily accessible. Managers monitor subcontractors’ performance regularly. However, the quality of programmes is not sufficiently critically reviewed and evaluated. Managers do not develop action plans to ensure the continuous improvement of courses and programmes.  The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Learners from a wide

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Key findings

variety of backgrounds work well together in the classroom. Equality and diversity are well integrated into the curriculum of some courses. Managers and teachers promote safeguarding well and pay good attention to health and safety.  Self-assessment is insufficiently evaluative and is not informed by detailed course reviews. The observation of teaching and learning is not well planned, reports do not sufficiently focus on learning and grading is overgenerous. Observers do not always prepare action plans. Where action plans are in place, managers do not routinely monitor them to support improvements in teaching and learning or in learners’ performance.

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improve further?

 Improve outcomes for learners by involving them in measuring and recording their progress and achievement, clearly identifying their long- and short-term goals, and using these in curriculum planning and in the regular review of learners’ progress.  Improve the quality of teaching and learning by a more rigorous focus on increasing the opportunities for active learning in meaningful and relevant literacy and numeracy contexts.  Ensure a wider and more flexible range of high-quality learning opportunities, by developing and implementing a clear and detailed strategy for family learning.

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Context

25. Currently 1,160 adult and community learners study part-time visual arts, performing arts and media courses in the two main centres of Kensington and Chelsea College. In the north of the borough the service provides courses in ceramics, glass, jewellery, multimedia, singing and music performance. In the south, courses include fine art, printmaking, photography, and millinery and garment construction. The majority of courses are offered at introductory level, with some at advanced level. None of the courses is accredited.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are good. Achievement is high, but retention is variable particularly for the new music courses. Students enjoy learning, are highly motivated and often work with passion. Teachers establish an inclusive environment in the mixed-level classes for learners to develop their creative and technical skills. New learners make rapid progress in lessons.  Learners achieve high standards of work, especially in millinery and ceramics where skills standards are high and often of a professional standard. Fine art and printmaking learners produce ambitious personal work. ‘iPhoneography’ learners embrace new technology applications and have developed their own network. Learners identify improved confidence, concentration and health benefits from attending classes.  Learners feel safe. Safeguarding is promoted well to learners in handbooks, in class and through displays around the buildings. Health and safety procedures

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Key findings

are clearly identified. Housekeeping standards in the printmaking workshop are exceptionally high. However, attention to safe working practices is not sufficient in the millinery studios. The ceramic workshop is cramped for groups with large numbers.  Teaching and learning are good. Lessons meet the needs of the learners and are, at times, highly interactive. Learners discuss and evaluate their work with confidence. In one singing class peer evaluation of performances on video improved learners’ aural perception, promoted confidence and raised ambition of the whole group.  Although teachers organise appropriate activities for the mixed-ability groups, the lesson plans do not sufficiently document or reflect these to guide practice. Teachers use ICT effectively in lessons, but do not always use it to extend research and discussion.  The quality of individual learning plans is variable. The most useful records of

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Key findings

learners’ achievement are the sketchbooks and diaries compiled by the learners as their courses progress. These include drawings and photographs along with notes from discussions with staff. Teachers monitor the progress of their learners closely, but they have yet to incorporate their findings into their teaching and learning strategies.  A wide range of courses is available throughout the year. Short taster courses and summer schools provide an opportunity for new learners, particularly from disadvantaged areas, to sample the provision. Many subsequently enrol on adult and community courses and progress on to further and higher education. However, teachers and managers do not always record this progression.  The service provides good initial support and guidance before enrolment. Course leaflets explain syllabuses, the experience needed, materials required and fees. Teachers provide learners with encouraging individual support and

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Key findings

give helpful guidance on techniques and their individual progress. Progression and enrichment opportunities are also discussed.  Specialist resources for printmaking, ceramics, glass, jewellery, textiles and music are good. The studios are shared with the college students whose work inspires adult and community learners. This synergy between courses provides exceptional opportunities for learners to take part in college-wide events, local community projects and national competitions. Learners regularly gain prestigious awards.  The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Cultural and religious themes are sensitively developed by learners, particularly in ceramics. However, teachers do not always systematically promote an understanding of cultural diversity in schemes of work or lesson plans. Course managers do not use ethnicity and postcode data of new and returning learners sufficiently to

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Key findings

monitor participation and develop curricula.  Leadership and management are good. College managers and staff have responsibility for both full-time college courses and the subcontracted part-time provision. Learners benefit from access to professional resources and progression opportunities to further and higher education. The self-assessment report is largely accurate; teams monitor the quality improvement plan regularly.  Arrangements to monitor the quality of teaching and learning are systematic. The teaching and learning grade profile has improved significantly in the last two academic years. Managers moderate the reports thoroughly and give clear feedback to observers and teachers to promote improvement. Staff development is linked to college priorities and to improving the quality of teaching and learning.

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improve further?

 Increase retention rates for all courses by using learning plans effectively to prompt personal evaluation and capture the significant achievements of learners.  Review lesson planning to ensure plans guide the activities taking place in the mixed-level groups, extend the uses of ICT and actively promote themes of cultural diversity.

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Information about the inspection

26. Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and three additional inspectors, assisted by the adult and family learning manager, as nominee, carried out the inspection. Inspectors also took account of the provider’s most recent self- assessment report and development plans, comments from funding bodies, Framework for Excellence indicators, the previous inspection report, reports from the inspectorate’s monitoring visit and data on learners and their achievement over the period since the previous inspection.

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Information about the inspection

27. 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 service. They also visited learning sessions, assessments or progress reviews. Inspectors collected evidence from programmes in each of the subjects the provider offers. Record of Main Findings (RMF)

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The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Adult Learning Service

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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The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Adult Learning Service

A. Outcomes for learners 3 3 3 A1. How well do learners achieve and enjoy their learning? 3 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? 3 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 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 3 3 3

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The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Adult Learning Service

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?* n/a 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? *where applicable to the type of provision Grades using the 4 point scale 1: Outstanding; 2: Good; 3: Satisfactory; 4: Inadequate Overall 19+ Learner responsive Social and personal development

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The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Adult Learning Service

Approximate number of enrolled learners Full-time learners Part-time learners Overall effectiveness 3 3 3 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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The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Adult Learning Service

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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The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Adult Learning Service

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

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