Kirklees Council Adult and Community Learning

Further Education and Skills inspection report Date published: December 2013 Inspection Number: 423417 URN: 52870

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Kirklees Council Adult and Community Learning

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Summary of key findings for learners

 A very high proportion of learners complete their courses successfully.  Learners make outstanding progress. Many have not participated in learning since leaving school and have no qualifications. However, because outstanding tutors teach and support them, they do exceptionally well.  Tutors help learners to be confident and improve their quality of life by teaching them skills that will be useful to them in future employment.  Many learners go on to support other learners through volunteering and coaching.  Learners are extremely positive about their experience and thoroughly enjoy their learning.  Kirklees Adult and Community Learning (KACL) works exceptionally well with other providers, and an effective Community Learning Trust, to ensure that learners can access a wide range of relevant courses.  Leaders and managers place learners at the heart of all that they do so that learners can reach

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Summary of key findings for learners

their full potential and improve the communities where they live.  Managers benefit from timely and meaningful data that helps them improve the courses that learners take so that more learners are successful.  Tutors build exemplary impartial advice, information and guidance into all their courses.  The outstanding promotion of equality and diversity has created a vibrant and resilient learning community where everyone is welcomed and valued. Inspection dates 25–27 November 2013

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This inspection: Outstanding-1

Outcomes for learners Outstanding-1 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding-1 Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding-1

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Develop the coaching model so that outstanding teachers share their experience and expertise in planned continuing professional development.

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Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners Outstanding  Learners make outstanding progress. Many have not participated in learning since leaving school and have no qualifications. However, because outstanding tutors teach and support them, they do exceptionally well. Learners become more self-assured and raise their aspirations. With a new enthusiasm for learning, many learners progress to other courses to develop and improve their skills in a range of subject areas.  Learners on family first-aid programmes develop high-level skills of caring, communication and teamwork that equip them very well as new parents. Progression to other courses and further learning is outstanding. Many learners become confident enough to further their learning and to develop work-related skills. A significant number of learners go on to support other learners through volunteering and coaching. There is also very good progression into employment.

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Inspection judgements

 Learners on volunteering programmes develop a deeper understanding of child development, reading methodologies and current teaching methods. They make excellent use of their skills and their newly found confidence to listen, talk and teach the children they work with. Headteachers value the support reading volunteers provide in classrooms. Through this work, children become confident readers and their achievement in school increases significantly.  On digital-inclusion courses, learners gain very good knowledge and develop strong skills in using computers and the internet. They become able to use technology to improve their CVs, search for employment, and complete online forms.  Through their courses, learners improve their English, mathematics and functional skills. Tutors include relevant and challenging activities in their lively and interesting sessions. They prepare their learners well for further study in English and mathematics.

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Inspection judgements

 On both accredited and non-accredited courses, the proportion of learners who complete their courses continues to increase and is very high. Success rates on both accredited and non- accredited courses are outstanding.  All groups of learners achieve their learning objectives and qualifications well. Learners from minority ethnic groups achieve well. KACL managers are keenly aware that men do not achieve as highly as women: they use data very well to identify achievement gaps, and to improve teaching and learning so that more learners can succeed. Managers and community partners work closely together to identify how tutors and providers can change curriculum plans and subject content. This means that learners feel more engaged, are therefore more likely to remain on course, and more likely to be successful.  Learners feel safe in their places of learning and are very satisfied with their learning

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Inspection judgements

experiences. Their tutors teach them well, and show that they value and respect the great efforts that their learners make. Many learners report that their learning experiences have helped them to engage more with their local community. They are keen to recommend the courses they have followed; as a result a large majority of learners are new to the service. 25 – 27 November 2013 3 of 10

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding  Outstanding teaching, learning and assessment make a significant contribution to the excellent outcomes for learners. Teaching, learning and assessment focus strongly on meeting the needs of the most disadvantaged or hardest-to-engage in the community. This means that learners are highly motivated, make very good progress and gain confidence. Tutors have high aspirations for their learners and successfully develop learners’ ambitions, learning skills and resilience.  Most tutors are highly skilled and engage and challenge their learners to achieve well. Tutors sensitively gain an excellent understanding of learners’ individual needs, which they use successfully to support first steps in learning. Most tutors are well qualified and have very good subject knowledge that they impart well. For example, tutors in first-aid sessions ensure that

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Inspection judgements

young mothers can deal with choking and use resuscitation techniques. Very good use of practical activities and good questioning encourage intelligent and thoughtful reflection on how and when it is safe to use these new skills.  Even in the small minority of weaker sessions, classroom assistants, co-tutors or managers support the tutor, as part of a well-structured personal-development programme, to ensure that learners benefit fully from sessions.  Much of the teaching is inspirational. During sessions learners rise to the challenges set by their tutors. Tutors use their highly developed skills to capture all learners’ interest in their lessons and to discuss their progress. Many courses develop learners’ resilience to improve their achievements and develop self-belief. Many programmes provide a developmental process that enables learners to improve their lives, and to improve the lives of others by sharing their

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Inspection judgements

inspiring journeys. Learners value their learning and enjoy their studies.  Tutors on intermediate courses for helpers in schools have very high expectations and inspire exceptionally committed learners to produce work at much higher standards than would be expected. There is very good support for learners to attend punctually and regularly, with additional drop-in sessions for many courses where learners need to catch up, with the result that high levels of success are maintained.  Learners clearly say that the pace and content of courses meets their needs, is at a suitable level, gives confidence and encourages further learning. Many progress to further study, volunteering or employment.  Systems for recording and monitoring the process of recognising and recording progress and achievement are outstanding. Very good guidance for tutors and a clear focus on individual learners’ needs ensure that the recording of achievement on non-accredited courses is accurate

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Inspection judgements

and enables learners to make outstanding progress. Individual learning plans demonstrate highly effective initial assessment. Checks on learning during and at the end of sessions work very well to support further development. Most tutors review individual learning plans thoroughly and check that learners have recorded their individual progress towards agreed targets in detail.  Tutors use highly effective questioning techniques and set lively activities that encourage high levels of participation. Tutors give encouraging feedback, including where appropriate full written feedback, to motivate learners to do well and to make sure they understand how to keep improving their work.  The service makes very good use of available resources, largely in attractive and welcoming venues. Tutors know about up-to-date related work opportunities and guide learners through development pathways that can lead to employment. They include exemplary impartial advice,

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Inspection judgements

information and guidance (IAG) in all courses. In one session, for example, tutors prepared a full briefing for IAG advisors to ensure that they were fully prepared to meet learners’ aspirations.  English, mathematics and functional skills are successfully included in all courses, and tutors provide many opportunities for learners to extend their skills. Tutors on the first-aid 25 – 27 November 2013 4 of 10

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Inspection judgements

programme, for example, build skills and knowledge so that vulnerable young mothers develop their confidence before receiving more targeted support at a later stage.  Learners are required to focus on how they use English in written work. They develop independent learning skills by checking their work using websites and other learning resources such as samples of correctly spelled common terms as a model for improving their work.  Highly effective ground rules, based on trust and respect, promote strong working relationships between learners and tutors. There is exceptional promotion of equality and diversity throughout all courses. Learners told inspectors that they felt safe. There is an ethos of health, safety and safeguarding at the heart of all services, with very effective and well-understood procedures and policies.

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Inspection judgements

The effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding  KACL staff provide outstanding leadership and management, demonstrated by exceptional strategic planning that places learners at the heart of all they do. Leaders and managers have established an aspirational learning community, in which all staff are zealous advocates for learning, so that learners can seek to reach their full potential and improve their communities.  Leaders and managers have an ambitious vision for adult and community learning in Kirklees that contributes to improved health and well-being, and to strong and sustainable communities. Effective partnerships with local voluntary and public sector organisations provide many relevant opportunities for residents in deprived communities to overcome barriers to learning. These partner organisations engage enthusiastically with the rigorous and challenging support and monitoring that leaders and managers use to raise quality.

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Inspection judgements

 The service benefits greatly from the support of the newly formed and effective Community Learning Trust for Kirklees. The trustees are highly active in the work of the service. The Trust includes representatives from the local further- and higher-education providers, council departments, councillors, voluntary organisations and careers services. They are fully committed to promoting the values of the service, and provide extremely strong challenge and support.  Managers have substantially improved the proportion of outstanding and good teaching, learning and assessment. The observation process is highly effective at identifying strengths and areas for improvement accurately. When observers identify areas for improvement, tutors then benefit from highly effective coaching and support. Further observations test the impact of this support, and identify the progress that these tutors make towards outstanding teaching,

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Inspection judgements

learning and assessment.  Curriculum reviews have had a significant impact on improving teaching and learning in aspects such as responding to the needs of individual learners, promoting equality and diversity and using information learning technologies. Managers plan provision very well using information from their partners and learners. An innovative partnership with an accredited provider of impartial IAG ensures that learners know about the learning, training, employment and volunteering opportunities that are open to them. Tutors are highly skilled in making links to the IAG service, and in signposting learners to the advice and guidance that is available.  Tutors and partners take pride in improving their own practice through regular review, and the challenging monitoring that managers provide. This enables partner organisations to improve their practice, develop their range of courses and to work effectively with other learning

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Inspection judgements

providers.  Performance management and the use of data and target-setting for improvement are outstanding. Data monitoring officers collect data systematically and communicate findings clearly. This means that managers have an excellent understanding of data and management information at local, regional and national level. They use this extremely well to set targets for development. They adjust these targets to best suit the developmental needs of partner 25 – 27 November 2013 5 of 10

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Inspection judgements

organisations and their learners. Professional development for staff is very good: it focuses clearly on relevant subject development and on improving teaching, learning and assessment.  Managers have evaluated their provision accurately, using excellent analysis of data and information from key improvement processes such as the observation of teaching and learning. Managers clearly identify strengths and areas for development. All staff and partners are very well involved in assessing the impact of what they do. How residents benefit from their learning is at the heart of what managers and partners look for in their self-assessment.  Managers focus well on promoting equality and diversity. Their actions ensure greater participation by under-represented groups, such as those from minority ethnic backgrounds. They have established a culture in which tutors promote equality and diversity very well and

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Inspection judgements

learners have a deep understanding of how the issues they encounter affect their lives. Incidents are exceedingly rare and learners invariably treat each other with respect.  KACL and its partner providers meet the statutory requirements for safeguarding learners. All staff and learners have a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe and display safe working practices. Where learners raise concerns, staff deal with issues quickly, sensitively and appropriately: they understand and apply set procedures very well. Staff and managers place a high priority on health and safety and carry out detailed risk assessments for rooms and activities. 25 – 27 November 2013 6 of 10

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Kirklees Council

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

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Kirklees Council

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate Overall Community learning

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Kirklees Council

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment 1 1

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Kirklees Council

The effectiveness of leadership and management 1 1

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Subject areas graded for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment Grade

Community learning 1 25 – 27 November 2013 7 of 10

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Simon Taylor, Head of Secondary and Lifelong Learning Date of previous inspection September 2007 Website address www.kirklees.gov.uk

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programme level

Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 and above

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(excluding apprenticeships)

Full-time N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A Part-time N/A 315 N/A 43 N/A N/A N/A N/A Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total N/A N/A N/A

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Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

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Number of learners aged 14-16

Full-time N/A Part-time N/A Number of community learners 358 Number of employability learners N/A Funding received from Skills Funding Agency (SFA)

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following main subcontractors:

 Proper Job Theatre Company  Lifeline Kirklees  Fusion Housing  S&H Training and Development  WEA  Playing for success  Paddock Community Trust  The Disabled People’s Electronic Village Hall  Crosland Moor Community Learning Centre 25 – 27 November 2013 8 of 10

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Contextual information

Kirklees Council serves rural and urban areas of Pennine Yorkshire including the towns of Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley and Holmfirth. Kirklees has several areas of acute deprivation that previously received regeneration funding from Neighbourhood Renewal and similar initiatives. Around 28% of Kirklees residents live in areas that are in the 20% most deprived nationally, while 12% live in areas ranked in the 20% least deprived. Of the working age population, 15.8% have no qualifications. In 2011, Kirklees had an estimated population of nearly 320,600 people aged 19 and above; the population of older residents is increasing. According to the 2011 census data, 23% of the population are from minority ethnic backgrounds. About 10% of the population are of Pakistani heritage.

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Information about this inspection

One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and two additional inspectors, assisted by the Senior Manager 14-19 and Adult Learning as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on learners’ achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all of the provision at the provider. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the provision and graded the sector subject areas listed in the report above.

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Grade Judgement

Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Handbook for the inspection of further education and skills 2012, Part 2:

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Grade Judgement

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/handbook-for-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills- september-2012

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Grade Judgement

guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Grade Judgement

Learner View is a new website where learners can tell Ofsted what they think about their college or provider. They can also see what other learners think about them too.

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Grade Judgement

To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk 25 – 27 November 2013 10 of 10

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Grade Judgement

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, 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.

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Grade Judgement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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 provider inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Grade Judgement

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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