YMCA Derbyshire

Further Education and Skills inspection report Date published: 29 April 2014 Inspection Number: 429123 URN: 58237

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Learners develop good employability skills through well-planned work experience with supportive employers.  Learners develop their English, mathematics and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills well. Learners, for whom English is a second language, develop their language skills very effectively.  Tutors provide good individual coaching which enables learners to make good progress during sessions.  Learners receive excellent support from all staff and the YMCA’s broader services to help them overcome their barriers to employment and improve their personal and social skills.  YMCA Derbyshire (YMCA) has a very strong ethos of trust in the ability of young people with significant barriers to learning to make progress and re-engage with learning and employment.  YMCA maintains excellent partnerships with a wide range of education and training providers, employers, local organisations, and other charities that benefit learners by extending their

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Summary of key findings for learners

opportunities for work experience and wider social interaction.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Improvements made by leaders and managers have not yet increased the rate at which learners progress into employment or further training and a few qualification success rates to a good level.  A minority of learners’ attendance and punctuality are not yet good enough to prepare them for employment effectively.  Too few teaching and learning sessions are outstanding.  Managers do not use data sufficiently well to contribute to judgements in the self-assessment report.

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This inspection: Good-2

Previous inspection: Requires improvement-3 Outcomes for learners Requires improvement-3 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good-2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good-2

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of learners progressing positively by further developing partnership work with local businesses, including through the planned mentoring programme, to ensure that all learners develop a strong work ethic.  Further improve learners’ retention and attendance by carefully analysing reasons for non- participation so that attention can be closely focused on action to retain them on their programmes.  Continue to improve teaching and learning by – ensuring that tutors make good use of initial assessment results to plan learning activities that challenge all learners – ensuring that all staff model good practice in English writing skills and provide feedback to learners on how they can improve their spelling and punctuation – ensuring that all targets on action plans for tutors following observations are monitored and followed up – continuing to develop quality champions in all centres to promote consistency and share

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

good practice.  Streamline the processes used to monitor the quality of provision by simplifying records so that managers can identify and monitor progress against targets quickly.  Use data more effectively to provide a baseline from which to monitor improvements in the quality improvement plan and evidence judgements in the self-assessment report.

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Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

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Inspection judgements

 Outcomes for learners have improved because of action taken by leaders and managers, in particular to retain learners on programme and improve their attendance, but some aspects, such as learners’ progression and qualification success rates are not yet good. Success rates for vocational qualifications vary and are around the national average overall. Learners who remain on their programmes achieve well but in 2012/13, too many learners left the programme early without completing all of their learning goals.  Learners’ success rates in functional skills are high. Where appropriate, YMCA encourages many of its learners to complete functional skills qualifications at a level that is not challenging initially, in order to boost their confidence. However, the vast majority of learners who complete their programme go on to raise the standard of their skills in English, mathematics and ICT by at least one level.

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Inspection judgements

 Managers analyse data on learners’ destinations and achievement of learning programmes to compare the performance of different groups. Data show that there are no significant variations in the performance of male and female learners. The number of learners from minority ethnic groups is too low to allow for a meaningful analysis.  Learners who have learning difficulties and disabilities are slightly more successful in progressing into employment or further education than those who do not. However, they are slightly less successful in completing their learning programmes. Managers have responded by increasing in- class support for individuals. Managers monitor learners’ achievement of qualifications closely at a course level, but the low number of learners on each course does not allow for a meaningful analysis of success rate data by learner groups.  Learners develop good personal skills and many improve their confidence, their ability to work

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Inspection judgements

with others and communication skills. YMCA assesses learners’ progress in developing personal skills through tutor and self-evaluation against a range of criteria at the start, mid-way and at the end of the programme. Those on a specialist employability programme for young people, whose first language is not English, gain valuable language skills that improve the quality of their lives.  Work experience is very effective in developing learners’ employability skills. Learners undertake a minimum of two weeks full time work experience that staff plan into the programme from the outset. YMCA uses its extensive range of partners to secure supportive work placements that provide meaningful work experience. Learners value their work experience and view it positively. A work experience workbook encourages learners to reflect fully on what they have learnt and the transferrable skills they have used. Learners also benefit from a range of guest speakers and

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Inspection judgements

visits to broaden their knowledge of work.  Attendance in 2012/13 was low with many learners failing to attend training as required. This year, staff are implementing a more stringent attendance strategy which involves much closer monitoring and reporting of learners’ attendance and thorough follow-up of unauthorised absences. Discussion on the importance of attending learning sessions is now a more important part of the learners’ review process and staff emphasise to learners the significance employers place on attendance and punctuality. The strategy has resulted in improvements and attendance has risen, but YMCA recognises that further improvement is required for a minority of learners. There are still some instances of poor attendance on specific courses. Punctuality has also improved and learners mainly arrive on time for their sessions.  In 2012/13 the proportion of learners who progressed to employment, education or training was

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Inspection judgements

low, at around a half. In the current year so far, the proportion of learners who progressed positively has risen to a satisfactory level. YMCA offers a range of qualifications that reflect local employment and further learning opportunities.  Although many learners are undecided about their career plans when they start the programme, staff place a good emphasis on helping them to consider the options available to them from an early stage. For example, through attending a work placement in a children’s nursery, a health and social care learner has decided that he definitely wants to follow a career in childcare and is already making plans to go to college to undertake a higher-level qualification.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Inspection judgements

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good and reflect improvement actions taken by leaders and managers, including a more thorough process for observing teaching and learning, improved delivery of functional skills and better staff development. However, these improvements have not yet increased the rates at which learners progress to further training or employment or success in achieving their planned qualifications. Supportive, approachable and caring staff know their learners well and have a good understanding of the challenges that many face. Staff foster positive relationships with learners; learners increase their self-confidence, feel safe and enjoy learning.  Staff coach individual learners well, using clear explanations, helpful prompts and probing questions that extend their knowledge and understanding very effectively. Learning support workers also provide individuals with an appropriate level of help and guidance in sessions

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Inspection judgements

under the close supervision of tutors.  Learners are well motivated and apply themselves enthusiastically to their learning. They show good concentration and focus in sessions and make good progress. The standard of learners’ work is generally high. For example, learners in a health and social care session successfully developed their understanding of quite complex theories of loss and bereavement and developed their professional vocabulary very well under the skilful guidance of the tutor and support worker.  Sessions have a good pace and tutors make good use of an interesting variety of activities and resources, including computers, to capture and retain learners’ interest and enhance their learning. Most accommodation is spacious and provides a positive learning environment, with just one example where the room for a group of learners is unsuitable and limits the effectiveness of the teaching and learning activities.

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Inspection judgements

 Learners develop a good understanding of the world of work, both through specific employability-related activities, including attending interviews at local Jobcentre Plus offices and through attending work experience. Learners in hospitality and catering train in a working kitchen in a local care home, which provides them with valuable experience of a real work environment. In 2013, a group of these learners visited Prague and catered for a large international YMCA event. Relevant work experience has helped learners to progress onto apprenticeships in specialist areas of interest. For example, one learner progressed into a job involving chocolate design and production.  Staff complete an initial assessment of learners’ skills which identifies accurately learners’ starting points. However, not all tutors make sufficient use of this information to ensure that work for learners is sufficiently individualised and challenges all learners appropriately.

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Inspection judgements

 The quality of assessment is good. Tutors work with learners to develop individual learning plans and set clear and challenging individual targets. Learners regularly review their progress in formal reviews, with an example of good use of bi-lingual work to ensure that learners for whom English is a second language fully understand the discussions. Tutors mark learners’ work promptly and accurately, although on occasions they do not explain to learners clearly, how to improve their spelling and punctuation.  Staff develop learners’ functional skills well. Learners develop their mathematics skills very effectively, with good examples in employability and personal development and ICT, where tutors seamlessly integrate mathematics into sessions. Staff also develop learners’ reading and speaking and listening skills very effectively. However, not all learners benefit from sufficient opportunities to develop their writing skills. Tutors do not always model best practice in their

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Inspection judgements

own writing for learners, and are not sufficiently effective in developing learners’ skills in identifying errors in their written work.  Learners receive appropriate information, advice and guidance at the beginning of their programmes. They also benefit from good advice and guidance in relation to a wide range of personal and welfare-related matters. Most learners are very clear about their future progression goals and career plans. YMCA is keen to work with employers more closely to improve learners’ employment opportunities and is developing an employer mentoring arrangement for learners.  Staff promote equality and diversity well, both through work to develop learners’ understanding in sessions and through specific themed days. Staff foster an atmosphere of mutual respect and learners are courteous and thoughtful to one another. Learners are well aware of their rights and responsibilities and have confidence in staff to deal with any issues that they raise.

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Inspection judgements

However, the promotion of equality and diversity in progress reviews with learners is too cursory.

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Inspection judgements

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Inspection judgements

 Leaders and managers have a clear vision and strategy to improve life and employment chances for learners, who have particularly significant and complex barriers to learning. They communicate their high expectations well to both staff and learners. Learners benefit from the trust all staff show in their abilities to grow in confidence and learn skills that prepare them well for future employment.  Staff implement good procedures to challenge absence and lateness. These benefit most learners, but a minority have not yet achieved the standards of attendance and punctuality that are required for future employment.  Governance is good. Trustees take part in joint lesson observations and visit learning sessions so that that they meet staff and learners. This, along with appropriate expertise in education, advice and guidance, finance and young people’s services, enables them to offer well-informed challenge and support to managers. They have a wide range of contacts in the local area that

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Inspection judgements

benefits learners through increased work experience opportunities.  Managers identify staff development needs accurately from observed learning sessions and information from centre managers and plan a programme that is well focused on improvements to teaching, learning and assessment. Development activities enable staff to meet and share good practice. As a result, teaching and learning have improved but managers are aware that good practice needs to be embedded further to impact fully on learners’ experience in sessions, increase the amount of outstanding teaching and learning and result in improved outcomes for learners.  Managers assess tutors’ English and mathematical skills and put support in place promptly if necessary. All tutors with level 2 English and mathematics take a teaching qualification if they do not have one. However, not all staff have sufficient training in teaching the specific skills

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Inspection judgements

required for the wide demands of the study programme.  Managers set specific and challenging targets in individual reviews, but successful completion of these targets is recorded elsewhere. This results in a cumbersome process by which managers monitor staff progress against their targets. Tutors receive clear targets for improvement when managers observe their sessions and where appropriate, managers offer development activities to help them meet these targets. However, the targets are not always checked formally at the next observation.  Self-assessment is inclusive of the views of partners, learners and trustees. Leaders and managers know their provision well and have improved all the areas identified at the previous inspection. They review the quality of provision frequently and recent staff appointments have strengthened their ability to monitor and develop the provision. This year positive progressions,

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Inspection judgements

attendance and punctuality have all risen owing to increased monitoring and improved teaching and learning.  The self-assessment report is broadly accurate. It has a clear focus on the expected benefit to learners of the strengths and areas for improvement. Managers identify accurately many actions to improve provision but also include normal expectations as strengths. Data on learners and their progress are not used sufficiently in the report to provide evidence for strengths or areas for improvement, nor to act as a benchmark by which to monitor progress.  Leaders are very active in identifying new opportunities as skills gaps arise. They work particularly effectively with local partners to ensure that the curriculum meets local and national needs. Managers have just completed a successful pilot for a new mentoring scheme involving large companies so that learners can gain good employability skills.

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Inspection judgements

 Access to learning is good. Good partnerships with other providers enable learners to progress into apprenticeships and further training programmes. The five training centres in three towns makes training accessible to learners over a wide geographical area, and several learners benefit from YMCA’s accommodation at one site.  Staff promote equality and diversity well in sessions. Managers have implemented an effective programme to raise the awareness of all staff about equality and discriminatory behaviour, and an audit of awareness before and after the training shows a significant increase in their understanding.  Managers monitor the numbers of learners from different groups monthly, along with the progress they make, so that they can take prompt action should any gaps in achievement arise. Learners feel safe in the centres, and understand what to do if they encounter bullying behaviours. When incidents do occur, they are addressed promptly, and staff take appropriate

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Inspection judgements

action to safeguard themselves and learners.  The YMCA meets government requirements for safeguarding learners. The three named safeguarding officers have good links with external safeguarding organisations. Staff are trained to take appropriate and prompt action when they suspect child protection issues, and receive annual updating training, that focuses on current local issues, for example child sexual exploitation. Staff carry out thorough health and safety checks and identify learners who are at risk promptly, when they start the programme.

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Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate

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Overall

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment 2 2

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Overall

The effectiveness of leadership and management 2 2

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Provider details

Type of provider Not for profit organisation

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Stephen Finch Date of previous inspection January 2012 Website address www.ymcaderbyshire.org.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 49 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Part-time 0 N/A N/A N/A 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 Number of learners aged 14-16 N/A Full-time N/A Part-time N/A Number of community learners N/A Number of employability learners N/A Funding received from Education Funding Agency (EFA)

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Contextual information

YMCA Derbyshire is an independent Christian charity, affiliated to the national and international YMCA movement that is committed to helping disadvantaged people. Learners have significant and often complex barriers to employment. YMCA’s head office is in Alvaston in Derby and it delivers the study programme at two further sites in Derby, one in Ilkeston and one in Chesterfield. Learners undertake vocational programmes in health and social care, retailing and hospitality and catering. They also work towards qualifications in functional skills and employability and personal development.

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Contextual information

In addition to the study programme, YMCA provides housing services, a variety of schemes for children and their families and a range of sustainable community development projects. Learners on the study programme benefit from some aspects of these activities such as housing assistance and work experience at a furniture-recycling project in Chesterfield.

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Information about this inspection

Lead inspector Patricia Hornsby Additional Inspector

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Information about this inspection

Three additional inspectors, assisted by the head of learning and development 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 relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the provision and graded the sector subject area 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 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

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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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