Setting

04 February 2005

Inspectors use a seven-point scale to summarise their judgements about the quality of learning sessions. The descriptors for the seven grades are: • grade 1 - excellent • grade 2 - very good • grade 3 - good • grade 4 - satisfactory • grade 5 - unsatisfactory • grade 6 - poor • grade 7 - very poor.

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04 February 2005

Inspectors use a five-point scale to summarise their judgements about the quality of provision in occupational/curriculum areas and Jobcentre Plus programmes. The same scale is used to describe the quality of leadership and management, which includes quality assurance and equality of opportunity. The descriptors for the five grades are: • grade 1 - outstanding • grade 2 - good • grade 3 - satisfactory • grade 4 - unsatisfactory • grade 5 - very weak.

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04 February 2005

The two grading scales relate to each other as follows:

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SEVEN-POINT SCALE FIVE-POINT SCALE

grade 1 grade 2 grade 3 grade 4 grade 5 grade 6 grade 7 grade 2 grade 3 grade 4

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Adult Learning Inspectorate

The Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) was established under the provisions of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 to bring the inspection of all aspects of adult learning and work-based learning within the remit of a single inspectorate. The ALI is responsible for inspecting a wide range of government-funded learning, including:

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Adult Learning Inspectorate

Inspections are carried out in accordance with the by teams of full-time inspectors and part-time associate inspectors who have knowledge of, and experience in, the work which they inspect. All providers are invited to nominate a senior member of their staff to participate in the inspection as a team member. Common Inspection Framework

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Overall judgement

This provision will be subject to a full reinspection.

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Overall judgement

The final decision as to whether the provision is inadequate rests with the Chief Inspector of Adult Learning. A statement as to whether the provision is adequate or not is included in the summary section of the inspection report. Where the overall judgement is that the provision is adequate, only those aspects of the provision which are less than satisfactory will be reinspected.

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Overall judgement

• more than one third of published grades for occupational/curriculum areas, • leadership and management are judged to be less than satisfactory. • work-based learning for all people over 16 • provision in further education colleges for people aged 19 and over • provision • Adult and Community Learning • training funded by Jobcentre Plus • education and training in prisons, at the invitation of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons.

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learndirect

Provision will normally be deemed to be inadequate where:

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Contents

Description of the provider 1 Scope of provision 1 About the inspection 2 Overall judgement 2 Grades 2 Key findings 2 What learners like about University of Durham 5 What learners think University of Durham could improve 5 Key challenges for University of Durham 6

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Contents

Leadership and management 7 Equality of opportunity 8 Quality assurance 8 Business administration, management & professional 10 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

1. The University Of Durham (UOD) operates its own training centre for government- funded training programmes. The university is the third largest employer in County Durham, with approximately 3,000 members of staff. The UOD is governed by a council, and by the senate for academic matters. The training centre is managed within the training section of the human resources department. Day-to-day management of the programmes is the responsibility of the training assistant, who reports to the training and development manager, who in turn reports to the assistant deputy director of human resources. UOD training offers apprenticeships to 16 advanced apprentices in business administration and 11 others in electrical engineering, carpentry and joinery, stone masonry, electronics and for laboratory technicians working in education. Training and assessment for business administration learners takes place within the training section of

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

human resources. All other learners attend local colleges for training. All apprentices are full-time permanent employees of the university, and are based either in Durham or in Stockton-on-Tees. UOD contracts with County Durham Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

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Business administration, management & professional

2. UOD delivers training and assessment for advanced apprenticeships in business administration. There are 16 learners on programme. Learners are recruited directly to university departments located in Durham or at the Stockton-on-Tees campus. All learners are required to have a minimum of four general certificates of secondary education (GCSEs) passes at grade C or above. The training programme covers the framework requirements, additional qualifications in word processing, text processing, information technology (IT), health and safety and first aid, and opportunities to take a range of other business-related courses and qualifications. Each apprentice has an assessor, either from the university’s training section or from their own department, who meets them every two weeks, to carry out assessments, provide individual guidance and set targets. They attend off-the-job training on alternate weeks at the training centre. The induction programme

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Business administration, management & professional

includes training in equality and diversity, health and safety and key skills initial assessment. Individual progress reviews take place every 12 weeks with the training co- ordinator and the line manager present.

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Business administration, management & professional

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 1 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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OVERALL JUDGEMENT

3. The quality of the provision is adequate to meet the reasonable needs of those receiving it. The training in business administration, management and professional is good. Leadership and management, quality assurance and the arrangements for equality of opportunity are satisfactory.

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

Number of inspectors 3 Number of inspection days 3 Number of learner interviews 24 Number of staff interviews 14 Number of employer interviews 14 Number of locations/sites/learning centres visited 12 Number of visits 14

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GRADES

grade 1= outstanding, grade 2 = good, grade 3 = satisfactory, grade 4 = unsatisfactory, grade 5 = very weak

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Leadership and management 3

Contributory grades: Equality of opportunity 3 Quality assurance 3

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Business administration, management & professional 2

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners Business administration 16 Work-based learning for young people 2 -

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Business administration, management & professional 2

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 2 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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Achievement and standards

4. Few learners leave the programmes early. Learners develop good personal and vocational skills and maintain a high standard of work. Business administration learners make good progress towards the achievement of their qualifications within the planned dates, but other learners make slower progress. Learners achieve a wide range of qualifications as well as completing their frameworks.

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Quality of education and training

5. Assessment practice is good for business administration learners. It is well planned with thorough feedback and good use of action plans and targets. Learners receive good individual guidance and support from tutors and line managers.

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Quality of education and training

6. Career progression is good. Learners are promoted within their departments and some move onto further or higher education, with financial support from the university.

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Quality of education and training

7. Resources are satisfactory in business administration and good for other learners. Managers and tutors arrange for the purchase of specialist tools and equipment when necessary.

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Quality of education and training

8. There is no strategy for the diagnosis and support of learners’ additional needs in literacy, numeracy or language. Assessment is carried out informally by tutors. Learners receive good support for their additional learning needs when diagnosed.

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Leadership and management

9. Staff development is good with many achieving a variety of qualifications at all levels.

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Leadership and management

10. Feedback from learners is used to good effect when making changes to the training programmes.

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Leadership and management

11. A few supervisors have insufficient knowledge of the national vocational qualification (NVQ) standards or the requirements for their learners. There are few links with subcontractors. There are insufficient links between on- and off-the-job training and insufficient information from colleges on the learners’ progress.

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Leadership and management

12. Some of the stakeholders are not involved in the self-assessment process. The report Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 7 Total Grades awarded to learning sessions Grade 5 Grade 6 Business administration, management & professional 0 1 3 1 0 5 0 0

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Leadership and management

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 3 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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Leadership and management

good staff development ! good management of resources ! good use of feedback from learners to plan changes !

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Weaknesses

insufficient engagement with subcontractors ! insufficient involvement of stakeholders in the self-assessment process ! poor access to many premises ! and the development plan are formulated by training section staff, and others such as workplace supervisors or managers are not formally asked to contribute.

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Weaknesses

13. Access to many of the university buildings is poor for learners with restricted mobility. Many of the buildings are listed, but there are no plans to improve access.

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Business administration

Strengths few early leavers ! good standard of work by learners ! good achievement of additional qualifications ! very effective assessment practice ! good career progression ! good individual guidance for learners !

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Business administration

Weaknesses no strategy for literacy, numeracy and language support ! insufficient knowledge of NVQ standards by some supervisors !

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Business administration

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 4 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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WHAT LEARNERS LIKE ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM:

varied and wide range of job activities ! being able to gain a qualification while working ! the support from the training team and the regular reviews ! the intranet for apprentices and the website for vacancies ! staff development opportunities and the varied range of job opportunities ! the range of qualifications ! career progression opportunities and financial support !

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IMPROVE:

the use of the Stockton-on-Tees campus for training ! the promotion of programme availability and information ! the timetabling !

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IMPROVE:

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 5 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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KEY CHALLENGES FOR UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM:

set and meet demanding achievement targets ! develop a strategy for literacy, numeracy and language support ! develop more effective links with subcontractors ! develop the workplace supervisors’ understanding of the qualifications !

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KEY CHALLENGES FOR UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM:

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 6 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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Strengths

good staff development ! good management of resources ! good use of feedback from learners to plan changes !

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Weaknesses

insufficient engagement with subcontractors ! insufficient involvement of stakeholders in the self-assessment process ! poor access to many premises !

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Weaknesses

14. Staff development is good. Training needs are identified at appraisal which takes place once a year. Progressive targets are set giving individuals greater work responsibility, and development opportunities are identified. Individuals are encouraged to take ownership of their development and identify and pursue all suitable training. Individuals are encouraged to enhance their current role and develop for future employability. Training staff are well qualified for their roles. Financial support is available to staff for higher education courses. All staff have regular training in equality of opportunity.

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Weaknesses

15. The management of resources is good. Line managers encourage learners to take on challenging tasks and they purchase resources for this purpose. For new programmes, the training section provides the necessary tools and equipment, including a range of textbooks. For example, in stone masonry, a complete set of tools has been purchased for use by an apprentice, and in horticulture, a good variety of resources is available. All learners have full access to the university’s extensive library and to the IT equipment and websites.

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Weaknesses

16. The communication structure is satisfactory. The training team meets regularly and frequently and minutes are kept. The training assistants maintain regular and frequent contact with all line managers and learners to support the learning. For business administration learners, good use is made of the university’s intranet, which has a dedicated apprenticeship page. An apprenticeship newsletter is also published each term. Success is also celebrated and well publicised in the newsletter and with appropriate awards ceremonies.

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Weaknesses

17. There is insufficient engagement with subcontractors. A number of colleges are involved in providing the background knowledge element of the apprenticeship programmes for all learners except those in business administration. Many learners who attend college receive little feedback on their progress. Some learners have remained on

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Weaknesses

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 7 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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Weaknesses

the programme longer than planned and UOD trainers and assessors are not able to clearly monitor the learners’ progress. Line managers are reliant on learners’ own feedback when supporting the learners’ development. The training assistant has recently started a termly meeting with all colleges to discuss the learners’ concerns and progress. Since the meetings started there has been increased dialogue between the colleges and the university. College assessors now visit the workplace to assess learners and are starting to send progress reports to line managers. UOD currently has no formal way of measuring the quality of subcontractors’ training. This weakness has been identified in the self-assessment report.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

18. The university has detailed written policies and procedures to promote diversity and equality to all staff and learners. All learners have access to policies through the learners’ website and a written version is given to them at induction. This includes explanations of grievance procedures, harassment and bullying. The policies reflect recent legislation and links to other websites. There is further training through a specialist course and most learners have had this training. Learners’ understanding of equality of opportunity is checked at progress reviews but in a superficial way, using the same closed questions each time. Learners and staff have a satisfactory recall of equality topics. Workplace supervisors are also aware of their responsibilities in promoting equality of opportunity. The university has a harassment network for all staff which learners are aware of, but they have not use d the facility.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

19. Equality of opportunity data is collected and analysed but the data is not used to monitor the effectiveness of policies and procedures. Staff are aware of under- representation of some types of learners, such as men in business administration, but do not have specific strategies for widening participation. Access to many of the buildings in the university is poor for people with restricted mobility. Many buildings are listed and alterations are not permitted. However, some newer buildings also have poor access. There are no plans to improve access, although the university acknowledges the restrictions. Trainers move classes into different venues if necessary to accommodate wheelchairs. Hearing loop systems and Braille translations are available when needed.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

20. The training section has good systems for collecting and acting on feedback from learners. Feedback is evaluated and, where appropriate, used to improve the quality of the provision. Examples include changes to the induction material to provide greater clarity and understanding, the rescheduling of training to better use learners’ time, and the development of teaching materials to provide greater integration with other components of the course. Learners elect, on an annual basis, a learner to represent their views to the training section. Meetings are held each term where the views of the learners are expressed. These views are evaluated and used to ensure continual development of all programmes. Examples include the introduction of a greater variety of teaching methods within technical certificate sessions, the rescheduling of lunch and coffee breaks to allow for more effective use of study time and the provision of extra

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

support in the workplace when collecting evidence.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 8 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

21. Quality assurance arrangements are satisfactory. The training section has comprehensive and detailed policies and procedures covering all aspects of the training. All staff are aware of the procedures and non-compliance is effectively identified and dealt with. The procedures are continually reviewed and developed, with all staff contributing to the process. Rigorous control measures are in place, including the piloting of new procedures to ensure that proposals represent the practice being considered.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

22. Regular assessor and verifier meetings are held to review procedures and standardise assessment decisions. In business administration, assessors share good practice. Observations of all teaching staff and assessors are carried out once each term. The feedback focuses on teaching and does not fully identify the learning taking place. Feedback reports are produced but do not lead to developmental advice or guidance for the tutor.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

23. A bespoke management information system is used to record learner details, including gender, disability and race. It also records the progression details of learners during the programme, as well all training. However, due to the difficulty of gaining regular feedback from subcontractors, the management information system is primarily used to support business administration learners. The system allows detailed queries of the data but it is primarily used as an administrative tool for contract compliance. There is no trend analysis or comparison of retention and achievement rates.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

24. There is insufficient involvement of all stakeholders in the self-assessment process. The current self-assessment report has been developed by the two training staff. Views of other stakeholders, such as management, learners, line managers, colleges or other staff, are not routinely sought. However, informal conversations and meetings have indirectly contributed to the self-assessment, although stakeholders are not necessarily aware of this. The self-assessment identifies most of the strengths and weaknesses of the training, and development planning is realistic with clearly identified targets and lines of responsibility. Management is supplied with a copy for agreement. The self-assessment and development plans are not directly linked to the human resources strategy.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 9 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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Business administration, management & professional 2

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners Business administration 16 Work-based learning for young people 2 -

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Business administration

Strengths few early leavers ! good standard of work by learners ! good achievement of additional qualifications ! very effective assessment practice ! good career progression ! good individual guidance for learners !

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Business administration

Weaknesses no strategy for literacy, numeracy and language support ! insufficient knowledge of NVQ standards by some supervisors !

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Achievement and standards

25. There are few early leavers from the business administration programme. Between 2000 and 2002 retention declined as six learners left the university. Since then none have left the programme early and retention is good. Current learners are on target to achieve their qualifications within their planned programme duration. Learners are using key skills assignments which are clearly linked to business administration, and they are making good progress with these.

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Achievement and standards

26. Learners produce good work. They gain good work-related skills and develop their personal skills through on- and off-the-job training. They demonstrate good levels of competence in IT, such as using electronic presentation software. Learners are able to work constructively in teams and use their own initiative in problem solving. They are confident in a variety of work situations, in some instances working for senior staff within the university. One learner was able to give guidance to tutors using a computerised job evaluation programme, while another provided secretarial services to a sports community group committee. Assignment work and portfolios are well presented.

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Achievement and standards

27. Learners achieve a broad range of qualifications, as well as completing the apprenticeship framework. These include word processing, first aid, manual handling,

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Achievement and standards

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 10 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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Achievement and standards

and IT qualification s . Learners have the same access to internal staff development as all university staff and many have completed external training courses in telephone techniques, customer care and receptionist skills. The training team responds positively to requests from learners and their line managers for attendance on external courses, such as one to create web pages.

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Quality of education and training

28. Assessment practice is very effective. All learners have a visit every fortnight from their assessor to review and plan their assessment progress together. Assessors and learners have a thorough understanding of the NVQ criteria and jointly identify suitable learning opportunities to generate evidence. Assessors give constructive and positive feedback and extend learners’ understanding by good use of questioning. Detailed action plans with clear targets and deadlines are agreed. Most learners make good progress against these. Learners’ work is carefully marked and written feedback is given on what they need to do to improve. Learners have a good understanding of their own progress and the qualification as a whole. Internal verification is satisfactory and there are regular standardisation meetings for assessors.

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Quality of education and training

29. There is good individual guidance for learners from assessors, the training team and work supervisors. Learners are confident enough to approach their own managers and other staff for assistance when needed, and value the help and support they receive. They receive prompt responses to e-mail requests to the training team. Each learner has an effective progress review every 12 weeks with their supervisor and a training assistant Individual targets are set with clear deadlines. Individual learning plans are completed and updated to record progress. One learner was given very good support by an external specialist for dyslexia. Good information and guidance is provided to help learners pursue their career aims, including those who wish to progress outside the university. One learner has been well supported in his application to take a full-time degree course in business and marketing at another university.

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Quality of education and training

The following table shows the achievement and retention rates available up to the time of the inspection.

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Quality of education and training

% % % % Advanced apprenticeships 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 No. No. No. LSC funded work-based learning

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Quality of education and training

2001-02 No. 2000-01 No. % No. % No. % No. % 4 10 4 7 Number of starts 14 0 0 2 4 57 Retained* 11 79 0 0 2 4 57 Successfully completed 10 71 4 10 2 0 0 Still in learning 0 0 *retained learners are those who have stayed in learning for at least the planned duration of their training programmes, or have successfully completed their programme within the time allowed

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Quality of education and training

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 11 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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Quality of education and training

30. Career progression is good. Learners are encouraged to progress from the apprenticeship programme to higher national qualifications and to degrees, with financial support from the university. Forty-three per cent of previous learners have gone on to take either higher national or diploma qualifications and 11 per cent have gone on to take higher education degrees. Many former learners have progressed to higher positions of responsibility within the university, such as supervisor and senior clerical posts. In the procurement department a former learner is supporting a current learner with an apprenticeship programme. Learners have a good knowledge of possible progression routes. They are enthusiastic about their training programmes and value the choice of work placements. Many were initially attracted to the university by the good opportunities for career progression.

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Quality of education and training

31. Learners are employed in positions across many departments of the university. This enables them to gain work experience in a variety of situations and to collect some very good evidence for their portfolios. There are effective links with their off-the-job training, which is carried out at the training centre on a fortnightly basis. This includes taught sessions for IT, key skills and delivery of the technical certificate. Tutors make good links between the component parts of the programme. For example, following a technical certificate lesson, learners were asked to carry out a risk assessment on their own workplace. This generated evidence that could be used for their NVQ portfolios. Training sessions are well planned and there is good use of a variety of learning methods, including individual and group work. In some sessions there is little use of direct questioning to assess learning.

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Quality of education and training

32. Overall, resources are satisfactory. Learners are supplied with appropriate textbooks to support their studies, and workbooks, worksheets and handouts are well presented. There is a dedicated page on the university intranet, which learners use for online resources for the technical certificate and other qualifications. However, use of the calendar and message sections is weak. Training sessions take place in IT suites which have sufficient modern computers. Access to some of the rooms would not be possible for learners with restricted mobility. The training team and assessors are all well qualified. Training staff have specialist vocational qualifications, teaching certificates and degrees or post-graduate qualifications, as well as assessor and verifier awards and key skills practitioner certificates.

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Quality of education and training

33. There is no strategy for the initial assessment of literacy, numeracy and language to identify additional support needs. All new learners take the key skills initial assessment tests which are used to identify the appropriate level of key skill to be taken. Tutors use their detailed knowledge of individual learners to make decisions about additional support, but this process is not formalised. Some learners who have GCSE grades C or above in English but do not score highly on the key skills initial assessment, are required to take the communications test at level 2. One learner with dyslexia was not identified as needing additional support until partway through the programme. Subsequently, very good external specialist support was provided.

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Quality of education and training

© 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 12 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM

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Leadership and management

34. Internal verification processes are thorough and meet awarding body standards. Learners understand the appeals process. Assessors and trainers are observed once each term, but feedback concentrates on the trainers’ skills and there is little focus on the learners’ experience. Learners have the opportunity to give feedback on their programme to the training team. There were requests for greater variety in the teaching activities for the technical certificate and the sessions are now more interesting and enjoyable.

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Leadership and management

35. A few of the workplace supervisors have insufficient knowledge of the NVQ requirements. Although they are given a briefing pack, they do not receive the full NVQ standards and have to rely on explanations from their learners. The supervisors who have previously taken an apprenticeship themselves have a good understanding but are not fully aware of more recent changes to the framework.

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Leadership and management

36. Equality of opportunity is included in the induction and all learners are scheduled to take an in-house equality and diversity course during their programme. The opportunity for learners to consider the needs of people with impaired vision during a class discussing electronic presentations was not taken.

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