Luton Borough Council

Further Education and Skills inspection report Date published: 07 November 2014 Inspection Number: 434069 URN: 53201

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Luton Borough Council (Luton Adult Learning) Local authority

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Summary of key findings for learners

 learners successfully achieve a broad range of personal learning objectives; they gain qualifications, new skills and the self-confidence to lead more fulfilling lives and to help overcome isolation within their local communities  the good teaching, learning and assessment help learners to develop employability skills that prepare them well for progression to further study, voluntary work and jobs; the focus on improving learners’ English and mathematics skills is particularly effective  the innovative and successful use of information learning technology (ILT) in lessons gives learners the confidence to develop their independent learning skills, particularly those who are new to education or returning to it after a long break from learning  learners, many of whom have complex lives and face significant barriers to learning, receive excellent support to complete courses and to achieve qualifications; those with identified

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Summary of key findings for learners

learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve very successfully  productive partnerships with a wide range of local organisations ensure that Luton Borough Council (Luton Adult Learning) (the service) is flexible and responsive in offering a diverse range of education and training courses that enhance the skills of local communities, different groups of learners and large and small employers.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 only a small proportion of lessons are outstanding. Target-setting and the quality of written feedback to learners on ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses to help them achieve their full potential require improvement  recent new procedures to check the quality of teaching and learning are in their infancy and require improvement to ensure that managers have an accurate and up-to-date view of the standards of classroom practice and the actions required to develop teachers’ skills further  managers within the service do not collect and monitor progression and destination data or learners’ feedback rigorously enough to be able to evaluate fully the success of the provision.

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This inspection: Good-2

Previous inspection: Satisfactory-3 Outcomes for learners Good-2 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?

 Review individual learning plans to check whether these set challenging targets aimed at extending learners’ knowledge and skills. Combine this with closer monitoring of the quality of written feedback to learners so they know how they can improve their work further.  Develop further the frequent and systematic monitoring of teachers’ classroom practices so that managers know where best to focus their quality assurance activities to bring about further improvements in teaching and learning.  Identify ways to gather meaningful, up-to-date and accurate data to evaluate fully the success of courses and to develop progression routes further.

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Inspection judgements

 The service supports particularly vulnerable communities within Luton and equips residents of all ages to improve their employment prospects through investing in education and training. The largest subject area is community learning, consisting of projects and workshops for hard-to- reach communities and groups. Accredited provision includes English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses and functional skills and GCSEs in English and mathematics programmes. These make up around one third of the provision. The rest of the courses are family learning programmes and work-based apprenticeships for employees of local businesses and the council.  Outcomes for learners are good and have improved significantly since the previous inspection, largely because of the rise in success rates on courses leading to a qualification. These are now high, particularly for learners on level 2 courses and in subjects such as ESOL, early years and

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Inspection judgements

qualifications which train adults to provide additional and specialist support for school pupils. Attendance rates are good, especially given learners’ starting points and their multiple barriers to learning. Learners feel safe when attending lessons in the community and learn from each other in groups that are often multi-cultural in their make-up.  Success rates for learners studying functional skills in English and mathematics are high, particularly given the challenging personal circumstances many of the learners face in attempting to achieve these qualifications successfully. The proportions of learners gaining functional skills awards in mathematics have improved over the past year and are high, particularly at level 1. Functional skills English success rates have declined at all levels from the very high rates of achievement in 2012/13 but remain good.  Both the large cohort of intermediate apprentices and the much smaller number of advanced

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Inspection judgements

apprentices achieve consistently well. The overall proportions which achieve their qualifications in all subjects have remained high in every year since the previous inspection. Progression rates from intermediate to advanced level apprenticeships are good. Whilst the success rates for learners aged 16 to 18, who form the majority of apprentices, are very high and improving, they are much lower for the small group of adult apprentices and require improvement. In 2013/14, success rates for business apprentices who make up the largest proportion of apprenticeships, declined relative to previous years, but are still high.  The service is very successful in running innovative projects and workshops for targeted groups and communities in Luton. Managers are passionate about raising aspirations for residents of all age groups across the town, alleviating poverty and supporting people into employment. They

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Inspection judgements

work very hard to successfully bring their solutions to these problems to fruition. One particularly successful project has enabled young adults with complex learning disabilities and difficulties and who are facing the prospect of long-term unemployment to receive training and take part in work placements in a local hospital to develop their English, mathematics and employability skills. As a result, the majority have subsequently gained full- or part-time employment, or have become involved in voluntary work.  Very good partnership working with a range of subcontractors brings about substantial benefits for learners. One such partnership with a training provider and Jobcentre Plus has helped long- term unemployed adults, most of whom are men, to receive comprehensive training in basic building skills, such as manual handling and the safe use of ladders alongside tuition in English, mathematics and guidance regarding social skills. Success rates for the qualifications they take

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Inspection judgements

as part of their training are very high, and a high proportion of those who have completed their training have progressed into employment. One learner, aged in his 60s and made redundant in his previous job, spoke eloquently and with pride at an employers’ forum about the way the project had helped him to find work again with a high street electrical retailer.  Short community workshops provide a very effective means by which the service can respond flexibly and quickly to the needs of individual groups of learners or the wider community as represented, for example, by the council. Approximately 400 learners participated in such workshops last year, enabling the council to make residents more aware of issues such as cancer prevention in a town with a high proportion of late diagnoses of the disease and a preponderance of high-risk groups, such as the Afro-Caribbean community.  Managers have very successfully narrowed the achievement gaps between particular groups of

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Inspection judgements

learners. The smaller cohort of male learners now performs as well as their female counterparts, having achieved much less successfully three years ago. Learners from minority ethnic backgrounds, and particularly the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, now succeed as well as white learners, primarily because of the rise in success rates on ESOL courses. The improvement in the performance of learners with identified learning difficulties and/or disabilities over the last four years has been exceptional. Having fallen far behind their peers in achieving successfully until two years ago, they now outperform learners with no identified additional learning needs by a considerable margin.  Progression rates are good in some parts of the service’s provision, such as apprenticeships and from wider family learning to courses for parents and carers to improve their literacy and numeracy. However, whilst recognising that progression and destination data are difficult to

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Inspection judgements

quantify for many of the courses and projects, particularly in community learning, managers do not collect this information well enough.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Inspection judgements

 The three subject areas reported upon represent a sample of the service’s most significant provision and reflect senior leaders’ key priorities for the residents of Luton. Inspectors did not evaluate and grade the community learning projects and workshops which make up the service’s largest area of provision, as very few were running at the start of the academic year when the inspection took place.  Teaching, learning and assessment are good, as reflected in learners’ successful achievements and the consistently good progress they make. Teachers have high expectations for learners and expect them to succeed. They challenge learners well and as a result, learners are highly motivated, enjoy their learning and make good progress in developing personal, social and employability skills.  Staff provide particularly good personal and academic support to meet learners’ needs. They quickly get to know learners and are sensitive to the needs of those who lack confidence in their

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Inspection judgements

own abilities or who have significant barriers to learning. Staff build productive relationships with learners and as a result, learners feel confident enough to ask for help or clarification with any problems they have. Support staff and volunteers provide very good assistance to learners who need additional help in lessons and this has an extremely positive impact on these learners’ achievements. Apprentices benefit from good employer support, enabling them to take part in a wide range of well-planned training activities where they develop and apply their skills at work.  Teachers plan lessons thoroughly so that learners with different levels of ability and experiences learn well together. Teachers and assessors use a wide range of stimulating and innovative activities in their teaching, supported by good quality resources. Learners learn to use mobile technology, such as laptops, tablet computers and mobile telephones to research and capture

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Inspection judgements

information. For example, parents on family learning courses download applications onto their mobile telephones to practise multiplication with their children. Apprentices’ assessments occur more rapidly because they can submit digital evidence to an electronic portfolio without waiting for their assessor to visit them in the workplace. Learners are keen to learn independently and practise their skills between lessons. Teachers create welcoming and safe learning environments where learners feel comfortable and able to learn in the service’s many venues such as schools, community centres and children’s centres.  Work-based learning staff have good working relationships with employers whose consistent involvement in the review process supports apprentices well in developing their skills at work. Their active role in helping plan future learning for apprentices ensures the demands of job roles and qualifications are met. This well-developed approach to partnership working between

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Inspection judgements

employers and work-based learning staff has a very positive impact on apprentices’ good progress.  The initial assessment process is effective for all learners and is particularly thorough for learners on ESOL, English, and mathematics courses. Staff use the assessment outcomes effectively to identify the most appropriate level of course and type of support plan that best meets individual learners’ needs. Learners requiring support to improve their English and mathematics skills join a short introductory programme, which develops their skills and self- esteem prior to progression to their main course. The large majority of teachers make good use of the results of initial and ongoing assessment in planning sessions.  Assessment practices are good. Teachers and work-based learning staff make good use of a wide range of methods to assess and track learners’ progress. They provide prompt and detailed

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Inspection judgements

oral feedback to learners about their completed work and performance. However, written feedback to learners in a minority of cases does not provide sufficient information about how to improve their work. Learners’ progress reviews are thorough and provide clear guidance about what they have to do to achieve their learning goals. Learners on family learning courses make frequent use of detailed learning diaries to reflect on their progress and they combine this with good use of their individual learning plans to review longer-term aims.  Target-setting is good on the majority of courses. Teachers set learners realistic and specific targets that help them to progress. However, some target-setting for ESOL learners requires improvement so that they have clearer and more detailed short-term targets to help them to work successfully towards their longer-term objectives.  The teaching of English and mathematics in both discrete GCSE and functional skills lessons,

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Inspection judgements

and where staff integrate these subjects with other courses, is good. Learners acquire new skills and knowledge successfully and the majority gain valuable qualifications. Senior managers support teachers and assessors well through frequent training to increase their confidence in their knowledge of functional skills. In addition, they have recently appointed specialist programme leaders to provide teachers with further guidance on delivering English and mathematics as part of their courses. A small minority of teachers and assessors do not correct spelling and grammar sufficiently in learners’ work or provide sufficient opportunities for them to widen their vocabulary in contexts appropriate to their main area of learning.  Information, advice and guidance are good. Learners receive timely and appropriate information to guide their learning once they have enrolled on courses. Teachers and assessors identify

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Inspection judgements

learners’ starting points and aspirations accurately, resulting in learners being on the right course at the right level. Appropriately qualified staff work productively with external organisations to increase learners’ knowledge of possible progression routes during and at the end of their courses. This helps learners to make well-informed decisions about progression to further training, education or employment.  Learners benefit from a thorough introduction to equality and diversity at induction. Learners are culturally diverse and are respectful and supportive of each other and their teachers. Staff are sensitive to learners’ individual needs and create an environment of trust and harmony to support good learning. However, teachers of apprentices and on family learning programmes do not always plan and deliver teaching to promote learners’ understanding of equality and diversity sufficiently well.

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Community learning

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good, as reflected in the very effective development of learners’ skills and the rapid progress they make on ESOL courses. The achievement of English language qualifications is good. Retention rates have improved considerably in the past three years and were very high in 2013/14.  Learners make good progress and enjoy their learning. Standards of work are generally high. For example, beginners learn how to use punctuation and capitals correctly, enabling them to identify accurately mistakes in written passages of text. More advanced learners learn not only new vocabulary, but also strategies to remember the words effectively.  Learners progress well between different levels of ESOL courses and to vocational programmes, such as those for teaching assistants and early years professionals. Others find employment. However, the evidence for progression is largely anecdotal. Systematic collection of information

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Community learning

and analysis of data on learners’ progression and destinations requires improvement to evaluate the effectiveness of the provision fully.  Teachers have high expectations of learners and focus particularly well on the development of their study skills and on independent learning. All learners have access to laptops and tablet computers, including those who are on beginner level courses. They access the internet, for example to try out language learning websites, and do research online to gather content for presentations.  Learners take advantage of the good opportunities provided to learn English for employment. Teachers devise interesting and relevant activities for learners to explore their job aspirations and give them sound advice on steps towards reaching their employment goal. Learners learn how to approach employers, and teachers support them well when they make contact with businesses to enquire about and apply for jobs.

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Community learning

 Feedback on learners’ use of correct vocabulary and grammar is good, but teachers do not always give learners sufficient advice on how to improve their pronunciation and intonation. For example, in one lesson, learners practised asking questions, but received no feedback on the rising intonation needed to ensure they developed this skilfully. In other classes, they mispronounced key words that they use in their everyday lives.  Teachers’ use of the outcomes of the initial and diagnostic assessment of learners’ language skills requires improvement. While teachers use the process well to identify learners’ individual needs and learners generally make good progress, staff do not use the outcomes of the assessment sufficiently well to set targets which challenge learners to achieve their full potential.  The use of resources to improve learners’ language skills in lessons is good. Lesson topics are

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Community learning

relevant to the needs and interests of learners. Teachers plan coherent and logical sequences of activities that enable learning and the application of new knowledge and skills. They present pictorial and visual images imaginatively and sensitively to help learners understand the meaning of key vocabulary, particularly on entry level qualifications. Teachers have good technical skills and are well qualified.  Information, advice and guidance are provided very effectively. Learners receive good support from staff who help them to understand why they are on a particular level of course and to reflect on their own performance. Learners have good access to high quality guidance throughout the courses they are studying, as well as useful advice from careers service staff who provide individual support with job applications and CV writing.  Effective partnership working has resulted in the development of good resources for learners.

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Community learning

For example, careers staff and language teachers have worked together successfully to develop useful job search materials for learners with varying levels of language skills. These resources enable learners to present their skills and experience well. Staff in the service, and at a local hospital, have collaborated very effectively to create high quality language learning materials for medical personnel who do not speak English as their first language.  The promotion of equality and diversity in lessons is good, and teachers make every effort to relate topics to learners’ diverse cultural backgrounds and life experiences. Learners receive an induction leaflet devised by staff, comprising pictorial representations of topics that explain concepts such as tolerance and diversity particularly well. Learners treat each other with respect and teachers are assiduous in promoting an understanding of the many cultures represented by

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Community learning

learners in lessons, as well as in the wider population as a whole.

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Community learning

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good in both English and mathematics, as are the outcomes for learners. Learners studying GCSE English are very successful in achieving high grades in the subject, particularly as many of the learners are adults who have not studied academic subjects previously or for some considerable time. The majority of learners on functional skills courses in English and mathematics achieve successfully. Teachers provide strong encouragement for learners to motivate them to progress onto accredited courses at higher levels, both in English and mathematics and in other subjects. However, teachers do not always challenge poor punctuality.  Senior managers have recently reorganised the service’s English and mathematics provision. Courses are now well planned and ensure learners have good progression opportunities. Introductory courses give learners a good understanding of the study skills and attendance

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Community learning

requirements necessary to be successful once they are on a longer accredited qualification. English teachers are very successful in encouraging learners to take up reading for pleasure by signing up to the ‘6 Book Challenge’, resulting in the majority of learners borrowing books from the library.  Teachers plan lessons well, ensuring that learners appreciate the relevance of topics studied in class to their everyday lives. In mathematics lessons, teachers are adept at involving all learners in stimulating group activities. For example, problem solving tasks challenge learners to work out how far they would need to walk to achieve the health requirement of ‘10,000 steps a day’. Learners discover with surprise and pleasure that they actually use mathematics on a daily basis and that they can learn much from each other. As a result, they make good progress in lessons.  Teachers are well qualified and experienced and have completed recent training to enhance

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Community learning

their skills to teach GCSE courses. They use questioning techniques very effectively so that learners work out solutions to problems by themselves or through discussion in small groups. They engage learners in activities with a strong emphasis on developing independent learning skills. They monitor learners’ performance in class effectively, but do not always adapt activities sufficiently to meet the full range of individual learning needs.  Teachers make good use of ILT in lessons. They also encourage learners to use technology by, for example, downloading applications on to their telephones to practise multiplications or finding websites on the internet for converting units of measurements. Learners use tablet computers effectively to record and review their performance in group discussions when preparing for examinations. Teachers use well-produced learning materials and resources to support learning.

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Community learning

 The initial assessment process is rigorous. The introductory course includes a detailed diagnostic assessment of learners’ English or mathematics skills, in addition to gauging their levels of motivation, evaluating their study skills and identifying any potential barriers to their learning. Teachers and learners use individual learning plans very effectively to identify the latter’s short- and long-term targets and to record learners’ progress towards these goals in each session.  Learners receive encouraging oral feedback on their performance in class. Teachers help learners to identify what they do well and what they need to do to improve, for example, writing more descriptively. The majority of teachers provide helpful and encouraging written comments in individual learning plans and use this information effectively to plan their lessons.  Information, advice and guidance for learners are good. Learners have access to qualified and

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Community learning

experienced careers guidance workers to help them with further study and employment support. Teachers on family learning programmes encourage learners to progress onto accredited courses in English and mathematics.  Teachers promote equality and diversity well where possible in lessons. In a mathematics lesson for example, learners discussed the different units of measurements and methods of calculation used within their communities, or in their country of origin.

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Apprenticeships

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good as reflected in the high success rates. Learners are clear about what is expected of them and this helps to motivate them to make good progress. The large majority of apprentices complete their qualification in the time planned for them when they started their course and current learners are on target to achieve within agreed timescales. The standard of learners’ work is high and they compile a good range of evidence in their electronic portfolios.  Tutors plan training sessions skilfully to meet learners’ individual needs and to help them to develop a wide range of work-related skills. Learners apply these new skills in the work place very well. For example, one learner working in a school for children with special educational needs used newly acquired skills effectively to create a database containing the contact details of parents and carers, in case of an emergency when their children are at school. Teachers use

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Apprenticeships

a range of interactive activities well which encourage learners to work both independently and collaboratively, developing skills to enable them to progress in their careers and to further their learning. Assessors make appropriate use of resources to support learners’ development, such as business-related websites.  Staff use individual learning plans effectively to set clear targets based on initial and ongoing assessment. They update these frequently at reviews to record learners’ progress accurately and to set them new targets. Learners appreciate the good support provided by assessors and caseload officers that motivates them to focus on their learning and workplace development, in turn enabling them to become valued members of staff.  Assessors are well qualified and have a good understanding of the organisations in which learners work. They use this understanding well to benefit learners when planning assessment

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Apprenticeships

activities and developing their skills. Assessors visit apprentices frequently, and encourage them to submit evidence between visits to ensure they maintain good progress. Staff make good use of electronic management information systems to develop and support independent learning and to track learner progress and achievement effectively.  Reviews focus clearly on learners’ progress towards the completion of their qualification. Staff involve employers well in setting challenging work-related targets that help apprentices make good progress. Learners develop good personal, learning and thinking skills through the completion of learning journals that support reflective practice and further develop independent learning skills.  Learners demonstrate good practical skills in the workplace and display an increased knowledge and understanding of their roles at work. Employers value these skills greatly and comment

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Apprenticeships

positively about learners’ increased technical skills when producing complex business documents, planning events and dealing with human resources matters in a busy office environment. Learners enjoy their work and are highly motivated.  Assessors and caseload officers provide helpful oral feedback that supports learners to complete administrative tasks effectively in the workplace. However, written feedback is not developmental enough to challenge learners to reflect on their progress and make improvements.  Tutors develop apprentices’ English, mathematics and computing skills effectively during off-the- job learning sessions. However, the support that learners receive to acquire and reinforce these skills in the work place is insufficient.  Advice, guidance and support are good. Assessors and caseload officers work well with learners and employers to identify training opportunities at work and progression routes. Staff and

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Apprenticeships

employers help learners to complete further qualifications related to their career development and organisational needs. Learners are often promoted to more senior positions as a result of completing their programme, and progression to higher-level qualifications is good.  Learners work well in culturally diverse groups, valuing and respecting each other. However, tutors and assessors do not take sufficient advantage of the opportunities presented in lessons and during progress reviews to develop learners’ understanding of diversity.

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Apprenticeships

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Apprenticeships

 Leadership and management are good. The appointment of a new manager within the past year and a more recent re-organisation of the service, have led to significant improvements in learners’ outcomes since the previous inspection. Strategic planning is extremely effective, resulting in a close match between the service’s objectives and the local authority’s priorities for its residents. Managers plan the provision carefully to meet the very diverse range of local needs. They are ambitious on behalf of their learners and share this ambition with all staff across the organisation.  Partnership working is particularly strong. Managers work closely with specialist local providers and voluntary agencies to develop innovative and successful initiatives and projects. These include bespoke educational and skills building courses, as well as programmes that enable learners to re-engage with the community and with employment. Managers work closely with

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Apprenticeships

the Luton and Bedfordshire Community Learning Trust and the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership to develop community projects that respond very effectively to local needs.  Governance arrangements are good. Senior officers scrutinise the performance of the service routinely through meetings that focus on the progress made against challenging improvement targets. As a result, they have an accurate understanding of the service’s overall strengths and the areas for improvement.  New performance management arrangements are effective. The service’s revised procedures for the observation of teaching and learning are more comprehensive, result in improvements in classroom practice, and help managers to gain a more accurate and complete view of the quality of lessons. However, managers do not always use action points from lesson observations in their assessment of teachers’ progress and as a result, they miss opportunities to improve the

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Apprenticeships

skills of teachers further.  The quality of subcontracted provision is good. Managers use the tendering process effectively to identify the best subcontractors to work with and to prevent duplication of provision. Programme leaders conduct frequent and challenging contract meetings with subcontractors. Those whose projects are under-performing appreciate the support and advice they receive to help them to improve.  Senior leaders and teachers use management information systems appropriately to monitor provision. Managers’ use of key indicators to analyse the performance of all the programmes and to identify gaps in learner performance is rigorous.  Self-assessment has improved over the past year and is now good. Managers have worked effectively to remedy the key weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. They use the self-assessment process well to take account of feedback from staff and subcontractors in

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Apprenticeships

determining strengths and areas for improvement. Continuous improvement plans link well to the areas for improvement identified in the self-assessment report. However, they do not identify all of the improvements carried out by staff in order to give managers a sufficiently detailed picture of progress.  The curriculum meets the needs of learners, employers and the community well. For example, managers offer apprenticeship programmes that closely match local skill shortages, resulting in good progression by apprentices into full-time employment. Managers make good use of local intelligence and the knowledge of specialist providers to design courses and workshops that meet residents’ needs well. However, the collection and analysis of learners’ progression data to evaluate fully the success of particular parts of the provision require improvement.  Staff have a clear understanding of the need to develop learners’ employability skills. They work

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Apprenticeships

very well with those who are often nervous about returning to learning after a long period of absence from any type of education or training. The service delivers its courses in a wide range of community venues, which makes the provision accessible to residents who would otherwise find it difficult to take part in learning.  Leaders and managers develop highly effective strategies to improve the life chances of those residents most in need of better English and mathematics skills. Managers and staff have put in place a comprehensive English and mathematics strategy, resulting in significant improvements to learners’ achievements, which are now good.  Managers’ targeted actions have successfully resulted in increased recruitment of learners from black and minority ethnicity groups onto apprenticeships. However, the recruitment of male learners more generally across the service requires improvement.

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Apprenticeships

 Staff training to develop tutors’ confidence in promoting equality and diversity in teaching is good. Staff adopt innovative and successful initiatives to celebrate the multi-cultural backgrounds of learners across the service. For example, learners use personal artefacts to educate their peers about their cultural practices. However, induction information and guidance to help to protect learners from the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism requires improvement.  Arrangements to safeguard learners are good and the service meets its statutory requirements for safeguarding learners. The promotion of health and safety is effective in ensuring that lessons and workshops take place in secure environments for learning. All staff receive appropriate and frequent updates on safeguarding. Risk assessments of venues and providers ensure that subcontractors have good health, safety and safeguarding practices and policies.

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Luton Borough Council (Adult Learning)

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

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Luton Borough Council (Adult Learning)

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate Overall 14-16 part-time provision 14-16 full-time provision 16-19 study programmes Traineeships 19+ learning programmes Apprenticeships Employability Community learning

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Luton Borough Council (Adult Learning)

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment 2 2 2

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Luton Borough Council (Adult Learning)

The effectiveness of leadership and management 2 2 2

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Mr Trevor Holden Date of previous inspection June 2012 Website address http://www.lutonacl.ac.uk

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programme level

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

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Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 118 37 23 25 0 2 Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total 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 2,903 Number of employability learners N/A Funding received from Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency  At the time of inspection the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors:  Active Luton  Barnfield College  Geoff Hart Training & Development Consultants Ltd  Jigsaw Pre-School Nursery  Kaplan Financial  Logic 4 Training Ltd  North Hertfordshire College  The Institute of Groundsmanship.

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Contextual information

Luton Borough Council’s Adult Learning Service is the largest provider of community learning in Luton. It offers a wide range of education and training, from family learning programmes through to apprenticeships in the workplace. Courses take place at the service’s two main adult learning sites and in approximately 50 community centres, schools, libraries, and employers’ premises throughout the borough. Luton is a diverse town ethnically and socially. Almost one third of residents are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Areas with a vibrant business culture sit alongside parts of the town where people face significant personal and financial hardships in their everyday lives. The town’s previously strong manufacturing base has declined significantly to be replaced largely by a wide range of technical and service industries. Almost 30% of employees in the town work in public administration, health and education. The proportions of people of working age with

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Contextual information

qualifications at levels 1 to 4 are well below local, regional and national averages.

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Information about this inspection

Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and four additional inspectors, assisted by the Service Manager 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 past 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 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 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

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Grade Judgement

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

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Grade Judgement

To find out more go to www.employerview.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

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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