Kingston Upon Hull City Council

Further education and skills inspection report

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Kingston Upon Hull City Council Community learning and skills

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Adult learning programmes Requires improvement Apprenticeships Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings

This is a provider that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings

 Since the previous inspection, leaders have been too slow to take effective action when teaching staff underperform.  Not enough learners achieve functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics or achieve a high grade in GCSE English and mathematics qualifications.  Too few learners on 16 to 19 study programmes and adult learning programmes progress to education, employment or training after their courses.  Too many teachers on 16 to 19 study programmes and adult learning programmes do not establish the starting points of their learners well enough when planning and delivering their teaching.  Teachers do not monitor well enough the progress of adult learners who are not studying towards a qualification.  Attendance is not good enough for too many learners, particularly in English and mathematics.

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Summary of key findings

The provider has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings

 Leaders have recognised the actions that they need to take to improve the quality of provision. Recent actions have improved the quality of education and training that learners on study programmes and apprentices receive; apprenticeships are now good.  Leaders use their excellent relationships with key partners to ensure that the courses on offer successfully meet local and regional needs.  Apprentices make good progress from their starting points and make strong contributions to their employers’ businesses.  Staff use their subject knowledge well and enable learners and apprentices to apply their learning to real life-situations.  Adult learners develop their personal skills and confidence well.

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Information about the provider

 Kingston upon Hull City Council adult education service provides training and education in the Humber region. The council provides adult learning programmes, community and family learning, study programmes for young people and apprenticeships. Adult learning programmes and apprenticeships make up the great majority of the provision. Study programmes account for around a sixth of the provision.  Compared with the rest of the country, Hull is an area of high social deprivation. Unemployment is higher in Hull than in the rest of Yorkshire and the Humber, and significantly higher than the overall rate for England. A lower proportion of the population is qualified at level 2 and above than in other regions of England. In 2016/17, compared to the national average a significantly lower proportion of pupils in the borough achieved GCSEs at grade 5 or above in English and mathematics.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that leaders and managers further increase the pace that they address staff underperformance so that the experience of learners improves more rapidly.  Ensure that teachers fully understand the individual needs of learners when planning and delivering their lessons so that learners make the progress of which they are capable.  Ensure that a much larger proportion of learners studying English and mathematics pass their qualifications, and that those studying GCSE English and mathematics achieve a high grade.  Improve attendance swiftly, particularly in English and mathematics, by making sure that staff have high expectations for attendance and take effective action when learners do not attend.  Ensure that a higher proportion of learners progress into further education, employment or training.  Improve the thoroughness with which teachers establish the starting points of learners on courses that do not lead to qualifications so that they can more effectively review the

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

progress that these learners make towards their individual learning goals.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders recognise that they have been too slow to identify and address underperformance. Too many of the actions that they took following the previous inspection did not have a positive enough impact on the quality of teaching and learning. More recent actions taken by leaders and managers have addressed many of the weaknesses and improved the quality of provision. Several underperforming members of staff have left the provider. The new service manager is now addressing performance issues with greater urgency. Learners on study programmes now make better progress from their starting points, and the quality of apprenticeships is good.  Managers do not take action that is consistently effective or rapid enough to ensure that staff improve the quality of their teaching. Too often, records of observations of teaching, learning and assessment focus on the actions of the teacher rather than the impact of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

these actions on learners’ progress. Managers set action plans after observations that do not identify the improvements in learners’ progress that the teacher needs to achieve. As a result, not enough teachers improve their teaching over time.  Managers’ use of data is not rigorous enough. Too often, the information that managers use is wrong or out of date; therefore, managers do not draw reliable conclusions or take appropriate actions. For example, managers do not understand the reasons for the variance in achievement rates between male and females or between learners on study programmes who have a learning difficulty and/or disability and their peers. As a result, they have been unable to address these gaps in achievement.  Leaders and managers do not monitor well enough the destinations that learners and apprentices progress to after their studies. They do not analyse how the programmes that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

learners follow influence their future careers and do not adapt the curriculum based on what the data shows them.  Leaders and managers have a well-developed strategic vision to work with learners and apprentices from the local community who are the most disadvantaged. They engage these learners and apprentices successfully and improve their life chances as a result. Leaders ensure that many of the internal, council-based apprenticeship vacancies are specifically available to care leavers and learners who have significant barriers to learning.  Leaders have strong partnerships with local employers, local service providers and the local enterprise partnership. The city council is a key partner in the regeneration plans for the city, and leaders use these partnerships to ensure that they are respond successfully to the city’s changing needs. Most courses meet the needs of learners well. However, too

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

many ‘leisure’ courses in community learning do not provide sufficient progression routes for learners into accredited learning or employment.  Leaders know most of the weaknesses in their provision. The current self-assessment process has enabled leaders to identify key strengths and most areas for improvement. The quality improvement plan identifies the key issues that leaders need to focus on. However, too often the improvement actions and their expected impact are insufficiently precise. As a result, leaders have not made swift enough progress in improving the quality of adult learning programmes since the previous inspection.  Leaders manage subcontractors effectively. They closely monitor the performance of subcontractors and hold quality review meetings frequently with subcontractor managers. Most learners studying with subcontractors make good progress from their starting points. Leaders carefully select subcontractors to meet the skills needs of the local area. For

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

example, they have responded to the local demand for motor vehicle courses through their study programmes. Managers have stopped working with subcontractors that underperform.

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The governance of the provider

 Since the previous inspection, council leaders have introduced a governing board. Local authority employees and the elected cabinet member with portfolio responsibility fill the positions.  Governors strongly support the vision of the service to work with local people who are most disadvantaged. They provide useful and effective support to leaders and managers to identify potential areas of education that will meet the local need.  Too often, leaders present governors with information that needs further explanation to enable governors to understand its importance. As a result, governors are not consistently able to hold leaders and managers to account for the quality of provision.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements. Managers maintain an accurate record of the checks that they make during staff recruitment.  Suitable arrangements are in place to keep learners safe when they are with the provider and at work. Very strong links with support partners help learners and apprentices to overcome a wide range of issues facing them.  The designated safeguarding officer is appropriately trained. Staff keep thorough records of safeguarding referrals. They record details about initial disclosures well. However, managers’ records of their follow-up actions are not as sufficiently detailed or helpful.  Too many adult learners have an insufficient awareness of the risks of radicalisation and extremism in their local area.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not consistently good. Leaders recognise this in their most recent self-assessment report. However, they have been unable to secure rapid enough improvements in all areas of their provision since the previous inspection. This has had a detrimental impact on the progress that learners are making on study programmes and adult learning programmes.  Too often, teachers do not tailor activities well enough to meet the individual needs and abilities of learners. They do not challenge the most able learners; as a result, these learners finish their tasks early and have nothing to do while the rest of the group complete their work. Less-able learners struggle to complete the work as it is too difficult for them. As a result, too many learners do not make the progress of which they are capable.  Too many teachers do not provide learners with helpful feedback. Too often, feedback on

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

learners’ written work does not identify precisely enough how learners can accelerate their progress. Verbal feedback to learners on study programmes provides praise when appropriate. However, too many teachers do not use verbal feedback to develop learners’ understanding well enough. As a result, too many learners do not make rapid enough progress towards achieving their learning and personal goals.  Although leaders and managers recognise the importance of learners developing their English and mathematics skills, too often teachers do not fully integrate the development of these skills into their lessons. Although learners routinely use English and mathematics skills in the vocational subjects that they are studying, teachers do not encourage them to develop their skills beyond the minimum requirements.  Teachers and trainers use their good subject knowledge and vocational experience to enable learners and apprentices to develop their skills. They link theoretical and practical

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

learning to workplace practice very effectively to help learners consolidate their learning. Teachers and trainers draw upon the knowledge that learners and apprentices have developed over time to contextualise their teaching. As a result, learners and apprentices have a good understanding of how their learning links to their career goals.  Teachers and trainers use questions skilfully to assess learning. Most use questions to encourage learners to develop a more in-depth understanding of topics. The large majority use targeted questions to encourage all learners to contribute to discussions, which develops learners’ confidence and oral communication skills. As a result, most learners and apprentices can demonstrate an appropriate level of understanding in their verbal responses.  Apprentices benefit from helpful assessment of their written work. Trainers use constructive feedback that gives apprentices clear guidance on how to improve their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

work. They give supportive guidance on how to improve spelling and grammar. As a result, apprentices improve their work over time.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

 Although improving, attendance is too low. Too few learners on study programmes attend regularly enough. Attendance in English and mathematics classes is particularly low. In too many cases, teachers do not routinely support learners to catch up when they miss lessons.  Too few learners and apprentices supplement their learning outside lessons. Teachers do not make good use of the virtual learning environment (VLE) to encourage learners to complete work independently. The VLE contains very few resources for too many subjects and is of little benefit to learners. However, in construction learners use it extensively to access course materials and learning resources.  Learners and apprentices benefit from very good support for their welfare needs. Staff have strong links with local support agencies, who provide support for issues such as period poverty, drug and alcohol misuse and support those at risk of homelessness and

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

those in need of help from food banks. Staff use these relationships to provide exceptional support to learners who most need it. As a result, most learners overcome or manage their barriers to education well and a high proportion remain in learning.  Learners and apprentices enjoy and value their learning. They are proud of their achievements. Most are highly motivated. Apprentices often take on additional responsibilities or secure promotions at work. Adult learners on family learning courses develop a good understanding of their role as parents. As a result, they have better interactions with their children.  Teachers and trainers support learners well to develop their confidence and self-esteem. Many learners acknowledge the social benefits of attending their courses and the positive impact it has on their health and well-being. Apprentices can confidently explain how their learning helps them to achieve their career goals.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

 Learners and apprentices behave well. Staff frequently reinforce their high expectations of behaviour. Learners and apprentices demonstrate high levels of respect when attending the centres and at work. They develop good working relationships with staff and their peers.  Careers information, advice and guidance are effective in ensuring that learners and apprentices are on the right course when they start with the provider. Staff provide further advice and guidance to learners and apprentices during their programmes and help them to make informed decisions about their future progression. However, a small proportion of apprentices and adult learners do not make good enough use of the advice available to them when considering their future plans.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 Not enough learners achieve English and mathematics qualifications. The proportion of adult learners achieving functional skills qualifications and high grades in GCSE English and mathematics has declined since the previous year and is not high enough. The proportion of learners on study programmes who achieve a high grade in GCSE English or mathematics is very low. Although improving, the functional skills English and mathematics achievement rates for learners on study programmes remain too low.  Large differences exist in the achievement rates of different groups of learners on study programmes. Male learners achieve significantly less well than females, and learners who have a learning difficulty and/or disability achieve better than those who do not. Leaders and managers have been unsuccessful in their attempts to address the gap between males and females since the previous inspection.  The proportion of learners on study programmes and adult learners who progress to

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

education, employment or training after their courses is not high enough. Around half of those leaving the service do not progress to work, training or education. Leaders and managers do not routinely analyse the information on destinations available to them. As a result, they are unaware of how well learners’ studies have influenced their future career plans when they leave the service.  Too few learners on study programmes achieve their main qualifications. Although steadily increasing, the proportion of study programme learners that achieve their qualifications is too low. Most adult learners achieve their main qualification.  A large proportion of apprentices complete their qualification within their planned timescales, particularly in engineering and business administration. The large majority of apprentices study in these areas.  Almost all apprentices leaving their programmes in 2017/18 remained in employment.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

Many apprentices gain promotion or take on additional responsibilities at work.  Most adult learners and almost all apprentices produce work that is of a good standard. In adult learning, the small number of learners at level 3 produce work that is of a high standard; level 2 learners’ work improves over time. Apprentices routinely produce work that is of a high standard and meets their employers’ expectations.

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

 The provider has 79 learners on study programmes. Around half are studying construction-related subjects. The remainder are spread across a range of subject areas. All learners on study programmes are studying qualifications in English and mathematics, including a small number studying GCSEs.  Too many teachers do not plan and deliver learning that takes sufficient account of learners’ individual needs. Teachers often provide whole-class activities that are too challenging for those who are less able and insufficiently demanding for the most able learners. As a result, not enough learners made good progress from their starting points.  Learners do not benefit from helpful feedback. Too often, feedback does not identify clearly enough what learners need to do to improve their work. In most cases, tutors overlook significant spelling and grammar errors in written work and fail to identify what learners need to do to improve the quality of their writing. As a result, too few learners

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

know how to improve their work.  Learners do not develop their mathematical skills well enough. Where required in their vocational subject, learners use their mathematical skills well. However, too many teachers do not ensure that learners develop their skills beyond the minimum requirements of their subject.  Teachers put insufficient emphasis on the promotion of equality and diversity in sessions or in progress reviews. Review records do not capture learners’ understanding of equality and diversity well enough. Teachers are not skilled or confident enough to integrate these topics into their lessons. As a result, too often learners’ understanding is limited.  In construction subjects, teachers make good links between theory and practice. They make it clear how classroom learning, workshop activities and workplace practice link together to aid learners’ understanding. In other subjects, such as ‘Learn2Learn’ courses,

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

learners develop effective study skills in, for example, time management that enable them to prioritise their time for study more effectively.  In most sessions, teachers use questioning skills well to check learners’ understanding and progress. Most teachers challenge learners to justify and explain answers to questions or to amplify answers. For example, in health and safety sessions teachers ask learners to give specific examples of how to respond to hazards that arise in the world of work.  Learners develop good knowledge and understanding of personal health and well-being. They acquire a good understanding of what constitutes positive mental health. In ‘access to learning’ sessions, learners discuss the range of signs and symptoms of anorexia and bulimia. As a result, learners better understand how to ensure their own well-being.  Teachers use praise well. They give positive encouragement to celebrate learners’

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

successes. They raise learners’ aspirations for their futures and encourage them to be ambitious. Learners respond well to their tutors’ confidence in their abilities; as a result, they demonstrate a positive approach to learning.

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Adult learning programmes Requires improvement

 The provider has approximately 900 learners on adult learning programmes. Over half of these are studying towards qualifications in English and mathematics. Around a third are following community learning and family learning courses. The remainder are studying qualifications to make them more employable.  Too many teachers do not meet learners’ individual needs and abilities well enough. In too many lessons, learning activities do not correspond well enough to learners’ abilities. Learners frequently work on the same task, regardless of their existing skills or knowledge. Consequently, too many learners in these lessons find the work too hard or are unable to make the progress of which they are capable.  Managers do not monitor the progress of learners who are not working towards a qualification rigorously enough. Too often, the identification and recording of learners’ starting points is not good enough. Learning goals set by teachers do not identify the

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Adult learning programmes Requires improvement

intended progress of individuals sufficiently well. As a result, too many teachers are unable to record learners’ progress against realistic individual learning goals.  Too many learners do not develop their English and mathematical skills well enough. Teachers do not provide enough opportunities for learners to use more complex skills beyond the minimum requirements of the subjects they are studying. In English and mathematics classes attendance is too low. As a result, not enough learners make sufficient progress towards their qualifications and too few are successful.  Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the needs of adult learners and their local communities. They offer a range of programmes that successfully meet local and regional priorities and the needs of learners. Managers have specifically targeted parts of the city where prior attainment and current participation are low. As a result,

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Adult learning programmes Requires improvement

adults who are most disadvantaged successfully access the provision.  Teachers use their good subject knowledge well. The large majority of current learners enjoy their learning and develop their personal skills and confidence. Adults on family learning courses use their new knowledge to improve interactions with their children by, for example, using positive language to manage behaviour.  Most teachers use questioning well. They check learners’ learning and probe their knowledge to develop further understanding. For example, in functional skills English lessons teachers check learners’ knowledge of formal and informal language so that they can apply this to interview situations.

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Apprenticeships Good

 The provider has approximately 640 apprentices in learning, with around half aged under 19 years. Around two thirds of apprentices are studying at advanced level. The vast majority are studying towards engineering or business-related apprenticeships.  Trainers monitor the progress of apprentices very effectively. They work in close collaboration with employers to ensure that apprentices are developing the skills needed to be successful in their job roles. As a result, most apprentices make good progress towards completing their apprenticeship within the planned timescale.  Employers contribute to the planning of apprenticeships well. Most take part in their apprentices’ progress reviews and highlight what the apprentice is doing well. Trainers ensure that employers agree with apprentices’ targets to develop their technical and personal skills. As a result, most apprentices make positive contributions to the

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Apprenticeships Good

businesses that employ them.  Trainers have high expectations of apprentices. They carefully plan and deliver apprentices’ off-the-job training and effectively support apprentices to maintain a good pace of progress. Apprentices’ written work is of a high standard. Trainers routinely correct spelling and punctuation errors, and apprentices improve their work over time.  Trainers provide helpful feedback to identify the areas that apprentices need to improve. They provide one-to-one support to enable apprentices to improve their skills. For example, trainers provide useful help around proofreading to spot common errors.  Leaders work very well with partners to meet the needs of local and regional skills priorities. They work closely with businesses to identify how they can successfully support business growth and the retention of employees. For example, leaders quickly developed training programmes in the fenestration sector to meet local skills needs well when a high

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Apprenticeships Good

level of demand was identified. Employers value greatly the responsive approach from leaders.  A small number of review and support sessions do not enable learners to participate in discussions well enough. Too many apprentices do not reflect well enough on their own learning and development. Where this happens, apprentices do not disclose or overcome barriers to learning, such as low self-confidence. As a result, trainers are unaware of issues that could impact on apprentices’ progress and are, therefore, unable to introduce interventions to overcome them.

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Provider details

Type of provider Community learning and skills

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Provider details

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year 3,312

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

67 573 10 243 2 63 - 8 Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age Intermediate Advanced Higher

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 112 103 233 175 - 16 Number of traineeships 16–19 19+ Total 5 4 9 Number of learners aged 14 to -

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Number of learners for which the provider receives high- needs funding At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors: North Humberside Motor Trades Group Training Association Pathway Plus The Boulevard Centre

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the assistant city manager, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

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Inspection team

Ken Merry, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Steven Sharpe Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

Employer View Employer View is a 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. To find out more go to www.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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