MI ComputSolutions Incorporated

MI ComputSolutions Incorporated Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Steve Lambert HMI

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

47a Bellefields Road London SW9 9UH Monitoring visit: MI ComputSolutions Incorporated, 31 October 2018

p.1

Context and focus of visit

MI ComputSolutions Incorporated was inspected in February 2018. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

MI ComputSolutions, established in 2002, is a limited not-for-profit organisation providing education and training to disadvantaged community groups in the London boroughs of Lewisham, Newham, Merton and Lambeth. The majority of learners are adults who attend classes in the provider’s centres in Brixton and Deptford. A few learners aged 16 and over are on traineeship programmes. MI ComputSolutions provides courses in areas such as English, mathematics, retail, health and social care, childcare and business administration.

p.2

Significant progress

Leaders’ and managers’ actions have markedly improved their collection of learners’ destination data. Staff gather information during learners’ exit interviews about their intended destinations. They contact leavers at regular intervals.

p.2

Significant progress

The proportion of learners in 2017/18 who moved onto further education and training was high. There was a small increase in the proportion of learners who gained employment in 2017/18, immediately after completing their course. Staff support learners very well to improve their work-related skills. They provide useful information, advice and guidance throughout learners’ programmes to help them gain employment. As a result, learners are right to identify how the support and guidance they received have improved their confidence to complete job applications and improved their interview skills. Learners access additional funding to overcome barriers to getting a job, such as money for appropriate clothes for an interview, and support with travel costs. Learners benefit from good work placements in schools, nursing homes and nurseries to develop their work-related skills while completing their course. Staff promote the importance and benefits of gaining English and mathematics

p.2

Significant progress

qualifications and skills well to learners. As a result, learners understand and Monitoring visit: MI ComputSolutions Incorporated, 31 October 2018 appreciate the importance of increasing these skills and how they will help them gain employment. Staff are very successful in supporting learners who have not worked for long periods of time to gain employment or to become self-employed.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Since the inspection, leaders and managers have replaced some of the external board members with new ones who have specific skills in business and education. They have appointed an experienced chair of the board. As a result, board members challenge senior leaders about the required improvements to a greater extent than was previously the case. While three new external directors are now in place, the remaining board members remain internal to the organisation, and as a result do not have a sufficiently objective view of the quality of provision. The new chair of the board of directors has taken decisive action to improve the effectiveness of the board. This includes sending formal papers and reports to board members prior to meetings. For example, the board member with responsibility for safeguarding now receives regular safeguarding updates between meetings, including those about the recently introduced risk register. In addition, the chief

p.3

Reasonable progress

executive provides, in advance of the board meetings, a written report. Board members question and challenge her on its contents during the meeting. As a result of this, the board is becoming more effective in challenging leaders and managers to improve the provision offered. Directors have taken positive steps to support leaders and managers to improve the quality of provision. They have re-established the quality committee to oversee the impact of improvement actions. Directors have supported leaders and managers in their decision to introduce consistent approaches to track learners’ progress. Leaders and managers use the more accurate data on learners’ progress to put actions in place to support learners to make their expected progress.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have been effective in improving their own evaluation of the quality of provision. They have recruited additional staff to support improvements in the quality of provision and the reporting of it to senior leaders and the board. Leaders and managers have implemented more effective systems for tracking the progress of learners on courses leading to qualifications and those that do not. These Monitoring visit: MI ComputSolutions Incorporated, 31 October 2018 actions result in leaders and managers having an accurate overview of the progress that learners make. Teachers and managers meet weekly to review the quality of the provision. For example, they review learners’ progress, attendance on courses and recruitment of new learners. Leaders and managers use this to good effect to support their own monitoring and evaluation of the quality of provision. Teaching staff provide effective contributions to the evaluation of the quality of the

p.3

Reasonable progress

provision through subject level reviews, observations of teaching and learning and the impact of their continuing professional development activities. Staff receive good support from managers when they suggest improvements and request training and support to improve their own practice. The recently reinstated quality committee is effective in gaining assurances from leaders and managers of the provider’s performance against agreed performance indicators. The committee ensures that leaders and managers provide sufficient evidence to support their judgements. The committee reports these formally to the board of directors. Leaders and managers have a realistic overview of the strengths of the provision and the areas which need to improve. However, leaders’ and managers’ evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses is, in places, overly descriptive and does not focus on the impact of their actions. Leaders and managers, in the action plan produced

p.4

Reasonable progress

following the previous inspection, identify the areas of improvement needed, but do not link this to the quality improvement plan. Therefore, leaders and managers do not have a single comprehensive overview of the progress they have made. Monitoring visit: MI ComputSolutions Incorporated, 31 October 2018 the 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 . Learner View 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. To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

p.4

Reasonable progress

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 .

p.5

Reasonable progress

regulates and inspects to 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 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to

p.5

Reasonable progress

the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Reasonable progress

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.5

Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.5