East Birmingham Community Forum Ltd

East Birmingham Community Forum Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Mark Shackleton, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Not for profit organisation

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Address: 73 Alum Rock Road Saltley Birmingham B8 1LY Monitoring visit: East Birmingham Community Forum, 1-2 May 2019.

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Context and focus of visit

From March 2019, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision which began to be funded from August 2017 or after by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly funded to deliver adult learning provision’ and ‘Monitoring visits’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

The East Birmingham Community Forum (EBCF) training team provide a range of entry level, level 1 and level 2 courses for unemployed adult learners in north and east Birmingham. At the time of the monitoring visit, the provision comprised short courses in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and functional skills courses in English, mathematics and information and communication technologies (ICT). These courses support around 350 learners each year, many of whom enrol on successive courses as their skills and knowledge develop. Leaders have well- developed plans to expand the provision to include a range of vocational courses when additional funding becomes available.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the learning needs of adults who live in the communities that EBCF serves. These communities are very diverse and have high levels of unemployment. A high proportion of adults are returning to education after long periods. Many have arrived recently in the country with little or no knowledge of English. Therefore, the provision has an appropriate focus on ESOL and functional skills qualifications from entry level to level 2.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that adults learn in well-resourced classrooms and are taught by well-qualified staff. Managers’ evaluation of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is broadly accurate. However, evaluation does not yet focus sufficiently on how well learners achieve what is planned for them in each lesson. Nevertheless, learners make generally good progress during their short courses and a very high proportion achieve their qualifications, most at their first attempt.

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Reasonable progress

Learners become much more confident and enjoy interacting with others from their very diverse communities. They rapidly develop their English and ICT skills. They use Monitoring visit: East Birmingham Community Forum, 1-2 May 2019. these skills well to help them to navigate online sites, to prepare for employment and to become more active members of their communities.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a very strong understanding of the needs of local employers. Well- trained advisers work alongside training staff through the national careers service information advice and guidance contract that EBCF holds. This helps leaders to maintain their understanding of local needs.

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Reasonable progress

Managers monitor the progress of different groups of learners effectively. They ensure that tutors provide individualised support to help learners to catch up where required.

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Reasonable progress

A high proportion of learners move on to other courses provided at EBCF and around a quarter secure places on courses elsewhere. Managers recognise that they need to improve their knowledge of learners’ next steps when they leave EBCF.

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Reasonable progress

Managers collect data on learners’ attendance and discuss this with individual tutors to support improvement where needed. However, they do not analyse overall attendance closely enough to enable them to identify actions for improvement.

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Reasonable progress

Staff assess learners’ starting points well to ensure that learners are enrolled on the most appropriate course to meet their needs. Learners enjoy their courses and have good relationships with each other and their tutors.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors set work that improves learners’ English skills and is relevant to their futures and everyday lives. Examples include exploring job roles and reading and summarising current events reported in newspapers.

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Reasonable progress

Learners make reasonable or better progress in lessons and develop skills which meet their learning needs. Tutors give effective feedback during sessions which encourages their learners and helps them to develop their confidence.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors are well qualified and have high expectations of their learners. They attend regular training sessions which help them to improve their teaching skills, particularly in mathematics and English.

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Reasonable progress

Most tutors provide learners with useful feedback on spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors in their written work. In a few instances, however, tutors’ assessment of learners’ written work is inaccurate, including marking incorrect answers from learners as correct. Monitoring visit: East Birmingham Community Forum, 1-2 May 2019. A minority of learners’ individual plans do not have sufficiently detailed targets that identify clearly what learners need to do to improve. This includes the skills and knowledge that will help them to achieve their qualifications as well as the broader personal skills that they develop during their courses.

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Reasonable progress

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Learners feel and are safe.

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Reasonable progress

Managers ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to control entry to learning centres. Learners wear lanyards so that they can identify fellow learners.

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Reasonable progress

Staff follow up on unexpected absences with a telephone call to ensure that learners are safe and to encourage them to attend.

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Reasonable progress

Staff carry out appropriate checks on all staff who work with learners. Managers ensure that human resources staff have a strong focus on safe recruitment.

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Reasonable progress

All staff undergo annual safeguarding training. Designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) carry out their duties effectively. Although tutors raise any minor concerns with DSLs, they do not keep a central log of these concerns, which makes identifying any trends difficult.

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Reasonable progress

Although learners have a basic awareness of the dangers of radicalisation and extremism, they have insufficient understanding of the issues that they may face in their own communities. Learners are aware of the dangers that they may face online. Monitoring visit: East Birmingham Community Forum, 1-2 May 2019. 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 .

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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 .

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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

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

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

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