Free To Learn Ltd

Free to Learn Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Lynda Brown, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 263–265 Mare Street Hackney London E8 3NS Monitoring visit: Free to Learn Ltd, 30-31 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

Free to Learn (F2L) provides short vocational courses, including nail technology, security and construction at level 2 and level 3 and courses in customer service and retail knowledge at level 1 and level 2. They also offer functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics from entry level to level 2. F2L are based in the London borough of Hackney, with centres in Doncaster and Oldham. Currently, there are 111 learners; 96 learners are funded through the adult education budget and 15 through adult learner loans. Most learners are referred to F2L by Jobcentre Plus staff.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers at F2L have established a curriculum that meets the needs of learners and employers in the geographical regions in which they operate. Leaders’ main rationale for the curriculum is to provide learners with qualifications and skills so that they are well prepared to enter the labour market and develop their confidence and self-esteem.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers work effectively with Jobcentre Plus staff. They use their knowledge of the local areas well to adapt the curriculum swiftly. For example, they have recently developed logistics courses in the Doncaster region and health and social care courses in London to meet the demands of local employers.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that teachers are well qualified at appropriate levels and in appropriate subjects. Managers monitor the quality of teaching, learning and assessment effectively through frequent lesson observations and learning walks. Teachers who are new to the organisation or who require additional support benefit from activities such as mentoring or team teaching.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have put in place effective procedures to evaluate the quality of the provision. As a result, they have a good understanding of the main strengths Monitoring visit: Free to Learn Ltd, 30-31 May 2019 and weaknesses of the organisation. Leaders focus relentlessly on improving quality. They have used external experts and newly appointed managers to establish quality processes within the organisation and secure further improvements. However, it is too early to see the impact of changes that have been put in place.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have taken appropriate actions to secure improvements identified in their own assessment of performance. However, they do not evaluate effectively the impact of their actions. For example, they do not gather data frequently enough to know whether attendance is improving swiftly or whether it is consistent across all sites and courses. Managers do not analyse information on learners’ destinations once they have completed their training sufficiently well.

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Significant progress

Staff provide effective initial advice and guidance to learners to ensure that they understand the choice of courses and the commitment they are required to have to their learning. As a result, the vast majority of learners complete their courses and achieve their qualifications.

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Significant progress

Staff assess the skills and knowledge that learners have at the beginning of their course, including in English and mathematics, well. Staff use this information effectively to support learners to develop their skills and prepare them for employment. Learners benefit from the development of employability skills, such as in customer service and marketing skills, that help them to gain employment within their chosen career. For example, learners on a level 2 nail technology course can discuss relevant industry legislation and the importance of promoting products and services to clients in salons.

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Significant progress

Staff provide a supportive and caring learning environment in which learners develop their confidence and self-esteem. Teachers use a broad range of learning activities during lessons, such as role play and group discussions related to learners’ chosen career paths. For example, learners in nail technology use role play to practise communicating effectively with clients in a salon. As a result, learners enjoy their lessons, are motivated to learn and develop their vocational and employability skills well.

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Significant progress

Most students produce work that is appropriate to the level of their study. Teachers check learners’ work frequently and provide learners with helpful and detailed feedback. As a result, learners make good progress in developing skills that prepare them to gain employment.

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Significant progress

Managers check the quality of learners’ written work often to ensure that learners are on track to complete their courses. Where learners are at risk of not achieving, Monitoring visit: Free to Learn Ltd, 30-31 May 2019 teachers intervene swiftly to help them catch up. A small minority of teachers do not correct spelling and grammar routinely, so learners do not know how to improve.

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Significant progress

Managers and teachers have established very good relationships with employers through an employability team within F2L. Teachers use these links well to secure employment opportunities for learners. Employers visit F2L to speak about the skills that they require their employees to have and they help learners to practise their interview skills. In construction and in nail technology employers hold job interviews for learners on-site. This often results in learners receiving full- or part-time job offers.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers give a high priority to safeguarding within the organisation. They have appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures, including for online safety and lone working. They implement these effectively to keep learners and staff safe.

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Significant progress

Managers check thoroughly that staff are safe to work with vulnerable learners. They update checks frequently and keep accurate and up-to-date records. Managers have put in place an effective staff induction programme and all staff have frequent training on safeguarding.

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Significant progress

The safeguarding team, including the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy DSL have received training relevant to their roles. Managers ensure that all staff carry out a broad range of training associated with safeguarding, including the ‘Prevent’ duty. Staff have a good understanding of potential risks to learners in the local area. However, not all teachers feel confident to discuss aspects of radicalisation and extremism in classroom activities. As a result, learners do not have enough opportunities to explore these issues in relation to their future job roles.

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Significant progress

Learners feel safe and are safe within the learning environment and in the local area. Staff support learners very well to overcome issues that may negatively impact on their learning. For example, staff provide good support for students who are homeless or have mental health issues. Staff have very good links with external agencies and, when appropriate, refer learners well. Monitoring visit: Free to Learn Ltd, 30-31 May 2019 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

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Significant progress

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

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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