CJI Solutions Limited

CJI Solutions Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Helen Flint, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

143 Lawrence Hill Bristol BS5 0BT Monitoring visit: CJI Solutions, 24–25 July 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

CJI Solutions Limited (CJI) trades as Local Learning. There are two small adult learning centres, one in Bristol and the other in Derby. CJI previously operated as a subcontractor for both national and regional providers and has held its own adult learning contract since November 2017.

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Context and focus of visit

CJI currently specialises in English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT). Just over 500 learners have studied on courses with CJI so far this year. Around half of these were originally from African countries, mostly Somalia and Sudan. Currently, 74 learners study in Bristol and 38 in Derby. Almost all learners study functional skills courses and a few study level 1 awards in ICT. CJI also work in partnership with the Restore Trust in Bristol to provide learners who are currently on probation with courses to help them find employment. These are level 2 warehousing certificates and health and safety courses required in the construction industry.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use their funding effectively to provide the most relevant courses to their learners. Their learning centres are in some of the most deprived areas of England so that they are accessible to learners who need them and to provide a community asset for local people. Leaders made the difficult decision recently to close centres in other cities and other deprived areas of Bristol so that they can continue to use their funding effectively.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers place a high priority on supporting learners who may be newly arrived in the UK, do not speak English as a first language or who may have other potential barriers to learning. They support adults in the local community who are not enrolled on CJI courses to find work by helping them to search for employment and write job applications. Monitoring visit: CJI Solutions, 24–25 July 2019 Senior managers have effective oversight of their provision and know their strengths and weaknesses well. They meet regularly as a board, and with their staff, to scrutinise what works well and to determine how to make useful improvements with limited available resources.

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Reasonable progress

Quality assurance processes used by managers are effective. As a result, tutors deliver appropriate, well-designed courses which help most learners to make good progress in developing relevant skills. However, managers do not make best use of available data to help them determine the full impact of their provision. For example, they do not evaluate fully how well different groups of learners perform or analyse where learners go after they complete courses with CJI.

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Reasonable progress

Managers maintain good links with external agencies which keep them well informed about local issues and topics. For example, they are members of a Bristol-based employability forum, which is also attended by the NHS and other local employers.

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Reasonable progress

Staff assess learners’ initial needs and their starting points well. They ensure that learners study courses which help them to overcome potential personal and social barriers. Learners develop useful English, mathematics and digital skills which they use in their daily lives. Learners gain confidence in their skills and ability to communicate. Many of them gain improved independence because of their courses and the support they receive from CJI staff. Consequently, and often for the first time, learners venture into their local communities to access the services they need, for example visiting the doctors’ surgery.

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Reasonable progress

Managers ensure their well-qualified tutors receive appropriate and well-structured continuous professional development which helps them improve their teaching. Tutors plan learning well and include a range of activities where learners work together to develop their skills. They use commercially available resources effectively, although these are not especially relevant to learners’ everyday lives and experiences. Tutors do not check learners’ understanding often enough. Staff monitor the progress of learners towards achieving their qualifications regularly, but do not focus sufficiently on monitoring the development of new skills and knowledge.

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Reasonable progress

A high proportion of learners on entry level functional skills courses achieved their qualifications in the last two years, especially for mathematics. Not enough learners achieved level 1 or 2 functional skills qualifications in 2017/18, but this has improved this academic year. Almost all Restore Trust’s learners who studied level 2 warehousing achieved their qualifications over the last two years. Monitoring visit: CJI Solutions, 24–25 July 2019 Managers provide high-quality independent careers advice and guidance to learners through their valuable partnership with the Restore Trust. Staff advertise local employment frequently and provide useful practical assistance to learners who are applying for jobs or other training. As a result, a high proportion of learners move into work or onto other courses.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established a positive and effective safeguarding culture in which learners feel safe. Learners have high levels of trust in the staff. Two well-qualified designated safeguarding officers are available to learners and staff at both centres. Managers provide their staff with useful, regular updates about safeguarding and related issues. Managers ensure that all staff, including those newly recruited, are safe to work with learners.

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Reasonable progress

Staff promote safeguarding, equality and diversity, and fundamental British values effectively with learners. However, not enough learners have a thorough understanding of the ‘Prevent’ duty as staff do not reinforce this sufficiently well.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have developed useful programmes specifically to raise staff and learners’ awareness of the illegality of forced marriage and female genital mutilation. These issues are explored thoroughly and develop learners’ understanding of relevant British law and values well. Monitoring visit: CJI Solutions, 24–25 July 2019 the guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website. 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 w ww.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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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

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Reasonable progress

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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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