Street League

Name of lead inspector: Bob Busby Ofsted Inspector

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

Suite 1.05 The Courtyard Royal Mills 17 Redhill Street Manchester M4 5BA Monitoring visit: Street League, 23–24 July 2019

p.1

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.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

Street League (SL) received its first publicly funded contract for adult education in November 2017. Currently, 10 learners are enrolled on short courses with SL. Courses run for between six and 12 weeks in SL’s learning centres in Birmingham, Leeds, Middlesbrough and Sheffield. Courses include employability training, personal development and functional skills English and mathematics. All learners are unemployed at the time of starting their programmes.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have a clear strategy for delivering employability courses. They have a good understanding of employment opportunities and the job skills needed in the areas they serve. They design courses that help learners to achieve qualifications and to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to progress into work.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders target their adult education budget very effectively on those learners who are least likely to participate in education and training. Consequently, they re-engage learners successfully and help them to overcome their barriers to learning.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have a clear oversight of the progress learners make. Progressions coordinators (PCs) intervene quickly and agree specific action plans with learners to ensure that learners stay on track. They set clear achievable targets that help learners make progress towards meeting their learning goals.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers monitor well learners’ progression into employment, voluntary work and further or higher education. Staff provide good support to all learners upon completion of their courses, including those learners who leave early without achieving qualifications. Managers use information on learners’ destinations effectively to evaluate the relevance of the curriculum offered. Monitoring visit: Street League, 23–24 July 2019 Members of the advisory board provide appropriate support and challenge to senior leaders and managers. The advisory board receives detailed reports on safeguarding and on learner outcomes but does not receive enough information on the quality of teaching and learning. The members provide a good range of expertise across the financial and business sectors, particularly in leadership, but do not have enough experience in the further education sector to be able to offer support and challenge

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders’ and managers’ quality improvement arrangements do not have enough impact on improving the quality of provision. For example, although observations of teaching and learning sessions lead to improvement plans, too often, the progress against identified actions is not monitored. The reports on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment place too little importance on what learners learn and on the progress they make. Consequently, leaders and managers are not sufficiently aware of the strengths and areas for improvement in the provision.

p.3

Reasonable progress

PCs use information about learners’ starting points well to plan programmes. They identify specific learning goals for learners. They focus effectively on developing work-related skills that are relevant to the jobs and careers learners want. As a result, learners develop substantial personal and new employability skills, such as self-management, teamwork and communication.

p.3

Reasonable progress

PCs’ skilful use of questioning encourages learners to explore topics in greater depth and enhances learning. PCs practise interview skills with learners in preparation for attending job interviews. Consequently, learners increase their confidence, know what they need to do to achieve their learning goals and improve their chances of gaining employment.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Learners produce work of an appropriate standard and improve the quality of their work over time. Most learners make expected levels of progress. PCs develop learners’ mathematics, English and digital skills effectively. Learners display good verbal skills and increasing confidence in class. They manipulate numbers well when calculating proportionality in ‘healthy living’ food plates. Learners use enhanced digital skills to complete and submit online job applications and attach CVs.

p.3

Reasonable progress

PCs provide supportive feedback that helps learners to identify their strengths and weaknesses. PCs help learners to secure relevant work placements, often in industries in which learners aspire to work.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Learners are very positive about the value of adult education. Most recognise how it is helping them to achieve their personal and professional goals. They link prior learning well to new information and understand how their improved employability skills help their Monitoring visit: Street League, 23–24 July 2019 chances of gaining employment. Learners recognise how healthy living impacts on their lives and learning, and talk confidently about how being healthy will help them in the search for work.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers give a high priority to safeguarding learners. They have developed detailed policies and procedures relating to keeping learners safe. The two designated safeguarding officers (DSOs) are appropriately trained and qualified.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders check that staff, including those newly recruited, are safe to work with learners. All staff are frequently trained in safeguarding and in the ‘Prevent’ duty.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe and are safe. They are fully aware of the arrangements in place to protect them and know how to report any concerns. Most learners have a basic awareness of the dangers associated with radicalisation, extremism and social media.

p.4

Reasonable progress

The DSOs deal with safeguarding concerns efficiently. When necessary, they refer learners to external specialist agencies. However, there is a reluctance to close cases when SL’s involvement ends.

p.4

Reasonable progress

No advisory board member has responsibility for monitoring the management of safeguarding. Monitoring visit: Street League, 23–24 July 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 .

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