North Lincolnshire Council

North Lincolnshire Council Re-inspection monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Steve Hunsley, HMI

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Address:

Adult Education Centre The Link Scunthorpe DN16 2UT Monitoring visit: North Lincolnshire Council, 9–10 January 2020

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Context and focus of visit

This is the first re-inspection monitoring visit to North Lincolnshire Council following the full inspection in June 2019, which found the provider to be inadequate overall.

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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 weaknesses identified at the previous inspection.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have focused well on ensuring that managers and tutors carry out their roles more effectively. Senior leaders recognised the need to improve the quality of the provision and rapidly implemented effective strategies with the intention to do so. Directors and senior leaders supported managers well to restructure the type of courses offered by the service and to ensure that tutors were better equipped to deliver a curriculum that meets the needs of people in the local communities.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders swiftly put in place a governing board which now has effective oversight of the provision. Governors and senior leaders demonstrate a good awareness of the improvements that are required. They provide the necessary challenge and support to enable managers and tutors to be more effective in their roles and to ensure that the quality of the provision improves.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have introduced a well-considered quality assurance process with a good focus on improving the quality of the provision and the experience of learners. Managers have ensured that tutors are more accountable as they take on more responsibility for their courses. For example, through a revised observation process tutors are challenged on all aspects of the courses that they teach, including attendance, punctuality and the standard of work produced by their learners. As a result, attendance has improved markedly, and learners participate more fully in their lessons.

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Reasonable progress

Through introducing a revised performance management process, leaders have acted effectively to ensure that tutors are better suited to their job roles and are more accountable. Tutors are better supported in their personal development and have access to more reliable information and support to help them improve the quality of their teaching. Monitoring visit: North Lincolnshire Council, 9–10 January 2020

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, senior leaders have implemented useful systems which enable staff, managers and tutors to monitor and evaluate the quality of the provision more effectively. As a result, leaders and tutors have a better understanding of learners’ attendance patterns and the progress that learners make from their starting points.

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Reasonable progress

Governors, leaders and managers use the information available to them effectively in order to review the quality of the provision. They intervene swiftly where performance drops, or where improvements are required.

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Reasonable progress

Because of their improved understanding of the stronger aspects of the provision, managers have ensured that good teaching practice is shared through regular staff development events and through peer support. Leaders ensure that, during staff development days, tutors routinely share their practice and discuss ways in which they can help each other to improve. For example, comprehensive systems for monitoring learners’ progress, implemented by tutors, are used more effectively by colleagues across the provision.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use local labour market information and their partnerships with local agencies effectively in order to provide courses and training which meets the needs of the local communities and local employers. For example, leaders have recently introduced a level 1 course in preparing learners to work in schools, which supplements well the level 2 supporting teaching and learning programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have restructured both the staff resource and the curriculum offer to meet more effectively the needs of the local communities that they serve. They now have a much clearer focus on providing educational opportunities for those in the community that are least likely to participate in learning and are furthest away from sustainable employment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers make good use of the information that they receive from their consultation with partners, local agencies and community groups to align the provision to meet local needs more closely. For example, they removed a number of recreational courses from the curriculum as the courses did not meet local needs. The curriculum now concentrates on the key competencies that local people need Monitoring visit: North Lincolnshire Council, 9–10 January 2020 either to enter the job market or to make improvements to their or their family’s lives. For example, leaders now provide useful courses in English for speakers of other languages and, through their links with local schools, have expanded the provision for teaching assistants.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors plan the delivery of their subject well to enable learners to build on their prior understanding and knowledge. For example, family learning courses help parents with young babies to understand the early developmental phases of a child’s education and to use this knowledge to improve their children’s communication skills. Many learners demonstrate improved self-confidence and well-being.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured that appropriate progression routes are available for learners from courses in English, mathematics, English for speakers of other languages, business administration, customer service and employability. Leaders also provide effective support sessions for local people in interviewing techniques and in applying for work.

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Reasonable progress

Governors and leaders are aware of the need to expand further the provision of adult learning across the wider rural community groups within the authority. Currently, the provision is limited for these communities, and learners wishing to participate need to travel to the main delivery centres.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors carry out appropriate activities at the start of learners’ courses to determine effectively learners’ prior knowledge and understanding of the subject that they intend to study. They use this information effectively in order to enrol learners on the appropriate level of programme and to plan learning that enables learners to remember and use what they have learned. For example, learners on courses in English for speakers of other languages are able to make appointments to see their doctor more confidently and take and pass their driving licence theory test.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors routinely monitor the extent to which learners are improving their subject knowledge and skills and are able to recall information. They regularly discuss progress with learners and record the progress that learners make. Tutors make good use of information about learners’ progress to identify what individual learners need to do to improve further and to plan the next stage of learning. Tutors use assessment well to determine learners’ knowledge. For example, in family learning tutors use observations successfully and in English lessons tutors use discussions and probing questions well.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors quickly identify where learners are falling behind, are not able to recall previous learning, or are considering leaving their course. Leaders and tutors provide Monitoring visit: North Lincolnshire Council, 9–10 January 2020 effective support to ensure that learners continue with their studies and make the progress expected from their starting points. For example, tutors develop individual support sessions for learners or provide effective and discrete support in the classroom. Monitoring visit: North Lincolnshire Council, 9–10 January 2020 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

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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 looked after children, 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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