Brent Start Adult Education Service

Brent Start Adult Education Service Interim visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Steve Lambert, HMI

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Address: 1 Morland Gardens Stonebridge London NW10 8DY Interim visit: Brent Start Adult Education Service, 2–3 December 2020

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Context and focus of visit

On 17 March 2020, all routine inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. As part of our phased return to routine inspections, we are carrying out ‘ interim visits ’ to further education and skills providers. Interim visits are to help learners, parents, employers and government understand how providers are meeting the needs of learners and apprentices in this period, including learners with high needs and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below and the findings are based on discussions with leaders, managers, staff and learners.

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Information about the provider

Brent Start Adult Education service is located within the council’s directorate of Regeneration and Environment. The mission of the service is to broaden minds, create opportunities and change the lives of individuals and communities. The service offers courses from three main council venues and a number of community- based venues. They deliver a range of courses leading to qualifications in English, mathematics, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), childcare and hair and beauty. Some 17% of the population in Brent lives in wards that are within the 10% most deprived in the country.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders and managers learned from the adaptations they made to their programmes during the first national lockdown in March what worked well. This enabled them to adapt their existing curriculum offer from September 2020 to better meet the needs of learners. In addition, they introduced level 1 courses in childcare and health and social care as a result of the emerging employment need.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders and managers have responded to the changing economic landscape in the area. They work in partnership with the council’s employment service, local further education colleges and neighbouring local authorities to develop sector-based work academies in customer service, care and construction. They aim to support learners to gain jobs in employment growth areas.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders and managers recognise that some learners will miss out on learning. They have introduced specific classes to help learners catch up on missed learning. Some learners were unable to take their examinations in July and will take them in December. This has delayed their progression to higher level courses. Interim visit: Brent Start Adult Education Service, 2–3 December 2020 To help learners with learning difficulties and disabilities, teachers have sent learning packs home each week. This has helped to ensure that they continue to learn skills that will help them to live more independently. Staff have also had to adapt their curriculum in response to the pandemic. For example, learners were not able to work in the café, so, instead, they take part in a volunteering project.

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stakeholders and adapts to changed circumstances?

Leaders and managers have supported staff during the pandemic. Their regular communications and provision of training have helped staff to develop their skills in teaching online. Staff have been given support with their well-being during periods of working from home. For example, community learning teachers have provided online yoga and Zumba sessions for staff to join.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Managers review how well teachers teach the curriculum through their established quality assurance process. They focus on the quality of online teaching, as for many teachers this is new. Teachers say that they and their learners are enthusiastic about learning online. They are particularly positive about the use of live-streaming lessons. Learners who are unable to attend in person can join and interact from home. As a result, few learners miss lessons. Managers say attendance rates are in line with those prior to the pandemic.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

In September 2020, teachers assessed all learners who returned to study. They found notable gaps in learners’ knowledge. They cited examples such as entry-level ESOL learners who struggle to use verbs and prepositions accurately, while hairdressing learners were not all confident in doing short cuts or blow dries.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Teachers adapt their teaching of the curriculum according to the circumstances of each learner and each subject. For example, in childcare, because learners cannot currently go on placements, teachers focus on theory components. As a result, learners are ahead in their preparation of activities for placements, and their knowledge of topics such as risk assessments.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

In family learning, senior leaders acknowledge that the disruption due to COVID-19 has had a detrimental impact. Staff endeavour to maintain as much contact with families as possible, However, the closure of children’s centres means they are not able to provide the service they previously did.

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the reasonable needs of learners?

Teachers provide considerable guidance to learners on how to use their computers and phones for learning. For adults with learning difficulties, staff also teach their parents and carers how to use learning technology so that they can be helped at home. Interim visit: Brent Start Adult Education Service, 2–3 December 2020 Staff continue to provide careers advice and guidance to learners and refer them to external agencies when necessary. Learners say they receive appropriate guidance to help them select vocational programmes to meet their career aims.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Teachers have provided learners with additional information about how to keep themselves safe online. This includes information on how to maintain their privacy when attending online lessons.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Leaders and managers recognise that learners’ understanding of how to keep themselves safe from the risks of extremism and radicalisation has declined during the lockdown. As a result, staff are having to re-educate learners about these dangers.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Leaders and managers are aware of the potential difficulties when not seeing learners face to face. For example, it is more difficult to identify signs of neglect or abuse when working online. As a result, staff have received additional support and guidance on being vigilant when teaching online.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

Staff telephone learners each week to check on their well-being. Learners value the effort that staff make to support them. Interim visit: Brent Start Adult Education Service, 2–3 December 2020 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.

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potential risks, including from online sources?

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potential risks, including from online sources?

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potential risks, including from online sources?

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potential risks, including from online sources?

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