Kingston Upon Hull City Council

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Kingston upon Hull City Council

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Education programmes for young people Good Adult learning programmes Good Apprenticeships Good Provision for learners with high needs Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

Hull Training and Adult Education (HTAE) is part of Kingston upon Hull City Council. It provides apprenticeships, adult learning programmes, education programmes for young people, and provision for learners with high needs in the Humber region. Apprenticeships and adult learning programmes make up most of the provision. At the time of the inspection, there were 414 apprentices, mostly on standards-based apprenticeships from level 2 to level 5 in engineering, construction, administration and business. The few apprentices on apprenticeship frameworks were on engineering programmes. There were 490 adults on learning programmes, with most learners on courses in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), community learning and computing. There were 46 young people following programmes in construction and motor vehicle engineering, of whom 14 were young people with high needs, mostly in construction. HTAE has five learning centres

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Information about this provider

across Hull and works with two subcontractors that provide training in motor vehicle engineering for young people and learning support training for adults. 1–4 February 2022

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners and apprentices benefit from learning in calm and well-resourced learning centres. This supports them to engage in their studies effectively and make good progress. Leaders have invested in upgrading the facilities at centres, including providing a crèche so that learners who have children can attend lessons.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Tutors have high expectations of the behaviours that learners and apprentices should demonstrate. For example, tutors of learners on education programmes for young people instil in them the need to demonstrate appropriate behaviours and attitudes to work. They encourage learners to have good attendance and punctuality and agree actions with learners to improve these where needed.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Tutors have developed effective courses and a range of resources so that adult learners, who are often taking the first steps back into learning, learn how to keep themselves and others mentally healthy. Tutors provide helpful information to young people and apprentices on well-being, exercise and healthy eating.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners and apprentices benefit from teaching and support from well-qualified and experienced tutors, who use their knowledge and experience effectively to teach them the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to progress.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners and apprentices know whom to contact should they feel unsafe or have concerns relating to bullying and harassment. Most can identify who the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) is and how they can contact them in the event of a safeguarding concern.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear intent for their training and apprenticeships to support people from disadvantaged backgrounds into learning, to prepare learners for employment, and for apprentices to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours as part of their job roles. For example, they have responded to the shortage of a skilled workforce in the motor vehicle and construction industries, and provide a career pathway for young people who are not yet ready to access an apprenticeship or move into employment.

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better?

Leaders and managers work closely with external partners to provide courses that they adapt to meet the community’s and employers’ requirements. For example, they work with a local charity supporting adults who are mostly migrants to the country to develop their English language skills. Leaders and managers design courses that help migrants to settle in Hull, to engage in education and to enter employment, including self-employment.

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better?

Leaders and managers have an effective oversight of the quality of education. They carry out frequent quality assurance activities to identify strengths and weaknesses in teaching and all parts of the learner journey. They use this information well to 1–4 February 2022 support staff to improve their teaching practice through helpful training and support. Leaders have made improvements to the apprenticeship programme over the last two years, including reviewing the structure of delivery and sequencing of training in readiness for apprenticeship standards.

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better?

Most tutors plan and deliver the curriculum in a logical order that enables learners to develop their knowledge and skills progressively. However, a few tutors who teach courses in ESOL have not sequenced the curriculum well enough to enable learners to develop their speaking and listening skills sufficiently before moving on to more complex grammatical structures. As a result, too many learners on these courses find the work too challenging and struggle to recall previous learning.

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better?

Tutors use a range of effective teaching strategies to support learners to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours and achieve their qualifications. In adult pottery lessons, tutors provide effective instruction and explanation on how to centre clay on a potter’s wheel, manipulate the clay, and then draw up the clay. Tutors provide frequent and helpful feedback and advice on how to improve skills and reinforce knowledge, including that of ceramic terminology. This enables learners to remember and understand the theory behind successful pot throwing and to develop their practical skills well.

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better?

Tutors use a range of assessment methods effectively to check learners’ and apprentices’ understanding. They facilitate group discussions, ask probing questions, observe learners and apprentices in practical sessions, and get learners and apprentices to complete written assignments and online tests. Tutors provide learners and apprentices with useful support and feedback, which helps them to improve their work further.

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better?

Tutors support learners and apprentices well to improve their mathematical and English skills and to prepare them for GCSE and functional skills examinations. Learners on programmes for young people benefit from well-sequenced lessons in small groups with valuable one-to-one support. Tutors break down topics into bite- size chunks and give clear and simple explanations to help learners to understand. Tutors support teaching apprentices with their English by providing guidance on how to write an essay, supporting them to reference academic sources correctly, and correcting minor grammatical and spelling errors.

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better?

Learners with high needs benefit from effective support that enables them to make good progress in developing their knowledge, skills and behaviours, and in achieving their qualifications. Learners with dyslexia on programmes for young people use coloured overlays and reading rulers, and benefit from additional time to complete their GCSE and functional mathematics and English examinations. Tutors provide apprentices who have concentration difficulties with a learning environment that helps them to focus, such as ensuring that they have natural rather than electrical light.

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better?

In a few instances, employers are not involved sufficiently in the review of apprentices’ progress. While all parties contribute, there are instances where 1–4 February 2022 planning for further learning is missed, resulting in apprentices making slower than expected progress.

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better?

Tutors use a range of activities effectively to develop learners’ and apprentices’ understanding of British values and how these relate to their lives. For example, learners on ESOL courses discuss and learn about the differences between the law in the United Kingdom and in their home country, and the consequences of breaking the law.

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better?

Staff provide learners and apprentices with useful advice and guidance about their next career steps and training options, which helps them to make informed choices. Young people benefit from helpful careers information that they receive from tutors in review meetings. This helps them to make decisions about progressing to an apprenticeship, a traineeship or to college.

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better?

Leaders and managers provide good support to tutors with their workload and well- being. Tutors access frequent training and information on mental health and staying healthy. During the pandemic restrictions, leaders and managers provided ‘come with a cuppa’ online meetings to support staff and reduce feelings of isolation. Tutors with additional requirements, including tutors with dyslexia and dyspraxia, are well supported with helpful adjustments to help them to teach effectively.

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better?

Board members provide effective scrutiny and challenge to leaders and managers regarding the quality of education and the progress that learners make. Through their experience and extensive knowledge of HTAE, they challenge managers to ensure that learners and apprentices receive a good quality of education, are making progress and are kept safe in their learning. They meet with staff, visit training sessions and speak to learners on a frequent basis to ensure that they have a good understand the provider and the needs of learners.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers promote a culture of safeguarding. They have up-to-date policies and procedures that they use to keep learners and apprentices safe in learning, at work and in their communities.

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Safeguarding

The DSL and deputies are appropriately experienced and trained in their roles. They liaise closely with local authorities, the police, external safeguarding groups and support agencies to ensure that staff and learners receive up-to-date information on safeguarding and local risks. Staff receive frequent updates, including on topics such as county lines, sexual harassment and violence, domestic violence and radicalisation and extremism.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers ensure that staff are suitable to work with learners and apprentices. All staff undertake frequent safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training. 1–4 February 2022 Young learners and apprentices understand the risks of sexual harm and are confident that, should they have any concerns, staff would deal with them seriously and take appropriate actions.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that learners on courses in ESOL benefit from a well-sequenced curriculum that enables them to develop their English-speaking skills confidently before moving on to more complex reading and writing learning activities.  Ensure that all tutors fully involve employers in apprentices’ progress reviews to enable effective planning of further learning. 1–4 February 2022

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Provider details

Address Adult Education Centre Park Avenue Hull HU5 4DA

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Provider type

Community learning and skills – local authority

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Provider type

Date of previous inspection 9–12 October 2018

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Main subcontractors

North Humberside Motor Trades Group Training Association HYA Training Limited 1–4 February 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of service, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Jonny Wright, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Jacquie Brown Her Majesty’s Inspector Ian Frear Her Majesty’s Inspector Chloe Rendall Her Majesty’s Inspector Mark Keen Ofsted Inspector Lynne Paxton Ofsted Inspector 1–4 February 2022 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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