Local Education and Development (LEAD)

Local Education and Development (LEAD) Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Maggie Fobister, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Townend House Park Street Floor 5 Room 5b Walsall WS1 1NS Monitoring visit: LEAD, 22 and 23 March 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection. 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’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Local Education and Development (LEAD) is an independent learning provider based in Walsall. LEAD was awarded a direct contract in November 2021 by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to deliver digital courses. At the time of the visit, 13 learners were in training. To date, 106 learners have completed their courses. Learners work towards 16-week digital bootcamps in data analysis and digital marketing. LEAD has a direct contract with the Department for Education to deliver digital skills bootcamps, which was out of scope for this visit.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders have a clear focus for the adult learning curriculums that they offer. They have a comprehensive understanding of the skills needs of the digital industry across the West Midlands. They have developed links with external organisations and have sought sector-specialist validation of the curriculum from industry partners. This has ensured that teaching is aligned with typical job roles found in the digital skills sector. The curriculum enables adult learners to progress successfully to employment in the sector, to gain promotion or to change career direction.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders have successfully used their previous experience with a training subcontractor to plan and meet the requirements of their directly funded contract with WMCA. They have recruited additional teachers with extensive experience in the digital industry and with the skills that they need in order to teach adult learners. Almost all teachers have teaching qualifications.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders ensure that learners have good opportunities to engage in learning and benefit from effective support. They collaborate effectively with key regional partners, such as WMCA, Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service, to enable unemployed adults to access the curriculum and to gain the knowledge and skills that they need to progress successfully to their next steps. Almost all learners successfully complete their courses. Monitoring visit: LEAD, 22 and 23 March 2023 Senior leaders have put in place appropriate procedures to enable them to evaluate the quality of their provision. They carefully monitor the progress that learners make and provide them with the support they need stay on track with their studies. However, quality processes do not evaluate all aspects of the provision well enough. For example, observations of teaching focus too much on what teachers do and not enough on the impact that teaching and assessment have on learners or on their

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Reasonable progress

progress over time. Leaders have recently started to put in place arrangements for governance, but it is too early to see the impact of this.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers design the curriculum in a logical way to support learners to develop significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours rapidly from their starting points. For example, in data analysis, learners first learn the principles of what data is and what it is used for, before moving on to advanced concepts such as developing data analysis and manipulation skills. As a result, learners know more and can do more over time.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers are experienced practitioners in the fields they teach. They use this experience in the classroom to give learners useful, real-world examples of the application of what they are learning. For example, learners develop skills in using the specialist tools that are relevant to the industry, such as specialist software and artificial intelligence. As a result, learners understand how the skills they are learning on their course can be used in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers use technical language in their teaching from an early stage. This ensures that learners become familiar in the use of terms that are critical to the development of their wider skills. Learners quickly develop fluency in these terms and can use them in the classroom and in their work.

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Reasonable progress

Learners complete a vocational assessment at the start of their course, and teachers use this information effectively to plan individualised learning. However, teachers’ assessment of learners’ starting points in English and mathematics is limited and does not accurately identify learners’ gaps in these areas. Leaders have recognised this and are in the process of implementing a more robust initial assessment tool, but the impact cannot yet be seen.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers use assessments to monitor the progress of learners throughout their course. They use the results of these assessments to plan further teaching or to provide additional support to learners where needed. As a result, learners who fall behind or who find topics challenging are supported well to catch up. Monitoring visit: LEAD, 22 and 23 March 2023

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders have implemented appropriate procedures to keep learners safe. The designated safeguarding lead has completed relevant training and has implemented suitable reporting procedures. Leaders follow suitable recruitment practices to check that staff are safe to work with their adult learners.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders and managers have put in place appropriate safeguarding policies, including their response to the ‘Prevent’ duty. All staff undertake regular training. However, leaders have not yet started to measure the impact of the actions they have set out in their ‘Prevent’ duty action plan.

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Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe and know how to report any concerns they may have. They have a broad awareness of extremist behaviour and radicalisation. However, they are less well informed about the potential risks posed to them in the areas in which they live and work, such as knife crime in the West Midlands. Monitoring visit: LEAD, 22 and 23 March 2023 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

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Reasonable progress

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 .

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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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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