Sunderland City Metropolitan Borough Council

Further education and skills inspection report

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Short inspection of Sunderland City Metropolitan Borough Council

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Inspection dates: 30 April and 1 May 2024

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Outcome

Sunderland City Metropolitan Borough Council continues to be a good provider.

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Information about this provider

Sunderland City Metropolitan Borough Council’s Learning and Skills Service is located in the council’s Children’s Services Directorate. It receives funding for accredited programmes in English, mathematics, information communication technology, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), skills for jobs and a small number of vocational courses. It also receives community learning funding for a wide range of non-accredited programmes. Most courses are short, and in the case of community learning, often lasting for one day only.

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Information about this provider

The service provides programmes for adults across Sunderland through a commissioning model. At the time of the inspection, 10 providers had subcontracts to deliver education programmes for adults, of which four had learners enrolled on courses during the week of the inspection. There were 27 learners on non- accredited community education courses and 34 on accredited courses.

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

Learners enjoy their courses and value the time that they spend on them. Because leaders target the provision at residents who will benefit most from the provision, learners develop the knowledge, skills and confidence that they need to gain employment or better engage in community and family life.

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

Learners, many of whom have not engaged in education for a considerable time, improve their confidence, self-esteem and physical and mental well-being through learning and engaging socially with other adults in a similar situation to themselves. Tutors highlight and praise the incremental progress that learners make throughout courses, which motivates learners and encourages them to celebrate their achievements.

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

Learners feel safe while attending their courses. Staff at subcontractors encourage learners to share any concerns that they have about their personal and family’s safety and well-being. When learners raise concerns, they welcome the support that 30 April and 1 May 2024

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subcontractor and service staff provide to help them to access the specialist support that they need, including from healthcare professionals, police and local housing officers.

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better?

Senior leaders and elected members have a clearly defined vision for the service and how it contributes to the council’s priorities for the residents of Sunderland. Leaders ensure that the different strands of adult education funding that they receive are used appropriately and well to meet the needs of residents and communities.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of local skills priorities. Through their commissioning model, they work well with subcontractors to plan and provide learning programmes which enable learners to take the first steps in gaining the knowledge, skills and work-related behaviours that they need to progress into work in priority sectors or take their first steps towards this goal.

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better?

Most tutors sequence learning activities well. They carefully increase the complexity of subject content over time, ensuring that learners gain the knowledge and skills that they need to before building on this through more complex activities. They break complex topics into smaller chunks of learning, which enables learners to grasp concepts well before moving on. For example, tutors ensure that learners on the level 2 certificate for children’s and young people’s workforce gain a sound understanding about the stages of child development before moving onto learning about how to support children with special educational needs. However, a small number of tutors introduce content which is too advanced for learners’ existing levels of understanding. This confuses learners and slows their progress.

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better?

Tutors establish learners’ starting points well, including where they have additional learning needs. They adapt their teaching plans and methods skilfully to take these needs into account and enable learners to participate and make progress.

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better?

Tutors provide effective tuition and support for learners on both accredited and non- accredited programmes to develop their English and mathematics skills. Learners in ESOL are encouraged to speak English in social situations to help to consolidate their learning.

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better?

Most tutors plan learning to be flexible to take account of the often complex needs and personal commitments of learners. Learners’ attendance is high, and most learners are punctual. When learners miss aspects of learning due, for example, to childcare commitments, most tutors provide them with additional work and support to catch up. However, on a few courses, when learners are late, tutors do not start the lesson until all learners have arrived. This reduces the time available for structured learning and hinders the progress of a few learners. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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On community learning programmes, learners make good progress towards their learning and personal goals. A high proportion of learners who take accredited courses achieve their planned qualification.

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Leaders and managers ensure that learners receive good-quality careers education and guidance. They invite learners to termly events where local employers and representatives from the healthcare and voluntary sectors are available to provide learners with helpful advice about careers. Leaders engage well with advisers from the National Careers Service and arrange for them to visit subcontractors to provide advice to learners. Leaders provide all subcontractors with a directory of other learning providers in Sunderland and the range of courses that they offer so that staff at subcontractors can advise learners effectively about potential further steps in learning.

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Leaders make well-informed decisions to work with selected subcontractors to deliver programmes for the community. They carefully assess where subcontractors can support them to meet specific needs of adults who would benefit the most, such as those furthest away from employment.

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Leaders provide good information and set out their expectations clearly for prospective subcontractors who are considering bidding for contracts. They brief leaders in these organisations about the types of provision that the council will consider to meet its published priorities for adult learning. For example, they encourage prospective subcontractors to consider accredited courses that meet priority areas to support future employment for residents in areas such as green technologies, retrofit construction, warehousing, adult care and childcare.

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Leaders and managers maintain effective oversight of subcontractors and monitor and manage their performance well. They provide a good range of training and development opportunities for subcontractors’ staff. However, tutors at subcontractors often have limited opportunities to engage in training to develop their teaching skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that planning of learning consistently takes account learners’ existing levels of understanding to ensure that learners make rapid progress.  Ensure that all lessons begin at the arranged time so that all the time allocated to learning is used productively.  Ensure that tutors receive the training and support that they need to develop and improve their pedagogical skills. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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Provider details

Address City Hall Plater Way Sunderland SR1 3AA

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Website

https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/article/19 079/Learning-and-Skills-Service

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Website

Principal, CEO or equivalent Julie Gwillym

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Website

Date of previous inspection 9 to 12 April 2019

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Website

Main subcontractors Brightsparks Training Foundation of Light Key Subject Tuition Michael Erskine Penshaw View Training Ltd. Sportscape Training Three 13 Training and Enterprise Ltd. Training in Care Ltd. Uplift Associates Ltd. Winnovation Ltd. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since Sunderland City Metropolitan Borough Council was judged to be good in April 2019.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the service manager, 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

Malcolm Fraser, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Seaman His Majesty’s Inspector Mark Keen His Majesty’s Inspector Rebecca Matthews Ofsted Inspector 30 April and 1 May 2024

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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