Redbridge Institute of Adult Education

Further education and skills inspection report

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Short inspection of Redbridge Institute of Adult Education

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Outcome

Redbridge Institute of Adult Education continues to be an outstanding provider.

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Information about this provider

Redbridge Institute of Adult Education (the Institute) offers adult and community learning courses from pre-entry level to level 3 to learners in the London borough of Redbridge. Most learners study courses up to level 1. Lessons take place during the day and in the evenings at three main campuses in Gants Hill, Ilford, and Hainault, and at a variety of community venues across the borough.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 1,068 adult learners. Just over half were studying English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). The second largest curriculum area is digital skills, with 147 learners. The Institute also offers qualifications in English, mathematics, supporting teaching and learning, accounting, and bookkeeping, early years, and counselling. Fourteen learners were studying short online courses in a range of areas such as mental health, autism awareness and business administration.

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Information about this provider

Leaders subcontract a small number of health and well-being and volunteering courses to two subcontractors.

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

Learners feel privileged to study at the Institute. From the moment they enquire about courses, they experience the welcoming and supportive environment that leaders and staff create. Through their courses, they gain confidence, develop independence, and become more integrated into their communities.

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

Staff take great care to understand in detail each student’s prior learning, career plans and any barriers to learning. Learners feel extremely well guided towards the best course for them. They are highly motivated to learn and do well on their courses because they are studying subjects at levels that are right for them.

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

Through useful activities at the start of courses, learners get to know each other and form productive friendship groups. Learners work well with each other in class, 24 and 25 April 2024

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amicably share breaktimes in communal areas, and set up study groups to help each other with course work.

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Learners value the high-quality training they receive. They develop new knowledge and skills quickly, which they competently apply in their daily lives. For example, ESOL learners use the digital skills they learn to identify safe websites and make online payments to their children’s schools successfully. Learners who had negative experiences of studying mathematics at school gradually overcome their fears of the subject and reduce their dependency on calculators to complete everyday calculations.

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Learners are extremely well informed about the options available to them when they complete their courses. They benefit from excellent guidance from specialist staff to help them identify career opportunities and how to pursue them. Learners receive very useful support in searching, applying, and interviewing for jobs. They are very positive about their futures and look forward to their prospective careers and next steps.

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Learners feel safe and happy at the Institute’s centres and, where applicable, in work placements. They respect staff and each other’s views and beliefs. They know how to report any concerns they may have to staff and feel comfortable doing so. They know that staff will take them seriously, support them and keep frequent contact with them until the issue is resolved.

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better?

Leaders, managers, and governors have managed a variety of changes extremely well to maintain the outstanding standards of teaching and training identified at the previous inspection. They have commendably adapted their offer to both the post- pandemic ways of working and the demographic changes in the borough’s population.

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better?

Leaders have an excellent understanding of the needs of their learners, the local area, and the labour market. They routinely review and adapt their offer to meet these changing needs and make sure that they continue to help learners to get or change employment, or to settle into the local community. For example, they doubled the number of pre-entry ESOL classes to meet the increased demand resulting from new arrivals to the borough from Ukraine. Following feedback from employers, leaders have adapted the curriculum content in accountancy, so that they teach learners the skills employers currently need.

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better?

Leaders, managers, and tutors are highly ambitious for their learners to make positive and sustained progress, whatever their starting points. In many of the subjects, they offer courses that enable learners to learn essential skills as well as prepare for higher studies and employment. For example, in mathematics, learners can develop the knowledge and skills they need to achieve qualifications from 24 and 25 April 2024

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functional skills at entry level to higher-tier GCSE. In accounting and bookkeeping, managers have introduced level 3 courses to expand their progression routes.

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Tutors use their extensive teaching and subject expertise to plan and teach a range of activities for learners to practise and apply the new knowledge they have learned. For example, in mathematics, learners use their knowledge of how to calculate the area of basic geometrical shapes to work out the area of compound shapes. When learners make mistakes in their calculations, teachers encourage them to work out the errors and guide them to find the correct answer. This increases learners’ capacity to solve problems and helps them to avoid making similar mistakes in the future.

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Tutors use questioning frequently and highly effectively to check that learners understand what they are taught. They quickly correct any misconceptions and deepen learners’ understanding of the topics they study. They use a range of well- structured assessment activities, such as daily tasks, tests, and homework, to identify gaps in learning. They monitor learners’ progress extremely well to make sure that they remember what they have learned.

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Tutors use assessment and revision highly effectively so that they know the topics on which learners are confident, and those where they still struggle. They refine their teaching and provide effective coaching to individual learners, who consequently feel very well prepared for their examinations. Learners, including those with additional needs and those at subcontractors, produce work of a high standard and achieve extremely well in their courses and external examinations.

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Tutors expertly teach their subjects so that learners understand the relevance of what they learn to their lives in a very practical way. For example, in mathematics, tutors explain to learners how what they learn about percentages can help them calculate food discounts when shopping. This provides learners with a very tangible reason for mastering mathematics.

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Tutors feel very well supported by their managers, both professionally and personally. They value the ample range of excellent continuous professional development events that they attend where they learn how to further improve their teaching skills. Staff value how leaders take consideration of their personal circumstances to allow them to have a good work-life balance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 24 and 25 April 2024

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Provider details

Address Gaysham Avenue Ilford Essex IG2 6TD

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent William Pickford

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Provider details

Provider type Adult Learning and Skills Service

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 8 and 9 May 2018

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Community Action Redbridge (formerly Redbridge Council for Voluntary Service) Redbridge Vision Leisure and Culture 24 and 25 April 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since Redbridge Institute of Adult Education was judged to be outstanding in May 2018.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the assistant principal for curriculum, 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

Montserrat Pérez-Parent, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sam Hanmer Ofsted Inspector Kanwaljit Dhillon Ofsted Inspector Anne Moynihan Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 April 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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