Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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Inspection dates: 27 to 29 November 2024

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Adult learning programmes Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council provides adult learning courses across the borough of Barnsley. Its main delivery site is in the town centre. The service also provides courses in several community venues in the villages surrounding Barnsley.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 357 learners on courses funded by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. Most learners were on tailored learning pathways towards qualifications in functional skills English and mathematics, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) or digital skills, and non-accredited courses designed to build confidence and support well-being. There were 17 learners on vocational programmes to support progression into entry level roles in health and social care and supporting teaching in schools. 27 to 29 November 2024

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

Learners flourish on their courses. They gain the knowledge, skills and confidence that they need to make positive changes to their lives. Learners on entry level ESOL courses rapidly enhance their use of words and phrases to communicate more effectively when out shopping or when visiting doctors’ surgeries. Learners on vocational pathways gain the qualifications that they need to move on to further study or paid employment. Learners on well-being courses develop the mindset and self-belief to move closer towards their personal goals.

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

Learners develop quickly the routines and behaviours that they need to be successful in learning, at work and in their communities. They attend their sessions routinely and arrive prepared and eager to learn. They take part in the activities set for them by their tutors with enthusiasm and complete homework to extend their learning outside of teaching sessions.

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

Learners contribute to a highly respectful community of learning. They take part in community projects to see the benefits of people working together for a greater cause. They prepare the cultural foods of their home countries to share with their peers in sessions and enjoy talking about their different traditions. Tutors weave topical social issues through their teaching to help learners understand the motivations and behaviours of others and their own sense of morality.

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

Learners receive highly personalised information, advice and guidance. They discuss their hopes and ambitions frequently with tutors and qualified careers advisers. Staff take time to understand the complex barriers that many learners face towards achieving their goals. They consider these carefully to plan pathways that move learners closer towards achieving these goals. This improves learners’ aspirations and outlook, and they feel empowered to make informed choices about their next steps.

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

Learners feel safe because of the care, compassion and expertise of staff. Staff use the extensive training that they receive in trauma-informed practice, mental health and safeguarding to provide effective and timely support to learners. They refer learners quickly for external support, where appropriate, through their extensive links with local agencies.

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better?

Leaders are deeply committed to raising the aspirations of adult learners to address high levels of economic inactivity across the borough of Barnsley. They work closely with stakeholders to design learning pathways that align precisely with local priorities and to move learners closer towards employment. Leaders worked with their local NHS partners to identify patients who would benefit from new digital skills and well-being support to seek alternative employment due to their health conditions. 27 to 29 November 2024

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Leaders have in place highly effective systems to ensure that most learners remain on their courses and achieve. They identify accurately the learners who may be at risk of not achieving. They put in place effective plans to lessen the impact of barriers to learning. For example, learners can place their children in an on-site creche while they attend their sessions at a community library.

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Tutors plan and sequence learning very effectively so that learners develop and strengthen their knowledge and skills. For example, learners on entry level ESOL courses apply the basic conversational skills that they learn early in their course to more complex scenarios, such as speaking to teachers at their child’s school.

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Tutors use their comprehensive understanding of learners’ starting points to plan learning that is ambitious and meets learners’ needs. Functional skills mathematics tutors ensure that learners with low levels of mathematical skills first strengthen their whole number skills. They set more complex tasks for those whose skills are more advanced, such as using mathematical processes and formulae to solve problems.

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Tutors use highly effective teaching and assessment methods to teach and strengthen new knowledge and skills. Functional skills English tutors provide clear explanations to help learners interpret and analyse text. On vocational courses, tutors use probing questions to check learners’ application of the core care values within the healthcare sector. Learners use the helpful feedback that they receive from their tutors to strengthen their understanding and improve their work.

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Tutors ensure that learners with additional needs achieve in line with their peers. They provide learners who are neurodiverse with strategies to help them focus in and out of class. Digital skills tutors support learners to use assistive technologies and provide printed resources and coloured overlays to ensure resources are accessible.

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Tutors and pastoral staff successfully develop learners’ confidence and resilience. They support learners to lead sessions and facilitate activities with their peers. They teach them how to contribute to discussions and to share their ideas assertively when working in a group. Staff reinforce the progress that learners make with frequent praise and encouragement. This motivates learners and empowers them to apply these skills proactively in their own lives.

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Staff place a high priority on improving learners’ health and well-being, so that learners are more able to attend and achieve. Learners undertake well-being walks with their tutors and peers to realise the benefits of an active lifestyle. Tutors embed activities in sessions to promote positive habits, such as practising gratitude to improve mood and outlook. Learners on well-being courses identify aspects of their lives that they are grateful for, before writing these on coins and depositing them in their positivity banks.

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Leaders and managers understand very well the quality of their provision. They visit teaching sessions, speak to learners and review learners’ work. Members of a highly 27 to 29 November 2024

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effective advisory board frequently join leaders and managers in these activities. This gives members a deeper understanding of the quality of provision, which they use to provide highly effective support and challenge to leaders to drive continued improvement.

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Leaders plan a wide range of training to enhance the knowledge and expertise of their staff. Staff attend training to develop their teaching skills and receive specialist input from the police and local charities to enhance their knowledge of matters such as hate crime, radicalisation and extremism and sexual exploitation. Tutors weave these themes expertly throughout their teaching to ensure that learners have a well- developed understanding of the risks that they may face.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 to 29 November 2024

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Provider details

Address Wellington House, 2nd Floor Market Street Barnsley S70 1WA

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Website

www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/adult-skills- and-community-learning/

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Website

Principal, CEO or equivalent Anne-Marie Holdsworth

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Website

Date of previous inspection 13 to 16 November 2018

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Website

Main subcontractors None 27 to 29 November 2024

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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

Alison Dennis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Seaman His Majesty’s Inspector Georgina Ager His Majesty’s Inspector Neil Clark Ofsted Inspector 27 to 29 November 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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