The Learning and Enterprise College Bexley

Further education and skills inspection report

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Short inspection of The Learning and Enterprise College Bexley

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Outcome

The Learning and Enterprise College Bexley continues to be a good provider.

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Information about this provider

The Learning and Enterprise College Bexley (LECB) is a community learning and skills provider in the London Borough of Bexley. LECB offers a range of accredited and non-accredited courses for adults and learners with high needs from three sites in Bexley. Most of the training takes place at its main campus at Brampton Road. Leaders offer courses in the daytime and evenings. Learners come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and many speak English as an additional language. Just under a third of adult learners have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and/or a health problem.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 986 learners enrolled on courses ranging from pre-entry to level 4. Of these, 937 learners were on adult learning programmes and 49 learners were on the provision for learners with high needs. The largest subject areas include preparation for life and work, functional skills mathematics and English, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), crafts, finance, creative arts and design, and health and well-being.

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

Learners, including those with high needs, study in an inclusive and supportive environment. They feel safe and value highly the individualised support that staff give them to help them achieve their goals. Staff, including managers and tutors, know their learners very well. They teach courses that meet the diverse needs of learners effectively. For example, they provide non-accredited digital skills courses for residents with little or no digital knowledge to help them access different services on their phones and digital devices.

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

Learners appreciate having access to a wide range of courses. Staff work closely with local employers and community organisations to plan courses that meet local needs well. For example, they collaborate effectively with the local authority to provide employability courses for local people who are unemployed. As a result, 3 and 4 December 2024

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learners gain relevant skills to prepare for employment and improve their job prospects.

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Learners develop the confidence to succeed in their personal lives and work. For example, adult learners on ESOL courses improve their English language speaking skills and become more integrated into their communities. They progress to higher- level courses or take vocational courses, such as level 2 and 3 supporting teaching and learning in schools, to access better paid jobs. In community learning, learners explore their interests enthusiastically and improve their well-being.

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Learners benefit from studying in well-resourced and suitably equipped classrooms and workshops. For example, learners with profound and multiple learning disabilities have access to high-quality sensory equipment. Staff use hoists and standing frames effectively to help learners to move safely and comfortably during activities. Learners enjoy their lessons, engage fully with activities and quickly develop their skills.

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better?

Since their previous inspection, leaders have taken effective action to maintain the good quality of education across the college. They have robust quality checks in place to monitor the quality of their provision. Governors and senior leaders routinely analyse key information and have a thorough oversight of their strengths and areas for development. They have sensible plans in place and use them effectively to rectify weaknesses and sustain improvements.

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better?

Leaders have strengthened how they assess what learners know and can do before they start their learning, to ensure learners are enrolled on the right course. For example, learners with high needs attend multiple taster days and have detailed assessments completed by specialists and staff. Staff use this information effectively to plan support and place learners on courses that best meet their specific needs. A high proportion of learners stay on their courses and complete their qualifications.

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better?

Leaders ensure that the curriculum is well sequenced. Tutors teach content logically, building in complexity over time and allowing learners to build their knowledge and skills incrementally. For example, learners on entry level ESOL first learn how to make simple requests by using appropriate words to ask questions. They then move on to complex scenarios such as making a course enquiry or buying a train ticket, using the same questioning skills to get the detailed information they need.

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better?

Tutors use their teaching and subject expertise well. They make skilful use of a range of activities, such as clear explanations, demonstrations and practical work, to teach learners new knowledge, skills and behaviours. In high needs provision, tutors and teaching assistants use suitable techniques effectively. For example, they make expert use of modelling, intensive interaction, presentations with music and images and physical and gestural support. Consequently, learners develop a good understanding of what they are taught. 3 and 4 December 2024

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Tutors use different assessment methods to check learners’ understanding effectively. For example, they use observation and questioning well to identify gaps in learners’ knowledge and skills. In counselling courses, tutors use probing questions to enable learners to reflect on different counselling practices. Tutors provide frequent and structured opportunities for learners to practise and apply the new knowledge that they have learned. As a result, learners become more proficient and are able to work independently.

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Most learners produce work of a good standard. In most cases, tutors give learners helpful feedback on their work. In level 3 hairdressing, for example, tutors clearly explain why a short graduation cut does not meet the required standard and demonstrate how to rectify the cut. As a result, learners improve their skills and produce higher quality work resulting in high customer satisfaction. In ESOL, tutors indicate clearly to learners when they use incorrect spellings, punctuation and grammar in their work. This helps learners to improve their spelling and grammar over time.

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Learners, including those with high needs, learn significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours as they progress through their courses. For example, learners on the level 3 hairdressing course learn how to carry out colour corrections and develop a good understanding of the theories related to hair colour. Learners on the level 3 teaching assistant course learn the barriers to teamwork and how these can be overcome. Learners feel well prepared and confident to take their next steps in employment.

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Tutors track learners’ progress and achievement effectively, including on non- accredited courses. Tutors and support staff are suitably trained and provide effective support for learners with additional needs to help them achieve. They use education, health and care plans well to set meaningful targets for learners with high needs. They collaborate closely with specialists and therapists to successfully integrate therapeutic approaches to teaching and supporting learners with SEND into their practice. As a result, a high proportion of learners, including those with high needs and SEND achieve their qualifications.

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In a few courses, such as level 2 functional skills mathematics and accredited digital skills, learners’ achievement is too low. In these courses, learners who have low starting points struggle to make expected progress and find the content too challenging. In a few cases, the quality of teaching is not consistently high. For example, in a small minority of ESOL lessons, tutors do not provide detailed enough feedback to learners to help them to improve their work. In community learning provision, learners’ targets do not always link clearly to their individual goals. Leaders have suitable plans in place to rectify these issues. However, it is too early to see the positive impact of those actions on learners’ experience in these areas.

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Staff provide learners with suitable information, advice and guidance to prepare them well for their next steps. For example, in employability lessons, tutors teach learners how to create CVs and prepare for job interviews. Hairdressing tutors teach 3 and 4 December 2024

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learners how to build their own clientele if they wish to start their own business. Most learners are well informed about their next steps and many progress to further learning and employment. However, leaders have faced several challenges to providing sufficient and timely support to learners on supported internships from job coaches with knowledge of SEND. Consequently, these learners are not suitably prepared for their next steps and most struggle to find suitable employment at the end of their internship.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Increase the proportion of learners who achieve functional skills qualifications in mathematics and digital skills.  Prepare learners on supported internships for their next steps in employment with effective and timely support. 3 and 4 December 2024

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Provider details

Address 5 Brampton Road Bexleyheath DA7 4EZ

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Philip Cunniffe

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Provider details

Provider type Community learning and skills - local authority

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 3 to 6 March 2020

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 3 and 4 December 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since The Learning and Enterprise College Bexley was judged to be good in March 2020.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the vice principal, 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

Saher Nijabat, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Haifa Abdul Amir Ofsted Inspector Julie Baxter Ofsted Inspector Ramin Narimani His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 December 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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