Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

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Inspection dates: 9 to 10 and 14 to 15 January 2025

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Wakefield Adult and Community Education Service is in the council’s Regeneration and Economic Growth Directorate. The service is funded by West Yorkshire Combined Authority and provides courses at two main centres, with a further 36 partnership venues. The service offers part-time adult learning programmes in English, mathematics, information communication technology and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), and a number of vocational skills programmes. The service also provides a wide range of non-accredited tailored learning programmes. At the time of the inspection, there were 559 adults on accredited and tailored learning programmes. Most learners were studying accredited ESOL, English and mathematics and courses in vocational areas including bookkeeping, teaching assistant, art and sewing. A smaller proportion of learners were studying tailored learning programmes to support housing tenancies and preparing for ESOL, English

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Information about this provider

and mathematics courses. 9 to 10 and 14 to 15 January 2025

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

Learners learn in a nurturing and inclusive environment. They appreciate the kindness, care and patience of staff and know it is acceptable to get things wrong. They feel safe and comfortable to talk about their reasons for joining their courses, particularly when they relate to mental health and well-being. They see the training centre as a safe environment.

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

Learners have high attendance and are very punctual to their lessons. They often arrive well before the scheduled start time for their lessons and are very well prepared to start. Learners on tailored learning courses improve their attendance significantly over time with support from staff. Many learners progress from tailored learning onto accredited learning programmes, where they have high attendance in line with their peers.

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

Learners follow a comprehensive enrichment curriculum to support their personal development. Activities include health and well-being fairs, events for women to gain confidence, mindfulness workshops and events to support getting into volunteering. A high proportion of learners take part in both service-wide and vocationally specific activities linked to their learning programmes, such as volunteering to support children in local primary schools.

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

Staff provide highly individualised support which learners use to navigate their often- complex lives. Staff support learners to re-engage in learning following significant periods of absence from education or having recently moved to the country. Learners develop how to gain stability in their lives, which provides the foundations for them to move closer towards their future goals.

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better?

Leaders have a very clear intent to provide learning programmes alongside a highly effective and comprehensive personal development curriculum. This significantly improves the life chances and employment prospects of adults in the local community. They offer courses to meet the varying demands and needs of the communities they serve and the council’s priorities.

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better?

Tutors mostly use a variety of effective teaching strategies well to promote learning. They teach learners new knowledge and skills in a logical order and build on prior learning. They use recap activities effectively at the start of lessons to check what learners can remember. In creative crafts, learners explain how they can include tonal value in their artwork and how to achieve different tone through the pressure they apply on their tools when mark making.

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better?

Tutors mostly use assessment techniques well and provide helpful feedback to learners on their written and practical work. In creative crafts, tutors set learners precise targets which help to develop their skills and knowledge at an appropriate pace, such as learning about the different types of glazes. Learners respond well to 9 to 10 and 14 to 15 January 2025

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the guidance they receive in relation to their targets and record the outcome of their experiments in their workbooks. However, in a few instances learners do not consistently act on the feedback they receive, and continue to make the same mistakes.

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Tutors provide very effective support for learners on tailored learning courses. For example, on the programme to support learners to gain a housing tenancy with the council, tutors provide highly effective support to learners which often transforms their lives. They provide support on completing tenancy paperwork, applying for benefits and gaining furniture from grants and charities. They work with care and empathy to build learners’ self-esteem and confidence.

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Almost all learners stay on their courses and achieve their qualification. Learners report that they can keep themselves physically and mentally well as a result of what they have learned on their course.

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Leaders and managers have implemented effective processes to support learners with additional needs and those who are at risk of becoming vulnerable. Specialist support staff help most learners with additional support needs successfully in lessons and throughout their learning programmes. On a very few occasions, tutors do not provide support for learners with additional needs, such as support for learners with dyslexia who need overlays to help with reading.

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Leaders, managers and staff across the service provide exceptional support for their work colleagues with their workload and well-being. Where staff have particularly challenging situations to cope with, such as supporting family members or bereavement, colleagues at all levels in the service provide consistent help and encouragement. This helps staff through very difficult times to continue to work and, if they have been absent, to return to work quickly and be effective in their job roles.

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Tutors and staff provide very helpful careers information, advice and guidance to learners to effectively plan learning pathways that match their goals and aspirations. Progression staff link closely with the National Careers Service, which delivers workshops on interview skills and conducts industry-related mock interviews. Staff from the local council business start-up team attend the centre frequently to provide support on self-employment, including marketing, business planning, using social media and business networking. As a result, learners are well informed about their next steps.

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Leaders and managers have in place a well-established and highly effective governance structure. The elected council member and senior council leader responsible for the service have a highly active role on the board. Governors have a wealth of experience in education and training and use this very well to support and challenge leaders and managers over the intent of the curriculum, the quality of teaching that learners receive and the progress learners make towards their next steps. Governors are very close to the service and fully understand its strengths and weaknesses. 9 to 10 and 14 to 15 January 2025

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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 teachers put in place effective additional classroom support for all learners with identified learning needs.  Encourage all learners to act on feedback received to improve their work. 9 to 10 and 14 to 15 January 2025

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Provider details

Address Manygates Education Centre 24–26 Manygates Lane Wakefield WF2 7DQ

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Christine Haines

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Provider details

Provider type Community Learning and Skills – Local Authority

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 16 to 19 October 2018

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Not applicable 9 to 10 and 14 to 15 January 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the assistant 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

Jonny Wright, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Lonsdale His Majesty’s Inspector Alison Dennis His Majesty’s Inspector Joanne Stork His Majesty’s Inspector Bev Cross Ofsted Inspector Tina Ockerby Ofsted Inspector 9 to 10 and 14 to 15 January 2025

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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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