Setting

07 May 2004

Inspectors use a seven-point scale to summarise their judgements about the quality of learning sessions. The descriptors for the seven grades are: • grade 1 - excellent • grade 2 - very good • grade 3 - good • grade 4 - satisfactory • grade 5 - unsatisfactory • grade 6 - poor • grade 7 - very poor.

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07 May 2004

Inspectors use a five-point scale to summarise their judgements about the quality of provision in occupational/curriculum areas. The same scale is used to describe the quality of leadership and management, which includes quality assurance and equality of opportunity. The descriptors for the five grades are: • grade 1 - outstanding • grade 2 - good • grade 3 - satisfactory • grade 4 - unsatisfactory • grade 5 - very weak.

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07 May 2004

The two grading scales relate to each other as follows:

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SEVEN-POINT SCALE FIVE-POINT SCALE

grade 1 grade 2 grade 3 grade 4 grade 5 grade 6 grade 7 grade 2 grade 3 grade 4

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Adult Learning Inspectorate

The Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) was established under the provisions of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 to bring the inspection of all aspects of adult learning and work-based learning within the remit of a single inspectorate. The ALI is responsible for inspecting a wide range of government-funded learning, including:

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Adult Learning Inspectorate

Inspections are carried out in accordance with the by teams of full-time inspectors and part-time associate inspectors who have knowledge of, and experience in, the work which they inspect. All providers are invited to nominate a senior member of their staff to participate in the inspection as a team member. Common Inspection Framework • work-based learning for all people over 16 • provision in further education colleges for people aged 19 and over • the University for Industry’s provision • Adult and Community Learning • learning and job preparation programmes funded by Jobcentre Plus • education and training in prisons, at the invitation of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons.

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Contents

Description of the provider 1 Scope of provision 1 About the reinspection 2 Overall judgement 2 Grades 2 Key findings 3

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Contents

Leadership and management 7 Equality of opportunity 8 Quality assurance 10 Foundation programmes 12 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

1. Burleigh College was established in 1933. It is a privately owned training organisation (registered as Martinex Limited) with offices and a training centre in Hammersmith, West London. The college has contracts with Jobcentre Plus for basic employability training (BET) and short intensive basic skills (SIBS) programmes. Clients come from the central and west London areas. The college also carries out employability training on behalf of another organisation, which was outside the scope of this inspection.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

2. Two directors and a manager are responsible for the work of five full-time and two part-time teachers, two full-time and one part-time workplace co-ordinators and a statistics and data officer. The company holds a national standard for providing information, advice and guidance and the Investors in People standard, a national standard for improving an organisation’s performance through its people.

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Foundation programmes

3. There are 42 clients on BET programmes which last for up to 26 weeks, and one client on an eight-week SIBS programme. All clients are unemployed. Most speak English as an additional language and have low levels of reading and writing skills in English. Some clients have no experience of working in the United Kingdom (UK), while others have been settled in the UK for many years. Many are from local refugee communities. Classroom-based learning includes language and literacy skills, information technology (IT) training, jobsearch, confidence building and the development of personal skills. Most clients attend English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classes at levels from below entry level 1 to entry level 3 of the national standards for literacy numeracy and ESOL. A two- to four-week period of work placement with a local employer forms part of the programme. All clients are referred to Burleigh College by Jobcentre Plus. Burleigh

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Foundation programmes

College’s staff interview new clients and carry out an initial assessment of their literacy and numeracy skills. Clients receive an induction when they join the programme, and immediately before entering a work placement. Clients work towards qualifications in IT, food hygiene and ESOL or literacy and numeracy.

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Foundation programmes

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 1 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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OVERALL JUDGEMENT

4. At the previous inspection, the overall quality of the provision was not adequate to meet the reasonable needs of those receiving it. More specifically, leadership and management was satisfactory and equality of opportunity was good. Foundation programmes and quality assurance were unsatisfactory. At the end of the reinspection process, all aspects of the provision were found to be satisfactory or better.

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ABOUT THE REINSPECTION

Number of inspectors 3 Number of inspection days 14 Number of learner interviews 24 Number of staff interviews 24 Number of employer interviews 7 Number of locations/sites/learning centres visited 8 Number of partner/external agency interviews 1

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ABOUT THE REINSPECTION

Leadership and management 3 Contributory grades:

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GRADES

grade 1= outstanding, grade 2 = good, grade 3 = satisfactory, grade 4 = unsatisfactory, grade 5 = very weak

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GRADES

Equality of opportunity 2 Quality assurance 4

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GRADES

4 Foundation programmes Contributory grades: None 4 New Deal 25+ and work-based learning for adults

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GRADES

grade 1= outstanding, grade 2 = good, grade 3 = satisfactory, grade 4 = unsatisfactory, grade 5 = very weak Grades awarded at reinspection

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GRADES

Leadership and management 3 Contributory grades: Equality of opportunity 2 Quality assurance 3

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GRADES

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 2 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Achievement and standards

5. Rates of retention are satisfactory and show improvement since the previous inspection. Fewer clients leave early without a job. In 2002-03, the college retained 63 per cent of clients. Of those who started in 2003-04, 57 per cent have completed their learning programme and a further 23 per cent remain in learning.

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Achievement and standards

6. Achievement is satisfactory. The rate at which clients enter employment has improved since the previous inspection. Of those who started in 2003-04 and are out of learning, 25 per cent have entered employment. Overall, 75 per cent of clients in this period have gained jobs, qualifications or both.

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Achievement and standards

7. Clients develop confidence and personal skills well. Clients in work placements benefit from speaking English outside the classroom, and gain a better understanding of the work environment. In learning sessions clients respond confidently to questions and interact well. They make good progress in developing basic IT skills.

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Achievement and standards

8. At the reinspection, of the seven learning sessions observed, 71 per cent were satisfactory or better.

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Achievement and standards

9. Work-placement provision is good. Burleigh College has taken successful action to increase the number of clients in work placements, and the number and range of work placements available. During the eight months up to inspection, 64 per cent of clients attended work experience. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection, when insufficient work placements were identified as a key weakness. The college has effective arrangements to ensure that the period spent on work placement is valuable to the client.

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Achievement and standards

10. Support for individual clients is good, also a strength at the previous inspection. Staff provide good individual monitoring and support during and outside learning sessions. College staff routinely accompany clients when they first visit a work placement. Trained Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 7 Total Grades awarded to learning sessions Grade 5 Grade 6 Foundation programmes 0 0 4 1 0 7 1 1 Total 0 0 4 1 0 7 1 1

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Quality of education and training

Foundation programmes 3 Contributory grades: New Deal 25+ and work-based learning for adults 3

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Quality of education and training

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 3 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Quality of education and training

specialist staff provide effective support for clients in a wide variety of legal and personal matters.

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Quality of education and training

11. Teaching is satisfactory. In particular, ESOL teaching has improved since the previous inspection, when it was inadequate. Lesson planning is detailed, the content of lessons is appropriate and in the better sessions, clients contribute freely and with enthusiasm.

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Quality of education and training

12. The range of English language teaching materials is adequate. Computer facilities are satisfactory, but paper-based IT learning materials are not sufficiently matched to the language or literacy needs of clients. Resources for jobsearch sessions are generally appropriate, but are not always sufficiently matched to learners’ English language levels.

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Quality of education and training

13. The college has now taken appropriate action to ensure its teachers are suitably qualified. Most teaching staff are working towards generic professional teaching qualifications at level 4. All but one of the teachers has a suitable initial teaching qualification in ESOL or literacy and numeracy.

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Quality of education and training

14. The planning, monitoring and assessment of clients’ progress was weak at the previous inspection, but is now satisfactory. Teachers carry out suitable diagnostic assessments of new clients’ skills during induction and set clear and challenging targets in individual learning plans. They regularly meet clients to review their progress.

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Leadership and management

15. Strategic direction and planning is good. College directors set clear strategic objectives which place a strong, unambiguous emphasis on providing training for work and helping clients gain employment. Directors have planned thoroughly to ensure that the college is well prepared for radical changes to the way it is financed. They closely monitor its activities and achievements.

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Leadership and management

16. Target-setting is good. At the previous inspection target-setting for improvement was identified as a weakness. The college has significantly increased the range and appropriateness of the targets it sets. Managers routinely set teaching staff demanding monthly targets, and evaluate outcomes with them.

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Leadership and management

17. The college manages learning and resources effectively. The management of support for numeracy, literacy and language is appropriate.

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Leadership and management

18. Appraisal is satisfactory. It is annual for most staff, and more frequent for new staff. Discussions during appraisal concentrate closely on the effectiveness of the job holder and the setting of goals directly related to improving performance.

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Leadership and management

19. Communication in the organisation is satisfactory. The directors have an open style of management. The manager meets with the teaching staff briefly every morning and all staff attend formal monthly team meetings which follow a fixed agenda.

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Leadership and management

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 4 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Leadership and management

20. There is insufficient curriculum planning. Burleigh College does not have a current overall plan for the curriculum it offers or sufficient arrangements to ensure clients receive a coherent learning experience across their six-month programme. Planning of group learning is short term and does not cater adequately for the roll-on, roll-off provision the college offers. There is no shared framework to ensure that clients cover the full range of jobsearch activities during their programme.

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Leadership and management

21. Burleigh College has effective arrangements and provides strong leadership for clients and staff on equality of opportunity. Staff are effective role models and support their clients. Clients value the atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect that exists within the college.

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Leadership and management

22. Burleigh College has a comprehensive and detailed equal opportunities policy, which is supplemented by a simplified equal opportunities statement which was written to meet the needs of the many clients.

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Leadership and management

23. Burleigh College has improved the reinforcement of equal opportunities since the previous inspection. Clients have clear targets in their individual learning plans for development of their understanding of equal opportunities and many are trained in employment rights.

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Leadership and management

24. Most clients have a satisfactory understanding of their rights and responsibilities and are clear about who to approach if they experience unfair treatment. Burleigh College takes appropriate action to ensure equality of opportunity for clients during their work placements.

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Leadership and management

25. Burleigh College makes insufficient use of data on clients’ ethnicity, gender and age to establish whether there are significant variations in rates of retention, or entry into employment.

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Leadership and management

26. The college has introduced successful initiatives to improve provision. At the previous inspection the college’s approach to quality assurance was unsystematic. The college has made very significant progress in introducing a well-recorded quality assurance system which contains clear written policies and well-designed procedures to cover all key training processes. Subsequently the college has made significant improvements to many of these processes.

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Leadership and management

27. Self-assessment is satisfactory. The most recent self-assessment report was published in February 2004 and recognised many of the strengths and weaknesses which were identified by inspectors. However, the college did not identify a key weakness in curriculum planning.

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Leadership and management

28. At the previous inspection the system for monitoring the standard of teaching was ineffective. Despite improvements, the observation of teaching and learning is not sufficient. There are still too few records of observation, and practice is inconsistent.

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Leadership and management

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 5 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Leadership and management

During the reinspection process, the inspectors identified the following strengths and weaknesses:

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Strengths

good strategic direction and planning ! good target-setting ! effective arrangements for equality of opportunity ! successful initiatives to improve provision !

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Weaknesses

insufficient analysis of equal opportunities data ! insufficient observation of teaching and learning !

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Strengths

good work-placement provision ! good support for learners !

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Weaknesses

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 6 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Grade 3

During the reinspection process, the inspectors identified the following strengths and weaknesses:

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Strengths

good strategic direction and planning ! good target-setting ! effective arrangements for equality of opportunity ! successful initiatives to improve provision !

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Weaknesses

insufficient analysis of equal opportunities data ! insufficient observation of teaching and learning !

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Weaknesses

29. Strategic direction and planning is good. The college has an appropriate mission, to provide good training in a fair and supportive environment. Linked to this, college directors have set four clear strategic objectives. These place a strong, unambiguous emphasis on providing training for work to meet client and local labour market needs and helping clients gain employment. They commit the college to exceeding the contractual requirements of the funding bodies. Staff are well informed about these objectives and many of the improvements made to programmes since the previous inspection reflect this. For example, ESOL classes now concentrate closely on helping clients develop the language they need in the workplace, and staff routinely encourage clients to attend work experience, although this is not a requirement of the college’s contract with Jobcentre Plus. The college’s well-prepared business and marketing plans

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Weaknesses

link closely to its objectives. They include a detailed analysis of the opportunities and threats the college faces such as recent radical changes in the way it is financed. Directors have planned thoroughly to ensure that the college is well prepared for these developments. They have a well-designed strategy to increase the number of clients the college recruits which includes college staff making regular presentations to Jobcentre Plus advisers. A strategic decision to concentrate on expanding the range of work placements in the commercial, rather than charitable retail sector, is designed to provide more potential for clients to find work. Directors closely monitor the activities and achievements of the college and now make monthly assessments of progress towards meeting strategic objectives.

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Weaknesses

30. Target-setting is good. At the previous inspection target-setting for improvement was identified as a weakness. No targets were set other than those for contractual purposes. The college has significantly increased the range and appropriateness of the targets its sets. Managers routinely set teaching staff demanding monthly targets that

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Weaknesses

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 7 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Weaknesses

include the minimum number of clients to be retained in learning, clients’ achievement of qualifications, their rate of entry into jobs, and into work placements. Management analyse the achievement of these targets and produce a detailed report each month for individual staff members. Following this, managers and staff meet individually to evaluate outcomes and to set new targets for the following month. A summary report is produced each month to clearly set out clients’ achievements and includes detailed comments on how successful the college has been in meeting its overall targets. Since the college introduced this approach to target-setting, the number of clients who attend a work placement has risen appreciably, from an average of 38 per cent to 64 per cent of those in learning. Trends in retention and entry into employment show clear improvement. Staff comment favourably on the demanding targets managers set them,

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Weaknesses

their effective focus on employment outcomes for clients, and the encouragement they provide to prioritise clients’ taking up work placements.

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Weaknesses

31. The college manages learning and other resources effectively. Budgetary monitoring is thorough. The management of support for numeracy, literacy and language is appropriate. All clients follow foundation programmes and these elements are central to their programme.

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Weaknesses

32. Appraisal is satisfactory. It is annual for most staff, and more frequent for new staff. Discussions during appraisal concentrate closely on the effectiveness of the job holder in their role and result in the setting of goals which are directly related to improving performance. While most members of staff are working towards formal teaching qualifications, there are few links between this activity and development needs identified during their appraisals.

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Weaknesses

33. Communication within the organisation is satisfactory. The directors have an open style of management and are supportive of staff. The manager routinely meets with the teaching staff every morning before the start of classes. All staff attend the formal monthly team meetings. These follow a fixed agenda and include equal opportunities, health and safety, quality assurance and matters concerning clients and staff. Individual staff take responsibility for carrying out actions arising from the meetings, and progress on these is followed up at subsequent meetings. Staff use these meetings effectively to share good practice.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

34. Burleigh College has effective arrangements to ensure equality of opportunity. The college provides strong leadership and support for clients and staff on equality of opportunity. The college is active in a range of relevant initiatives, such as proposals to integrate awareness of citizenship into the college’s ESOL curriculum. It maintains well- established links with local organisations which represent the interests of communities from which clients are drawn. These organisations provide useful specialist help to clients. One regularly offers work placements.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

35. Staff are effective role models and support clients. Staff are culturally and ethnically diverse, as are the clients. Burleigh College makes good use of the wide range of

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 8 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

community languages which staff speak when clients come to enrol, and when clients are on programmes. A significant proportion of staff are former clients and have direct experience of successfully overcoming barriers to employment. Clients value the insight and understanding staff have of their circumstances, and the atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect that exists in the college. Clients regularly contribute to the college’s newsletter which all clients and staff receive. The college makes appropriate arrangements for clients and staff who need facilities or specific timetables to worship.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

36. Burleigh College has a comprehensive and detailed equal opportunities policy which it reviews and updates annually. It includes a clear statement of principles and explanations of relevant legislation, as well as appropriate policies and procedures for dealing with bullying, harassment and complaints. Clients receive a simplified equal opportunities statement when they join the college, which is written specifically for those who speak English as an additional language. Staff carefully explain the associated policies at induction.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

37. Burleigh College has improved the reinforcement of equal opportunities since the previous inspection. At induction and subsequent progress reviews, staff agree specific targets in clients’ individual learning plans for them to maintain and develop their awareness. For many clients a principal target is to develop their understanding of employment rights. They attend learning sessions which are taught jointly by a member of staff who is a qualified solicitor and by an ESOL specialist. Although clients’ level of English is often at entry level 1 or 2, most have a satisfactory understanding of their rights and responsibilities. All are clear about who to approach if they experience unfair treatment at the college or on a work placement.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

38. Burleigh College takes appropriate action to ensure equality of opportunity for clients during their work placements. It requires all work-placement providers to have a policy which covers equal opportunities, and generally retains a copy. Providers that do not already have a policy are given effective help and guidance to produce one. On the rare occasions when employers’ practice is poor, Burleigh College stops placing clients with them. The pack of materials which is given to clients before they start a work placement includes a clear and simple statement about their rights to equality of opportunity in the workplace. When staff visit placements to assess clients’ progress, they routinely check that clients are being treated fairly.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

39. Action to ensure staff’s understanding of equal opportunities is satisfactory. All staff receive copies of the college’s equal opportunities policies and procedures when they join the college. Equal opportunities is a standing item at staff meetings and discussion is regular and minuted. While staff receive much useful informal updating, formal training is infrequent.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

40. Access to Burleigh College’s training rooms is good for people with restricted mobility. There is a lift to all floors in the building, but none of the toilet facilities are suitable for wheelchair users.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

41. Burleigh College routinely collects data on clients’ ethnicity, gender and age, which

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 9 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 2

highlights the diversity of its clients. However, it makes insufficient use of these data to establish whether there are significant differences in rates of retention, or entry into employment. It has recently examined some of these data for the first time, but the analysis is not sufficiently detailed to allow adequate identification of trends.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

42. The college has introduced successful initiatives to improve provision. At the previous inspection the college’s approach to quality assurance was unsystematic. Directors have carried out a thorough analysis of the college’s quality assurance arrangements and a well-prepared and detailed report now provides a clear summary of the actions required and the improvements to be gained through implementation of new procedures to monitor all aspects of the college’s provision. The college has acted effectively to put many of these recommendations into practice. Very significant progress has been made in introducing a well-recorded quality assurance system which contains clear written policies and well-designed procedures. Directors and managers, through monitoring and observation, obtain extensive information which they use to evaluate a wide range of college activities. They use the results of their evaluations

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

effectively to plan and implement changes to the provision. A clear monitoring and sampling schedule now covers all of the key training processes, including initial interviews with clients, the content of their individual learning plans and portfolios and their progress reviews. Following evaluation of the results, the college has made significant improvements to many of these processes. For example, recording of clients’ learning goals is now thorough and targets in their individual learning plans refer directly to activities to increase their employability.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

43. Self-assessment is satisfactory. Involvement of staff and clients in producing the college’s annual self-assessment report is well established. The most recent self- assessment report was published in February 2004 and recognised many of the strengths and weaknesses identified by inspectors. However, the college did not identify a key weakness in curriculum planning.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

44. Arrangements for the collection and analysis of client feedback are satisfactory. Client questionnaires and regular group sessions with a director provide the manager with useful feedback. Action follows when appropriate. For example, clients raised concerns on the availability of modern computer equipment. The college responded by investing in new computers, printers and data projectors. The college also collects and records thoroughly the views of clients through individual interviews when they complete their programmes.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

45. At the previous inspection the system for monitoring the standard of teaching was ineffective. The college has made some progress recently in increasing the frequency and quality of lesson observations. However, the observation of teaching and learning is not sufficient. There are still too few records of observation, and the system is too new to judge its effectiveness in improving the quality of teaching and learning. Practice is inconsistent. Documents for observers to complete are well structured and detailed. They contain appropriate sections to record the effectiveness of teaching and the clients’

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 10 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

response and achievement within the lesson. While observers comment routinely on the standard of a teacher’s performance, this varies from clear and detailed judgements to merely ticking against a checklist of statements. There is no indication of the grade structure in use during the observation and grades recorded on all the observation forms were satisfactory. Teachers’ comments on the judgements recorded do not always include responses to key weaknesses which are identified by the observer.

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Quality assurance Contributory grade 3

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 11 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Grade 3 Foundation programmes

During the reinspection process, the inspectors identified the following strengths and weaknesses:

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Achievement and standards

46. Rates of retention are satisfactory and show an improvement since the previous inspection. Fewer clients leave early without a job. In 2002-03, the last year for which data are complete, the college retained 63 per cent of clients. Of those who started in 2003-04, 57 per cent have completed their learning programme and a further 23 per cent remain in learning.

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Achievement and standards

47. Achievement is satisfactory. The rate at which clients enter employment has improved since the previous inspection. Of those who started in 2003-04 and have been out of learning for more than the 13 weeks Jobcentre Plus requires outcomes to be monitored, 25 per cent have entered employment. This is a satisfactory rate for clients on this programme, all of whom face significant barriers to gaining work, often including very low levels of spoken or written English. Almost 50 per cent of clients achieved one or more qualifications in ESOL, literacy, numeracy or IT. For many, this is the first time they have achieved a qualification. Overall, 75 per cent of clients in this period have gained jobs, qualifications or both.

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Achievement and standards

48. Clients develop confidence and personal skills well. Clients in work placements report that they benefit from interacting with other members of staff, from speaking English outside the classroom, and gain a better understanding of the work environment. In learning sessions clients respond confidently to questions and interact well. They make good progress in developing basic IT skills. Many have never used a computer before. Clients routinely produce curriculum vitae in a suitable format for employers early in their programme. Their portfolios of work are well organised and show appropriate progress. Programmes inspected Number of learners Contributory grade 3 43 New Deal 25+ and work-based learning for adults

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Strengths

good work-placement provision ! good support for learners !

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Weaknesses

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 12 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Quality of education and training

49. Work-placement provision is good. Burleigh College has taken successful action to increase the number of clients in work placements, and the number and range of work placements available. Over half of clients are in a work placement. During the eight months up to the reinspection, 64 per cent of clients attended work experience. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection, when insufficient work placements were identified as a key weakness. At that time only four clients were in a work placement. The college has successfully extended the range of placements to include more employers who offer the prospect of a paid job. A quarter of the 24 clients who recently gained a job are employed by the companies which provided their work placement. The college has effective arrangements to ensure that the period spent on work placement is valuable to the client. College staff discuss placements with clients

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Quality of education and training

during their initial induction, set target dates for work experience as part of the client’s individual learning plan and attempt to find a placement which matches clients’ prior experience or job aims. All clients have a work-placement induction immediately before they start their work experience. The college maintains regular contact with clients and their placement employers through progress review visits and other formal and informal contacts.

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Quality of education and training

50. Support for individual clients is good and this has been maintained since the previous inspection. Class sizes at the college are small, and staff offer good individual monitoring and support during and outside learning sessions. Clients benefit from the flexibility of the college timetable which allows them to move easily between levels of ESOL classes, to vary the amount of IT training they take, and if necessary receive additional tuition. To reassure clients who are nervous at the prospect of entering a work placement for the first time, college staff routinely accompany them to their first interview with the potential work-placement employer. In some instances the college places two or more clients with the same employer to encourage mutual support. Clients report that this increases their confidence. At induction, clients receive comprehensive information about the specialist counselling and legal advice services

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Quality of education and training

which are available at the college. A legally trained college manager provides effective support for clients in a wide variety of legal matters, and a trained counsellor offers useful help with personal problems. Many staff are former clients and most have a good understanding of the particular needs of clients and the barriers they face. Clients report that they benefit from the supportive environment and personal help they receive.

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Quality of education and training

51. Teaching is satisfactory. In particular, ESOL teaching has improved since the previous inspection. Lesson planning is detailed with clear group objectives and well- structured sequencing of activities. The content of lessons is appropriate with a strong focus on developing language skills for the workplace. In the better sessions, clients contribute freely from their own experiences and share ideas with enthusiasm. The teaching of pronunciation is often good, and improves clients’ intelligibility well. Clients develop strategies to spell key words effectively. Teachers make effective use of new skills for life learning materials in most sessions. However, in a few weaker sessions, planning is poor and the staff do not sufficiently match language or tasks to the clients’

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Quality of education and training

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 13 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Quality of education and training

52. The range of English language teaching materials is adequate. It includes appropriate dictionaries, some video and audio tape materials, and satisfactory stocks of textbooks. Computer facilities are satisfactory, but paper-based IT learning materials are not sufficiently matched to the language or literacy needs of clients. The college makes little use of information and communications technology within language teaching. Staff have recently participated in a nationally organised e-learning project but it is too recent to assess its impact. Resources used for jobsearch sessions are appropriate and include the internet, telephones, and local papers which advertise suitable job vacancies. However, jobsearch resources are spread across several classrooms and offices in the centre and this hampers the clients’ access to them. Teachers do not always have sufficient jobsearch materials or tasks match the varying English language levels of their

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Quality of education and training

53. The college has taken appropriate steps to ensure its teachers are suitably qualified. Most teaching staff are working towards professional teaching qualifications at level 4, which they are due to complete within the next 18 months. Managers are actively researching ways of enabling staff to complete additional specialist subject specifications where appropriate. All but one of the teachers has a suitable initial teaching qualification in ESOL or literacy and numeracy skills. However, none of the staff have followed ESOL training at a more advanced level which includes curriculum planning. All staff have completed national core curriculum training in ESOL or literacy and numeracy.

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Quality of education and training

54. The planning, monitoring and assessment of clients’ progress was weak at the previous inspection, but it is now satisfactory. Teachers carry out suitable diagnostic assessments of new clients’ skills during induction. The targets in individual learning plans are clear and challenging, and include language development and work-related targets. Language targets are cross-referenced appropriately to national standards and the core curriculum. Staff regularly meet clients to review their progress, examine evidence of achievement in their portfolios of work and update the targets in clients’ individual learning plans. Burleigh College is introducing the setting of milestones to enable clients to better understand the progress they make towards targets, but has not yet fully and consistently implemented this.

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Leadership and management

55. Staff have successfully managed the introduction of significant improvements to the provision since the previous inspection. Teachers have a good understanding of national developments in ESOL and have taken part in some external training and projects. They regularly exchange good practice at staff meetings and have recently visited another provider to see examples of successful provision.

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Leadership and management

56. There is insufficient curriculum planning. Burleigh College does not have a current overall plan for the curriculum it offers or sufficient arrangements to ensure clients receive a coherent learning experience across their six-month programme. Planning of

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Leadership and management

© 2004 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 14 BURLEIGH COLLEGE REINSPECTION

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Leadership and management

group learning is short term and is narrowly confined to meeting immediate needs. Most schemes of work are outdated and little used. They do not cater adequately for the roll- on, roll-off provision the college offers. They do not allow staff to evaluate sufficiently the progress of clients towards group goals. One teacher is piloting a new ESOL course structure of modules based around the new skills for life learning materials, but this currently caters for a small number of clients. Responsibility for jobsearch rests with class teachers. They know the clients well and adapt the content of individual sessions well to meet their capabilities. However, there is no shared framework for the jobsearch, nor are there adequate arrangements to ensure that clients cover the full range of jobsearch activities during their programme.

p.19