Setting

24 February 2006

Inspectors use a four-point scale to summarise their judgements about the quality of learning sessions. The descriptors for the four grades are: • grade 1 - outstanding • grade 2 - good • grade 3 - satisfactory • grade 4 - inadequate

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24 February 2006

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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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 • provision • Adult and Community Learning • training funded by Jobcentre Plus • education and training in prisons, at the invitation of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons. • adult information, advice and guidance services ( )

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REINSPECTION REPORT

Text5: Kingston upon Thames LEA Reinspection

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Contents

Description of the provider 1 Scope of provision 2 About the reinspection 3 Overall judgement 3 Hospitality, sport, leisure & travel 9 Family learning 12 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

1. The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK) local education authority (LEA) provides adult and community learning through Kingston Adult Education (KAE). KAE aims to provide good lifelong learning opportunities to the local community by meeting needs for adult learning, raising standards of attainment and improving the quality of life. KAE works with a range of other RBK services and community partners to widen participation in learning. The service operates from three main sites across the borough. Twenty-nine other community venues are used to deliver some of the classes. In 2004- 05, 6,740 learners made 9,760 enrolments on programmes run by KAE. At the time of the reinspection there were 7,992 enrolments made by learners on 835 courses.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

2. KAE offers part-time and full-time programmes across the borough to support the educational, cultural, recreational, leisure and vocational interests of the community. Classes are run in the daytime, evenings and at weekends and range from taster sessions to two-year programmes. Some courses provide opportunities for learners to gain qualifications. Course are offered in 13 areas of learning, of which family learning and hospitality, sport, leisure and travel were included in the reinspection.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

3. KAE is led by a principal and a governing body. The principal is head of the adult learning services in RBK’s directorate of learning and children’s services. He reports to the directorate head of leisure and lifelong learning. KAE has an executive group that consists of the principal, the deputy principal and the finance and administration manager. They also participate in a senior management team with three full-time programme managers. KAE is structured into seven main curriculum areas. In addition to the programme managers, there are 10 part-time curriculum co-ordinators and a full-time community manager. Since the previous inspection, KAE has recruited a part-time family learning, literacy, language and numeracy co-ordinator, and a sport and fitness tutor to co- ordinate work on the recognition and recording of progress and achievement in non- accredited learning. Two hundred and five tutors teach part time and there is a full-time

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

tutor for courses in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). Seven of the 27 support staff work full time.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

4. Kingston has a population of over 147,200, according to the 2001 census. Approximately, 15 per cent of the population are from minority ethnic groups, compared with almost 29 per cent in London and 9.1 per cent nationally. In January 2006, the unemployment rate in Kingston was 1.5 per cent, compared with 2.5 per cent nationally. Almost 90 per cent of local employment is in the service industries.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

5. KAE holds the Investors in People award, which is a national standard for improving an organisation’s performance through its people.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 1 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Hospitality, sport, leisure & travel

6. At the time of inspection, 1,021 learners had made 1,131 enrolments on sport and leisure programmes and courses in hospitality. Seventy-nine per cent of the learners are women. Fifty-five per cent of learners are aged between 25 and 54, and 34 per cent are over the age of 55. Sixteen per cent of learners are from minority ethnic groups. One thousand and four learners are on 81 sport and leisure programmes and 61 learners are on three hospitality programmes. There were 1,649 enrolments in 2004-05, 78 of which were for accredited courses in food hygiene or wine appreciation. The remainder were for non-accredited sport and leisure programmes. Most of the provision takes place at two main sites, with some courses provided at a range of venues across the borough. Current courses include keep fit, yoga, Pilates, racquet sports, tai chi, chi kung, tennis, badminton, bridge and wine appreciation. The courses are provided during the day,

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Hospitality, sport, leisure & travel

evenings and at weekends. Most courses are of nine to 11 weeks’ duration, with some short courses. There are 22 part-time tutors and most teach for up to three hours a week. Several tutors teach for up to four hours a week. Tutors are supported by a programme manager and a part-time curriculum co-ordinator. Courses provide learners with the opportunity to progress from introductory or beginners’ level to more advanced levels.

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Family learning

7. The family learning provision comprises family literacy, language and numeracy (FLLN) courses and wider family learning courses and activities. In 2004-05, 242 adult learners enrolled on 90 wider family learning courses and 178 enrolled on 27 FLLN programmes. During the autumn term of 2005, 93 learners enrolled on 10 FLLN courses and 210 enrolled on 19 wider family learning courses. In the week of the reinspection, 52 learners were enrolled on seven wider family learning courses and 49 were enrolled on six FLLN courses. Provision is located across the borough in schools, children’s centres and other community venues. Since the previous inspection, the number of schools where FLLN is offered has doubled to 12. Most courses are short, running from five to 12 weeks, and are delivered during the day and twilight. Some workshops and tasters are organised at weekends. FLLN programmes use a number of different models of delivery. The wider

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Family learning

family learning courses include working with clay, keyboarding, tennis, Spanish, mosaics, and arts and crafts. FLLN provision is delivered by one fractional and six sessional tutors. All wider family learning tutors are sessional and drawn from other curriculum areas within KAE. The balance and nature of the family learning programme has been reviewed and resulted in a greater focus on FLLN rather than wider family learning. A new planning and management framework is being established by the deputy principal to link the co- ordination of wider family learning and FLLN provision.

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Family learning

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 2 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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OVERALL JUDGEMENT

8. At the previous inspection in December 2004, hospitality, sport, leisure and travel and family learning were unsatisfactory. All other areas of learning were satisfactory or good and leadership and management were satisfactory. At the end of the reinspection process, all aspects of the provision reinspected were satisfactory.

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ABOUT THE REINSPECTION

Number of inspectors 3 Number of inspection days 12 Number of learners interviewed 115 Number of staff interviewed 18 Number of locations/sites/learning centres visited 5 Number of partners/external agencies interviewed 4

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GRADES

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

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Information & communications technology 2

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners Using IT 175 Adult and community learning 2 -

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Hospitality, sport, leisure & travel 4

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners Leisure, sport and recreation 446 Adult and community learning 4 -

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Health, social care & public services 2

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners Early years 15 Work-based learning for adults 3 - Other contributory areas 144 Adult and community learning 2 -

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Health, social care & public services 2

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 3 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Hospitality, sport, leisure & travel 3

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners Leisure, sport and recreation 1021 Adult and community learning 3 -

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Visual & performing arts & media 2

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners Arts 461 Adult and community learning 2 - Crafts 256 Adult and community learning 2 - Other contributory areas 245 Adult and community learning 2 -

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English, languages & communications 2

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners EFL 236 Adult and community learning 3 - Languages 665 Adult and community learning 2 -

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Foundation programmes 3

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners ESOL 202 Adult and community learning 3 - Independent living and leisure skills 219 Adult and community learning 2 -

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Family learning 4

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners Adult and community learning 90 Adult and community learning 4 -

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Family learning 4

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 4 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Family learning 3

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners 101 Adult and community learning 3 -

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Family learning 3

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 5 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Language of the Adult and Community Learning Sector

Terminology varies across the range of education and training settings covered by the Common Inspection Framework. The table below indicates the terms appropriate to

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Relating the term to Adult and Community Learning

Provider Any organisation providing opportunities for adults to meet personal or collective goals through the experience of learning. Providers include local authorities, specialist designated institutions, voluntary and community sector organisations, regeneration partnerships and further education colleges

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Provider

Learner Includes those learning by participating in community projects, as well as those on courses. Learning, however, will be planned, with intended outcomes.

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trainer

Person teaching adult learners or guiding or facilitating their learning.

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trainer

Person providing individual, additional support, guidance and advice to learners to help them achieve their learning goals.

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goals

Intended gains in skills, knowledge or understanding. Gains may be reflected in the achievement of nationally recognised qualifications. Or they may be reflected in the ability of learners to apply learning in contexts outside the learning situation, e.g. in the family, community, or workplace. Learners’ main goal/s should be recorded on an individual or, in some cases, group learning plan. Plans should be revised as progress is made and new goals emerge.

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goals

These may include planned-for gains in self-confidence, and inter-personal skills. These should also be included in learning plans where appropriate.

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learning skills

These include being able to study independently, willingness to collaborate with others, and readiness to take up another opportunity for education or training.

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learning goals

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 6 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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outcome

Adults often experience unanticipated gains as a result of being involved in learning. These include improved self-esteem, greater self-confidence and a growing sense of belonging to a community. Gains of this kind should be acknowledged and recorded in any record of achievement.

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programme

A programme organised around a body of knowledge, e.g. the structure and usage of the French language or ceramic glazing techniques. Students could be expected to progress from one aspect of the subject to another, to grasp increasingly complex concepts or analyses or to develop greater levels of skill or to apply skills to a new area of work.

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programme

A programme that is based on the concerns, interests and aspirations of particular groups, for example members of a Sikh Gurdwara wanting to address inter-faith relations in their town, or parents worried about the incidence of drug abuse in their locality. Issue-based learning tends to be associated with geographically defined communities, but the increasing use of electronic means of communication means that this need no longer be the case. Progress is defined in terms of the group's increasing ability to analyse its situation, to access new information and skills which will help it resolve its difficulties and generate solutions and its growing confidence in dealing with others to implement those solutions.

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provision

Provision established in a community setting in addition to provision made at an organisation's main site(s). Outreach programmes may be similar to courses at the main site(s) or be designed to meet the specific requirements of that community.

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based work

The provider’s staff have a long-term presence in a local community with a specific remit to understand the concerns of the local residents and develop learning activities to meet local needs and interests.

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regeneration

The process of improving the quality of life in communities by investing in their infrastructure and facilities, creating opportunities for training and employment and tackling poor health and educational under-achievement. Community regeneration requires the active participation of local residents in decision-making. Changes and improvements are often achieved either directly or indirectly as a result of the adult learning activities which arise from this.

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regeneration

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 7 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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building

The process of enabling local people to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to take advantage of opportunities for employment, training and further education and to become selfmanaging, sustainable communities.

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citizenship

The process whereby people recognise the power they have to improve the quality of life for others and make a conscious effort to do so: the process whereby people recognise the power of organisations and institutions to act in the interests of the common good and exercise their influence to ensure that they do so. Adult learning contributes to active citizenship.

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Relating the term to Adult and Community Learning

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 8 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Hospitality, sport, leisure & travel 3

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners Leisure, sport and recreation 1021 Adult and community learning 3 -

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Leisure, sport and recreation

Strengths good retention and achievement rates on all programmes ! good health and social benefits for most learners !

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Leisure, sport and recreation

Weaknesses some ineffective quality improvement arrangements ! insufficient attention to learners’ individual needs !

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Achievement and standards

9. Most learners achieve good health and social benefits as a result of their involvement in learning programmes. Learners enjoy and value the programmes and can articulate the benefits of participation on their everyday lives. As a result of participation in a tai chi class, learners meet socially to practise their skills. In other classes, new learners effectively support each other in small groups to enhance their ability to perform complex sequences of movements. Learners demonstrate good levels of mobility and flexibility which enable them to engage in other leisure pursuits. Learners in a keep fit class who have learning difficulties and disabilities, demonstrate a range of health benefits and also develop good social skills and awareness of the needs of others. Another class offers specific provision for learners with visual impairments to enable them to participate successfully in all the activities.

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Achievement and standards

10. Retention and achievement rates on accredited and non-accredited programmes are good. In 2004-05 retention rates were 87 per cent on accredited programmes, and 91 per cent in non-accredited provision. At the time of the reinspection, the retention rate on non-accredited provision was 92 per cent. In accredited provision, achievement rates remain consistently high at 93 per cent in 2004-05.

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Achievement and standards

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 9 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Quality of education and training

11. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Forty per cent of the sessions observed during the reinspection were good or better, and 60 per cent were satisfactory. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection, when 20 per cent of the sessions were judged to be unsatisfactory.

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Quality of education and training

12. The range of provision is satisfactory. Eighty-six per cent of learners are women. The development plan for the programme area includes measures to attract more men to the provision. There is targeted provision for learners with specific learning difficulties and links with local daycentres to provide keep-fit activities for the elderly.

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Quality of education and training

13. Learners receive satisfactory advice and guidance. Course information is available in a variety of formats to meet the needs of learners. A website provides basic guidance with regard to the provision and provides the opportunity to enrol online, although additional information on specific courses is only available by direct contact with centres.

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Quality of education and training

14. Satisfactory arrangements are in place to ensure the safety of learners. Specific risk assessments have been completed for most subject areas, although in some areas tutors are unaware of the content of the assessments. Tutors routinely complete and record a weekly assessment to ensure the safety of the learning environment before starting the session.

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Quality of education and training

15. Insufficient attention is paid to the individual needs of learners. In better sessions, most learners receive individual correction which promotes the efficient development of new skills and ensures that safe exercise practice is maintained. In weaker sessions, there is too much emphasis on group teaching and learners do not benefit from individual support to develop their performance. Learners receive an effective initial assessment of their ability which predominately uses a numerical grading system. This initial assessment is not systematically supported by continuous assessment and recording of progress, to motivate learners and support the planning and delivery of the learning process. Where progress is monitored, it is rarely shared with the learners. Information on the individual goals of learners is routinely collected as part of the enrolment process. The goals set are not sufficiently used to support the learning process. They are not formally assessed at

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Quality of education and training

the end of the course programme to identify whether they have been fulfilled. The evaluation of the learners’ experience at the end of the programme focuses on a measurement of progress rather than assessing whether learners have fulfilled their personal goals. Course objectives are rarely formally set. Where course objectives are present, learners are unaware of their existence and are unable to articulate progress towards their achievement.

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Quality of education and training

16. Tutors make some innovative use of information and communications technology (ICT) to support the monitoring of learners’ progress. For example, digital cameras are used in yoga classes to capture the ’before and after’ postures that learners can hold, providing evidence of their improved flexibility. However, it is too early to evaluate fully the benefits of these approaches in the use of ICT.

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Quality of education and training

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 10 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Leadership and management

17. At the previous inspection, management of the curriculum area was judged to be weak. Leadership and management are now satisfactory. Managers and tutors have made significant progress in rectifying the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. For example, a process of auditing course record books produces an action plan for individual tutors in relation to the initial assessment of learners. Learners now complete health questionnaires as part of the enrolment process. Tutors use the outcomes of this as part of an initial assessment process, which on most programmes includes the grading of learners against a numerical scale. The self-assessment report for 2004-05 clearly identifies the weaknesses with regard to quality improvement which have been substantiated by the inspection process.

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Leadership and management

18. Some arrangements for quality improvement are ineffective. KAE has introduced systems to monitor the quality of the provision. However, in some cases, monitoring is not carried out in a timely manner to identify inconsistencies in tutors’ implementation of the quality process. In some cases, deficiencies have been identified but are yet to be rectified. Systems for recording learners’ individual goals are not effectively used to evaluate whether the provision has been successful in meeting these goals. The system for observing teaching and learning places has insufficient emphasis on the quality of the learning process. Arrangements for sharing good practice and mentoring individual tutors by managers focus primarily upon the effective completion of documents. They do not use examples of good teaching practice to support the improvement of teaching and learning within weaker sessions.

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Leadership and management

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 11 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Family learning 3

Contributory areas: Contributory grade Number of learners 101 Adult and community learning 3 -

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Family learning 3

Strengths good development of learners’ confidence and skills ! responsive and effective programme planning to meet learners’ needs ! good borough-wide partnerships !

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Family learning 3

Weaknesses some ineffective processes for learners’ evaluation of provision ! insufficient use of available teaching resources ! insufficient attention to the development of speaking skills in ESOL !

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Achievement and standards

19. Learners make good progress in the development of their knowledge and skills. The achievement of personal goals was a strength at the previous inspection and has been maintained. Learners enrol to improve their English skills to enable them to understand and help with their children’s work and to communicate better with the school. Many learners are new to the borough and they seek the knowledge and skills to help engage in their community and secure employment. They develop the skills to read and write messages through the home-school contact books. They gain confidence to contact the school by telephone when their child is absent. Parents become more involved in the school community by talking to the class teachers, joining in playground conversations with other parents as well as participating in school events. Skills acquired are particularly supportive in parents’ interaction with children with learning difficulties or

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Achievement and standards

disabilities. In a wider family learning keyboard class parents and children learn new skills and techniques through a range of musical activities which are adapted for a child with learning disabilities. In a keeping up with the children maths course, one parent applied her knowledge and skills to make a large felt number line for her child with learning disabilities. She spoke with pride about how her new understanding of different learning styles helped her to create an activity that enabled his recognition of two digits.

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Achievement and standards

20. The skills acquired give learners greater independence and reduce their isolation in the home. They are able to go to the shops, doctors, speak with their neighbours and think realistically about employment. Some learners attend the classes to support learning on other courses. One learner produced her own business cards following attendance on an ICT course.

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Achievement and standards

21. Attendance on programmes is satisfactory and has improved on short courses since

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Achievement and standards

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 12 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Achievement and standards

the last inspection. On FLLN courses the achievement rates of the adult national tests are good. In 2004-2005 they achieved 100 per cent pass rate in numeracy qualifications, and 83 per cent in literacy. New accreditation opportunities have recently been introduced to the WFL programmes.

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Quality of education and training

22. The standard of teaching and learning overall is satisfactory. Sixty per cent of observations were good and 40 per cent were satisfactory. All sessions were well planned and developed from detailed and appropriately themed schemes of work. The pacing of learning in most classes is good. However, in a few cases there was insufficient challenge for the more able learners. Tutors appropriately use gestures and demonstrations to enhance learning. In a keyboarding session the tutor demonstrates rhythm by clapping and finger positioning for chords which parents and children copy. In family literacy, learners use gestures and words to point to parts of the body to reinforce their understanding about different illness that might affect their children. In all classes, tutors use questioning well to elicit learners’ understanding and to check on learning.

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Quality of education and training

23. The range of teaching methods used is satisfactory. This includes individual work, paired work and some use of role play. However, too much reliance is placed on ‘chalk and talk’ presentations by the tutor, work sheets and paper-based materials. Tutors do not make good use of the range of teaching and learning resources available. Little use is made of laptops and audiovisual equipment. Learning in the better classes is interactive. For example, tutors plan some lessons effectively to use portable white boards, audiotapes and a digital camera for learners to take turns capturing their work. In some classes resources include everyday materials so parents can practise their skills with children at home. In a maths class focussing on shapes, string is used to create a grid and food packets, tins, chocolate bars and empty paper rolls are used to identify different shapes. Learning is geared to the improvement of parents’ skills, successfully rectifying a

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Quality of education and training

weakness identified at the previous inspection.

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Quality of education and training

24. Tutors have a friendly manner and establish a good rapport with learners. Learners enjoy their courses and have fun. They work well and support each other with class assignments. They actively participate and make good contributions in class.

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Quality of education and training

25. There is a good range of family learning programmes which is appropriate to meet the needs of learners. KAE continues to develop provision and works effectively with a large network of agencies to ensure a broad and relevant curriculum offer. The range of taster courses in the wider family learning provision was identified as a strength at the previous inspection, but the FLLN provision was a weakness. The curriculum planning was judged to be poor at the previous inspection. Significant progress has been made to rectify the curriculum weaknesses identified. This area is now a strength and programme planning is responsive and effective across family learning. Provision has been effectively reviewed and joint planning of both areas of family learning has developed a more coherent and complementary range of programmes. KAE has a greater priority to

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Quality of education and training

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 13 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Quality of education and training

develop FLLN courses. The strategy takes account of learners’ progression. Weekend or two-hour taster activities lead to 10 to 12 hour ‘keeping up with the children’ programmes, with progression to longer FLLN courses.

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Quality of education and training

26. KAE effectively and sensitively targets learners at the same time as ensuring that access to learning to support children is inclusive. For example, to meet the needs of the target group and accommodate the interests of other parents responding to school publicity, KAE introduced a four-week intensive ‘keeping up with the children’ course including a literacy hour, followed by a targeted family literacy course for ESOL learners. Courses are also renamed to increase appeal. KAE has had good success in reaching new learners, who comprised 74 per cent of enrolments in 2004-2005.

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Quality of education and training

27. The provision of information and advice is satisfactory. All programmes include an end-of-course progression element. Tutors are provided with an information chart for progression planning. Learners are also informed about appropriate nextstep services. The previous inspection found insufficient structure in the information, advice and guidance on programmes.

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Quality of education and training

28. KAE has a new suite of screening and initial assessment tools designed to meet the needs of different programmes and learners’ levels. Quizzes and verbal methods are used appropriately for short programmes, and free writing is sensitively adapted to assess learners’ literacy. However, some of the learning goals are too general and activities are not consistently differentiated for learners with different ability levels. Insufficient focus is placed on speaking skills in ESOL in some classes. One of the key aims of most learners is to improve their speaking skills. There is insufficient teaching of pronunciation and inadequate opportunities for learners to practise their speaking and be corrected by the tutor. None of the tutors observed were ESOL specialists, and learners’ improvement is greater in their literacy skills than in their language skills.

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Quality of education and training

29. The system for learners’ evaluation is inappropriate in some areas of the provision. In the wider family learning programmes, learners write their own comments on sessions and the course. However, in the family language courses there is a reliance on pre-set tick boxes which offer a choice from a number of positive comments. Tutors’ evaluation of sessions and the performance of individual learners is satisfactory. These comments are used to support lesson plans. However, there is no scope to record learners’ evaluative or negative comments at the end of each session. The systems for learners’ evaluation have yet to be reviewed and fully established.

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Leadership and management

30. Leadership and management in family learning are satisfactory. KAE’s effective partnerships with a range of community organisations were a strength at the previous inspection. These partnerships have been further developed. RBK has a firm commitment to provision and KAE is an integral part of RBK’s strategic planning for the borough. A family learning steering group was established in the autumn of 2005. The group’s membership includes a senior inspector from the local authority, an advanced ESOL skills teacher and representatives from schools and children’s centres. There is a

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Leadership and management

© 2006 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE 14 KINGSTON UPON THAMES LEA REINSPECTION

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Leadership and management

commitment to expand membership to include partners from the wider community and voluntary sector organisations. There is a good network of inter-agency working and KAE has been effective in developing a family learning culture in the borough. In the children’s centres, health workers and other professionals work closely together. They refer learners to family learning courses and help to identify further programmes to meet learners’ needs. Provision is now borough-wide, and the number of schools offering family learning has doubled to 12. The family learning co-ordinators meet with schools and other partners to discuss and negotiate the range of activities that could be offered at their site, and strategies and advice for attracting parents. Provision is targeted at the lowest-achieving schools and those with a high minority ethnic profile or which are in the most deprived areas. Marketing is effective through partnerships and the family learning

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Leadership and management

steering group, and some schools have a regular feature about parents’ classes in their newsletter.

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Leadership and management

31. KAE has established an effective post-inspection action plan and strategic review of key aspects of the provision. The self-assessment process is good and involves staff and partners in a meaningful way. The management information system is satisfactory, but some inconsistencies exist in the data it contains, and KAE’s use of data is insufficiently developed. Improved and comprehensive quality improvement and staff development systems are in place. The lesson observation system has been refined and the quality of teaching is improving. At the previous inspection, the lesson observation scheme was not adequate to raise standards effectively. Support for tutors is satisfactory. Tutors receive paper-based and digital copies of the quality improvement systems.

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Leadership and management

32. The level of staffing to deliver the range of courses was a weakness at the previous inspection. This has been successfully rectified. Tutors have been recruited as the family literacy programme has expanded. However, there remains a shortage of specialist ESOL tutors. KAE is taking steps to resolve this in the short term, through training for non-ESOL tutors. It also plans to recruit specialist ESOL staff.

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Leadership and management

33. Equality of opportunity is promoted effectively. The diversity of languages and cultures on programmes is good. Participation by learners from minority ethnic communities is higher than the borough profile. However, few men attend family learning courses.

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