London Borough of Lewisham

Inspection number 316590 London Borough of Lewisham

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Contents

Background information ......................................................................................................... 3 Inspection judgements........................................................................................................... 3 Scope of the inspection.......................................................................................................... 3 Description of the provider...................................................................................................... 4 Summary of grades awarded .................................................................................................. 5 Overall judgement.................................................................................................................... 6 Effectiveness of provision ..................................................................................................... 6

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Contents

Capacity to improve............................................................................................................ 6 Key strengths ............................................................................................................................ 6 Key areas for improvement..................................................................................................... 7 Main findings............................................................................................................................ 8 Achievement and standards................................................................................................... 8 Quality of provision............................................................................................................... 8 Leadership and management ................................................................................................. 9

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Contents

Equality of opportunity....................................................................................................... 9 What learners like.................................................................................................................. 10 What learners think could improve...................................................................................... 10 Health, public services and care .......................................................................................... 11 Information and communication technology....................................................................... 14 Arts, media and publishing.................................................................................................. 16 Preparation for life and work............................................................................................... 19

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Inspection judgements

Inspectors use a four-point scale to summarise their judgements about achievement and standards, the quality of provision, and leadership and management, which includes a grade for equality of opportunity.

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Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate

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Key for inspection grades

Further information can be found on how inspection judgements are made on www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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Scope of the inspection

In deciding the scope of the inspection, inspectors take account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and comments from the local Learning and Skills Council (LSC) or other funding body. Where appropriate, inspectors also consider the previous inspection report ( www.ofsted.gov.uk ), reports from the inspectorates’ quality monitoring or annual assessment visits, and data on learners and their achievements over the period since the previous inspection.

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Scope of the inspection

In addition to reporting on overall effectiveness of the organisation, its capacity to improve further, achievement and standards, quality of provision and leadership and management, this inspection focused on specialist provision in:

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Scope of the inspection

 Health, public services and care  Information and communication technology  Arts, media and publishing  Preparation for life and work

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Description of the provider

1. Community Education Lewisham (CEL), part of the London Borough of Lewisham’s (the borough) directorate for community services, provides adult and community learning courses in five main centres and 19 community centres across the borough. At the time of the inspection, CEL was finalising plans to revise its organisational structure and an interim management structure was in place. Day-to-day management of the service is the responsibility of two interim managers, supported by an interim strategic co-ordinator. This team reports to the executive director for community services. Programme managers head curriculum areas and centre managers oversee administration of the main centres.

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Description of the provider

2. Adult and community learning is funded by the London East LSC. In addition to funding for personal and community development learning, and further education and other accredited provision, additional budgets are provided for family learning, family literacy, language and numeracy and for neighbourhood learning in deprived communities. In 2006/07, 6,547 learners made 9,445 enrolments. Around 60% of these enrolments were on non-accredited courses. The two largest areas of provision are arts, media and publishing and preparation for life and work. Of those learners on courses in 2006/07, 80% were female and around 45% were from minority ethnic groups. At the time of the inspection there were 4262 learners of whom 53% were on accredited courses.

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Description of the provider

3. Lewisham is the second largest inner London borough with approximately 250,000 residents, of whom 43% are from minority ethnic communities. Over 130 community languages are spoken in the borough. Generally, unemployment rates have been higher in Lewisham compared with London overall and the national average. However, they have dropped significantly in recent years and in September 2007 the rate was 3.4%. The borough is placed in the worst 20% of the most deprived local authority areas in England.

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Summary of grades awarded

Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Capacity to improve Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Achievement and standards Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Quality of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Leadership and management Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Sector subject area

Health, public services and care Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Sector subject area

Information and communication technology Good: Grade 2

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Sector subject area

Arts, media and publishing Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Sector subject area

Preparation for life and work Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

4. The overall effectiveness of the provision is satisfactory. The quality of provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good, and satisfactory in: health, public services and care; arts, media and publishing, and preparation for life and work. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Learners’ achievement of their own personal learning goals, their attainment of skills and their standards of work are generally good. They enjoy their lessons and gain in confidence and self-esteem. Learners’ success on non-accredited courses is satisfactory or better. Success rates for accredited courses, while improving, are low overall.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

5. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In many practical learning sessions, teaching is good or better. In the best learning sessions, all learners make good progress. In some learning sessions planning is weak and learners are not given sufficiently challenging learning activities. Resources are adequate, although the availability and use of information learning technology is poor in some areas. Assessment and monitoring of learner progress are satisfactory.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

6. Provision to meet the needs and interests of learners is good. Learners have good access to a wide range of provision. Educational and social inclusion are good. Good partnership working and a sound knowledge of local community needs are used well to develop the provision. Links with employers are satisfactory.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

7. Guidance and support are satisfactory. Arrangements for pre-course guidance are sound. Tutors provide very good support and guidance. Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities have good specialist support. For accredited programmes, satisfactory arrangements are in place to identify additional support needs. However, provision for literacy, language and numeracy support is not fully developed.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

8. Leadership and management is satisfactory. Leadership is strong with good strategic planning. Actions to restructure the organisation are based on a good understanding of what needs to be done to improve the provision. The implementation of quality improvement strategies is not managed in a consistent way. Equality of opportunity, and CEL’s response to equalities and safeguarding legislation, is satisfactory.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

9. CEL demonstrates satisfactory capacity to improve. Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the previous inspection. Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of what needs to be done to improve the provision and have recently implemented a number of well considered actions to improve performance. Although these actions are improving aspects of provision, it is too early to judge their effectiveness in improving success rates and teaching and learning. The self-assessment report and related processes is thorough. Inspectors agreed with most of the judgements and grades in the report.

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Key strengths

 Strong strategic direction and leadership  Particularly wide range of provision  Good development of learners’ personal and social skills

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Key areas for improvement

 Low success rates on accredited courses  Thoroughness of learning session observations  Insufficient use of management information for quality improvement

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

10. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Learners’ achievement of personal learning goals, the development of skills, and their standards of work are generally good. On literacy and numeracy and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) programmes, learners grow in confidence and improve their skills. In ICT, learners develop good self- confidence and achieve good standards. In health and social care provision, learners develop a wide range of work and life skills. In art and design, the development of skills and the standards of learners’ work are particularly good.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

11. Success rates on non-accredited courses are generally satisfactory or better. For example, in 2006/07 success rates generally range from 70% to 95%. The self-assessment report correctly identifies that achievement rates are generally high and that retention is sometimes no better than satisfactory and is low in some departments.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

12. Overall success rates for accredited provision have improved from 27% to 41% over the last three years, but are still low. Pass rates improved significantly over the same period, from 38% to 57%, with overall retention staying much the same, at around 70%.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

13. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Tutors create a supportive atmosphere in classrooms and workshops. They fully understand learners’ individual learning and pastoral needs and their aspirations. Tutors provide particularly good support in helping learners develop skills and gain more confidence. In many practical learning sessions teaching is good or better. In the best sessions all learners make good progress regardless of their starting point or prior experience. In some learning sessions planning is weak and learners are not given sufficiently challenging learning activities. Teaching and learning resources are adequate. Tutors use appropriate assessment methods and monitor and record learners’ progress effectively.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

14. Overall the provision meets learners’ needs and interests. Learners have access to a particularly wide range of provision. Managers use market research and local information effectively to develop the curriculum. Course information is readily available and successfully attracts new learners onto programmes. Although progression rates are generally good, insufficient numbers of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities progress to further training and education. Significant numbers of learners benefit from concessionary and reduced fees.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

15. Guidance and support are satisfactory. On accredited courses, productive pre-course guidance interviews ensure learners are enrolled onto appropriate courses. Advice and guidance for non-accredited courses is generally informal. Publicity material for courses is clear. Learners benefit from very good support and guidance from tutors. Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities have good specialist support. For accredited programmes, satisfactory arrangements are in place to identify additional support needs, but provision for literacy, language and numeracy support is not fully developed.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

16. Leadership and management is satisfactory, as identified in the self-assessment report. Leaders and managers share a strong vision for improvement and the strategic direction of the service. CEL has a central role within the borough’s strategic plan and supervisory boards are fully committed to its success. Although the provision generally meets LSC priority areas, a significant number of targets in the development plan have not been met. Poor performance in accredited course outcomes was identified in April 2007 and the provider received a notice to improve from the LSC. The recognition and recording of progress and achievement (RARPA) processes for non-accredited learning are satisfactory. However, many learners are set insufficiently specific targets and the standard of individual learning plans is inconsistent.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

17. Communications are satisfactory. Consultation with learners and with the wider community is good. External partnerships are wide ranging and effective. However, staff are not sufficiently informed about developments within CEL.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

18. Quality assurance and quality improvement are satisfactory. Self-assessment is thorough. New actions to raise standards have been implemented in 2007 and include improvements to assessment and guidance arrangements, and the revision of enrolment procedures to provide a more welcoming introduction for learners. It is too early to judge the effectiveness of these actions. The implementation of quality improvement strategies is not managed consistently. Sharing of good practice is insufficient. As identified in the self-assessment report, teaching observations do not provide an accurate review of the standard of teaching. The staff development strategy is does not sufficiently meet the needs of all staff.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

19. Overall strategic target-setting for quality improvement is precise. However, operational objectives are not sufficiently specific to enable effective measuring of progress. Much work has been done to improve the accuracy of management information. However, curriculum managers do not make sufficient use of it to carry out and monitor quality improvement.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

20. The skills for life strategy including provision for literacy, numeracy and languages, is satisfactory. As identified in the self-assessment report, success rates for Level 2 literacy and numeracy provision are low, and access to skills for life provision is not adequate in some parts of the borough.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

21. Equality of opportunity is satisfactory. CEL has responded appropriately to equalities and safeguarding legislation. Promotion of equality of opportunity is satisfactory. Some staff have not received sufficient relevant training. Some actions in the disability equality scheme have not been implemented. Managers analyse enrolment data by key equal opportunities criteria. However, analysis does not include monitoring enrolment patterns or comparing trends in success for different groups of learners. Good practice in meeting the needs of disadvantaged groups is evident in some areas, but this is not yet sufficiently spread across CEL.

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What learners like :

 Availability of courses at centres near to where people live  Being able to develop valuable skills  Wide range of courses  Supportive, patient and responsive tutors  Friendly and relaxed atmosphere  Social benefits of learning  Crèche facilities  Availability of specialist computer software for those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

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What learners think could improve :

 Uncertainty over the future of the provision  Marketing, to ensure that courses have sufficient learners to start and keep going  Enrolment arrangements  Amount of paperwork on some courses  Co-ordination of crèche opening hours and course times  Car parking  Availability of additional time to clear up following practical work

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Context

22. Currently 563 learners are on complementary therapies, childcare, teaching assistant and counselling courses. Childcare and teaching assistant courses are offered up to NVQ Level 3. Counselling courses are offered at Level 2. In complementary therapies, an accredited modular course is offered at Level 3, together with short, non-accredited courses, offered during the day and in the evening. Learning sessions take place in four main learning centres across the borough and in a small number of community centres. Of those learners who have enrolled in 2006/07, 91% are female and 45% are from minority ethnic groups.

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Strengths

 Good achievement of learners’ individual learning goals  Good range of courses to meet local needs and widen participation  Particularly effective monitoring and recording of learners’ progress

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Areas for improvement

 Low success rates on some courses  Insufficient work carried out to meet learners’ literacy, numeracy and language needs

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Achievement and standards

23. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Achievement of individual learning goals, identified at the beginning of their course, is good. Learners develop good self-confidence and motivation. Learners on non-accredited courses fully understand the health benefits of their courses and make new friends. Learners on childcare courses develop good presentation skills and a better understanding of, and confidence in, their ability to successfully complete courses.

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Achievement and standards

24. Success rates on accredited courses are generally satisfactory, with many courses at or just above national averages. Success rates on some accredited courses are low. For example, for the certificate in counselling and the certificate in developing skills for working with children, pass rates are 54% and 38% respectively, well below national averages.

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Achievement and standards

25. Learners’ work is of a satisfactory standard. On accredited courses assignments are completed to the required standard. On non-accredited courses much of the work is practical and completed to a satisfactory standard in line with the aims of the learning session.

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Achievement and standards

26. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. Crèche opening hours are not sufficiently flexible for some learners to allow them to attend courses. Some learning and community centres are do not have good access to public transport.

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Quality of provision

27. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the better learning sessions, tutors set challenging tasks and successfully encourage learners to reflect on their experiences. Many sessions are very practical, with tutors using their expertise and knowledge to provide learners with effective guidance and support in developing their practical skills. For example, in one session, the tutor made effective use of laptop computers to develop learners’ presentational skills in working with children. In poorer learning sessions, learners are not provided with sufficiently challenging activities. In some learning sessions no learners achieve the set targets. Tutors are well qualified and teaching and learning resources are appropriate.

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Quality of provision

28. Learners have access to a good range of courses which meet local needs and widen participation. Access to the provision is generally good with courses held at a number of local community venues. Courses cater for a wide range of interests and vocational needs, attracting learners of all ages including many older learners. Progression routes are clear. Many courses target specific under-represented groups. New courses are offered each year following consultation with local communities. Childcare courses are successfully offered as part of a CEL community development project based in local housing estates. Currently 45 learners are enrolled on these courses.

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Quality of provision

29. Guidance and support for learners is satisfactory overall. Monitoring and recording of progress is particularly effective. On accredited courses, tutors ensure that progress is regularly monitored against examination body requirements. At the start of all non- accredited courses learners identify their learning and personal goals. Progress towards achievement of goals is reviewed regularly by tutors and learners. Many learners are fully involved in monitoring their own progress and setting new targets.

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Quality of provision

30. Insufficient work is carried out to meet learners’ literacy, numeracy and language needs. Initial assessment generally identifies learners’ additional support needs, although some are only identified during the course. In many cases, the course tutors are responsible for providing additional support. Poor progress is made by learners who do not have the formal minimum entry qualifications or who have additional literacy needs. For example, in one learning session where no initial assessments had taken place, learners had considerable difficulty with their written work and some had already left the course. Although some tutors refer learners for additional support, no such support is actually available.

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Quality of provision

31. Many learners make good use of the crèche facilities at the major learning centres. Some learners get financial support from the access fund to help them continue with their studies.

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Leadership and management

32. Leadership and management is satisfactory. Staff communication is good and regular productive curriculum meetings take place. Monitoring and evaluation of courses is satisfactory with regular tutor and learner feedback. Equality of opportunity is promoted well across the curriculum and staff fully understand learners’ diverse cultural backgrounds.

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Leadership and management

33. Quality improvement and quality assurance are satisfactory. The self-assessment process is thorough with regular staff consultation. Inspectors agreed with most of the judgements in the report. Tutors are observed annually. Observations are thorough and well recorded with good feedback to tutors. Observers’ judgements and grades are generally not moderated. Sharing of good practice between tutors is insufficient. Insufficient data is available to curriculum managers to help them fully monitor and plan the curriculum. Development of the provision relies mainly on identifying local needs or meeting the changing requirements of examination bodies.

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Context

34. Currently 284 learners are on ICT courses. Accredited provision includes the European computer driving licence (ECDL), an exam-based computer literacy qualification at Levels 1 and 2, and an IT for users NVQ at Levels 1, 2 and 3. Non-accredited provision includes a computer course for older learners, a home computer course and an introduction to the internet. Of those learners who have enrolled to date in 2006/07, 74% are female and 55% are from minority ethnic groups.

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Strengths

 High standard of work  Good assessment and internal verification of NVQs  Good initial advice and guidance and monitoring of learners’ progress  Good curriculum management

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Areas for improvement

 Low success rates on computer literacy and ECDL courses  Inadequate planning for updating and maintaining ICT resources

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Achievement and standards

35. Achievement and standards are good. Standards of work are high and learners develop good practical ICT skills. Learners improve their self-confidence. Success rates on non- accredited courses, constituting most enrolments, are good. Overall, examinations pass rates are improving. For example, pass rates are good on the IT for users NVQ and the computer literacy course at Level 2. Success rates on the Level 1 computer literacy course and ECDL, approximately a quarter of the total provision, are low. For example, in 2006/07, based upon CEL’s currently incomplete data, the success rate for ECDL was only 40% and for the computer literacy course was 31%. Learners make good progress, both within and between courses. Attendance during inspection was good at 84%.

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Quality of provision

36. Teaching and learning are good. In the better learning sessions, clear instructions are given to learners. Tutors make good use of effective questioning to monitor learners’ understanding. Learners are highly motivated and are encouraged to work independently rather than wait to be told what to do. Tutors are particularly good at working with older learners addressing issues such as arthritis when discussing keyboard use.

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Quality of provision

37. Assessment and internal verification of NVQs is good. NVQ evidence collated by learners is checked thoroughly and verified very well by workplace supervisors. For example, one learner demonstrated successfully how she ran a mail merge and inserted a table of contents and index in a guidance manual. Tutors do not always deal effectively with poor punctuality. 38. Initial advice and guidance, and monitoring of learners’ progress, is good. Learners benefit from good support and have access to good information on childcare facilities, access funds and other support. All learners are interviewed and complete an initial assessment of their numeracy and literacy, and computing skills. For all learners, assessments results are used to produce individual learning plans to help identify personal and course goals. Monitoring of progress against these goals is very effective and learners’ achievements are improving, particularly on ECDL courses.

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Quality of provision

39. Learners’ needs and interests are well met. The range of accredited and non-accredited courses is very good and allows good progression. The provider has not carried out sufficient work to meet employers’ needs. However, some initiatives are now in place to analyse possible provision in line with employer feedback.

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Quality of provision

40. Accommodation at most centres is adequate. Most centres have access to data projectors but do not have suitable screens. The provider has no investment programme for ICT equipment. Many computers, which are used for external examinations and on-line testing, are not up to date and have slow internet access. The ICT room at the Grove Park centre is small and the location of the printer is inappropriate, causing problems for learners when collecting printed work.

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Quality of provision

41. Tutors are well qualified and most have specific ICT and/or teacher training qualifications. NVQ assessors have appropriate assessor and internal verifier awards and regularly attend workshops to update their skills. Tutors keep their ICT skills up-to-date through their personal development programme.

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Leadership and management

42. Leadership and management is good. Provision is well managed with clear direction provided by the curriculum manager. A recent review of programmes has successfully improved the range and availability of provision and helped to ensure the viability of the area. Programme and team meetings are used well to review courses and learners’ progress. Equality of opportunity and diversity are promoted well and any issues are tackled appropriately.

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Leadership and management

43. Course reviews are critical and feed into the thorough and accurate self-assessment report. The lesson observation system provides tutors with detailed and constructive feedback, clearly identifying areas for improvement, particularly with regards to teaching. Curriculum managers do not have sufficient access to centrally produced management data for monitoring and for quality improvement.

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Context

44. Currently around 1,550 learners are on a range of courses including: art; drawing; painting; illustration; calligraphy and lettering; design; pottery; sculpture; jewellery; printmaking; interior design; furniture restoration and upholstery; stained glass work; photography and film studies; fashion; textile; drama and music, and singing. Some courses are accredited at Levels 1 to 4. Just over 80% of learners are female and approximately 30% are from minority ethnic groups. Classes are offered in the daytime, during evenings and at weekends, and take place in five main learning centres and at a local community centre.

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Strengths

 Good development of learners’ skills  Good standards of learners’ work  Particularly good range of provision

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Areas for improvement

 Low success rates on accredited courses in design and media  Insufficiently thorough target-setting and monitoring of progress  Insufficient sharing of good practice

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Achievement and standards

45. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Learners develop good skills across the range of provision. For example, in drawing and painting, learners work well to master monochromatic works in a range of media. In printmaking, learners develop very good technical skills in using aquatints. Upholstery learners complete detailed and complex projects. In ceramics, advanced learners demonstrate good skills in throwing, slab- building and glaze. In dressmaking, learners confidently handle difficult fabrics and beginners master machining skills and simple patterns.

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Achievement and standards

46. Learners apply their skills well to produce work of a good standard. Examples of learners’ drawings and paintings are displayed in the learning centres. Restored furniture is finished to very high standards standards. In dressmaking, learners make skirts and new learners produce well made simple garments. External verifier reports note outstanding work in calligraphy and photography. Learners critically evaluate their own work. Five hundred learners exhibited at the CEL summer exhibition.

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Achievement and standards

47. Success rates for non-accredited provision are satisfactory overall at 83% in 2006/07, based upon CEL’s incomplete data. Success rates for accredited provision vary considerably, but are low in design and media. Attendance during inspection was satisfactory.

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Quality of provision

48. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In better learning sessions, tutors make good use of their specialist skills and knowledge to carefully plan and deliver good teaching. They employ a good range of teaching strategies to achieve clear and valid learning outcomes. Frequent checks are made on learning, using good questioning and peer assessment, to encourage learners to reflect on their own learning and make good use of critical feedback. Reference is made to current and/or historical practitioners and good use is made of relevant books. However, some learning sessions are poorly prepared and planned and do not provide learners with sufficiently challenging work. No use of digital media was observed.

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Quality of provision

49. Teaching and learning resources are satisfactory and well maintained. Fashion, music and general studios are well equipped and have good storage facilities. Course toolkits in fashion are good. No computers are provided in studios or classrooms. There is no library provision. Materials are adequate. Technician support is satisfactory. The print room in the most recently built centre and although well equipped with presses has no fume cupboard to deal with acids.

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Quality of provision

50. The range of provision is particularly good and meets learners’ needs and interests. Learners have access to accredited and non-accredited learning. Progression opportunities are satisfactory overall and good in subjects such as ceramics. Learners in drawing and painting classes can progress to higher level accredited courses or onto the pre-foundation course, ultimately moving onto art foundation courses elsewhere. Introductory taster courses are provided in fashion, textiles and jewellery.

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Quality of provision

51. Support and guidance for learners are satisfactory overall. Support from tutors is good. One learning centre has a crèche. One specific project supports 100 learners with mental health problems. Provision for meeting learners’ literacy and numeracy needs is satisfactory. However, there is no embedded basic skills programme and learners with additional learning needs and/or disabilities are not always sufficiently well supported.

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Quality of provision

52. Target-setting for learners and the monitoring of their progress is insufficiently thorough. Initial assessment and target-setting occurs on many non-accredited courses, but recording of progress and achievement is not thorough. Some tutors clearly record learning outcomes and critical feedback against learners’ comments on their own progress. However, in many learning sessions, targets have changed on schemes of work and individual learning plans and some targets are not sufficiently specific. Training in target- setting has taken place, but not all tutors have attended.

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Leadership and management

53. Leadership and management is satisfactory. Tutors and managers are well experienced and qualified and work well as a team. However, current management arrangements across the area do not promote the sharing of good practice for quality improvement and planning. Programme managers do not meet as a group. CEL indicates that it intends to tackle this as part of its current planned changes to management structures.

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Leadership and management

54. The self-assessment report provides an accurate summary of areas for improvement. Use of management information for quality improvement is satisfactory, though data produced centrally does not always agree with local data. The scheme of lesson observation is very effective in fashion and textiles, with thorough and detailed feedback to tutors, clear and supportive action-planning, and careful monitoring of progress. However, monitoring of action-planning for art and drama tutors is incomplete. Promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory.

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Context

55. Currently 395 learners are on literacy courses, 207 on numeracy courses and 685 on ESOL courses. Overall 69% of the provision is accredited, from entry Level 1 to Level 2 in literacy and numeracy and entry Level 1 to Level 1 in ESOL. Courses take place in eight community venues and two local schools. All courses are part time with most learners attending one or two sessions a week. Courses take place in the morning and afternoon at most centres, and in the evening at the four main centres. CEL also offers provision for learners with additional learning difficulties and/or disabilities, though this was not inspected.

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Strengths

 Good work to improve learners' skills, confidence and motivation  Good teaching and learning strategies in ESOL  Good initial interview and diagnostic assessment for literacy and numeracy learners

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Areas for improvement

 Low success rates on accredited courses  Uninspiring teaching in literacy and numeracy  Poor access to information learning technology  Insufficient learning resources

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Achievement and standards

56. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Good work is carried out to improve learners' skills, confidence and motivation. Learners gain in self-confidence and are well motivated. Achievement of new skills is good. Learners make good progress, working very well to complete targets and personal goals set on individual learning plans. Learners fully understand how to apply their skills. Overall, standards of work are satisfactory or better.

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Achievement and standards

57. Learners’ success on non-accredited programmes is satisfactory overall and better on some courses. Success rates on accredited courses are low and below national averages at all levels. Measures are being taken to improve retention and to increase entries for accreditation. Learners are aware of the opportunities and the expectation to gain accreditation, and many are keen to do so. Learners progress well through the levels. Links with the local further education college are good and learners progress to higher levels or vocational courses. Attendance is satisfactory in most learning sessions but punctuality is poor and is not tackled by staff.

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Quality of provision

58. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Good teaching and learning strategies are used in ESOL. Learners are set a good range of challenging, interesting activities and have access to relevant learning materials. Learners effectively extend and develop their language, personal and social skills. Tutors produce their own learning materials and use current, relevant materials to meet learners’ interests and needs. Learners’ own culture, experiences and interests are used well to support learning. In one particularly effective mixed ability literacy session, the tutor used a topical event to stimulate discussion on the use of adjectives. In another session, learners were shown how to use a spidergram to plan their writing.

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Quality of provision

59. Teaching in literacy and numeracy is uninspiring. Too much use is made of worksheets, some of which are out of date. In some sessions, the pace of activity is slow and it is not clear what learners have achieved. Learners’ individual needs are not sufficiently met. Not enough work is done to develop collaboration, communication and speaking and listening skills. Little use is made of materials from learners’ every day lives, with much coming from published learning packs.

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Quality of provision

60. Access to information learning technology is poor. A small number of rooms have computers, and some laptop computers are available, but these are not up to date. Tutors do not have sufficient time or confidence to use the computers.

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Quality of provision

61. Learning resources are insufficient. Not enough dictionaries are available and those which are out of date. Much reading material is photocopied. Tutors do not share sufficiently their own resources. A virtual learning environment is being developed.

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Quality of provision

62. Programmes and activities meet learners’ needs and interests. Provision is available throughout the borough in major centres and smaller venues. Some parts of the borough do not have adequate access to literacy and numeracy. ESOL learners can attend additional classes to improve their literacy and language skills. Some courses have waiting lists.

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Quality of provision

63. Learner support and guidance is good. Tutors are appropriately qualified. Literacy and numeracy learners complete a good initial interview and diagnostic assessment to establish their learning needs, previous education, employment experience, planned aims and most appropriate course. Tutors receive this information with an analysis of the diagnostic assessment and use it effectively to set learners’ targets. Initial and diagnostic assessments are thorough and consistent in ESOL. Tutors make good use of this information to plan learning.

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Leadership and management

64. Leadership and management is satisfactory. ESOL is managed effectively by the temporary management team. Overall, managers set a clear direction for development and improvement, although this is not always communicated Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated. effectively to staff. All tutors are now aware of the requirement for learners to take accreditation, but the move to accredited provision is slow.

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Leadership and management

65. Self-assessment is thorough and detailed with clear action plans. Although inspectors agreed with many of the judgements in the self-assessment report, for literacy and numeracy they identified additional areas for improvement in teaching. Managers make insufficient use of management information for planning. They keep their own achievement data, which shows different outcomes to the centrally generated data. Observation of teaching and learning provides tutors with appropriate action points to improve their training. Equality and diversity are promoted well.

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