London Borough of Enfield

Inspection number 316641 London Borough of Enfield

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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 ............................................................................................................................ 7 Key areas for improvement..................................................................................................... 7 Main findings............................................................................................................................ 8 Achievement and standards................................................................................................... 8 Quality of provision............................................................................................................... 8 Leadership and management ................................................................................................. 8

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Contents

Equality of opportunity....................................................................................................... 8 What learners like.................................................................................................................. 11 What learners think could improve...................................................................................... 11 Sector subject areas................................................................................................................ 12 Hairdressing and beauty therapy ......................................................................................... 12 Employability training......................................................................................................... 15 Community learning............................................................................................................ 18

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Contents

Business, administration and law ........................................................................................ 21 Family learning.................................................................................................................... 24 Learners’ achievements......................................................................................................... 27

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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

 Hairdressing and beauty therapy  Employability training  Community learning  Business, administration and law  Family learning

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Description of the provider

1. The London borough of Enfield (LBE) offers adult and community learning (ACL) and work-based learning (WBL) for young people. The latter is delivered through Enfield training services (ETS). Both aspects of learning are located in the education, learning and community services section of the education, children’s service and leisure department. In the previous inspection cycle, these two aspects of learning were inspected independently.

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Description of the provider

2. LBE offers community and family learning, apprenticeships for young people in hairdressing and beauty therapy, business, administration and law, Entry to Employment (E2E) and 14-16 training for learners not attending school. Most of the ACL provision is subcontracted to two local colleges and nine voluntary community organisations. LBE contracts with London North LSC.

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Description of the provider

3. In 2006/07, LBE provided learning to 2218 people and ETS offered training to approximately 200 learners. At the time of the inspection, there were 703 ACL and 101 WBL learners. Additionally, 12 14-16 year old learners were enrolled. The 14-16 provision was not included in the inspection.

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Description of the provider

4. LBE employs nine permanent and 17 agency staff. At the time of the inspection, LBE was in the process of merging the ACL and WBL services.

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Description of the provider

5. Enfield is an outer London borough. Approximately 66% of the local population are from black and minority ethnic groups. The borough is one of economic contrasts with districts that are relatively prosperous and others that are included in the 10% most deprived wards in England. LBE receives funding for new learning in deprived communities (NLDC). The proportion of adults with poor literacy, numeracy and language skills is 22% which is slightly below the national average. The unemployment rate in the borough is currently 4.4% compared with the London average of 3.3%.

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Summary of grades awarded

Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3 Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3 Work-based learning Contributory grade: 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 Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3 Work-based learning Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Quality of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3 Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3 Work-based learning Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Leadership and management Satisfactory: Grade 3 Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3 Work-based learning Contributory grade: 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

Hairdressing and beauty therapy Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Sector subject area

Employability training Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Sector subject area

Community learning Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Sector subject area

Business, administration and law Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

6. The overall effectiveness of the provision is satisfactory. Many learners develop confidence from learning at LBE. WBL learners’ develop good vocational skills and employability training E2E learners’ make good progress. Achievement rates on adult and community and E2E learning are satisfactory. Overall success rates in WBL have much improved over the past three years and overall are now satisfactory.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

7. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. However, the quality of teaching and learning varies considerably between ACL and WBL. Insufficient good or better teaching and learning is evident in the WBL provision. Learning resources are satisfactory. Assessment practice is generally satisfactory, although the recognition and recording of learners’ performance and achievement (recognising and recording progress and achievement) is insufficiently developed.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

8. The council’s response to social inclusion is good. Strategies to widen participation are successful at enrolling targeted learners’. Promotional materials are available in multiple languages. In consultation with local schools, ETS is effectively expanding its provision for learners aged 14-16.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

9. Guidance and support are satisfactory. Learners’ generally have good access to friendly and supportive teaching staff. Initial assessment is appropriate for learners on literacy, numeracy and ESOL courses. Support for additional learning is satisfactory.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

10. Leadership and management is satisfactory. The borough council provides strong strategic direction. Partnership arrangements are very effective in developing learning opportunities with a range of diverse community groups. Managers have a clear focus to support hard to reach learners’. The council has been slow to implement its skills for life strategy. Equality of opportunity is satisfactory, although there is insufficient promotion of equality and diversity with learners. Communication with subcontractors is generally good although overall quality assurance is insufficiently thorough. Some key learner experiences are not appropriately monitored. LBE does not critically evaluate or analyse data sufficiently well to plan and improve provision.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

11. Capacity to improve is satisfactory. Since the previous inspection both services have successfully revised subcontracting arrangements. ACL provision has introduced more accredited qualifications and success rates overall are satisfactory. Achievement rates on non-accredited programmes in ACL have made improvements.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

12. The effectiveness of steps taken to improve the provision since the previous inspection are satisfactory. Satisfactory progress has been made in improving some weaknesses identified in the 2003 report for ACL. However, some aspects of quality assurance remain an area for improvement. ETS had made good progress in rectifying weaknesses identified in 2002 by the time of reinspeciton in 2003, when ETS was graded good. However, since then the provider has made some progress in improving most of the weakness but the strength in the promotion of equality and opportunity has not been maintained and there are now areas for improvement with aspects of management of some programmes.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

13. The provider self-assessment process is satisfactory. Self-assessment is suitably inclusive. Subcontractors in ACL provision have suitable training and all produced their own SARs. However, the use of data in these reports varies in accuracy. Most grades awarded by inspectors did not match those of the provider. Both services self-assessments suitably cover all aspects of the common inspection framework. However, the self-assessment report (SAR) is insufficiently critical and does not evaluate data sufficiently to inform judgements and action planning. While some strengths and areas for improvement matched those found by inspectors others were insufficiently judgemental or over generous in grading.

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Key strengths

 Strong strategic direction  Very effective partnerships to widen participation  Good development of learners’ skills and confidence  Good range of provision to meet community needs  Good family learning provision

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Key areas for improvement

 Incomplete quality assurance arrangements  Insufficient good or better teaching and learning  Understanding and use of management information  Promotion of equality and diversity  Ineffective arrangements to assess and record learners’ progress and achievements  Ineffective aspects of operational management in ETS  Incomplete arrangements to systematically check staff criminal records

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

14. Overall achievement and standards are satisfactory. Success rates in business administration and progression rates on E2E are good. The development of learners’ personal skills and confidence are good on family learning and business administration. The development of practical skills is good on hairdressing and business administration. Overall, success rates on accredited courses and achievement rates on non-accredited courses are satisfactory. Standards of learners’ work are satisfactory. Attendance was low during inspection. The self-assessment reports overstated the strengths of retention, achievements and success rates.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

15. The quality of provision is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are good in family learning and community learning ESOL courses. However, overall teaching and learning are satisfactory. Of all the lessons observed, 42% were good or better, 54% satisfactory and 4% inadequate. In WBL, there is insufficient good or better teaching and learning. In the more successful lessons, tutors plan well, used a range of differentiated teaching methods and learner’s progress was carefully monitored. In the less successful lessons, tutors spent too long talking at learners and failed to recognise and attend to all learners’ individual needs. Learning resources and accommodation are satisfactory. There is insufficient employer engagement in planning and monitoring learners’ progress in WBL.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

16. The assessment of literacy, numeracy and language for those learners’ who receive it is satisfactory. The use of recognising and recording learners’ performance and achievement (recognising and recording progress and achievement) is insufficiently developed. In WBL, there is a lack of rigour in vocational assessments.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

17. The range of provision is good. The council strategy for the provision of ACL and WBL is carefully targeted to meet the needs of many learners who have not successfully benefited from formal education. For example, 14-16 learners not attending school to mature learners seeking to gain greater understanding and use of ICT and its applications.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

18. Support for learners is satisfactory. Learners’ generally have good access to supportive teaching staff. WBL learners’ benefit from a good working partnership with the Connexions service to offer a range of support through inter agency co-operation. The self-assessment judgements regarding the quality of provision broadly matched the findings of the inspection team.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

19. Leadership and management is satisfactory. The borough council provides strong strategic direction. LBE effectively fulfils its mission to provide learning for the community, in the community and with the community. Very effective partnerships have developed good learning opportunities and support for learners through a range of diverse community groups. The borough council’s 14 to 19 strategy is clearly linked to the work of the ETS service. Managers have a clear focus on supporting hard to reach learners and have successfully developed provision working with local schools.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

20. Since the previous inspection the adult and community learning service has successfully moved away from using mostly local colleges to commissioning a range of diverse subcontractors who are community based organisations. The ACL service has helped it’s subcontractors to maximise their potential through regular meetings and links between its wider networks within the borough council. Very effective links between organisations have enabled learners to progress.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

21. LBE has been slow to implement its skills for life strategy The 2007/10 strategy includes suitable targets, but there have been delays in meeting action deadlines. However, accredited provision is offered in the community for literacy and numeracy and although success rates are good in numeracy, they are poor in literacy. Learners on accredited childcare in community provision who need help with language are very effectively supported. Most ETS learners with literacy and numeracy needs are effectively supported. However, specialist support for dyslexia is not readily available. As recognised in the self- assessment, initial advice and guidance is not formalised enough across all provision. The self-assessment did not recognise the underdevelopment of recognising and recording progress and achievement as an area for further improvement.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

22. Curriculum management of the community provision is broadly effective. However, in ETS there is a lack of organisation and management of some aspects of the programmes. Most accommodation is satisfactory.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

23. Equality of opportunity is satisfactory. The service has some good initiatives in community provision to embed equality and diversity within the community that have raised staff awareness. However, there is insufficient promotion of equality and diversity with learners. Work-placements are checked for health and safety but not for equality and diversity. Both services routinely collect data on learners’ ethnicity, gender and disability and the proportion of learners from black and minority ethnic backgrounds significantly exceeds the local average. The borough council has a policy statement on equality and diversity but it is not clear how this is implemented. Access to facilities for people with restricted mobility remains an issue in the centre used by ETS. The borough council has safeguarding arrangements but both services have not amended these to be applicable, as other services have. The borough council does not keep a combined record of CRB checks

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

of all staff that work with its learners’.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

24. The self-assessment process is inclusive and thorough. However, quality assurance overall is insufficiently effective. Since the previous inspection the ACL service has strengthened quality assurance arrangements by introducing standardised paperwork for all subcontractors to use. Comprehensive contracts cover all aspects of provision. Both services do not monitor some aspects closely enough. Observations of teaching and learning are not sufficiently thorough. Some useful action planning following observations has taken place. Good practice is not shared routinely across the provision. Other aspects of quality assurance are incomplete. Monitoring of course paperwork and observation of key learning experiences are not sufficiently thorough.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

25. Both services do not critically evaluate or analyse data sufficiently well to plan and improve provision. The ACL service doesn’t routinely analyse data collected or action plan for improvement. However, in ETS this is more thorough with regular and routine analysis of data such as retention and achievement. The recognising and recording progress and achievement process is underdeveloped and does not sufficiently link to the monitoring of learners personal achievements.

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What learners like:

 Friendly, supportive tutors  Feeling safe and locations are easy to get to  Timings of classes are good to fit in with school times  Subsidised fees  Course content  Enjoyable lessons because they can help their children understand school (ESOL)  Gaining confidence to carry on learning  Being treated like adults (work-based learning)  Work leading to employment (work-based learning)  It’s good not having school holidays (work-based learning)

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What learners think could improve:

 Would like longer lessons and courses in family learning  ‘Some tasks are too difficult to understand’  Crèche facilities on some courses  Learners’ would like the opportunity to progress locally and not necessarily to a big threatening FE college (ESOL)  Make Key skills in WBL more fun.  Meagre pay (work-based learning)  The hairdressing academy needs refurbishing.

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Context

26. ETS provides apprenticeships and E2E training in hairdressing. At the time of the inspection there were 48 apprenticeship learners on programme. Learners gain practical skills in work-placements in salons around the boroughs of Enfield, Barnet and Haringey. Learners attend off-the-job training on one day a week at the provider’s training centre and at its own training salon. Apprentices learn practical skills in the salons that they are placed in. Many of the current learners’ have previous hairdressing experience either through part-time employment or through progression from the E2E programme.

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Strengths

 Good development of learners’ practical skills

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Achievement and standards

27. Learners develop good practical skills while they are with ETS. Some learners who have been on the apprenticeship programme for only few weeks are able to confidently blow- dry hair to a good standard. Learners in their second year of training competently carry out a broad range of treatments on their clients. For example, learners work on clients carrying out cutting to a good commercial standard. Learners’ enjoy working on their clients and exhibit good customer service, treating clients with courtesy and care throughout.

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Achievement and standards

28. Overall success rates have much improved over the past three years and are now satisfactory. Framework success rates are: 63% in 2006/07, 36% in 2005/06 and 0% in 2004/05, although in the same year 54% of learners achieved the NVQ in hairdressing. In the self-assessment report, retention and achievement were identified as a strength.

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Achievement and standards

29. Many learners make slow progress. Although learners are able to carry out treatments to a good standard they are not always assessed quickly enough to enable them to complete units toward their full qualification. During the reviews of learners progress, targets are insufficiently challenging or do not reflect the capability of the learner. For example, some learners take up to eleven months to achieve the shampooing unit despite this being a main activity that learners carry out in their salons from an early stage in employment. Some employers feel their apprentices could progress faster than they do.

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Quality of provision

30. The quality of provision is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers enjoy a good relationship with their learners. The better aspects of teaching include good one-to-one coaching in practical training. Teachers take time to explain techniques to learners in practical training sessions. They closely observe learners in-class progress and offer good individual support as required. A range of teaching methods are used to motivate learners. In the less successful sessions, some learners were involved in assisting second year learners’ in practical lessons without specific learning outcomes being identified. This activity tends to repeat what most hairdressing apprentices do everyday in the workplace. Too many learners were acting as clients as part of a practical lesson and were not engaged in active learning. Other learners were not sufficiently on task as they were observed using their mobile phones to text during training without being challenged.

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Quality of provision

Learners complete a learning styles assessment to determine their preferred learning styles. However, little account of this is taken when planning for differentiated teaching and learning.

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Quality of provision

31. The off-the-job training salon and teaching resources are satisfactory. The decor is uninspiring and there are very few commercial pictures. However, there are plans to refurbish the training salon in the near future. The IT equipment is good at the training centre although little use is made of ICT when teaching subjects other than key skills. Some theory sessions are delivered in the training salon, however, the accommodation is unsuitable and there are insufficient teaching resources available. Staff are appropriately experienced and qualified. Overall the standards of work-place salons are satisfactory, although in one salon there was inadequate extraction to remove fumes from acrylic nail treatments. The self-assessment report (SAR) appropriately recognised the shortage of work-placements as an area for improvement.

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Quality of provision

32. Assessment practice is insufficiently flexible. Most assessments are completed at the provider’s premises. There are currently no workplace salons with resident assessors and access to an assessor visiting the workplace is limited. The SAR recognised this as an area for improvement.

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Quality of provision

33. Enrichment activities are satisfactory. Learners have an annual visit to a hair trade show and specialist workshops. ETS have run three barbering workshops for employers and their learners. Advice and guidance are satisfactory, however, there is currently no progression route to advanced apprenticeships with ETS.

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Quality of provision

34. The review of learners’ progress is mainly focused on the learners wellbeing. This is carried out well and learners’ have a satisfactory understanding of their rights and responsibilities and health and safety. However, some weak aspects of the review process contribute to the slow progress of learners. Targets are not specific enough to help employers support learners’ training and some employers are insufficiently involved in reviews. Long term targets do not take account of individual learner abilities or prior experience. The promotion of equality and diversity is not sufficiently reinforced at review.

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Quality of provision

35. Learning support is satisfactory. Assessment of learners’ literacy and numeracy is completed at the start of the programme. Results are shared with the learner and appropriate support is made available mainly in key skill sessions. Learning and support and guidance was identified as a strength in the SAR.

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Leadership and management

36. Leadership and management is satisfactory. There have been substantial improvements to success rates as a result of reorganising the delivery of training. Communication amongst staff is satisfactory, with weekly meetings. However, action planning is not formally recorded and shared. Internal verification is satisfactory. The use of data and the monitoring of staff performance are not sufficiently robust enough to plan for future improvements. For example, any teaching observations do not result in action plans for improvements and not all staff receive an appraisal. The self-assessment process is inclusive of staff and learners views; however, the report did not acknowledge the key strengths and areas for improvement identified at inspection. Some strengths identified in the report are no more than normal practice in the sector.

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Context

37. At the time of the inspection there were 64 learners on E2E programme. Of these, 16 are working towards hairdressing qualifications, 12 administration qualification and 36 learners’ are either undecided or working in other vocational areas. There are 13 learners studying English as a second or other language and two learners are receiving additional learning support. All learners have work experience tasters in the vocational areas in which they have an interest. Currently 35% of E2E learners are from an minority ethnic and 70% are female.

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Strengths

 Good progression of E2E learners.  Good reviews to maintain learner progress.  Good support for most learners.

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Areas for improvement

 Poor planning of personal development for many learners.  Insufficient access to key skills for some learners.  Poor use of data on non-accredited achievements.  Insufficient co-ordination of the E2E programme.

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Achievement and standards

38. Overall, achievement and standards are satisfactory. Progression rates into employment, further education and training are good and have steadily improved over the past three years. In 2006/07, 60% of learners progressed. However, over the same period, learners’ achievements of their individual goals are satisfactory. Rates have remained constant at around 65%. The development of learners’ vocational and key skills are satisfactory. At the time of inspection, apart from English for speakers of other Languages (ESOL) courses, attendance rates were low with poor punctuality. Attendance rates are insufficiently monitored for trends. The SAR overstated the strengths in achievement and standards.

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Quality of provision

39. The quality of provision is satisfactory. Reviews of learners’ progress are good. They take place regularly and include the learner’s ETS learning support officer and a Connexions caseworker. Both of parties work closely together. Support is provided by whichever organisation is best able to meet the learner’s needs. Learners are set good short-term targets. ETS learning support officers’ work well with all learners and most learners receive good support to motivate them to achieve. Additional learning support is appropriately assessed and most learners’ receive good learning support. If learners’ experience difficulties in achieving targets, ETS staff work effectively to provide further support. Pastoral care is well managed with effective links to specialist agencies that maintain learners on programme. Learners value the support workers who go out of their way to help them. For example, a learning support officer assisted a learner who had

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Quality of provision

difficulty opening a bank account, spending several hours visiting banks with the learner.

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Quality of provision

40. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teaching is carefully planned and tutors have a good relationship with learners. Classroom activities meet the needs of most learners’ and most learners generally remain attentive throughout. Vocational training and work-placements motivate learners’ to improve their understanding of the world of work. The preparation for work programme, which is taken by most learners’, is focused on seeking and obtaining employment. It provides well planned development of the information and skills required for those seeking employment. Learning resources and accommodation are satisfactory. Although, key skills learning resources are not related to learners’ particular vocational interest. Availability and use of IT is satisfactory. Most tutors are appropriately qualified and experienced.

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Quality of provision

41. Overall, initial assessment and assessment of learners’ progress is satisfactory. The assessment and planning for all learners’ personal development is insufficiently developed. Those learners’ with recognised personal needs will have effective and planned personal development to support their individual needs. However, this process is not systematic for all learners’ and few individual learning plans (ILP’s) contain comprehensive goals or details of planned learning programmes.

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Quality of provision

42. A wide range of short courses and activities have been offered to learners. These include, sexual health awareness, independent living and anger management workshops. Attendance is voluntary and not all learners take advantage of these opportunities. ETS provides a good range of enrichment activities. They range from visits to vocationally relevant exhibitions to visits to ice skating rinks. A learner forum contributes to the development of these activities. A wide variety of work tasters are available for learners. For example, placements in construction, automotive and engineering industries have been arranged through the Enfield Business Partnership. Advice and guidance are satisfactory. Some learners’ with appropriate GCSE mathematics and English grades are not offered key skills at a higher level.

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Quality of provision

43. The self-assessment report did not identify many of the key findings identified by inspectors and was insufficiently critical of some areas.

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Leadership and management

44. Overall leadership and management is satisfactory. Progression rates to further education, training or employment have significantly improved over the past three years and ETS has made continuous improvements to the quality of the provision. However, there is insufficient co-ordination of all aspects of the E2E programme. For example, the application of procedures for different vocational E2E groups is not consistently applied and some poor practice has developed. There is insufficient sharing of best practice. The use of recognising and recording progress and achievement has been introduced but its implementation is incomplete. The use of data to monitor accredited provision is satisfactory. However, there is poor use of data to monitor non-accredited provision.

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Leadership and management

45. Overall, equality of opportunity is satisfactory, although there is insufficient promotion.

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Leadership and management

46. The self-assessment report did not identify some areas for improvement in leadership and management identified by inspectors. However, the areas for improvement that had been identified by the provider had been satisfactorily resolved.

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Context

47. Community learning represents approximately 60% of LBE’s adult and community learning provision. Most provision is subcontracted to Southgate College and 6 voluntary and community organisations. Day-to-day management is currently the responsibility of the head of lifelong learning in the absence of a community learning co-ordinator. At the time of inspection there were 511 learners enrolled onto community learning programmes. Preparation for life and work programmes account for 347 learners. Most of these learners’ are following English for Speakers of Other Languages courses. Other courses include yoga, childminding, citizenship, creative writing and information and communication technology (ICT) alongside a range of practical vocational courses delivered by Southgate College. Approximately half the community learning provision leads to a recognised qualification.

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Strengths

 High success rates in childminding practice and certificate in IT skills for life  Good teaching on ESOL programmes  Wide range of programmes to meet community needs

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Areas for improvement

 Low success rates on the certificate in adult literacy and ESOL Entry Level 1  Insufficient use of initial assessment  Insufficient analysis of data to inform quality improvements

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Achievement and standards

48. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Success rates on accredited provision are generally satisfactory at 56% for 2006/07. Retention and achievement rates on non- accredited provision are satisfactory. In 2006/07, retention was 89% and achievement rates were 95%. Success rates are high in childminding practice, the Certificate in Adult Numeracy and ICT Skills for life programmes. However, they are low in the Certificate in Adult Literacy and ESOL entry level 1. Many learners on these programmes enrol to improve their social and employability skills rather than to achieve a qualification.

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Achievement and standards

49. Learners gain in confidence and successfully develop relevant skills by attending community learning programmes. They work with enthusiasm and are eager to learn. The standard of learners work is satisfactory. Achievement by learners’ on non-accredited programmes is celebrated by receiving a certificate of completion. The number of learners progressing on to other relevant programmes upon completion is satisfactory. The service judged achievements to be good in the self-assessment; however, inspectors found this judgement to be too generous.

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Quality of provision

50. The quality of provision is satisfactory. Overall, teaching and learning are satisfactory. Although, teaching and learning on ESOL programmes are good. ESOL tutors use of differentiation is good, although not usually reflected in lesson plans, which are otherwise detailed and well used. Tutors give careful thought to the management of group and individual work. Paired work is used effectively to promote and encourage understanding of more complex language and grammatical issues. The use of English is actively encouraged by tutors. Tutors are enthusiastic about their subjects and use a wide range of media to reinforce language skills. Schemes of work are broadly satisfactory, with comprehensive coverage of topics and appropriate timings.

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Quality of provision

51. In programmes other than ESOL, some tutors are enthusiastic about their subject areas, energetic and supportive in helping learners achieve their learning goals. Good use is made of volunteers in some classes. In the less successful teaching and learning sessions, tutors spent too long talking at learners and failed to recognise or meet all individual learners’ needs. Overall, accommodation and learning resources are satisfactory. Some classrooms are modern, well lit and display appropriate learning images. Tutors make good use of information learning technology. However, some classes are dull and cramped.

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Quality of provision

52. The range of courses in community learning is good. Courses closely reflect the needs of the community and the provision is successful in attracting under-represented and hard to reach learners. Practical courses include bricklaying for women, plastering, carpentry, motor vehicle, yoga and childminding. LBE meets the national skills for life agenda through a good range of citizenship and ESOL courses. Courses run in easy to reach locations, and most are at times that are accessible for learners.

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Quality of provision

53. Support and guidance are generally satisfactory. Initial advice and guidance are satisfactory for most learners. Overall, information on progression routes is satisfactory, although it often relies on the tutor’s local knowledge.

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Quality of provision

54. LBE has introduced recognising and recording progress and achievement although it is not yet fully effective. There is insufficient use made of initial assessment. Learners complete an initial and diagnostic assessment at the start of the programme. However, this is not well used in completing individual learning plans, which are often generic. Most tutors do not use the results of initial assessment effectively to monitor progress. Learners often record their own progress, though this is often just an account of what has been covered in class, with no recognition of what has been learnt or areas for further development.

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Quality of provision

55. The SAR broadly identified the same strengths and areas for improvement as those of the inspection team.

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Leadership and management

56. Leadership and management is satisfactory. The aims and vision of community learning are clearly set out. The service has successfully established relationships with local colleges, training providers and other community groups to run a wide range of programmes to meet its aims. The provision successfully targets sections of the local community. 57. The management of resources are broadly satisfactory. Teachers are experienced, well qualified in their specialist areas and the vast majority have or are working towards a teaching qualification. Staff development opportunities are satisfactory. In 2006/07 the service provided teachers and managers of the subcontracted provision with a variety of relevant in-service training. Training on the self-assessment process for centre managers has been both popular and successful. Equality of opportunity is satisfactory.

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Leadership and management

58. Quality assurance policies and procedures are clear and well understood by subcontractors. Communication between provider and subcontractors is effective. The lesson observation system is well established although grades awarded are mainly overgenerous. There is insufficient analysis of data to inform quality improvement. For example, data from lesson observations are not used sufficiently to plan for improvement and share best practice. Data generated by tutors’, such as initial assessments, leaver surveys and course evaluations are not always analysed and do not contribute enough to the annual assessment process.

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Leadership and management

59. The self-assessment report broadly identifies key strengths and areas for improvement, but inspectors found the grades awarded in the report to be too generous. Subject sector reports are evaluative. However, these evaluations are not always reflected in the overall strengths and areas for improvement.

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Context

60. ETS offers apprenticeships at levels 2 and 3 and E2E training in business, administration and law. At the time of the inspection there were four learners enrolled on apprenticeships, three learners on advanced apprenticeships and a further three learners were waiting to transfer from the E2E programme. Learner numbers are usually higher. Work-placements are generally with Enfield Council or small local employers.

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Context

61. All learners start their learning programme on the E2E programme and progress on to the apprenticeship programme once a satisfactory work-placement has been secured. Learners attend the training centre for one day a week. During this time they attend lessons in business administration, key skills and work on their portfolios.

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Strengths

 Good success rates  Good development of vocational skills and confidence in learners  Good pastoral support for learners

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient review of learners’ progress  Lack of rigour in assessment  Ineffective quality assurance arrangements

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Achievement and standards

62. Success rates are good. In 2006/07, overall success rates are 80% and have considerably improved over the past three years. Learners’ development of vocational skills and confidence is good. Most learners’ are well motivated, work hard and enjoy learning, often through good collaborative peer learning. Learners are able to competently and confidently demonstrate the skills they have learnt while on programme. Employers clearly recognise these developments. There are good opportunities for learners to progress to an advanced apprenticeship where the employer is prepared to support an extension of the work-placement. Overall, on programme progress is satisfactory. However, for some able learners, progress to complete the apprenticeship is slow.

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Quality of provision

63. The quality of provision is satisfactory. ETS has good links with employers, and learners are effectively matched to work-placements and employment. Employers understand and respond appropriately by giving learners appropriate time off to work on their qualification. Overall induction is satisfactory. All learners’ are well informed about their role in achieving the qualification. They receive good information about their programme, details on complaints and grievance procedures, health and safety and equal opportunities. Although learners’ are not aware if they have a contract of employment.

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Quality of provision

64. Overall, the planning of training is satisfactory. ETS staff have a good relationship with learners. Learning resources and accommodation are satisfactory. Staff have appropriate experience and are well qualified. Access to IT equipment is good. Workplace resources are good and supervisors are skilled and experienced. Some apprentices gain additional knowledge and skills by attending internal training programmes. However, the embedding of the technical certificate to reinforce learners’ understanding is restricted to classroom based exercises. Learners’ are enrolled on the same NVQ units, regardless of the business sector they are working in and generally receive the same job description without reference to their actual job role. Learners’ with appropriate GCSE mathematics and English passes are not encouraged to work towards a higher level.

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Quality of provision

65. There is a general lack of rigour in the assessment of NVQs. The range of assessment methods is too narrow. Too much evidence is paper based, generated in the workplace and prepared for inclusion in the learners’ portfolio when they attend the training centre. Assessment records for all aspects of the framework are maintained by the various tutors and assessors; however, there is no single monitoring sheet to monitor the overall progress of the learner to ensure timely achievement of frameworks.

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Quality of provision

66. ETS tutors and assessors have regular contact with learners and informally monitor their performance. However, there is insufficient review of learners’ progress. All progress reviews are carried out in the workplace. However, they lack sufficient employer engagement and employers are unable to work with the apprentice on developing evidence as portfolios stay at the providers training centre. Review records are brief and generally descriptive. They include few judgements about the learner’s progress or cover all aspects of the learning programme. In some cases the document is no more than a list of questions with insufficient detail recording the progress the learner has made since the last review. Some progress targets are too general. Insufficient use is made of accreditation of prior learning for learners progressing from an apprenticeship to an advanced apprenticeship. Review forms do not have opportunities for employers and

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Quality of provision

67. Learners receive good pastoral support from tutors and assessors. Learners feel confident to confide personal and work related issues. ETS staff offer good help and support on personal matters and use a wide range of support agencies to maintain learner commitment to training. Additional learning support is satisfactory. Learners receive an assessment in literacy and numeracy at the start of their programme. The results are appropriately shared and learners have opportunities to develop areas of weakness identified.

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Leadership and management

68. Leadership and management is satisfactory. Success rates have much improved over the past three years. Targets for improvement are clearly set and these are closely monitored by management. Learner progress is regularly monitored in team meetings. Minutes of these meetings are recorded with appropriate action points raised. However, these points are not always systematically monitored for completion. There is good feedback of learners’ views. The business administration team is small and the absence of a key member of staff has had a negative impact on learners’ progression from the E2E programme to the apprenticeship programme.

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Leadership and management

69. The internal verification process is satisfactory overall. However, the arrangements for quality assurance are ineffective. There is a general lack of monitoring key learner experiences. The promotion of health and safety and equality of opportunity are satisfactory, however, learners understanding of equality and diversity are insufficiently reinforced during progress reviews.

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Leadership and management

70. The self-assessment process is satisfactory and identified some of the strengths and areas for improvement identified at inspection. However, the process is not sufficiently rigorous to identify areas for improvement in quality assurance.

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Context

71. At the time of the inspection 192 learners were on family learning programmes. These programmes include courses on wider family learning and family language, literacy and numeracy, keeping up with the children, babies and books, family literacy, family numeracy, play and language, first steps, parenting and ICT. Much of the provision is subcontracted to local voluntary and community organisations.

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Context

72. In 2006/07, LBE provided family learning for approximately 700 learners. Most learners are female. Courses are taught in a range of venues including schools, libraries, children centres and community centres.

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Strengths

 Good development of personal skills and confidence  Very effective partnerships to engage learners  Good teaching and learning

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient monitoring of learners’ progress

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Achievement and standards

73. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. The development of learners’ personal skills and confidence are good. Learners increase their knowledge about their children’s education. They gain confidence and are able to speak to teachers about their children’s progress. They increase their self-esteem and are encouraged to continue learning. Most learners’ find that they are able to transfer their learning to home activities. For example, by improving their literacy and numeracy skills they are able to help their children with their homework. Parents learn new skills, they enjoy learning and they make new friends.

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Achievement and standards

74. Retention and achievement rates and the standard of learners’ work are satisfactory. Learners attend regularly and are keen to progress to further increase their knowledge and skills. The SAR overstated retention as a key strength.

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Quality of provision

75. Quality of provision is good. Teaching and learning are good. Tutors plan and use a variety of activities to engage learners and stimulate learning. They have clear objectives for the lessons which are relevant to the needs of learners. They use a good range of teaching methods to make lessons interesting. These include satisfactory activities to promote understanding of different cultures and backgrounds. The sessions build on existing learners’ experience and knowledge to help learners interact with each other. Teachers use effective questioning techniques to check learning in the lessons. Learners’ receive constructive feedback which enables them to progress. Learners are encouraged to work independently and are set homework to consolidate learning. Induction is well organised and effective. It helps learners to understand the purpose of the course and how they can achieve their individual objectives.

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Quality of provision

76. A wide variety of courses are targeted at families in priority groups. All the courses are at entry level and there are no progression opportunities with LBE. However, learners are signposted to other providers to continue their learning, including gaining accreditation. The courses are publicised in schools, children centres and health centres. Courses are designed to give learners the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of schools and find out how their children learn. Courses are offered in convenient venues where learners feel safe and are happy to attend. Many learners’ would welcome the opportunity to gain a qualification.

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Quality of provision

77. Overall, individual in-class support is good. Advice and guidance is satisfactory. Creche facilities are provided for many learners to enable them to attend. Additional support is satisfactory. Interpreters and learning support workers support learners in teaching sessions and parent support assistants visit learners at home to offer support to allow them to continue attending lessons.

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Quality of provision

78. There is insufficient monitoring of learners’ progress. Targets for individual learners are not sufficiently detailed. Learners on literacy and numeracy programmes complete initial assessments. However, the results are not used to plan individual learning. Although learners’ understanding is regularly monitored in lessons, there is little formal assessments or recording of progress. Individual learning plans are not reviewed and updated regularly. Learners have diaries to record progress but these are not used systematically to inform learners of their progress.

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Leadership and management

79. Leadership and management is satisfactory. Partnership arrangements are very effective in widening family learning participation. Partnerships extend to schools, children centres, local colleges and voluntary organisations enable LBE to recruit learners from priority groups and to provide progression opportunities. LBE recently provided training for all partner groups to increase their understanding of family learning provision and to improve their knowledge of recognising and recording progress and achievement. The use of recognising and recording progress and achievement is still in its early stages and practices vary across the provision. Equality of opportunity is satisfactory.

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Leadership and management

80. Communication is effective. Regular meetings take place to keep staff informed and to share good practice. The management of resources is satisfactory, although some classrooms are too small for the group size. Most staff have teaching qualifications or are working towards them. Further professional training is encouraged and many staff take up the offer.

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Leadership and management

81. Overall, quality improvement is satisfactory. For example, quality assurance policies and procedures are clear and well understood by subcontractors. Teaching and learning performance is sufficiently monitored. However, the findings from observations of teaching and learning are insufficiently analysed to plan for improvement. The self- assessment process is inclusive. Learner feedback and course reviews are used well. The key strengths, areas for improvement and the grade awarded matched that of the inspection team. Annex

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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. Learners’ achievements

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Leadership and management

Success rates on work-based learning apprenticeship programmes managed by the provider 2005 to 2007

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Leadership and management

Programme End Year Success rate No. of learners* Provider/c ollege NVQ rate ** National NVQ rate** Provider/college framework rate** National framework rate**

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Leadership and management

overall 7 29 48 14 34 04-05 timely 7 29 31 14 22 overall - - - - - 05-06 timely - - - - - overall 3 100 64 100 56 Advanced Apprenticeships

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Leadership and management

06-07 timely 3 67 41 67 35 overall 21 52 51 14 39 04-05 timely 16 25 29 19 22 overall 14 50 58 50 52 05-06 timely 15 27 38 20 34 overall 39 74 65 67 60 Apprenticeships

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Leadership and management

* Learners who leave later than originally planned are counted in the year they actually leave. This group of learners are then added to the learners who planned to complete in a given year and did so or left earlier than planned ** College and national qualification success rates are calculated using LSC published data derived from the ‘Individual Learning Record’

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Leadership and management

Outcomes on Entry to Employment (E2E) programmes managed by the provider 2005 to

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Leadership and management

* These are key objectives identified for each learner following an E2E programme ** Progression is measured in terms learners’ movement to further education, education and employment, during or at the end of their training period Year Number of leavers in the year Achieved objectives rate* Progression rate** 04-05 93 63% 37% 05-06 117 68% 56% 06-07 160 65% 60%

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