Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council

Inspection number 319680 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council

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Contents

Background information ......................................................................................................... 3 Inspection judgements........................................................................................................... 4 Scope of the inspection.......................................................................................................... 4 Description of the provider...................................................................................................... 5 Summary of grades awarded .................................................................................................. 6 Overall judgement.................................................................................................................... 7 Effectiveness of provision ..................................................................................................... 7

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Contents

Capacity to improve............................................................................................................ 7 Key strengths ............................................................................................................................ 8 Key areas for improvement..................................................................................................... 8 Main findings............................................................................................................................ 9 Achievement and standards................................................................................................... 9 Quality of provision............................................................................................................... 9 Leadership and management ............................................................................................... 10

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Contents

Equality of opportunity..................................................................................................... 10 What learners like.................................................................................................................. 12 What learners think could improve...................................................................................... 12 Sector subject areas................................................................................................................ 13 Preparation for life and work............................................................................................... 13 Community learning............................................................................................................ 16 Family learning.................................................................................................................... 18

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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

 Preparation for life and work  Community learning  Family learning

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Description of the provider

1. Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (DMBC) receives funding from South Yorkshire LSC to provide work-based and adult, family and community learning programmes. It provides work-based programmes to 55 learners in administration, 39 in customer service and four in information and communication technology (ICT). DMBC’s work-based learning is delivered by its organisational development and culture department. The head of organisational development reports to the corporate director of human resources and organisational development. A vocational training and development team lead by a human resource business consultant, is responsible for work-based learning, four human resources consultants, three vocational training and development officers and a contract monitoring officer supports her.

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Description of the provider

2. The adult, family and community learning (ACL) is part of the children and young people’s directorate. The head of ACL reports to the director of education standards. A curriculum team, an outreach team, an operations team and a neighbourhood learning in deprived communities (NLDC) project is managed by the service’s two senior managers. DMBC offers provision in family learning, community learning and preparation for life and work. Its community learning programme offers first-steps provision in several sector subject areas including arts, ICT, languages and sports. In 2006–07 the service catered for 1,866 learners on community learning programmes, 589 on family learning programmes and 169 on preparation for life and work programmes. Most modules run for six weeks. At the time of inspection there were 88 learners on family learning courses, 344 on community learning courses and 48 on accredited preparation for life and work courses and 76 on initial assessment taster courses.

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Description of the provider

3. Doncaster is the largest metropolitan district in England, with a population of just under 290,000. Almost 23% of the local population declare a disability. Minority ethnic communities account for 2.3% of the population compared with 9.1% in England and Wales as a whole. A considerable number of residents are from Eastern Europe, particularly from Poland. DMBC is the largest employer in the Borough, with approximately 14,000 employees.

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Summary of grades awarded

Effectiveness of provision Inadequate: Grade 4 Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4 Work-based learning Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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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: Good: Grade 2

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Summary of grades awarded

Quality of provision Inadequate: Grade 4 Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4 Work-based learning Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Summary of grades awarded

Leadership and management Inadequate: Grade 4 Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4 Work-based learning Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Summary of grades awarded

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4

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Sector subject area

Preparation for life and work Inadequate: Grade 4

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Inadequate: Grade 4

Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4 Work-based learning Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Inadequate: Grade 4

4. The overall effectiveness of the provision is inadequate. Success rates in work-based learning are significantly above the national average. Work-based learners make very good progress and apply their skills well. In ACL, achievement on accredited provision is broadly satisfactory for those who complete their programmes. Many learners gain in confidence and apply their learning effectively to real life situations. Retention is poor for a large proportion of courses in family learning, community learning and preparation for life and work. Paths to progression are insufficiently well defined for learners. The range of provision is narrow, and programming is largely unplanned.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

5. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Many tutors plan learning sessions satisfactorily and use an adequate range of learning activities. In work-based learning, apprentices are given good coaching and good on-the-job training. Assessment is good in work-based learning and satisfactory on accredited ACL courses. The recognising and recording of learners’ progress and achievement is weak on non-accredited courses.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

6. The council’s response to social inclusion is satisfactory. Initiatives to engage with priority target groups are satisfactory. The service locates provision well to engage learners in the community and learners who are defined as hard to reach. DMBC works well with its partners to run programmes that benefit the communities and individuals. Marketing materials do not promote inclusion well. The service has been unsuccessful in attracting male learners into provision.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

7. DMBC’s ACL service has demonstrated that it has an inadequate capacity to improve. Progress in addressing the key weaknesses identified at the time of the previous inspection is inadequate. Only one of the key challenges identified at the time of the previous inspection has been addressed. There has been some progress in making better use of target-setting for improvement, although some developments in this area are very new. The remaining key challenges, to improve curriculum management, to make better use of monitoring and analysis of data and to further develop the quality assurance framework have not been addressed. Some of the strengths identified at the time of the previous inspection have not been maintained. In work-based learning, the capacity to improve is outstanding. All of the key challenges and weaknesses identified at the time of the previous inspection have been addressed and some have become strengths.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

8. The self-assessment process in ACL is inadequate. It is inclusive and consultative, but the report is insufficiently self-critical and analytical. It overstates strengths and fails to identify areas for improvement in many aspects of the provision. The development plan is inadequate. It does not set clear, measurable targets for improvement. The self- assessment process in work-based learning is good. It is clear and effective. Inspection findings confirmed the strengths identified by DMBC. There is a good, detailed development plan. Progress against the plan is regularly reviewed, and the plan updated.

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Key strengths

 Good use of partnerships and project funding to widen participation in ACL  High success rates in work-based learning  Good, effective management in work-based learning

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Key areas for improvement

 The proportion of teaching which is good or better in ACL  The planning, monitoring and recording of individualised learning in ACL  Strategic and operational planning in ACL  Inadequate curriculum planning in ACL  The accuracy and use of management information in ACL  Poor quality assurance and improvement arrangements in ACL  Inadequate promotion of equality of opportunity in ACL  Insufficient sharing of good practice in ACL  The continued improvement in timely success rates in work-based learning

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3 Work-based learning Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

9. Achievements and standards are satisfactory overall. Achievement and standards in ACL are satisfactory. Most learners who complete accredited programmes achieve their qualifications. Many learners gain confidence and apply their learning effectively to real life situations. However, completion rates on accredited programmes are poor overall. Success rates in work-based learning are good. They have risen every year since the previous inspection, and are now well above national averages. Timely success rates have also risen and are now satisfactory. Progression from work-based learning programmes into employment is good. Few learners leave their programmes without completing. Learners have a good standard of work.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4 Work-based learning Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Inadequate: Grade 4

10. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. In ACL most tutors prepare adequately for their learners. Many learners gain in confidence and skills. Some tutors use an insufficiently wide range of activities and resources to engage their learners fully. Assessment is satisfactory on accredited courses, but insufficiently developmental on non-accredited provision. In work-based learning, teaching and learning are good. Tutors match activities well to learners’ needs and aspirations. Learning is personalised to ensure that individuals are well prepared for particular job roles. The standard of learners’ work is good. Assessment is good and helps learners to progress.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

11. The provision in ACL does not adequately meet the needs of the learners and the community. Courses are offered at a satisfactory range of community venues. However, the range of programmes is limited and provision is fragmented into discrete programmes, with insufficient planning to enable learners to progress. DMBC does not have the capacity to deliver language provision for learners whose first language is not English although it has identified it as a priority target area. The service cancels many planned courses. Last year 70 planned courses were cancelled; this year to date 42 (35%) of planned courses have been cancelled. In community learning 91% of courses offered last for six weeks and are too short for most learners. Courses are inadequately promoted. Many learners are unclear about how to progress in their learning. The provision in work-based learning meets the needs of learners and their employer

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Inadequate: Grade 4

12. Guidance and support in work-based learning is good. Arrangements for providing individual personal support and reviewing learners’ progress are particularly good. Guidance and support in ACL is inadequate. Tutors provide appropriate and effective personal support for learners. Pre-course information is insufficiently detailed. The service employs a full-time worker who visits most of the taster sessions and also attends the final session of each course to give learners information about progression routes available to them. However, learners remain unclear about progression opportunities.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

Adult and community learning Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4 Work-based learning Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2 Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4

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Inadequate: Grade 4

13. Leadership and management in ACL are inadequate, although they were judged to be good by DMBC. Inspection findings confirmed DMBC’s judgement that leadership and management in work-based learning is good.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

14. Partnerships and project funding are used effectively to widen participation in ACL. Good partnership work is effective in engaging learners in deprived areas of the borough. Project funding has been used to target under-represented groups through the employment of outreach workers. However, in 2006-07, 17% of learners were male, against a target of 30%.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

15. In work-based learning the management of training is good and has a strong focus on quality improvement. Data is used well to monitor the performance of the programme. The training programme is very effective and well planned. Reviews of learners’ progress are effective in supporting learners.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

16. In ACL, arrangements for health and safety are satisfactory. All training venues are visited by a health and safety officer who ensures that essential improvements are made. The service monitors its three small subcontractors satisfactorily.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

17. In ACL, arrangements for strategic and operational planning are inadequate. There is a clear mission statement for the service, but no plans for implementation. The skills for life strategy is inadequate. Curriculum planning is inadequate. Curriculum management in community learning is poor, and DMBC has insufficient staff capacity to manage and deliver family learning. Planning in work-based learning is good.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

18. Arrangements for quality assurance in ACL are inadequate. DMBC does not have a clear quality policy or strategy. DMBC has no audit arrangements in place to monitor key processes. DMBC’s quality cycle is not effectively monitored. Arrangements for the observation of teaching and learning are inadequate. Observers have insufficient training. Reports do not focus sufficiently on learning. Feedback to tutors following observations is inadequate. Tutors are not provided with an action plan to improve their practice.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

19. In work-based learning, arrangements for quality assurance are good. A detailed and effective process systematically quality assures all key training processes and supports quality improvement and self-assessment. 20. The accuracy and use of management information in ACL is weak. Centrally held data is unreliable, and is difficult for staff to understand and use. Analysis and use of progression data is insufficient. Attendance data is recorded after courses end, and is too late to be useful. The accuracy and use of management information in work-based learning is good.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

21. Promotion of equality of opportunity in ACL is inadequate. Equality is not mentioned in materials for learners. Learners have an inadequate understanding of equality of opportunity. Staff training in equality of opportunity is insufficient. All visual images in promotional material are of white learners, with only one male learner depicted. The service has no equality of opportunity action plan. Arrangements to promote equality of opportunity in work-based learning are good. Training in equality of opportunity is good and is related to the learners’ job role.

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What learners like:

 Local, community-based classes  The support for learning provided by the tutors  The social dimension as well as the learning opportunity  The experience is enjoyable  ‘We’re treated as adults’  Learners work well together and help each other  Acquiring skills such as word-processing, spreadsheets and the internet  ‘It’s improved my self-confidence and widened my interests’

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What learners think could improve:

 The length of the courses – ‘there’s not enough time to get to grips with it’  The promotion of courses – there is not enough information  The quality and accessibility of information about follow-on or other courses  ‘I wasn’t sure what was going to be covered’

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Context

22. The service offers accredited literacy and numeracy courses as part of the skills for life provision. Courses are delivered during the day at various times across eight venues. At the time of inspection there were 34 learners on literacy courses and 14 learners on numeracy courses. Courses are offered at entry level 3 and level 1 and 2 following a taster session. All courses are part-time and most are for two hours a week over twelve weeks. Currently there are 10 weekly courses including two drop-in workshops. Five tutors teach on the programmes. Many learners progress to literacy and numeracy courses from other DMBC courses.

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Areas for improvement

 Weak target-setting  Inadequate quality assurance arrangements  Insufficient analysis of data to promote programme improvement

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Achievement and standards

23. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Success rates for literacy and numeracy learners are satisfactory. In the year 2006-07, 102 of the 148 learners enrolled achieved a qualification, with 13 learners still in learning. Of the 115 learners enrolled on literacy courses, 76% achieved, and 64% of the 33 learners enrolled on numeracy courses achieved.

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Achievement and standards

24. Learners improve their self-confidence in their ability to learn while taking part in their courses. Learners are able to discuss topics confidently in whole group sessions. Their learning helps them to cope better with everyday situations outside the classroom. Attendance and punctuality on most courses is satisfactory. There is some progression for learners. In the year 2006-07, 29 learners progressed to other programmes, including community and family learning courses.

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Quality of provision

25. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Lessons are adequately planned, and the necessary resources to deliver learning are used. In the better lessons tutors make full use of a good range of teaching methods, including whole group activities, pair work and individual learning. Tutors use a wide range of learning materials, including everyday items, to stimulate learning. They differentiate these materials thoughtfully to cater for the wide range of abilities found in most classes. Learners engage fully in these lessons and benefit from the individual attention. In poorer sessions, however, worksheets are used too much, to the exclusion of other materials. In these lessons worksheets and topics are insufficiently linked to learners’ interests. Use of ICT to expand learning is insufficient. Individual learning support in all classes is good. In some lessons there is good use of peer support, with learners actively helping each

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Quality of provision

other. Resources available to learners are satisfactory, and many lessons are held in very good accommodation.

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Quality of provision

26. Too much target-setting is weak. This is partially identified in the self-assessment report. All learners take part in a comprehensive initial assessment of their literacy and/or numeracy skills at the start of their programme. The results of these assessments form the basis of an agreed individual programme of learning and the identification of short-term targets that are ‘stepping stones’ towards the achievement of their learning goal. However, most short-term targets are generic and are insufficiently personalised and specific to plan and to measure achievement adequately and accurately. In many learning plans, evidence of target achievement is not cross-referenced to learners’ work. Learning plans do not differentiate adequately between short-term, long-term or group targets. Progress made by learners who fail to achieve a qualification or who leave the programme early cannot be easily identified.

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Quality of provision

27. The range of provision satisfactorily meets the needs and interests of learners. All programmes are suitably accredited and are demand-led. Details of the range of courses offered by the provider are circulated throughout the borough and are suitably focused on the most deprived areas. Prospective learners request courses through their own community networks, and the provider endeavours to meet their needs with relevant provision. Many learners progress to literacy and numeracy classes on completion of preliminary community learning programmes. Similarly, many learners progress from literacy and numeracy courses to other provision. The timing of courses is flexible to allow learners with differing external commitments to attend.

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Quality of provision

28. Guidance and support for learners is satisfactory. An advice and guidance officer visits all learners during their taster courses to discuss their needs and the range of options available to them. Learners are also visited on completion of their literacy or numeracy programmes to discuss and receive advice on available progression routes. However, this is too late for most learners. The provider has good working relationships with staff at the centres used. These members of staff offer good community support to learners on a wide range of social issues.

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Leadership and management

29. Leadership and management are inadequate. There has been much development of the programme since its introduction in 2006, and the team works well together. Staff are suitably qualified and take part in an adequate range of continuing professional development events. However, there is insufficient clarity concerning the roles and responsibilities of managers and co-ordinators within the skills for life provision.

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Leadership and management

30. Quality improvement arrangements are inadequate. This is not identified in the self- assessment report. DMBC does not focus sufficiently on the monitoring and improvement of programme performance. Procedures for the observation of teaching and learning are weak. Not all tutors have been observed. Feedback given to tutors following observation lacks clarity and does not assist tutors sufficiently in improving their performance. No dates are agreed for further observations to monitor improvements. Insufficient use is made of data or other evidence to measure the impact of new initiatives. The use of learners’ feedback is underdeveloped and has no impact on improving the quality of provision.

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Leadership and management

31. Analysis of data to promote programme improvement is insufficient. This is not identified in the self-assessment report. The provider has a comprehensive and relevant management information system. However, data is not analysed effectively to produce relevant performance indicators to identify good practice or areas for improvement. Processes for accurately measuring attendance patterns, or for comparative performance analysis are not systematic. There are no audits of key documents and processes. Promotion of equality of opportunity is poor.

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Context

32. The service funds 31 community learning programmes. These include using computers, digital photography and painting with watercolours. Courses are held in 23 community venues. Classes are held during the day, in the evenings and at weekends. Apart from three programmes, all courses are non-accredited. The service is responsible for distributing funding to projects that promote learning in deprived communities. So far this year, 13 projects have been approved and financially supported.

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Context

33. Programmes are designed to attract a wide range of learners into first-steps provision. Since September 2007, 337 learners have enrolled on community learning programmes. Of these, 80 are men, 114 learners are aged between 19 and 49, 66 are between 50 and 59 and 152 are over 60. Currently five learners are under 18, 12 learners are from minority ethnic groups and 48 learners have a disability.

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Strengths

 Good widening of participation through neighbourhood learning in deprived communities

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Areas for improvement

 Inadequate promotion of courses  Poor curriculum management  Insufficient attention to equality and diversity

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Achievement and standards

34. Overall, achievement and standards are satisfactory. Statistics for 2006–07 indicate that over 90% of learners completed their courses and over 80% achieved. However, 85% of courses lasted for six weeks or less, and most of them were not externally accredited. The formal recognition and reporting of learners’ progress and achievement is not reliably and consistently implemented. Learners produce work of a satisfactory standard, and many are developing good practical skills appropriate to the level of course they are following. They enjoy their learning, their confidence is improving, and their tutors are supportive and informative.

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Quality of provision

35. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Tutors are suitably qualified, and lessons are satisfactorily planned and delivered. In the better sessions, practical work is well managed and used effectively to develop learners’ skills. In some lessons, however, there is too little differentiation to meet the needs of all learners. Learners’ work is satisfactorily assessed and tutors give helpful feedback.

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Quality of provision

36. Some learning centres are cramped and have inadequate resources. Adaptive technology is available, but some tutors do not know how to obtain it. Initial assessment is satisfactory and suitable for the type of community courses offered. However, initial and diagnostic assessments are insufficient for learners on preparatory teacher training courses.

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Quality of provision

37. Promotion of courses is inadequate. This is not identified in the self-assessment report. Communities are poorly informed about the content, level and duration of available courses. Insufficient information is given to learners about progression opportunities and follow-on courses. Although the service has a marketing plan, it is not specific enough, and it is not effectively used to direct and monitor promotional activities. Advertising within the metropolitan borough is too restricted, with many people relying on notices in libraries and on word of mouth. Targets are not set for recruiting learners from identified geographical districts, age groups and minority ethnic groups. The service does not sufficiently monitor the relevance and accuracy of promotional materials produced by the various learning centres.

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Quality of provision

38. Learners’ attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. Tutors satisfactorily support their learners to help them to complete their courses successfully.

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Leadership and management

39. Widening of participation through NLDC is good. This is identified as a strength in the self-assessment report. A wide range of groups and organisations, including minority ethnic groups, long-term unemployed people and travellers, benefit from the available funding. Funding is competitively sought and allocated appropriately by the steering groups to projects that are deemed to be the most beneficial for personal advancement, employability and community regeneration. For example, a narrow-boat project for learners with learning difficulties and disabilities enables them to acquire navigation, radio and information technology skills, while lift truck training is designed to lead learners, including women, into employment. Outreach workers also make good contact with community groups in deprived residential areas to ascertain residents’ learning requirements and to arrange courses.

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Leadership and management

40. Management of the curriculum is inadequate. This is not identified as a weakness in the self-assessment report. Strategic and operational management are weak, and lead tutors are unclear about lines of responsibility. Curriculum planning is poor, and the range of courses is very narrow. During inspection, 91% of courses were of six weeks’ duration, and 43% were information technology module 1 courses. Six-week courses are too short to meet the needs of most learners. There are too few progression routes available from these courses. Management information is unreliable and insufficiently used to plan and monitor the curriculum. Too many courses are cancelled, and managers do not adequately identify the causes for this and implement solutions. Quality assurance arrangements are inadequate. Although the service has a quality improvement cycle, this is not fully implemented and does not lead to measurable improvements. The

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Leadership and management

observation of teaching and learning concentrates too heavily on teaching and insufficiently on learning and learning outcomes. The self-assessment process is ineffective. The self-assessment report is out-of-date, the development plan is inadequate, and the service is insufficiently aware of its current strengths and areas for improvement. The service has a full-time information, advice and guidance officer, but this is delivered too late in courses to be of maximum use to learners. The impact of information, advice and guidance on learners and courses is not measured.

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Leadership and management

41. Inadequate attention is given to equality and diversity. This is not identified as a weakness in the self-assessment report. Staff have had insufficient training in equality and diversity, and there is no equality and diversity action plan. Learners’ knowledge is not extended, and equality and diversity have too low a profile. Equality of opportunity is referred to by tutors during induction, but it has very low priority. The learners’ log book contains no mention of equality of opportunity. Images in promotional materials are stereotypical, with too few male and no minority ethnic role models. The provider has no strategy to promote courses to minority ethnic groups. Learners who speak English as an additional language do not have access to any relevant language provision.

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Context

42. DMBC offers targeted family language, literacy and numeracy, wider family learning programmes and family e-learning to families in Doncaster. Family learning courses take place in primary schools, city learning centres and children and family centres. Sessions are held during the daytime, evenings and weekends. At the time of inspection there were 37 enrolments on family language, literacy and numeracy and 61 on wider family learning, including 32 on the family e-learning programme. Family learning taster courses run for 2.5 hours. Introductory courses run for 10 hours. Accredited courses in both wider family learning and family language, literacy and numeracy run for up to 15 weeks. Accreditation is offered in all programmes.

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Context

43. In 2006-07 there were 494 family language, literacy and numeracy and 552 wider family learning enrolments throughout the year. Wider family learning retention rates were 24%, family language, literacy and numeracy retention rates were 54% and family e-learning retention rates were 41%. DMBC currently employs 2.3 full-time equivalent staff and three tutors on fractional contracts in the family learning delivery team. Appropriate teaching qualifications are held by three staff and an OCN tutoring family learning award. Currently two staff hold a level 4 subject specialist qualification in numeracy.

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Strengths

 Good achievement of personal learning goals  Good teaching and learning  Good e-learning project

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient focus on the needs of adults  Insufficient staff capacity to manage and deliver family learning programmes  Poor retention rates on family language, literacy and numeracy and wider family learning courses

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Achievement and standards

44. Achievement of personal learning goals is good, a strength identified in the self- assessment report. Learners gain confidence in their ability to learn. Several learners have succeeded in getting jobs in schools and gone on to further training. Currently 13% of learners take a more active part in their community. Two learners use their new computer skills to produce materials to support an annual show. Parents develop a good understanding of how their children are taught in schools. They have improved their knowledge of the internet, and are now better able to monitor what their children access.

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Achievement and standards

45. Achievement is satisfactory for learners on accredited courses. However, a low percentage of learners choose to take accreditation, and the benefits of accreditation are inadequately promoted to learners. There are too few mechanisms to measure and record learners’ progress and achievement if they do not choose accreditation.

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Achievement and standards

46. Retention rates are very poor. Many learners leave their programmes early. In 2006-07, only 24% of learners stayed on wider family learning courses, 54% remained in family language, literacy and numeracy and 41% in family e-learning. This weakness is not identified in the provider’s self-assessment report, and there is no action-planning to rectify the situation.

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Quality of provision

47. Teaching and learning are good. This is identified in the self-assessment report, though without supporting evidence. Classroom management is good. Tutors empower their learners to take control of their learning experience. Learners apply and share their life experiences within the group and produce a good standard of written and practical work, some of which is done at home. Most contribute well to class discussions, though some learners take a less active role. In some cases learners are insufficiently challenged. Initial assessment is satisfactory and assessment for progression is fit for purpose. Tutors monitor learners’ course outcomes appropriately but do not share this information with learners. Both personal and course learning outcomes are reviewed at the end of the course. The service is using a new, improved booklet to evidence stages of the learning process, and this includes individual learning plans. However,

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Quality of provision

insufficient emphasis is placed on promoting the value of accreditation to learners. The quality and usefulness of the learners’ records are not systematically evaluated by managers.

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Quality of provision

48. The e-learning development project is good. This is identified in the self-assessment report. Over 250 families have enrolled since the start of the project. Programme development to engage learners who cannot attend during school hours is good. Topics are clearly linked to Every Child Matters . The project has a class-based and a distance- learning delivery model to suit the needs of learners. Learners who do not have computers at home can borrow laptops to enable them to participate in the course effectively.

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Quality of provision

49. An appropriate range of taster and short courses are offered to learners in key targeted schools. Approximately 10 schools are fully involved in family learning, while others have a more tenuous link with the service. Some schools have difficulty in recruiting learners, particularly for family language, literacy and numeracy courses. A third of the courses that were planned for 2006-07 were cancelled. Learners who have enrolled on courses that are subsequently cancelled are frustrated and demotivated, particularly when they have had previous bad experiences of schools and the education system. Learning resources and centres are satisfactory. Some schools have cramped facilities while others are good. 50. Family learning courses support school improvement well, but there is insufficient focus on the needs of adults. The service’s self-assessment report recognises this. Tutors recruited from schools’ staff deliver courses after completing a two-day training course,

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Quality of provision

but they do not have the necessary skills for life training to be able to recognise and deal with learners’ literacy and numeracy needs. The service recognises the need to recruit a tutor with adult learning qualifications, but has failed to recruit a suitably qualified person to date.

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Quality of provision

51. Support for learners is satisfactory. Family e-learning tutors identify learning levels through initial assessment and adapt course delivery to suit individuals. Learners with lower than level 1 literacy are offered a taught class to suit their needs.

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Leadership and management

52. DMBC has insufficient staff to deliver and manage the planned programme of family learning courses adequately. The service is unable to meet its LSC targets and it is not able to fulfil its commitments to schools. Managers are aware of the situation, however, no adequate management solution is in place to remedy this.

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Leadership and management

53. Quality assurance is inadequate. A significant number of registers have been lost, and data is unreliable and not used for planning and monitoring of provision. Internal 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. verification is satisfactory. The practice of equality of opportunity is satisfactory, but promotion of equality and diversity is insufficient.

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