Sheffield Independent Film and Television Ltd

Inspection number 321572 Sheffield Independent Film and Television Ltd

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Contents

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

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Contents

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

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Contents

Equality of opportunity....................................................................................................... 8 What learners like.................................................................................................................. 10 What learners think could improve...................................................................................... 10

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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’ monitoring 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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Description of the provider

1. Sheffield Independent Film and Television (SHIFT) is a registered charity based in Sheffield. The company provides vocational training in media studies, particularly for disadvantaged individuals and groups. SHIFT is part of the local Entry to Employment (E2E) partnership programme, and currently offers qualifications at levels 1 and 2 in multimedia and video production to nine learners. Of these, five have all aspects of their training programme provided by Darnall Education Centre Associated Training Co- operative Limited (DECAT) through a subcontractor arrangement. SHIFT offers qualifications at level 1 in interactive media and key skills qualifications at levels 1 and 2. DECAT offers qualifications at level 1 in music technology or motor vehicle and also provides key skills qualifications in communication and application of number at levels 1 and 2. SHIFT employs one full-time and one part-time member of staff, as well as

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Description of the provider

freelance tutors and assistants. One of the freelance tutors provides support for skills for life. SHIFT is governed by a board of directors. The training programme is funded by the South Yorkshire LSC. This funded provision accounts for all of the company’s business.

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Description of the provider

2. Sheffield has localised pockets of deprivation. It is an ethnically diverse city and around 14% of its population are from minority ethnic groups. During 2007/08 around one third of SHIFT’s learners were from a minority ethnic background. The proportion of young people who are not in employment, education or training is high at 10.7%, and approximately 35% of the working population do not have a qualification at level 2.

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Summary of grades awarded

Effectiveness of provision Inadequate: Grade 4

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Summary of grades awarded

Achievement and standards Inadequate: Grade 4

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Summary of grades awarded

Quality of provision Inadequate: Grade 4

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Summary of grades awarded

Leadership and management Inadequate: Grade 4

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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

3. SHIFT’s overall effectiveness is inadequate. Achievements and standards are inadequate as is the quality of the E2E provision. Teaching and learning, the arrangements to ensure that courses meet the needs and interests of learners, and guidance and support for learners are all inadequate. The leadership and management of the programme are also inadequate, as are the arrangements for equality of opportunity.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

4. SHIFT has an inadequate capacity to improve. The management of information is poor and data is not used effectively to monitor and manage either staff or learners’ performance. Staffing shortages have hindered progress. Self-assessment and the supporting actions plans are not regarded by all staff as an important tool for improving quality. The most recent self-assessment report is not an accurate reflection of SHIFT’s strengths and areas for improvement.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

5. The local E2E partnership is keen to promote a culture that is open to change and development. Some recent developments indicate a commitment to quality improvement. A quality manual has been introduced very recently. Policies and procedures to observe and evaluate staff carrying out different aspects of the training programme have now been written. A learner forum is planned to better capture the views of learners. However, all of these initiatives are very new and have not yet been implemented. It is not possible to measure what their effect might be.

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Key areas for improvement

 Poor progression and achievement of qualifications  Inadequate development of work-related skills and vocational knowledge  Poor assessment planning, delivery and reviews of learning  Insufficient structured work placements in industry  Inadequate advice and guidance to help learner progression  Inadequate use of management information and data  Inadequate arrangements to improve quality  Inadequate management of the subcontractor  Poor promotion of equality of opportunity

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Inadequate: Grade 4

6. Achievement and standards are inadequate. Progression rates and the achievement rates of qualifications are poor. In 2006/07 the overall progression rate to employment or further training was 53%. For SHIFT’s own learners the progression rate was only 39% although for DECAT it was better at 61%. In 2007/08 the overall progression rate fell to just 31%. The number of learners on the programme is also declining. Achievement rates for qualifications are particularly low and declining. In 2007/08 only 24% of SHIFT’s own learners and 8% of learners training through DECAT achieved a qualification. All of the qualifications gained were key skills or literacy and numeracy awards. Most learners are not set measurable objectives and SHIFT does not evaluate their achievements.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

7. The standard of learners’ written work is poor. Many learners have little assessed and marked work in their portfolios and many do not complete all their assignments. However, some learners’ work shows good expression of creative ideas, especially in film, creative writing and music technology. In some cases learners with specific behavioural needs have developed better communication skills and raised their self-esteem through participation in group projects.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

8. Teaching and learning are inadequate. The development of learners’ work related skills and vocational knowledge is poor. They do not develop essential vocational skills such as how to prepare and plan for a location shoot. SHIFT does not help learners to improve their personal organisational skills, or motivation. Although tutors give valuable feedback on written assignments few learners are able to make use of this to improve their work. Teaching sessions do not do enough to interest and inspire learners, develop their enthusiasm or provide a coherent, planned development of important skills such as the use of technical terminology.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

9. Lesson plans do not include learners’ profiles or allow for their full range of learning needs to be met. Literacy, numeracy and communication skills are not established into teaching and learning plans. No planned promotion of equality of opportunity through teaching and learning sessions exists.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

10. Initial assessment is insufficiently thorough and no records exist of the initial assessment of vocational skills. The results of initial assessment are not used effectively to plan individual programmes of learning. Learners’ records and individual learning plans are insufficiently detailed, and some learners do not have plans despite being many weeks into their programmes. Learning goals are often not detailed or individual, so that many learners are working to the same general targets on their creative projects. No additional learning is planned for the more able learners to provide appropriate challenges.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

11. Assessment planning, practices and reviews of learning are poor. Reviews of learners’ progress are not fully recorded and documentation is often incomplete. Review records do not include clear targets for the development of skills. During the programme, too few opportunities exist for learners to reflect on their progress. The provider has recently introduced new systems to help learners to evaluate their own progress, but it is too early to assess what impact this might have on the planning of individual learning. Too often learners still do not have a clear idea of their learning goals.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

12. Resources for learning are broadly satisfactory. Learners have access to adequate cameras and sound equipment on practical film projects. Too few computer based resources are available and some tutors use their own personal equipment. The teaching rooms are uninspiring with bare walls, poor lighting and inadequate ventilation. Learning spaces are often chaotic and disorganised. DECAT’s teaching areas and resources are satisfactory and include lively music-related displays in the centre.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

13. SHIFT’s arrangements for meeting the needs and interests of learners are inadequate. Few beneficial links exist with employers and work placements for learners are insufficient. Opportunities for enrichment are infrequent and not well matched to learners’ aims or interests. However, one creative writing project helped learners create a series of visual poems which linked well with their film training. Some external creative projects take place but with no targets for their development. Tutors organise some informal work shadowing through their own contacts. Current recruitment arrangements do not ensure that learners are studying the most appropriate subject for their needs. SHIFT has few links with local cultural and creative industries and has not successfully encouraged collaborative work. However, learners have the opportunity to showcase their work at a local film festival. SHIFT organises a celebration of achievement ceremony, which

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Inadequate: Grade 4

motivates learners to complete their creative work. Other learners are developing web- based presentations of their work to promote themselves and SHIFT.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

14. Guidance and support for learners are inadequate. Pastoral support is informal and not integral to the review process. However, learners can approach tutors with their personal support needs and tutors provide positive role models. Little planned work has been carried out to promote the concepts of healthy lifestyles and economic well-being to learners.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

15. Although a good working relationship exists between learners and staff, no structured careers advice or support with progression is in place. While some help with writing curriculum vitae is offered, no development of learners’ skills for working life such as jobsearch, interview practice, or budgeting takes place. At the end of their programmes some learners do not have a completed show reel or portfolio of their creative work. SHIFT has no specialist advice or guidance counsellors and few formal referral links exist with specialist support agencies. Not all learners complete a ‘moving on’ interview. Learners at the end of their programmes do not have a full awareness of career choices in the industry. Some learners have low aims either for work or further training.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Inadequate: Grade 4

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Inadequate: Grade 4

16. Leadership and management are inadequate. No clear strategic vision is in place for the programme. Although regular board meetings take place they do not focus on the monitoring and management of performance. The management information system is under-developed and data is not used effectively for planning, monitoring or decision- making purposes. Minutes of meetings do not include actions with clear timescales and allocated responsibilities. Few links exist with external organisations, such as schools, or employers, to promote the programmes offered, improve recruitment and secure work placements.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

17. Staffing resources to meet the demands of the programme are insufficient. Inadequate arrangements have been put in place to resolve the difficulty caused by the long-term absence of one key member of staff. No service level agreements exist with freelance staff. No staff development or training takes place, and appraisals of staff performance or development needs are insufficient.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

18. Arrangements to improve the quality of provision are inadequate. The quality manual has only just been produced and significant gaps exist in the documentation. No observations of the quality of teaching and learning take place, and little feedback is collected from learners. Internal verification arrangements are incomplete. Some health and safety issues have not been acted upon. A very clear and useful development plan for 2007/08 has been prepared but, since its inception, it has not been fully implemented or monitored. The self- assessment report is insufficiently critical or evaluative and does not accurately identify many of the provision’s areas for improvement.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

19. The arrangements for monitoring and managing the subcontract with DECAT are inadequate. A formal service level agreement is in place, but it is not implemented or monitored effectively. Some partnership meetings do take place, but communication and exchange of information at both a strategic and operational level is insufficient.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

20. The procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements. SHIFT has very recently updated its existing policies and procedures to safeguard the interests of learners on the E2E programme. However, no initiatives have taken place to promote safeguarding and Every Child Matters themes with staff or learners.

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Inadequate: Grade 4

21. The arrangements for equality of opportunity are inadequate. Promotion of equality and diversity is poor. No strategy or action plan is in place to guide developments. Learners’ awareness of equality and diversity issues is insufficiently well-developed. Staff training and development has not taken place and staff have insufficient understanding and confidence to promote and discuss equality and diversity issues with learners. There has been no useful analysis of equal opportunity data or the performance of different groups of individuals even when the number of learners on programme would have made it meaningful.

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What learners like:

 Feeling independent and being treated like adults  Feeling part of the group  The tutors - ‘ you can ask for help with work’  Representing DECAT at a careers fair

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What learners think could improve:

 The opportunities for film subject courses at the SHIFT’s centre  The opportunities to work on group projects  ‘Some sessions are boring’ _____________________________________________________________________

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What learners think could improve:

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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.

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