London Borough of Hounslow

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 ................................................................................................. 9

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Contents

Equality of opportunity....................................................................................................... 9 What learners like.................................................................................................................. 11 What learners think could improve...................................................................................... 11 Sector subject areas................................................................................................................ 12 Information and communication technology....................................................................... 12 Visual arts............................................................................................................................ 18 ESOL ................................................................................................................................... 21

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Contents

Learners’ achievements ......................................................................................................... 24

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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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Scope of the inspection

„ Information and communication technology „ Hairdressing and beauty therapy „ Visual arts „ ESOL

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Description of the provider

1. Hounslow Adult & Community Education (HACE) provides adult and community learning for the London Borough of Hounslow and is part of the council’s children’s services and lifelong learning department. The London West Learning and Skills Council (LSC) funds the provision. HACE has additional funding to deliver a neighbourhood learning in deprived communities (NLDC) project and a nextstep contract to provide information advice and guidance.

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Description of the provider

2. HACE offers part-time courses in 10 sector subject areas. In 2007/08, 7448 learners attended HACE courses, of which 3,807 were new learners and 3285 were enrolled on accredited provision. Most learners are female, approximately 65% are from minority ethnic backgrounds, 84% are between the ages of 19 and 59 and 6.5% have a learning difficulty and/or disability.

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Description of the provider

3. The London Borough of Hounslow has a population of 216,000. Approximately 35% of residents are from minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of residents with a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at Level 2 and above is significantly lower than that for London and nationally. Unemployment is lower than London generally. Most employment is in the service industries.

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Description of the provider

4. The senior management team consists of five curriculum managers, an administration and finance manager who report to a vice-principal and a principal, whom are in part time and full time acting posts respectively. Two centre managers manage the provision at four main sites, two other centres and approximately 80 outreach venues. Curriculum coordinators support tutors to deliver the provision and a widening participation manager and six coordinators are responsible for advice, guidance, support and inclusion.

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Summary of grades awarded

Effectiveness of provision Good: Grade 2 Capacity to improve Good: Grade 2

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Summary of grades awarded

Leadership and management Good: Grade 2 Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Sector subject areas

Information and communication technology Good: Grade 2

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Overall effectiveness

5. The overall effectiveness of the provider is good. Achievement and standards are good. Success rates are high overall and achievement rates on non-accredited courses are at least satisfactory. Learners attain good skills and enjoy their courses.

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Overall effectiveness

6. Teaching and learning are good in most curriculum areas. Tutors plan and implement stimulating and successful teaching strategies to promote learning. HACE’s implementation of a system for recognising and recording of progress and achievement is satisfactory overall. Assessment and monitoring of learners’ progress on accredited courses are good. HACE meets the needs of the community well and is developing some good new initiatives to meet employers’ needs. Advice, guidance and support overall are satisfactory

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Overall effectiveness

7. Leadership and management are good. Managers at all levels are committed to, and effective at, improving the quality of provision. Equality of opportunity is good. HACE is particularly good at recognising and targeting provision to reflect the diverse learning needs in the borough. The quality of provision in visual arts, information and communication technology, hairdressing and beauty therapy and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) is good.

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Good: Grade 2

8. HACE demonstrates good capacity to improve. Since the previous inspection in 2005, HACE has improved or resolved all its key challenges. Leadership and management are good and classroom management is generally good across all curriculum areas. HACE has improved success rates, which are high on long and short courses. Quality improvement arrangements are good. Staff share good practice well through regular team and curriculum meetings and peer observations. HACE has implemented effective and supportive performance management arrangements for tutors. The teaching and learning observation scheme is particularly good. It is thorough and well established. HACE is focusing its teaching and learning observations on satisfactory teaching in 2008/09. The provider has successful arrangements to collect learners’ views and destinations. HACE has benefited from the significant investment in staff development and training in recent

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Good: Grade 2

years, particularly in creating a management team committed to, and with skills in, quality improvement.

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Good: Grade 2

9. The self-assessment process is good . The process is well established and has developed further over the last two years. The latest self-assessment report is thorough and accurate in identifying areas for improvement. Inspectors agreed with much of the report and the grades. The provider has underestimated the assessment of its leadership and management and overall effectiveness. Managers make good use of data to support judgements. Team reviews contribute effectively to the evaluation of provision in most subject areas. Staff work hard to implement improvements and their contribution, which managers recognise fully.

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Key strengths

„ Good achievement. „ Good teaching and learning. „ Good leadership and management. „ Good strategies to widen participation and achieve social inclusion. „ Good quality improvement arrangements.

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Key areas for improvement

„ Incomplete implementation of the process to recognise and record non-accredited achievements in a few curriculum areas.

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Good Grade 2

10. Achievement and standards are good. Overall success rates on accredited long courses are very high. Success rates on short courses are also high. Achievement rates for learners on non-accredited courses are at least satisfactory. Learners are highly motivated to progress and achieve as a consequence of the classes they attend and they enjoy their courses very much. Attendance is satisfactory. Learners on many courses produce good standards of work and attain good skills. Learners from different social and cultural backgrounds achieve well. HACE celebrates learners’ successes well and their sense of achievement and improvements in self-esteem are evident.

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Good Grade 2

11. The quality of provision is good, as are teaching and learning. HACE’s self-assessment of teaching and learning is very accurate and observers are skilled at identifying and recording useful information to plan improvements in teaching and learning . Teaching and learning have improved since HACE’s evaluation of provision in 2007/08, particularly in ESOL. In the best sessions, teachers provide stimulating activities and support learners to develop their skills by devising good learning activities. Sessions are informative, inclusive and motivate learners. In these classes, the assessment process for non-accredited learning is well established and thorough. Learners value the opportunity to reflect on their progress using the provider’s assessment forms for non-accredited learning. Initial assessment is generally satisfactory. The provision for additional needs is good in supporting learners with multiple barriers to learning. Assessment and the monitoring of

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Good Grade 2

progress on accredited courses are good. The use of information technology in many classes is imaginative. The provider uses its virtual learning environment well to provide learners with opportunities to catch up on learning they have missed and to obtain additional skills information. Some tutorials in performing arts that HACE has recorded through its virtual learning environment reinforce learning well. In a minority of sessions, the purpose of the lesson is not well explained and activities are unsuccessful in promoting learning or challenging the more able learners.

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Good Grade 2

12. The range of programmes is particularly responsive to local needs and social inclusion is good. HACE’s good local partnerships with extended schools, children’s centres and community groups benefit many learners. A wide range of leisure courses are available in the arts at many levels. Literacy, numeracy and ESOL courses provide good progression routes for learners. HACE’s provision provides good progression pathways to higher education for learners with no prior qualifications. 13. Advice, guidance and support are satisfactory, as identified in the 2007/08 self-assessment report. A recently established team provides effective information to target new and hard to reach learners. The team provides a range of individual support and advice and guidance directly to learners in teaching sessions. The information provided is generally satisfactory, but it is not sufficiently clear for a minority of courses .

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Good: Grade 2

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good Grade 2

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Good: Grade 2

14. Leadership and management are good. HACE plays a key role in the implementation of the borough’s strategic plan. The senior management team has been successfully reorganised since the previous inspection and is fully involved in shaping the curriculum and in managing tutors. Managers communicate and work well together as a team. They provide good leadership and clear strategic direction. HACE has strong working links with adult and community learning partners, other council departments and the community. Managers communicate effectively through a range of working groups and forums. The use of data to monitor performance is good. Accommodation has improved since the previous inspection with the completion of a specialist adult education centre.

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Good: Grade 2

15. HACE has good quality improvement arrangements. Managers diligently monitor challenging targets at fortnightly curriculum and quality team meetings. They collect, analyse and use feedback from stakeholders well. The teaching and learning observation scheme is particularly good. All part-time tutors, who form the majority of teaching staff, are observed annually and have good staff development opportunities. The tutor performance management process is thorough and supportive. Managers are currently focusing on improving satisfactory teaching. Success rates are high overall and managers have monitored achievements and success rates consistently well for some years.

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Good: Grade 2

16. The self-assessment report is a critical and honest document, which provides clear guidance for planning quality improvement. It reflects the curriculum well and highlights areas for improvement accurately. For example, self-assessment has identified the need to improve the way in which tutors record learners’ progress and was important in setting realistic and challenging targets for improving teaching and learning.

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Good: Grade 2

17. Equality of opportunity is good. HACE employs good strategies to promote equality of opportunity and to widen participation and achieve social inclusion. It has targeted many disadvantaged learners successfully, as well as a number of smaller, more isolated minority ethnic groups locally such as the Somali and Ghurkha communities. The provider recruits and involves many of these learners well through its family learning provision. HACE complies with all the current equalities legislation and has good policies to monitor and report on inclusive practices. Arrangements to recognise and tackle discrimination and inappropriate behaviour are promoted through effective staff training and a thorough learner induction process. All centres meet the requirements for people with restricted mobility.

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Good: Grade 2

18. HACE monitors learner enrolments and achievements by disability, gender and ethnicity. Staff training in cultural awareness offered by the council is well attended and useful. HACE carries out a range of training events on aspects of disability, differentiation and learner support. The range of different cultural groups who attend courses at HACE reflects the local community as a whole. Staff come from a variety of minority ethnic groups, but very few are senior managers. Participation in learning by people with disabilities is slightly higher than the proportion of the population with disabilities residing in the borough. HACE has a well-implemented skills for life strategy. 19. HACE works very effectively with a number of partners within the local community. Learner groups include the elderly, the physically disabled, those with mental health difficulties, learning disabilities and a range of ethnic minority groups. HACE enjoys very

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Good: Grade 2

productive and close links with educational and social services, children’s services, local employers, Jobcentre Plus, and many community centres and local schools. It has developed some very beneficial curriculum partnerships with those working in early years, customer care, leadership and management training, occupational therapy, family learning, employability training and colleges.

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Good: Grade 2

20. HACE is meeting current government requirements for the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, implementing appropriate checks for all staff, tutors and learners working on placements in childcare settings and schools. All managers attended training in protecting vulnerable adults in 2007/08 and tutors and staff will attend similar training in 2008/09.

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Good: Grade 2

21. The self-assessment report accurately identifies that the implementation of assessment processes for non-accredited learning is incomplete in a few curriculum areas and that target-setting is weak in some individual learning plans. In a small number of curriculum areas such as sport, leisure and recreation and visual arts, learners complain about the process as they regard it as additional paperwork. Tutors do not promote assessment adequately or integrate it successfully enough with learners’ studies.

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What learners like :

„ ‘The level of support we receive in hair and beauty’. „ ‘The tutor will contact us when we are ill’. „ Learners feel ‘listened to’. „ ‘It’s been easy to take in the information from a good tutor’. „ ‘I’m not frightened of the computer any more’. „ ‘I like the lessons being in my children’s school at just the right time’. „ ‘I’ve had a busy time all week, now this is my time, I’m not going to miss it’. „ ‘Best thing that’s happened to me in 10 years’. „ ‘It allows adults to do things they enjoyed last as a child’. „ ‘Sure start has had a major impact on myself and my daughter’s life’. „ ‘This course is very interesting. We are happy with the class’. „ ‘I am more confident outside class. I can now read the newspaper’. „ ‘We like using the smart board. We learned this in class’.

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What learners think could improve :

„ ‘Hounslow could run more courses at other times in the day’. „ ‘Would like next stage course to run straight after this one without having to wait for several months’. „ ‘We need the provision of a water cooler’. „ The size of rooms for life drawing. „ ‘We don’t like waiting outside the gate in the cold’. „ ‘We would like more specialist classes’.

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Context

22. Currently, 256 learners attend 30 classes in information and communication technology (ICT) at five adult learning centres located in community schools and a range of other community venues. HACE offers courses lasting from 10 to 30 weeks for two hours each week and some intensive courses, which run for four days a week. Approximately half of the provision is accredited at Levels 1 and 2. During 2007/08, 1143 learners enrolled on 188 courses. Of these, 26% were men, 56% were from minority ethnic communities, 14% were over 60 years of age and 13% declared a disability. Two full-time and 14 hourly paid tutors are responsible for the provision and report to a full-time curriculum manager and a full-time curriculum coordinator.

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Strengths

„ Very high success rates on long accredited courses. „ High retention rates on non accredited courses. „ Well targeted provision to meet learners’ needs. „ Good curriculum management.

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Achievement and standards

23. Achievement and standards are good, as identified through self-assessment. Success rates are consistently very high on long accredited courses. In 2006/07, the overall success rate was 75% and this has improved to 82% in 2007/08. Overall, retention rates on all courses are high at 93% in 2007/08, but they are particularly high on non accredited courses. Success rates are satisfactory on short accredited courses. Achieved learning outcomes on non-accredited courses are at least satisfactory. Learners receiving additional support achieve well. Success rates for older learners have declined in 2007/08.

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Achievement and standards

24. Learners make good progress in achieving learning objectives and qualifications. They show confidence in using software tools and develop useful new skills. They enjoy their classes. Attendance is satisfactory.

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Quality of provision

25. The quality of provision is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the better sessions tutors reinforce learning well through asking a good range of challenging questions. They have good working relationships with learners and provide them with good individual support. The identification of learners’ additional learning needs and provision to support their needs are good. Tutors include all learners well in learning activities. Many tutors use e-learning skilfully to provide a wide range of learning activities. They have created some good learning materials on HACE’s virtual learning environment. Almost all tutors plan learning sessions well, in particular to meet the needs of learners with a wide range of abilities. They use individual learning plans effectively generally to check learners’ progress. However there is insufficient good or better teaching. In some sessions, the pace of learning is slow and the teaching is uninspiring.

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Quality of provision

Tutors make insufficiently useful contributions to individual learning plans and some do not give learners enough time to attempt tasks independently. HACE’s self-assessment of teaching and learning is accurate.

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Quality of provision

26. HACE provides a good range of well-targeted programmes to meet the needs of the local community. Managers have a thorough knowledge of the types of programmes learners want, consulting extensively about the provision they offer and identifying new community locations for offering specific courses. They evaluate the needs of local employers astutely. The provider runs some particularly innovative internet-based courses. HACE introduced a popular and well-planned vocational Level 2 course in 2007/08, which is now part of its provision. It offers a good range of provision for smaller, harder to reach, communities. The timetabling of courses to meet the needs of parents with young children is particularly effective. The provider has been successful in reducing course cancellations in 2007/08.

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Quality of provision

27. Advice, guidance and support for learners are satisfactory. Learners value the clear information and advice which provides them with guidance that is appropriate in identifying the right course level for their particular ability. Learners in the last week of their course receive clear and useful information about progression opportunities. Crèche facilities benefit many learners on ICT courses.

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Leadership and management

28. Leadership and management are good. Curriculum management is good. Managers use data well to plan provision. They manage their tutors well. Communication is good. Managers use a good range of technology to ensure that tutors are up-to-date about curriculum area plans. For example, managers post a video of meetings on HACE’s virtual learning environment to provide feedback to tutors. Managers review tutors’ performance well annually and set them challenging targets. They receive good training to observe teaching and learning. Observation records are detailed, and HACE uses them well to identify poor teaching and to promote good teaching practice. The observation process promotes professional development and helps to set performance targets for tutors. Teaching and learning have improved since the previous inspection.

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Leadership and management

29. The self-assessment process is inclusive. All tutors make useful contributions and have the opportunity to comment on, and suggest amendments to, the draft report. The most recent report is accurate and contains useful judgments to plan improvements.

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Leadership and management

30. Resources are satisfactory. HACE has good partnerships with other education providers, which allow adult learners good access to schools’ information technology. Interactive whiteboards are available and used appropriately in many classrooms. Most tutors have information technology and teaching qualifications, but some do not have teaching qualifications at a sufficiently high level.

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Leadership and management

31. Equality of opportunity is good. Tutors skilfully support learners whose first language is not English. HACE is implementing good plans to offer information technology classes, which integrate language, literacy and numeracy teaching. The complaints procedure is satisfactory. Learners’ backgrounds reflect the ethnic diversity of the borough.

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Context

32. At the time of the inspection 42 learners were attending accredited hairdressing and beauty courses and a further 377 were enrolled on non-accredited programmes. Non-accredited provision ranges from one day introductory sessions to 10 week courses. Accredited courses include an NVQ Level 1 and Level 2 in beauty therapy and a Level 2 specialist beauty diploma. There are two introductory hairdressing courses. Courses are full and part-time, and take place both during the daytime and in the evening at 17 locations throughout the borough. There are two fully equipped specialist beauty salons. All learners are female and 78% are from a minority ethnic background. The provision is delivered by one full-time and nine part-time tutors, who report to a curriculum manager.

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Strengths

„ High achievement rates non-accredited courses. „ High success rates on the Level 2 beauty specialist diploma. „ Good standard of learners work. „ Good teaching and learning. „ Broad and inclusive range of provision for beauty therapy learners. „ Particularly good support for learners. „ Good curriculum management.

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Areas for improvement

„ Insufficient opportunities for industrial experience. „ Insufficiently detailed course reviews.

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Achievement and standards

33. Achievement and standards are good. Achievement rates on non-accredited courses are good. For example, the achievement rate on the Indian bridal make up course was 88% in 2007/08. Success rates on all accredited courses are high. In 2007/08, the success rate on the beauty specialist diploma was 83%. Success rates are a key strength in the provider’s 2007/08 self-assessment.

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Achievement and standards

34. The standard of learners work is good. Learner portfolios are effectively organised. Their written work is good and shows skilful use of information technology. Learners’ attainment is particularly good. They demonstrate high levels of practical skills. All learners work to high standards of health, safety and hygiene. Learners gain confidence, work hard, are motivated and enjoy their learning. Attendance is satisfactory.

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Quality of provision

35. The quality of provision is good. Teaching and learning are good. Tutors are well prepared and plan teaching sessions in detail. They use effective teaching strategies to meet differing learners’ needs. Initial assessment to plan learning activities is good. The virtual learning environment contains useful interactive games and learning materials to promote learning outside classes. Learners access it from home to assist with their homework or to catch up on missed lessons. Tutors use videos and presentations very effectively to promote learning. Verbal and written feedback is constructive, particularly with reference to how learners can improve. Assessment is well planned and monitored in the salons and during weekly learner reviews. Assessment and moderation of assignments are satisfactory. Questioning techniques in some sessions are insufficiently thorough to reinforce learners’ knowledge and experience.

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Quality of provision

36. Staff who teach ESOL and hair and beauty vocational tutors plan effectively together to offer additional learning support, which they integrate with learners’ main vocational learning. This provides learners with vocationally contextualised learning activities. Learners value and enjoy attending the literacy and ESOL classes.

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Quality of provision

37. HACE meets the needs and interests of the community well overall. It provides a good range of programmes to meet learners’ needs. There is a broad and inclusive range of provision in beauty therapy, which successfully targets learners and the wider community, particularly those with language, literacy and/or numeracy needs. Programmes meet learners’ aspirations particularly well. Learners are matched well to programmes and achieve their full potential. Well attended enrichment activities take place such as manufacturer training sessions. HACE meets the needs of the wider community and non traditional learners well through providing opportunities for learning at a venue in the centre of the borough and at a local mental health unit. The timetabling of the curriculum is skilful, for example some courses run whilst children are at school.

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Quality of provision

38. Insufficient opportunities exist for learners to carry out external work experience to broaden their understanding of current industry trends and to develop their experience with customers. A few learners are able to source their own work experience on a voluntary basis. HACE provides insufficient progression opportunities within the borough for hairdressing learners. Currently, it offers only two introductory courses in hairdressing and learners wishing to progress further have to apply to other local providers when they would prefer to stay with HACE.

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Quality of provision

39. Learners receive particularly good support. Initial advice and guidance are good. Tutors support learners well in both practical and theory classes. They provide effective weekly reviews to monitor learners’ progress and check and record in detail the progress learners make in individual learning plans half way through the course. Learners receive good financial support to purchase beauty kits and uniforms. Free childcare is offered for those learners whose children are not of school age.

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Leadership and management

40. Leadership and management are good . The management of the curriculum area is good, as identified through self-assessment. Managers communicate well and are successful at improving the quality of the provision. They have significantly improved resources, the curriculum on offer and teaching and learning. Weekly team meetings are productive in monitoring learner progress and sharing good practice. The curriculum manager and the coordinator share information well. Staff are well qualified and feel valued. Appraisals are satisfactory.

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Leadership and management

41. The self-assessment report completed by the senior manager and the course co-ordinator is broadly accurate. HACE evaluates the responses from learner exit surveys and uses the outcomes well to plan for improvements. Tutor course reviews are insufficiently detailed and do not focus enough on improvements to the provision. Staff are insufficiently involved in the self-assessment process.

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Leadership and management

42. Equality of opportunity is good and embedded in the curriculum and in the management of the area. HACE celebrates the diversity of the staff team and uses this well to promote learning.

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Context

43. Currently, 465 learners attend 49 courses offered in 13 centres. Classes take place during the daytime and in the evenings lasting between five and 30 weeks. Venues range from residential and day care centres to libraries and local community schools. Most provision is non-accredited. In 2007/08, 658 learners attended 90 courses in 10 centres. Most were female and half were from an ethnic minority background. Over the past two years there has been a significant shift in the age profile of learners towards those under 45 years of age.

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Context

44. A full-time curriculum manager supported by a part-time curriculum coordinator and part- time administrator manage the area. The curriculum manager is responsible for a team of 27 part-time specialist subject tutors.

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Strengths

„ High achievement rates on non-accredited courses. „ Good attainment. „ Good teaching and learning. „ Good strategies to widen participation. „ Good management and monitoring of curriculum performance.

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Areas for improvement

„ Under-developed aspects of curriculum planning.

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Achievement and standards

45. Achievement and standards are good. Achievement rates on non-accredited courses were high at 87% in 2007/08. In particular, learners from minority ethnic communities achieve well. Success rates for accredited provision were satisfactory at 78% in 2007/08.

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Achievement and standards

46. Learners’ attainment is good. The standard of learners’ work on all courses and at all levels is good, which accurately reflects the 2007/08 self-assessment. Learners demonstrate high levels of commitment to study. They are attentive and keen to learn, discussing their work intelligently with tutors and their peer group. They make good progress in their studies.

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Quality of provision

47. The quality of provision is good. Teaching and learning are good. The 2007/08 self- assessment identifies the teaching and learning judgments made for visual arts. Tutors plan and manage learning sessions well. They provide a variety of skilful demonstrations, implement learner reviews well and provide good individual discussions alongside practical and theoretical studies. In the good and better sessions, the teaching of background knowledge is highly successful and integrates well with practical learning. In some classes, there is too much tutor delivery and too little involvement of the learner in the learning experience, particularly where group numbers in classes are small. Tutors make effective use of projection facilities and interactive white boards to compare learners’ work and to place learning activities in the context of established artists and designers.

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Quality of provision

48. Assessment and internal verification of accredited programmes are thorough. Assessors receive good feedback from internal verifiers and, where necessary, good recommendations to develop their assessment practice and record keeping.

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Quality of provision

49. The assessment process for non-accredited learning is satisfactory. Overall, tutors set adequate learning objectives, monitor progress effectively and record learners’ outcomes in sufficient detail. In the most effective assessments, tutors use individual learning plans well to set learners clear and challenging learning objectives and carefully monitor progress with each learner. The plans are modified over time to act as an effective review and development tool. However, there are several examples where learning plans are simply a record of what has been achieved by the learner. Some learners see the individual learning plans as additional paperwork.

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Quality of provision

50. HACE provides good programmes to meet the needs of the community. Widening participation strategies are effective, particularly through the offer of short introductory courses. There is a good range of accessible and well-located visual arts courses. HACE uses the subject area to stimulate interest in lifelong learning at promotional events. It provides specific courses for particular community groups. Of note, is a successful sewing class for Somali women. HACE runs successful courses in residential and day care settings. In the best of these, tutors challenge older learners effectively to reassess stereotypical opinions of people and explore the subject area through exciting practice.

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Quality of provision

51. Advice, guidance and support are satisfactory. Learners generally are on the right courses. They receive good support at the start of their courses and are aware of others types of visual arts courses that they can progress to.

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Leadership and management

52. Leadership and management are good. Managers monitor the performance of the curriculum area well. Observation of teaching and learning is thorough and the observation grades match the judgments. Observers provide very good feedback to tutors. Observation findings, course data and learner views form the background to good annual tutor performance management reviews. Managers use information well to plan improvement. HACE uses a comprehensive service-wide database effectively to monitor course programme performance and to identify trends in, for example, enrolment patterns. There is a good understanding area of the priorities for the service and the need to adopt innovative approaches to curriculum design and delivery to encourage participation in learning.

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Leadership and management

53. Equality of opportunity is satisfactory. The mix of learners who attend most courses reflects the diversity of the borough. Staff development for tutors is good. It reflects both personal needs and key development points for the whole curriculum area. Staff meetings focus well on quality improvement. Communication with a principally part-time staff is good. There is little promotion of diversity and other cultures in the curriculum content.

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Leadership and management

54. The provider’s self-assessment identifies accurately many of the strengths and areas for improvement that inspectors found during inspection. Self-assessment is an inclusive process using a wide range of background information and commentary from which HACE forms key judgements about the programme area.

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Leadership and management

55. A recent initiative to encourage tutors to divide long courses into five week sections in order to provide more choice and establish individualised programmes is underdeveloped. Managers have not encouraged tutors to change their course design and planning to integrate learning across several programmes effectively, or to incorporate different sections on the same course to facilitate progression.

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Context

56. Currently, 854 part-time learners attend day, evening and Saturday morning ESOL courses from pre-entry Level to Level 2. In addition, 40 learners attend ESOL vocational pathways courses. Females account for 85% of the total learners. HACE provides ESOL classes from six main centres and at 21 community venues. Eight senior tutors and 29 part-time hourly paid tutors are responsible for the provision and report to a curriculum area coordinator.

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Strengths

„ Very high success rates. „ Good teaching and learning. „ Particularly responsive provision. „ Good leadership and management.

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Areas for improvement

„ Insufficient access to information technology in some outreach classes.

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Achievement and standards

57. Achievement and standards are good. Success rates are very high, as identified through self-assessment. Success rates have been above 90% for the last two years and retention rates are outstanding. Attendance rates are much improved and are satisfactory.

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Achievement and standards

58. Learners have increased levels of confidence and use the communication skills they develop on a daily basis. They take pride in their written work and learn to read, write, listen and speak in English effectively. They become better prepared for life in this country, for further study and for work. Learners’ progression is good. The standard of learners’ oral and written work is good. Learners are well motivated, participate actively, and make good progress. They acquire new skills and have good opportunities to practise their language skills.

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Quality of provision

59. The quality of provision is good. Teaching and learning are good. Teaching and learning are well planned and supported by detailed session plans. Tutors set learners clear and challenging learning objectives. They implement activities effectively for a range of abilities and promote learning well using a wide range of learning materials. Learners have good opportunities to develop their writing skills. Tutors assess work helpfully, providing constructive feedback and identifying areas for improvements.

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Quality of provision

60. Teaching and learning resources are good overall. Tutors have access to subject specific materials through the virtual learning environment. The use of information learning technology (ILT) in teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. In the better lessons, integration is good with language learning and learners enjoying using and developing ILT skills. In one lesson, learners at Level 1 and entry Level 3 practised their formal letter writing skills well using different power point presentation tasks on laptops. Insufficient access to information technology exists in some smaller community centres. Tutors skilfully integrate language learning with learners vocational learning. For example, in one hairdressing lesson learners practised pronouncing words like ‘frizzy’.

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Quality of provision

61. Assessment is good. The use of initial assessment to identify individual support needs is good. The use of most initial and diagnostic assessment to place learners on the correct level course and plan individual learning is appropriate. Tutors use individual learning plans effectively to record learners’ individual targets and to monitor learners’ progress. Learners know their targets and work hard to achieve them.

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Quality of provision

62. HACE provides good progression routes. Learners have opportunity to progress from pre– entry courses to Level 2 programmes. Provision takes place at times and in locations which are convenient to learners. The new ESOL specialist courses in childcare, hair and beauty and office skills provide good progression routes to vocational NVQs. They improve learners’ opportunities to develop both competence in the use of English and skills in other subjects and to gain additional qualifications.

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Quality of provision

63. The provision is particularly responsive in meeting the individual needs of the learners, and those of the local community, and is a key strength in the 2007/08 self- assessment. In Hounslow, wives of Ghurkha soldiers who have arrived in the country as a new migrant group have benefited from classes offered in local venues and at the appropriate pre-entry and entry 1 levels. HACE provides good literacy support for learners with poor reading and writing skills. Enrichment activities are satisfactory overall.

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Quality of provision

64. Advice, guidance and support are good . Initial advice and guidance have been integrated with all entry Level 3, Level 1 and 2 courses. Pastoral and curriculum support are good. Learners benefit from the specialist personal advice, guidance and care they receive from their tutors and the good learning support arrangements.

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Leadership and management

65. Leadership and management are good. Quality assurance systems have improved, and are now good. Teaching and learning observations are very effective in raising standards. Managers monitor the performance of courses well. They use data effectively and make satisfactory use of learners’ feedback. Managers have resolved many of the key weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. Communication between tutors and the curriculum manager is good, either through informal visits to classes, or through telephone or e-mail. Tutors feel well supported and they benefit from good continuing professional development. Insufficient ESOL staff are trained to Level 5. The self-assessment process is good, the most recent is broadly accurate and identifies many of the strengths and areas for improvement.

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Leadership and management

66. Accommodation is good overall. Venues range from purpose built adult education centres and community centres to local libraries and secondary and primary schools. Tutors celebrate diversity well in classrooms with posters, and in the curriculum. The staff profile reflects the diversity of learners.

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Learners’ achievements

19+ Notional Level Exp End Year Starts – Transfers ACL Provider Rate National Rate Diff

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Learners’ achievements

06/07 840 82 72 +10 1 long 07/08* 1866 83 N/A 06/07 802 77 70 +7 2 long 07/08* 680 78 N/A 06/07 1260 85 80 +3 Short** 07/08* 1422 85 N/A

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Learners’ achievements

* ACL provider data not validated (used where complete, validated and produced using proprietary software) ** Courses over five weeks long.

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Learners’ achievements

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