Setting

Context

The London Borough of Enfield (the borough) offers adult and community learning (ACL) and work-based learning for young people. The latter is delivered through Enfield Training Services (ETS). Both aspects of learning are within the department for Education, Children’s Services and Leisure. The borough historically secured adult and community learning through subcontracting to the two local colleges of further education, but voluntary community organisations have been delivering ACL since September 2004. During 2007/08, the subcontractors were Enfield College, Southgate College, Futuretrend, Orion Pax, MIND in Enfield, Enfield Women’s Centre, Samafal, Age Concern and Enfield Homes. ETS offers work-based learning for young people in the community. Programmes currently offered are: Entry to Employment (E2E), apprenticeships in hairdressing and business administration, advanced apprenticeships in business administration, and training for learners aged 14–16 not

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Context

attending school. The borough contracts with London North Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

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Context

At the previous inspection, in November 2007, the overall effectiveness of provision was satisfactory for both aspects of work. Achievement and standards, quality of provision and leadership and management, including equality of opportunity, were also satisfactory for each aspect of work. Capacity to improve was good. Four of the five sector subject areas (SSAs) inspected were satisfactory and one was good.

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progress

Although there are variations in the extent of improvement between ACL and ETS provision, and for programmes within each of these, reasonable progress has been made overall since the previous inspection.

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progress

In relation to ETS provision, overall apprenticeship success rates for the framework or NVQ stayed much the same in 2007/08 as they were the previous year at 71%, which is above the national rate. The overall achievement of frameworks fell in 2007/08 because of issues with the teaching of key skills in hairdressing, although remained above the national rate, Effective action to address the key skills issue means that learner cohorts for 2008/09 and 2009/10 have already successfully completed their key skills. Overall, timely success rates have improved over the last three years and are above national rates. Improvements in business administration are marked between 2006/07 and 2007/08. In the latter year, for advanced apprentices and apprentices, both overall and timely framework success rates are 100%. In hairdressing, the impact of the key skills issue in 2007/08 reduced framework success rates, but timely rates continued to improve. In the light of the

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progress

success with key skills for current learners, and the indications from ongoing assessment, the prospects for continued improvement in success rates are good. Outcomes for E2E, in the broadest sense, are improving. Learners continue to make good progress and based on mid-year figures for 2008/09 at 52%, are set to make better progress than in 2007/08.

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progress

Since the previous inspection, ETS has significantly developed the 14–16 schools programme for learners not attending schools. Their success in achieving qualifications and progressing to employment/further study is good.

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progress

For ACL provision, overall retention and achievement rates, for accredited and non accredited provision combined, are much the same as at the previous inspection. They are relatively high in 2007/08, at 89% and 93% respectively, with a success rate of 83%. The overall pass rate for accredited courses improved significantly between 2006/07 and 2007/08, from 69% to 81% and the success rate from 55% to 63%. The success rate for adult literacy improved significantly, from 41% to 76%. Overall success rates for non accredited provision stayed much the same over the two years, at 83% and 82%, while retention was slightly improved. Success rates have been maintained against the context of the more thorough implementation of the scheme for recognising and recording progress and achievement (RARPA). As the self-assessment report identifies, ACLs performance varies across subcontracted providers andSSA’s, but the service now has a much better knowledge and

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understanding of these differences than at the time of the previous inspection.

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progress

Outcomes, in the broadest sense, for the substantial number of family learning learners, have continued to improve since the previous inspection.

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progress

At the previous inspection, the quality of teaching and learning was judged to be good in family learning and community English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses but satisfactory overall. Observations of teaching and learning were in place but were not sufficiently thorough. The use of RARPA was insufficiently developed. Both ETS and community learning (ACL and family learning) have developed appropriate continuous professional development strategies based on audits of existing skills and qualifications. Most community learning tutors are appropriately qualified or are working towards a qualification. All ETS teachers are registered with the Institute for Learning and several are undertaking teaching qualifications. Since the previous inspection the service has provided staff training on differentiation, initial assessment and RARPA as part of its broader strategy to improve teaching and learning.

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progress

Arrangements for the observation of teaching and learning have improved. ETS is taking appropriate action to increase the number of trained observers to expand its observation programme. Peer observations within community learning provide helpful opportunities to share good practice. Following training for tutors, peer observations are also being introduced by ETS to support improvements. Observation reports provide detailed feedback to tutors, however areas for improvement are not always sufficiently specific and do not usually include deadlines for achievement. Moderation of observations is well established in community learning but is not part of the ETS process. Themes identified during observations help develop continuous professional development plans. It is too early to judge the impact of these arrangements on the quality of teaching and learning.

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progress

Overall, equality of opportunity was judged to be satisfactory at the previous inspection, however the promotion of equality and diversity was a key area for improvement. Community learning is making progress in embedding equality and diversity in curriculum areas having developed a comprehensive equality and diversity toolkit for tutors and learners to reinforce issues of diversity. This has been piloted by some providers. Lesson plans and schemes of work have been revised to include equality and diversity. Tutors have received training in dealing with offensive and challenging behaviour. An established approach has been established in ESOL provision and is being introduced into information and communication technology (ICT) courses. Within ETS, equality and diversity are included in induction for all programmes. A series of equality and diversity themes, for use during progress reviews, has been agreed but has not yet been introduced.

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progress

Enhanced criminal records bureau (CRB) checks are now in place for all ETS staff. Access to facilities for people with restricted mobility remains an issue in the centre used by ETS. Progress in improving promotion to employers has been slow. ETS has written an equal opportunities policy that all employers without a policy will be asked to adopt, but this is not yet in operation. Both services monitor participation and set appropriate targets to address the under representation of identified groups.

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progress

The previous inspection noted that ‘LBE does not critically evaluate or analyse data sufficiently well to plan and improve provision’. This is no longer the case and they have made reasonable progress in addressing this aspect. ETS has built upon what the previous inspection noted as the more thorough, regular and routine analysis of data such as retention and achievement. They have worked to make better use of the data reports which their effective management information system (MIS) provides. For example, analysis of enrolments by equality and diversity categories has enabled the identification of learner groups to target for recruitment. Achievement data by different groupings is analysed. Monthly whole-team meetings consider various performance data. All staff have desktop access to the ETS MIS. ETS recognises the need for better training for newer staff on the use of the system and related data.

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progress

The ACL service has its own recent and well supported MIS, specifically designed to meet the needs of an ACL provider. Importantly, it embraces the subcontracting partners and their staff, significantly improving the service’s capacity to monitor the quality of provision and performance. A linked process of reports provides a wide range of information to allow the service to manage its provision. Monthly quality meetings use data well. The level of debate and discussion at partners’ meetings is improved by the infrastructure of data, and data is used to set and check overall performance targets for each partner. The service has arranged direct access to all subcontract partners’ staff and they are engaged in staff development activities relevant to this aspect, organised by the service. The improved MIS is used effectively to analyse the outcomes of learners’ surveys.

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progress

Neither ETS nor ACL has a virtual learning environment to facilitate the engagement of learners in managing and charting their own progress. Funding is agreed to start to establish one from the beginning of May. It is planned that this ACL initiative will also link to ETS.

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progress

Reasonable progress has been made in improving the rigour of quality assurance and ensuring continuous improvement through arrangements for self-assessment and quality improvement. The self-assessment process was identified at the previous inspection as appropriately inclusive and this continues to be the case. Partners from the voluntary sector have received training and support in completing their own self- assessments. These contribute to the overall ACL self-assessment report and development plan. Separate self-assessment reports and quality improvement plans have been produced for ETS and for ACL, taking into account the views of learners, employers and community organisations. Subcontractors and ETS staff have a good level of involvement in the process and contribute effectively to the reports. The self- assessment reports are satisfactory overall. Quality improvements plans are detailed, identifying the improvements to be made, assigning responsibility for actions and

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timescales for completion. The monitoring of progress is good with regular review meetings, ensuring that issues on which progress is insufficient are identified.

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provided that the information quoted is reproduced verbatim without adaptation, and the source and date of publication are stated. Inspection reports are available on the Ofsted website (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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