London Borough of Redbridge

Inspection number 330815 London Borough of Redbridge

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Background information ............................................................................... 3

Inspection judgements ..................................................................................... 3 Scope of the inspection..................................................................................... 3

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Overall judgement ........................................................................................ 6

Effectiveness of provision.................................................................................. 6 Capacity to improve ....................................................................................... 6

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Main findings................................................................................................. 8

Achievement and standards .............................................................................. 8 Quality of provision .......................................................................................... 8 Leadership and management ............................................................................ 9 Equality of opportunity ................................................................................... 9

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Sector subject areas ................................................................................... 13

Sport, leisure and recreation ........................................................................... 13 Arts, media and publishing.............................................................................. 16 Literacy, numeracy and ESOL.......................................................................... 19 Family learning............................................................................................... 22

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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

 Sport, leisure and recreation  Arts, media and publishing  Literacy, numeracy and ESOL  Family learning

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Scope of the inspection

Inspectors also examined evidence from specialist provision in health, public services and care, science and mathematics, agriculture, horticulture and animal care, information and communication technology (ICT), retail and commercial enterprise, languages, literature and culture, education and training, and business administration and law. Findings from these sector subject areas were used to support judgements on achievement and standards, quality of provision and leadership and management. However, inspectors did not grade or report separately on these sector subject areas.

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Description of the Provider

1. The London Borough of Redbridge’s (Redbridge) culture, sport and community learning service has overall responsibility for adult and community learning provision. Redbridge operates a scheme of delegation with Redbridge Institute of Adult Education (RIAE) to govern, manage and deliver most of its adult and community learning provision. A Head of Service who reports to the governing body and the Chief Culture, Sport and Community Learning Officer manages RIAE.

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Description of the Provider

2. RIAE offers courses in 11 sector subject areas. In 2007/08, RIAE enrolled 2,749 learners on to personal and community development learning (PCDL) courses, 600 on neighbourhood learning in deprived communities (NLDC) courses and 1,003 on family learning programmes. Some 1,843 learners enrolled on further education (FE) courses leading to accredited qualifications. RIAE funds its provision through contracts with the London East LSC.

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Description of the Provider

3. RIAE provides a range of part-time learning opportunities for adults. It places an increasing emphasis on providing opportunities for new learners and those from disadvantaged groups in the local community. Courses take place at RIAE’s main centre in Gants Hill and at 42 schools and community-based centres across the borough.

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Description of the Provider

4. Redbridge has a population of 240,000, with approximately 36% from minority ethnic groups. The borough is ranked in the top 50 of the 354 local authorities in England in terms of summary indexes of deprivation, including income deprivation. Redbridge’s employment rate is 3% lower than the London average.

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Summary of grades awarded

Effectiveness of provision Good: Grade 2

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Summary of grades awarded

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Sector subject areas

Sport, leisure and recreation Good: Grade 2

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Sector subject areas

Arts, media and publishing Good: Grade 2

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Sector subject areas

Literacy, numeracy and ESOL Good: Grade 2

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Good: Grade 2

5. RIAE’s overall effectiveness is good. Achievement and standards are also good. Success rates on accredited courses are high. Learners develop good skills, confidence and knowledge. On family learning programmes, learners are able to use their new skills in their everyday lives. The standard of learners’ work is high on literacy, numeracy and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses. Learners on arts courses produce particularly good creative work. Learners on sports courses gain good health and fitness benefits.

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Good: Grade 2

6. The quality of the provision is good. Teaching and learning are also good. Tutors on ESOL and family learning programmes inspire their learners. Learning sessions are challenging and tutors make good use of information and learning technology (ILT) to enhance their learning sessions. Assessment is satisfactory overall, but in family learning, strategies to meet the assessment needs of all learners are insufficient. The use of individual learning goals is weak.

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Good: Grade 2

7. The extent to which courses and activities meet the needs and interests of learners is good. RIAE works very effectively with a wide range of partners to ensure a cohesive approach to planning adult and community learning in the borough. The match between the curriculum and learner and community needs is good.

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Good: Grade 2

8. Guidance and support for learners are good. Information, advice and guidance arrangements are effective. Tutors provide very good care for their learners. RIAE has invested in specialist equipment, such as adapted keyboards, specialist hardware and software and hearing loops. The service timetables courses to fit in with the school day. Crèche facilities are good.

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Good: Grade 2

9. Leadership and management are good overall. Leadership is particularly effective and curriculum management is good. Arrangements for quality improvement are very effective. RIAE has formed strong and productive partnerships that benefit learners.

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Good: Grade 2

10.Equality of opportunity is good. RIAE promotes lifelong learning opportunities well to widen the participation of learners from under-represented groups. The proportion of learners from minority ethnic groups broadly reflects the local population.

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Good: Grade 2

11.RIAE demonstrates good capacity to make further improvements. The service uses self-assessment effectively to improve the provision. The self-assessment is accurate and appropriately evaluative. It identifies most of the strengths and areas for improvement that inspectors found. Action-planning for quality improvement is particularly effective. Leadership and management, including curriculum management are good. Teaching and learning across the provision are good, although RIAE’s observation of teaching and learning scheme does not always lead to improvements.

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Good: Grade 2

12.The effectiveness of steps taken to improve the provision since the previous inspection is good. Achievement and standards, the quality of provision and leadership and management have all improved. The service has remedied most of the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. Inadequate teaching has been largely eradicated. Success rates on accredited provision have improved significantly. RIAE has worked hard to improve retention. Few learners now leave before completing their course. Satisfactory arrangements exist for recognising and recording progress and achievement, but they are not thorough enough to produce accurate data about the achievement of challenging individual learning goals.

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Key strengths

 High success rates on accredited courses  Very good development of learners’ knowledge, skills and confidence  Much good teaching and learning  Good and widespread use of information and learning technology  Good matching of curriculum to learner and community needs  Very effective arrangements to support learners  Particularly good leadership  Good operational management  Strong and productive partnerships  Good actions to improve the quality of provision  Good arrangements for the promotion of lifelong learning opportunities

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Key areas for improvement

 Weak use of individual goals for learners  Inconsistent quality of teaching and learning observations  Insufficiently thorough implementation of arrangements for recognising and recording progress and achievement

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Good: Grade 2

13.Achievement and standards are good, as identified in the self-assessment report. Success rates on accredited provision are high and significantly above national averages for long courses.

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Good: Grade 2

14.Learners develop very good knowledge, skills and confidence. On family learning programmes, learners are able to use their new skills in their everyday lives. They have a good awareness of the benefits they have gained and many become enthusiastic about learning for the first time in their lives. The standard of ESOL learners’ work is particularly high. Their use of, and confidence with, language develops quickly. Learners on literacy and numeracy courses are able to transfer the skills they gain to other areas of their lives, gaining confidence and self- esteem. Learners on arts, media and publishing courses produce particularly good work and develop their creative and technical skills very effectively. On sports and leisure courses, learners make very good progress, often tackling health difficulties and improving their quality of life. No significant differences in achievement exist between different groups of learners.

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Good: Grade 2

15.Attendance and punctuality are good overall, and improving. RIAE has worked hard to improve punctuality and to make sure that learners understand the importance of attending regularly.

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Good: Grade 2

16.Inspectors agreed with the self-assessment report that the quality of provision is good. Inspectors found much good teaching and learning, especially in ESOL and on family learning programmes. Here, teaching is often inspirational and learners are very effectively motivated. Tutors are enthusiastic and highly committed to ensuring that learners achieve. Learning sessions are challenging and tutors make particularly good and widespread use of ILT to enhance teaching and learning.

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Good: Grade 2

17.Assessment is satisfactory overall. However, strategies to meet the assessment needs of all learners in family learning are insufficient.

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Good: Grade 2

18.The use of individual learning goals for learners is weak. In many cases, goals are not specific to the individual learner but rather, a set of generic objectives for the whole class. Where learning goals are specific to individual learners, they are often too vague and cover too broad an area. Tutors do not make sufficient use of learners’ individual goals when planning learning sessions. 19.The extent to which courses and activities meet the needs and interests of learners is good. RIAE works very effectively with a wide range of partners to match the curriculum to learner and community needs. The service promotes a cohesive approach to planning adult and community learning across the borough. NLDC programmes are particularly well-planned. RIAE is very responsive and uses local labour market information well to plan its provision. The service strives to match its aims to local, regional and national priorities. Links with employers are

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Good: Grade 2

less well-established but RIAE recognises this in its self-assessment report. The service has already taken action to improve the involvement of employers in planning and developing its provision.

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Good: Grade 2

20.Guidance and support are good. Arrangements to support learners are very effective. Staff are sensitive to the particular needs of disadvantaged learners. Information, advice and guidance are effective and learners receive very good help when choosing courses. The service provides course information in clear and attractive pamphlets. Information about courses is targeted carefully to reflect the service’s priorities and to ensure it reaches the appropriate groups of learners. RIAE consistently exceeds its recruitment targets, although there is more work to do to meet participation targets on sport and leisure courses.

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Good: Grade 2

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Good: Grade 2

21.Leadership and management are good, as identified in the self-assessment report. Leadership is particularly good. RIAE has a clear vision and purpose and all staff understand the service’s key priorities. The leadership has inspired a culture of continual improvement, a service which is very responsive to community needs, and a focus on ensuring learner success. RIAE benefits from very knowledgeable and supportive governors.

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Good: Grade 2

22.Operational management is good. The management information system is good and managers use the wide range of information and analyses well to plan and develop the provision. Resource and financial management are good. Teaching resources are very good in many centres. RIAE has managed the introduction of ILT well and tutors use it routinely and effectively. Staff are well-qualified. Arrangements for training and professional development are good. Communication within the organisation is effective. Inspectors judged the management of the sector subject areas inspected to be good.

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Good: Grade 2

23.RIAE has developed strong and productive partnerships with a large number of partners, within the borough and across the wider community. Many of these partnerships, in which RIAE takes a lead role, have a significant impact on the quality and appropriateness of services provided for the benefit of local communities. This cooperation is particularly successful in widening participation and attracting new learners from the most deprived areas. 24.RIAE has taken good action to improve the quality of provision. Retention and achievement rates have improved significantly since the previous inspection, as has attendance. Quality improvement arrangements are thorough and comprehensive. The curriculum managers routinely monitor and analyse trends in retention and achievement. Evaluation forms distributed to learners and tutors are analysed and used well to make improvements. Self-assessment is accurate and evaluative.

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Good: Grade 2

25.RIAE has responded well to the Every Child Matters outcomes. The centre café offers a range of healthy eating options. Children and vulnerable adults enjoy learning and are proud of their achievements. Health and safety has a high priority in all activities. The procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements and arrangements for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults are satisfactory

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Good: Grade 2

26.Equality of opportunity is good. RIAE promotes lifelong learning opportunities well to widen the participation of learners from under-represented groups. The service targets provision well at particularly disadvantaged learners in areas of high deprivation and those who are most difficult to engage in learning. RIAE works closely with local community groups and carries out a wide range of outreach work. The learner population accurately reflects the large proportion of local residents from minority ethnic groups. RIAE uses a wide variety of settings and media to market learning opportunities to prospective learners.

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Good: Grade 2

27.Learners have a generally good understanding of equality and diversity. Tutors actively promote equalities at induction and during learning sessions. RIAE provides staff with appropriate training in equality and diversity. Staff demonstrate a good level of knowledge and understanding of equalities. Learners understand the simple but effective complaints system, which also records suggestions and compliments. Staff deal quickly and appropriately with issues raised. The strategy to meet learners’ literacy, numeracy and language needs is satisfactory. However, the skills for life strategy is not yet effective in all curriculum areas. RIAE has completed an appropriate audit and meets the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (1995).

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Good: Grade 2

28.The quality of teaching and learning observations is inconsistent. Some observers demonstrate good practice in the completion of records of observations and in the quality of their feedback to tutors. However, too often the records of observations do not accurately identify strengths and areas for improvement nor do they provide enough supporting evidence for the grades given. In many cases, observers pay insufficient attention to the quality of learning taking place or to the appropriateness of activities chosen by tutors. Action-planning following observations is weak. Good practice is not effectively shared. The service has only moderated a limited number of the observations carried out in 2008/09.

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Good: Grade 2

29.Implementation of the arrangements for recognising and recording progress and achievement are insufficiently thorough. Achievement and retention figures for non-accredited provision in 2007/08 are identical, suggesting that learning goals are insufficiently thorough. The achievement data does not properly reflect learners’ success in achieving challenging goals. Measures to assure the quality of the data have not been effective. RIAE recognises this as an area for improvement in the self- assessment report.

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What learners like:

 ‘I have made such progress in playing keyboard in such a short time’  ‘The painting class is my special time each week’  ‘I enjoy my pottery class, and my skills in glazing have really improved’  ‘We have the opportunity to learn a new technique in painting each week’  ‘I find my course challenging but enjoyable – we have a laugh together’  ‘Family learning opens up so many new activities –I didn’t know how to play with my children before this course’  ‘My child is so much happier at school now that I come in to school to learn’  The pace of learning sessions – ‘it challenges us in a good way’  Inspirational teaching  Learning skills which are useful in life – ‘I can now use bar charts to track my electric bill and to see how many sweets my daughters eat’  Good facilities, welcoming and friendly staff  ‘ESOL classes have helped me to meet people from other communities’

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What learners think could improve:

 ‘Better advertising, as it took me a long time to find the course’  Maths and English workshops – ‘there are not enough’  Cost of courses- the fees are too high  Summer break – ‘it’s too long’  ‘Too much focus on the qualification does not allow me to develop at my own pace’  Individual learning plans – ‘completion eats into class time’

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Context

30.At the time of the inspection, 416 learners were enrolled on sport and fitness courses. Most learners are women. About one third of learners belong to a minority ethnic group. Over a quarter of learners are over 60 years of age. All provision is non-accredited.

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Context

31.RIAE provides 24 courses at seven venues. Courses take place at local schools and community centres as well as the main centre in Gants Hill. Courses include tai chi, yoga, badminton, Pilates, archery, swimming and general fitness classes. Courses such as Pilates are offered at different levels, whereas yoga offers mixed ability classes.

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Context

32.Most courses range from 10 to 30 weeks in length. Most classes take place in the evening, though a few take place during the day and on weekends. Curriculum team leaders manage the provision. They receive support from teaching and learning advisors and a team of 12 tutors.

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Strengths

 Good achievement of health and fitness benefits  Particularly effective coaching and instruction to help learners improve  Very good guidance and support for learners  Very effective leadership and management

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient use of individual learning goals

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Achievement and standards

33.Achievement and standards are good. Learners achieve good health and fitness benefits. All learners are fully involved in sessions and able to participate at their own pace. Learners develop improved cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, core stability, balance, flexibility and coordination. Learners with medical conditions benefit particularly from classes specifically designed to meet their needs. Attendance has improved significantly since the previous inspection. 34.The success rate on the only accredited programme in 2007/8, the diploma in sports massage at level 3, was good at 79%. Success rates on non-accredited provision have improved and are satisfactory.

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Quality of provision

35.Teaching and learning are good. Tutors provide particularly effective coaching and instruction to help learners improve. Learners receive excellent individual instruction. Tutors sensitively and safely correct poor technique. All tutors are highly active in their learning sessions, constantly changing their position in the room as necessary, supporting learners and providing positive feedback. Learners benefit from the effective use of peer support in badminton classes to provide additional support for less experienced players and to challenge the more experienced to develop their own coaching skills.

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Quality of provision

36.Learning sessions are well-structured and well-paced. Tutors are experienced and well-qualified in their area of expertise. They consistently provide a challenging and varied range of activities. Most have a recognised teaching qualification and regularly participate in continuous professional development. Accommodation and resources are good. Venues are spacious, clean, well-lit, suitably heated and fit for purpose. Learning sessions take place in a safe environment. Staff carry out suitable risk assessments at each venue.

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Quality of provision

37.Tutors make insufficient use of individual learning goals. They do not use goals routinely to plan learning sessions. Many goals are insufficiently specific. The self- assessment report recognised the lack of internal moderation of goal-setting on individual learning plans as an area for improvement.

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Quality of provision

38.The range of programmes and activities meets the needs of learners satisfactorily. Although courses run during the day, at twilight hours and at weekends, most classes run in the evening. A learner advice and guidance pamphlet highlights internal and external progression opportunities. Satisfactory partnership arrangements are in place to develop and promote sport and fitness related activities in Redbridge. RIAE has a lead role in the Redbridge Strategic Partnership and there is a well-documented London Borough of Redbridge strategy for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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Quality of provision

39.Guidance and support for learners are very good. Tutors provide support and guidance that safeguards learners’ welfare, promotes their personal development and enables them to maximise their potential in their chosen activity. A significant number of learners suffer from a range of serious medical conditions that could discourage them from participating in exercise and fitness. However, tutors are well aware of learners’ needs and actively support them in class, providing modified and adapted exercises where necessary. All learners complete a well- designed health screening questionnaires that tutors maintain securely. The advertising and promotion of classes is satisfactory, with good colourful promotional materials and informative course information sheets. Induction materials are clear and easy to read. Tutors assess ability levels and guide learners to the most appropriate courses depending on their experience or ability.

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Leadership and management

40.Leadership and management are very effective. Communication is good. The manager and teaching and learning advisor support tutors well. The self- assessment report accurately identified the strengths and areas for improvement found during inspection. Plans for quality improvement are particularly effective. Managers use data very effectively to monitor enrolment, and retention according to gender, age disability and ethnicity to support programme planning. Arrangements for recognising and recording progress and achievement are well- established and appropriate. However, the poor quality of learning goals reduces the effectiveness of the data as a tool for measuring success rates on non- accredited provision.

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Leadership and management

41.The promotion of equality of opportunity is satisfactory. The service effectively promotes classes to attract learners from a wide variety of backgrounds. Tutors explain the service’s policy on access and respect clearly during induction. Advertising and promotional materials reflect the diversity of the local population. The individual needs of learners are well met in classes. Tutors provide suitable adaptations for those with particular needs and medical conditions. Participation by learners from minority ethnic groups has improved significantly. However, strategies to recruit more men and those from specific deprived areas have been less effective. RIAE recognises this issue and plans are in place to improve participation from these under-represented groups.

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Leadership and management

42.Managers observe tutors annually but the records of observations do not always support the grades awarded. Too often the records are descriptive rather than evaluative. Observers place too much emphasis on teaching and do not focus enough on the quality of the learning taking place.

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Context

43.At the time of inspection, 586 learners were enrolled on non-accredited courses, and 25 on accredited courses. Most learners are women and about a quarter are from a minority ethnic group. About a third of learners is aged over 60.

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Context

44.RIAE offers arts, media and publishing courses in painting and drawing, stained glass, patchwork and quilting, photography, stone carving, Asian clothes-making, pottery, jewellery, music and dance.

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Context

45.Classes take place during the day and evening at four centres across the borough. Most non-accredited courses are taught in two-hour sessions of five, 15 and 30 weeks’ duration. Two curriculum team leaders share responsibility for all aspects of the provision, with a team of 27 part-time tutors and five part-time technicians.

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Strengths

 High standard of learner’s practical work  Good use of a range of particularly effective teaching strategies  Good celebration of learners’ work and promotion of creative arts in the community.  Very good specialist studios and workshops

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Areas for improvement

 Ineffective use of individual learning goals  Insufficient promotion of creative and performing arts from diverse cultures

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Achievement and standards

46.Achievement and standards are good. Learners produce practical work of a high standard. They take pride in producing highly finished artefacts. Learners develop good experimental and creative skills. In jewellery, learners explore new techniques and processes with enthusiasm, achieving stunning designs for body adornment. In pottery, beginners produce excellent pieces depicting animals. In dance, learners perfect their footwork and timing, resulting in good co-ordination and posture. Preparatory work in sketchbooks shows detailed annotation of further ideas, and good recording of methods of creating art and identification of the behaviour of artists’ materials. Learners on painting and drawing courses show confidence in their paint-handling, perfecting proportion in composition and exploring colour. On the accredited jewellery course, tutors do not fully develop learners’ drawing skills. Design ideas are not fully explored through exploratory

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Achievement and standards

47.Success rates on accredited courses are improving and are now high. Retention rates are also improving and reached 90% in 2007/08. Attendance is good across most of the provision.

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Achievement and standards

48.Learners are enthusiastic and focused on improving their skills and knowledge. They enjoy their learning and take pride in their achievements. Learners are eager to help and support each other. They enjoy the challenge of learning new skills, techniques and experimenting with a range of materials.

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Quality of provision

49.Teaching and learning are good. Tutors use a range of particularly effective teaching strategies to stimulate learning. They encourage learners’ creative decision-making. Learners respond well to the challenging pace and level of learning. In painting, pottery, jewellery, dance and music, tutors provide excellent demonstrations to whole groups and to individual learners. Learners are encouraged to learn from each other, which helps create an inclusive and supportive learning environment. Tutors use ILT particularly well. A range of exciting themes provides the vehicle for visual exploration that tutors use particularly well to stimulate ideas.

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Quality of provision

50.Tutors inspire confidence in all their learners, readily sharing their specialist knowledge and expertise. They have high expectations of their learners. They offer clear guidance on how learners can extend their creativity and perfect their skills. Tutors provide effective specialist advice and feedback differentiated to the specific needs of individual learners.

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Quality of provision

51.The use of individual learning goals is ineffective. Individual goal-setting for learners is poor. Learning goals are not specific or measurable. Links between learning goals on individual learning plans are used insufficiently to measure achievement. The monitoring of the quality of individual learning plans is not sufficiently regular or thorough.

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Quality of provision

52.The extent to which programmes and activities meet the needs and interests of learners is good. The range of courses responds well to the needs and interests of learners wishing to develop their creative skills. New learners are welcomed and learner enquiries are used to influence and plan the curriculum offer.

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Quality of provision

53.The celebration of learners’ work and promotion of creative arts in the community is good. Learners celebrate their work through a range of exhibitions, performance and community-led initiatives. A display of creative work at the Gants Hill centre provides visual stimulus and interest for all learners. Learners also take part in community projects, displaying work in local churches and Wanstead House. Progress and achievement is celebrated in learning sessions. All learners are respectful of each other’s work.

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Quality of provision

54.Guidance and support are good. Tutors provide good support. They provide learners with detailed course information and useful handouts offering subject specialist advice and guidance on techniques, processes, and reference material. Tutors use appropriate fonts, suitable for those learners with dyslexia.

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Leadership and management

55. Leadership and management are good. Learners benefit from the very good specialist studios and workshops. Specialist 3D and pottery workshops are well- equipped, enabling learners to work to a professional standard. The 3D workshop provides an excellent facility for stone-carving and working with precious and semi-precious metals. Art rooms are light and spacious with good access. Good collections of art and crafts books and resources are available to learners.

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Leadership and management

56.The two curriculum team leaders provide a clear ethos, focus and support for their staff team towards improving quality in creative learning for adults. The self- assessment process is good and the report is accurate. Planning for quality improvement is particularly effective. Arrangements for recognising and recording progress and achievement are well-established and appropriate. However, the poor quality of learning goals reduces the effectiveness of the data as a tool for measuring success rates on non-accredited provision.

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Leadership and management

57.Equality of opportunity arrangements are satisfactory. Tutors treat learners fairly and learners treat each other with respect in class. The proportion of learners from minority ethnic groups is high. The promotion of creative and performing arts from diverse cultures is insufficient. Techniques and reference material in some classes focus too much on those found in western art and culture.

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Leadership and management

58.Managers observe tutors annually but the records of observations do not always support the grades awarded. Too often the records are descriptive rather than evaluative. Observers place too much emphasis on teaching and do not focus enough on the quality of the learning taking place.

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Context

59.At the time of the inspection 1,536 learners were enrolled on literacy, numeracy and ESOL courses. Of these, two-thirds were on ESOL courses. All ESOL courses and most of the literacy and numeracy courses lead to nationally recognised qualifications. Most learners are women and nearly all are from a minority ethnic group.

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Context

60.RIAE offers 228 ESOL courses, 62 literacy courses and 61 numeracy courses. Most courses run during the day at the main centres and at neighbourhood learning centres, schools, libraries, children’s centres and church halls.

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Context

61.Courses usually run from five to 24 weeks with some longer courses of 60 hours. A full-time curriculum team leader manages the provision. Most tutors are part- time. Teaching and learning assistants provide support during learning sessions when required.

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Strengths

 High success rates on ESOL courses  High retention rates  Good standard of learners’ work  Good use of a range of particularly effective teaching strategies  Very effective use of partnerships to widen participation  Strong and particularly effective leadership and management to improve provision

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient use of individual learning goals on literacy and numeracy courses

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Achievement and standards

62.Achievement and standards are good. Success rates on ESOL courses in 2007/08 are high at 89%. Retention rates are high across the provision at over 90% for all literacy and numeracy courses. Retention rates are particularly high on ESOL courses at 100% in 2007/08 for accredited and non-accredited courses. Attendance is very good and learners make great efforts to be punctual and to avoid absences. 63.The standard of learners work’ is good. They are motivated and enthusiastic about their studies. ESOL learners demonstrate good development of language in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Learners’ arrange their folders in specific categories and present them well. Many ESOL learners are able to progress on to literacy, numeracy and vocational and higher education courses. Literacy learners develop their skills and progress to vocational training. Numeracy learners are able to effectively budget, understand retail offers and read timetables. Learners

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Achievement and standards

can transfer their new numeracy and literacy skills effectively into their personal lives and many gain employment.

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Quality of provision

64.Teaching and learning are good overall and excellent in ESOL. Tutors use a good range of particularly effective teaching strategies. They use resources effectively to stimulate and challenge learners. The pace of learning sessions is good and keeps learners engaged and interested. Tutors are confident and skilled in the use of ILT. Tutors and learners use a wide range of ILT very effectively in sessions. Tutors actively promote independent learning. Tutors mark work accurately and fully and give constructive feedback to help learners improve. Tutors use resources well to encourage learners to practice their new skills, for example by measuring distance and estimating areas. Learners enjoy their classes and demonstrate good team working.

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Quality of provision

65.Tutors make insufficient use of individual learning goals on literacy and numeracy courses. They do not use sufficiently specific goals when planning learning sessions. However, learning goals are much better for ESOL learners. Tutors write them in language that learners understand. Goals are broken down into small steps towards achievement. When tutors set goals for literacy and numeracy learners, they give insufficient emphasis to setting real-life objectives, such as applying for jobs, understanding adverts, or budgeting effectively. The service does not carry out initial assessment for learners who progress onto higher level courses.

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Quality of provision

66.The extent to which programmes and activities meet the needs of learners is good. The service uses partnerships very effectively to widen participation. The service works effectively with strategic partners, local community organisations, schools, libraries, children’s centres and training agencies. RIAE led the Hainault ‘Test the Town’ campaign which successfully raised awareness of literacy and numeracy.

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Quality of provision

67.Guidance and support for learners are satisfactory. Learners receive appropriate pastoral and in-class learning support. Information, advice and guidance staff visit the classrooms to provide advice about opportunities for progression. RIAE provides very good crèche facilities.

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Leadership and management

68.Leadership and management are good. RIAE provides strong and particularly effective leadership and management to improve the provision. Staff are highly qualified and morale is high. Support for staff is good and a good staff development programme is in place. Communication is very effective. Formal and informal team meetings regularly take place. The self-assessment process is inclusive and the report accurate and suitably evaluative. The quality improvement plan is comprehensive, highly effective, reviewed regularly and has already led to significant improvements. Managers use course evaluations and learner feedback effectively when planning the curriculum.

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Leadership and management

69.Managers use data well for planning and measuring the impact of the programmes, including the proportion of learners who progress to further education or employment. Learners themselves routinely and thoroughly record punctuality, in some classes. Arrangements for recognising and recording progress and achievement are well-established and appropriate. However, the poor quality of learning goals reduces the effectiveness of the data as a tool for measuring success rates on non-accredited provision.

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Leadership and management

70.Equality of opportunity is good. Equality and diversity is included in learning session plans and learners have a good awareness of diversity. Learners’ success is particularly well-celebrated. The service has a strong skills for life strategy which emphasises a whole- organisation approach.

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Leadership and management

71.Managers observe tutors annually, but the records of observations do not always support the grades given. In some cases, records are descriptive rather than evaluative. In the better action plans for tutors, observers make good use of teaching and learning advisors and encourage the sharing of good practice.

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Context

72.At the time of the inspection, 108 learners were enrolled on wider family learning (WFL) programmes, 77 on family language, literacy and numeracy (FLLN) programmes and 95 on family learning impact fund (FLIF) programmes.

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Context

73.More than half of the courses focus on developing numeracy skills. Most learners are women. RIAE’s family learning programmes are aimed principally at hard-to- reach families and those with qualifications below level 2. The service offers a wide range of courses and workshops in targeted areas across the borough. The proportion of learners from minority ethnic groups is high at 89%. Less than 5% of learners have a learning difficulty and/or disability.

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Context

74.A full-time manager and two part-time teaching and learning advisers oversee the work of 28 tutors.

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Strengths

 High retention rates  Good development of personal and social skills  Good teaching and learning to motivate and inspire learners  Good guidance and support for learners  Good leadership and management to support quality improvement

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient strategies for assessment on WFL programmes

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Achievement and standards

75.Achievement and standards are good. Retention rates are high at 99% for FLLN and 94% for WFL in 2007/08. Attendance is also high. Tutors and partner agencies follow up any absences and learners are encouraged and supported to attend and be punctual.

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Achievement and standards

76.Learners make good progress in developing personal and social skills. Many learners improve their own literacy and/or numeracy skills and become more confident to help their children with these skills. Learners gain self-confidence and greatly improve their self esteem. In classes for mothers with infants or pre- school age children, the mothers recognise how important it is to speak to their baby, and the impact this can have on their child’s development. Learners on a variety of courses are able to describe the positive impact on their families of attending a family learning course. For the first time in their lives, many learners become enthusiastic about the benefits of learning. The provision successfully targets and meets the needs of families with severe barriers to learning.

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Quality of provision

77.Learners benefit from good teaching and learning, which motivates and inspires them. Many learners are enthusiastic about continuing their learning after they complete their course. Many progress to other programmes of study. Learners form close friendships that often develop into established support networks. Tutors foster good team working and learners encourage one another to succeed. Learners engage well in discussions and respond appropriately to questions. They listen attentively and are willing to share personal information that often encourages others to contribute. Many learners begin voluntary work in their local school after they complete their course. Tutors make effective use of praise and encouragement. In the best classes, learners carry out well-paced, relevant and challenging activities, and tutors develop materials that are inventive, and that make learning fun. Tutors make particularly good use of ILT.

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Quality of provision

78.Assessment strategies on WFL programmes are insufficient. The previous inspection report identified inadequate initial assessment as a weakness. The family learning self-assessment report also identifies this as an area for improvement. The service has made slow progress in tackling this issue. Learners complete a basic self-evaluation against the course learning outcomes. This assessment is often insufficiently thorough, and is not linked effectively to individual learning plans. Goal setting is generally weak and tutors do not use goals effectively when they plan sessions. RIAE pays insufficient attention to continuous assessment and tracking of individual learner’s progress.

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Quality of provision

79.The extent to which programmes and activities meet the needs of learners is good. The service targets learners in the areas of most deprivation and classes take place across the borough. RIAE carried out marketing jointly with partner agencies to reach the target group to actively engage them in learning activities. One recent initiative has resulted in productive links with a refugee forum to reach the Somali community. The service offers a successful sewing-for-families course, with embedded literacy and numeracy.

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Quality of provision

80.Guidance and support for learners are good. The service provides crèches where necessary and in response to learners’ needs. The crèches transform a potential barrier into an opportunity for families to enjoy and achieve. They provide good opportunities for family members from different generations to play together. Tutors provide a wide range of help and support, including good advice about progression opportunities. Information, advice and guidance staff visit FLLN classes to ensure that learners are aware of opportunities for progression.

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Leadership and management

81.Managers provide good leadership and management of the sector subject area to support quality improvement. Planning for quality improvement is particularly good. The curriculum manager and the teaching and learning advisers regularly review and update the quality improvement plan. Managers carefully monitor progress in dealing with identified actions. The service uses data well to plan and measure the impact of the programmes and their success in meeting community needs. The self-assessment report is reflective, thorough and accurate.

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Leadership and management

82.The recent restructure has brought together the two strands of family learning under one manager. Communication with partner agencies and staff is good. Schools and children’s centres value the team’s responsiveness and the contribution that family learning makes to improving the life chances of those who attend classes. RIAE provides many opportunities to share good practice.

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Leadership and management

83.Arrangements for recognising and recording progress and achievement are well- established and appropriate. However, the poor quality of learning goals reduces the effectiveness of the data as a tool for measuring success rates on non- accredited provision.

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Leadership and management

84.Managers observe tutors once a year, but the records of observations do not always support the grades awarded. Too often, the records are descriptive rather than evaluative. Observers place too much emphasis on teaching and do not focus enough on the quality of the learning taking place.

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Leadership and management

85.Equality of opportunity is good. The service has developed very good relationships with schools and centres in areas of deprivation. Tutors actively promote equality of opportunity during learning sessions. Tutors effectively challenge and question learners’ perceptions and stereotypes. Crèches are well- organised and the children are happy and engaged in their activities. Reinspection report: London Borough of Redbridge, March 13 2009 25 of 25

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Leadership and management

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providers

Success rates on accredited entry and level 1 (combined) and level 2 qualifications, by length, expected end year and age.

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providers

2007 to 2008 , compared with the national rates for GFE colleges.

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providers

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

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providers

06/07 636 74 70 4 1 long 07/08* 534 88 NA 06/07 376 73 69 4 2 long 07/08* 342 81 NA 06/07 667 67 83 -16 Short** 07/08* 688 85 NA

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providers

* ACL provider data not validated ** Courses over 5 weeks long

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