London Borough of Waltham Forest

Inspection number 333086 London Borough of Waltham Forest

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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

Health, public services and care ...................................................................... 13 Literacy and numeracy ................................................................................... 16 Community learning ....................................................................................... 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’ quality monitoring or annual assessment visits, and data on learners and their achievements over the period since the previous inspection.

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Scope of the inspection

In addition to reporting on overall effectiveness of the organisation, its capacity to improve further, achievement and standards, quality of provision and leadership and management, this inspection focused on specialist provision in:

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Scope of the inspection

 Health, public services and care  Literacy and numeracy  Community learning  Family learning

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Scope of the inspection

Entry to employment (E2E) was sampled and included in the main findings of the report. Other provision sampled but not directly inspected included; language, literature and culture, retail and commercial enterprise, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), independent living and leisure skills, arts media and publishing, floristry, information communication technology (ICT) and business administration.

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Description of the provider

1. The London Borough of Waltham Forest’s (LBWF) Community Learning and Skills Service (CLaSS) is funded by the North London LSC to provide adult and community and work-based learning in 12 sector subject areas (SSAs). Nearly a third of the adult and community learning is First Steps provision. The largest Sector Subject Areas (SSAs) are preparation for life and work, ICT, language, literature and culture, and arts, media and publishing. CLaSS provides learning at 36 community venues and 34 school and pre school settings.

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Description of the provider

2. Currently, approximately 3,534 adult and community learners and 94 work-based learners attend the provision. In 2007/08, approximately 9,300 learners enrolled, with half on non-accredited courses. Approximately 36% of learners are from minority ethnic backgrounds, 69% are women and half are new to learning. A small proportion is aged 16–19.

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Description of the provider

3. The senior management team comprises the overall head of service, three department heads with respective responsibility for teaching and learning, performance and planning and employer engagement, and the head of communication and learner services. CLaSS employs approximately 240 teaching staff.

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Description of the provider

4. The population of the LBWF is around 227,000. The borough is the 10th most ethnically diverse of the 33 London boroughs and has a broad range of faith communities. Around 44% of residents are from a minority ethnic background but the proportion of minority ethnic pupils in schools is significantly greater. Unemployment in Waltham Forest is around 7.2%, higher than London and nationally. Approximately 60% of pupils achieve five GCSEs at grades A* to C, below the national average of 65.3% and 57.4% of residents hold an NVQ level 2 or equivalent, compared with the London average of 63.2%.

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Summary of grades awarded

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

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Summary of grades awarded

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

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Summary of grades awarded

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

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Summary of grades awarded

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

Health, public services and care Good: Grade 2

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Sector subject areas

Literacy and numeracy Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Good: Grade 2

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

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Good: Grade 2

5. Overall effectiveness is good. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Achievement is high in work-based learning and at least satisfactory in non- accredited learning. However, overall success rates in ICT and languages, literature and culture programmes are low. Learners attain good technical, personal and workplace skills. CLaSS promote health and being safe well to young people. Standards of work are generally satisfactory in adult and community learning and good in work-based learning. Attendance is satisfactory.

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Good: Grade 2

6. The quality of provision is good. Much of the teaching and learning is good. Assessment is satisfactory. The quality of progress reviews and target-setting is satisfactory. The process for recording and monitoring learners’ progress and achievement has improved and was satisfactory in 2008/09. The provision for learners identified with additional literacy, numeracy and language needs is satisfactory. CLaSS responds effectively to providing programmes and activities to meet the needs of people in the borough. A wide range of provision engages hard to reach learners and those with significant barriers to learning. Employers’ needs are well met. Enrichment is good. Advice, guidance and support are satisfactory, but assessment procedures do not sufficiently identify learners with support needs for specific learning difficulties.

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Good: Grade 2

7. Leadership and management are good. Strategic planning and partnerships are good. Equality of opportunity is good. Staff are adequately qualified and experienced. The skills for life strategy is adequately implemented. Educational and social inclusion is good. CLaSS provide satisfactory value for money and meet government requirements for safeguarding. Although many venues are equipped with good technology for teaching, some accommodation is poor.

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Good: Grade 2

8. CLaSS demonstrates good capacity to make further improvement. CLaSS has maintained its strengths and improved provision such as work-based learning significantly since the previous inspection. Identified weaknesses in the previous inspection have mostly been resolved. Improved arrangements to share good practice are effective. Access to centres, criticised in the previous report, is now satisfactory. The self-assessment process is thorough, self-critical and accurate. It involves all staff and includes the views of learners and a wide range of partners.

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Good: Grade 2

9. Quality improvement arrangements are clear, well understood and their effectiveness regularly monitored across the service. Actions to improve the quality of provision have been effective in raising work-based learning success rates, increasing participation in disadvantaged communities and improving attendance. The service uses many forms of information well. The observation of teaching and learning scheme is well established and satisfactory as a quality improvement tool. CLaSS successfully reduced the proportion of inadequate teaching, however, observation action plans are not always sufficiently detailed and some are not promptly followed up. The process for recording and monitoring achievement and progress is satisfactory.

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Key strengths

 High achievement in work-based learning  Much good teaching and learning  Broad and responsive provision to meet local needs  Particularly good strategic planning  Good partnership working  Successful initiatives to promote inclusion

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Key areas for improvement

 Low retention on accredited ICT and language courses  Insufficiently prompt identification of learners with specific learning difficulties  Poor accommodation in some locations

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

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

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

10.Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Achievement is high for the small proportion of learners in work-based provision. In 2006/07 and 2007/08 entry to employment progression rates are consistently around 70% and overall apprenticeship success rates in 2007/08 are high at 86%. Non-accredited course achievement is at least satisfactory. Learners attain good skills and improve their confidence on family learning and community learning courses. Learners attain good skills on health, public services and care and make accomplished products in visual arts. Work-based learners attain good workplace skills. CLaSS actively promote an understanding of safety and wellbeing to learners. Standards of work are satisfactory. Learners on GCSE courses make good progress and achieve particularly well compared with their prior attainment. Success rates in 2007/08 on accredited courses are much improved in most SSAs. However, the overall

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

success rate for long courses has declined. Retention is low in languages and ICT. Learners from most cultural backgrounds achieve satisfactorily, although a few learners with specific support needs fail to achieve their qualifications. Attendance is satisfactory overall. ClaSS’s most recent self-assessment report reflects these findings.

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Good: Grade 2

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

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Good: Grade 2

11.The quality of provision is good, and reflects the provider’s self-assessment report. Much of the teaching and learning is good. Systems to improve teaching and learning are generally effective. Aspects of good teaching were seen in each of the graded SSAs. Generally tutors plan sessions well and use technology creatively. In the best sessions, tutors provide a range of stimulating activities and actively engage learners from many different social and cultural backgrounds, including some with barriers to learning. Tutors adequately plan and monitor learners’ progress. Off-the-job training for apprentices is good and highly relevant to the workplace. Work-based planning and assessment is satisfactory. The process for monitoring and recording learners’ progress is satisfactory. Learners benefit from reflecting on the progress they have made with tutors. In less effective sessions tutors planning and teaching does not sufficiently meet

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Good: Grade 2

individual needs and technology is insufficiently used to enhance learning. Insufficient virtual learning materials are available for learners between sessions. In a few sessions teaching is inadequate. 12.The range of programmes and activities effectively meets the needs of learners. The provision is broad and responsive, as identified in CLaSS’s most recent self- assessment report. The service has good links with local community groups and organisations. CLaSS provide a good range of learning sessions in schools, community buildings, libraries and museums. Courses benefit most learners and improve their lives. The service focuses its resources on areas of greatest need and successfully engages disadvantaged communities in learning. Employers’ needs are met well by work-based learning at CLaSS. Specialist programmes for vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and unemployed adults and young people are very successful. Many learners progress from these courses into

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Good: Grade 2

further study or employment. Learners contribute positively in the community, such as raising money for charities.

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Good: Grade 2

13.Support for learners is satisfactory. Advice, guidance and support are satisfactory as identified in the provider’s self-assessment report. Learners benefit from the confident and accurate way which administration staff provide information and guidance. Course information leaflets are provided in a good range of formats and languages. Many learners receive a range of financial support. Learners benefit from crèche facilities. Personal support for apprentices and E2E learners is good. Recently the provider has successfully brought technical and learning support services together into one department. Evaluation of support services by learners is positive. A range of adaptive technologies is available and supplied promptly when requested for learners with sensory impairments. CLaSS monitors attendance and punctuality satisfactorily, although insufficient information exists for the overall attendance across the provision or about course cancellations. A

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Good: Grade 2

high proportion of the learners who receive additional support for literacy, numeracy or language are retained, however some learners with specific learning difficulties are not identified early enough. A few such learners fail to achieve their qualifications or find out about their learning difficulty after completing their course.

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Good: Grade 2

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

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Good: Grade 2

14.Leadership and management are good as identified in the provider’s self- assessment report. Strategic planning is particularly good. CLaSS has a clear mission which links well to the priorities of the council. Strategic planning to restructure the organisation since the previous inspection has proved effective. CLaSS communicates more effectively than previously with a much wider range of council departments. Planning is integrated well with the borough’s strategic objectives. For example, CLaSS is central to plans for workforce development, regeneration and social cohesion in Waltham Forest. An effectively restructured teaching and learning department is sharply focused on implementing strategies for improving the quality of teaching and learning. Team plans in every department are aligned to the service’s objectives and well understood by all staff.

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Good: Grade 2

15.Partnership working is good. CLaSS participates actively in a wide range of partnership arrangements to improve the quality and breadth of its work. Well established and expanding partnerships within the community extend the range of courses available. Partnerships with other council departments are effective in combining resources to meet local needs, and in identifying where resources are best used. Productive collaborative work within the local 14–19 strategic partnerships plans provision for young people effectively. Contacts within the North London work-based learning provider network are providing a wider range of vocational training. Other community learning providers add value to CLaSS’s quality improvement arrangements through the independent moderation of its lesson observation scheme.

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Good: Grade 2

16.Quality improvement arrangements are well established. The self-assessment report is accurate and self-critical. All staff are involved, and the views of partners and learners are taken into account when evaluating provision. Quality improvement plans link closely to the self-assessment report and include clear targets that are regularly reviewed. Management information is used well at strategic level. Meetings are effective and communication generally is good. The system for recognising and monitoring learners’ progress and achievement is satisfactory.

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Good: Grade 2

17.Most staff hold satisfactory teaching qualifications and have good vocational knowledge and expertise. The appraisal system uses information from observations appropriately to plan staff development, which is comprehensive. The observation of the teaching and learning process is well managed and generally effective. Observers are skilled at identifying tutor performance and the quality of learning, successfully tackling inadequate teaching. A small proportion of observation records contain supporting information that does not match the grades given, particularly those sessions judged good or better. Some observation action plans for staff are not followed up promptly enough.

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Good: Grade 2

18.Equality of opportunity is good. Initiatives to promote inclusion are successful. Learners come from all parts of the borough and around half are new to CLaSS. Participation in learning from those in disadvantaged communities has risen significantly. CLaSS has initiated some well targeted recruitment events and intelligent use of community facilities to engage local under-represented groups in learning. Marketing is astutely targeted in a wide range of places, including supermarkets and surgeries. Most venues offer childcare on site or in adjacent buildings. Sunday family days encourage parents to learn with their children. CLaSS broadens opportunities for local people through very close and trusting community partnerships. CLaSS has provided creative and productive projects to support unemployed young people.

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Good: Grade 2

19.CLaSS is generally good at promoting equality and diversity. Procedures are comprehensive and include clear references to statutory duties with respect to discrimination on race, gender, disability, age and sexuality. CLaSS closely monitors their effectiveness. Regular training is provided to update the provider’s understanding of diversity. Recruitment is carefully managed to ensure fairness. Staff ethnicity reflects that of the borough. Successful recruitment events with voluntary sector partners attract many new learners. All buildings are adequately accessible. The most recent self-assessment report is accurate but contains insufficient information about the achievement of different cultural groups.

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Good: Grade 2

20.CLaSS meets government requirements with respect to safeguarding young people and vulnerable adults. Arrangements are comprehensive and systematic and judged good in the recent Joint Area Review. Clear procedures and policies are well understood. Criminal record bureau (CRB) checks are completed on all staff, including non teaching staff. The senior manager responsible for safeguarding is assisted by three qualified safeguarding champions who co- ordinate comprehensive and mandatory training for CLaSS and council staff. Learners’ safety and wellbeing is promoted widely at induction and reinforced through posters and leaflets. Risk assessments of premises and activities are thorough. Satisfactory procedures about complaints and oppressive behaviour are well promoted at induction and reinforced by displays in main centres. Learners know how to complain or seek help.

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Good: Grade 2

21.Resources are satisfactory overall. Most venues have good access to information learning technology and a range of other suitable materials for learning. Health and safety is appropriately promoted and monitored. However, accommodation in some locations is poor. Some teaching rooms are too small, too hot, or part of buildings which are old and need replacing. The provider is working hard with the local authority to address this issue. Plans for a new main centre are well under way.

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What learners like:

 ‘Very helpful and understanding teachers’  ‘Good teaching that meets all our different needs’  ‘Local centres are accessible to everyone’  ‘You can get the best education for what you’ve missed out on’  ‘We like working in small groups’  ‘As apprentices, we like working at the same time as learning’  ‘The wide range of family learning courses in different places’  ‘I’m getting more confident in all sorts of ways’  ‘Understanding children’s needs and being able to support them at school’  ‘The crèche makes it possible to learn’  ‘I never thought I’d ever be able to do what I can now’

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What learners think could improve:

 ‘Quicker exam results’  ‘A better IT classroom – writing on your knees is difficult’  ‘More dictionaries and on-line learning materials that we could use outside classes’  ‘Better advertising of English classes’  ‘My learning disability (dyspraxia) wasn’t diagnosed’

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Context

22.Currently, 708 learners follow health, public services and care courses. Of these, 310 attend non-accredited courses in health and care. Of the 398 learners following accredited courses, 33 attend programmes in holistic therapies; 79 in childcare; 80 in care and 175 in counselling courses. Care and childcare programmes are followed by 31 work-based learners. Work- based learners attend CLaSS for off-the-job training and are assessed regularly in the workplace. Approximately 90% are female and 40% are from a minority ethnic background. CLaSS runs courses in five main venues and some community and employer premises. The programme is managed by three co-ordinators and delivered by 27 tutors.

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Strengths

 Good development of personal and workplace skills  Outstanding achievement of social care apprenticeship framework  High success rates on most courses  Good teaching  Good range of courses to meet learner, employer and community needs  Good support for apprentices  Good management

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Areas for improvement

 Low retention on some courses in counselling and holistic therapies  Some poor accommodation

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Achievement and standards

23.Achievement and standards are good. Apprenticeship framework achievements have substantially improved since the previous inspection and are now outstanding. All apprentices in social care achieved the full framework in 2006/07 and 2007/08, and childcare success rates are nine percentage points above national rates at 75% in 2007/08.

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Achievement and standards

24.Success rates are high on most accredited courses as identified in the self- assessment report, most being above national averages. In 2007/08 38 courses had 100% success rates. Learners demonstrate a marked improvement in personal confidence from the early stages of their courses. They improve their communication skills and quickly develop good professional interpersonal skills. In holistic therapies, care and early years, learners develop greater awareness of, and sensitivity towards, the needs of clients, children and service users. In childcare and early years learners develop good workplace skills, making good links between theory and practice. In care and early years most learners’ placements are successfully converted to jobs. Attendance is good.

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Achievement and standards

25.Retention is low on some courses in counselling and level 3 holistic therapies. In 11 out of 91 courses, retention fell below 80% in 2007/08. This has been recognised and CLaSS has introduced several initiatives to address this, but it is too soon to judge their effectiveness.

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Quality of provision

26.The quality of provision is good. Teaching and learning are good as identified in the provider’s self-assessment report. Tutors thoroughly plan and encompass a good variety of learning approaches, including regular checks on learning. In the best sessions tutors are committed and enthusiastic. They skilfully teach the interpersonal skills or activities needed for care, childcare or counselling. Elements of fun are introduced, such as evaluating games and toys. In holistic therapies tutors provide effective and timely demonstrations. In one learning session learners thoroughly enjoyed and gained a great deal from a role-play in which they gave nutritional advice to ‘clients’. Tutors and learners make clear and effective links with occupational settings. A few tutors actively incorporate skills for life by presenting the same teaching activities in different ways to support learners with language barriers. All learners enjoy their learning sessions, and

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Quality of provision

work cooperatively and collaboratively. Extra workshops are provided for NVQ learners, and tutors give their time freely to coach individuals. Although tutors are adept at teaching learners with different abilities, it was not always sufficiently recorded on the lesson plans.

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Quality of provision

27.Assessment is satisfactory and supported by an internal verification system and observation of assessors. Learners’ progress is monitored effectively. Reviews for apprentices are particularly thorough, involving employers. Individual learning plans are effectively used however, sometimes tutors provide insufficiently detailed advice on how to improve learners’ work.

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Quality of provision

28.CLaSS effectively meet the needs of learners and employers, as identified in its self-assessment report. A good range of provision meets learners’ and employers’ needs. Many apprentices have progressed from E2E to apprenticeships and then to employment. In holistic therapies, learners build a useful portfolio of qualifications. One-off introductory courses and learning sessions are available, some at community venues or at provider events. Specific courses are often provided at the request of various community groups such as faith groups. ClaSS’s work with several community and employer groups includes some imaginative initiatives such as a mentoring scheme for young people.

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Quality of provision

29.Advice, guidance and support overall are satisfactory. Support and guidance for most learners is satisfactory. However, apprentices are particularly well supported. Good links between employers, placement officers, tutors and assessors accurately identify apprentices’ support needs. They are appropriately referred for skills for life support, if needed, and to other agencies. Supportive employers often provide workplace mentors and additional training. Apprentices receive good guidance in seeking employment.

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Leadership and management

30.Leadership and management are good. Recent changes to staffing were well managed. The self-assessment process is thorough and used effectively to improve quality. Appraisal is linked satisfactorily to accurate observations of teaching and learning. Performance and target-setting for staff is effective. Continuing professional development is good. Tutors are appropriately qualified, often with good vocational experience. The self-assessment report accurately identified the strengths and areas for improvement.

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Leadership and management

31.Equality and diversity is actively promoted. Safeguarding measures for apprentices are appropriate. In some teaching sessions tutors manage opportunities skilfully to promote aspects of diversity. Learning materials for equality and diversity, and a challenging assignment for apprentices in social care, are good. Tutors in care and childcare are up to date with current legislation.

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Leadership and management

32.Accommodation is generally adequate, however some is poor. For example, inadequate facilities exist in holistic therapy to provide a simulated work setting.

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Context

33.CLaSS offers 144 accredited part-time courses in literacy and numeracy at entry level 1 to level 2. Courses focus on responding to the needs of specific groups in the community. Of the 981 learners enrolled on programmes in 2008/09, 30% are male, 72% are of minority ethnic heritage and 4% have a declared disability. In addition to the skills for life manager, there are separate co-ordinators for literacy and numeracy and 44 part-time tutors.

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Strengths

 High achievement rate for numeracy qualifications  Good development of learners’ personal skills and confidence  Good target-setting and monitoring of learners’ progress  Responsive provision to meet local needs

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Areas for improvement

 Low success rates  Insufficiently detailed session planning to meet individual needs  Insufficient progress to improve quality

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Achievement and standards

34.Achievement and standards are satisfactory. The achievement rate for qualifications in numeracy at all levels is high. Most learners who complete their course achieve their qualification. For example 83% of learners achieved numeracy qualifications in 2007/08.

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Achievement and standards

35.Learners develop good personal skills and confidence, as identified in CLaSS’s self-assessment report. Learners demonstrate increasing confidence in their own ability. The teaching sessions make a difference to their lives so that they no longer avoid awkward situations where their poor skills might become apparent. In particular, parents who felt embarrassed that they were not able to help their children with school work become more involved in their children’s learning and in sharing learning experiences. One learner’s increased confidence and personal skills led to increased confidence in helping her children and to employment as a teaching assistant in a school. Many learners who make good progress are inspired to take further courses, and many progress from entry level to levels 1 and 2. Some learners progress to courses in other SSAs. Attendance is satisfactory.

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Achievement and standards

36.Overall success rates are low, as identified in the self-assessment report. In 2007/08 the success rate for literacy was 61%.

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Quality of provision

37.The quality of provision is satisfactory. Teaching and learning overall are satisfactory. Tutors are good at setting targets and monitoring learners’ progress. Early in the course learners discuss the areas they want to improve with their tutor and set detailed individual learning targets. This process is valued by learners and they enjoy the opportunity to discuss their progress mid-way through the course and at the end. In one example of good practice, learners were motivated by seeing their progress graphically represented on a bar chart. Their initial starting point on the numeracy exam topics was shown in one colour and later in the course improvements in their skills were added in a different colour.

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Quality of provision

38.In better teaching sessions tutors foster good relationships and learners participate enthusiastically. In some classes, tutors use creative and stimulating activities to promote learning. In one successful learning session, learners analysed the language used in real adverts. The adverts used were familiar to the learners’ and they were able to choose which ones to evaluate. Following this, they created their own adverts for local attractions and used the internet to find photos to illustrate their writing. Assessment is detailed and advice on how to improve is good in some classes. In less successful sessions, grammar is taught without a context or purpose which often results in learners filling in gaps in handouts without understanding the relevance or use of the exercise. Many of these completed exercises are in learners’ files and errors in them remain uncorrected.

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Quality of provision

39.Tutors insufficiently plan sessions to meet individual needs. Planning broadly covers the goals of learners but contains insufficient detail to ensure learning activities support those learners who are in most need. In one learning session, although two learners had identified a need to speak more confidently, and the learning session had been planned to include opportunities for discussion, there was no preparation or encouragement for the two learners to contribute. In another learning session, an insufficient range of guidance was available for learners’ with varying literacy and numeracy skills, on how to carry out a measuring task accurately.

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Quality of provision

40.The provision is good in meeting the needs and interests of learners. A good range of provision at various venues throughout the borough is available at convenient times. Courses include English for writing and speaking at work, improving employability or provision for people who want to improve their English and mathematics before starting a GCSE course. Learning groups are small and provide a supportive environment, particularly for learners who admit to feeling embarrassed about their poor skills. Partnerships are effective to engage learners with specific needs. One partnership, with an organisation working to rehabilitate drug users, resulted in a successful customised programme of employment related courses for their clients. Enrichment is satisfactory. In some sessions tutors actively engage learners in talking about current affairs or learning about local places as a context for skills development. Learners benefit from visits to a

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Quality of provision

local museum and participation in a local library project. 41.Advice, guidance and support for learners are satisfactory. Assessment and interview dates are well publicised. Learners complete a written placement test and are offered places on appropriate courses. However, the sessions are open and numbers of learners attending are sometimes more than can be comfortably managed in a reasonable time. Learners receive satisfactory progression advice and guidance from tutors towards the end of their course.

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Leadership and management

42.Leadership and management are satisfactory. Courses are well organised. Communication between managers and staff is good. Staff attend meetings and have regular contact to ensure that they follow guidance and complete relevant tasks. The self-assessment report is broadly accurate in identifying strengths and areas for improvement. The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Accommodation is satisfactory overall.

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Leadership and management

43.Insufficient progress has been made to improve quality. Actions to address areas for improvement have not yet resulted in significant improvements. For example, the self-assessment report identified teaching and learning as satisfactory, and the observation of teaching and learning process identifies areas for improvement across the SSA. Staff training has taken place, but its impact on teaching and learning is yet to show much effect. The monitoring of attendance and retention is designed to provide information for additional recruitment to classes rather than a starting point to promote improvement.

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Context

44.Currently, 395 learners attend 30 first steps and community learning programmes in 11 CLaSS centres or in community venues. The provision aims to increase learners’ confidence and motivation to participate in further learning. Courses include information and communications technology (ICT), gardening, arts and crafts, DIY, textiles and fashion and beauty care. In 2008/09, 1,270 learners attended classes of which 52% are new learners, 82% are female and 26% are from minority ethnic groups. Courses are managed within SSAs and introductory courses for progression to a range of related learning opportunities and higher level accredited courses.

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Strengths

 Good development of skills  Good personal development  Good teaching of practical skills  Highly effective community partnership working  Good strategies to promote inclusion

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient attention to development of language, literacy and numeracy skills  Some poor accommodation

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Achievement and standards

45.Achievement and standards are good. Learners develop good technical and practical skills and standards of work are high. In sewing classes, learners master a range of machining techniques and pattern cutting. They become skilled in designing curtains and dress patterns and make effective alterations and repairs to existing items of clothing. In arts and crafts courses, learners creative abilities are developed well experimenting with techniques such as textile weaving, fabric painting and glass painting. In beginners’ ICT courses, learners are able to confidently search the internet, develop spreadsheets to manage their finances or compose word-processed documents with photographs and symbols.

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Achievement and standards

46.Learners’ personal development is good. They develop confidence and increased self-belief. Learners are highly motivated and enthusiastic about their learning and gain confidence in working independently. They support peers’ learning in sessions and share their learning with family and friends. Their increased confidence enables them to pursue further learning within the service, move into employment or set up their own small businesses. Many enrol on one-off introductory courses or non-accredited courses and then progress to accredited courses.

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Quality of provision

47.The quality of provision is good. Teaching and learning are good. In better sessions, the teaching of practical skills is good. Skilled and knowledgeable tutors have a wide range of experience working in relevant industries and professions. They share good working practice with learners to develop a high standard of practical and technical skills. Tutors provide challenging individual projects for more able learners to further extend their skills. In an introductory gardening class, the tutor skilfully showed learners simple and effective methods for growing herbs from cuttings and seeds for their own gardens and window boxes. On an introductory poetry course the tutor effectively encouraged learners to recognise differing styles of poems to enable them to confidently try crafting their own poems. However, in a few sessions, tutors dominate the sessions, relying too heavily on long verbal explanations.

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Quality of provision

48.Some tutors pay insufficient attention to the language, literacy and numeracy skills needs of learners in practical classes. Some learners struggle to understand lengthy verbal explanations, read poorly designed instruction leaflets and handouts or participate in whole group mathematical calculations. Initial assessment is satisfactory but focuses mainly on the level of learners’ technical ability and existing subject knowledge. Tutors give general information on skills for life classes but do not always take the opportunity to fully discuss skill gaps with individuals. Tutors often lack confidence or experience in identifying the full range of learners’ needs. They do not pay sufficient attention in lesson planning to address these barriers to learning.

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Quality of provision

49.Programmes and activities in community learning are good at meeting the needs and interests of learners. Partnerships are highly effective and include neighbourhood centres on deprived housing estates, day centres for people recovering from mental health difficulties and a Sikh centre. The outreach worker fosters good relationships with community groups to engage hard to reach groups in initial learning activities. Learners are encouraged to progress to other learning programmes, volunteering or employment. CLaSS give practical support to partners by providing learning resources as well as experienced tutors. For example, they provided computers for a homeless centre to support users to improve their employability skills.

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Quality of provision

50.Advice, guidance and support for learners are satisfactory. Information leaflets are available at venues throughout the community. Many learners join courses after obtaining information from the clearly written prospectus. Others are recruited following attendance at courses specially designed to attract them and offered free in target community locations, such as particular areas of deprivation or high unemployment. Learners can access financial assistance and free childcare. Additional support and adaptive technologies are available for learners with disabilities. Learners receive satisfactory in-class personal support and encouragement from tutors.

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Leadership and management

51.Leadership and management are good. Equality of opportunity is good. CLaSS has developed good strategies to promote inclusion of learners from diverse backgrounds. Clear targets are set for engagement of particular groups of disadvantaged individuals or communities. CLaSS focus astutely on providing learning that contributes to improving employability, wellbeing and community participation. CLaSS effectively recruits new learners through close links with council services and its network of partners. Strategic planning is good. For example, the provision is structured well to provide good progression routes, a variety of qualifications and the development of skills for employment.

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Leadership and management

52.Quality improvement is satisfactory. The provision of community learning is not self-assessed separately but included in each of the relevant SSAs. The SSA co- ordinators and an outreach worker satisfactorily ensure that quality assurance is applied to courses in remote community locations as well as in main centres. The process of recognising and recording progress and achievement is satisfactory. However, some tutors lack experience in using the documentation meaningfully with learners to develop independent learning.

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Leadership and management

53.Some accommodation in outreach locations and community centres is poor. Too often rooms are over heated or too cramped for the number of learners enrolled on the courses. In some centres signage is poor.

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Context

54.CLaSS has 110 learners currently on family learning programmes including courses on wider family learning (WFL), family language, literacy and numeracy (FLLN) and parenting. Most courses are 5 weeks short courses but 3 hour one – off introductory courses are offered in WFL and some long courses on the FLLN. Almost all courses are non-accredited with the exception a few FLLN courses. Courses are taught at a range of venues including schools and family centres. Most learners are women and approximately 40% are from a minority ethnic heritage. The programme is managed by two part time co-ordinators.

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Strengths

 Good development of personal skills  Extensive and responsive range of provision  Good leadership and management

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficiently detailed planning to meet individual needs

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Achievement and standards

55.Achievement and standards are good. The development of personal skills is good. Participation levels in classes are high and learners are well motivated to re- engage in learning. They become more involved in their children’s school, and have the confidence to talk to the teachers about their children’s progress. Parents gain a better understanding of how their children grow, play and learn. They develop good skills to improve play and learning with their children at home. Some learners have become volunteers in schools and one a governor. Others have gained confidence to continue learning. Some learners progress onto other courses outside family learning such as teaching assistant courses. Retention rates and attendance are good.

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Achievement and standards

56.The standard of learners’ work is satisfactory overall. Learners produce good quality games and materials to use with their children at home. On practical courses learners acquire appropriate skills and progress to study childcare, art and information and communication technology. Learners on the FLNN courses gain a literacy qualification at Entry 3.

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Quality of provision

57.The quality of provision is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In better sessions the aims and objectives are clear and sessions are well planned. Topics studied are particularly relevant to families. Tutors provide clear demonstrations and good explanations of tasks. They identify individual learning styles well and provide a variety of activities and learning methods. Learners actively participate, collaborate and show good independent learning skills and the tutors give good one to one support. Learning materials are satisfactory. However, in other sessions tutors do not plan sufficiently to meet individual needs. Not enough first learning sessions include activities and resources to meet a range of individual needs in language, literacy and numeracy. On the FLLN courses learners self-assess their skills but this is not always appropriate. Some activities are limited to learners writing on worksheets and sharing their ideas

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Quality of provision

with others. The use of individual learning plans to monitor progress is not sufficiently well established. Tutors insufficiently use information learning technology.

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Quality of provision

58.The provision is extensive, highly responsive and meets the needs and interests of learners well. The service offers a wide range of one-off introductory sessions in different locations around the Borough including museums and mosques. The courses are offered at flexible times including after school and at the weekend. The FLNN programme offers longer courses which include keeping up with the children and family literacy and numeracy. The WFL programme provides short courses including head massage, flower arranging and play and make with clay. Parenting courses skilfully teach learners how their children grow, how to handle stress and how to manage children’s behaviour. In response to the needs of learners not yet ready for the teaching assistants’ course, a useful new course on effective learning started this term. This course provides support to help learners understand and use a wide range of learning styles and methods. Family learning

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Quality of provision

staff work with a wide variety of organisations such as housing associations and the voluntary sector and devise good courses to meet the needs of individuals and communities. The service offers many interesting enrichment activities. This includes introducing learners to museums and libraries. For example learners worked on finding out about local history and posting information on the London museum website.

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Quality of provision

59.Advice, guidance and support are satisfactory. Tutors give learners helpful information about courses and refer them to other courses available outside family learning. They provide learners with much needed information on other organisations and direct them to other sources of support to help them with their children. The nextsteps information, advice and guidance service visits family learning courses. Crèches are available and enable learners with young children to attend courses.

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Leadership and management

60.Leadership and management are good. The co-ordinators are proactive in developing the family learning provision and communicate well. They have strong strategic links within the Borough, attend key stakeholders’ events and work with partners effectively to widen participation. They are motivated and committed to improve the quality of the provision and effectively support and develop staff by providing training relevant to family learning. The co-ordinators successfully encourage staff to attend statutory training provided by the service and local authority training to keep informed about school policies and priorities for literacy and numeracy.

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Leadership and management

61.All staff are appropriately qualified or working towards teacher qualifications. Co- ordinators are working to increase accredited provision especially on parenting courses. Quality assurance is satisfactory. Observations of teaching and learning are satisfactory. Course reviews are used well to monitor performance and improve provision. The process for recognising and recording progress and achievement is satisfactory. Accommodation is sometimes cramped and shabby but main centres are equipped with interactive boards and data projectors. All resources needed for practical courses are supplied. The self-assessment report is broadly accurate.

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Leadership and management

62.The promotion of diversity, equality of opportunity and health and safety in teaching sessions is good. Learners are given good information on safety and wellbeing and teachers demonstrate respect for the different traditions, cultures and backgrounds. Success rates on work-based learning apprenticeship programmes managed by the provider 2005 to 2008

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Leadership and management

Programme End Year Succes s rate No. of learners* Provide r NVQ rate ** National NVQ rate** Provider framework rate** National framework rate** overall 69 43 57 39 51 05/06 timely 68 34 37 31 33 overall 36 56 64 53 60 06/07 timely 36 53 47 50 45 overall 44 89 67 86 64 Apprenticeshi ps

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Leadership and management

07/08 timely 46 67 53 67 50 * Learners who leave later than originally planned are counted in the year they actually leave. This group of learners are then added to the learners who planned to complete in a given year and did so or left earlier than planned ** Provider and national qualification success rates are calculated using LSC published data derived from the Individual Learning Record (ILR) # When available and validated by the LSC

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Leadership and management

Outcomes on Entry to Employment programmes (E2E) managed by the provider 2006 to 2009

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Leadership and management

Note: 2008/09 data is ‘part year’ only and is representative of the three months or greater of the LSC contract year

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Leadership and management

* These are key objectives identified for each learner following an E2E programme ** Progression is measured in terms learners’ movement to further education, education and employment, during or at the end of their training period.

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Leadership and management

Note: E2E ‘achieved objective’ and ‘progression’ rates are calculated using data supplied to Ofsted by the college/provider before inspection

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Learners’ achievements

Year Number of leavers in the year Achieved objectives rate* (%) Progression rate** (%) 2006/07 76 63 70 2007/08 69 65 70 2008/09 (8 months) 51 63 73

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providers

Success rates on accredited entry and level 1 (combined) level 2 and level 3 qualifications, by length, expected end year and age.

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providers

2006 to 2008 , compared with the national rates for GFE colleges.

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providers

19+ Notional Level Exp End Year Starts – Transfers Provider Rate National Rate Diff 06/07 816 65.9 70.5 -4.6 1 long 07/08* 596 55 N/A 06/07 779 67.3 69 -1.7 2 long 07/08* 737 69 N/A 06/07 2105 69.3 82.9 -13.6 Short** 07/08* 1858 74 N/A

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providers

* ACL provider data not validated (use where complete, validated and produced using proprietary software) ** Courses over 5 weeks long

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providers

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