Leeds City Council

Inspection number 333316 Leeds City Council

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Contents

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

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Contents

Capacity to improve............................................................................................................ 6 Key strengths ............................................................................................................................ 7 Key areas for improvement..................................................................................................... 7 Main findings............................................................................................................................ 7 Achievement and standards................................................................................................... 7 Quality of provision............................................................................................................... 8 Leadership and management ................................................................................................. 9

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Contents

Equality of opportunity....................................................................................................... 9 What learners like.................................................................................................................. 11 What learners think could improve...................................................................................... 11 Sector subject areas................................................................................................................ 12 Performing arts .................................................................................................................... 12 Independent living and leisure skills ................................................................................... 15 Community learning............................................................................................................ 18

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Contents

Preparation for work............................................................................................................ 21 Family learning.................................................................................................................... 23 Learners’ achievements......................................................................................................... 26

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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

 Performing arts  Independent living and leisure skills  Community learning  Preparation for work  Family learning

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Scope of the inspection

Inspectors also took account of the residual work-based learning provision, which the council no longer offers as a direct provider, when grading achievement and standards and leadership and management. Additional project work funded by the LSC around preparation for work was also inspected. Leeds City Council subcontracts most of its provision to other providers. These include general further education and specialist colleges, independent training providers and the voluntary and community sector.

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Description of the provider

1. Leeds City Council (the council) is contracted by the West Yorkshire LSC to deliver all aspects of adult and community learning. This includes personal and community development learning (PCDL), neighbourhood learning in deprived communities (NLDC), family learning programmes, and First Steps provision. The council has a very small residual work-based learning contract for its remaining apprentices. The council also has a small number of other separately managed contracts with the LSC. These focus on the development of employability skills and include the school engagement programme, a parents-to-be programme and projects targeted at disengaged young adults funded through the European Social Fund (ESF). Education Leeds manages the programmes for learners aged 14 to 19. The Care 4 All Project is designed to develop higher level skills for existing employees or unemployed adults who want to work in the

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Description of the provider

health and social care sector. This programme is not reported on in this report.

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Description of the provider

2. Approximately 5,400 adult and community learners attend the provision in addition to 400 learners on employability programmes. In 2007/08, 6,924 learners made approximately 9,948 enrolments. Council figures show that 77% of learners are new, 27% are men, 10% have a declared disability and 26% are from minority ethnic backgrounds. This is much higher than the local population.

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Description of the provider

3. Adult and community learning is delivered through the Jobs and Skills Service (the service) within the council’s Department of Learning and Leisure. The service has been restructured during the past year. Programmes are managed by a small team supported by senior officers. The service is largely contracted-out through commissioning arrangements. Adult and community learning is offered throughout the city but with a focus on the most disadvantaged areas. Programmes are delivered in community venues including schools, neighbourhood and family centres, day centres, and college main sites and satellite centres.

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Description of the provider

4. Leeds is a large metropolitan district with a population above 700,000 and a diverse economy. Unemployment rates of 6.2% in 2008 are above the averages for West Yorkshire of 5.3%. In areas close to the city centre, unemployment is much higher. Leeds has a high percentage of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) at 10%, a third of the total for West Yorkshire. Almost one third of Leeds’ residents live in neighbourhoods amongst the most deprived 20% in Britain. Approximately 62% of pupils achieve five GCSEs at grades C or above, which is lower than the national average of 65.3%.

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Summary of grades awarded

Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Capacity to improve Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Achievement and standards Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Quality of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Leadership and management Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Sector subject areas

Independent living and leisure skills Good: Grade 2

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Sector subject areas

Community Learning Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

5. The overall effectiveness of the provision is satisfactory. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Achievement is high for learners developing or enhancing their employability skills and satisfactory in non-accredited learning. Most adult learners develop good personal and practical skills. Standards of work are generally satisfactory and some are good. Attendance is satisfactory.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

6. The quality of provision is satisfactory. The provision is good in three sector subject areas and satisfactory in two. Teaching and learning and assessment practice are satisfactory. The quality of progress reviews and target-setting is inconsistent although some good practice exists. The process for recording and monitoring learners’ progress is improving but is still inconsistently applied. The provision for learners with additional literacy, numeracy and language needs is satisfactory. The service responds very well in providing programmes that meet the needs of individuals and communities. An extensive range of provision effectively meets the needs of hard to reach learners and those who face significant barriers to successful learning. Enrichment opportunities are good. Advice, guidance and support are satisfactory but the focus on ensuring that learners can progress to higher levels is insufficient.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

7. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The management of employability programmes is good. Strategic planning and partnerships are good. Equality of opportunity and social inclusion are good. The Skills for Life strategy is not fully implemented. Value for money is satisfactory and the service meets government requirements for safeguarding. Staff are adequately qualified and experienced.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

8. The service has a satisfactory capacity to improve. Inspection grades for sector subject areas are similar to the previous inspection, but subsequent improvements in preparation for life and work areas have been maintained. The strategy to maintain and improve learners’ achievements is satisfactory. Overall and timely success rates for work-based learning have improved and are at the national average. Achievement on the small proportion of accredited courses is high in 2007/08. Achievement for most learners on non-accredited courses is high according to the provider’s data, but arrangements to recognise and record progress and achievement (RARPA) in non-accredited learning are insufficiently thorough to confirm this judgement. Learners aged 14 to 16 achieve well and their progression is good.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

9. Not all weaknesses identified at the previous inspection have been rectified. Sharing of good practice is now satisfactory through the recent introduction of tutor development days. Information, advice and guidance are now well co-ordinated across the provision. Aspects of quality assurance are still insufficiently developed. Insufficient use and analysis of data and the inconsistent implementation of the Skills for Life strategy remain areas for improvement. 10. Arrangements for self-assessment are satisfactory. The self-assessment process is inclusive with good opportunities for learners, staff and subcontractors to contribute. The self-assessment report is highly descriptive and insufficiently evaluative. It includes few judgements on how well learners achieve and the quality of learners’ experience including teaching and learning. The key strengths and areas for improvement are often not supported by evidence. The quality improvement plan is not effectively linked to the self-

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

assessment report. Inspection findings match some of the key judgements but identified additional strengths and areas for improvement. Some inspection grades were lower than those in the self-assessment report.

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Key strengths

 Good development of skills and personal gains by many learners  Good achievements for learners on accredited programmes  Responsive and inclusive programmes to meet individual and community needs  Effective collaborative partnerships that enhance learning opportunities  Strong and clearly stated strategic direction and priorities  Innovative promotion of equal opportunities for hard to reach learners

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Key areas for improvement

 Insufficiently thorough target-setting and monitoring of learners’ progress and performance  Further development of measures to assure the quality of teaching and learning  Insufficient use and analysis of data on learners’ performance  Aspects of quality assurance including self-assessment  Slow implementation of the Skills for Life strategy

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

11. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. This is a lower grade than in the self- assessment report. Retention rates are satisfactory for most learners on non-accredited programmes. The service’s record of achievement rates for these learners cannot be accepted as accurate, because arrangements for establishing challenging and measurable learning goals are insufficiently effective. Achievements for the few learners on accredited courses are high. Outcomes for learners on employability programmes are good. Many learners produce good quality work, and develop confidence and additional skills through participation in group learning opportunities. The service attracts high numbers of new learners with over 80% in the current year. Little data exists on how well particular groups of learners achieve in comparison with all groups and on those who progress to further courses or higher levels. Attendance rates are satisfactory.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

12. The quality of provision is satisfactory, a lower grade than in the self-assessment report. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and assessment practice is good. The best teaching includes good demonstrations and interesting activities that motivate learners. Some teaching is uninspiring and is insufficiently varied to meet the range of individual learning needs. Systems to improve the quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory. Observations carried out by the adult learning service are thorough but those of commissioned partners vary in quality. Models for the wider sharing of practice are being developed through paired observations. Not enough observations are carried out with only 31 sessions for 257 tutors observed in 2007/08. Good support is given to commissioned partners with less experience in observing teaching. Arrangements to determine precise and measurable learning goals and targets are of mixed quality. The service has identified

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

the need to improve the monitoring of learners’ progress and achievement and the quality of individual learning plans.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

13. The service’s response to learners’ needs and interests is good. The wide range of targeted and responsive provision at beginner levels meets the needs of particular groups well. Through a strong network of providers, learners have access to courses in the community and in specialist centres. The use of a well-equipped ‘e-bus’, brought to the doorstep, enhances access to information and communication technology (ICT) provision. Employability programmes help learners develop job-related skills in response to changing local priorities. Few daytime courses in music and dance are available. Courses are promoted widely and good links with schools enhance the support for young people who are at risk of not progressing to further education, employment or training. Not all courses have clearly identified progression routes. Enrichment activities are good and help learners develop confidence and employability skills.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

14. Guidance and support are satisfactory. Initial assessment is generally used well to assess learners’ additional learning needs. Good use is made of learning support assistants and support is put in place promptly. Induction is good. The service helps learners to overcome personal and financial barriers to learning. Information, advice and guidance are improving although information about progression opportunities varies in quality between partners. Support is particularly good for vulnerable groups including teenage parents and learners on projects designed to enhance employability skills. Arrangements for keeping learners safe and healthy are good.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

15. Leadership and management are satisfactory. This does not match the self-assessment report. Clear strategic leadership, in a time of considerable change, has established a clear direction and priorities focused on those most in need. Successful targeting has resulted in around 70% of learners recruited from the most disadvantaged areas with increased participation by lone parents, ex-offenders, those with mental health problems, older residents and homeless people. The proportion of learners from minority ethnic groups is more than twice that of the local population.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

16. Partnership working is strong and clearly benefits learners. The PCDL partnership ensures an effective strategic overview. Good partnerships with voluntary and community groups help the service to meet the needs of specific vulnerable groups. Partnerships with employers are good.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

17. The procurement process has helped ensure the selection of commissioned subcontractors who will deliver programmes to a high standard. Applications are encouraged from providers willing to explore innovative approaches to providing effective learning.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

18. Arrangements for equality of opportunity are good. A single equality scheme and a broad range of policies and procedures meet legislative requirements. Strong leadership promotes equality matters in all areas of employment and service delivery. Equality of opportunity is emphasised in induction and reinforced within the curriculum in most areas. The most hard-to-reach learners are given equal access to learning opportunities. Tutors offer very good support to learners who face significant barriers to learning. The support back into learning for ex-offenders has helped their rehabilitation into the community. Learners with multiple and complex needs achieve good independence skills. A growing number of homeless learners receive the personal support they need to overcome their difficulties. Voluntary organisations and faith groups receive good support in enhancing their capacity to provide learning and other services in their own

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

communities. Data on participation is used effectively to measure participation by under- represented groups but insufficient data is available to measure their comparative performance.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

19. Arrangements for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements. Policies and procedures are fit for purpose. Arrangements apply to staff that have contact with young learners or vulnerable adults. However, Criminal Records Bureau checks of staff employed by subcontractors are not routinely checked and verified.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

20. Programme planning is satisfactory and ensures a sufficient spread of accessible provision. The service uses key performance indicators and financial management is satisfactory. Accommodation is fit for purpose and ICT and other resources are transported between centres when needed. A few centres are not accessible for learners with restricted mobility. Communications with staff and partners are effective. Staff appraisals are appropriate and all staff have attended training on equality, diversity and safeguarding in the last year. Around 70% of tutors have, or are working towards, teaching qualifications. Curriculum management is good in employability programmes and satisfactory in other areas.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

21. The council has been slow in fully implementing the Skills for Life strategy. It is insufficiently developed in most parts of the service, except in family learning and in one subcontractor. The service is unable to clearly assess the effectiveness of its Skills for Life strategy.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

22. Aspects of quality assurance are insufficiently developed in adult learning services, an area for improvement at the previous inspection. Arrangements to observe teaching are insufficiently comprehensive. Too few observations have been carried out and moderation procedures have only been introduced recently. The RARPA process is not sufficiently integrated with quality assurance monitoring processes and practice varies in thoroughness. The self-assessment report is insufficiently evaluative and key judgements are often not supported by evidence or reflected in the quality improvement plan. Learners’ feedback and arrangements for dealing with complaints are satisfactory. The use and analysis of data is insufficiently developed and the service has identified the need for more accurate data on learners leaving and continuing courses. Managers do not have an accurate picture of the performance by individual subcontractors and monitoring practice

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What learners like :

 ‘ Opportunities to progress to higher levels of learning’  ‘Patient staff and being treated with respect by tutors’  ‘The ‘e-bus’ and the good access it offers to learning’  ‘Being better able to understand the ‘computer world’ of our children and grandchildren’  ‘Opportunities to make new friendships and develop new skills’  ‘Excellent resources and the opportunity to see professional performances in music and dance’  ‘Good to meet people in the same state’ (Teenage mums-to-be)  ‘Good to know that there can be life after redundancy’  ‘Being accepted on the course was a real confidence boost’  ‘Made you feel young again’

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What learners think could improve :

 ‘I didn’t know what to expect from work experience’  ‘Not enough time at work-placements’  ‘The lack of comfortable chairs for pregnant girls’  ‘No water machines’  ‘Not enough courses close to home’  ‘I did not like being thought of as a truant when attending the Key Stage 4 course’

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Context

23. The service offers mainly non-accredited courses in art, crafts and performing arts. Three subcontractors deliver the performing arts provision at their main city centre sites. Currently 664 learners are enrolled on 56 music courses and 179 learners on six dance courses at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Learners can choose from a wide range of courses including, vocal, instrumental, technology, theory, ensemble and individual tuition in music and contemporary and creative dance. Courses run for either 15 or 30 weeks and most are delivered in the evenings. The service attracts a wide range of learners of different ages and ethnic backgrounds .

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Strengths

 Good standard of learners’ practical work  Good teaching  Wide range of opportunities to study on specialist music and dance courses  Very good accommodation and resources

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient community-based provision  Incomplete quality systems to plan, monitor and evaluate subcontracted provision

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Achievement and standards

24. Achievement and standards are good, as identified in the self-assessment report. Music and dance learners develop good basic skills that enable them to produce practical work of a high standard. Beginners in piano studies develop a good understanding of basic notation and are able to perform simple melodies with increasing skill and confidence. Music sequencing beginners are able to listen to and recognise sample drum sounds and replicate them using the tools in the specialist software programme. They are then able to use what they have learned to create their own compositions.

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Achievement and standards

25. Dance learners develop good core stability, kinaesthetic awareness and movement skills. A public performance by advanced contemporary dance learners is of a high standard. They show a good mastery of contemporary techniques accomplished within the framework of demanding choreography. Some learners progress to higher levels and a few progress to accredited further education courses. Attendance rates are satisfactory. Learners develop personal and social skills well, with many reporting they have increased confidence and are able to work with greater focus, both individually and in groups.

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Quality of provision

26. The quality of provision is good, as identified in the self-assessment report. Teaching and learning are good. Enthusiastic and well-focused learners respond well to their very knowledgeable tutors. Tutors plan sessions that are brisk and lively, making sure that tasks are suitably challenging. Clear demonstrations, explanations, good use of questioning and visual imagery ensure learners gain a clear understanding of concepts and techniques. Learning in some sessions is supported by good quality, informative supplementary materials. Tutors use photographs as a stimulus for the development of movement ideas. Tutors make sure that learners are given adequate time to practise and hone their skills. Learners receive good individual feedback that enables them to improve the quality of their work. Assessment and the monitoring of learners’ progress are good. Initial assessment is good and progress is monitored regularly. RARPA processes are

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Quality of provision

generally well understood and paperwork is complete and up to date. In a minority of cases, learning goals on individual learning plans are too broad, unspecific and not sufficiently challenging.

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Quality of provision

27. The programmes and activities to meet learners’ needs are good. Learners can choose from a wide range of music and dance courses at beginner, improver and advanced levels at the subcontractors’ accessible main city centre sites. Music learners have a particularly wide choice of subjects and good progression opportunities. Courses are very popular and many are oversubscribed. Many learners value the additional enrichment opportunities offered to them such as access to concerts, productions and master classes. Very few daytime sessions are available to learners who wish to take courses in the performing arts. No community-based learning opportunities are available in local neighbourhoods.

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Quality of provision

28. Guidance and support for learners are satisfactory. Marketing materials are good, widely available and successful in recruiting new learners to the service. Pre-enrolment information clearly identifies course requirements and expectations so that learners are clear about what is expected and the commitment they need to make. Specialist staff help enrol and assess learners, and a thorough induction process ensures that they are placed at an appropriate level. Where providers are not able to meet specific needs, learners are directed to others who can. Learners’ support needs are assessed at enrolment and any adaptations or requests for support are dealt with quickly and effectively. A learning support assistant takes part in a beginners contemporary dance class to help two learners follow and perform the exercises.

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Leadership and management

29. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Dance and music learners benefit greatly from working in a professional environment where they have access to very good accommodation, equipment, facilities and staff. Most tutors are highly qualified and experienced, although some dance tutors do not have a teaching qualification. The promotion of equality and diversity are satisfactory. The updated self-assessment report is broadly accurate in its assessment of strengths and areas for improvement, and all subcontractors have been involved in the process.

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Leadership and management

30. Recent changes to policies and procedures have not had sufficient time to have any affect on outcomes. Some inconsistencies in the approach to lesson observations by the three providers, and the small proportion of sessions observed, make it difficult for the service to identify and secure improvements in teaching and learning. Plans for the moderation of lesson observations are in the early stages of implementation and sharing of good practice is limited. The self-assessment report notes that more assistance is required in implementing RARPA more effectively to ensure that all learners’ goals are sufficiently challenging and recorded accurately. Data is not routinely used to plan, monitor and evaluate provision. Subcontractors provide progression data. However, it is not collated and analysed or used for improvement planning.

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Context

31. The provision currently includes 143 courses in 25 venues throughout Leeds. Of the 834 learners, 45% are men and 20% are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Venues include community centres, college main sites, adult learning centres and other community facilities. Courses span a number of sector subject areas including dance, music, cookery and art. Many learners have profound and complex needs. Up to 30 learners attend full- time for two years, or for longer if they are part-time. The provision is supported by 41 tutors and a number of support and nursing staff.

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Strengths

 Good development of confidence and practical skills  Good use of appropriate teaching strategies  Wide range of responsive provision  Good support for learners

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient involvement of learners in evaluating their progress  Insufficiently thorough action to monitor the quality of teaching and learning

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Achievement and standards

32. Achievement and standards are good. Most learners make significant gains in confidence and improve their social and practical skills, as identified in the self-assessment report. Many participate well in sessions and learn to make choices and voice opinions. The standard of work is high, particularly in art, pottery and dance. Work is often displayed in exhibitions and receives public recognition. At one centre, parents of learners with significant disabilities report positive changes in behaviour and ability. They celebrate that learners now shop with them and participate in preparing meals. In another centre, learners make good progress towards independent travel. They move into volunteering, mentoring other learners, are employed in a social enterprise or in supported work- placements. A small number progress to college provision, for example, those in creative dance classes. Overall, progression to other courses and access to accreditation is limited.

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Quality of provision

33. The quality of provision is good, as identified in the self-assessment report. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Initial assessment is sufficiently detailed to provide a good basis for individual learning plans. For school leavers with complex needs, assessments are detailed and involve several agencies. However, some day centres do not always provide information on part-time learners and this hinders the timely creation of accurate individual learning plans and targets. The service has a strong emphasis on practical activities, enabling learners to develop good individual communication and social and independence skills in a range of contexts. In the best sessions, tutors plan carefully to meet the different abilities and interests of learners, enabling learners to develop their subject skills. Projects, linked to current events or themes, are used well to encourage the promotion of equality and diversity. For example, one group makes masks linked to a

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Quality of provision

Caribbean festival, while exploring culture and music. In less effective sessions, insufficient attention is paid to learning outcomes for the different needs of individual learners and no reference is made to personal learning outcomes. Lessons are not planned to show how learners will progress by small steps towards their identified longer-term learning goals, so that they can recognise the progress they are making. Insufficient effort is made to present goals in ways which learners understand so that they can clearly identify when they have succeeded.

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Quality of provision

34. The extent to which programmes meet learners’ needs and interests is good. Good specialist strategies support the wide range of learners’ needs. These include measures to make it easier to include those with profound disabilities. Signing is used where appropriate and systems for managing behaviour support social inclusion. Resources are good, particularly in art, pottery and dance. Specialist facilities for learners with multiple needs are particularly good including access to a gym, trampolines, well-adapted kitchens and some assistive technology. However, the use of ICT to support learning is insufficient.

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Quality of provision

35. Programmes are inclusive, meet learners’ needs well and cover a wide range of different levels of provision. These range from pre-entry learners with multiple and complex needs, who would otherwise not participate in education, to those who need support to access work preparation activities, placements and voluntary work. Provision is varied and includes opportunities to develop independent living skills through travel training, cookery, and basic skills, using local pubs, shops and sports centres. Some learners attend a residential setting five days each week as a successful transition pathway to supported living. The pre-entry curriculum is used well to enable full-time learners to work at the right level. At entry levels, little structured development of literacy or numeracy skills takes place. No provision is externally accredited, though the service has identified that some learners could access awards. Opportunities for learners to extend their social

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Quality of provision

interaction skills are restricted where day centres send learners in groups to the same sessions.

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Quality of provision

36. Support for learners is good. Learning support assistants are deployed well and work effectively to provide constructive support to reinforce learning. Carers for individual learners are integrated well into the sessions. Guidelines ensure that learners are not offered too much support. Other agencies provide medical care, physiotherapy, behaviour management and communication support on the full-time course. Tutors know their learners well and provide ongoing emotional and learning support. Transition into, and from, courses is generally good. For learners with multiple disabilities, study options are limited.

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Leadership and management

37. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Recently appointed managers have a clear view of actions needed to encourage growth and improve quality, and these are currently being implemented. Joint observations of teaching and learning are underway and provide a useful monitoring tool for the quality of teaching and learning. Observations carried out by the council’s observers demonstrate a good understanding of the elements of good teaching but observations by commissioned providers are sometimes less effective. Follow-up arrangements to assess the effect of subsequent action by providers to improve standards are insufficiently thorough. Monitoring returns are designed to ensure that quality systems are in place, but no further checks take place. Partnership working with, and between, providers to maximise the range and level of provision is good. Meetings between tutors have yet to be re-instated, but providers report good communication with

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Leadership and management

council managers. Promotion of equality, particularly in the curriculum, is good.

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Context

38. Currently 1,120 learners attend 146 community learning courses in 2008/09. Courses range from four to 12 weeks and 97% of the programme is subcontracted. Approximately 24% of courses lead to accredited qualifications. Courses are run mainly in the daytime and most of the courses are in ICT. Courses are taught at a range of venues including schools, children’s centres, libraries and community centres with some mobile provision. The programme manager is supported by five development workers who help identify learners’ needs.

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Strengths

 Good gains in confidence and practical skills  Flexible and responsive programme to meet community needs  Effective partnerships to widen participation

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient progression to higher level courses  Inconsistent use of quality assurance arrangements

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Achievement and standards

39. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. The development of learners’ confidence and practical skills is good. Learners participate well in sessions and are well motivated. The standard of learners’ work is good, as identified in the self-assessment report. Many learners start as beginners and quickly learn basic computer controls, how to produce documents, search the internet and send emails. After only a few sessions, parents are able to help their children with homework. Some learners gain sufficient confidence to continue learning and gain a qualification to help them get a job in the future. Teaching assistants from the local school attend the literacy course to help them with their learning. Learners on the first steps in oils course produce good quality work using different painting techniques after only a few weeks. The achievement of the few learners on accredited courses is good at 83% in 2007/08. Class numbers are small and attendance is

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Achievement and standards

40. The number of learners who progress to higher level courses is low. The progression of learners to other courses is not recorded but anecdotal evidence is available on the progression of some learners. Progression opportunities from First Steps to higher level learning opportunities are limited in the community. Progression routes are not always clear and not enough is done to resolve some of the many barriers to progression faced by more disadvantaged groups.

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Quality of provision

41. The quality of provision is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The better sessions are prepared well and tutors give clear demonstrations and good explanations of tasks. Worksheets are informative with clear instructions illustrated by diagrams and pictures. Tutors give learners good individual support in sessions and use good questioning techniques to check learning and learners’ progress. However, some tutors do not plan sufficiently to meet individual’s needs. Too few sessions include activities and resources to meet a range of individuals’ needs in language, literacy and numeracy. Questioning techniques are inappropriate and checks on learning are poor.

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Quality of provision

42. Assessments are appropriate for First Steps courses but the use of individual learning plans is inconsistent. Tutors generally identify group learning outcomes, but not all learners have appropriate additional personal goals. Targets on some individual learning plans are too general to measure. In some sessions, the individual learning plan is not used to monitor or record learners’ progress.

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Quality of provision

43. The programme is flexible and responsive to meet learners’ and community needs. It targets underrepresented groups and a high number of new learners enrol on the courses. The ‘e-bus’ and the use of laptop computers enable courses to take place in community settings, on the premises of voluntary and faith organisations, and other community venues such as children’s centres and schools that do not have access to such resources. This enables parents to use crèche facilities. The skills for jobs programme includes courses in food hygiene, a minibus driving course and first aid. These are taught in community settings to build the capacity of voluntary and community organisations and to support their volunteers. The courses are offered at flexible times, for example, to coincide with school times to enable parents to attend.

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Quality of provision

44. Initial advice and guidance are satisfactory. Tutors and development workers give learners helpful information about their courses, signpost them to other courses such as literacy, numeracy and language and direct them to other sources of support. Support for learners is satisfactory. Funding is available for additional learning needs and interpreters support learners with language needs in the classroom. Some centres have learning support assistants to support learners with learning difficulties. Assisted technology is available on ICT courses but crèche facilities are not available in some venues.

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Leadership and management

45. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Partnership arrangements are highly developed and effective. Development workers liaise with a network of partners, including voluntary and faith organisations, to widen participation and engage new learners. They fund them to run courses on their own premises. A capital grants scheme is used for installing ramps to improve access or to buy equipment such as gardening tools and sewing machines for learners. Organisations can borrow equipment such as overhead projectors, cameras, and furniture for their events. A photocopying scheme supports the production of local publicity material and newsletters. Development workers arrange networking events for organisations to exchange ideas and information. Staff have access to training and all tutors are members of the Institute for Learning. Most are qualified or are working towards a teaching qualification. Some accommodation is cramped but

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Leadership and management

suitable equipment is generally available including digital projectors.

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Leadership and management

46. The promotion of diversity and equality of opportunity in sessions is satisfactory. Appropriate arrangements ensure learners’ health and safety. Learners are given information on safeguarding at induction. 47. Subcontractors are monitored twice yearly to record performance but quality assurance arrangements are applied inconsistently. The observation of teaching and learning is not sufficiently thorough and not all observers focus enough on learning and the learners’ experience. Learners’ surveys indicate high levels of satisfaction but course reviews are not always evaluative. A moderation process is in place for ICT courses but not for other community courses to support the RARPA process. The self-assessment report is not sufficiently evaluative and many of the strengths and areas for improvement identified at inspection have not been included. Data is not used effectively to plan and monitor the

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Context

48. The council offers several programmes to support young people into developing work- related skills and employment. Programmes targeted at young people include a Key Stage 4 engagement programme involving personalised learning and support for 215 young people who are at high risk of becoming NEET. Twenty-two providers deliver this programme. In addition, an ESF programme engages 140 young people aged 14 to 19 who are either at high risk of becoming NEET or are NEET. Recent NEET figures at 10% are high, in comparison with other parts of West Yorkshire. The integrated youth service manages this programme which is delivered by seven commissioned providers. Currently 200 learners are on adult and community learning funded employability training courses during 2008/09, but this was not running at the time of inspection.

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Strengths

 Good retention rates on employability programmes  Collaborative and innovative initiatives to meet individual and community needs  Good guidance and personalised support for learners  Good programme management

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Achievement and standards

49. Achievement and standards are good. On the Key Stage 4 engagement programme, 94% of learners remain in education or employment with training. The standard of learners’ work is good and, in many instances, much better than they previously produced within mainstream education. Performance is uniformly good by different groups who face the greatest challenges to successful learning. No significant differences exist in the performance of young people from minority ethnic backgrounds. The NEET programmes are newly established but are contributing to a slowing of the increase in disengaged young people in Leeds. Progression is good for vulnerable young people to other educational programmes or to further education.

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Quality of provision

50. The quality of provision is good. Teaching and learning are good. Many learners develop skills and achieve certificates and, for some, this is the first time they gain recognition from any form of accreditation. Programmes incorporate varied and successful approaches to teaching. These involve co-operation with high profile local businesses that reflect the interests of young people such as Leeds United Football Club. Methods to re-engage learners at Key Stage 4 include personal and innovative approaches. Twenty-two training providers, including the Hunslet Club and Groundwork, through successful links with schools, provide popular and flexible level 1 programmes that respond well to local needs. Learning takes place in a wide range of contexts and tutors emphasise the development of personal, social and functional skills within a strong work-focused component. The use of individual learning plans is inconsistent and they are not always available for extended

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Quality of provision

51. The extent to which programmes and activities meet learners’ needs and interests is good. Retention rates are exceptional. The service provides young people with flexible and interesting learning, using imaginative and non-traditional forms of teaching. Many learners gain confidence through the personal and individual tuition they receive from tutors and employers. Recruitment is flexible through a wide range of entry points. Programmes aimed at young people in NEET groups focus on the high risk groups who are the least likely to succeed.

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Quality of provision

52. Guidance and personal support for learners is good. Support is good for learners who need extra help with literacy and numeracy. NEET learners receive an enhanced level of guidance and support funded through the integrated youth service. Learning mentors link individuals’ needs to existing training or employment opportunities. Learners at Key Stage 4 receive very effective advice, guidance and support in every stage of their programme. Support is good for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The schools manage this area with good support from training providers. Employers providing the workplace aspects of the programme are equally supportive. Some provide learners with an extended six-week opportunity for a work-placement. Education Leeds offers specific training to employers involved in supporting the programme and many employer- based staff act as personal mentors during workplace activities.

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Leadership and management

53. Leadership and management are good. The Key Stage 4 programme has clear targets and regular monitoring of progress towards these takes place. The regular reviews of the success of programmes identify areas for improvement and they are implemented rapidly. Action planning is good using well-organised data on trends and performance. Collaborative working between Education Leeds and the training providers is good. The selection of subcontractors is thorough and uses clear criteria. Systems to monitor the quality of subcontractors’ performance are good and include assessing practice in promoting equality. The self-assessment report identifies the need for greater sharing of practice between subcontractors, and the need to strengthen the co-ordination of staff development on NEET programmes.

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Leadership and management

54. The city has developed a strong network of commissioned training providers to deliver the Key Stage 4 programmes. Schools have a good range of partnerships with training providers, to deliver individual and often innovative programmes to encourage disaffected learners to return to education or to plan for employment.

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Leadership and management

55. Induction to the Skills for Life programmes includes discussion on equality and diversity issues. Most learners have a satisfactory awareness of equality although a few retain prejudicial attitudes. Tutors and employers try to tackle these in a supportive way and regularly remind learners of their responsibilities.

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Context

56. Currently 728 learners are on family learning courses. Some 91% are women and 1% have a declared disability. Of the 27% of learners from minority ethnic backgrounds, 15% are of Asian heritage. FLLN courses run for between six and 24 weeks and wider family learning courses for between six and 12 weeks. A family learning manager leads the provision with support from three co-ordinators and 12 tutors. Most of the provision is subcontracted to five providers.

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Strengths

 Good gains in confidence and skills to support children’s learning  Wide range of courses to meet parents’, schools’ and community needs  Very effective partnerships to target and widen participation

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Areas for improvement

 Insufficient monitoring of the quality of subcontracted courses  Insufficient monitoring of the effect of family learning courses on children and adults

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Achievement and standards

57. Achievement and standards are satisfactory, as identified in the self-assessment report. Learners gain confidence to speak to their children’s school teachers and develop new skills that enable them to help support their children’s learning. For many learners, family learning courses are the first courses they attend since leaving school. Engagement with children’s education makes learners face their own skill and knowledge gaps. They want to improve their own English and mathematics so that they can help their children. Team teaching by school teachers and family learning tutors ensures that learners learn more about what children are doing and learning at school. Some learners progress into employment as teaching assistants and others work as volunteer parent ambassadors in schools. This helps motivate other parents to join family learning courses.

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Achievement and standards

58. Achievement rates on accredited courses are satisfactory at 72%. Attendance is satisfactory, although some courses have low numbers.

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Quality of provision

59. The quality of provision is satisfactory, as identified in the self-assessment report. Overall, teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the better sessions, learning is closely linked to what children are being taught at school and to how parents can support their children. Learners become aware of how to use bedtime stories to reinforce children’s recognition of words and to give children a chance to predict what happens next in the story. Learners can reinforce their children’s understanding of number concepts by gaining a better understanding of the language and terminology used for basic mathematical operations. In less effective sessions, tutors fail to take opportunities to develop learners’ literacy and numeracy skills. They do not correct errors in spoken English and written work. New vocabulary is not noted for future use by learners.

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Quality of provision

60. Assessment is satisfactory. Tutors give encouraging feedback on children’s books and toys produced by learners. Evaluative written feedback is given for individual tasks and activities in the individual learning record. The outcomes of initial and diagnostic assessments are not always recorded in the individual learning record.

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Quality of provision

61. The extent to which programmes and activities meet learners’ needs and interests is good, with a wide range of courses and programmes. These include courses to enhance learners’ literacy, language and numeracy, family pottery, ‘mad science’ for parents and children, and family finance. Other parenting initiatives include parenting skills for teenage mothers-to-be. This helps young people prepare emotionally and practically for child birth and in developing their basic skills. Learners are given information on agencies to contact for further support and in budgeting skills. Family learning courses are also delivered in prisons and secure environments. Learners with children in care gain valuable parenting skills enabling them to re-establish contact with their children under the supervision of prison staff. They learn how to interact with children and meet their emotional needs, with the ultimate goal of getting their children back with them.

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Quality of provision

62. Guidance and support are satisfactory. Tutors are aware of learners’ needs and provide academic and personal support to help them with their children’s education. Peer support is encouraged for bilingual learners. Most venues have crèche facilities and the mobile crèche enables parents with young children to attend courses. Guidance on further learning opportunities is provided at the end of courses.

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Leadership and management

63. Leadership and management are satisfactory. It is too early to assess the effect on quality of the new management structure. The council’s restructuring initially resulted in a shortage of staff and this adversely affected the quality of provision, as acknowledged in the self-assessment report. However, the core team is now in place, most staff are suitably qualified and others are working towards teaching qualifications. The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Tutors use a range of resources to reflect learners’ cultural background.

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Leadership and management

64. Partnerships to target and widen participation are very effective. Data on school attainment and deprivation effectively identifies which new schools would benefit most from family learning courses. Good links exist across the city with other providers of family services. The personalised learning project is used to rationalise services to families and to provide a co-ordinated service which helps raise children’s attainment in school.

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Leadership and management

65. The monitoring of the quality of subcontracted courses is insufficiently thorough. Lesson observations have only taken place for six of the twelve tutors. It is unclear how issues identified during lesson observations are followed up to secure improvements. Achievement and progression data is not collated and analysed sufficiently. Wider family learning courses are not currently included in the quality framework. 66. The monitoring of the effect of family learning courses on the attainment of children and adult learners is insufficiently thorough. No systematic monitoring takes place of progress made by children whose parents have attended family learning courses. A few isolated case studies demonstrate improvements in children’s attainment but this is not done for all schools delivering family learning courses, and records are not collected centrally to show improvements in attainment. The progression of adult learners is not monitored

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Leadership and management

67. The self-assessment report identified some of the areas for improvement but is insufficiently evaluative. Annex

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Leadership and management

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