Bromley London Borough Council

Published date 19 March 2010 Inspection Number 342323 Unique reference number: 53108

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Name of lead inspector: David Martin HMI

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Last day of inspection: 12 February 2010

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Address:

Bromley Adult Education College Widmore Centre Nightingale Lane Bromley BR1 2SQ

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Address:

Telephone number: 020 8461 8659 London Borough of Bromley (Bromley Adult Education College)

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Information about the London Borough of Bromley

1. Provision is delivered through Bromley Adult Education College (BAEC/the college), under a scheme of local management. The college has three main sites, in Bromley, Orpington and Penge, together with numerous other community venues. The principal of BAEC reports to the director of renewal and recreation and to the college’s governing body, which includes three local authority representatives. The work of the principal is supported by a deputy principal. Three heads of faculty manage nine programme managers and around 300 part-time tutors.

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Information about the London Borough of Bromley

2. The London Borough of Bromley (the Borough) secures funding for adult and community learning from the London South Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The BAEC offers mainly adult learner provision, with both learning for qualifications and learning for social and personal development. There is a small, but growing, amount of employer responsive provision, which is Train to Gain. A relatively small amount of provision is delivered by 14 sub-contractors within the local community. In 2008/09 there were nearly 17,500 enrolments by around 11,000 learners. Of these enrolments, some 19% were for learning for qualifications and this pattern continues into 2009/10. The most significant subject areas for enrolment are arts, media and publishing, languages, literature and culture, leisure, travel and tourism, information and communication technology (ICT) and preparation for life and work.

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Information about the London Borough of Bromley

3. The Borough’s local economy is relatively prosperous, with 80% of the population economically active. Unemployment, at 3.4%, is below the average for London, although there are local pockets of social deprivation. Around 87% of the population are White British and 14% are of Black and other minority ethnic heritage.

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Information about the London Borough of Bromley

4. The following organisations provide training on behalf of the Borough:  Bromley Field Studies Centre (horticulture and creative arts and design)  Animi Training (ICT)  Bromley Children Project (family learning)  Bromley Refugee Day Centre (preparation for life and work and family learning)  London Borough of Bromley Cotmandene Community Resource Centre (health and care, ICT and preparation for life and work)  Direct Teaching (preparation for life and work)  Mencap (preparation for life and work)  Mind (preparation for life and work)  Mottingham Community Learning Shop (preparation for life and work and business)  Bromley Probation Service (preparation for life and work)  Soul Food 4 All (hospitality and catering and business)  Somali Well Women Project (ICT)  Bromley Museum (family learning)  St Philomena’s (RC) Primary School (family learning).

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Young learner provision:

14-16 Further education (16-18) 19 part-time learners 37 part-time learners

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Adult learner provision:

Learning for social and personal development 2,640 part-time learners

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Summary report

Grades: 1 is outstanding; 2 is good; 3 is satisfactory; 4 is inadequate

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Grade

Leadership and management 2 Safeguarding Equality and diversity

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Grade

Information and communication technology 2 Crafts, creative arts and design 2 Family learning 2

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Overall effectiveness

6. The overall effectiveness of provision is good. Leadership and management are good. They provide a secure basis for serving learners and the local community well, both now and into the future. A clear direction and strategy is successfully communicated to staff and inclusive management engages them in the development and review of the college’s mission, vision and values. Quality improvement and self-assessment are good. Equality and diversity are satisfactorily promoted.

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Overall effectiveness

7. Outcomes for learners are good. Achievement on courses for social and personal development is good. Success rates on courses for qualifications are satisfactory and have remained constant over the last two years. They are high in some areas but are too low in literacy and numeracy. Learners’ skills and standards of work are good. Learners routinely make good progress, attain their learning goals and apply new skills in their daily lives. Learners enjoy their studies and are strongly motivated to develop the confidence and enthusiasm to study further. They feel safe in the college and demonstrate safe working practices. The college’s arrangements for safeguarding learners are satisfactory.

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Overall effectiveness

8. Teaching and learning are good. Tutors successfully motivate individuals and groups to learn. The use of information learning technology (ILT) has significantly improved since the previous inspection, although good practice by tutors is insufficiently widespread. Arrangements to provide information, advice and guidance to learners are well established and effective.

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Overall effectiveness

9. An extensive range of provision meets a wide variety of needs throughout the community and the college responds positively and flexibly to learners requests for new courses. Outstandingly effective partnerships provide learners with a rich variety of learning opportunities. Partnerships play a particularly strong role in enabling the college to reach learners from specific communities and other unrepresented groups.

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Main findings

 Learners’ achievement on courses for social and personal development is good. Both retention and achievement rates are high. Success rates on courses for qualifications are satisfactory and have remained constant over the last two years. Success rates on modern foreign languages courses are high, but too low in literacy and numeracy.  Learners’ skills and standards of work are good. Learners routinely make good progress, attain their learning goals and apply their new skills in their daily lives.  Learners enjoy their studies and are rightly proud of what they achieve and what they can now do. They are strongly motivated by their studies and develop the confidence and enthusiasm to engage in further learning.  Learners feel safe and demonstrate safe working practices. The college’s arrangements for safeguarding learners are satisfactory. Government requirements are met, but some aspects of the infrastructure for safeguarding

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Main findings

are more recent and less well established.  Teaching and learning are good. Tutors are skilled at motivating and including individuals and groups to learn. The use of ILT has significantly improved since the previous inspection. However, good practice across the college is not yet sufficiently consistent.  An extensive range of provision meets a wide variety of needs throughout the community. Curriculum design provides well for learners to progress from courses without qualifications to courses leading to qualifications. The college responds positively and flexibly to learners requests for new courses.  The college’s outstandingly effective partnerships provide learners with a rich variety of learning opportunities. These play a particularly strong role in enabling the college to reach learners from specific communities and other unrepresented groups.  Arrangements to provide information, advice and guidance to learners are good.

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Main findings

They are well established and effective. Staff consistently foster an ethos of care and support for learners.  Good leadership and management provide the secure basis for serving learners and the local community well, both currently and into the future.  Equality and diversity are satisfactorily promoted. The college’s thorough review of its policies and procedures has established a sound basis for the further improvement of the promotion of equality and diversity.  Arrangements for self-assessment and quality improvement are good. The comprehensive and rigorous quality assurance system is well used to bring about improvement. However, the evidence gained from observations of teaching and learning is insufficiently used for quality improvement.  The college provides good value for money. Learner numbers have remained strong in a challenging financial climate. The quality and availability of resources

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Main findings

are good and the college manages its resources well

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improve further?

 Improve success rates for literacy and numeracy by ensuring that learners complete their courses and assessments.  Reduce the amount of teaching that is no better than satisfactory by clearly identifying areas for improvement through observation. Plan the actions needed to remedy these and ensure rigorous monitoring and follow up.  Continue to implement the well-conceived ILT training strategy to improve teaching and learning further.  Improve the promotion of equality and diversity by the further implementation of the single equality scheme.

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What learners like:

 the quality and dedication of their knowledgeable and supportive tutors  the conveniently located and accessible study venues  the friendly and welcoming environment  making friends with like-minded people  the facilities for learning, which are very good  the opportunity to gain many new skills to help in family life  the good individual support from tutors and other BAEC staff  the unthreatening venues, where they feel very safe  the ready availability of computers

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What learners would like to see improved:

 the availability of car parking  enrolment arrangements, to ensure that there is always a place on their chosen course  catering arrangements at sites with no cafeteria  the sometimes unreliable heating.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 2

10. The London Borough of Bromley has good capacity to make and sustain improvement. Good leadership and management provide a secure basis for further development and quality improvement. Borough officers, governors and senior managers provide clear direction and strategy. Inclusive and effective management engages staff fully in promoting a common vision and improvement.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 2

11. Arrangements to assure and improve the quality of provision are good. A comprehensive quality system is well used. Quality improvement planning and target setting are thorough. Self-assessment is rigorous and uses an increasing range of evidence, including significant inputs from users.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 2

12. Since the previous inspection, most of the key challenges then identified have been suitably addressed. Quality improvement processes are much improved, data are now used well, initial assessment is often good, and assessment is sound. Teaching and learning are improved through the much greater use of ILT. Managers and staff are clear about what still needs to be done to make further improvement.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

13. Learners’ achievements are good. Outcomes for learners on the largely non- accredited social and personal development courses are good. Retention rates on these are high, at 91% in 2008/09. Achievement rates are also high, at 88%. Outcomes on courses leading to externally accredited qualifications are satisfactory. They have remained constant between 2007/08 and 2008/09, at around 78%. Performance in different subject areas varies. Success rates on modern foreign languages courses are high, but too low in literacy and numeracy. Outcomes for the very small proportion of learners from Black and Black British backgrounds are substantially below those for White British learners. Attendance across the college overall is satisfactory, at 87% in 2008/09.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

14. Standards of work are high in most areas. Learners make good progress and attain their learning goals. They enjoy their studies and value the benefits of studying alongside others. They are rightly proud of their achievements. Standards of work in crafts classes are high and learners on art courses regularly publicly exhibit their work.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

15. Learners are strongly motivated by their studies and many develop the confidence and enthusiasm to study further. Progression within the college is good. In 2007/08, over half of all learners from the previous year enrolled again, usually on a different or more advanced programme. Staff highlight many stories of individuals who have successfully progressed to courses or work following their studies, but the college does not systematically track leavers’ destinations.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

16. Learners develop their skills well, and often apply them at work, with their families and in the community. Health and fitness courses keep learners healthy and active. Courses leading to qualifications provide good skills to improve work practices and gain employment. Courses in areas of deprivation often provide learners with a qualification for the first time.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

17. Learners feel safe at college. Centres are well organised and professionally run. Community venues offer a safe social and learning environment for learners where this is their only contact with the wider community. Tutors pay close attention to implementing safe working practices in teaching and the college has implemented adequate health screening initial assessments in health and fitness sessions, an area for improvement at the previous inspection. Where relevant, tutors promote healthy living and well-being.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

18. Teaching and learning are good. Most teaching and learning observed by inspectors were good or better, with very little inadequate teaching. Inspectors’ judgements of teaching and learning largely confirmed those of the college’s comprehensive observation scheme.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

19. Tutors are skilled in motivating, and including, individuals and groups in learning. In most sessions, they provide challenge and praise, regularly checking learners’ understanding and progress and ensuring active participation. An inclusive approach to learning accommodates learners with a wide variety of needs well, including those with disabilities. However, tutors do not always deploy support assistants and volunteers to best effect. The standard of resources is high. Tutors routinely use ILT across the curriculum; a significant improvement since the previous inspection. Good practice in its use is not sufficiently consistent.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

20. For learners joining courses for qualifications, initial assessment is well established. While particularly thorough for counselling courses, tutors do not take sufficient account of its outcomes when planning modern foreign language learning. Arrangements for recognising and recording progress and achievement in non-accredited ICT classes are largely effective, but arrangements are insufficiently consistently developed across the college, particularly in art.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

21. An extensive range of provision meets the needs and interests of learners. The BAEC has excellent links with the voluntary sector and schools. It provides a rich mixture of subjects and courses for personal and social development and courses leading to qualifications. Personal and social development courses are designed well to allow progression to qualifications. Some centres’ courses lead to qualifications for minority ethnic communities who lack the confidence to attend main college sites. The college responds positively to learners’ feedback to arrange new courses. Course cancellations are significantly reduced over the last three years, reflecting increased accuracy in forecasting demand.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

22. The college’s outstanding and sustained partnerships enable a great many people from different communities and cultures to engage successfully in learning. It has extremely good links with other Borough services, effectively facilitating strategically targeted provision for older and under-represented learners. Community development venues in deprived areas provide extremely useful additional services. Well-trained volunteers from the local community play a useful role in supporting teaching.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

23. Advice, guidance and care are good. Staff are well trained, helpful and professional. Applicants for courses leading to qualifications routinely receive interviews to make sure they join the right course. Learners are provided with good guidance on progressing to higher level courses. Tutors consistently foster an ethos of care and support to learners.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

24. The BAEC benefits from highly effective strategic planning and management. Borough officers, governors and senior managers work closely together, providing clear direction and strategy, well communicated to staff. Since the previous inspection, the work and management of the college has become closely integrated with that of the Borough. It plays an important role, through its own strategic priorities and objectives, in furthering those of the Borough, especially for renewal and economic regeneration. The principal is significantly involved with the wider work of the Borough, to the benefit of the college and the local community. All of this places BAEC in a good position to respond effectively to the current challenges facing adult and community learning.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

25. Open and consultative management engages all staff in the development and review of the college’s mission, vision and values. The college develops its provision to maximise benefit for the local communities, including for enterprise and business. It also retains the best of traditional adult and community learning values, with a positive and supportive culture, where staff work effectively together in the best interests of learners. Staff speak positively about the way that they are valued and consulted by managers.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

26. The college’s governors know the local community well. They provide sound oversight of BAEC’s work, support managers and provide appropriate challenge. They make good use of the detailed termly college monitoring reports they receive. These are comprehensive, data rich, analytical reports, covering all key learner aspects. College performance targets are clear and managers monitor frequently performance against these. Performance targets with the LSC are consistently met. College targets provide the context for sound performance targets for managers, appropriately set and monitored through a scheme of performance and progress review. Health and safety are very well promoted by senior managers and properly supported and monitored. 27. Operational management is good. The senior management team is very experienced and able. Programme managers know their areas well. Management arrangements are clear and well understood. Internal

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Leadership and management Grade 2

communications are good. A carefully considered infrastructure of meetings supports operational management. A comprehensive and custom-designed management information system provides a good range of well-used live and online information to managers and staff.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

28. The safeguarding of learners is satisfactory. An appropriate context is set by the Borough and the college meets government requirements in relation to children and vulnerable adults, managing its arrangements well. BAEC has particularly strong arrangements for its nurseries and for provision for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. It has risked assessed for its adult vulnerable learners. The Criminal Records Bureau checking process is comprehensive and up to date, with a single and central register. Some aspects of the infrastructure for safeguarding are more recent and less well established. There is now a safeguarding policy, governors now consider safeguarding at each meeting, and staff have received initial generic training.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

29. Arrangements to promote equality and diversity are satisfactory. The ethos and culture of the college successfully promote inclusion. The college is very much part of the Borough’s widening participation strategy and has recently assumed management of the local lifelong learning strategy.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

30. The BAEC has recently relaunched its equality and diversity strategy. Senior managers and an internal consultant have led on the introduction of a comprehensive single equality scheme and integrated diversity policy. They have recently established an integrated diversity group, including learners. Training for staff and governors on the new policy and scheme is underway, but there is still work to do to fully implement the detailed action plan. The BAEC’S analysis of learner data by the various equality categories is thorough. Detailed reports are produced and considered by senior managers and governors. Programme managers are increasingly using this data to plan and monitor provision. Learners’ understanding of equality and diversity is satisfactory overall, but can be improved in most subject areas.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

31. Arrangements to assure and improve the quality of provision are good. A well- used and comprehensive quality system embraces self-assessment, quality improvement planning, target setting and review. Good use is made of a range of evidence, including the learner voice, teaching and learning observations, and analysis of outcome data. However, action planning for improvement, based on the outcomes of observation of teaching and learning, is insufficiently thorough.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

32. The BAEC provides good value for money. It manages its resources effectively. Learner numbers have remained strong in a challenging financial climate. The quality and availability of resources are good and they are well used. Staff are well qualified and experienced. Many staff engage in a good range of activities to support their continuing professional development.

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Learning for qualifications

Other learning for qualifications provision considered as part of the main findings but not separately graded: complementary health studies, literacy and numeracy , provision for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, English for speakers of other languages.

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Context

33. There are 900 learners on learning for qualifications language courses. The college offers courses in 11 modern foreign languages, two thirds of which are externally accredited through Asset languages. Learners attend classes in languages such as French, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, Turkish, Polish, together with British sign language. They are taught at foundation, intermediate and advanced levels. Lessons are for two hours a week over 30 weeks. Most learners are women and 76% are White British; 61% are over the age of 45. The programme manager is responsible for a team of 28 part-time tutors who teach at three sites.

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Key Findings

 Outcomes for learners are good. Retention and achievement rates on foreign language courses have improved significantly over the last three years. Success rates increased to 83% in 2008/09. While success rates for British sign language were low in 2007/08 and 2008/09, results for 2009/10 so far show significant improvement.  Learners enjoy learning languages and make good progress. Many in the classes for beginners make rapid progress. Advanced learners develop good fluency and vocabulary skills. Learners often attend language classes because they have an interest in the language and culture of other countries. Other learners seek to improve their communication skills, for example with their Polish or Arabic partners.  Progression rates from one level to another are high. Many learners are well motivated to progress over time, as shown by college data. For example, of the learners enrolled on accredited courses in 2007/08, 51% returned the following

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Key Findings

year to take another accredited course. The figure for 2009/10 to date is 27%.  Teaching and learning are good. Tutors use the target language consistently well in sessions. In the good or better sessions they do not just convey content but also instructions and explanations. In these sessions, learners also use the target language well. However, in sessions which are no better than satisfactory learners have too little opportunity to use the language independently.  Initial assessment of language skills is carried out consistently, but there is insufficient use of assessment findings to help plan learning programmes. While tutor feedback to learners on grammar and vocabulary is good, the focus on the pronunciation and intonation of the language is poor.  Some tutors take the learners’ individual needs into account when planning lessons and recording progress, but this practice is not yet consistent across the

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Key Findings

provision. The college is aware that this aspect of teaching needs to be developed further.  The range of resources is good and course books, worksheets, the interactive whiteboard and the internet are used well. This aspect was a weakness at the previous inspection. The languages department has started to load the intranet with materials, previous lessons, games and references to external resources. This is very popular with the learners.  Accommodation is good and encourages learning. However, the acoustics in several language classrooms are poor which affects the learners’ ability to understand the foreign language.  Learners have access to an unusually extensive range of languages with well coordinated levels and progression routes built into the programme. The college is responsive to the needs of the learner, putting on extra courses to meet demand.  Learners get good support for their disabilities and learning difficulties. The

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Key Findings

details of learners who declare a need are logged centrally and tutors are informed. Tutors and learners use hearing loops and large print effectively, and sit near tape recorders. Success rates for learners who have declared a special need are better than for the total cohort.  Leadership and management are good. The college takes effective action to monitor the provision, identify development needs and set targets, for example in the quality improvement plan. The sign language provision is improving as a result of staff training and improved course information for learners. Managers have analysed the causes of high course cancellation rates and have taken effective action.  The strategy to enhance the quality of teaching and learning is good. A subject coach and e-learning coordinator provides support and training to individuals and groups of tutors in areas such as the use of the target language, the use of

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Key Findings

materials and resources, and initial assessment.

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What does the London Borough of Bromley need to do to improve further?

 Further improve teaching and learning by strengthening the link between initial assessment findings and the planning for group and individual learning.  Improve tutors’ feedback to learners, by embracing feedback on the learners’ pronunciation, their stress and intonation when tutors speak the language, by modelling language and asking for the learners to repeat.

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Learning for social and personal development

Other social and personal development provision considered as part of the main findings but not separately graded: sport, leisure and recreation and community development

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Context

34. Currently, 145 learners follow courses for learning for social and personal development. There have been 610 learners so far this academic year and last academic year there were 715. The courses range from first steps for adults, who are new to using computers, to intermediate level. Courses include introduction to computing, web design, digital photography and general ICT- user courses. Some 67% of learners are women and 12% are from a minority ethnic heritage. The provision is delivered by 18 part-time tutors on the three main college sites.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are good. Most learners fully achieve their course and personal learning objectives, reaching good standards. They attend regularly. Learners gain confidence with technology, for instance to communicate with family using email or to appreciate the protocols of effective website design. Learners’ progress is regularly recorded against planned outcomes.  Many learners progress well from introductory to higher level courses on the same topic or on to related topics. However, the college does not keep records of overall learners’ progression. Learners are very satisfied with all aspects of their learning.  Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan their work in detail and ensure that individual needs are met. They use a wide range of methods to interest learners and to ensure learning is taking place. Learners enjoy the different ways in which they learn and respond very positively in lessons. They make

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Key findings

good links between learning and how to use it in everyday circumstances.  Teachers use a wide range of good learning resources, both paper and electronic, effectively. These are shared well between tutors to ensure consistency of the learners’ experience. The college intranet is a rich repository of learning resources which learners can also access from home.  The computer rooms are bright places to work, with up-to-date resources, and all have interactive whiteboards which the tutors use in a good variety of ways. However, the specialist hardware and software used by the visually and hearing impaired learners are unreliable. The college has imminent plans for improvement.  The wide-ranging and responsive provision meets the needs of learners from first steps to intermediate level and for the visually and hearing impaired. The college is quick to provide courses requested by learners, for instance ‘getting

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Key findings

to know your mobile phone’ and ‘safe online shopping’.  The support and guidance of learners are good. Learners are carefully assessed initially to ensure their needs are known. From this they are guided to a suitable course. Additional support needs are assessed and well provided where needed.  Leadership and management are good. There is good management of part-time staff through well-attended curriculum meetings where they share resources and good practice. Staff development is supplied to support improvements identified by observations of teaching and learning and for curriculum initiatives, for example a project on ‘the expert learner’.  Quality assurance and improvement are good. Course reviews and learners’ feedback are responded to well to promote improvements. The self-assessment report and quality improvement plan are broadly accurate.  Social inclusion is good, with learners from a wide range of social backgrounds

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Key findings

engaging in ICT provision.  Equality and diversity are good. In lessons, individual learners’ needs are well planned and met and equality and diversity are often promoted. However, overall, learners are insufficiently aware of the wider issues of equality and diversity.

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What does the London Borough of Bromley need to do to improve further?

 Better understand the patterns and trends of learners’ progression to higher levels or other associated courses, by introducing a systematic scheme of recording.  Improve the quality of the specialist hardware and software for the visually and hearing impaired learners by implementing the college upgrade plan.  Improve learners’ understanding of equality and diversity by improving the cover at induction and by publicising key aspects more widely and more visibly.

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Context

35. Currently, 1,682 learners attend visual art and craft courses for learning for social and personal development. The college offers wide range of courses, available at the three main college sites and one external venue. Courses include drawing and painting, ceramics, sculpture, jewellery making, silversmithing, embroidery, upholstery, soft furnishing, patchwork quilting and photography. The subject area is managed by two programme managers who job-share. There are 45 part-time tutors.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are good. The learners produce high standards of work in art and craft sessions. Learners, including those just beginning their studies, gain good skills and techniques quickly. They use and refer to sketchbooks to reflect and improve their techniques and many find this invaluable. Learners’ work on the college’s website gallery is of a high standard.  Learners develop good personal and social skills. In enjoyable group visits they participate in productive discussions about the arts. The visits are inspiring and learners gain a good knowledge of historical and cultural design. Learners exhibit in the local library and at college sites. A learner in a jewellery class has twice exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum.  Teaching and learning are good. Tutors are skilled at teaching mixed ability arts sessions. They use a wide variety of teaching methods and activities. Learners

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Key findings

participate in challenging sessions which are enjoyable and rewarding. Learners just beginning their courses have high aspirations to attain the standards of more experienced learners and make good progress.  In the better sessions, learners complete complex tasks in a short time. Tutors are good at motivating learners and providing constructive feedback. Some art learners do not keep sketch books or complete work between sessions.  Tutors insufficiently record individual learners’ progress. Individual learning plans are too often whole-class based and, in mixed experienced groups, longstanding learners have the same set of learning goals as those just beginning.  Tutors do not use ILT effectively. Although some tutors use whiteboard and electronic presentations well, too many opportunities are missed for research and electronic presentations.  The curriculum offer is extensive and meets the needs and interests of learners

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Key findings

well. It is particularly attractive to, and meets the needs of, older learners very well. The courses are spread across the Borough and are accessible to the local community. However, for most subjects, there are few progression routes available at the college.  Support, care and guidance for learners are good. Learners receive good information about materials required for the courses. The college prospectus is well promoted and is always available in local libraries. Tutors provide good support in teaching. They are made aware if a learner declares a difficulty or disability and act on the information discreetly.  Overall, the management of the curriculum is good. Managers communicate effectively with staff through visits, telephone and email. The team shares good practice regularly. Teaching performance is closely monitored and well supported. The department has a vibrant and effective team ethos.

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Key findings

 Accommodation is good in all the centres. Centres have large purpose-built studios with up-to-date equipment. Some of the practical classes have areas for learners to work on larger pieces of art or craft work. Many of the rooms have large storage areas.  The process for the observation of teaching and learning is insufficiently rigorous. Whilst the process is improving, too many observations make no reference to areas for improvement and action planning for improvement to a higher grade is weak. Some grades given by observers appear to be generous and, in a small number, the observers’ text does not support the grade given.  Learners have insufficient understanding of equality and diversity. Whilst there is coverage during induction and tutors provide a great deal of different cultural content in teaching, equality and diversity are insufficiently promoted.

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What does the London Borough of Bromley need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effective use of ILT in teaching and learning through the provision of more training for tutors.  Improve internal progression opportunities for learners by the development of additional courses, especially for longstanding learners.  Continue to improve the rigour of observations of teaching and learning by the further implementation of the quality improvement plan.  Ensure that learners’ understanding of equality and diversity is promoted by a systematic process of review and reinforcement throughout their courses.

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Context

36. Family learning caters for 111 adults on family literacy, language and numeracy courses and 440 on wider family learning. Some 23% of these learners are from minority ethnic groups and 25% are male. All courses are part-time, varying in length from two-hour workshops to 39 hour courses, most being learning for social and personal development. All take place in schools and other community settings. Learners on family literacy, language and numeracy courses work towards achieving qualifications, mostly at entry level. Family learning is managed by two part-time programme managers.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are good. Retention and attendance rates are high, and improving, across all programmes. During 2008/09, retention was 94%, a slight increase from the previous year. For 2009/10 to date, attendance rates are 94%. Success rates continue to improve year on year. Over the three years, from 2006/07 to 2008/09, they were 44%, 73% and 78% respectively.  Achievement of entry level literacy and numeracy qualifications is now high, at 84%, having improved significantly over the last three years. At the time of inspection, for the current academic year, 98% of learners had achieved entry level numeracy and 100% in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and literacy. Achievement by the small number of non-White groups exceeded the overall achievement rate.  Learners develop a wide range of good and useful skills. They enjoy studies, feel very safe and have high levels of trust in tutors. Learners’ improved

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Key findings

communication skills and confidence enable learners to help their children with homework and manage their behaviour more effectively. Attitudes towards mathematics become more positive. Learners become more involved with their children’s schools and wider community activities.  Teaching and learning are good. Learners engage well in interesting practical activities through the use of a wide range of methods. Resources are of a very high standard. In the weaker sessions, delivery methods are repetitive and insufficiently varied and sessions start late.  Learners’ prior learning and achievement are insufficiently well recognised. Where parents are repeating courses for the benefit of their children, the results of initial assessment are not used sufficiently well to plan and ensure all learners can extend and build upon previous learning.  The implementation of ILT in teaching is slow and there is insufficient use of

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Key findings

ILT in sessions. Many tutors lack confidence in using technology successfully and others are unclear how it could be used to improve teaching and learning. This is recognised as an area for improvement in the self-assessment report.  The range of family learning opportunities is extensive and successfully attracts learners from disadvantaged groups, most of whom are new learners. Times of courses meet the needs of specific groups of learners. The number of fathers on family programmes has steadily increased. Courses are adapted well to meet the needs of particular groups of learners.  Good partnerships enable highly effective targeting and support of families in locations where there is an identified need. BAEC priorities are met well through working with other Borough services, particularly the Bromley Children’s Project, as well as other statutory and voluntary organisations.  Learners receive very good impartial advice and guidance. They value the

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Key findings

information and advice they receive from professional guidance staff.  Leadership and management are good. A clear and comprehensive family learning strategy links well to Borough and national priorities and provides clear direction to help plan provision. However, the college insufficiently records and monitors the progress of its learners to further courses to help plan provision.  Management by programme managers is good. Tutors feel well supported. Resources are managed well and efficiently. Data are easily accessible, reliable and used to set targets for improvement. Health and safety are rigorously implemented and monitored. Arrangements for safeguarding are satisfactory.  Attention to continuous improvement is good. The self-assessment report is honest and judgements made are accurate overall, although it insufficiently recognises many of the positive aspects of the programme.  The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Programme locations ensure

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Key findings

easy access to disadvantaged communities. Staff demonstrate good awareness of equality and diversity issues in their dealings with learners. Equality and diversity data are carefully analysed to compare the performance of different groups. However, no numerical equality targets are set for the participation of fathers.

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What does the London Borough of Bromley need to do to improve further?

 Improve the ways in which information about learners’ progression is collected by using the college’s pilot programme developed in 2008/09. Use the resulting data to help make clearer judgements about the impact and effectiveness of the service.  Ensure all tutors collect information about learners’ prior achievements and use it when planning teaching and learning, to appropriately challenge learners.  Better use ILT in sessions to help enrich learning activities.  Set targets for the participation of fathers, to help increase their engagement.

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Information about the inspection

37. Three of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and four additional inspectors, assisted by BAEC’s deputy principal, as nominee, carried out the inspection. Inspectors also took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, comments from the local LSC, Framework for Excellence indicators, the previous inspection report, and data on learners and their achievement over the period since the previous inspection.

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Information about the inspection

38. Inspectors used group, individual interviews, telephone calls and emails to gather the views of learners. They looked at questionnaires learners and employers had completed on behalf of the college. They also visited learning sessions. Inspectors collected evidence from programmes in each of the subjects the provider offers. Record of Main Findings (RMF)

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London Borough of Bromley (Bromley Adult Education College)

Learning types: 14-16: Young apprenticeships; Diplomas; 16-18 Learner responsive: FE full- and part-time courses, Foundation learning tier, including Entry to Employment; 19+ responsive: FE full- and part-time courses; Employer responsive: Train to Gain, apprenticeships.

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London Borough of Bromley (Bromley Adult Education College)

A. Outcomes for learners 2 3 2 A1. How well do learners achieve and enjoy their learning? 2 2 A1.a) How well do learners attain their learning goals? A1.b) How well do learners progress? A2. How well do learners improve their economic and social well- being through learning and development? A3. Do learners feel safe? 2 A4. Are learners able to make informed choices about their own health and well being?* A5. How well do learners make a positive contribution to the community?* B. Quality of provision 2 2 2 B1. How effectively do teaching, training and assessment support learning and development? B2. How effectively does the provision meet the needs and interests of users? B3. How well do partnerships with schools, employers, community groups and others lead to benefits for learners? B4. How effective are the care, guidance and support learners receive in helping them to achieve? C. Leadership and management 2 2 2

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London Borough of Bromley (Bromley Adult Education College)

C1. How effectively do leaders and managers raise expectations and promote ambition throughout the organisation? C2. How effectively do governors and supervisory bodies provide leadership, direction and challenge?* C3. How effectively does the provider promote the safeguarding of learners? C4. How effectively does the provider actively promote equality and diversity, tackle discrimination and narrow the achievement gap? C5. How effectively does the provider engage with users to support and promote improvement? C6. How effectively does self-assessment improve the quality of the provision and outcomes for learners? C7. How efficiently and effectively does the provider use its available resources to secure value for money? *where applicable to the type of provision Grades using the 4 point scale 1: Outstanding; 2: Good; 3: Satisfactory; 4: Inadequate Overall 14-16 16-18 Learner responsive 19+ Learner responsive

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London Borough of Bromley (Bromley Adult Education College)

Employer responsive Social and personal development

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London Borough of Bromley (Bromley Adult Education College)

Approximate number of enrolled learners Full-time learners Part-time learners 7814 17 92 2006 3 5696 Overall effectiveness 2 2 2 Capacity to improve 2 inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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London Borough of Bromley (Bromley Adult Education College)

If you would like a copy of this report in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 08456 404040, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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London Borough of Bromley (Bromley Adult Education College)

You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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London Borough of Bromley (Bromley Adult Education College)

Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann’s Square Manchester, M2 7LA

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London Borough of Bromley (Bromley Adult Education College)

T: 08456 404040 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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