Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Published date June 2010 Inspection Number 345777 Unique reference number: 52883

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Name of lead inspector: Shahram Safavi HMI

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Address:

Southmead Children's Centre Sherwood Drive Whiston Merseyside L35 3XZ

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Information about the provider

1. The Family and Community Education Service (FACE or the service) is part of the Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council’s (MBC) Directorate of Children and Family Services. FACE secures funds for its adult and community learning from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA).

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Information about the provider

2. In 2008/09 there were 3,294 enrolments. Of these, 26% were on learner responsive and 74% on social and community learning provision. Approximately 2.3% of learners were from minority ethnic backgrounds, 84% were women and 10% had disclosed a disability.

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Information about the provider

3. The specialist provision graded represents the provision for 25% of all learners during the inspection week and 40% of enrolments in 2008/09. The areas which were not separately inspected were: health and social care; science and mathematics; agriculture, horticulture and animal care; leisure, travel and tourism; arts, media and publishing; preparation for life and work; business, administration and law; and community development.

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Information about the provider

4. Just over half of Knowsley’s population live in the most deprived areas in England and Wales. Around 1.6% of the population are from minority ethnic groups. Approximately 33.5% of pupils achieved five GCSE passes at grades A* to C including English and mathematics, which is below the national average for 2009.

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Information about the provider

5. The following organisations provide training on behalf of the provider:

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Information about the provider

 Huyton Churches Training Services (community development)  Local Solutions (community development)  Knowsley Community Voluntary Services (community development)  Knowsley Parents Adults Carers (community development)  Kirkby Unemployed Centre (community development)  Knowsley Library Service (community development)  Northwood Mums (community development)  Knowsley START (community development)  British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (community development)  Knowsley Learning Clubs (community development)

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Information about the provider

6. The provider offers training on behalf of the following:

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Information about the provider

 Halton Borough Council (Train to Gain)  Sefton Borough Council (family learning impact funding provision) Education, 14 May 2010 3 of 20

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Young learner provision:

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

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Adult learner provision:

Learning for qualifications Learning for social and personal development 841 part-time learners 2,453 part-time learners Education, 14 May 2010 4 of 20

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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 3 Safeguarding Equality and diversity

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Learning for qualifications Grade

Information and communication technology 3

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Learning for social and personal development

Languages, literature and culture 3 Family learning 2

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Overall effectiveness

7. Overall effectiveness is satisfactory. Outcomes for learners are satisfactory. Most learners demonstrate good confidence and improved self-esteem. They enjoy their programmes and value the progress they make. The proportion of learners completing their accredited courses is low and many do not stay on their programmes to complete. Although small in number, learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and learners from minority ethnic groups do not achieve as well as White British learners.

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Overall effectiveness

8. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Initial assessment and assessment processes are appropriate. However, targets set for learners are not sufficiently detailed and their progress is not always sufficiently recorded.

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Overall effectiveness

9. The service effectively meets the range of interests and needs in the community. The service has very effective partnerships with community groups and other learning providers. Care, guidance and support are good. Education, 14 May 2010 5 of 20

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Overall effectiveness

10. Leaders provide good strategic management. Operational management is satisfactory; however, the pace of improvements since the last inspection has been slow. Arrangements for safeguarding and the promotion of equality and diversity are good. Quality improvement arrangements have recently improved and are satisfactory.

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Main findings

 In family learning, learners make good progress and develop good self- esteem and skills which improve their contribution to family life and their children’s education. Learners on other non-accredited courses develop an appropriate range of skills. Learners enjoy their courses and feel very safe.  Since the last inspection, the proportion of learners who complete their accredited qualifications has been consistently low and significantly below national averages. Retention rates are high on most non-accredited courses but have been low on accredited provision. The service’s data for the current year indicate significant improvement in the proportion of learners on accredited courses who stay on their programmes.  Standards of teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. In the best sessions, tutors maintain a lively pace and a very encouraging and supportive approach. In the less successful lessons, tutors provide too few opportunities

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Main findings

for learners to work together. The procedures for the recognition and recording of progress and achievement (RARPA) are not consistently constructive.  The range of provision meets the needs and interests of learners appropriately. The service liaises with other providers through the Adult Learning Partnership to avoid duplication of provision in the local area, and to maximise opportunities for progression.  The service works very productively with partners and community groups to develop the provision. FACE has very effective working relationships with schools to offer a broad family learning programme across the borough. Good collaboration with a range of voluntary and community organisations has provided a range of courses in deprived communities.  Care, guidance and support are very good. Tutors provide good individual support and learners are positive about the impact. FACE promotes awareness

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Main findings

of its provision well through links with its many partners, attendance at a wide range of local events and distribution of course information in community venues such as doctors’ surgeries and libraries.  Strategic leadership is strong and very effective in widening participation. Curriculum management is satisfactory and the service has taken appropriate action to improve a few aspects of its provision since the last inspection. However, until recently the pace of improvement to improve outcomes for the learners and the quality of provision has been slow.  Safeguarding arrangements are good. Safeguarding and health and safety policies are up-to-date and comprehensive. All staff are subject to enhanced Education, 14 May 2010 6 of 20

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Main findings

Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. Learners are well informed and confident to raise issues. Learners are informed about safe practices when working with digital equipment and when they access the internet.  The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The service prioritises widening participation by disadvantaged groups. Targets for recruiting learners not traditionally involved in learning are discussed and planned with local partners. Over 60% of learners are from disadvantaged areas. There is evidence of the promotion of equality themes in some curriculum areas but this is not sufficiently widespread.  Arrangements to improve the quality of provision are satisfactory. The self- assessment process is inclusive; however, the service underestimated the impact of its areas for improvements on learners and most grades were higher than those given by inspectors. The procedure for observing teaching

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Main findings

and learning is well established. However, observers place too much emphasis on the contribution of tutors and not enough on what learners learn and their progress. The service recognises that it has to improve the use of data in monitoring learners’ performance.

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Service need to do to improve further? and achievement rates

 Improve the success rates of learners on accredited provision to at least national averages by improving the proportion of learners who stay on their programmes. Develop effective actions to close the performance gaps between learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, the minority ethnic learners and all learners.  Consistently set clear, specific, time-bound targets for learners appropriate to their different abilities and review and record them effectively.  Fully implement the inspection’s recommendations by prioritising actions which have the most significant impact on learners’ retention and achievement.  Continue to improve the promotion of equality and diversity in teaching and learning by encouraging learners to develop a better understanding of other learners’ cultural, socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds.  Further improve the use of accurate data to monitor and evaluate the

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Service need to do to improve further? and achievement rates

performance of all learners.  Improve the quality of teaching and learning by improving the effectiveness of the observation process and focusing on learners’ experience and learning.  Further improve the self-assessment process and the report by evaluating the impact of the significant aspects of the provision which influence learners’ experience. Education, 14 May 2010 7 of 20

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What learners like:

 lessons which include making things and practising new skills  good support by staff  enjoying meeting new like-minded people  a culture of respect and equality.

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What learners would like to see improved:

 taking into account prior experience and knowledge of learners on accredited courses and planning the lessons to reflect the individual’s needs  opportunities to repeat some of the difficult subjects in class  work with other learners.

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What partners like:

 very good organisation providing for learners in deprived communities  providing funding to deliver courses for hard-to-reach learners.

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What partners would like to see improved:

 nothing reported. Education, 14 May 2010 8 of 20

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 3

11. The service’s capacity to improve is satisfactory. The majority of learners develop good self-esteem and appropriate skills. High proportions of learners on non-accredited courses stay and complete their programmes. There are indications of increased numbers of current learners on accredited courses who stay to complete. The self-assessment process is inclusive and the report is comprehensive. The report has identified most of the improvements identified by inspectors. However, most grades proposed were higher than those awarded by inspectors. The development plan is detailed and is an appropriate tool for improvements. The service has developed good working relationships with a number of providers to share good practice.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 3

12. FACE has made some progress on, but not fully remedied all, the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. Adult learners’ success rates on accredited provision have continued to be significantly below national averages. The service has maintained the good quality of its family learning provision. However, the quality of the provision in information and communication technology and modern and foreign languages has not improved. The observation of teaching and learning still does not have sufficient emphasis on learning. Use of data has not been sufficiently improved. The promotion of equality in teaching and learning sessions is not systematic in all provision.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

13. Outcomes for learners are satisfactory. Most learners develop good skills and self-esteem. On non-accredited courses the retention rates are high at over 91%. The standard of learners’ work is satisfactory. Success rates for 16 to 18-year-old learners on long courses are satisfactory. Success rates on all long courses for adults leading to externally accredited qualifications are low. They have remained below national averages between 2007/08 and 2008/09.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

14. Performance in different subject areas on accredited provision varies. Success rates on health, public services and care; information and communication technology; languages, literature and culture; preparation for life and work; and business administration and law are low and below national averages. However, based on the provider’s data, the retention rates have significantly improved in the current year.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

15. Outcomes for the very small proportion of learners from minority ethnic backgrounds are below those for White British learners. Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities do not achieve as well as the rest.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

16. In family learning, parents and carers gain the know-how to help to improve the attainment of their children. Most learners on information and communication technology courses confidently use basic features of computer Education, 14 May 2010 9 of 20

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

software in their day-to-day living and work. Learners on languages, literature and culture courses develop appropriate language skills for pleasure and work.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

17. Learners enjoy their courses and feel very safe. Learners report that they are confident in reporting any safety concerns to the tutors. Most learners report that they can make appropriate choices about their health and well-being and value the social aspect and contact with other learners that the programmes offer.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

18. The quality of provision is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall with some positive features. In the best sessions, tutors maintain a lively pace and a very encouraging and supportive approach. They use questions very well to encourage discussion, and draw on a good range of stimulating resources.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

19. Tutors are making increasing use of information technology to add variety and interest to lessons. Teaching is generally well planned and takes an appropriate account of the range of individual needs. Initial assessment is generally used effectively to identify and respond to additional support needs. However, the use of initial assessment for business administration learners is not effective.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

20. The service has developed new procedures for recognising and recording progress and achievement in non-accredited learning. However, tutors do not always sufficiently set learner-specific learning goals and record their progress in relation to the course learning outcomes. Some lessons provide too few opportunities for learners to work together.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

21. The range of provision meets the needs and interests of learners, stakeholders and partners appropriately. Courses are available in locations across the borough, including in seven new centres, and in other accessible community venues such as libraries. FACE successfully offers provision for learners in areas of social and economic disadvantage.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

22. Partnerships with schools and community groups are very productive. Good communication across council departments helps FACE to make provision for specific groups such as young mothers, older residents and learners with difficulties and/or disabilities. The service liaises with other providers through the Adult Learning Partnership to avoid duplication of provision in the local area and to maximise opportunities for progression.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 3

23. FACE works well with schools to offer a broad range of family learning programmes across the borough. The service has developed good arrangements with a number of voluntary and community organisations to deliver community development provision.

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The quality of provision Grade 3

24. Care, guidance and support for learners are very good. FACE promotes its services well through links with its many partners, attendance at a wide range of local events and distribution of course information in the community. The service supports learners in a range of ways, including through financial help, additional learning support and referral to other agencies. Staff liaise well to ensure learners have access to appropriate staffing support and adaptive technology; for example, staff who scribe for examinations. Most tutors offer clear information on progression opportunities within and outside FACE.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

25. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Strategic leadership is strong and supported by a clear strategic direction allied to local council priorities. High quality learning environments and accommodation in the seven new centres and children’s centres enhance opportunities for adult learners. A coherent management structure supports the strong partnerships with local voluntary and community organisations. Managers have clearly defined roles and responsibilities.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

26. Curriculum management is satisfactory. Targets for the recruitment of learners are mostly met. Satisfactory use is made of monitoring reports that include data on trends in participation and performance. The monitoring of performance in the curriculum is improved. The service recognises the need to use more timely and reliable management information to support fully curriculum planning and performance monitoring.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

27. Arrangements for safeguarding young people and vulnerable adult learners are good. Safeguarding arrangements are promoted well; for example, in displays and the availability of a hotline telephone for learners. Learners report that they feel safe and secure and particular attention is paid to safeguarding vulnerable adults. All staff complete CRB checks and these records are monitored well. Health and safety audits are detailed. The service has close working links with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Staff have attended training in safeguarding and understand the procedures for child protection. Designated safeguarding officers report serious cases to a senior manager. Arrangements for the safe use of the internet and technology are satisfactory. Internet safety training is offered to all staff, and to parents and carers in partner schools.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

28. The promotion of equality and diversity is good and informed by clearly written priorities. The service has prioritised inclusion and widening participation by disadvantaged and underrepresented groups. FACE has involved one learner with restricted vision very well in developing signage for the new training centres. Targets for recruiting learners not traditionally involved in learning are discussed with local partners and clear actions are agreed. The service very effectively enrols learners from disadvantaged areas. The service recognises the need to increase participation by male learners and from minority ethnic groups and to improve the success rates of these learners. Good financial and practical assistance is available for learners with Education, 14 May 2010 11 of 20

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Leadership and management Grade 3

additional learning needs and access for learners with mobility difficulties is good. Learners are informed of equality matters at induction and through the learner handbook. Their understanding of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Following recent staff training equality themes are discussed in some lessons. How well tutors promote equality is not given a sufficiently high profile in learning observations. Observers rarely mention the wider promotion of equality issues through the curriculum. The service is aware of this and is working well to include equality and diversity more systematically within all provision.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

29. The service works satisfactorily with users and learners to bring about improvement. Methods of incorporating learners’ views, through questionnaires and learners’ forums, are effective. Some programmes are offered in response to requests from learners in the community. Learner course evaluations inform course reviews. Learners receive feedback on their proposals for improvements.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

30. Arrangements to improve the quality of provision are satisfactory. The self- assessment process is inclusive. The report is comprehensive and evaluative although some judgements are not expressed clearly enough. In a few areas identified strengths were not justified by the evidence. Progress is satisfactory in addressing many areas for improvement from the last inspection. However, progress is slow in raising success rates on accredited programmes and the recognition and recording of learners’ progress and achievement. The quality of individual learning plans is uneven.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

31. The procedure for observing teaching and learning is well established. Tutors appreciate the helpful feedback and strive to improve their practice. Since the last inspection, the sharing of good practice has improved. However, observers emphasise too much the contribution of tutors rather than what has been learned and learners’ progress. Findings are moderated but grades awarded are not all supported by the recorded evidence, and often sessions are over graded.

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Leadership and management Grade 3

32. The service is enterprising and successfully attracts additional funding to support work targeted at vulnerable groups. The use of funds is monitored carefully but some courses run with very low numbers. The quality and availability of resources are good and they are well used. Staff are suitably qualified. The service offers satisfactory value for money. Education, 14 May 2010 12 of 20

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Leadership and management Grade 3

Other safeguarded adult provision considered as part of the main findings but not separately graded: health, public services and care; languages, literature and culture; preparation for life and work, and business administration and law.

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Context

33. There are 275 learners enrolled on 45 courses. Of these 29 learners are enrolled on level 3, 129 on levels 1 and 2 and 117 learners are on non- accredited courses. Non-accredited courses are normally 11 weeks long. Learners can join accredited courses, which are 33 weeks long, at any time. Courses are offered during the week, during the day and evening at seven secondary schools and four outreach centres. A manager and five part-time tutors provide the training.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are satisfactory. Learners acquire a satisfactory range of ICT skills which meet the qualification requirements of their courses and prepare them well for employment. Learners are making satisfactory progress towards meeting their learning goals on non-accredited courses. The overall standard of learners’ work is satisfactory although a few produce work of a higher standard.  On accredited courses, success rates have been low and significantly below national averages in 2007/08 and 2008/09. Retention rates for 2009/10 so far show significant improvements.  Learners enjoy their learning and feel safe. Most learners pay detailed attention to health and safety practices.  Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The more successful tutors set challenging targets for learners. They use probing questions to encourage learners to find their own solutions to problems that arise. They check that

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Key findings

learners understand their tasks and are working purposefully to complete them. Information and learning technology are used routinely to enhance learning.  Lessons are less effective where there is insufficient challenge for more able learners. In these lessons tutors do not question learners sufficiently so that they can extend their skills. On non-accredited courses learning goals are not fully identified at the start of the course nor revised at regular intervals. They are not sufficiently challenging for all learners.  The initial assessment process does not always provide clear information for planning individuals’ learning. Learners assess their existing information and

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Learning for qualifications

communication technology skills but this does not always show accurately what they are able to do. More effective tutors use accurate assessment to enable learners to make quicker progress towards achieving their qualifications. However, in a few lessons learners’ specific gaps in skills are not identified early enough.  Assessment and external verification practices are satisfactory. Assessments are planned and conducted in a timely and robust manner. Learners appreciate the helpful feedback they receive from tutors about how to improve their work.  The range of courses is satisfactory and new courses are being planned to meet learners’ and employers’ needs. Learners value highly these opportunities that help them prepare for employment. In planning the curriculum, managers respond to immediate requests for individual courses.  Partnership arrangements are good. The service has productive working arrangements with partner organisations and the voluntary sector. Specific

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Learning for qualifications

courses planned and offered through partnerships enable many learners to increase their employability skills.  Care, guidance and support for learners are satisfactory. Tutors provide appropriate guidance during open evenings and during lessons. Where necessary, the service provides learners who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities with the necessary specialist software to enable them to access learning.  Leadership and management are satisfactory. The strategic management of the area is focused on meeting the expectations of the work and employment within the borough. Tutors are appropriately qualified and experienced for their roles. The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. However, it is insufficiently promoted in the curriculum.

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to do to improve further?

 Improve success rates at least to national averages by improving the quality of training and retention rates.  Ensure learning goals are individualised and sufficiently challenging, are set at the outset and are reviewed at regular intervals for all learners.  Assess individual learners’ experience and knowledge about the use of ICT and plan their learning informed by this assessment. Education, 14 May 2010 14 of 20

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Learning for social and personal development

Other learning for social and personal development considered as part of the main findings but not separately graded : information and communication technology; preparation for life, and community development.

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Context

34. The service offers accredited and non-accredited courses in French, German and Spanish and British Sign Language. British Sign Language is offered at levels 1 and 2. Currently 210 learners follow these courses. Of these 20 are following accredited courses. Nine part-time tutors offer this provision at 11 venues. Learning sessions are normally two hours long, and take place weekly, in the mornings, afternoons and evenings. Courses usually last for 30 weeks, or 60 hours.

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Key findings

 Outcomes for learners are satisfactory. Learners make appropriate progress and develop their language skills effectively. Learners participate enthusiastically in sessions and are well motivated. Learners’ attendance is good. A number of learners attend classes to enhance their employability, both through seeking work overseas and in the UK, and in working with the deaf community.  Learners develop skills, knowledge and understanding relevant to the community. One learner was able to use her new skills at work by helping a deaf customer to locate goods in her store. A number of learners work as teaching assistants and offer support to children with hearing impairments. Learners feel very safe.  Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Tutors use a good range of teaching methods effectively. In the most effective sessions, tutors make good use of foreign and sign language to enable learners to develop their knowledge and

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Key findings

understanding and to practise their skills. In the less effective sessions tutors do not provide sufficient opportunities for learners to practise the language.  Tutors make good use of a range of high quality materials and resources including interactive electronic boards. For instance, a tutor made effective use of websites to introduce and illustrate a cultural aspect and to enrich the learning. Tutors make effective use of stories, drama and short plays to support learning.  Tutors plan and monitor for individual and group needs in lessons effectively. However, individual learning plans are often not fully complete and are insufficiently personal. Tutors do not sufficiently record the progress and achievement of learners. Education, 14 May 2010 15 of 20

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Key findings

 The provision effectively meets the needs and interests of learners. Curriculum planning takes appropriate account of learners’ needs and aspirations. Learners who wish to progress have access to a range of higher level courses with other providers. Referral arrangements are in place to signpost learners to other provision where necessary.  Effective partnership working supports curriculum planning. Partners are actively involved in planning and promoting the curriculum. These include local voluntary and housing agencies. The service distributes promotional literature about the provision through these channels, thus reaching vulnerable and hard-to-reach learners. Partners effectively coordinate provision and avoid duplication.  Care, guidance and support are effective. Particularly effective pre-course information and marketing materials enable learners to make suitable choices when selecting courses. Learners value the initial advice and guidance they

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Key findings

receive. Timely, sensitive and appropriate interventions by tutors promote learning and development and help learners to feel confident.  Curriculum management is effective. Observation of teaching and learning is structured and systematic. The new management structure is effective in supporting tutors to develop their practice. Effective measures are in place to safeguard and to protect learners. The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory.  FACE uses learners’ feedback effectively to improve the quality of provision. The service has established effective processes for monitoring and evaluating performance and tackling weakness.  Observation of learning and teaching, course reviews and tutor feedback all inform and underpin the curriculum self-assessment report. Tutors effectively share good practice, for example through a virtual learning platform.

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to do to improve further?

 Expand the use of foreign language by learners in lessons to enhance and develop their fluency and command of the language.  Ensure learning goals are individualised and sufficiently challenging for all learners and record learners’ progress well. Education, 14 May 2010 16 of 20

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Context

35. Currently 845 learners are on family learning programmes. FACE offers 38 programmes in family language, literacy and numeracy, including workshops, and 52 in wider family learning in partnership with schools and children’s centres. Accreditation is available from entry level up to level 2. The service also offers additional activities provided through family learning impact funding. The provision is managed by a full-time manager and a coordinator, with 10 parent support staff and 55 part-time tutors.

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Key Findings

 Outcomes for learners are good. Success rates are good, at 93% for learners on family literacy, language and numeracy courses, and 87% for learners on wider family learning. Learners meet their learning goals well, gaining skills and confidence that help them in their roles as parents and carers. Learners enjoy their courses.  Learners and schools report improvements both in family and school life, for example in children’s reading and numeracy skills. Good development of learners’ skills and confidence help them to be more active in their communities; for example, in projects to give voluntary support in activities with other vulnerable families. Learners feel very safe.  Teaching and learning are good. Learners play a very active role in their learning, work hard and at a good pace. Tutors involve learners in the teaching and learning process well. They form good relationships with the learners and identify well their needs and preferences. Learners appreciate

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Key Findings

highly the effort tutors make in planning good activities.  Recording learners’ progress and achievement of non-accredited outcomes is satisfactory overall. Although individual learning plans are often insufficiently completed, tutors use multiple sources of evidence to supplement the RARPA process, such as progress records for accredited courses.  Tutors make good use of resources for learning. Information technology is regularly used effectively both in class and to support work at home. Tutors provide a good range of enrichment activities, such as trips to art galleries to stimulate children’s expressive language and to give parents ideas of how to support and extend this.  The service is very responsive to local priorities. FACE provides a good range of courses to support these priorities, such as courses to promote family health, parental involvement in schools, and community cohesion. However,

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Key Findings

too few men take part in courses.  Good partnership working between FACE, schools, children’s centres and other providers is very effective in supporting learners to progress to further courses. For example, through partnership arrangements the service provides Education, 14 May 2010 17 of 20

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Key Findings

after-school care for older children while parents are in sessions with younger children.  Care, guidance and support are good. Initial and diagnostic assessment identifies learners’ needs for support effectively. Tutors provide very sensitive and effective individual support in classes, promoting learners’ confidence to enjoy their learning. Childcare facilities are provided at most venues.  Management of the curriculum is good. The strategy for the development of the provision is clear and well understood by staff and partners. Managers provide good support to staff, with regular meetings and good communications. Staff have good opportunities to develop new ideas and courses and are supported to offer these as pilot activities.  Safeguarding polices and procedures are implemented well. Arrangements for equal opportunities and diversity are good overall. Tutors introduce good discussions in the lessons to promote equality and diversity matters. In

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Key Findings

courses for parents about understanding relationships with children, there are good discussions about stereotypes and attitudes around different cultures.  The service has very effective initiatives to involve learners and partners in promoting improvement, such as focus groups and learner feedback. The service uses data well in its review when courses have completed. However, there is insufficient use of these arrangements to monitor the quality during the courses.  The observation of teaching and learning is broadly satisfactory, although the process does not sufficiently focus on learning. Observation grades of tutors employed by the service are moderated internally and externally, but observations of those tutors contracted through outside agencies are not moderated by the service. This arrangement does not provide a clear view of the quality of teaching which the learners are offered.  The self-assessment process is satisfactory and most of the findings that

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Key Findings

emerged during inspection are identified in the report. The service has maintained the quality of this provision since the last inspection.

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to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve the recording of individual learning goals and the progress which learners make.  Continue to develop more ways to bring men into family learning, including greater provision which is specifically for men.  Improve the observation of teaching and learning by focusing on the quality of learning and the progress made by learners.  Improve the moderation process of the observation of teaching and learning by including observation reports of all tutors who teach learners regardless of their employment contract arrangements. Education, 14 May 2010 18 of 20

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Information about the inspection

36. Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and four additional inspectors, assisted by the service’s head 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 SFA or other funding bodies, 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

37. 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 provider. They also visited learning sessions, assessments or progress reviews. Inspectors collected evidence from programmes in each of the subjects the provider offers. Education, 14 May 2010 19 of 20

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Information about the inspection

Record of Main Findings (RMF) Knowsley MBC Family And Community Education 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. Blank column: insert DWP employability programmes (including Workstep), or Judicial Services or nextstep as appropriate

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Information about the inspection

A. Outcomes for learners 3 3 3 4 3 A1. How well do learners achieve and enjoy their learning? 3 3 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 3 3 3 3 3 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 3 3 3 3 3

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Information about the inspection

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 Social and

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personal development Approximate number of enrolled learners Full-time learners Part-time learners 2,849 2,321 Overall effectiveness 3 3 3 3 3 Capacity to improve 3 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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If you would like a copy of this report in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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