Curriculum Self-Assessment Report 2016 17

ESOL

Overall Grade: 3

Introduction
  • The ESOL curriculum is designed to improve citizens’ English language and literacy skills to promote social cohesion, to develop learners’ independent living skill and improve access to educational and work opportunities. This supports the Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP Strategic Economic Plan 2016-2030 to ‘decrease the unemployment rate to the national average by 2020 and have the lowest unemployment rate amongst the LEP Core Cities by 2030". A large number of Birmingham citizens are currently unable to access new training and work opportunities and make a significant contribution to regional strategic plans because of their low level of English.
  • Our mission is therefore to develop ESOL provision to address the needs of unemployed learners to improve their opportunities to access the job market, to provide learners with the language, IT and social skills they need so that they can interact effectively in their local and city-wide community, to address needs of speakers of other languages in low-paid and low-skilled jobs to help them to improve their prospects of accessing better-paid and more fulfilling job opportunities and to make a significant impact on ESOL learners' personal development and general welfare.
  • The course structure provides clear progression routes and prepare learners for study at the next level.33% of ESOL learners (385/1170) from 16-17 have returned to continue their studies at the next level in 17-18either to ESOL courses or moving onto the English programme at L1 or above.
  • All discrete ESOL provision is accredited, either through a regulated qualification or RARPA funded through the Single Activity Matrix. This area of the curriculum contained 2188 leavers; 3of whom were 16–18s. Learners complete Essential Introduction courses (7.5 or 9 hours) funded using the Community learning budget. These courses are designed to
  • Staff structure consists of one full-time and 3 part-time Teaching & Learning Managers responsible for line management of tutors and programme management. One full-time and 2 part-time Subject Leaders support quality improvements and a team of 29 tutors deliver our ESOL courses.
  • On our main ESOL programme, Pre-entry courses are 5 hours per week. Other Entry level courses and level 1courses are 7.5 hours a week. Courses are offered at 10 centres across Birmingham on a variety of days and times. Daytime classes are planned to avoid the times that parents would normally be taking children and collecting from school. Provision is mostly concentrated in areas of the city with large settled communities. Courses are planned to offer alternative days/times and suitable progression routes for continuing learners. For Entry Levels, we run a termly model offering 3 entry points for enrolment throughout the academic year; enabling us to accommodate spiky profiles that are common with diverse groups of ESOL learners.
  • We offer ESOL courses from Pre-Entry up to Level 1. Accreditation focuses on developing English speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. ESOL learners are then progressed onto Level 1 Awards and Functional Skills courses in the English programme.
  • In addition to the model above, our ESOL pre-employment programme(400 learners in 16-17) is designed to meet the needs of learners referred by JobCentre Plus and other work programme providers.ESOL for Work courses provide English language tuition together with employability and IT skills for learners who were unemployed and unable to access job opportunities due to their low level language skills.
  • As well as providing English language input at Pre-entry, Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3 levels, the courses focus on those skills that learners need in order to obtain and keep jobs. This includes skills such as time-keeping, punctuality, form-filling, finding out about and applying for jobs. There is a focus on IT skills such as word-processing, using emails to communicate, using the internet to find out about jobs and using the DWP Universal Jobmatch. In one session each week, all learners have access to and work with laptops and/or tablets.
The structure and content of course was initially agreed in meetings with the DWP District Office and curriculum planning was carried out in line with their requirements and preferences.
The provision started on a relatively small scale (12 x 10 week courses in 2015-2016) and has expanded to 20 x 12 week courses in 2016-2017
  • Almost all of our learners were aged 19+ and 83% of learners were female. 35% of students were of Pakistani ethnic heritage, 19% Bangladeshi and 15% Black African (groups below 10% not included). Around 8% have disclosed a disability, difficulty or health problem.To support learners with additional needs, and those working at pre-entry/E1, we liaise closely with the Learner Support team who provide volunteers to offer 1:1 and small group learning support in the classroom.

Changes, development and improvement in the last 12 months

  • Continued focus on development of learners’ digital literacy, employability and study skills in ESOL courses. Next Steps learner surveys demonstrate the impact of this work indicating many positive outcomes (54% of ESOL learners responded to Next Steps Survey) Of the learners who responded:
  • 46% reported an improvement on their study skills.
  • 35% reported improved ICT skills.
  • 40% said the course helped them look for work or get an interview
  • 33% expressed that the course helped write a CV and complete job applications..
  • Retention overall has improved to 96% (3% above service average for accredited courses). All tutors set high expectations for attendance and punctuality at the start of courses. Tutors consistently follow-up unknown or consecutive absences and offer learners support to enable a return to class and to ‘catch-up’ with missed work (84.9% attendance, 0.6% above service average and an increase of 0.6% compared to 15-16).
  • Increased engagement with BAES Outstanding Learner Awards in 16-17: 8 ESOL learners received awards out of 15 nominations. This compares to 4 nominations and 2 awards in 15-16.
  • Continued quality assurance measures to ensure effective delivery of accreditation. Systematic refresher training for experienced tutors, training for new members of staff and standardisation processes with 100% tutor engagement. As a result, learners benefit from assessments sessions skilfully facilitated by tutors that include authentic spoken roleplays that develop learners communicative competence. This has been praised at EQA visits (March 2017)
  • Increase in ESOL Pre-employment provision by 28% from 313 learners in 15-16 to 400 learners in 16-17. (12 x 10 week courses in 2015-2016) and has expanded to 20 x 12 week courses in 2016-2017 A pilot project to follow through destinations started in April 2017 showed 73% of learners progressing onto another ESOL course with BAES, 5% progressing into further learning with other providers.
  • Increased average class size to 14.5 (from 14 in 15-16) to improve efficiency.
  • Gap in achievement between genders reduced by 1.2% (5.5% in 16-17 compared to 6.7% in 15-16).

Key Strengths (Good or Outstanding Features)

Effectiveness of Leadership & Management Grade 3

  • Effective monitoring processes include appropriate and effective interventionsto maintain a high level of retention. This includes management of attendance and punctuality, review of data by tutor/course and timely interventions by tutors and TLMs where attendance issues are detected. As a result 96% of the learners complete their course, ensuring more learners achieve their goals.
  • Curriculum designed to meet needs of learners: learners at risk of not achieving are monitored by TLMs and when necessary, offeredmore time to study at same level.The curriculum also stretches and challenges the stronger learners with enrichment activities where they have to organise and lead events, including guests e.g. a visit from a Member of Parliament.
  • Strong partnership with JCP to support progression into further learning and employment for people with low level of English skills, who are ineligible for the Pre-employment Training programmes led to an increase of 28% on the ESOL for workprovision (from 313 in 15-16 to 400). A pilot project to follow through destinations started in April 2017 showed 73% of learners progressing onto another ESOL course with BAES, 5% progressing into further learning with other providers.
  • Assessment by tutors and IQA for internally assessed qualifications is robust and effective. EQA visit in March 2017 praised the quality of IQA feedback, accuracy of judgements, authenticity of spoken roleplays and how tutors skilfully facilitated assessment sessions.
  • Core schemes of work include equality and diversity themes, and promote British Values. All tutors set ground rules to encourage respect and mutual tolerance in the classroom. Facilitation of discussions by tutors challenge misconceptions about British Values and tutor feedback suggests that students strongly identify with British Values. Promotion and celebration of a range of religious festivals promotes greater tolerance and understanding in diverse groups of learners. However, Prevent and e-safety is not yet embedded into the Schemes of Work or tackled effectively by tutors.
  • Successful pilot of Saturday morning ESOL at Work course at Sparkhill centre to respond to need of people in work who cannot attend weekday daytime classes due to work and/or family commitments. 13 learners completed the course with 100% retention.

Quality of Teaching, Learning & Assessment Grade 3

  • Tutors are skilled at includingtopical issues which promote discussion and reflections; including democracy, eg. legal age requirements in the UK, and issues which contribute to inequality; such as poor health, unemployment, lack of facilities in poor areas etc. These topics are embedded in all Schemes of Work.
  • Specific group targets that identify and monitor skills development are recorded and reviewed appropriately on ILPs, resulting in an overall achievement rate of 95% across all accredited programmes, which is 6% above the Service average.
  • IT skills fully embedded in ESOL Pre-employment courses. Learners benefit from one session a week with access to laptops and focussed on developing IT skills. As a result, learners who were not able to access public services online, or benefit from discounts are now able to carry out these tasks. However – e-safety is not yet effectively embedded in all teaching practice.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Grade 3

  • Learners benefit from activities that promote their employability and study skills, which are embedded on all Schemes of Work.
  • Continued robust approaches to the management of attendance and punctuality allow learners to make links between attendance and achievement and behaviours for work: 84.9% attendance in 16-17(from 84.3% in 15-16) and 96% retention (from 95% in 15-16).
  • Highly positive learner feedback demonstrates that of the 54% of learners completing a Next Steps survey state the course improved their confidence, 46% say it’s improved their enjoyment of life.

57% of respondents in the survey state they are now more involved in their child’s education, 36% have encouraged others to take up learning and 38% have become more involved in their local community as a result of their course, 49% say that they feel more confident with their parenting skills.

  • Tutor course evaluations and Next Steps surveys clearly evidence steps taken by tutors to improve students’ wider skills whilst studying on English courses.
  • Learners benefit from opportunities to practise citizenship roles by electing class representatives and taking part in Learner Forums. ESOL Pre-employment learners participated in termly ESOL-only Learner Forums.
  • Learners take part in organising a wide range of charity fundraising events and trips to local places of interest to help them to build their confidence in using the target language in real life situations and to raise awareness of leisure and educational opportunities outside their immediate communities and experience. Events and trips are recorded by tutors on a padlet page.
  • Classroom activities reflect the knowledge and experience of learners from different cultures and backgrounds, eg. discussion and presentations on the food of their culture and Black History Month celebrations.
  • Overall very high levels of achievement for accredited and non-regulated ESOL, with no significant gaps between the success of learners with and without disabilities or for different ethnic groups.
  • Overall very high levels of achievement for non-regulated ESOL programmes at 96%
  • Overall very high levels of achievement for Speaking & Listening Wards. Significant Improvement in Entry 2 Speaking and Listening award achievement from 86% in 15-16 to 94% to 16-17.
  • Overall very high levels of achievement for Reading & Writing Awards . Significant improvement in Entry 2 Writing award from 77% in 15-16 to 92% in 16-17.
  • Excellent achievement of learners in ESOL L1 Prepare for Functional Skills courses (95%).
  • 100% achievement for 16 – 18s (3 leavers).

What we need to improvein 2017-18

Effectiveness of Leadership & Management

  • Improve tutor and learner access to tablet and PCs to allow them to develop IT skills and, through targeted CPD, promote wider use of apps and online tools to support development of skills (Dictionary.com, English Grammar Test, Type & Speak, Padlet, Kahoot).
  • With an overall achievement of 95% across all ESOL programmes, support to learners who are absent is highly effective. However, the overall attendance rate is 85% and suggests that learners could be further stretched and challenged if their attendance was higher
  • Attendance is not currently reported by gender, ethnicity, level or age. This means that managers are not able to dig deeper into the root causes for low attendance, identify groups that are at risk, and support them more effectively
  • Continue to monitor students at risk of not achieving and offer additional support where required
  • Develop induction process for new tutors to include initial induction meeting with line manager, requirement to complete compulsory in-house Prevent, E&D, H&S and Safeguarding training and to assign a mentor to each new tutor to provide guidance and support with resource preparation and session planning.
  • Introduce more regulated and non-regulated provision where there is demand to respond to local priorities and schedule courses at times that cater for learners who cannot access weekday daytime classes due to work and/or family commitments.
  • Although some lines of communications with tutors are strong, ensuring high tutor engagement and responsiveness: 100% of tutors attend tutor briefings and access curriculum newsletters, only 46% of tutors (14/29) completed online tutor course evaluations in 16-17. Increase completion rate to 100% to identify key issues and to facilitate sharing of good practice and ideas from individual tutors with the wider team.
  • Continue to monitor retention on ESOL Pre-employment courses and systematically intervene where issues are identified to increase retention rate which is still at 88% (7% lower than service average)
  • Although the Pre-employment provision has been successful with an increase in participation of 28%, it is not possible to establish the degree of success in supporting learners with their intended destinations as there is not an effective method to gather this data, as yet.

Quality of Teaching, Learning & Assessment

  • OTLA Reports show that 100% of observed sessions were judged good or better. 17 ESOL tutors (59% of total) were observed in 16-17 However, Autumn term learning walks showed that the quality of learning is inconsistent and the OTLA system did not provide an accurate picture of the quality of Teaching, and its impact on learning.
  • Ensure that tutors consistently use a wider range of drilling methods to improve language accuracy and use strategies to capture & correct unexpected pronunciation errors occurring in session to give learners the opportunity for sufficient practise of new and/or problematic language items.
  • Continue to increase creative use of ILT to enhance learning. Organise Creative IT TTP sessions for tutors who have not yet attended and monitor ILT use closely in OTLA and Learning Walks.
  • Use ILPs more consistently to identify long term personal goals, support learning and evidence progress. Ensure that targets are SMART and are reviewed in a timely manner with learner reflection on how successfully targets have been achieved. ‘Best work’ files should include examples of learner work with medal and mission feedback that identifies what the learner has achieved and identifies what they need to do to improve further. All ILPs to include targets to improve IT, study and employability skill.
  • Take full account of learners personal learning history and long term aspirations to plan learning that stretches and challenges learners in all ESOL courses
  • Although there is systematic sharing of best practice across the curriculum, including use of tutor forums and ‘teach meets’ to consistently share good practice and resources across all of our sites, evidence from Learning Walks show that teaching, learning and assessment is not yet consistently good across the provision.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare

  • More consistent setting of personal targets and group goals to develop wider skills and review progress in ILPs: employability, ICT (for those who need it) and study skills.
  • Increase learner involvement in completion of L06Next Steps Surveys by at least 20%.
  • Tutors do not raise learners’ awareness of e-safety and the dangers of radicalisation and extremism sufficiently. Tutors do not feel sufficiently confident to approach and deal with the topic effectively. E-safety and the dangers of radicalisation and extremism are often discussed at the start of courses but are not subsequently mentioned in naturally occurring opportunities during the course in order to relate the topic to learners’ own lives. Work in partnership with the Counter Terrorism Unit to organise information sessions for Entry 3 and level 1 learners, devise and deliver suitably graded sessions for lower level learners and organise compulsory training session for tutors.
  • Extend embedding of IT skills into main programme ESOL courses. Prioritise Pre-entry courses as learners in these classes have the greatest IT skills needs.
  • Hold regular ESOL-only learner forums in main centres to allow more learnersto havethe opportunity take part in a public meeting environment, use the language they have learnt in a real context and to promote active citizenship. Organise meetings at Brasshouse and Sparkhill in Autumn term and at Brasshouse, Sparkhill and Saltley in Spring and Summer terms.
  • Systematically increase opportunities for all learners to take part in regular enrichment activities to help them to develop social skills and use language studied for natural communication. Hold scheduled enrichment weeks each term in which all ESOL classes take part in enrichment activities e.g. visits to local places of interest, organising charity events and participating in activities with other classes.

Outcomes for Learners