BOROUGH OF POOLE
COMMUNITY OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY GROUP
On March 29th 2011
Report of the Head of Culture and Community Learning
POOLE ADULT LEARNING and BOURNEMOUTH ADULT LEARNING
ANNUAL UPDATE
1.PURPOSE
1.1To provide members with an update on the joint management arrangements, overall service performance and the impact of reductions in Skills Funding Agency grant funding.
2.DECISION REQUIRED
2.1That members note the progress and benefits of the joint management arrangements for adult learning services.
2.2That members note the current service performance.
.
3.BACKGROUND
3.1In January 2009 Borough of Poole Cabinet and Bournemouth Portfolio Holder
agreed the implementation of a Joint Management Team (JMT) arrangement for the
delivery of adult learning services in Bournemouth and Poole. Poole Adult Learning
sits within the Borough of Poole Culture and Community Learning service and Bournemouth Adult Learning within the Children’s Strategic Services unit of Bournemouth Borough Council.
The JMT was formally appointed on June 1st 2010 and employed by the Borough of Poole. Managers have delegated responsibility for the management of staff in Bournemouth Adult Learning. The JMT is accountable to both Borough of Poole and Bournemouth Borough Council Service Unit Heads with responsibility for line management with the Borough of Poole Service Unit Head. The JMT reports on management strategy, the Business Plan and key performance indicators to the Portfolio Holders.
3.2 The main purpose of the joint management team is to develop and deliver the
strategic objectives of the adult learning service and contribute to the strategic and corporate agendas of both Bournemouth and Poole authorities in addition tomonitoring and evaluating the service’s quality and performance.
4. JOINT MANAGEMENT ARRANGMENTS
4.1 Incorporated within the Terms of Reference are the keyobjectives of the JMT including the promotion of consistently high quality in teaching and learning, aligning services to complement and contribute to both service unit business plans and identifying opportunities to create efficiencies through joint working, joint posts and removal of duplication.
4.2The JMT key performance indicators set out in the Terms of Reference were
developed in consideration of the forecast decline in further education funding and SFA steer to do ‘more for less’:
- Improved accessibility and participation
- Improved efficiency, viability and sustainability
- Enhanced curriculum offer
- Improved success rates
4.3Since the commencement of the formal arrangement June 1st 2010 the
majority of work has been focussed on the quality, curriculum, and finance and data functions. Despite grant reductions efficiency and effectiveness has increased through joint working, business re-engineering and the removal of duplication to maintain a diverse curriculum offer.
From June 1st the JMT members identified four areas for immediate focus:
- Establishing a joint performance management and reporting framework
- Aligning, improving and making efficient processes and procedures
- Staff restructuring of Bournemouth Adult Learning
- Progressing the full service merger
Accurate monthly data
The data entry responsibilities and management Information reporting in BAL have been revised to ensure learner attendance and achievements are promptly entered onto the BAL MIS system enabling managers to receive and interrogate underperformance on a monthly basis rather than after the end of the academic year.
Detailed performance reports are now provided for managers in both services at a joint management team meeting where recruitment, retention, attendance, achievement and success rates are compared and best practice is shared.
Teaching and learning
The observation of teaching and learning process has been merged. Joint working has helped standardise the judgements of the observation team as a result of peer observations and a joint moderation process. Increased confidence in the judgements of tutor performance and subsequent action plans contributes to a more rigorous Self Assessment process which is a key indicator for Ofsted. Joint observation work commenced before the implementation of the JMT and has resulted in an increase in the overall percentage of observations graded 2 (Good) or better to 59% exceeding the joint business plan target of 50% by the end of 09/10.
Staff Development
The staff development programme has been jointly developed by the Quality Managers in consultation with tutors and managers and responds to the organisational skills gaps identified through teaching observations, appraisals and peer review and development work with Dorset Adult Learning and the South West Local Authority Adult Learning Group (SWLAAL).
The CPD training programme is now jointly developed or externally sourced and made available to tutors and staff from both services and has enabled us to reduce PAL and BAL staff training budgets by 25%.
Joint Brochure and Curriculum Planning
The annual production of a joint brochure has improved curriculum planning and programming and reducedduplication and inefficiency. Examples include GCSE’s and A levels, RYA Day and Coastal Skipper and ECDL courses which are now offered by one service resulting in reduced course cancellations and fewer fuller classes. Complementary day andevening courses have been scheduled in Teacher Training. In addition the services have rationalised the use of awarding bodies and subscription costs as a result of the above.
Shared Costs
The salary costs of the JMT are shared 56% Bournemouth and 46% Poole in alignment with the population profile. This reduced cost to both services has mitigated the effects of the 25% reduction in the 09/10 BAL Adult Responsive grant and PAL’s 10% reduction. However, the funding cuts to BAL were sufficiently high to trigger afull BAL staffing restructure in April 2010. The new structure realised a saving of 200k+ to the BAL annual salary cost as staff leavers were not replaced and voluntary redundancies were accepted. The capacity gaps caused by leavers were covered by the utilisation of joint posts including a joint Customer Services Manager, joint ICT Facilitator and joint Quality Manager. The overlap of Job Evaluation protection and restructure protection complicated the process and delayed individual staff decisions and the new BAL staff structure was implemented November 15th 2010.
4.4 As a method for developing a joint organisationalculture the JMT worked with
staff and managers to develop a joint Vision, Mission and Values:
Vision - Your choice for outstanding teaching and learning.
Mission - Empowering individuals, communities and businesses through first class training and development.
Values
Creating life chances and opportunities for everyone
Valuing people
Business and community focused
Outstanding customer service
Professional and promoting excellence
5.Service Performance Academic year 2009/10 (August 2009-July 2010)
As a result of grant funding cuts in 2009/10 both services exceeded their Adult Responsive targets and funding values in response to higher levels of demand than funding available. Despite the significant reductions in funding both services maintained a viable budget. However, this has resulted in reductions in learner numbers and numbers of courses between 08/09 and 09/10. Overall learner numbers reduced from 7606 to 6431 (15%) and courses from 1105 courses to 874. (21%). Course venues have subsequently reduced from 120 to 87.
5.1 Learner participation 09/10
LEARNERS / Bournemouth Adult Learning / Poole Adult LearningLEARNERS
enrolments / 3374
5005 / 3057
4472
Female / 2210 (66%) / 2327 (76%)
Male / 1164 (34%) / 730 (29%)
14-16yrs
16-18yrs / 5
144 / 2
94
19-24 yrs / 372 / 288
25-44yrs / 1648 / 1319
45-65 yrs / 1015 / 1050
Over 65 / 190 / 304
LDD / 14.43% / 16.65%
BME / 20.39% / 13.54%
Notes: Male participation in BAL is higher by 434
65yrs+ participation is higher in PAL by 114
A higher percentage of learners in PAL are LDD
A higher percentage of learners in BAL are BME
5.2 Learner Success
OVERALL PERFORMANCE(all funding + non funded) / Bournemouth Adult Learning / Poole Adult Learning
Overall Success Rate / 78.50% / 86.72%
Of which
Retention rate / 87.55% / 93.97%
Achievement rate / 89.66% / 94.68%
Success Rates – equality group
LDD / 82.14% / 80.77%
BME
16-18yrs / 69.79%
73.78% / 78.41%
82.07%
Notes: Overall Success, Retention and Achievement Rates are higher in PAL
LDD Success rates are higher in BAL
BME and 16-18yrs success rates are significantly higher in PAL
5.3 Success rate performance by grant funding stream
Success rates by funding stream / PAL2009-10 / BAL
2009-
10 / 2010-11 / Targets
2011-12 / 2012 -13
Adult Responsiveness
Adult & Community Learning
Employer Responsive / (AR) / 77.57%
94.03%
86.57%
na / 73.76%
86.48%
72.17%
100% / 86%
97%
80%
85% / 90%
98%
85%
87% / 95%
99%
90%
90%
(ACL)
ER TtG
ER Apprentices
Notes: BAL ER Train to gain success rates have increased from 36% in 08/09 to 72.17% in 09/10
Apprenticeship completers refer to 4 learners
5.4. Three Year Success Rates
Over the past three years the SFA have changed the priorities and narrowed the range, shape and mix of provision within each grant funding stream to support more employability skills and higher volumes of literacy, numeracy and full level 2 and level 3 qualifications. In 2009/10 the AR grant was primarily funding Skills for Life and full level 2 and three qualifications compared with a much broader range of qualifications and units of qualifications in 2007/08. Despite improved performance year on year in the limited range of AR courses the overall success rate has demonstrated a downward trend on average 6%. This has been reported across other adult learning providers in the sector including Dorset Adult Learning.
2009/10 outcomes report a significant improvement in the success of BAL’s work-based learners on ER programmes. Train to Gain and Apprenticeships in Health & Social Care, Business Administration and Customer Service have improved success rates from 36% in 08/09 to 86% in 09/10.
The greatest qualitative benefit of joint working has been realised through the joint curriculum and quality management which has positively impacted on work-based learning and the performance management of tutors.
Three year success rate trend
Three year success rates / AR(BAL) / AR
(PAL) / ACL
(BAL) / ACL
(PAL) / ER
(BAL) / ER
(PAL)
2007/08 / 62% / 81% / 93% / 97% / 50% / 50%
2008/09 / 81% / 84% / 94% / 96% / 36% / 79%
2009/10 / 74% / 78% / 87% / 94% / 86% / 87%
5.5 Ofsted conducted a ‘Numeracy Survey Visit in Poole Adult Learning in November 2010. The Lead Inspector scrutinised the data, observed classes and interviewed tutors, learners and managers over a two day period. The overall outcome was Good with particular reference to Numeracy Success rates, good curriculum management and teaching and learning. (Appendix A)
6. Future challenges
6.1 Grant reductions
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills announced at the 2010 Spending Review that it will reduce its further education* resource budget by 25% from 4.3 billion to £3.2billion by 2014-15.
In 2011/12the funding base rate for 450 guided learning hours (1xSLN) will reduce by a further 4.3% resulting in equivalent volumes of learners and course hours attracting 4.3% less grant funding.
The additional weighting (Provider factor) for Skills for Life provision will also reduce by approximately 10% resulting in volumes of learners and guided learning hours attracting 10% less funding. In 2009/10 Skills for Life provision equated to 42% of the Adult Responsive grant provision which will result in between 11-13% less funding for equivalent provision as a result of the above.
6.2Minimum Contract Levels
In addition to the forecast reduction in the further education budget the funding agency will implement Minimum Contract Levels from August 2011. The minimum contract threshold was published in the Skills Strategy in November at £500k and are planned to incrementally increase over the next 4 years after a review of the impact on colleges and providers. The SFA has advised small providers to position themselves in readiness for subcontracting. Providers with sub contracts are subject to a top slice of up to 15% of the grant allocation to fund the MIS and quality monitoring functions of the primary contractor.
6.3Reduction of the central support service feed
It was agreed by the BoP SUH and Portfolio Holder that PAL should become more self-sustaining and reduce its dependency on the contribution of the BoP £132k central support service feed. The service will contribute 44k in year 1, 88k in year 2 building to 100% in year 3.
6.4 The cumulative impact of the funding cuts and the removal of the central support services budget feedrequire an urgent reduction to the cost of the current operating business model. The implementation of Minimum Contract Levelshave provideda key driver for the need to merge and eliminate inefficient duplication of costs.
6.5Progression to full service merger
See separate report on Merger of Poole and Bournemouth Adult Learning Services March 29th 2011, Communities Overview and Scrutiny Group
Appendix A - Poole Adult Learning Ofsted Numeracy Survey
Kevin McErlane, Head of Culture and Community Learning
Contact Officer:Lesley Spain, Principal Learning Manager
Telephone No:01202 262301
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