BOROUGH OF POOLE
COMMUNITIES OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
On 18th November 2008
Report of the Head of Culture and Community Learning
POOLE ADULT LEARNING OFSTED INSPECTION
1.PURPOSE
1.1To inform Members of the outcome of the inspection of Poole Adult Learning (PAL) carried out by Ofsted in June 2008. A full copy of the Report is available in the Member’s Rooms.
2.DECISION REQUIRED
2.1 That Members note the outcome of the Inspection of Poole Adult Learning by
Ofsted.
2.2 That Members note the Service Post Inspection Action Plan.
3.BACKGROUND
3.1PAL was subject to inspection by Ofsted in June 2008 after the merger of the Adult Learning Inspectorate and Ofsted in March 2007.Ofsted inspections are carried out in accordance with the Common Inspection Framework using a four point grading scale to summarise judgments about achievement and standards, the quality of provision, and leadership and management, which includes a grade for equality of opportunity.
In addition to reporting on the overall effectiveness of the Organisation, its capacity to improve further, achievement and standards, quality of provision and leadership and management, this inspection focused on specialist provision in:
- Preparation for Life and Work
- Modern Foreign Languages
- Health & Social Care (Train to Gain only)
- Business Administration and Law (Train to Gain only)
The scoring system is: Grade 1 = outstanding, Grade 2 = good, Grade 3 = satisfactory, Grade 4 = inadequate
3.2PAL previously achieved a successful outcome from the Adult Learning
Inspection in May 2005. The outcome of the 2005 Inspection validated that the Service had successfully implemented the Improvement Plan and that significant improvement has taken place throughout.Details of the 2005 Inspection were reported to the Community Support and Education Scrutiny Committee on 21st September 2005.
3.3PAL did not receive any formal ‘Monitoring Visit’ as specified in Inspection Cycle 2 from the Adult Learning Inspectorate or Ofsted during the 3 years between inspections.
Over the past year a number of other adult and community learning providers have reported a change in rigour of inspection assessment since the Ofsted merger resulting in a lowering of grades awarded for previously Grade 2 ‘Good’ performance.
3.4The Services’ new Train to Gain Provision was selected for inspection by Ofsted during the 2008 visit. This is a small area of delivery for the Service and at the time of inspection there were a total of 54 learners on programme, 40 in health and social care, one in information technology and 13 in business, administration and law. The Provision had experienced performance issues with its management and assessment team in the first 9 months which have now been addressed.
4.GRADING PROFILE 2005 inspection 2008 Inspection
Leadership & Management area
Leadership and Management23
Effectiveness of provision-3
Capacity to Improve-3
Achievement and standards-3
Quality of provision23
Equality of opportunity22
Subject areas
Preparation for life and work2 3
Modern foreign languages33
Health & social care (Train to Gain only)-4
Business administration and law (Train to Gain)-4
Not inspected in 08
Information & communications technology 2- Hospitality, sport, leisure & travel 2 -
Hairdressing & beauty therapy3-
Visual & performing arts & media 3-
Family learning2-
5.STRENGTHS AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
5.1Overall Judgement – Grade 3
(Effectiveness of provision – Grade 3, Capacity to Improve – Grade 3, Leadership & management – Grade 3)
Strengths
- Strong strategic management and direction in adult and community learning
- Very good partnerships to widen participation
- Good support for learners with disabilities and/or learning difficulties
- Good support for tutors
Key areas for improvement
- Insufficient planning of learning
- Insufficient timely use of management data to monitor retention and success rates
- Weak management of Train to Gain programme
- Inaccurate monitoring of teaching and learning
5.2Preparation for Life and Work - Grade 3
Strengths
- Good success rates at level 1 and 2 in Literacy and Numeracy
- Good tutorial support for learners
- Very effective response to community and employer needs
- Good support for tutors
Areas for improvement
- Poor success rates at Entry level in ESOL and Numeracy
- Poor accommodation for some learning sessions
- Insufficient focus on real-life contexts in the planning of learning
5.3Modern foreign languages - Grade 3
Strengths
- Good use of resources
- Good enrichment activities
Areas for improvement
- Insufficient feedback on learning
- Insufficiently effective observation of teaching and learning
5.4Healthand social care (Train to Gain) – Grade4
Strengths
- Good development of skills and knowledge for some learners
Areas for improvement
- Poor success rates
- Poor planning and recording of learning
- Inadequate initial assessment
- Poor programme management
- Insufficient promotion of equality of opportunity
5.5Businessadministration and law (Train to Gain) – Grade4
Strengths
- Good success rates in business administration
Areas for improvement
- Poor success rates in customer service
- Insufficient development in skills and knowledge
- Inadequate initial assessment and planning of learning
- Poor programme management
- Insufficient development of learners’ understanding of equality and diversity
5.6Extracts from the ‘Overall judgement’ section of Ofsted report
- The overall effectiveness of the Provision is satisfactory.
- Achievement and standards are satisfactory overall.
- The quality of provision is satisfactory for adult and community learning, but is inadequate for Train to Gain provision.
- Leadership and management are satisfactory and equality of opportunity is good for adult and community learning, but are inadequate for Train to Gain
6POST-INSPECTION ACTION PLAN
6.1The Service has produced a Post-inspection Action Plan to address the key
areas for improvement identified and further build on strengths. The Plan is monitored monthly with formal progress updates recorded.
The Plan addresses in detail every point raised by Ofsted in the Inspection. As the action plan is 21 pages in length the Full Report is not provided here but a reference copy is available in the Member’s Rooms and can be supplied on request. The Service identified the following fundamental key areas as having the most significant impact on the outcome of inspection:
- To improve the ‘Observation of Teaching and Learning Process’.
The Service has engaged support from a consultant (Ofsted Inspector) and revised the ‘Observation of Learning and Teaching Policy’ and Practice to drive up the standard of recording and planning ‘Learning’.
- To improve the Success Rates for Further Education (FE) Programmes.
At the time of inspection the Validated Data used by Ofsted applied to Academic Year 2006/07. FE data reported FE Success Rates at 68%. Data is now available for 07/08 which reports a significant increase in FE Success Rate 81% which exceeds the national benchmark by 4 percentage points.
- To improve the Train to Gain programme management and success rates of learners
At the time of inspection Train to Gain Success rates were reported at 54%. This rate is currently reported at 62% with a further increase forecast by the end of the academic year.
- To improve the promotion of Equality of Opportunity to work-based learning learners.
4 out of 7 workplace Assessors have completed refresher Equality and Diversity Training and new Assessors receive training as part of their induction.
Background Papers
Poole Adult Learning Ofsted inspection 6th June 2008
Poole Adult Learning Post Inspection Improvement Plan
The background papers are available in the Members Room and can be supplied to Members on request.
Kevin McErlane, Head of Culture and Community Learning
Contact Officer:Lesley Spain, Adult Learning Manager
Telephone No:01202 262301
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