Further Education and Skills inspection report

Date published: 10 July 2014

Inspection Number: 429244
URN: 52544

Isle of Wight Adult Community
Learning
Local authority

Summary of key findings for learners
Tutors are supportive, and have high expectations of their learners.
Learners gain useful skills, improve their self-confidence and gain their qualifications.
Learning sessions for parents are consistently good and enable them to have confidence in their
English and mathematics skills.
The service has developed a highly effective programme of community learning projects that are
purposeful and productive for older learners, learners with learning difficulties and those
recovering from drug misuse.
The service has developed good collaborative partnerships especially with schools.
Very effective, well planned and implemented strategies are in place to improve adults
historically low English and mathematics achievement on the island.
The efforts to improve the quality of learning sessions have been successful.

Not all tutors set effective learning goals and targets.
There is currently insufficient management capacity to sustain further improvements.







Inspection dates 36 June 2014
Overall effectiveness
This inspection: Good2
Previous inspection: Requires improvement3
Outcomes for learners Good2
Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good2
Effectiveness of leadership and management Good2
This provider is good because:
This is not yet an outstanding provider because:
Inspection report: Isle of Wight Adult Community Learning, 36 June 2014 2 of 10

Full report

What does the provider need to do to improve further?
Improve the quality of learning sessions further by:
improving the quality of planning for learning, in particular in setting learners better goals and
small steps to motivate them and to enable the service to measure accurately learners
achievement of non-accredited outcomes.
Improve further the management of provision by:
increasing the quality of accurately-graded observations that show how much and what
learners learn, to provide a robust profile of teaching, learning and assessment
ensuring attendance and punctuality are good in all subject areas
filling the current management vacancies in data management and in one subject area.

Inspection judgements
Outcomes for learners
Good
Learners who are taking information and communication technology (ICT) courses, the majority
of which lead to qualifications, achieve particularly well and better than at other similar
providers. They develop good skills using industry-standard software.
Functional skills learners, representing a small minority of the total, achieved poorly in 2012/13,
with success rates well below those of other providers. However, this provision has improved
significantly in the current year; progress is now rapid and the majority of learners have already
achieved.
Learners on family learning courses achieve particularly well. A high proportion of these
learners who are taking a qualification are successful. Those who are taking courses that are
not externally accredited achieve challenging individual learning goals that are skilfully written
to help and encourage them. All family learning learners develop useful skills and resources to
help them to work with their children in a positive and productive way.
Learners who are following courses that do not lead to qualifications develop good, useful skills
that they are able to use outside the classroom. For example, learners on an enamelled
jewellery course completed professional-looking bracelets and necklaces. However, not all
tutors record progress towards these non-accredited achievements effectively and the data held
by the service on success rates for non-accredited provision are not reliable.
Attendance and punctuality require improvement in many sessions. The service is aware of this,
although appropriate actions have not yet been implemented.
The service routinely and effectively monitors the levels of achievement of different groups of
learners. Since the previous inspection, the service has successfully worked to close any
achievement gaps.
Learners improve their confidence and self-esteem through the courses that they take, raising
their aspirations. For example, in family learning a high proportion of learners progress to
higher-level qualifications or to employment , for example as teaching assistants.
Learners on the small number of commissioned courses that are aimed at specific groups
achieve particularly well and develop good skills. For example, a course for older learners on
working with horses has been very effective in developing these skills, but has also provided a
number of other personal benefits for learners through their interaction with the horses and
with other learners. Learners involved in a project to write a book about the local area have
learnt a range of new skills about writing, but they have also enjoyed the programme and have
benefited from the social interaction.
Inspection report: Isle of Wight Adult Community Learning, 36 June 2014 3 of 10


The quality of teaching, learning and assessment
Good
Teaching, learning and assessment are good on community learning programmes, as reflected
in the good success rates for learners. Achievements in non-accredited family and community
learning are good and learners develop useful skills. A high proportion of learners in accredited
courses gain their qualification.
Tutors have high expectations of learners. The well-qualified and experienced tutors understand
the barriers to learning that learners face and give good care and support to help overcome
these. In one functional skills class, for example, the tutor encouraged a learner who had just
passed an external examination to describe how much progress she had made since joining the
class, which acted as a powerful motivation for recent, less confident learners.
In the vast majority of lessons, tutors plan well to meet the needs of individual learners. In
family learning, for example, learners engage in many practical and interesting activities which
give parents and carers good insights into how children learn. The many functional skills
learners preparing to take external assessments in the near future benefit from helpful
examination tips and final revision. In the less successful lessons, theory is not well linked to
real life applications. For example, in a mathematics class about area and perimeter, learners did
not have the opportunity to use their learning in practical activities.
The service uses community-based projects very well to capture interest and promote learning.
In one project, learners, supported by a tutor with authorship experience, have drawn on their
experiences to produce published work on the pleasure and hazards of drug taking. In an
animal-based project for older learners, learning objectives are set for each learner which are
carefully monitored using written and photographic evidence to support achievement. These
projects also have wider benefits, such as improving self-confidence and reducing social
isolation.
Learning resources in family learning are good and are used very effectively to capture the
interest of learners. However, in functional skills, although resources for learning are satisfactory
overall, tutors make insufficient use of information technology resources to support existing e-
learning initiatives for independent learning. Where information and learning technology
resources are available, they are used very effectively to assess and track progress, promote
discussion and support individual learning.
Tutors on family learning courses skilfully assess the starting points of learners and identify clear
individualised learning objectives. Progress towards these is monitored and recorded accurately,
motivating learners. However, on the very small number of functional skills courses, tutors do
not assess learners starting points clearly enough and their learning objectives are not clear. A
small minority of learners in English and mathematics have no written learning objectives,
limiting their aspirations. Learners who have access to the online resources in English and
mathematics benefit from the online assessment and tracking facilities that lead to more
accurate measurement of their progress.
In family learning classes, tutors embed English and mathematics very effectively into their
lessons. In one session, which focused on how children learn through play, parents, carers and
their children developed skills of counting, measurement and estimation while learning to make
playdough, before practising writing skills as they recorded the activity in personal notebooks.
Tutors use questioning well during lessons to check learning and help learners improve. Written
feedback in the less successful functional skills classes is too general and does not clearly
identify areas for improvement.
Information, advice and guidance are good. All new learners receive clear information about
courses and possible progression routes. Guidance on the next steps which learners can take is
built successfully into programmes. Tutors have good links with the National Careers Service and
refer learners for more specific advice when required.
Inspection report: Isle of Wight Adult Community Learning, 36 June 2014 4 of 10

Students benefit from an approach to learning which welcomes and responds to all learners
needs. An atmosphere of mutual respect encourages all students to participate well and tutors
plan lessons to meet the needs of different groups of students. However, the promotion of
diversity through classroom activities is underdeveloped, although in one English lesson diversity
was celebrated when the development of speaking and listening skills focused on the experience
of a learners visit to relatives in India.

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good
Leaders and managers, supported by the council, share a strong commitment to providing a
service that contributes to tackling a history and legacy of low aspiration on the island as well as
supporting older learners who have few alternative learning opportunities. They are
implementing a targeted and sensible learning strategy, using resources well, to improve the
English and mathematics skills of adults. They link very well with schools and have reduced the
number of providers they commission to those that can best deliver the courses planned by the
service.
The service plans carefully to ensure that provision is located in a variety of settings in the
community, offering a good mix of courses that lead to a qualification or courses for learners
who prefer not to take a qualification. The courses provide a generally good learning experience
for those wanting to improve their knowledge and skills, those who maybe at risk of isolation, or
who have barriers to furthering their employment. However, although leaders and managers
have made improvements in teaching, learning and assessment, no outstanding teaching was
seen and too many current gaps in management and management practice are evident to
ensure that the improvement is sustainable over time.
The courses that leaders have established are highly responsive and link well with other
educational services provided on the island, in particular the family learning courses run in
schools. Most learners who successfully complete these courses progress onto functional skills
courses and most attain English and mathematics qualifications. This makes a positive difference
to the learners, who in turn engender an idea of the importance of English and mathematics in
their children. Evaluations of the impact of these courses indicate improved behaviour of
children whose parents increase their skills as a result of attending these classes.
Strategies to improve digital awareness and provide courses leading to qualifications in
information technology are very effective. Former learners become digital champions and
provide voluntary services on behalf of the council. They successfully play an active role in
generating peoples interest in learning about technology. Leaders target community learning
courses astutely, for example at older learners at risk of becoming isolated, learners with
learning difficulties and disabilities and those recovering from drugs misuse. Some valuable and
purposeful learning projects result in strong products such as books that provide useful insights
into the community.
Leaders and managers at all levels are resolving the areas for improvement identified at the
previous inspection. For example, they have established improved measures to monitor and
improve the commissioned subcontracted provision. Teaching, learning and assessment are
improving, as is the achievement of learners following courses that lead to a qualification in
English and mathematics. The recent improvements to the quality of teaching observations
enables managers to identify pertinent areas for improvement more clearly, leading to a good
programme of professional development for tutors. However, a greater number of observations
is needed to reliably assure quality overall. Target setting for learners and monitoring of
progress, although improved, are variable in quality, which makes achievement data on a
number of non-accredited courses unreliable.
Leaders and managers have been suitably self-critical and evaluative in the most recent self-
assessment report. They have improved the ways they assess the service, underlining their
desire to focus on quality improvement and sustainable improvement. Quality improvement
planning now provides far clearer, measurable, targets. Managers use data well to evaluate the
Inspection report: Isle of Wight Adult Community Learning, 36 June 2014 5 of 10

impact of provision and include a range of useful key performance indicators. Further progress
on data management is, however, required, as managers do not have a clear picture at their
fingertips on headline data such as progression, attendance and punctuality. Leaders recognise
this and a lead officer for data management is soon to be appointed.
The service is highly responsive to all parts of the community. Classes are friendly and
welcoming and conducted in an atmosphere of respect. Tutors in a few sessions employ a
variety of strategies so that topical issues or cultural understanding for learners is developed
and integrated seamlessly in the learning. However, too few examples of this good practice are
evident.
The organisation has all the necessary statutory safeguarding arrangements that would apply to
protecting young people and ensures a duty of care for their adult learners. This includes, for
example, referral procedures and links to a range of specialist agencies.

Inspection report: Isle of Wight Adult Community Learning, 36 June 2014 6 of 10

Record of Main Findings (RMF)
Isle of Wight Adult Community Learning
Inspection grades
are based on a
providers
performance:

1: Outstanding
2: Good
3: Requires
improvement
4: Inadequate

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Overall
effectiveness
2 - - - - 2 - - 2
Outcomes for
learners
2 - - - - 2 - - 2
The quality of
teaching, learning
and assessment
2 - - - - 2 - - 2
The effectiveness of
leadership and
management
2 - - - - 2 - - 2


Subject areas graded for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment Grade

Community learning
2













Inspection report: Isle of Wight Adult Community Learning, 36 June 2014 7 of 10

Provider details
Type of provider Local authority
Age range of learners 19+
Approximate number of
all learners over the previous
full contract year
Full time: Nil
Part-time: 1653

Principal/CEO Mr D Burbage
Date of previous inspection December 2012
Website address www.iwcommunitylearning.ac.uk
Provider information at the time of the inspection
Main course or learning
programme level
Level 1 or
below
Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
and above
Total number of learners
(excluding apprenticeships)
16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+
- 78 - 41 - - - -
Number of apprentices by
Apprenticeship level and age
Intermediate Advanced Higher
16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+
- - - - - -
Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total
- - -
Number of learners aged 14-16
Full-time N/A
Part-time N/A
Number of community learners 200
Number of employability learners N/A
Funding received from Skills Funding Agency (SFA)
At the time of the inspection the
provider contracts with the
following main subcontractors:
Bodster Equine Assisted Learning Centre
InspirED
Spectrum Housing Association
Beachy Books
The New Carnival Company







Inspection report: Isle of Wight Adult Community Learning, 36 June 2014 8 of 10

Contextual information
The Isle of Wight has a population of around 140,000 people, 83,000 of whom are of working age.
Just over 60% of the working age population holds an intermediate level qualification or above,
compared with around 73% for the South of England. The island has a significantly smaller
proportion of young people aged 20 to 29 than Hampshire and England as a whole, and a higher
proportion of residents of pensionable age. There are some areas of affluence, but also areas of
urban deprivation alongside communities showing rural isolation and low aspiration levels. The
service draws a significant number of learners from areas of high deprivation. Around 9% of the
learners are from minority ethnic backgrounds, compared with 5% in the local population.
Attainments in local secondary schools rose by 5% in 2013 when 50% of 16-year-olds achieved
five or more A* to C GCSE grades including English and mathematics.
Information about this inspection
Lead inspector Ian Handscombe
One of Her Majestys Inspectors (HMI) and three additional inspectors, assisted by the
Commissioning Manager for ACL as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice.
Inspectors took account of the providers most recent self-assessment report and development
plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on learners achievements
over the last three years to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual
interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and
employers; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions,
assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the
provider. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the
provision and graded the sector subject areas listed in the report above.

Inspection report: Isle of Wight Adult Community Learning, 36 June 2014 9 of 10



What inspection judgements mean
Grade Judgement
Grade 1 Outstanding
Grade 2 Good
Grade 3 Requires improvement
Grade 4 Inadequate
Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Handbook for the inspection of further
education and skills 2012, Part 2:

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/handbook-for-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills-
september-2012
Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the
guidance Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsteds website:
www.ofsted.gov.uk If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123
4234, or email [email protected].




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To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk
Employer View is a new website where employers can tell Ofsted what
they think about their employees college or provider. They can also see
what other employers think about them too.

To find out more go to www.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk
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