2C: How is success in teaching, training and learning recognised?

Lessons are well planned with clear objectives linked to their individual learning plans and matching the needs of learners. Family learning tutors and schoolteachers ensure the learning needs of parents and children are recognised. Tutors continually check learning and adjust teaching methods to meet and challenge learners’ needs effectively.

There is effective joint planning of family literacy and numeracy courses by school staff and basic skills tutors. Teaching styles are adapted to suit the needs and characteristics of the groups. Learners are enthusiastic and well motivated. There is good interaction between the learners, who support each other well. Individual learning goals are set at appropriate levels and are matched with the literacy and numeracy core curricula.

Tutors use an appropriate variety of teaching methods to retain learners’ interest and keep both parents and children focused on learning, while also making learning enjoyable. All staff show sensitivity to learners’ social and practical needs and are able to respond appropriately to individual learners’ needs. For example, one tutor successfully used pairwork to encourage new learners to talk to each other about children’s books, before asking them to contribute to discussions in a large group.

There is good teaching and learning, with 84 per cent of observations rated good or better. Tutors make good use of learners’ prior knowledge and experience. Constant reference is made to how activities from the learning sessions can be applied to the learners’ homes and to their children, so that learning becomes fun and a part of everyday activities. Learners are enthusiastic and well motivated. There is very effective interaction between the learners and tutors, who use a good range of appropriate teaching techniques and learning activities. These are well planned with clear aims and objectives, which are explained to the learners at the start of each session.'

The teaching is stimulating. Sessions are well planned with a variety of engaging activities. Lesson plans are referenced to group learning outcomes. Learners can practise their new skills and knowledge during the sessions. In better sessions, tutors use questioning techniques to encourage learners to think and reflect. Learners are also encouraged to find out what their children do at school and how they can support them. Homework is built into the course and seeing the parents or carers do their homework encourages children to follow suit. Some home tasks involve sharing a book or reading with the children.

Most learners come from hard-to-reach or disadvantaged groups and teaching and learning strategies take full account of this. Teaching is informal and unthreatening and often takes place in familiar community settings. Teaching methods are generally varied and stimulating and ensure that the learning needs of all learners are met.

Learners are aware of the aims of their programmes and participate with enthusiasm. There is good use of experiential learning and active learner involvement in all sessions.

In the good learning sessions, tutors articulate aims well, give clear instructions and maintain good variety and pace within the class. Good use is made of the learners’ experience. Learners are well supported to extend their knowledge and vocabulary. Tutors show good knowledge of their subject area.

The step-by-step teaching and coaching, the good use of the electronic whiteboard and projector during the demonstration and the questioning of learners’ understanding, facilitated learning and individual progress.

Good facilitation skills encourage learners to share their experience of learning and consider the relevance of their own learning style when supporting their child. There were examples of learners negotiating the content of the course in Keeping Up With the Children Numeracy. Learners are able to articulate the learning that has taken place and to demonstrate how the learning has been applied at home.

There is good initial assessment and recording of progress. BSA initial assessment is used on the long literacy and numeracy courses. A range of assessment methods is used on other courses, including the use of free writing, crosswords, number puzzles, quizzes and observations that are recorded. Many courses use self-assessment against the skills and knowledge to be covered. This is completed at the beginning and end of the course. Some courses use learner diaries. Group goals are monitored on short courses and individual learning plans on longer courses. A tracking document is used for groups and in some cases for individuals. Tutors use other appropriate ways of recording progress.

Learners’ abilities are identified using a range of initial assessment procedures. These include formal written assessments, self-assessment and informal questioning. All learners have individual learning goals, negotiated at the beginning of their programmes. Progress reviews during each session focus on the outcomes of work carried out by parents and their children at home. However, they do not fully record the adults’ own literacy and numeracy learning.

Tutors use individual learners’ plans to monitor progress and encourage learners to consider the impact the work has on their confidence.

Some form of assessment takes place in all courses ranging from formal initial assessment on longer courses for literacy and numeracy to more informal methods on shorter courses and workshops.

Most learners on family literacy and numeracy programmes have an informal initial assessment of their basic skills during the first weeks of the course. In most cases, the results of the assessment are recorded against the adult core curriculum for literacy or numeracy.

Learners […] are confident about self-assessing their own progress and can articulate clearly the “distance travelled” since starting on their family learning courses.

Learning resources for adults and children are good. Tutors have developed excellent course materials with clear language and graphics. Some course materials have been professionally published and marketed. Clear handouts and prompt cards are used in practical activities to supplement verbal instructions. The resources for children are at the appropriate level and include toys, puppets and a range of books. An integral part of many of the programmes is for learners to make children’s resources. The work produced is of an extremely high standard. Parents gain accreditation for planning and designing play sacks and the schools get the benefit of having them for the classroom. There is a marked impact of such good-quality resources on the motivation and involvement of the adult learners and in the obvious enjoyment of the children. Tutors also use a wide range of real resources, such as seeds and plants in a family numeracy activity.

The learning materials are well prepared. In the better classes, tutors use appropriate materials and resources, which reflect the diverse language backgrounds of learners.

Very good learning resources are used effectively to support learning. All the family learning resources are good and have been developed to ensure a consistent approach, yet remain adaptable to suit the needs of the different groups. The resource base in one of the schools includes schemes of work, lesson plans, aims and objectives for each session, handouts, materials needed and learners’ assessments and evaluations. Each tutor is provided with all of the paperwork in a course file and on CD format. The resource base is also used for the provision of family learning activities and for staff development sessions. Tutors have intranet access.

Very good learning materials are used in all learning sessions. Course handouts produced by the family and parent learning team draw out teaching points effectively. Good use is made of clear layout, graphics and plain English. Learners find that papers explaining attainment targets for children at Key Stage 1 are especially useful. These are useful for parents who are working with their children to improve literacy and numeracy.

Resources are good in family learning. The service uses a bank of high-quality toys to promote play with children and to develop parents’ skills as they record and evaluate the toys.

View the inspection report for Nottinghamshire County Council Adult and Community Learning Service

Strategies to widen participation of learners from under-represented groups are very good in family learning. Good working relationships have been established with headteachers and youth and community organisations. Partners work in areas with low attainment levels in schools, high levels of socio-economic disadvantage or a high level of people with low levels of English language skills. Staff are well managed and supported in family learning. This is strategically planned through the local authority’s planning process.

View the inspection report for Oldham LEA

Teaching is good and courses are planned well to meet learners’ individual needs. Tutors have good relationships with parents and children and learners enjoy the courses. Much of the teaching is stimulating and challenging. Lessons include a good range of practical activities.

View the inspection report for Oxfordshire LEA

Family learning tutors plan and prepare courses well. They share comprehensive schemes of work, lesson plans, handouts and other resources very effectively with other tutors. They fully involve parents in devising learning outcomes for all sessions.

View the inspection report for Sheffield LEA

Teaching is very good in access and family learning courses. There is good support for progression.

View the inspection report for Wolverhampton Adult Education Service

There is good teaching and learning on family programmes, with 67 per cent sessions observed graded as good or better. There were no unsatisfactory sessions. Most teaching sessions were well prepared and included a variety of activities to involve parents. Good use is made of practical sessions to hook parents into first step learning. Learners enjoy sessions and are challenged by them.

View the inspection report for Newcastle upon Tyne LEA

Family learning programmes work collaboratively and establish effective partnerships with a wide range of organisations. These activities support capacity building with local communities and encourage wider participation by families, many of whom have had poor experiences of education in the past.

View the inspection report for Medway LEA

In family learning courses, teaching and learning are good. 95 per cent of sessions are satisfactory or better and 69 per cent are good or better. Sessions are well planned including joint planning between schoolteachers and adult tutors. There is good differentiation and learner support in some sessions. Materials have been developed to support Skills for Life in family learning. These have been compiled into a resource bank for each tutor. There are good opportunities for progression within and beyond family learning.

View the inspection report for Lincolnshire LEA

Standards of teaching and learning are good in family learning. Very effective planning is carried out by learning support assistants, school teachers and college tutors. Learning activities relate well to children’s lives and focus well to ensure that the learners’ language and numeracy skills develop as they work on their children’s development needs. Tutors work well to ensure that the learners’ language and numeracy skills develop as they work on activities with their children. Teaching sessions are lively and productive. Learners are very well motivated and they develop learning materials and activities with their children.

View the inspection report for Isle of Wight LEA

Initial assessments are used creatively and take account of the needs of the target group. Good use is made self assessment. Most learners have short-term and long-term goals to help them recognise the progress they are making.

View the reinspection report for Cumbria Adult Education Service