Adult learning in literacy, numeracy and ESOL in the Jobcentre Plus context should be underpinned by:

• the national standards for literacy, numeracy and ESOL
• the core curricula for literacy, numeracy and ESOL, with a curriculum framework for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities
• a common screening tool
• a common approach to initial assessment
• diagnostic assessment
• appropriate learning materials.

 

What an Adult Learner Can Expect

An adult learner at Jobcentre Plus who is receiving tuition in literacy, numeracy and ESOL should expect:

• good advice on how to improve their skills
• a report resulting from their diagnostic assessment
• an individual learning plan
• a programme of learning relating to the national standards and matching their aims and aspirations
• full involvement in planning and reviewing their learning
• feedback and support on their progress
• flexible forms of learning which suit their needs and preferences
• a range of opportunities to acquire non-externally accredited achievements as a springboard to nationally recognised qualifications
• expert and impartial advice on progression routes to other education, training or employment opportunities.

What a Learning Organisation for Customers on Jobcentre Plus Programmes Should Provide

All providers of literacy, numeracy and ESOL in the Jobcentre Plus context must:

• prepare and undertake an annual self-assessment that informs their plans to address weaknesses and secure continuous improvement
• monitor, recognise and record all learner progress through non-externally accredited achievement as well as through national qualifications
• raise the level of competence of all teachers of literacy, numeracy and ESOL by offering opportunities for continuing professional development and access to programmes of training that lead to nationally recognised qualifications.

The Skills for Life Strategy Unit is committed to ensuring that all learners seeking to improve their skills have access to high-quality materials and support in literacy, numeracy and ESOL irrespective of past experience, skills level or learning context.

HELP FOR PROVIDERS PREPARING FOR SELF-ASSESSMENT AND INSPECTION

How to Prepare for Self-assessment and Inspection

Providers preparing for inspection should be in the process of reviewing their performance, identifying their strengths and weaknesses and examining whether they are responding effectively to customers’ and local labour market needs. Inspection itself is a fundamental part of this quality improvement process. Its function is to:

• give an independent, public account of the quality of education and training, the standards achieved and the efficiency with which resources are managed
• help bring about improvement by identifying strengths and weaknesses and highlighting good and poor practice
• keep the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, the LSC and Jobcentre Plus informed about the quality and standards of education and training.

The inspection process, from self-assessment to the inspection itself, will:

• assess the quality and rigour of the self-assessment process
• include visits to sites where learning takes place, including visits to work placements, employers’ premises, libraries or other places that customers visit
• observe teaching sessions, induction, recruitment and initial assessment interviews advice and guidance sessions, careers interviews and progress review meetings
• observe customers in their place of work, on work placement or out on a visit
• interview customers, trainers and other relevant staff, employers, IAG workers and staff in other organisations who support customers, for example interpreters, personal advisors, counsellors, benefits advisors, youth offending workers and so on
• take into account the views of previous customers, ex-employers and other relevant people in focus groups, and in formal or informal meetings
• examine documents, records and data, including customer portfolios and files, individual learning plans, course files containing schemes of work and lesson plans, internal and external verifier reports, staff records and case studies
• examine teaching and learning materials.

A detailed inspection toolkit is available from the ALI. It is sent to providers when they are notified of inspection, and is also accessible in Excalibur on the ALI website at: www.ali.gov.uk/excalibur/htm/about_toolkit.htm

The ALI also organises Preparing for Inspection events. These one-day events are designed to help providers prepare for inspection and make the most of the inspection toolkit. At these events, providers have the chance to talk to inspectors and former nominees to get a true picture of the inspection process. See www.ali.gov.uk/excalibur/htm/Preparing.htm

The self-assessment process needs to:

• involve all those who contribute to the customer’s programme, including employers, advice workers, personal advisers, trainers and support workers
• involve the customers themselves in assessing the quality and effectiveness of provision, for example through the use of focus groups and questionnaires
• schedule in time for preparation and planning and for collecting and sifting the evidence
• set up arrangements for agreeing the key evidence to use, for example customer recruitment data, or retention and achievement outcomes
• focus on strengths and areas for improvement
• recognise the progress that has been made
• be willing to be self-critical
• use the five questions in the Common Inspection Framework as a basis for self-assessment
• make judgements and use the following grades: outstanding, good, satisfactory, inadequate
• be verified to ensure that it is accurate, consistent and reliable
• result in an action plan that delivers improvement
• be a continuing year-round activity.

The self-assessment report should summarise the findings of your self-assessment process on a yearly basis and include:

• an introduction which includes the context of the provider and a description of the main components of the self-assessment process
• information on local labour market and why the provider is engaged in the training activity
• a report on leadership and management, identifying strengths and weaknesses, evidence, performance trends and an overall grade for leadership and management, with contributory grades for equality of opportunity and quality assurance. The key judgements will relate to the improvement strategies set out in the provider’s three-year development plan
• a report on each area of learning
• a quality improvement plan that sustains the strengths and addresses the key areas for improvement
• an evaluation of the teaching and learning
• an evaluation of customers’ achievements.

How to Monitor and Record Progress

To monitor and record the customer progress effectively, all customers should have an individual learning plan tailored to their needs. Customers must be fully involved in completing this plan: they should understand and agree the goals and targets set. The discussion should be conducted by qualified and experienced staff. It may be helpful at this stage to use interpreters for some bilingual customers. Make sure staff check and update the learning or training plan regularly – a four-week review cycle is a good schedule for most providers.

During progress reviews, customers are assessed and there needs to be constructive discussions as to how they might improve their progress. Targets are reviewed and updated. Any personal concerns are also discussed and realistic strategies developed to resolve these.

Targets must not only cover the development of literacy, numeracy and language (ESOL) skills. They must also include personal and occupational skills. Remember too that targets should be SMART – customers must know exactly what they have to do, how they can demonstrate they have done it and by when. Make targets realistic but sufficiently stretching.

Attendance and punctuality on the part of all customers should be monitored weekly. This helps to identify potential problems at an early stage.

Monitoring can be carried out at the level of the individual customer. This helps managers make decisions about any additional customers they need to recruit in order to maintain the planned-for number of customers on their programmes.

A good management information system is essential, as this will provide data and statistics to monitor and evaluate customer, programme and project performance.

Programme performance can be monitored against financial expenditure to ensure value for money. Weekly reports can be used to set targets for staff. customers’ achievements and attendance can be monitored weekly. This enables action to be taken immediately if any customers are failing to attend or making slow progress.

How to Help Ensure Effective Staff Development

Providers need to develop a staff team with a range of expertise, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of their customers. Members of staff at all levels and stages of their employment should be encouraged and supported in their continuing professional development.

Training needs should be identified at appraisal and linked to a staff development programme to deal with personal and organisational needs and the needs of customers.

All literacy, numeracy and language tutors will need to have up-to-date teaching qualifications and subject expertise at Level 4, or to be working towards these.

They also need to take up opportunities for the LSC Skills for Life Quality Initiative Professional Development Programme, which includes training in the core curriculum and diagnostic assessment. Make sure staff are fully aware of the new qualification, and that their previous educational experience is taken into account. Information on these and other programmes in the LSC Skills for Life Quality Initiative can be obtained from the LSC’s dedicated website at: www.lsc.gov.uk/sflqi

Vocational and occupational tutors need to have sufficient basic skills and language awareness to be able to identify customers with needs in this area. They will need support to adapt their teaching methods and resources to enable customers with such needs to participate fully and acquire skills during their learning programmes. The Basic Skills Agency runs a three-day course for this purpose. Other training is available to providers through their local LSC Skills for Life Quality Initiative Professional Development Centres. Front-line workers such as advice workers, tutors and reception staff should be encouraged to complete Unit 1 of the new Level 2 qualification in Adult Learner Support.

All staff need to develop their skills to work in teams and share good practice. This can be done through team meetings and in-house staff development days.

Systems also need to be in place to appraise the performance of staff. This will identify their strengths, identify areas for development and provide support to enable them to improve their performance.

Good use of classroom observations can also be particularly effective to support and develop staff.

Some providers observe tutors every three months and give them detailed feedback, including the identification of areas for development. This feedback includes comments on planning, effectiveness, the teaching environment, professionalism and the monitoring of customers’ progress and achievements. In addition to these formal observations, frequent, unannounced informal visits to the classroom help to check on tutors’ performance and to monitor any previously identified action points.