Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills

The Committee considered a report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills regarding Staffordshire Community Learning Service Annual Self-Assessment for 2020/21 (schedule 1 to the signed minutes).

The Service provided a range of formal and informal education and training opportunities to meet the needs of learners (aged 19 years and over), the economy and wider community across Staffordshire. Their work was funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) through direct grant totalling £1,622,044 during 2020/21.

Learning programmes were delivered by both the Direct Delivery Unit and 23 Partner organisations who targeted and prioritised vulnerable adults with barriers to learning. The four main strands of delivery during the year were:- (i) Community Learning Framework 2019-2023; (ii) Community Learning Trust Responsiveness Fund; (iii) Wider Family Learning Grants and; (iv) Adult Skills, with courses being provided through a combination of classroom based, online and hybrid/blended learning owing to the national Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in place. 

During the year participation on Digital Skills, Employability and Adult Skills courses had been low owing to difficulties in reaching low-skilled residents, without the means of classroom-based learning. However, a new range of courses had been delivered including:- (i) English to Speakers of Other Languages Progression for Work; (ii) English and Mathematics (Maths); (iii) Personal Development; (iv) Animal Care; (v) Video Calling; (vi) Getting Started with Blogging; (vii) Confidence with Social Media; (viii) Word Processing; (ix) Digital Cloud; (x) Web Design; (xi) Office Skills and; (xii) Essential Digital Skills qualifications.

The Service’s Annual Self-Assessment was based on service-wide data and other evidence including: (i) learner feedback; (ii) information on learner destinations; (iii) course documentation and; (iv) quality monitoring reports. The process involved benchmarking against an internal Quality and Performance Framework together with Ofsted’s Education and Inspection Framework (2019) which defined the criteria for high quality provision and continual improvement and monitoring.

Their most recent Ofsted inspection had been undertaken in 2017, following which they had been rated as ‘Good’ according to the four-point scale. The 2020/21 Self-Assessment had concluded that the Service remained ‘Good’ with the Behaviour and Attitudes component being rated as ‘Outstanding’. In addition, performance against Key Performance Indicators set out in the Quality and Performance Framework was also encouraging with only Attendance (89.7%) falling below target (90%) owing to the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the full and wide-ranging discussion which ensued Members gave detailed scrutiny to the work of the Service and results of the annual Self-Assessment, asking questions, seeking clarification and raising issues of concern as necessary, including:- (i) further opportunities for joint working with universities and colleges to improve skills required by employers, in particular, large private sector businesses operating in the County eg HS2 etc; (ii) engagement undertaken with small businesses to learn of their requirements in respect of suitable candidates for vacant posts; (iii) the efforts being made to increase participation in courses following easing of Covid-19 restrictions eg ‘comms’ messaging, and (iv) the different media channels and provision of learning venues etc.

In conclusion, Members said they were satisfied with the performance of the Service during the year as highlighted by the 2020/21 Annual Self-Assessment and welcomed the additional investment which had been made to expand the curriculum. However, whilst they were disappointed to hear of the fall in participation rates during the Pandemic, they looked forward to seeing an increase in the numbers of residents coming forward for training in the 2021/22 Assessment. In addition, they requested the Cabinet Member look at what further measures could be adopted to encourage further education by those who had undertaken Community Learning courses.

RESOLVED – (a) That the report be received and noted.

(b) That the ‘Good’ performance of the Community Learning Service during 2020/21 be welcomed.

(c) That efforts continue to be made to increase participation rates in Community Learning during 2021/22.

(d) That additional measures be adopted to promote further education by those who had undertaken Community Learning courses, as necessary.