Agenda item

The Select Committee considered a report which provided an overview of the impacts arising from the 2016 restructure of the Council’s adult education service.

On 10 February 2016 the Council’s Executive endorsed the reorganisation of the adult education service, known as Bromley Adult Education College (BAEC).  The reorganisation encompassed a refocusing of the curriculum offer to increase the level of resource used to support vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, a reduction in staffing levels across the service, and withdrawal from the Widmore Centre in Bromley.  The Widmore Centre had operated as the main administrative centre for the Service since September 1998.  The Kentwood Centre became the new administrative centre for the Service with effect from August 2016.  The Governing body of BAEC was dissolved at the end of the 2015/16 academic year and a new body, known as the Community Learning Advisory Consortium (CLAC) was formed.  CLAC was chaired by the Portfolio Holder for Education, Children & Families and had representation from various sections of the local community, other teams with the Education Care and Health Services (ECHS) Department and the BAEC student body.

Whilst the restructure reduced the volume of courses open to public enrolment, BAEC continued to retain a reasonably wide range of provision within its mainstream offer for members of the public.  Up to the end of April 2017, a total of 462 courses had taken place.  The accredited provision on offer retained a strong focus on English and maths, including GCSE and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).  Managers continued to work in partnership with Job Centre Plus to offer specific training and qualifications for unemployed adults, including Universal Job Match, CV writing and interview skills.

Work was underway to address areas for improvement identified during the Ofsted inspection in February 2017.  This formed the key process of a post inspection action plan.  Ofsted had concluded that the reorganisation of the Service had been well managed and successful with regard to bringing about a closer integration of the work of adult education with that of the Council.  Many of the areas for improvement identified by Ofsted in February 2017 had been highlighted by the Service as part of its own self-assessment process and actions to address the issues built into a quality improvement plan. 

The Committee noted that the restructure had clearly helped to focus the work of BAEC, ensuring it was well placed to help the Council meet its stated aim of focusing support on the Borough’s more vulnerable residents and enabling a more joined up approach with that of other Council Services.

In response to a question, the Head of Service for Early Years, Schools Standards and Adult Education reported that a number of pressures on the Service had appeared in the Autumn Term following the relocation of key staff and functions.  It had taken time for staff to adjust to the different ways of working and much of the Autumn Term had been taken up with getting used to the adjustments.  However, there was now a buzz around the Kentwood Centre as more space had been opened up for community use.  In addition to this, the Poverest Centre was now busier and students had reported that they were happy with the wider range of courses available.  Positive feedback had also been received in relation to the evening classes that were being run.  Whilst there were still pressure points around staffing, managers were becoming increasingly familiar with the increased expectations from Ofsted.

Referring to tabled 4.5 in the report, average daily room usage 2016/17, the Chairman queried whether there were any plans in place to provide more accommodation at Poverest.  In response, the Head of Service for Early Years, Schools Standards and Adult Education confirmed that the huts on the site remained unusable and whilst the former nursery had been converted into teaching space there were no alternative plans for increasing the levels of accommodation.

A Member noted that it was pleasing that positive feedback from students had been received and suggested that it may be helpful to update the report to reflect that positive feedback.

In response to a question concerning funding, the Head of Service for Early Years, School Standards and Adult Education confirmed that levels of funding had not changed for 2017/18 and this meant that it should be possible to provide the same level of courses as in 2016/17.  The Committee was also informed that there was a retention and achievement element to the funding.  This meant that if students dropped out of courses the funding received would be adjusted.  Since the Ofsted inspection the Service had been monitoring levels of drop off more closely and it was agreed that this data would be given to members of the Committee at the end of the academic year.

A Co-opted Member noted that paragraph 3.7 of the report referred to criticism from Ofsted in relation to the slow progress being made by leaders and managers in improving the achievement rates in some of the accredited provision, in particular ESOL courses.  In response the Head of Service for Early Years, School Standards and Adult Education reported that the Service was looking at techniques that could be employed to better prepare students for their qualifications.

The Chairman requested that a further update be provided to the Committee when more detail was known around the proposals for a possible move to sharing backroom operations and a move towards a merged hub based structure under the Government’s plans for the devolution of funding in the London region.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted and a further update be provided to the Committee when more detail was known around the proposals for a possible move to sharing backroom operations and a move towards a merged hub based structure.