Birmingham Adult Education Service judged 'good' by Ofsted
Birmingham Adult Education Service has been judged as providing a ‘good’ overall service, according to its latest Ofsted report – an improvement on the previous inspection.
The report also found it to be ‘good’ in the five key areas of inspection: leadership and management; teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare; outcomes for learners; adult learning programmes.
The previous inspection judged that the service’s overall effectiveness ‘required improvement’.
The report found that ‘based on a high return, more than four out of five learners on adult learning courses move on to a positive destination, and that a high proportion of learners complete their qualification’. It also said that ‘most learners are making at least the progress expected towards achieving their personal, social and qualification goals’.
Some of the report’s key findings are that:
- Teachers are highly skilled. They plan learning activities that keep learners of different abilities challenged
- Teaching and learning English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) is highly effective
- Learners from areas of high deprivation and cultural diversity develop a good range of essential work-related skills that help improve life chances
- Most learners benefit from highly effective careers advice and guidance
- An advisory board has strengthened governance arrangements, providing highly effective support, challenge and scrutiny
Councillor Jayne Francis, cabinet member for education, skills and culture, said: “This is great news for all our adult learners across Birmingham and it is testament to the hard work of all involved to ensure the BAES provides a good service.
“I know there are still some improvements to be made but we are heading in the right direction and it is particularly pleasing to see that every single area of inspection is now judged to be good. This is really something to be proud of.”
