Signpost - The Extended Schools Newsletter

Click here to download Issue 13 - Spring 2013.

FAMILY LEARNING OFSTED INSPECTION 2010

The Aspire Centre at Southfields was recently involved in the successful Ofsted inspection of Wandsworth Coucnil's Adult and Family Learning which took place in April 2010.

The inspection covered the four largest subject areas offered: sport and leisure; art, media and publishing; literacy, numeracy and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and the family learning programme.

A team of six inspectors sat in on classes to observe teaching and learning in action, met with tutors, managers from Southfields, South Thames College and Putney School of Art & Design and Wandsworth Ciuncil's lifelong learning team to discuss their views and concerns.

The report highlighted the "high standard of sccomodation" and "good" sports facilities at Southfields and identified "high staff morale and positive atmosphere" in the Aspire Centre.

Family Learning was graded as "Outstanding" and the majority of the provision inspected was deliverede by the Aspire Centre. The FL inspector formally observed lessons both at the Aspire Centre and at Aspire@ venues where we deliver courses - currently Chesterton Primary School in Battersea and Fazl mosque in Southfields on behalf of St. Michael's Primary School. 5 Aspire tutors were observed formally - all were graded 2 (good) and 2 of which were graded 2 with elements of 1 (oustanding).

The Aspire Centre currently delivers Family ESO:L and Family numeracy courses in the Aspire@ venues for parents. The Ofsted report stated that in these sessions "teaching and learning are good ... exciting learning activities are planned well and used well ... for example to engage learners through interactive games based on characters from children's books. The report also stated that outcomes for learners were "outstanding" and that "learners gain excellent knowledge of the school curriculum (and) develop and apply new language skills to support their children's learning."

Our Parent and Child Rock Climbing course was also observed and health & safety during that session was identified as a strength. The report highlighted that "learners feel secure in centres and safe working practices are promoted... at the beginning of a rock climbing session, (tutor) explained the purpose of health questionnaires and risk assessments very clearly and parental responsibility was emphasised."

The other main strengths identified in the report were:

1. Outstanding partnership working - strong and productive relationships developed
2. Outstanding strategic direction of the overall service (Wandsworth) - highly successful programmes are developed to meet the broad rangew of needs
3. Outstanding value for money
4. Arrangements for safeguarding good
5. High attendance rates and high standard of learners' work
6. Good retnetion and success rates
7. Good teaching & learning - rigorous lesson observation procedures
8. Good learner support and guidance
9. Good promotion of equality and diversity
10. Well established Quality Assurance procedures

The outcomes for the four curriculum areas inspected were: