Learning community inspection
Follow-through
A report by HM Inspectorate of Education
Inspection of the learning community
surrounding
Beeslack Community High School
Midlothian Council
28 June 2011
We published a report on the learning community surrounding Beeslack
Community High School in April 2010. That report set out key strengths of the
learning community and areas for improvement.
This follow-through report is based on an inspection visit which was carried out in
April 2011. It tells you about improvement since the original inspection in the
quality of learning opportunities provided. It also comments on how providers are
getting on with the main points for action. We describe how learners are doing
and how good the learning community is at helping them to learn. We comment
on how well staff, learners and groups work together and the difference they are
making in the learning community. Finally, we focus on how well the learning
community is led and how leaders help the learning community achieve its aims.
If you would like to learn more about our original inspection of the learning
community, please visit www.hmie.gov.uk. You will also find a report on the
secondary school.
Contents
1.
The learning community
2.
Particular strengths of the learning community
3.
How well do participants learn and achieve?
4.
How well are communities developing and achieving?
5.
How effective are providers in improving the quality of services?
6.
Does the learning community have a clear sense of direction?
7.
What happens next?
1. The learning community
The learning community of Beeslack Community High School, Midlothian includes
the town of Penicuik and the surrounding villages of Auchendinny, Roslin and
Bilston.
2. Particular strengths of the learning community
•
Well targeted community-based adult learning provision.
•
Some examples of innovative community capacity building.
3. How well do participants learn and achieve?
Community learning and development (CLD) service staff and their partners
continue to deliver good quality services to adults and community groups. A few
young people successfully achieve accredited programmes and national award
programmes such as the Millennium Volunteer Award. Some young people in the
skiing group gain teaching qualifications and are moving on to volunteering,
employment and further learning. However, many programmes for young people
are still largely recreational and are insufficiently focused on outcomes. As yet
there is no system in place to record and analyse the impacts of learning on
participants.
Young people
There are new opportunities for young people to learn and achieve. Young
people in the Penicuik Youth Forum, Skate Rats, New Vintage and Midlothian
Youth Platform (MYP) gain in confidence and learn new skills. A few participants
now progress to employment and further education. The Kids in Care Krew
(KICK) provides effective support for young people in care. However, there is still
no clear shared vision for youth work in the area. CLD service staff and their
partners do not yet effectively target their resources to disadvantaged or excluded
groups. There is a need for a clear plan based on local and authority wide
priorities to ensure a consistent provision for young people.
Adults
Adult learners continue to achieve well through a very effective range of learning
opportunities. These meet the needs of adults living in the area. There is further
scope to develop the quality of these adult learning opportunities through the
co-ordination of the adult learning programmes available in the Penicuik area.
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4. How well are communities developing and achieving?
There are effective opportunities for communities to learn and achieve. There are
some encouraging signs that community groups in Penicuik are now working
together more effectively. The First Responders group now has a new service in
the village of Roslin. Young people participating in swimming at Beeslack are
moving on to volunteering, employment and further learning. The Skate Rats
group is helping to develop new facilities in the community and successfully
encourages the increased use of the skate park. Glencorse Community
Association has successfully secured funding for their local community hall.
5. How effective are providers in improving the quality of services?
There is still only limited progress in terms of improving the quality of services.
Beeslack Youth Opportunities Partnership is making effective progress in
mapping opportunities for young people. MYP effectively gather participant
feedback to influence services for young people. Some CLD service staff use a
range of methods to gauge learner feedback. However, this is inconsistent and
not yet linked to planning. Self-evaluation is not yet understood or embedded
across the learning community. CLD service staff are not yet working towards an
agreed plan based on local and authority priorities. There is limited work with
partners to improve services and a lack of effective targeting of priority groups in
youth work. There is an urgent need to improve support and appraisal for workers
and part-time staff in the CLD service.
6. Does the learning community have a clear sense of direction?
There is no clear structure in place across the learning community for planning,
self-evaluation or improvement. CLD service staff and their partners are not yet
working effectively to deliver services, particularly for young people. There is not
yet a clear and shared vision for prioritising key developments such as Curriculum
for Excellence. There is considerable scope to improve strategic planning,
support and accountability for staff.
7. What happens next?
There are some initial and encouraging improvements in work with young people
and community organisations. However, there are still significant improvements
required and CLD service staff and their partners do not yet have an effective
understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement. We will therefore
revisit the learning community to check on progress within one year of the
publication of this report. We will then publish a report on the extent of the
improvements that have been achieved.
HM Inspector: Sheila Brown
28 June 2011
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If you would like to find out more about our inspections or get an electronic copy
of this report, please go to www.hmie.gov.uk.
Please contact us if you want to know how to get the report in a different format,
for example, in a translation, or if you wish to comment about any aspect of our
inspections. You can contact us at HMIEenquiries@hmie.gsi.gov.uk or write to us
at BMCT, HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business
Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.
Text phone users can contact us on 01506 600 236. This is a service for deaf
users. Please do not use this number for voice calls as the line will not connect
you to a member of staff.
You can find our complaints procedure on our website www.hmie.gov.uk or
alternatively you can contact our Complaints Manager, at the address above or by
telephoning 01506 600259.
Crown Copyright 2011
HM Inspectorate of Education