Inspection of the learning community
Inspection of the learning community surrounding
Boroughmuir High School
The City of Edinburgh Council
2 December 2008
Contents
1.
About the report
2.
The learning community
3.
Particular strengths of the learning community
4.
Examples of good practice
5.
How well do participants learn and achieve?
6.
How well does CLD help the community to develop?
7.
How effective are providers in improving the quality of services?
8.
Do CLD providers have a clear sense of direction?
9.
What happens next?
1. About the report
This report tells you about community learning and development (CLD) activities
in the communities surrounding Boroughmuir High School. It complements a
separate report on the school. We explain how well people involved in community
learning activities do in a wide range of experiences, and the quality of learning
activities on offer to them. We describe how communities can influence decision
making and how they can respond positively to their own issues. We also talk
about how organisations work together and how they improve lives in local
communities. Finally, our report looks at the vision for the area, and how well all
organisations and the community are working together to achieve it.
2. The learning community
The learning community around Boroughmuir High School includes the
Bruntsfield, Morningside, Viewforth and Buckstone neighbourhoods. The
inspection area is part of the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership. This is
one of three Partnerships covered by the South Edinburgh CLD Team.
The number of jobless people is 8.6% below the Scottish average and 4.8%
below the rest of Edinburgh City. The area is not a priority area for CLD service
resources. At the time of inspection the CLD service was subject to an
organisational review. As a result of a long term vacancy there was no dedicated
youth worker in post.
3. Particular strengths of the learning community
•
Commitment of operational staff.
•
Highly motivated sessional staff.
•
Effective partnerships with local churches.
•
Effective adult learning provision.
•
Effective management information system for adult learning.
1
4. Examples of good practice
•
Outlook Adult Learning project.
•
CA(I)RE project (a community based project supporting adult carers).
By visiting www.hmie.gov.uk you can find out more about these examples of good
practice.
5. How well do participants learn and achieve?
The authority maintains a comprehensive database for recording detailed
information on adult learners. This includes levels of participation and postcode
tracking. The adult learning team plan was informed by the data gathered. Adult
learning complaints were analysed and inform improvement planning. Clear
targets for improvement are set within the adult learning city-wide plan.
Authority-wide targets for participation in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award had
been exceeded over the past two years. The 3M’s club (a drop in youth project
for secondary-age young people) had retained and increased the numbers of
young people participating. However, there are no improvement plans in place for
youth work or community capacity building (CCB). Reporting is quantitative rather
than qualitative. Numbers of mainstream adult learners are down reportedly due
to a recent increase in fees.
Young people
Young people have access to a limited range of youth work programmes and
activities. The relationship between young people and youth workers is very
positive. Many young people are taking responsibility as volunteer leaders within
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and other local provision. They are often staying
on as leaders. Fifty young people from the catchment area are participating in the
Scout leadership programme. Buckstone young people are gaining Dynamic
Youth Awards. Participants in the 3M’s club feel safe and secure and have
become more confident and better at listening to others. The Young People’s
Kool Club (YPKC) participants (transition support project) were gaining confidence
and were progressing to mainstream youth provision. As a result of effective
1-1 support from 3M’s worker a young person gained good exam results and is
progressing to college. The Warrender Open All Hours programme (weekend
evening diversionary activity programme) is successfully engaging young people
in physical activity and away from anti-social behaviour. However, much of the
provision is recreational and activity-based and lacks challenge. More
opportunities could be taken to develop issue-based work despite issues such as
under age drinking in the community. Opportunities to increase participation in
decision making needs to be developed. Youth workers are not clear about what
other providers are offering and how they might work together. Use of accredited
awards is too limited.
2
Adults
The impact on adult learners is very good. All adult learners felt that they had
gained new knowledge, developed skills and had increased confidence and
self-motivation to learn. Some adult learners were able to say that their new
found skills and confidence had helped them in their life at work, home and
socially. Through participation in the advisory group and student forum members
of the Outlook project (project for adults with mental health issues) actively
influenced the programme. Staff had developed support systems and specific
learning projects to ensure those learners with additional support needs were
included and able to participate in the learning activities on offer. Most of the
adult learning programmes are designed to ensure that the needs and interests of
learners are met. However, consideration should be given to ensuring that
information is gathered to identify new areas for development. Adults in the
higher classes at Boroughmuir High School need to be given the opportunity to
reflect on their learning and the difference it has made to them.
6. How well does CLD help the community to develop?
CCB in the area is delivered principally by the voluntary sector. Groups such as
the Eric Liddell Centre (a social enterprise company delivering local community
services) and the CA(I)RE project deliver good quality services in response to
identified need. There is effective provision for those at risk of isolation such as
older people. Volunteers are valued by local organisations. Local churches are
active partners in the 3M’s youth project. Lothian Association of Youth Clubs
(LAYC) give good support to voluntary youth clubs around child protection training
and in processing Disclosure Scotland (part V of the Police Act 1997)
applications. However, the area is not a priority area for CLD service resources.
The CLD service should clarify its role in supporting local groups. It should
provide leadership in the development of joint working and increased local
practitioner networking to build local capacity. Community councils would benefit
from improved access to local resources and support to better engage in
neighbourhood planning as identified in the Draft South Central Neighbourhood
Plan.
7. How effective are providers in improving the quality of services?
People taking part in adult literacy and English for speakers of other languages
(ESOL) classes are regularly asked for their views on how things have gone. A
range of creative methods are used by adult learning staff to gather this
information including blogs, focus groups and DVDs. Findings are used to
improve future adult learning provision. A range of improvement plans are in
place for different elements of adult learning. The authority has developed a
comprehensive self-evaluation toolkit for practitioners. YPKC uses a
questionnaire to measure progress made by young people. The 3M’s youth
project regularly evaluates its work with young people. It uses a range of effective
methods to communicate its message to young people, parents and funders.
However, as a result of a major organisational review the South Edinburgh CLD
3
plan has not been updated for over two years. There is a need to develop a more
consistent approach to team and individual planning with clear outcomes based
on identified need. The service would benefit from adopting a more evaluative
rather than descriptive approach to evaluation. There is scope to improve the
range and methods for reporting progress to stakeholders.
8. Do CLD providers have a clear sense of direction?
At a local level, providers worked well together. CLD operational staff were held
in high regard. Effective partnership agreements operated between adult learning
and local colleges and the Workers Education Association (WEA). Voluntary
youth groups were well supported by LAYC. However, there was no agreed
vision locally for youth work or CCB. Future funding of local youth work provision
remains uncertain. Opportunities existed for youth work partners to better share
practice and develop joint working.
9. What happens next?
There are some important changes needed, but because CLD providers have a
good understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement, and
communities are achieving well, we have ended the inspection process at this
stage. The District Inspector and CLD Link Inspector will monitor progress
against the improvement areas identified through their regular contacts with the
education authority.
We have agreed the following areas for improvement with the education authority
and its partners.
•
Develop more accredited and issue-based youth work.
•
Address sustainability of youth work provision in the area.
•
Improve leadership and clarity of direction for youth work and capacity
building in the area.
•
Develop more consistent approaches to planning of CLD work.
•
Develop more consistent and systematic approaches to self-evaluation and
needs assessment.
Quality indicators help CLD providers and inspectors to judge what is good and
what needs to be improved in the work of the school. You can find these quality
indicators in the HMIE publication “How good is our community learning and
development? 2”
4
The report uses the following word scale to make clear judgements made by
inspectors.
Excellent
Very good
Good
Satisfactory
Weak
Unsatisfactory
Outstanding, sector leading
Major strengths
Important strengths with some areas for improvement
Strengths just outweigh weaknesses
Important weaknesses
Major weaknesses
HMIE checks five important quality indicators to keep track of how well all Scottish
CLD provision is doing. Here are the results for the learning community
surrounding Boroughmuir High School.
Improvements in performance
Impact on young people
Impact on adults
Impact of capacity building on communities
Improving services
Managing Inspector: Stewart Maxwell
2 December 2008
5
good
good
very good
satisfactory
satisfactory
How can you contact us?
HMIE has responsibilities to evaluate the quality of pre-school education, all
schools, teacher education, community learning and development, colleges and
local authorities. We also publish reports of interest to the public and
professionals about services for children and evaluate child protection services.
From this extensive evidence we are able to give the professional advice needed
to support the development of educational policy.
For more information about the work of HMIE, including examples of good
practice and links to Journey to Excellence, please visit our website at
www.hmie.gov.uk.
To find out more about inspections go to www.hmie.gov.uk. Please contact the
Business Management and Communications Team if you require any of our
information available in translated or other appropriate versions.
If you wish to comment about any of our inspections, contact us at
HMIEenquiries@hmie.gsi.gov.uk or alternatively you should write to Business
Management and Communications Team, HM Inspectorate of Education,
Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston
EH54 6GA.
Our complaints procedure is available from Rona Littleproud, HM Inspectorate of
Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way,
Livingston EH54 6GA or phone 01506 600258 or from our website at
www.hmie.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the action we have taken at the end of our complaints
procedure, you can raise a complaint with the Scottish Public Services
Ombudsman (SPSO). The SPSO is fully independent and has powers to
investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You should
write to the SPSO, Freepost EH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR. You can also
telephone 0800 377 7330, fax 0800 377 7331 or email ask@spso.org.uk. More
information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website
www.spso.org.uk.
Want to join us?
In addition to HMI, inspection teams often include people who are not HMI but are
involved directly in education. They are called Associate Assessors and most
work in community learning and development. Most inspection teams also
include a member of the public called a Lay Member. More information about
how you can become an Associate Assessor or Lay Member is available at
www.hmie.gov.uk.
Crown Copyright 2008
HM Inspectorate of Education
6