Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Directors for People and Place Management & Regeneration.

          The report explains the work of the Stockport Continuing Education Service which is the Council’s adult education and training service and is funded by the Skills Funding Agency. Part of the Place Directorate, the Service provides education and training for adults aged 19+ through a mixture of directly delivering courses and sub-contracting partners to deliver courses. In the last full academic year, the Service had around £1.2 million of funding and provided 3,320 learning aims to 1,931 learners through 290 courses. 95% of the Service’s learners are Stockport residents.

          The report also provides details on the outcome of the Ofsted inspection of the Service, carried out in May 2016, along with the actions taken in response to the inspection report and progress to date with those actions.  It further provides information about the new strategic framework that has been produced for the Service following the Inspection; and give summary performance information for the Service for the 15/16 academic year.

          The Scrutiny Committee are invited to consider and comment on the report.

          Officer Contact: Richard Mortimer on Tel: 474 3864 or email: richard.mortimer@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update in respect to the work of the Stockport Continuing Education Service as well as information relating to an Ofsted inspection of the Services which was carried out in May 2016.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Service was the Council’s Adult Education and Training Service and was funded by the Skills Funding Agency. The Service provides education and training for adults aged 19 plus through a variety of directly delivered courses and sub-contracting partners to deliver courses.

·         In the last academic year, the Service had around £1.2 million of funding which enabled the provision of 3,320 learning aims to 1,931 learners via 290 courses.

·         The Service had been subject to a full Ofsted inspection in May 2016 and was rated as ‘requires improvement’ across all aspects. Areas of note included the need to strengthen the existing governance arrangements. The Inspectors found that there was insufficient data provided to the relevant portfolio holders that covered the services and consequently this did not allow for robust challenge.

·         In addition, there was a need to improve the capture of destination data for learners after they have left the service.

·         Councillors welcomed the actions undertaken to address the concerns raised which included the establishment of an Improvement Board chaired by the Executive Councillor (Education) with a wider membership including the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration, the Head of Learning & Employment and the Head of Participation and Education Services.

·         In addition to the Improvement Board, a strategic framework has also been developed which informs the formulation of the annual Continuing Education Service aims, objectives, targets and action plans.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.