Committee : EDUCATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND LIFELONG LEARNING SELECT COMMITTEE

The Adult Learning Plan is one of the LEA’s statutory plans superseding and replacing the Lifelong Learning Development Plan. As a statutory plan its adoption by the Full Council is necessary.

From 1 April 2001 the Funding for adult learning moved from the LEA to the Local Learning and Skills Council. An Adult Learning Plan for the period 200/2002 was submitted to the DFEE in December 2000 and is currently being implemented by the LEA and monitored by the Local Learning and Skills Council.

A further Adult Learning Plan for the period 2002/3 is required to be submitted to the Learning and Skills Council by 28^th March 2002. Funding at the current level is guaranteed by the Learning and Skills Council for this period prior to the introduction of formula funding from 2003/4. The key elements of the plan are :

The Local Education Authority (LEA) of the Isle of Wight Council is required under the Learning and Skills Act 2000 to secure Adult and Community Learning provision on the Isle of Wight in agreement with the Local Learning and Skills Council. The LEA encompaces the Education and Community Development Directorate which has it’s headquarters in Newport. Responsibility for Adult and Community Learning lies jointly between the Assistant Director of Educational Effectiveness and Lifelong Learning and the Assistant Director of Community Development. They are assisted by a Lifelong Learning Officer. The Isle of Wight Council do not provide learning directly and thus have no other staff involved in the management of Adult and Community Learning.

The LEA has contracted over the past year for the core provision with two learning providers, the Isle of Wight College Adult Education Division and the East Cowes Family Learning Centre. The College provides the leisure programme (old non schedule 2) and the Family Learning Centre provides primarily literacy and numeracy and personal development programmes. The College programme is provided at the main College campus and in community locations across the Island whilst the Family Learning Programme is provided through local schools.

In addition to the core provision additional project based programmes aimed at widening participation, social inclusion and community regeneration are provided through contracts with the WEA, Isle of Wight College Learning Support Unit and Platform One.

It is proposed to continue with this range of provision in the academic year 2002/3.

To achieve this aim it has developed seven corporate objectives two of which specifically relate to education and development.

· C.2 To raise standards of achievement, encourage learning and promote opportunities for all.

To support the Council in achieving these objectives the Education and Community Development Directorate has published a Strategic Plan for the period 2000-2003 detailing it’s purpose, beliefs and values and setting out it’s key strategic objectives as shown below.

· To secure the highest quality educational, learning and cultural opportunities throughout life for the whole population of the Isle of Wight.

· Every individual in the community should have the opportunity to achieve the very highest that their potential will allow.

· Education, learning and culture should enable the development and strengthening of the community as well as the individual.

· Education, learning and cultural opportunities should be available and accessible to every member of the community.

· Services should be relevant and provided in as effective, efficient and economic a manner as possible.

The sixty objectives in the Strategic Plan are linked to one of the four strategic themes of :-

To support the achievement of these strategic objectives the Adult Learning Plan for 2001-2002 has been published stating it’s three primary objectives :

· To secure effective and practical partnership between providers, the community and individuals to promote and facilitate lifelong learning.

· To achieve increased levels of participation and progression for targeted groups within the community.

The aims of the Learning Providers with whom the Isle of Wight Council contract all contribute to helping the Council achieve the objectives of the Adult Learning Plan. These aims are shown below.

The Isle of Wight College aims to develop the full potential of each member of the college community through viable and high quality training.

The WEA exists primarily to provide adults with access to experience of organised learning which develops intellectual understanding, confidence, and social or collective responsibility.

The aims of Family Learning as detailed in the Isle of Wight Council Family Learning Policy are:

· To help raise achievement in schools by presenting learning as a family activity.

· To provide opportunities in schools and community environments on the Isle of Wight for families to learn together.

· To provide professional parent support in the areas of behaviour management, drugs awareness and parenting skills.

The Adult Learning Plan for 2000/2002 continued to build on the work of the 1999 Lifelong Learning Development Plan and supported the priorities of the Local Learning Partnership business plan 1999-2002. The development of learning opportunities to support these key priorities within the 2002/3 Adult Learning Plan are summarised below:

The adult basic skills group places the UK near the bottom of international league tables for developed countries with regard to adult literacy and numeracy. Addressing the 20% of the population who have basic skills difficulties is key to enhanced quality of life and community prosperity. We are working in partnership with the Local Learning Partnership and the Isle of Wight Basic Skills Network to produce a Basic Skills Action plan. This plan will support the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Learning and Skills Council in achieving the objectives within it’s Strategic Plan. We aim to further develop the successful pilot programme of Basic Skills first rung provision in partnership with community artists, libraries and museums.

The groups least represented in education and training are those experiencing social exclusion and economic disadvantage. The national strategy for neighbourhood renewal identifies the need to address these disparities through engagement with education and improved educational attainment. By focusing learning opportunities on basic skills and family learning we intend to improve provision in this area. The WEA programme planned provides first step education in the socially deprived areas of Ryde, East Cowes, Newport and Ventnor targeting learners who may be educationally, socially or economically disadvantaged.

Parents will often return to learning in order to help their children. A very successful ‘first rung’ family learning programme is currently provided through the East Cowes Family Learning Centre and several schools. This programme has resulted in whole families developing more positive attitudes to learning and individuals progressing through informal learning to accredited qualifications leading to employment. The extension of this work is a major element of our future provision.

With increasing access to electronic communications in everyday life developing, ICT capability is essential for inclusion and employability. The provision of ICT learning is an important element in the Local Learning Partnership Business Plan. We aim to provide an ICT programme which includes music composition through ICT, web page design, video production and computer graphics.

The Island has an ageing population and research has shown that learning can assist in reducing social exclusion in the elderly and maintaining health. We currently have a good representation of the over 60 age group in the general college programme and this area is a key target for future marketing.

The five priority areas to be addressed by the Adult Learning Programme support the local needs identified by the Local Learning Partnership in the recent audits undertaken;

In addition they support the strategic objectives detailed in the draft Local Strategic Plan 2002-2005 of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Learning and Skills Council:

· To make learning more accessible and relevant to adult learners so they can achieve their full potential.

The two core learning providers with whom the Isle of Wight Council contract have prepared comprehensive development plans for their area of provision. However both these plans and the self assessment development plans require additional levels of funding from the Local Learning and Skills Council if the level of provision is to be extended.

Analysis of the cohort of adult learners shows that 75% female, 25% male with the majority aged between 19 – 59 years and the 60+ age group representing 27% of the total learners. The main target areas for for new learners are male students and the retired community.

The Adult Education programme is determined by consideration of market research and departmental knowledge. This is based on repeating all full and popular courses. Market research through the local County Press, suggestions from students, consultation with the general public through promotional events at major supermarkets, learning events across the Island, liaison with local libraries has resulted in new course provision and new locations in the district programme. Retention data has also been analysed to identify more popular courses.

An audit of the current outreach programme is being undertaken to identify geographical areas where there is not currently any provision and to pilot courses in these areas in the 2002/3 programme.

Research with non learners and their needs has been undertaken through prospectus distribution, open days, local media and specific radio advertising.

Ongoing marketing through the County Press is enabling the needs of specific target groups to be identified. Students are asked on the end of term questionnaires whether there are any other courses not currently provided that they would be interested in.

The Family Learning Centre is sited in East Cowes as a result of a successful SRB bid in 1999. The bid enabled the school to appoint 0.4 Manager/Co-ordinator of the Family Learning Centre and the LEA, subsequently through the Adult Learning Plan funds 0.6 post to develop Family Learning opportunities across the Island. From 2003 the full costs of this post will need to be meet from the Adult Learning Plan.

Funding from the LEA/Standards Fund enabled the school to dedicate a classroom to become a Family Learning Centre for a period of two years. The year 2002-3 is the final year of the SRB funding and a mobile building has been secured on site as the Family Learning Centre from September 2002.

Specific men and boys’ activities have been developed as a result of funding awards from BT and Education Extra. Three days will be run in 2002-3 at Newport Football Club for men and boys.

Ten primary schools were selected from the 46 on the Island to host the first intensive Family Literacy/Numeracy courses offered by the Family Learning Team – funded thought the Adult Learning Plan. The team consists of two teachers and two Learning Support Assistants who work in five schools a week for two years to embed family learning within these schools .

The schools were chosen in consultation with the Assistant Director of Education, the Literacy and Numeracy Consultants and the Education Inspectorate. Criteria for choice of school included SATs result data, school profile, previous work with parents or difficulty with engaging parents. School and Isle of Wight College staff had also identified the need for adult basic skills provision in the areas.

Geographical factors were also taken into account so that each major town on the Island had a school with an intensive course to act as a model for the area. Some schools selected had already received some small scale Family Literacy and/or Numeracy support and had requested more intervention.

Parents, carers and grandparents are all able to attend courses with their children. Learners with disabilities are encouraged to attend and specific equipment/resources are provided as required.

The personal development courses provided by the WEA developed out of Health Action Areas in East Cowes and Ryde. There was no provision of first step education in these socially deprived areas for underrepresented groups, particularly women. In all cases courses seek to reach those students who may be educationally, socially or economically disadvantaged. The programme is now also additionally provided in Newport and Ventnor.

The need for first rung Basic Skills and ICT programmes are identified within the business plan of the Local Learning Partnership, The Isle of Wight College Basic Skills Action Plan and the Isle of Wight Council Learning Providers Group.

Consultation on the Isle of Wight Council Adult Learning Plan has been ongoing throughout the year. Specifically it has been undertaken with:

Strategic objectives for the Adult and Community Learning Programme relate specifically to maintaining and improving the retention rates of learners and increasing learner numbers and developing the programmes provided. Development Plans for both the Adult Education programme and the Family Learning Programme have been produced but require additional funding. (See appendix)

Retention targets are set annually with each provider and included within the provider contracts. Targets for 2002/3 will be set in July/August 2002.

Name of Provider	Retention 2000/1	Target 2001/2
Isle of Wight College	88%	90%
Family Learning	83%	85%
WEA	74.5%	88%

Targets have been set with the Learning Providers to increase learner numbers as shown in the following table.

Name of Provider	Learner Numbers 2001/2	Learner Numbers 2002/3
Isle of Wight College	1752	1801
Family Learning	137	207
WEA	68	85
New Projects	235	235
Total	2192	2328

The aim of Adult Education is to deliver an efficient curriculum of relevance, opportunity and quality relating to the interests, need, personal progression and access issues of adults living on the Isle of Wight.

By increasing the current provision which will be achieved through detailed analysis of the results of the market research carried out resulting in the introduction of new and different courses addressing different areas of interest thus widening participation. New tutors will be recruited for the new and expanding course base. New venues are planned and new geographical areas and new areas of provision ie sign language.

The Strategic objectives for the Adult Education programme relate to geographical expansion, curriculum delivery and curriculum delivery as detailed in the Adult Education Development Plan. (See appendix)

The strategic objectives for Family Learning on the Isle of Wight are detailed in the Family Learning Policy (see appendix) and listed below:

· To offer a range of family literacy and numeracy courses in schools and community environments.

· To develop and deliver family learning courses and workshops in the wider community giving opportunities for families to learn together in a variety of settings.

· To develop dedicated Family Learning Centres within communities which offer a range of courses, workshops and services.

Retention rates are traditionally high in this area of work. This is due to the fact that parents are working with their children and gain in confidence from week to week. Where retention rates in individual schools are comparatively low, schools have a history of poor relationships with parents or consistent dedicated space is not made available to the group.

Retention rates for Family Learning courses have remained between 74% and 96% for the last three years. We seek to maintain these excellent rates. Strategies for schools where retention has been lower than average include more support for the school staff, through meetings to discuss ways ahead for parents, celebrating the success of the course more frequently and reporting back successes achieved by the children in class directly to parents.

Continued expansion of current provision. Retention is reasonably high at 74.5% and will be improved by better advice and information to learners, negotiated syllabuses and tailoring of courses to meet demand.

A key objective of the 2001/2 Adult Learning Plan is to develop coherence across the Local Authority to develop library, sports, arts and cultural services as part of the Adult Learning Programme. This work is focused on developing a basic skills project in partnership with the Isle of Wight College Learning Support Unit which aims to:

· To increase participation and progress in basic skills via non standard education/establishment methods and utilising venues, skills and resources in a variety of settings.

· To implement staff training in basic skills for paid employees and freelance workers who operate within Isle of Wight Council community settings.

The strategic aims of the ICT in the Arts programme which is currently being developed are:

Further development of both these programmes will be a key objective within the 2002/3 programme. Additional funding would enable a far wider application of this work across the Local Authority with additional staff accessing basic skills support training. There are also opportunities to develop family learning provision in work based environments if funding were to be made available.

There are no plans to withdraw any areas of provision providing the required level of funding is available. The provisional allocation for 2002/3 is insufficient to provide the current programme unless additional family learning monies are available. Some rationalisation of the programme may therefore be necessary.

The LEA plays a major role in the Isle of Wight Local Learning Partnership (LLP) with the Assistant Director for Education and Community Development chairing the management group and the Chairman of the Education and Community Development Committee holding the chairmanship of the LLP. The Lifelong Learning Officer of the Council is also a member of both the management group and the board.

Through its involvement in the LLP the LEA has ensured that its proposals for adult learning are fully considered by the LLP following consultation and that learning provision is part of the plan. The LEA reports progress to the LLP on a bi-monthly basis with regard to adult learning provision. The implementation of the Adult Learning Plan is included within the strategic objectives of the LLP Business Plan.

The LEA promotes coherence between LSC funded learning opportunities and other local authority provision through its strategic and service planning procedures. The Education and Community Development Strategic Plan emphasises the importance of adult and family learning within the LEA and the links with other local authority plans and provision.

The Adult and Community Learning programme is fully consulted with the Local Authority Learning Providers Group who meet bi-monthly and work together to develop coherent and linked provision. The Lifelong Learning Officer is a member of both the local Basic Skills Network and Family Learning Network attending regular meetings and is also a member of the management steering group of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Basic Skills Support Unit.

At a national level the Lifelong Learning Officer attends LEAFEA meetings, NIACE conferences, Quality Improvement Network meetings, Family Learning Network meetings to ensure awareness of national initiatives and sharing of best practice.

Liaison over course provision between the adult and community learning providers both on an individual level and at group level helps to prevent duplication. However the providers generally are working in clearly defined learning areas ie family learning, basic skills, community learning, personal development.

Regular meetings of the Isle of Wight Council Learning Providers Group, Basic Skills Network, Family Learning Network ensure all providers are aware of other related provision.

Links are also made between the Family Learning Team and the Out-of-Hours Study Skills Centre/Homework clubs including advice and consultation on bids and delivery.

There are two strands to the basic skills programmes provided within the Adult Learning Plan, the family literacy and numeracy courses and basic skills sessions provided from the Family Learning Centre and the Basic Skills project provided in partnership with the Isle of Wight College Learning Support Unit.

In order to meet the government’s target of 1,700 learners achieving a level 2 qualification by 2004, the Island needs to attract approximately 4,000 new learners to basic skills activity as not all will wish, or be able to achieve that level in such a short time scale. Therefore to help increase capacity a different approach is being used to attract reluctant or fragile learners. A series of innovative projects have been developed as outlined below. These are envisaged as a first step for learners to re-engage with learning which will ultimately lead to improving their basic skills levels, employment options, other learning or training opportunities and a resulting improvement in all aspects of their lives.

The projects were planned in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council, Isle of Wight College Learning Support Unit and Community Solutions and involved use of Council staff and premises. Staff training is a major element, following the Initial Certificate in Teaching Basic Skills (City & Guilds 9281) which is delivered through a partnership between Community Solutions and the Isle of Wight College. The four strands of the project include:

· Arts based family learning – a 6 week programme of art activity on a storytelling theme based at Barton Primary School, Newport. Although the activities are family based the emphasis is on the parents basic skills including planned progression.

· Dinosaur Isle – a 7 week programme of after school activity including a day field trip. Using the resources at Dinosur Isle the programme again concentrates on parents basic skills as they focus on an introduction to palaeontology. The course is targeted at families from St Johns Primary School, Sandown.

· Botanic Gardens Ventnor – a project aimed at single parents in Ventnor who will focus on creating a children’s garden. The aim is to give confidence in basic skills and an opportunity to progress to other horticulture courses on offer at the gardens or elsewhere.

· Library Staff Training – 8 staff are currently undertaking the Initial Certificate in Basic Skills. This project aims to provide at least one staff member in each library with an awareness of basic skills support needs leading to planned changes within the library network which will encourage and support new users with skills below level 2.

It is planned to continue and further develop these projects in 2002/3. Target learner numbers are detailed in the Common Forward Planning Forms submitted in December 2001. Additional funding would enable a wider range of staff to be trained and projects to be developed in other council owned/resourced venues eg: museums, arts centres, sports centres, regeneration projects.

The Isle of Wight College has gained LSC funding for a 2 year project to increase capacity and plans to offer 8-10 new basic skills groups across the Island. These groups will be in areas of unmet need and will include small towns and rural locations. For a number of these groups the College will be working with the Council to provide venues. An additional element of this project is the London based training of a lip reading teacher as there is currently no trained personnel on the Island. When qualified this person will be able to offer lip reading classes under the Adult Education Programme.

Since the inception of Family Learning at the College 12 years ago and its subsequent move to the LEA the College has worked in partnership to offer basic skills to parents enrolled on family learning courses. There are close working links with the Family Learning Team and joint training activities are offered.

Family Literacy and Numeracy courses are run in partnership with the Isle of Wight College whose tutors provide a weekly basic skills session for adults. The provision has been substantially increased in 2001/2 from 3 primary schools to 10 and is provided by 20 hours a week of staff time and the cost of staff travelling expenses. Currently 84 learners are enrolled, 90% of whom are working to Wordpower Level 2 and 10% Level 1. From September 2002 the new Basic Skills qualifications will be delivered in line with the new core curriculum for literacy and numeracy.

Learners can access accreditation opportunities through this provision and in the past it has lead to learners taking up courses in the college and/or local community. In 2000/1 8 learners on the Family Learning Programme undertook a parent teaching course and achieved the FEATC Stage 1.

In 2002-3 all courses will be mapped to adult core curriculum where appropriate. Learning Centre Staff are being trained in the adult core curriculum and in addition to this the school’s numeracy co-ordinator is undertaking level 4 training in delivering basic skills to adults. Target Learner numbers on this programme are included in the Common Forward Planning Forms.

Within the Adult Learning Plan for 2002/3 a number of projects are being developed targeted at widening participation, specifically Community Basic Skills, Creative ICT and the WEA personal development programme. These are detailed in earlier sections of the plan. The two core areas of provision, Adult Education and Family Learning are also aiming to introduce initiatives to widen participation in learning.

Within the Adult Education Development Plan a challenging target to increase adult education enrolments to 3500 over a four year period has been set with 200 new enrolments within 2002/3.

Increasing learner numbers will be achieved by addressing the gaps in provision. Mapping the current geographical provision has identified a number of locations not currently provided with adult education opportunities and new courses are planned to be introduced in these areas in the 2002/3 programme.

Different course options are planned with changes to course start and finish times, length of courses, hours offered per week and type of courses offered. These changes are in response to

The current adult education programme is being mapped to the more advanced programme provided by the College to encourage progression of learning from the Adult Education Programme to more advanced courses that can offer qualifications.

To support students who have a disability/learning difficulty to access adult education provision a ‘buddy system’ has been introduced whereby a student who needs support may bring a supporter to the class for whom there is no charge.

Family Learning Provision is currently focused on the course programme at the East Cowes Family Learning Centre and the Family Literacy and Numeracy programme which has been extended from three primary schools to ten from September 2001.This two year programme which included the appointment of two family learning teachers and two learning support assistants aims to target 80-100 new parent learners each academic year. Providing sufficient funding is available the overall programme aims to provide opportunities for 250 learners in 2002/3.

Within the Adult Education programme a number of new courses have been marketed during 2001/2 and providing sufficient learners are recruited will be included in 2002/3. These included Archaeology, Pilates, Yoga, Salsa Dancing and Egyptology. Marketing is planned to be direct to existing learners , supermarket distribution, college open evenings, through events such as IW Learning Festival and IW Garlic Festival. Considerable marketing is undertaken through the IW County Press several times during the year before the start of courses.

Learners	Expected 2001/2	Planned 2002/3
Total no of learners in ACL	2192	2328
% Males	21%	21%
% With learning difficulties and/or disabilities	2%	2%
% From minority ethnic groups	1.5%	1.7%
% Aged 60+	22%	22%

Total Population	%Disabled and /or ALD	% Ethnic Minorities	% 60+	Unemployment Rate %
100,464	7	0.7	36.5	5.8

This area of provision is a major element of the core adult learning programme and is provided by the Family Learning Team based at East Cowes Family Learning Centre in East Cowes Primary School.

The Family Learning Centre offers local access to learning in an area of social disadvantage in one of the bottom 9 wards on the Island. Accreditation offered is often the first certification acquired by the learners and commencing in 2001/2 the impact on the child in school is to be tracked. The Centre is open to parents/grandparents and carers of children attending East Cowes Primary School and Sea shells Pre-school.

Funds are provided for childcare for learners and all courses /accreditation is free. In this way we aim to break down the barriers to learning that have existed for these adults in the past. The established need for a Family Learning Centre in this area has been recognised and the LEA are providing a mobile classroom for the Centre from September 2002 as the school requires that the main classroom currently used is returned to them. The equipment, resources and furniture requirements and any upgrade required are included in the funding application made under the accommodation strategy forwarded to the LSC in December 2001.

Family Learning Weekend – an annual event on the Island and nationally – offers free opportunities to families to access facilities and venues, which would normally involve a charge. The Family Learning Centre co-ordinates and promotes Family Learning Weekend on the Island. Last year a range of partners included local leisure centres, museums, community artists, charities and education department. This major initiative is very successful in raising awareness of family learning opportunities.

Men and Boys’ Football Days – within the current programme three are offered a year aimed at boys in year 3 and 4 accompanied by their father, grandfather or other male relation or carer. This programme is very successful in attracting male learners traditionally difficult to engage in learning.

The Family Learning Co-ordinator post is crucial for the LEA to maintain both the range and quality of provision. At present the post of Family Learning Consultant is funded 0.4 from Single Regeneration Budget (to manage the FLC) and 0.6 from the Adult Learning Plan. The SRB funding has one more year to run 2002/3. From 2003 the full costs of this post will need to be integrated into the Adult Learning Funding. It is important for the future development of family learning on the Island for this strategic and operational role to be maintained.

There is little national staff training in the area of Family Learning at present but the Centre aims to acquire the BSA Quality Mark in 2002/3 as a development tool. Learning Centre staff attend national conferences wherever possible to keep up to date with current thinking and practice.

The Centre funds 50% of the costs of a Family Skills Adviser (50% funded by Cowes High School) to support the Family Learning programme and the needs of learners. The Family Skills Advisor has attended a ‘Train the Trainers’ programme offered by Merton College and will be able to offer the Island’s first accredited parenting courses for Family Learning from the summer term 2002. Cowes High School have kindly offered the use of the pavilion in their grounds to be used as a Family Learning Centre in the Cowes area. This new resource will enable additional family learning courses to be provided if funding is available. Upgrading this facility and providing equipment and resources has been included in the Accommodation Strategy submitted to the LSC in December 2001.

A small scale follow up project of families on courses 4 years ago is in progress. Evaluation of ongoing programmes is conducted both formally and informally. A Family Learning Network/Forum has recently been set up which meets regularly to discuss quality issues and evaluation practices and develop family learning across the Island.

Please note the target numbers are for the integrated family learning programme which also includes the family literacy and numeracy courses and the SHARE programme. The numbers are based on funding being available to support the current level of provision.

The provision of the family literacy and numeracy programme is fully integrated within the overall family learning programme. Within the 2000/1 Adult Learning Programme the staff costs are funded from the core provision with course materials and childcare funded from Standards Fund. It is intended to continue this funding methodology for 2002/3.

In 2002/3 we will be in the second year of the two year development programme of literacy and numeracy courses introduced in ten Island Primary schools. (See section Needs Analysis on choice of primary schools) The courses follow the Basic Skills Agency model of delivery and are led by two Family Learning Teachers and two Family Learning Support Assistants. Each team works in five schools a week offering 4 hours’ tuition to parents and 1 hour to children in each school. Parents also access 2 hours of basic skills tuition from Isle of Wight College tutors on the same day. At present 88 parents are enrolled on these courses with their children.The Family Skills Advisor (see section 9 above Family Learning) offers parent support on all the above courses and to schools in the Cowes area.

The LEA has produced a Family Learning Policy (see appendix) which outlines its aims and objectives in relation to Family Learning and Family Literacy and Numeracy. The courses are currently being mapped to the Adult Basic Skills Core Curriculum. One of the Family Learning Teachers and both IW College tutors who deliver the courses are attending national Family Literacy and Numeracy training in Bath in March 2002 offered by the Basic Skills Agency.

Additional funding from 2002 or 2003 would enable continued support to be offered to schools. A further 10 schools (potentially 100 new families) could be offered Family Literacy and Family Numeracy courses. The Family Learning Programme has been developed over five years of delivering this model and has proven by continued retention and success rates high levels of learner satisfaction.

The SHARE programme could be expanded into all Island schools if funding was secured for a co-ordinator to manage the accreditation of learners. The SHARE programme can also be delivered at KS2 and KS3 in addition to the current programme running at KS1. At KS2 and KS3 it would help to address parental involvement for older children and raising attainment in writing which is a national issue of concern.

An outline project proposal has been developed to provide Workplace based Family Learning activities which would provide new development opportunities for the Island. A local employer has expressed interest in working in partnership on this project however the funding required of £10,000 to develop and run an initial pilot programme is not available within the current Adult Learning Plan

The Family Learning Network/Forum recently set up will ensure that a strategic approach to funding is appropriate for areas and activities. Assessment strategies are currently in the process of being revised to support the requirements of the new Adult Basic Skills Core Curriculum.

The overall approach within the Adult Learning Plan is one of partnership. The LEA as a provider that contracts out needs to enable a broad partnership approach to ensure a wide range of learning opportunities are available for learners. The core providers are encouraged through the Learning Provider Group to identify linkages being differing areas of provision.

Partnerships with local schools and community venues enables a wide range of adult learning provision by all contracted providers to be accessible in locations across the Island both in all the major towns and rural areas.

The Community Basic Skills project is provided in partnership with the Isle of Wight College and the Community Sector through Community Solutions, Isle of Wight Council Museums Service, Isle of Wight County Library Service, Ventnor Botanic Garden, Community Artists and Local Schools.

Family Learning is provided through partnership working between the Family Learning Centre, Isle of Wight College Learning Support Unit and Island Schools. Additional partnerships are with the WEA through housing courses and working on the development and piloting of new courses. Partnerships with the Red Cross and local caterers offer accreditation to parents which can increase their employability. A partnership between the Isle of Wight College and East Cowes Primary School has enabled learners to use the school’s IT suite to study CLAIT.

Partnership working with the Isle of Wight Library Service is a key development area where staff have undertaken Basic Skills training which will support the provision of IT learning opportunities once staff have completed ECDL training.

The main benefit of partnership working is the diverse range of learning opportunities which can be accessible for learners. Partnership working also enables the spread of best practice, improves quality and standards and builds capacity in small providers.

All students enrolled on Adult Education courses with the Isle of Wight College whether based at the College Campus or in the District have access to College facilities including the learning resource centre where the majority of computers are based. The centre has considerable specialist software and CD-roms available.

Additional ICT facilities will be available for general public use in all Island Libraries funded by the New Opportunities Fund. All Library staff are currently undergoing training to ECDL standard to enable the provision of user support .

At the Family Learning Centre both a beginners course and CLAIT are offered to learners. A laptop is available (provided under the Laptop Initiative from the Basic Skills Agency) for learners at the centre to access at any time for individual work. One to one support can be offered to learners if required. Family Learning teachers working in the ten schools involved in the family literacy and numeracy programme have negotiated time in schools IT suites to enable parents to become familiar with using IT.

New IT projects are included within the current Adult Learning Programme including ‘Keeping up with the Children’ provided by the WEA and ‘Creative ICT’ provided by Platform One. It is intended to include these programmes within the 2002/3 Adult Learning Plan providing funds are available.

The core Adult Education Programme focuses on the Adult Education programme provided by the Isle of Wight College who set the level of fees and the fee policy for the programmes and the Family Learning Centre where provision is free. Project work provided by the WEA, Platform One and Isle of Wight College Learning Support Unit are all targeted at widening participation in targeted areas, supporting personal development and basic skills needs therefore provision is also free. Details are given below.

Fees are calculated on course costs, i.e. tutor and accommodation X the hours of the course. Most Adult Education courses are based in this way on 12 students over a 10 week term, on a cost recovery basis.

Concession rates are subsidised by the college by a 25% discount and only applies to one course per term per person and only if they are in receipt of job seeker, family tax credit, disability benefit or income support. For a concession rate to be granted proof is required from the learner.

Tuition in all WEA courses is free to people who receive a means tested benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance, and to their unwaged dependants, although a registration fee of £2 per course may be charged. The current programme provided under the Adult Learning Plan which aims to widen participation is free to all learners.

Family learning has traditionally been offered free to families as this overcomes barriers to learning and supports the policies of inclusion and widening participation. Schools make a commitment to offering space, some resources, and refreshments for parents, time for teachers and Family Learning staff to liaise and plan.

Learners on the adult education programme are able to access if required the support services available for mainstream provision. The College has an established system of assessment, referral and individual support for academic, financial and personal support. A counsellor is on site Mon-Fri. Support is available for external and internal examinations subject to assessed need including extra time, readers, use of word processor etc. Students are entitled to tutorial support and can access the facilities of the learning resource centre, including access to IT. Every reasonable effort is made to cater for the individual needs of students with a disability and/or learning difficulty.

The Student Guidance Centre is open every day during office hours and there are frequent Open/Advice evenings throughout the year. Personal enquiries are dealt with as soon as practicable and visits are welcomed. Broadsheet material and leaflets are freely available as are the annually produced prospectuses.

Learner support for learners on the WEA provision focuses on addressing the barriers which learners can face. Support includes the provision of crèche facilities or help with child care costs, help with other carer costs, help with transport costs and information and advice pre, during and post course.

Free childcare is offered on all courses. This is essential to attracting parents to Family Learning courses. It is policy of the Centre to ask parents to use free entitlement sessions first so that they accept some responsibility for their childcare provision.

Using schools and other local venues improves access to local training opportunities for learners.

Accreditation is offered free to learners as part of offering free basic skills accreditation. Where possible, within funding restrictions, we intend to continue to offer all accreditation free.

Information and guidance sessions are provided by a college tutor at the end of courses. These limited links needs to be developed and a bid for discretionary funding for a shared post across three learning centres will be considered.

The Isle of Wight merged with the Hampshire Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) Network in January 2001 to provide a joint integrated and more comprehensive service to Island learners. This also enables access to adult learning opportunities across the Hampshire region as well as locally.

Advice and guidance literature is available to the public through the Isle of Wight County Library Network as well as the Education and Community Development Directorate Offices. The Education ‘site’ on the Council intranet is being developed and offers an advice and information facility. Advice and guidance literature is available to the public direct from providers and ongoing marketing and promotion. The Adult Education programme is planned to be available through the Isle of Wight College website shortly. All Learning Providers have been actively involved in the Isle of Wight Learning Festival and All Age Learning Event.

The Learning Support Assistant at the Family Learning Centre offers one to one support to families and is supported by the Family Skills Advisor who provides support for families regarding behaviour management. All the Learning Support Assistants are past parents themselves who attended Family Learning courses. This gives them a parents’ eye view of courses and enables them to offer practical support and guidance to learners.

The IW College can offer extra support for learners as required. Specific aids for learners are requested and provided on an individual basis and we plan to make course materials available in large text and on tape where appropriate. Although the Adult Education programme does not provide specifically for those with learning difficulties or disabilities support is provided on an individual basis. Development of course materials and aids in alternative formats is to be provided through the additional funding available from the LSC.

As all provision through the Adult Learning Plan is provided through contracts with Learning Providers the key areas mainly relate to insufficient levels of funding to achieve the planned objectives. This would result in reduced provision and lower student numbers. The area most at risk from reduced funding is that of project provision. This is a priority area however as it targets basic skills needs and widening participation and tackling social exclusion.

In relation to the Adult Education programme the College has a risk analysis plan and external venues which the Adult Education area hires are under constant review with the College’s Health and Safety Officer. If a class is threatened with disuse or closure due to a risk with the allocated accommodation every endeavour will be made to find alternative accommodation through the local network of accommodation in education and industry. However for some specialist provision ie woodwork or brickwork this may not be available.

Lack of funding to further develop the learning provision is also a risk factor particularly in respect of the family learning programme which aims to be available in all Island schools. Lack of dedicated space in schools for families to work in and temporary accommodation for the Family Learning Centre limits the opportunities available for learners and restricts the level of provision. The small family learning staff base is also a risk factor. The implication of a key staff member leaving could seriously affect the level of provision.

As indicated in the funding application submitted in December 2001 the Isle of Wight LEA does not currently have a MIS system to collect information through Individual Learner Records or the necessary resources to develop a system. Currently the AE1 and AE2 returns are collated manually from information provided from Learning Providers. A basic MIS system to collect and analysis learner information at service level is currently being piloted. An estimate of the cost of implementing a MIS system to collect Individual Learner Records is in the region of £50,000.

Individual Learner Records are not currently maintained for learners on the Adult Education Programme, WEA provision or project provision. A basic Excel database maintains information on family learning in respect individual learners courses undertaken and progression made. In respect of all provision individual information is held relating to name, address, contact numbers, date of birth, ethnic origin, and course details.

All Adult and Community Learning provision funded under the Adult Learning Plan is subcontracted with no direct provision. The current learning providers with whom the Isle of Wight Council contracts are shown in the table below. Only the Isle of Wight College and the WEA receive additional funding from the Learning and Skills Council.

There are no planned changes in 2002/3 in subcontracted learning providers from the current Adult Learning Plan. A standardised funding agreement agreed annually with each learning provider sets targets for recruitment and retention, identifies the requirements to be complied with in respect of quality assurance and self assessment and the payment schedule

Learning Provider	Type of Organisation	Provision	Learner Nos 2002/3 approx	Approx contract value
Isle of Wight College	FE	Adult Education	1800	50,000
Isle of Wight College	FE	Basic Skills		15,000
E Cowes Family Learning Centre	LEA	Family Learning Literacy and Numeracy	250	149,000
WEA	Voluntary Organisation	Widening participation	85	10,000
Platform One	Non profit making	Creative ICT	90	15,000
IWC Arts Unit	LA	Creative Arts	105	3,000

A copy of the accommodation strategy submitted to the LSC in December 2001 is attached as an appendix. This includes details of the venues used for adult learning provision.

The Isle of Wight College Adult Education programme is provided from the college campus at Newport and in the following district locations. A number of additional locations for the 2002/3 programme are currently being investigated in Bembridge, Wootton, Bonchurch, Yarmouth and Ventnor.

The Family Learning Programme is based in the Family Learning Centre East Cowes Primary School and the following schools. From 2002/3 additional facilities will be available in the Pavilion Cowes High School which has been provided by the school for family learning activities.

The Isle of Wight Council does not directly provide adult and community learning and therefore the only staff directly employed to support adult learning is the post of Lifelong Learning Officer which is a full time position. However Family Learning and Family Literacy programmes are delivered under the Adult Learning Plan through a funding agreement with the Family Learning Centre which is based at East Cowes Primary School. The staff structure funded from the Adult Learning Plan core provision is detailed below.

The day to day monitoring and implementation of the Adult Learning Plan rests with the Lifelong Learning Officer who reports directly to both the Assistant Director for Educational Effectiveness and Lifelong Learning and the Assistant Director for Community Development. This work is overseen by the Education, Community Development and Lifelong Learning Select Committee and the Executive Committee of the Isle of Wight Council.

As a Local Authority the Isle of Wight Council and its officers are required to comply with all financial regulations and standing orders in accordance with both District and Local audit requirements. Financial monitoring of the Adult Learning budget is undertaken by officers within the Education and Community Development Finance team with monthly reports to the Lifelong Learning Officer.

Regular meetings are held with officers from the Local Learning and Skills Council and monthly reports are provided on the activities undertaken.

The Lifelong Learning Officer attends monthly review meetings with the Learning Providers who are required to prepare monthly reports on the learning activities provided under the terms of the funding agreement. Payments are made to providers on submission of invoices and any required statistical information.

Since the appointment of the Lifelong Learning Officer considerable work has been undertaken in respect of introducing Quality Assurance systems and procedures into Adult and Community Learning.

A comprehensive Funding Agreement has been developed for all learning providers which clearly details the requirements of Learning Providers and the Isle of Wight Council. The agreement ensures learning providers will be able to :-

· Plan and deliver adult learning that is effective and complements other local provision.

· Influence the Isle of Wight Council’s adult learning policies and advise the Council on needs.

· Target resources and provision towards particular groups of people or areas of need.

· Engage providers in planning provision that meets the Isle of Wight Counil’s policies and priorities.

· Ensure providers understand what is expected of them and how the assessment processes will operate.

· Set their organisation’s targets against a range of defined performance indicators.

· Introduce and implement procedures in accordance with the Quality Assurance Framework and the requirements of the Learning and Skills Council.

· Provide accurate statistical data within the deadlines designated on the annual schedule of information and to provide additional information on request to respond to DFES and LSC requirements.

· Undertake annual self assessment against the criteria in the Common Inspection Framework

· Attend monthly monitoring and review meetings with the Lifelong Learning Officer.

The benefits to learners result from continuous improvement in service delivery. Feedback from learners through the self assessment process will support the future development of the learning programme to meet learners needs. Management information supports applications for future funding.

Specific initiatives introduced by learning providers to improve quality are detailed below.

Quality Assurance systems are now being implemented into the Adult Education Provision in line with the main College procedures. A tutor qualification audit is being conducted along with Observation of Teaching and Learning, student surveys and OFSTED inspections.

Quality systems are embedded in the course provision and monitored and reviewed in line with national and district procedures. This includes student learning report forms (learning outcomes), tutor reports, tutor organiser reports, class visiting, mid and end of course evaluation.

The Share internal verification process is being set up this term. Observation of family learning teachers using the NIACE structure will be implemented this term although initial informal observations have already taken place. Observation of other funded sessions are carried out by the Family Learning Consultant to monitor delivery and quality across the provision. Learner satisfaction reviews are conducted termly in the Family Learning Centre and on the courses. Schools, learners (adult and child), teacher and tutor are all involved in this process. The Self Assessment process has enabled targets to be set for the improvement of the service and to effectively action plan for the future.

The Education and Community Development Directorate is currently actively working towards the Investor in People Award with the inspection visit planned for June 2002.

The Adult Education area was awarded a Grade 1 when inspected by the LEA inspectors at the last inspection in 1999. The College also holds the Basic Skills Kite Mark.

The Men and Boys’ remote control car project won a certificate of distinction from Education Extra in 2000. A Reading Millennium Award has just been presented to the Family Learning Support Worker for her project to encourage boys and men to read together. The Family Learning Centre has been nominated for the first IW Learning Festival Awards to be presented in February 2002.

East Cowes Primary School which includes the Family Learning Centre is working towards a School’s Curriculum Award, Investors in People and Healthy School’s Award.

As there is to no national Family Learning Kitemark the Family Learning Centre is actively working towards achieving the Basic Skills Agency Post 16 Quality Kitemark.

A self assessment report of the Isle of Wight Council Adult Learning provision has been carried out and a development plan produced. (see appendix) This identifies the quality of education and training and standards achieved by learners, aspects of leadership and management, health and safety systems. The development plan identifies and sets targets for areas of improvements. Targets to improve retention and learners numbers are included within annual agreements with providers.

The Isle of Wight Council has a published Equal Opportunities Policy and it is a requirement of the Funding Agreement that all providers adhere to the policy. All managers within the Isle of Wight Council have undertaken equality training on a range of issues. To support the working of the policy the Council has a designated Chief Officer leading on Equality who manages the Equality Link Group which comprises representatives of all Directorates. The Lifelong Learning Officer is the Education and Community Development representative on the Group and has undertaken considerable training in this field.

Equal Opportunities monitoring of learning provision is integrated within the monthly provider review meetings. All Learning Providers are required to set targets to improve participation among under represented groups within the annual funding agreements. These learner numbers are identified within the learner recruitment information. Details of procedures to ensure equality of opportunity for learners by Learning Providers are shown below.

The College has an equal opportunities policy, an extract of which is produced in the Isle of Wight College student diaries. All full-time and fractional staff are currently undertaking a programme of staff-development on Equal Opportunities which is compulsory.

Courses are open to all adults, but especially support those who may be educationally, socially or economically disadvantaged. Equal Opportunities performance is monitored and evaluated within the WEA’s systems and procedures.

At present all Family Learning provision is covered by the Council’s equal opportunity statement and this is offered to all learners at the beginning of courses. A specific statement has been added to the school’s equal opportunity policy which is relevant to adults attending the school for sessions. A development area for Family Learning will be to target the small number of ethnic minority families that we have on the Isle of Wight.

The Disability Statement for Adult Education was revised in December in December 2000 and adopted by the Education and Community Development Select Committee in December 2000. (see appendix) This statement which covers the core adult education programme provided by the Isle of Wight College needs to be further revised to include the Family Learning provision and project provision.

The Isle of Wight Council has comprehensive systems and procedures to ensure all requirements of Health and Safety legislation are met. All Learning Providers receive a copy of the Council’s Health and Safety Policy and Health and Safety Contract Monitoring Policy with the Adult Education Provider Agreement to which they are required to adhere.

As a requirement of the Contract Monitoring Policy all Learning Providers must complete a Contractor Health and Safety Evaluation Form and provide copies of their safety policies and other relevant information. The Council policy also requires that formal Health and Safety contract monitoring is undertaken and this is included within the monthly provider review meetings. Learning Providers are required to undertake risk assessments in respect of both the premises used for adult education and the activities undertaken. Additional information relating to health and safety in respect of the Learning Providers is given below.

The College has a Health and Safety policy and each student is issued with a copy of an extract of it on enrolment. The full College Health and Safety Policy is available in the College Library. Health and Safety is a priority item at tutor seminars and is re-iterated in tutor handbooks and information and is monitored through lesson plans and observations.

The WEA has produced both a national and district health and safety policy. All premises used for adult learning are assessed for suitability. Health and Safety information is given all students at the start of all courses.

Risk assessments are routinely carried out in the Family Learning Centre with specific activities taken into account. At present the Family Learning Team are compiling a risk assessment on all venues used and all activities undertaken. This information will be shared in the Family Learning Forum to support other providers in the effective assessment of all family learning activities. School Health and Safety policies are given to parents at the beginning of courses around the Island and within the self assessment development plan these are to be revised to ensure that Family Learning activities are taken into account.