A Brave New World: Using the New Ofsted Framework on DWP Inspections Karen Adriaanse March 2010

Aims of the session:  receive an update on how the DWP provision will be inspected and recent inspection findings  review feedback from the consultation on revising inspection methodology for inspection of DWP provision  consider how the Common Inspection Framework 2009 will be used on DWP inspections

The priorities in DWP provision  Enabling people to fulfil their potential over longer, more active lives  Providing customers with the services they need  maximise employment and opportunity for all (PSA Delivery Agreement 8)  tackle poverty and promote greater independence and well-being in later life (PSA Delivery Agreement 17)

DWP Contracted employment provision: old and new prime contracts  New Deal - old  Self-employment - old  Programme centre - old  Workstep – almost old  Provider-led Pathways (PLP)  ESF programmes matched with DWP funds  Flexible New Deal  Jobcentre Plus Support Contracts  Community Task Force  Work Choice

HMCI Annual report 2009: Key messages on DWP provision  Progression into employment has improved  Changes in commissioning has led to uncertainty for some providers  Increase in referrals – including from people who would not previously have needed support  64% of IAG is no better than satisfactory  The most successful providers are those that work effectively with local employers  Major challenge for providers is how to support ‘revolving door’ participants

HMCI Annual report 2009: Key messages on New Deal and Programme Centres  Participants develop good skills to find work, and personal skills  Local employers benefiting from productive partnership arrangements  Vulnerable adults gaining from improved promotion and application of equality of opportunity and safeguarding  Narrow range and poor use of work placement opportunities  Insufficient use of work trials  Insufficient actions to improve the quality of provision offered by subcontractors

Summary DWP grade profile July 2007 to August 2009New Deal Programme CentresWorkstep Grade 12%0%1% Grade 222%16%44% Grade 361%65%45% Grade 415%19%10% Number of inspections593171

The Consultation on DWP Contracted Employment Provision

Learning from the past  Ofsted must reduce multi-inspections of providers  Inspections need to involve learners and employers more  The sector and inspectors need to identify and share good practice  Ofsted needs to inspect against the aims of the different programmes  Inspections should focus more on evaluating the difference training and support makes on participants’ chances of sustained employment  Ofsted needs good, up-to-date information about providers to inform risk assessment and to use on inspection  Ofsted and DWP need to link the Star Rating and the CIF

The results of the consultation process (1) Three-month consultation – online process and face-to-face events: 120 responses Questions that received the highest level of support were about:  the range of activities that inspectors will undertake to gather the views of participants and other users  that inspection should take more account of the capacity of the provider to improve  the range of activities that inspectors will undertake to explore how well the provider engages with users to bring about improvements  that inspectors should gather employers’ views during the inspection of contracted employment provision?  the proposals to revise inspection reports the range of indicators used to prioritise inspection activity is appropriate  that a gap of four years between inspections for high performing providers is appropriate

The results of the consultation process (2) Questions that received the lowest level of support were about:  a reduced notice period of three weeks for the inspection of contracted employment providers  a telephone meeting will be an efficient way of preparing for inspection within the three week notice period

The key proposals in brief The requirement from DWP is one grade per contract.  revised Common Inspection Framework 2009  annual risk assessment to bring forward/delay inspections  have parallel inspections where more than one contract is inspected at the same time  menu of inspection types, including focused monitoring visits

The proposals in brief (cont’d)  three-week notice, with telephone planning meetings when agreed  greater involvement of participants  greater involvement of employers  reports with recommendations

Using the Common Inspection Framework for FE and Skills 2009

Structure of grades Overall effectiveness Quality of provision Outcomes for participants Leadership and management Partnerships Care, guidance and support Enjoy and achieve Achieve economic and social well-being Feel safe Make a positive contribution Ambition and prioritisation User engagement Self-assessment Equality and diversity* Safeguarding* Value for money Main grades Contributory grades Meeting needs and interests of users Capacity to improve * These grades may limit the overall effectiveness grade Be healthy Teaching, learning and assessment Governance

The end product – inspection report Key features  More specific text on the provider’s context  Summary report:  grade profile  main findings  recommendations  users’ views  Main inspection report  Record of main findings

Using the Common Inspection Framework  Inspection Handbook for DWP Contracted Employment Provision – Part 2  Evaluative statements  Further guidance  Provision-specific guidance  For self-assessment and inspection  Contextualised  Must be made purposeful and useful

Thank you