Inspection Experience

1. Inspection Experience Theresa Gardiner/Sandy Clark Learning and Skills Managers London Probation

2. Background information • London Probation Area covers 32 boroughs • 10 Unpaid Work Centres – 4 of which have workshops • 8 Centres delivering accredited programmes • 13 Approved Premises (hostels)

3. Learning and Skills Some facts and figures • Approximately 34,000 court reports delivered in 2008-09 • 7,447 Screenings carried out, of which 4,482 offenders were eligible for either literacy or numeracy support • 8,714 referrals made to Skills for Life initial assessment.

4. Inspection 3 –10 March 2008 • 8 inspectors – 27 working days • Interviewed: • 50 probation staff • 79 offenders • Visited 23 classroom activities • Visited 35 sites

5. Points to mention • Good: • Communication with Lead Inspector pre-inspection – opportunity for “nominee” to prepare team • Communication with regard to sites to be visited • Opportunity for inspectors to meet with middle managers from interventions • Bad: • Two separate inspections encouraged marginalisation of Learning and Skills – only 2 points fed into LP’s PIAP

6. Inspection outcomes • General feedback given on last day of inspection • From ‘draft’ report (never published) looked at ‘areas for improvement’ and produced PIAP • Feedback meeting with Inspector followed by meeting with Providers and LSC to discuss plan in more detail

7. Key Strengths • Good IAG sessions • Wide range of programmes • Good development of personal and social skills • Good achievement of outcomes • Good relationship between LP / Lead Providers / sub-contracted providers

8. Key Areas for Improvement • Inadequate initial assessment to support sentence planning • Poor Individual Learning Plans • Insufficient recording of vocational skills on some UPW • Incomplete quality improvement arrangements • Underdeveloped ETE strategy

9. What has been done since the inspection? • Training delivered to improve quality of both initial assessment and ILPs • UPW units given shadow targets to encourage use of 20% hours in ETE • Screening at report stage improving month on month – level of need constant at around 60%

10. What has been done since the inspection? (2) • London Probation now taking more active role in informing what provision is required for our offenders – from OASys, now has information to clearly identify level and type of need • Skillstrain expanded into Approved Premises and Structured Supervision Programme, as well as OBPs and UPW

11. What has been done since the inspection? (3) • Offender managers more involved in tracking offender’s learning • Scheme to obtain information from prisons on previous education • London Probation now more involved in informing quality – Quality Improvement Group (QIG) now meets regularly • ETE strategy produced

12. How do we know we are making progress? • Co-ordinator developing Skillstrain eg Goldseal accredited music project • Learning and Skills Co-ordinators to help struggling boroughs develop processes • Improving performance by increased use of quantitative data eg ‘appropriate’ referrals

13. How do we know we are making progress? (2) • Awareness raising with magistrates and LP staff to end SAR-ETEs being handed out for breach. On-going monitoring of same.

14. Getting ready for InspectionLondon’s top 10 tips • Offer a full schedule of visits with directions • Provide ‘understudies’ • Warn Reception & SPO staff • Provide a central location • Brief tutors – not a forum for their grievences

15. Getting ready for InspectionLondon’s top 10 tips • Run briefings for staff • Telephone guidance available • Check SAR-ETE cases • Superusers needed for corrections • Have tea, coffee, and especially biscuits available