Royal Greenwich’s Adult and Community Learning service rated ‘Good’ across all areas by Ofsted
The Council’s Adult Community Learning service, Greenwich Learns, has again been rated ‘Good’ following an Ofsted inspection in May. Greenwich Learns offers over 500 part-time courses per year to more than 3,000 learners ranging from courses to help people find work to starting a business, improving digital skills and health and wellbeing, as well as courses for personal development, like photography and cooking.
Five national Ofsted inspectors spent five days observing tutors in our Greenwich Learns adult learning settings and spoke to staff across our 10 delivery partners and learners about their experiences. An online survey conducted during the inspection revealed that 97% of learners would recommend the courses to a friend and 97% of staff said they are proud to work for the service.
The service maintains the positive overall rating from Ofsted’s last inspection in 2017.
In the report, published on Monday 15 July, Ofsted said the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and adult learning programmes were all ‘Good’.
Inspectors highlighted the ‘safe, and inclusive learning environments at accessible venues’. They reported that ‘learners benefit from the expertise that tutors have in their subjects and from a culture of support and care’.
Councillor Jackie Smith, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Business, Skills and Greenwich Supports, said:
“Our adult community learning service plays an essential role in our mission to support our residents to learn skills and access good job opportunities, empowering individuals to shape their future. As well as the economic benefits, and just as important, these courses help to reduce loneliness and develop a sense of community, making people happier, healthier, more confident and resilient.
“The findings of this report reflect the hard work and dedication of the service and our ten, brilliant, sub-contracted learning providers. I am so proud of our staff and learners”.
Greenwich Learns courses emphasise supporting people who have not been in education or work for some time. It supports the Mayor of London’s priority to provide free courses for all Londoners paid below the London Living Wage, in our effort to tackle poverty and the cost of living crisis.
The report also praised 'leaders and managers for their focus on, and for promoting equality of opportunity for all' having introduced 'specific courses that are based on the needs of learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), Ukrainian refugees and speakers of English as an additional language. Learners with SEND enrol on specialist courses that prepare them well for employment, supported internships and volunteering opportunities.'
This recent inspection was conducted under Ofsted’s new Education Inspection Framework which came in in May 2019, and was updated in July 2023.
See courses coming up on Greenwich Learns.