Inspectors have assessed Rutland's adult learning services as going backwards and improvements are needed. 

A full inspection was held in March into the service that Rutland County Council manages from Oakham Enterprise Centre, with inspectors finding that many learners were completing the same courses repeatedly. 

The inspection led by Vicki Locke, has now rated the services as requiring improvement, down from previous good inspections in 2015 and 2018. 

The report which was published on Wednesday (7th May) did praise the service as 'inclusive and warm'; found people were safe; tutors were well qualified and experienced and that half of those studying functional English skills gained qualifications. But inspectors assessed that the leadership needed improving and the course offer could be developed.  

The service has been amalgamated into the council's Living Well service and provides courses in English maths, languages and arts, for those aged 19 and over, with currently 160 people, mostly aged over 55 taking part. Head of Living Well Rutland is council officer Bernadette Caffrey.  

"The adult learning leadership team members are relatively new in their respective roles. They acknowledge that the current course offer does not fully meet the needs of residents in their communities. Leaders are ambitious to make improvements and have conducted extensive stakeholder engagement, which they intend will inform the design of future courses," said the report. 

Areas where the authority has been told to improve are: 

Making sure all courses have a clearly defined purpose that is well aligned to learners' needs; 

Creating clear progression routes or appropriate signposting to other relevant activity from all courses;   

Improving oversight of learners' progress towards their intended primary goals so that learners make swifter progress; 

Using stakeholder engagement to implement planned changes to the course offer that better meet community needs.  

Councillor Christine Wise (Lib Dem), cabinet member for transport, environment and communities at Rutland County Council, said: "I am pleased, though not surprised, that the findings highlight the strong dedication of our staff and the exceptional support provided to our learners. 

 "While there are areas for improvement, the feedback from Ofsted provides a clear path for ongoing development, strengthening our commitment to delivering high-quality education and support to the community. 

 "To drive this progress forward, our development and improvement plan will help us to focus on the identified areas for improvement, ensuring we continue to enhance the learning experience for all."