Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council has welcomed a positive Ofsted report which has rated its Adult Learning Service as “Good” – a significant improvement from its previous “Inadequate” rating.
The service has been rated “Good” across the board in terms of the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and adult learning programmes.
Council staff have worked extremely hard to improve the service and set in motion a comprehensive review of team practices, management practices, culture, and learner-focused service delivery.
The service has had regular Ofsted visits in June 2024 and November 2024 to check on progress, culminating in the final Ofsted inspection on 13 May 2025.
The latest inspection highlights the swift progress made by the service, which provides education and training opportunities for adults across the borough.
Training includes lessons in English, maths, digital skills, English for speakers of other languages, as well as sector-based courses to support people into skilled roles in construction.
Inspectors praised the leadership and the strong support provided to learners. The report noted that learners feel safe, are well supported, and benefit from a high-quality education.
Councillor Lynn Pallister, Cabinet Member for Growth and Enterprise at the council, said:
“We are extremely proud of the achievements of the Adult Learning Service in getting a good Ofsted assessment, for raising standards and rebuilding confidence in the service.
“To achieve this turnaround in such a short period of time is rare and is truly outstanding for the council. Of course, the real beneficiaries of the positive Ofsted outcome are the learners who use the service every day, and they can rest assured that a good service will continue going forward.”
The full Ofsted report is available on the Ofsted website here: https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50280330