The Quality Framework for
Scottish FE Colleges
Angus Allan, HMIE
HM Inspectorate of Education
1
What is of greatest importance in the
learning resource centre in your college?
• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
HM Inspectorate of Education
2
The review model – factors informing
developments
• Lifelong learning strategy
• Consultation 2003 - 2004
• Strong support for the development of
differentiated approach
• SFEFC’s quality improvement group
• Analysis of reviews from last round
HM Inspectorate of Education
3
“the time is right for a move to a quality
improvement culture… based upon an allround, learner-centred quality improvement
approach. …The focus needs to move
further towards measuring outcomes for
learners”
Life through learning. Learning through life
HM Inspectorate of Education
4
“ Quality mechanisms should:
• Drive innovation in quality improvement
• Include learner evaluations
• Use partnership approaches and benchmarking to
raise standards
• Have an appropriate balance between internal and
external dimensions… ”
Life through learning.
Learning through life
HM Inspectorate of Education
5
The review model
Developments in the model include:
– developments in quality framework
– increased engagement with:
• learners
• employers and key partners
– a proportionate approach
– published reports
– a change in post-review engagement with HMIe.
HM Inspectorate of Education
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The review model has a primary focus on:
• the learning & teaching process
• learner progress and outcomes
• leadership and quality management
HM Inspectorate of Education
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The review model is intended to:
• support promote and develop quality
enhancement and good practice in colleges
to provide the best possible experience for
the learner
• support college arrangements for enhancing
quality by providing speedy and detailed
information for college managers and staff …
HM Inspectorate of Education
8
The requirement for revision of the quality
framework
• The previous framework covered almost half of the
period since incorporation – all colleges have
changed and matured
• Evolving Scottish policy and social context
• Changed and increased learner population
• Changing insights into learning, and approaches to
learning
• The underlying reason for having the framework is
that evaluation is a key stage in planning for
improvement; this principle also applies to the
framework itself.
HM Inspectorate of Education
9
Purpose of the framework and overall
structure
No change in intended purpose:
– use by colleges in self-evaluation as part of
maintaining and enhancing provision and
outcomes, and planning for improvement
– use by HMIE in external evaluation and reporting
No change in overall structure:
– subject and cross-college elements and QIs
– prompts and indicative sources of evidence
– grade descriptors
HM Inspectorate of Education
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Scale of revisions - statistics
• One of 17 elements removed, with consequent
adjustments to others.
• Titles of four elements adjusted to convey shifts in
emphasis
• 12 element titles unchanged.
• Net increase of one QI – conflation in A QIs and
additions in B QIs
• Titles of some QIs adjusted for clarity or to convey
shifts in emphasis
HM Inspectorate of Education
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Kinds of changes
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tidying-up / streamlining
Clarification
Updating
Including items previously omitted
Shift in focus or emphasis
Significant
The central concern was to make only necessary or
clearly desirable changes, and to maximise
consistency with the previous framework.
HM Inspectorate of Education
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Changes of QI titles - examples
Until 2004
From 2004
• A4.4 Staff development and
review
• A4.4 Staff development and
career review process
• A8.4 On-course guidance
and support
• A8.3 On-programme
guidance and support
• A8.5 Pre-exit guidance
• A8.4 Progression guidance
• B2.1 Leadership for access
• B2.1 Leadership for access
and inclusion
HM Inspectorate of Education
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Specific adjustments - examples
A.1 Programme design
– In A1.1, the focus shifts from range of programmes to their
relevance to learners’ and other needs
A.4 Staffing
– There is an increased focus on continuous professional
development through a new separate QI A4.5
A9 Quality assurance and improvement
– A9.1 Programme review and evaluation provides a wider
range of prompts better reflecting areas highlighted by
reviews as important
HM Inspectorate of Education
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Streamlining - examples
A2 Accommodation for teaching and learning
– Two previous QIs Accommodation and facilities for teaching
and learning and Facilities to support learning in the subject
area amalgamated under the first title.
A3 Equipment and materials
– The previously separate QI on ICT has been subsumed
within A3.1 Materials and equipment to support learning and
teaching
A8.3 Pre-programme guidance and support
– Conflation of two previous QIs Pre-entry guidance and
support and Induction.
HM Inspectorate of Education
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Areas of more significant revision
A5 Learning and teaching process
A7 Learner progress and outcomes
BI Educational leadership, direction and management
and to a lesser extent:
B4 Resources and services to support the learner
B5 Staffing
HM Inspectorate of Education
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A5 Learning and teaching process:
basis for revision
• Evolving practice across colleges
• HMIE report Student Learning in Scottish Further
Education colleges, drawing upon:
– HMIE reviews
– Learners’ views
– Focus on Learning project
– Wider research on learning
…and setting out “recurring themes”
HM Inspectorate of Education
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A5 Learning and teaching process: structure
Until 2004
From 2004
A5.1 The context for learning
A5.1 The learning process
A5.2 Standards set by lecturers
A5.2 The teaching process
A5.3 Planning for learning and
teaching
A5.3 Context and planning for
teaching and learning
A5.4 The teaching process
A5.5 The learning process
HM Inspectorate of Education
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A5 Learning and teaching process: content
References in A5.1 - A5.3 prompts include:
• learner engagement
• reflection on learning
• independence in learning
• use of resources by learners (including ICT)
• focus on learners
• staff-learner relationships
• physical environment
HM Inspectorate of Education
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A7 Learner progress and outcomes:
basis for revision
Consensus that learner outcomes should be
evaluated against a balance of points including:
– reference to pre-programme and current levels
of skills
– acquisition of skills from a diverse range
– formal qualifications and awards
– retention and post-course progression
… and taking more account of customer views/
satisfaction against aspirations
HM Inspectorate of Education
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BI Educational leadership, direction and
management: basis for revision
• Consensus that restriction of the previous scope of B1 to
avoid evaluation in strategic and related areas was
artificial and unhelpful in the wider consideration of
learning and outcomes
• Recognition that evaluations of leadership, direction and
management need to draw upon their impact
Still no consideration of:
- Funding, broader aspects of governance, health and
safety, management styles
HM Inspectorate of Education
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BI Educational leadership, direction and
management: structure/content
Prompts extended to cover, for example:
•
•
•
•
•
•
clarity and comprehensiveness of aims, objectives, targets
their relationship to legislative and policy imperatives
portfolio planning
curriculum-related estate planning and development
curricular response to context and needs
progress, achievement and trends across aims, objectives
and targets
HM Inspectorate of Education
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B4 Resources and services to support the
learner: summary
• Some changes parallel and extend those under B1, for
example strategic aspects of ICT across the curriculum
• References to ICT are more prominent to reflect its
continuing growth in usage and importance
• References to inclusion are built up in alignment with
those on access
• Centrally-available learning materials and equipment still
a key feature of B4
HM Inspectorate of Education
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B5 Staff: summary
• Some changes parallel and extend those under B1,
for example strategic aspects of CPD
• References to qualifications, skills and experience of
staff are extended and spelled out more specifically
• Staff development makes specific reference to new
roles, and to new staff
HM Inspectorate of Education
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B6/B7 Quality assurance and
improvement
•
•
•
•
Key aspects continue to be:
Role of self-evaluation in quality improvement
Importance of feedback from users
Inclusion of all areas that impact on the learner
experience
• Staff commitment to improvement
• Identifying and sharing good practice (external
dimension?)
HM Inspectorate of Education
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Overarching questions
• In the area you work in do quality improvement
processes:
• drive innovation in quality improvement?
• include learner evaluations?
• use partnership approaches and benchmarking to
raise standards?
• make a difference?
HM Inspectorate of Education
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