External Quality Arrangements for Scotland's Colleges: page 4

External Quality Arrangements for Scotland's Colleges

provide mechanisms for identifying and evaluating potential excellence and potential risks¹⁰;
focus on the three key principles of High quality learning; Learner engagement; and Quality culture;
primary emphasis during Pre-visit analyses on impact on learners and outcomes for learners (rather than inputs and processes, which may also be included in Annual engagement visits);
prognostic/predictive validity of data, information and methods used;
the use for Pre-visit analyses of only publicly available data and information, and such other data and information that colleges provide to SFC or the college HMI;
signals of potential excellence and potential risks identified by HMIE (mainly prior to Annual engagement visits); and
signals of potential excellence and potential risks evaluated during Annual engagement visits through discussion with managers and staff, and engagement with learners.

HMIE will seek to answer, annually, three questions in conversation with the college. Does our analysis and engagement suggest that:

learners will (continue to) progress well and achieve relevant, high quality outcomes?
learners will (continue to) engage in and enhance their own learning and the work and life of the college?
college leadership will (continue to) enhance the quality of services for learners and other stakeholders?

Purpose

to analyse available data and information to create a draft agenda for the subsequent Annual engagement visit; and
to identify any signals of potential excellence, signals of potential risk or important aspects on which there is no, insufficient or apparently contradictory data or information.

Focus and nature of activity

a desk exercise carried out by HMIE and, possibly, AAs;
will use existing data and information such as from recent reviews and post-review action plans, college HMI visits, reports from HMIE aspect tasks, and from other scrutiny and quality bodies;
will use annual college reports to the Council and public-domain information such as PIs (informed by trend analysis where feasible) and college reports on the impact of equalities policies; and
HMIE will not expect colleges to provide any data or information that is not already in (or is legally required to be in) the public domain or provided to SFC.

Scale and timing

normally one day of activity for two HMI/AAs; and
the programme of Pre-visit analyses will generally begin in September each year and will normally be completed by June the following year.

Indicative sources of data and information for Pre-visit analysis:

FES data analysed for trends;
college plans;
college reports on the impact of their published equalities schemes;
college annual (BoM) report to SFC;
any other published self-evaluation or internal review reports;
recent HMIE external review reports and college post-review action plans;
any previous HMIE annual engagement summary;
fieldwork for subject-based aspect reports;
reports on the college by other scrutiny or quality bodies, such as IiP;
information from public bodies such as Skills Development Scotland;
college audited accounts or financial reports;
any other public or SFC-provided information or information provided by the college to the college HMI.

Purpose

to share the findings of the Pre-visit analysis with the college;
to explore any signals of potential excellence, potential risk or important aspects on which HMIE have no, insufficient or apparently contradictory data or information;
to support enhancement;
to inform HMIE’s annual sectoral report to SFC; and
to underpin the proportionality, scope, depth and timing of external reviews by HMIE.

Focus and nature of activity

will be evaluative, but not be a mini external review;
will focus on:
- the three key principles including, in terms of outcomes, the wider achievement of learners and the progression of learners; and
- how the college has addressed any issues from the previous external review or previous annual engagement activity;
will include consideration of:
- equality and diversity;
- international aspects; and
- sector-leading and innovative practice (SLIP);
will comprise:
- professional dialogue with managers and staff;
- engagement with learner representatives, other groups of learners and, possibly, other key stakeholders; and
- consideration of other college documents as appropriate.

Scale and timing

will normally:
- involve two HMI for one day (or one HMI and one AA); and
- be led by the college HMI (as an extension of the college HMI role)
will exceptionally be on a larger scale if:
- concerns were expressed in confidence statements from the last external review;
- findings from the Pre-visit analysis indicate major concerns;
- the college has requested and HMIE has agreed to a more extensive or detailed engagement.
HMIE will:
- carry out visits starting in October each year and completing by June of the following year;
- contact the college at least six weeks before the visit to agree a suitable date;
- contact the college four weeks before the visit to present a draft agenda for discussion;
- agree the final agenda with the college two weeks before the visit;
- invite the college to nominate examples of SLIP, of which up to two may be considered during the visit, and any others logged for prioritisation and possible exploration at a later date; and
- give short, oral feedback to the principal, senior managers and learner representatives at the end of the visit.

4.4 After annual engagement