In the academic year 2004/05, SFEFC and HMIE introduced a revised quality framework and a new review model. The aims of the model remain the same: to build the capacity of Scotland’s colleges to sustain and enhance quality improvement. The quality framework is for colleges to use in their self-evaluation procedures and for HMIE review teams to use in external review. The college review by HMIE uses all of the relevant elements in the quality framework, as in the previous cycle of reviews. HMIE subject review now focuses on learning and teaching process, and learner progress and outcomes. Evaluative activity only focuses on the other A quality elements in so far as they highlight other significant factors that have an impact on the quality of learning and teaching, and learning progress and outcomes.
While there are changes in emphasis within the quality elements A5: Learning and teaching process and A7: Learner progress and outcomes, and specific revisions to other quality elements, the fundamental structure and content of the review framework is not significantly altered. This ensures a high level of continuity between the old and the new frameworks and supports existing, well-established arrangements for self-evaluation in colleges.
Reviews in the academic year 2004/05 did not begin until January 2005 to allow time for all colleges to become familiar with the revised approach. However, most colleges reviewed in 2004/05 had used the previous version of the quality framework for their self-evaluations. HMIE recognised this and when reviewing elements A5 and A7, put the major focus on the key prompts that were common, or essentially common, to both the revised and previous versions of the framework.
In this round of reviews, the number of colleges reviewed was small in comparison with most other years. The small number of reviews means that care should be exercised in the interpretation of statistics and should not be used to draw firm conclusions. Percentages in this report have been rounded up or down to the nearest whole number. This has resulted in totals not necessarily adding up to 100% in some calculations and charts.
The review model introduced in 2004/05 took into account the progress made by colleges in taking forward quality assurance arrangements during the period 2000-01 to 2003-04 inclusive. For instance, reviewers no longer grade the individual lessons that they observe, but award only overall grades for learning and teaching in each of the subject areas being reviewed. A number of abbreviations and technical terms are explained in the front of the report. The glossary provides a fuller listing.
The four point scale (very good, good, fair and unsatisfactory) has been retained. The definition of the grades used in HMIE college reports is:
Very good major strengths
Good strengths outweigh weaknesses
Fair some important weaknesses
Unsatisfactory major weaknesses.
The revised review model uses new methodologies to obtain improved feedback from learners on progress and achievement of outcomes such as the development of personal, learning, core and vocational skills, and the acquisition of skills for employability and citizenship. In addition, the college under review provides a senior manager with a comprehensive strategic overview to fulfil the role of review co-ordinator during the review. The new review model has two phases. Phase one is similar in all colleges. The follow-through phase of the review is a differentiated one where activity is proportionate to the strengths and points for development identified during the first phase. The follow-through phase therefore may be at any point on a continuum from ‘light touch’ to ‘comprehensive’ and its focus may range from areas of weakness to areas of good or sector-leading practice.
Good practice examples in review reports have been renamed for clarity as sector-leading and innovative practice examples. Chapter 10 in this report presents summaries of the sector-leading and innovative practice examples identified during reviews, organised by quality element.
Another aspect of the revised review model, additional to the grades for each cross-college quality element and for A5 and A7, is the expression by HMIE of confidence levels in reports. These relate specifically to Learning and teaching process; Learner progress and outcomes; and Leadership and quality management.