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Analysis of HMIE Reviews of Quality and Standards in Further Education Academic Year 2004/05

4. Analysis of cross-college review

The cross-college quality elements in the revised quality framework are as follows:

• B1 Educational leadership, direction and management
• B2 Access and inclusion
• B3 Guidance and support
• B4 Resources and services to support the leaner
• B5 Staff
• B6 Quality assurance
• B7 Quality improvement.

These quality elements reflect the capacity of the college to support the quality of the student experience and improve outcomes as evaluated in findings under A5 and A7. One quality element in the previous framework, Arrangements for students with learning difficulties and disabilities, is no longer a separate element, and its constituent quality indicators have been absorbed by the cross-college quality elements listed above.

Overall, 49 grades were recorded in the seven colleges reviewed. These grades, together with their respective percentages, are presented in the table below:

The table shows that for the seven colleges reviewed the grades awarded were 57% very good, 41% good and 2% fair. There were no unsatisfactory grades. The following pie charts show the proportion of grades for each quality element.

4.1 Analysis of strengths identified in cross-college reviews: Educational provision: design, planning and management

Across all elements, the strengths that occurred most frequently overall were:

• ICT strategies met learner needs and expectations well; and
• effective partnerships helped extend learner participation.

The common strengths recorded below encompass the two elements B1 Educational leadership, direction and management and B2 Access and inclusion.

• There was effective communication of college aims to all staff.
• Principals and other senior managers shared a clear vision and provided effective leadership.
• Staff exhibited commitment to accomplishing college objectives.
• Effective partnerships helped extend learner participation.
• A good range of programmes was provided in a variety of modes.
• A college commitment to access and inclusion was shared and supported by all staff.

4.2 Analysis of strengths identified in cross-college reviews: Learner services, resources and staff

This covers the three quality elements B3 Guidance and support, B4 Resources and services to support the learner and B5 Staff.

The common strengths identified under B3 Guidance and support were as follows.

• Helpful and approachable staff supported learner needs well.
• The college provided appropriate and effective guidance and support for learners.
• Effective partnership arrangements provided helpful guidance for learners.

For B4 Resources and services to support the learner the following common strengths were identified.

• ICT strategies met learner needs and expectations well.
• Learner accommodation and resources met learner needs effectively.
• The college provided good learner access to facilities and accommodation.

In B5 Staff, the following common strengths were identified.

• Continuing professional development (CPD) procedures met staff training needs effectively.
• Staff demonstrated a strong commitment to teamwork.

4.3 Analysis of strengths identified in cross-college reviews: Quality assurance, improvement and enhancement

This theme includes the quality elements B6 Quality assurance and B7 Quality improvement. The following strengths were recorded.

• Well-developed and appropriate quality systems helped improve the learner experience.
• Staff demonstrated good levels of knowledge of quality procedures.
• The college had a clear strategic commitment to self-evaluation and staff were fully involved in self-evaluation procedures.
• Staff were committed to improving the quality of learner experience.

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