Cross-college - John Wheatley College

The college had established effective partnerships with a wide range of agencies to facilitate the design and delivery of programmes for at-risk learners in the local community, e.g. the Youthstart programme with local secondary schools. A positive approach to behaviour management, recognition of learner achievement and a high practical content in learning were key features in the development of the programme. The development and effective delivery of the project over a number of years had significantly improved the motivation and achievement of at-risk learners.

Cross-college - John Wheatley College

Almost all subject areas had responsibility for delivering part-time Access 3 courses that gave opportunities to learners with additional support needs to follow certificated programmes in a mainstream subject area. Staff development arrangements and the appointment of inclusion tutors ensured appropriate support was available for learners with additional learning needs and delivered an effective and inclusive learning experience.

Business, management and administration - Dundee College

Flexible provision in NQ and HNC business and management programmes helped students learn at times and in places that it suited them and improved their motivation by integrating HN unit content within NQ level studies. Learners built upon prior learning quickly and were better prepared for subsequent HN studies.

Care - Stevenson College, Edinburgh

An initiative to address the low numbers of males employed in child care involved the design of progressive childcare programmes in care targeted at men. The success of the initiative had prompted other local authorities and colleges in Scotland to adopt the programmes and the models of delivery utilised at the college.

Business, management and administration - Stevenson College, Edinburgh

The Flexible Office Skills programme offered a wide range of skills for new entrants to the labour market, adult returners and long-term unemployed. The flexible nature of the programme allowed learners the opportunity to study at times and places convenient to them. Most students had achieved success on the programme, with several progressing to employment in administrative posts.

Special programmes - Dundee College

The college provided innovative provision for disaffected young people incorporating multi-agency planning and support. This approach used individual profiles of young persons to recognise their needs and aspirations. By focusing on achievement, it helped engage learners by developing their self-esteem and confidence and recognising and celebrating their achievements.

Performing arts: music - James Watt College

The college had designed and developed a high-quality facility for sound recording which maximised learner access to industry-standard equipment and resources that supported practical skills development. The well-thought-out design and the high quality equipment provided learners with good opportunities to develop appropriate skills for employment.

Languages and ESOL - Stevenson College, Edinburgh

The college had brought together in a single area a comprehensive range of ICT and technology-based resources for language learning. The languages teaching and support team had packaged the ICT-based resources in a very attractive and integrated way, and students had easy access to a wide range of learning materials that contributed effectively to their acquisition of language skills.

Business, management and administration - Angus College

The Angus Gold project was designed to help volunteer students work in the local community as information technology tutors to over one hundred learners. The volunteers developed their own interpersonal and employability skills, gained experience in working with others from their local community and enhanced their self-esteem and self-confidence levels.

Business, management and administration - Central College of Commerce

An intranet learning resource in legal studies presented learning materials in interesting ways tailored to learner needs. Its primary purpose was to allow learners to undertake a more in-depth consideration of law to take their studies further and to allow them to consider the direction that the law takes and why. This approach helped learners develop independent learning strategies and broadened their understanding of legal principles.

Business, management and administration and special programmes - James Watt College

The vocational matters programme, delivered in conjunction with the college’s supported learning faculty, met the needs of learners with additional support needs who were not in education, employment or training. Lecturers encouraged the learners to look at their own strengths and be honest about areas which required development. Staff had effectively integrated subject areas on the programme to make the learning experiences more meaningful for learners. Learners expressed renewed self-confidence, and enthusiasm about their plans for the future, as a result of attending the programme.

Computing and ICT - Dundee College

Blended learning in HNC Computing and ICT helped improve retention and achievement rates. Based upon extensive bespoke and interactive course materials, effective online materials with support from web tutors helped learners reflect upon their progress and interact with other learners and staff. These activities were underpinned by comprehensive evaluation procedures involving learners.

Hairdressing, beauty and complementary therapies - James Watt College

Staff in hairdressing and beauty made very good use of digital images in the form of video clips and photographs in a variety of ways to support student learning. Learners could progress through tutorials at their own pace, and check their understanding of applications. Learners developed an autonomous approach to their learning by accessing tutorials through the college’s intranet, which allowed them to continue their studies at home or at work.

Hospitality - Angus College

The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in hospitality allowed learners access to a range of information useful for their studies, including learning materials, assessment schedules and then our work-in-progress and assessment schedules. Widespread use of the resource had encouraged learners to be more independent in their learning and developed their range of ICT skills.

Hospitality - James Watt College

Learners developed skills and knowledge across a diverse range of work environments. These work environments included an industrial environment in a nearby shipyard, a high-quality restaurant and an e-Kafe at the main college campus. Learners developed self-confidence and acquired vocational and core skills. The innovative approach to the learning and teaching process supported progression to further study options and prepared learners well for a range of careers.

Performing arts - Dundee College

Learner engagement with external professionals in performing arts incorporated workshops, residencies, guest teachers and attendance at rehearsals. This helped to establish professional standards of work in technique and creative performances. These links enhanced the learner experience, promoted achievement and attainment and prepared learners well for a career in performing arts.

Sport and Studies - Central College of Commerce

The use of interactive digital media in sport studies allowed learners access to a range of online folders/resources in college or at home or in their work placements. Learners contributed to footage of practical activities and fully engaged in the analysis of the activities with their peers. Learners could engage with their studies at times and places suitable to them and developed good ICT skills within the relevant context of their chosen vocational area.

Care - James Watt College

A paper-free approach to record electronically candidate evidence in SVQ care replaced the use of conventional ring binders as evidence portfolios. It collated electronic media from a range of sources including video clips of real work practice, digital photographs, voice tape and computer-generated documentation. This system used the same evidence-gathering methods as required by the awarding bodies. Candidates received printed reports of their progress and a visual percentage of how much of the award they had completed. On completion, candidates received a CD-ROM containing their portfolio of evidence.

Languages and ESOL - Stevenson College, Edinburgh

At enrolment, staff identified learners’ current level of competence in the four basic language skills and recorded this information in an initial assessment document. Over an induction period, teaching staff, in consultation with each new learner, identified initial goals and what the learner hoped to gain from the programme. In this way, staff and learners collaborated in the production of an appropriate learning plan with clearly expressed language objectives which related well to the personal circumstances and needs of learners.

Care - Stevenson College, Edinburgh

Student self-evaluations of their learning experience in care helped improve quality control exercises. Learners reported that the process enhanced their sense of involvement with the quality assurance of their programme and increased their sense of participation in the learning and teaching process. Learners appreciated the importance of gathering and acting on the views and opinions of clients and this contributed well to learners’ understanding of its application in their occupational specialisms.

Central College of Commerce

The college’s close association with the business community helped to provide learning and business services to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in business development. The development of the CBLZ which housed the Business Gateway provided learning and teaching facilities and resources which assisted businesses to develop. The focused training, development and support provided by the college had allowed the new SMEs to concentrate their energies on business development at the critical early stages.

Central College of Commerce

A financial modelling tool (FinPlan) helped college managers plan a balanced and controlled curriculum. A comprehensive database, including units linked to information on SUMs and staff and room availability, outlined the potential effects of course decisions on income and resources. It had been a key factor in enabling the college to meet the targets it had set itself for income and weighted SUMs, and helped to provide a curriculum in line with the college’s overall strategic aims.

Dundee College

The development of a Strategic Forum helped the college to develop and implement strategies effectively and efficiently. Comprising 30 senior and middle managers and chaired by the principal, the Strategic Forum enabled the college to respond quickly to strategic issues as a corporate entity. This approach ensured managers across academic and support functions played a crucial role in the strategic direction of the college and was an important vehicle for the principal’s exercise of leadership.

Dundee College

The learning and teaching strategy developed by the college helped staff at all levels improve their learning and teaching techniques and share good practice. A curriculum resources development team collated data on the range of learning and teaching techniques employed across the college which were made available to course teams to assess for their own curriculum areas. This has resulted in a closer focus on the learning experience and in the design and delivery of programmes making them more relevant and interesting.

Dundee College

A systematic and comprehensive approach to strategic partnership had been developed which enabled joint planning and development between partners to take place and which improved the quality of the learning experience for the learner. The partnership included local authorities, community agencies, HEIs and other FE colleges and focused on integrating objectives jointly to maximise the learner experience. This approach resulted in an improvement in the quality of the learning experience based upon enhanced capacity of the partners to deliver the product.

James Watt College

The college had established a comprehensive range of links with higher education institutions (HEIs) in Scotland and England. The links with HEIs supported the college’s international strategy to attract more overseas learners to Scotland, to increase its scale of programme delivery and consultancy overseas, and to develop partnerships with overseas government bodies. The links with HEIs also provided platforms for the college’s partnerships operating in the area of knowledge transfer.

John Wheatley College

The college worked effectively with a range of partners to identify and prioritise training which matched the needs in the local community, This approach had enabled the college to make a significant contribution to regeneration of the local community by helping learners overcome barriers to participation and deliver a range of stimulating and successful learning experiences.

Angus College

A school-college partnership provided a wide range of programmes and progression opportunities for learners supported by a sound infrastructure involving staff from each establishment. The college provided community programmes for pupils with additional support needs and provided an alternative curriculum for disaffected and "at risk" pupils. This approach broadened academic and vocational choices and enhanced progression opportunities for school pupils of all abilities in the local community.

Banff and Buchan College

The applied vocational study skills programme involved construction staff and core skills staff working together to improve learners’ skills and improve retention rates. Craft and core skills tutors incorporated a programme of core skills into the pre-vocational building craft programme and collaborated in workshops to support the learners. This programme had helped learners develop their core skills and had significantly improved retention rates on this programme.

Central College of Commerce

The Ya Beauty programme offered enterprise and beauty units to S5/6 pupils in Glasgow, giving them a sense of what it is like to be employed as a hairdresser in a salon or running their own business. The pupils were set a target for the end of the programme to plan, promote and run a ‘pampering day’ in each of their schools. This was effective in developing learners’ vocational and employability skills. Learners’ confidence and self-esteem were enhanced through self-reflection.

Dundee College

Coherent arrangements for financial advice had been developed by a student financial support committee. This committee developed transparent and consistent procedures to distribute student support funds and employed a case history approach to ensure the backgrounds and needs of students were taken into account. Well-considered arrangements for disbursing funds and monitoring the effectiveness of arrangements impacted positively on retention and assisted learners in their efforts to engage in lifelong learning.

Stevenson College, Edinburgh

Over one hundred learners on the Adult Returners and the College and Work Preparation programmes benefited each year from an 18-week core skills development programme. Learners developed their skills in a positive environment within one or more core skill areas while working to improve in other areas of relative weakness. Most learners progressed to mainstream college courses.

Stevenson College, Edinburgh

The Out and About component of the College and Work Preparation programme comprised sessions on citizenship and enterprise during which learners focused on the development of social and practical skills associated with their vocational area. Learners undertook a range of activities including visits, exhibitions and events in Edinburgh. They also took part in fund-raising and other socially useful activities in the local community.

Stevenson College, Edinburgh

The range and quality of pre-entry guidance arrangements for school links were particularly effective. There were very close working relationships between college staff and school managers and guidance teachers. School and college staff used learner profiles effectively to inform the placement of pupils on appropriate programmes and their development. These links were very effective in ensuring pupils made appropriate choices in accessing opportunities for further training on leaving school.

Angus College

College support to learners involved screening all learners to identify literacy and numeracy support needs. The college was able to offer contextualised help and support through a range of options, including drop-in and in-class systems. By adopting an approach that related literacies development with wider needs and barriers to learning, learners showed increased confidence, greater motivation and deeper engagement with their programmes. For staff, this approach had added to their appreciation of literacies in an employment context and raised awareness of the wider issues of literacies development.

Central College of Commerce

The computerised MIS system Enquirer helped staff make decisions based upon relevant/current MIS data. Staff had developed these systems to overcome the difficulties encountered in acquiring and reconciling data from a range of individual computerised systems The system allowed the college to track and manage fee recovery and to help assist learners with financial arrangements. A planned approach to intervention assisted learners with financial difficulties and helped improve retention on courses.

Dundee College

College staff identified resources necessary for the delivery of future planned provision of programmes some 15 months before the provision was due to be delivered. Through the operational planning process, curriculum managers consulted their staff and liaised with central budget holders to ensure that resources were planned and allocated at an early stage of development. This system allowed for unexpected alterations where required and helped the college to deliver well-integrated and systematic planning of resources for future provision.

John Wheatley College

An ILT champion in each curriculum team was allocated time to take forward the college's commitment to using ICT to enhance learning and teaching. The ILT champions identified and developed flexible learning resources, developed curriculum team targets to enhance learning and disseminated good practice within their curriculum team. Many learners had successfully extended their studies by using the resources, and lecturers had improved their ICT skills and considered new approaches to learning and teaching.

John Wheatley College

Personal learning plans (PLPs) helped staff work with learners to identify targets and reflect upon performance and progress. It helped transform learners into independent learners. An integration matrix charted learning activities and progress, and established remaining targets for successful learning. These approaches enabled learners to build confidence and positive attitudes to lifelong learning.

Angus College

An online CPD log collated staff CPD participation. The log recorded ongoing CPD with the opportunity for staff to enter details, identify any follow-up activities resulting from the CPD and evaluate the activity. Human Resources staff could also enter the details onto central records and relate this activity to the individual staff review. These procedures helped senior staff identify and highlight gaps and opportunities for development and enabled staff to identify follow-up or future CPD needs.

Angus College

Team evaluation and operational plans (TEOPs) incorporated team self-evaluations, programme reviews and action planning into a single package and linked them to college objectives. Each academic and support team developed a TEOP for its own functional area which included review and reflection, and evaluation and planning. This process identified links across college activities and helped staff reflect upon performance and plan improvements. The TEOPs became key working documents which underpinned the activities of all college teams.