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SECTION 9
Quality Assurance
9.1 The quality of educational programmes
offered by colleges is evaluated in a number of ways:
- HMIE carries out a four-year
cycle of reviews of colleges. Until 2004, each
college had separate subject and college reviews,
but from January 2005 the reviews have been carried
out by subject review and college review teams
working together. Between 2001 and 2004, 96% of all
HMIE subject reviews gave a good
or very good grade for the teaching and learning
process. Review reports are published on behalf of
SFEFC. They are available on the
HMIE website at
www.hmie.gov.uk;
- internal quality procedures are based on the
same
SFEFC/
HMIE quality framework as
HMIE reviews. College
departments use self-evaluation procedures to
measure progress on quality issues. Students have
the opportunity to state their views on courses
through representation on Course Teams and colleges
conduct regular internal questionnaires/surveys
which record student views on the level of service
offered;
- for courses funded by local enterprise
companies, e.g. Modern Apprenticeships, colleges
must satisfy the requirements of the Scottish
Quality Management System (
SQMS). In a few areas, this is
by an
SQMS audit which emphasises
quality thresholds. For most areas, colleges make
use of credit transfer arrangements to obtain
exemption from
SQMS audits on the basis of good
performance in
HMIE reviews;
- the
SQA undertakes audits in subject
areas using external moderators to visit colleges,
meet staff and consider the internal moderation
procedures in place. During these visits they will
review and discuss the suitability of materials and
procedures used for teaching and assessment;
- the Health and Safety Executive audit colleges
to ensure adequate risk assessment has taken place
and colleges have appropriate structures for health
and safety in place; and
- programmes offered by colleges which are
approved by external bodies must go through a
rigorous validation process before they can be
delivered and are then subject to regular review,
e.g. colleges offering degrees awarded by
universities are subject to rigorous university
evaluation procedures. Some of the agencies
involved in assuring the level of quality in
coursework include the Engineering and Marine
Trades Association, Community Education Validation
and Endorsement, City and Guilds, and the
Construction Industry Training Board.
SFEFC/
HMIE External Quality Assurance of
School/College Partnership
9.2HM Inspectors undertake an independent
review of the quality of provision in colleges on behalf of
SFEFC under the terms of the Memorandum
of Understanding between the Council and
HMIE. The Inspectorate is also
responsible for undertaking independent inspections of
schools and for reviews of education authorities
themselves. By its very nature, college provision for
school pupils falls within the quality assurance regimes of
both sectors. The strength of this, given the common role
of
HMIE, is that a coherent approach can be
taken to evaluation of the contribution of both schools and
colleges to the partnership.
9.3HMIE review teams for colleges include
HM Inspectors, associate assessors and a
lay member. The Subject Review team assesses the quality of
the student experience in a number of subject areas in the
college. The College Review Team assesses the impact on the
student experience of educational leadership and direction,
arrangements for access and inclusion, guidance and
support, use of resources to support the learner, staff,
quality assurance and quality improvement.
9.4 Members of review teams hold
discussions with students and college staff. Members of
subject review teams observe teaching and assess student
progress and achievement. They review information on
student performance and assess student achievement. Members
of college review teams meet representatives of the Board
of Management and hold discussions with local employers,
schools and other users of the college. While the emphasis
of the reviews is on
SFEFC-funded work, Reviewers look also
at the local enterprise company and employer-funded
provision. This latter area has assumed greater importance
since colleges make use of credit transfer arrangements to
obtain exemption from aspects of
SQMS audits on the basis of good
performance at
HMIE reviews.
9.5HMIE as
SFEFC's agent for quality assurance in
further education evaluates the quality of the learning
experience of all learners including school pupils who
undertake programmes offered by colleges. However, as
overall responsibilities for pupils' learning experiences
remains with schools,
HMIE will also sample partnership links
in the context of school inspection, in particular where
they are significant and contributing substantially to the
delivery of education, or where their absence or
deficiencies impact upon the delivery of education.
Essentially
HM Inspectors apply the tests outlined
in the
Guidance on Flexibility in the Curriculum
(
SEED Circular 3/2001) - is the provision
provided through the link well planned, monitored and
evaluated and is it resulting in real educational benefits
for pupils?
9.6 In all sectors,
HMIE promotes self-evaluation by
institutions as a key element of quality assurance,
complemented by external inspection and review.
HMIE's quality frameworks are supported
by series of self-evaluation guides focusing on key aspects
of provision. By summer 2005,
HMIE will publish a self-evaluation
guide in its
How good is our school? series on
school/college partnership.
Private Training Providers and Other
Organisations
9.7 Where a private training provider or
other organisation is involved in a pupils' learning, the
local authority, school or college will ensure through
conditions of payment that
HMIE can observe teaching and assess
student progress and achievement.
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