COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING

Report on the Inquiry into Education and Training for Industry (Continued)

Report 01/01R

THE DEPARTMENT'S VIEW OF THE OPINION THAT 17 COLLEGES ARE TOO MANY FOR THE SIZE OF THE PROVINCE AND THE NEED FOR GREATER FOCUS ON CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

36.        The Department believes that, in the better interests of strategic development and for the more efficient use of public monies, colleges, particularly those situated in adjacent locations, should work together in the planning of curricular provision and ensure that maximum advantage is taken of existing teaching expertise and equipment. In order to help the sector, the Department has made available funds under the Strategic Restructuring Fund (see paragraph 10). This fund will enable greater collaboration between colleges in the interests of more efficient use of resources and to match current staffing to the areas of highest skills needs.

37.        The Department would support the view that the development of Centres of Excellence is important. In 2000/01, it received bids from colleges to become Centres of Excellence in the six priority skill areas. The criteria for the assessment of the bids were:

n     a high level of participation in the vocational area especially at levels 3 and 4;

n     recent published reports by ETI which suggest, unreservedly, a high quality of teaching and learning;

n     3 years of results in the appropriate public examinations which would be regarded as good or better according to ETI guidelines;

n     significant investment by the college itself in equipment and staffing;

n     an appropriate spread of course provision within the curricular area, including a wide range of options and additional units;

n     evidence of close working relationships with local businesses in the curriculum area.

38.        Centres of Excellence, should, by definition, have a very high standard and should be seen as such, not just by students and potential students but, also by industry.

39.        An Assessment Panel was established made up of representatives from industry, the Inspectorate and the Department. The Panel recommended two lists of colleges for support:

(a)        those bids which were of such a high standard that the colleges could be recognised immediately as Centres of Excellence; and

(b)        those bids which had potential for future designation as Centres of Excellence and which should be supported financially to help them strengthen their position.

40.        During 2001/02 academic year, an evaluation of the Centres of Excellence will be undertaken by the Inspectorate and may also include representations from industry. No decisions on the extension or further direction of the Centres of Excellence will be taken until after this evaluation.

Conclusion

41.        The 1990s was a period of considerable change in the further education sector. Incorporation, in place since 1998, has begun to bed down and, despite some difficulties in some colleges, it is, in the Department's view having a positive effect overall in relation to meeting the Department's strategic objectives. The sector has a key role to play in the social and economic development of Northern Ireland and the current strategic objectives reflect this role. The sector is beginning to address the implications of this role in a coherent and progressive manner. The Department will continue to set the direction and to maintain an oversight of all its activities.

APPENDIX A

COLLEGES FORMULA FUNDING ALLOCATIONS - 2001/2002

Figures exclude the amounts which will be allocated through earmarked funding.

WRITTEN SUBMISSION BY:
EDUCATION AND TRAINING INSPECTORATE

1.         An Introduction to the Inspectorate

1.1        The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) is in direct and unbroken descent from the Inspectorate established in 1832 by the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland.

1.2            Following devolution, the Inspectorate provides inspection services for the Department of Education (DE), the Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment (DHFETE) and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL). The Inspectorate is the independent professional arm of the Departments.

1.3        The Inspectorate is headed by the Chief Inspector, currently a management team of four Assistant Chief Inspectors, some 56 Inspectors and six Associate Inspectors, drawn from a variety of professional and vocational backgrounds, and with wide experience in particular areas of the education and training service. In addition, in its efforts towards greater transparency, the Inspectorate also includes Lay Persons and Associate Assessors (experienced lecturers, senior teachers or principals) on many inspection teams.

2.         Role of the Inspectorate in Further Education and Training

2.1        The key purpose of inspection is to promote the highest possible standards of learning and teaching in Northern Ireland.

2.2        The assessment of the quality of provision through inspection:

n     provides the Chief Inspector with essential information to report on the quality, standards and trends across the sector in Northern Ireland;

n     provides Government Ministers with independent and objective advice;

n     provides the Governing Body and the management of a college with an independent and rigorous assessment of the quality and standards of provision, and of the efficacy of the internal quality assurance procedures in promoting improvement;

n     enables colleges to compare their performance with that of others offering similar provision;

n     promotes the dissemination of good practice; and

n     provides information to the general public about the quality and standards of provision.

2.3        The Inspectorate implements a programme of inspections across the further education and training sectors, and publishes reports on the quality of provision in individual colleges and training organisations, and on specific aspects of provision across a number of colleges and training organisations, and on specific aspects of provision.

2.4        In FE, there are two types of inspection: extended and focused. An extended inspection covers all of the significant aspects of provision and management is carried out once every eight years. A focused inspection on an aspect of provision is carried out at least once every four years.

2.5        There are inspection visits by individual inspectors to the colleges for which they have district and specialist responsibilities. The district inspector routinely monitors college activities and responses to earlier inspections.

(Similar arrangements apply in training inspections.)

3.         The Basis of Inspection

n     programmes of inspection which result in reports for publication;

n     reports may be on individual education or training organisations or may be based on the findings of a broader study of a number of organisations or services;

n     the regularity of inspection has changed over the years: although in FE and training this is a four and eight year cycle, in practice organisations are inspected more frequently than this, for example, a college is visited at least twice each year by the district inspector;

n     there are also annual surveys of interest to policy makers, specialist visits, district inspections and pastoral visits.

4.         Quality Assurance

4.1            Inspection by itself will not raise standards. There must be a will by the organisation to improve. Quality assurance procedures in FE are designed to serve two purposes:

n     to ensure that each college monitors and evaluates its performance continually and systematically in order to improve the quality of its provision and the levels of achievement in all courses and programmes; and

n     to provide essential information, both qualitative and quantitative, to Government, industry, students and the public to enable them to have confidence in the sector, and to inform decision making and choice at a variety of levels.

4.2        To serve these purposes, it is necessary for the quality assurance procedures to have an internal dimension and an external dimension, and to establish an appropriate balance between the use of quantitative and qualitative indicators.

4.3        The internal dimension is the responsibility of the Governing Body of each college. The Governors have responsibility for developing and implementing appropriate quality assurance procedures which meet the requirements of DHFETE.

4.4        The external dimension continues to be the responsibility of DHFETE.

4.5        The Inspectorate undertakes a range of inspection activities which provide reports on individual colleges and on aspects of provision across the sector. These inspection activities include an assessment of the efficacy of the college's quality assurance arrangements and an external check of the extent to which these arrangements are improving the students' learning experiences and raising their standards of achievements.

4.6        Self Evaluation in Further Education

4.6.1     In 1998, the Inspectorate piloted the use of self evaluation prior to inspection in provision at level 3 in four colleges. The Inspectorate published the indicators which they use to assess quality and the sources of evidence. Colleges were required to provide a report on the quality of their provision in each programme at level 3 using the Inspectorate's guidelines prior to the inspection.

4.6.2     The purpose of self evaluation is to improve the quality of provision and raise the standards achieved by students. The procedures and processes of self evaluation require college management and staff to be self-critical against standards reflecting the best practice in the further education sector. The development of a quality culture is required throughout the college to promote a continuous process of improvement. Self evaluation reports should include evidence from college development plans, annual reports, course reviews including internal and external verifiers' reports, the views of students, performance indicators and internal quality audits. Self evaluation reports should also inform college development plans and the quality assurance procedures across the college.

4.6.3     From 1999, the effectiveness of a college's self evaluation arrangements form an important part of focused and extended inspections undertaken by the Inspectorate. At least two weeks before an inspection, a college is required to provide the Inspectorate with a clear and succinct report on the quality of its provision and the standards achieved by students on each of the programme areas or aspects of provision to be inspected. The report comprises three sections:

A.         an introduction, which outlines the quality assurance arrangements in place throughout the college including the roles and responsibilities of middle and senior management, and indicates the part played by self evaluation in these arrangements;

B.         an evaluation report on each of the courses in the curriculum areas and/or aspects of cross-college provision being inspected. These reports are written using the following section headings:

i.     Quality of learning: evaluative comments on the range and quality of the learning experiences provided for students and including reference to the quality of planning, teaching, assessment and support.

ii.     Standards and Outcomes: evaluative comments on the standards of the students' work including Key Skills, retention and success rates, and progression.

Evaluative comments on quality of learning and standards and outcomes should be the central focus of the self evaluation report on each area or aspect of provision. In addition, the self evaluation report should contain brief evaluative comments on the impact on the quality of learning and standards and outcomes of the following:

iii. Curriculum

iv. Student Support

v. Management/co-ordination of the programme area/aspect of provision

vi. Staffing

vii. Physical resources.

C.         An outline of action proposed by the college in response to issues identified in the self evaluation report.

4.6.4     The self evaluation report grades the overall curriculum area, or aspect of cross-college provision under each of the headings above and then provide an overall grade. Grading is based on a four-point scale as follows:

Grade 1     -     significant strengths:

Grade 2             -             strengths outweigh weaknesses:

Grade 3     -     weaknesses outweigh strengths:

Grade 4             -             significant weaknesses:

4.6.5     In considering the grades, the programme/course teams consider the degree of match between the quality indicators and the performance descriptors and the actual provision in college. The key importance of the quality of learning and standards and outcomes should be reflected in the overall grade.

4.6.6     Before, during and after an extended or focused inspection, the self evaluation report is an important source of evidence for the members of the inspection team. Evaluating the rigour, accuracy and consistency of the judgements made by a college in its self evaluation reports is a central purpose in extended and focused inspections, and is commented on by the members of the inspection team in oral reports to programme/ course leaders, heads of department/school, senior management and the Governing Body. There are also comments in published reports of the effectiveness of a college's self evaluation arrangements.

4.7        After the completion of an inspection, the members of the inspection team meet to consider and agree their findings. Following this post-inspection conference, the Reporting Inspector and one other member of the team meet the Principal/Director and the Governing Body to convey the main findings of the inspection team.

4.8        As soon as possible after the oral report to the Governing Body, a written report of the inspection is prepared which includes a summary of the main findings of the inspection.

4.9        Within three months of the publication of an inspection report, the Governing Body is required to submit to DHFETE an action plan to address the issues identified in the report. The implementation of these action plans is monitored by the Inspectorate.

4.10            Associate Assessors

4.10.1   In order to help colleges in making judgements in classroom observation of teaching, and also of learning and standards, the Inspectorate piloted the use of Associate Assessors (AAs) (experienced lecturers/senior lecturers) in inspection. These AAs were trained by the Inspectorate and deployed in inspections for up to two weeks in a year. The Inspectorate benefits also from using practising lecturers because they bring additional perspectives and expertise to the inspection.

4.10.2   In January 2001, at least two Associate Assessors were trained in every college according to the Inspectorate's standards.

4.11      Self Evaluation in Training

4.11.1   Self evaluation is being piloted in all Jobskills inspections in 2000-01 with a view to embedding the process from September 2001.

5.         Policy Advice

5.1        Since 1998, inspection activities have focused on providing not only an evaluation of the quality of the provision, including the quality of learning and teaching and standards achieved, but also on providing information to the Department to inform policy within the strategic aims for further education:

n     supporting the Northern Ireland economy;

n     widening access and increasing participation to groups previously under represented in education;

n     improving quality and raising standards; and,

n     increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the sector.

Examples of this type of work:

i.          College Development Plans (CDPs) - from incorporation, all colleges are required to submit a CDP to the Department with detailed plans for the one year and outline plans for the following two years. The Inspectorate has assessed the planning process in each college;

ii.          The introduction of the Individualised Student Learning Agreement (ILSAs) aimed at ensuring students are provided with appropriate information, advice and guidance on entry to a course and support throughout the programme;

iii.         The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning;

iv.         The support for students with disabilities and learning difficulties;

v.         The use of the Access Initiative and Collaboration Funds to widen access to learning and reach out to community groups, as well as supporting local businesses;

vi.         The provision for basic skills across programmes;

vii.        The effect in the classroom of the use of funds;

viii.       Further Education Programme for staff development;

ix.         The provision for software engineering;

x.         The provision and quality of NVQ level 3 courses in hospitality and catering in FE.

This type of work also extends to training, for example:

i.          The provision for Jobskills Access;

ii.          The provision for New Deal Core Gateway;

iii.         The effectiveness of the Key Skills Resource Centres.

5.2        The Inspectorate also supports the work of the Department through panels and working groups:

n     the Assistant Chief Inspector chairs the Working Group for curriculum development across the colleges. Each curriculum project includes a specialist inspector as an assessor to oversee and guide the project as it progresses;

n     two members of the Inspectorate worked with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to develop the standards for basic skills in literacy and numeracy;

n     an inspector was in each of the four project groups to take forward the ICT strategy and the Assistant Chief Inspector is on the Project Steering Group;

n     an inspector worked with representatives of the sector to draw up the guidance for CDPs;

n     inspectors assess the quality and appropriateness of the applications from colleges to offer higher education courses;

n     specialist inspectors for engineering, software engineering, and hospitality and catering chair the committees with employers for the Lecturer into Industry initiative;

n     specialist inspectors provided detailed assessment of each of the colleges which applied to become centres of excellence in computing, engineering, electronics, construction, hospitality and catering, and software engineering. One inspector also provided professional advice to the panel in assessing the final bids;

n     inspectors provided professional advice to the panel assessing the bids for the Access Initiative funds to widen access to FE;

n     inspectors provide advice on all aspects of technical and vocational education, including the implementation of Curriculum 2000.

6.            Findings From Inspections in Further Education 1998 - 2001

Findings are based on evidence, gathered at first hand. For example, the report on findings of the provision and quality of vocational courses at level 3 are based on inspection of some 600 teaching sessions and discussions with students, lecturers, heads of department and senior managers.

6.1        In the past three years colleges have focused considerable attention on developing partnerships with employers to help meet the needs of industry.

6.2        The Lecturers into Industry programme has benefited significantly those who have participated in engineering, hospitality and catering and software engineering but it needs to be extended further. A significant majority of staff across all vocational areas have kept themselves abreast of modern developments through internal staff development programmes, external specialist programmes funded by colleges, or through personally-funded staff development. However, their experience in industry needs to be upgraded to ensure that they understand fully current practices and processes in their vocational areas.

6.3        Colleges have introduced a wide range of programmes and initiatives to reach out to groups previously under-represented in further education.

6.4        Most colleges are making satisfactory progress in adding breadth to the programme of individual students with the introduction of key skills for all 16-19 year olds, enabling students to take a mix of units across vocational areas and/or mixing academic and vocational subjects. The introduction of Curriculum 2000 remains a challenge for most colleges. The FE sector offers a wide range of full-time and part-time vocational courses which generally caters well for the requirements of students. The curriculum areas attracting the largest number of full-time students are business and health and social care. However, all colleges have begun to give more emphasis to the vocational areas in the six priority skills areas (computing; construction; electronics; hospitality and catering; manufacturing engineering; and software engineering).

6.5        Since incorporation and the introduction of college development planning and self evaluation, all colleges have given an increasing emphasis to improving the quality of their provision. Colleges have made a good start to self evaluation of individual programmes within their overall quality assurance procedures. As part of quality assurance, most colleges, through the completion of questionnaires, survey the students regularly on their experiences. There is a need for senior management in colleges to support individual programme teams by agreeing realistic targets for student retention, and setting goals for teams to achieve.

6.6            Considerable work is needed to increase the uptake of adult literacy and numeracy and improve standards.

6.7        There has been a significant investment in ICT in all colleges in the past three years. Almost all have achieved a ratio of 1computer to 5 full-time equivalent students. Several colleges have exceeded this.

6.8        There has been an increase in the FE sector of around 50% in the number of students on level 3 programmes over the last five years; from 17,626 in 1995/96 to 26,306 in 1999/2000. The full-time enrolments increased by around 20%, from 9,716 to 11,722, and the part-time enrolments increased by around 84%, from 7,910 to 14,584. Currently, the full-time level 3 provision represents almost 50% of the full-time provision in the further education sector, and about 22% of the part-time provision. Colleges face an increasing competition from schools for students aged 16-19.

6.9        The quality of teaching is generally good and often excellent. In inspections in the past three years, around 25% of the lessons observed were excellent, 54% were good, and 20% were satisfactory. Around 1% of the lessons were unsatisfactory.

6.10      There is an increase in the use of the Internet and CD-Rom for information retrieval by students and staff, the use of ICT in the classroom is significantly underdeveloped. The vast majority of full-time staff have begun to work for the level 2 qualification focusing not only on ICT skills such as word-processing, but the use of ICT in their teaching and learning.

6.11      The majority of students on all courses are well-motivated, and respond enthusiastically in class. Over the period of their courses, they take an increasing responsibility for their own learning, demonstrate good study skills, and produce work of a consistently good quality. They develop a good understanding of the vocational context, display initiative, and many demonstrate good levels of occupational skills both in college and in the workplace.

6.12      The retention rates for the vast majority of full-time courses, for example, GNVQ and national diploma programmes, ranges from 65% to 75%. For the majority of students on part-time programmes, retention ranges between 60% and 80%, from modest to satisfactory. It is significant that in almost all cases, retention on NVQ level 3 programmes is consistently good at over 80%.

6.13      The success rates of full-time students who complete their programmes are, with very few exceptions, good or excellent; they range from 80% to 100%.

6.14      Around three-quarters of the full-time students who complete GNVQ and national diploma programmes progress to higher education, and most of the remainder to employment. Progression for part-time students is good. Students in employment who are successful at NVQ level 3, and national certificate programmes, have strengthened their positions with their employers, and many progress to higher level education and training programmes. There is also evidence that part-time students who are successful in gaining level 3 awards, and who are not in employment, have enhanced their employability considerably.

6.15            Learning support arrangements are in place in all colleges for all students. Once identified as requiring additional support, a student is allocated to a specialist tutor for individual support or attends a class with a small number of other students with similar learning needs.

6.16      Colleges have acted on the guidance set out in the Department of Education's Circular 1999/10, "Pastoral Care in Schools: Child Protection". Staff with designated responsibility for child protection have been identified, and all staff have undertaken staff development to raise awareness of the policy on child protection.

6.17            Leadership and co-ordination of individual programmes are good in most colleges, and are characterised by enthusiastic staff who are committed to the welfare and progress of their students.

6.18      With few exceptions, the lecturers are suitably qualified for the units/courses they teach, and are deployed appropriately. Almost all full-time lecturers and a significant number of part-time lecturers have achieved a recognised teaching qualification, either the Post-Graduate Certificate in Education or the Post-Graduate Certificate in Further and Higher Education. (Northern Ireland is the only area of the UK which requires all its full-time lecturers to have a recognised teaching qualification within three years of taking up post.)

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