SUCCESS THROUGH EXCELLENCE

SUCCESS THROUGH EXCELLENCE:A Quality Improvement Strategy for theFurther Education and Training Systemin Northern Ireland

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Foreword 2

1. Background and Scope 3

2. Introduction 3

3. Vision 4

4. Objectives 5

5. Success Criteria 5

6. Implementation 6

7. Strand One: The Inspectorate 7

8. Strand Two: The Learning and Skills

Development Agency, Northern Ireland (LSDA (NI)) 12

9. Strand Three: Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) 14

10. Strand Four: The Review of Purpose,Performance and Public Value 15

11. Strand Five: The Department’s Contract

Management Function 16

12. Conclusion 18

Appendix 1: Summary of Success Criteria, Key Action

Points and Related Performance Indicators 19

Appendix 2: Inspection Grade Descriptors 23

CONTENTS

As Minister for Employment and Learning, I am committed toensuring that the education, training and skills provision inNorthern Ireland is of the highest quality.

The colleges of further and higher education, training organisations, and community andvoluntary groups that make up the further education and training system play a centralrole in developing a highly skilled, flexible and innovative workforce which will contributeto the twin goals of social justice and economic success for Northern Ireland. Thequality and effectiveness of the system are crucial elements of that process. The focuson quality and performance, and the pursuit of continuous improvement across thesystem is reflected in the implementation of the Skills Strategy: Success Through Skills,Further Education Means Business and the Welfare to Work Reform Agenda. The driveto improve quality is at the heart of each of these plans.

I believe we need to develop the culture of continuous improvement, and to move awayfrom simply complying with standards to a culture of innovation and excellence drivenby high expectations to achieve the very best. To that end, the Strategy aims to providea framework to target more effectively performance that is of poor quality or which,while satisfactory, is not improving. The pursuit of high quality provision across thefurther education and training system is a top priority for the Department. This Strategyprovides clarity about the respective roles in the quality improvement agenda andindicates the key actions for improvement in order to support change.

I want all learners to enjoy a high quality learning experience that unlocks their fullpotential. The provision of good quality further education and training should takeaccount of the needs of learners, build on their prior attainments, maximise outcomesand relevance for them and their communities ensuring that employers get the skillsand workforce training they want when they need it.

The Quality Improvement Strategy is for the whole further education and training systemin Northern Ireland - for all the providers that participate in delivering it, and the partnerorganisations that will work with them to ensure its successful implementation. Itrequires commitment from my Department, the partner organisations and the furthereducation and training system to turn the collective pursuit of high quality provision into a reality.

Maria Eagle MP

Minister for Employment and Learning

FOREWORD

January 2007

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2. INTRODUCTION

2.1 The Quality Improvement Strategy(the Strategy) presents a vision of qualityperformance, aligns the work and business processes of partnerorganisations across the furthereducation and training system, andindicates key actions for improvement in order to support change.

2.2 At an operational level, the Strategyaims to enhance the quality of furthereducation and training programmesfunded by the Department. It ensuresthat quality thresholds and performancemeasures are defined across theDepartment’s provision, that lessons aredrawn from external inspection andaddressed appropriately and coherently,and that a range of support and capacitybuilding activities aimed at improvingperformance, are provided in anappropriate way. In addition, the Strategywill outline principles for addressing,where appropriate, poor quality provision.The successful outworking of this Strategyis dependent on effective partnershipswith the Education and TrainingInspectorate (Inspectorate), the Learningand Skills Development Agency, NorthernIreland (LSDA (NI)), Lifelong Learning UK(LLUK), and the providers in the furthereducation and training system.

1.1 The Department for Employmentand Learning (the Department) seeks toguarantee that the education, training andskills provision it funds is of excellentquality, and that those who provide theseservices on its behalf commit to suitablyhigh performance standards. The providersare a diverse mix: colleges of further andhigher education, training organisations,and community and voluntary groups.These organisations comprise the furthereducation and training system in NorthernIreland. The Department needs to assureitself that it is sufficiently aware of thequality of performance and purpose ofthis wide range of providers. It iscommitted to improving its strategicapproach to quality and performance, andgiving appropriate emphasis and priorityto its monitoring role in relation to themanagement of funding and contractingprocesses. The Skills Strategy: SuccessThrough Skills, Further Education MeansBusiness and the on-going strategic reviewof the Department’s EmploymentProgrammes set out the central rolewhich colleges and training organisationsmust play in raising the skill levels ofindividuals and so raise the productivityand competitiveness of Northern Irelandcompanies and the economy overall.Considerable progress has been made inimplementing the many strands of thesestrategies which has at their heart afocus on quality and its enhancementacross all providers.

1. BACKGROUND AND SCOPE


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2.3 The Strategy will ensure a coherentapproach to quality improvement, andthe raising of standards across thesystem, working collaboratively with thekey partners. This involves the use ofinspection, support, advice and guidance,and the dissemination of good practiceto support improvement initiatives, bothwithin individual providers and across thesystem as a whole.

2.4 Fundamental to the success of theStrategy is building on the commitmentsoutlined in recent publications for qualityimprovement including the jointDepartment/LSDA (NI) report, “Purpose,Performance and Public Value”. One ofthe key recommendations of the report,which is an objective that underpins theStrategy, is the development of a qualityethos and culture that is driven byproviders to ensure they are motivated toachieve value for money. Research intoeffective change, indicates thatimprovement occurs when providers,who are required to improve, deliver thechanges themselves and commit to acontinuous cycle of quality improvement.

2.5 In addition, the Strategy willrecognise and take account of the keyrecurring themes for the furthereducation and training system outlined inthe Chief Inspector’s Report 2002-2004,and subsequent annual reports providedto the Department from the Inspectorate.It will be essential that where inspectionfindings identify innovative and improvedpractice related to these themes,appropriate dissemination activities and case studies are implemented and shared across the system.

3.1 The vision underpinning theStrategy is of an excellent furthereducation and training system that is:

• responsive to meeting the needs of learners, employers and the wider community;

• committed to continuous self-improvement through well embedded,and rigorous self-evaluation andimprovement planning; and

• able to access easily a coherentframework of support and guidance that focuses on self-improvement, highquality leadership and management,and continuous professionaldevelopment.

3.2 The Strategy recognises that theprovision of good quality furthereducation and training takes account ofthe needs of learners, builds on theirprior attainments, maximises outcomesand relevance for them, employers andthe communities, and plays a key role incontributing to economic growth andsuccess, and social justice. TheDepartment wishes to promote the bestpractice in the further education andtraining system to ensure that employersget what they want when they need it,and where learners have real influence inhelping providers shape the quality oftheir education and training provision.

3. VISION

issues are regarded holistically,including co-ordinating more effectivelyfindings from external inspection, qualityimprovement and intervention initiatives,and the on-going management andmonitoring of contracts. The Branchwill provide recommendations to thefunding division of the appropriateDepartmental business area regardingthe use of suitable sanctions to dealwith poor quality provision including,where necessary, removing a provider’sfunding and/or contract.

5. SUCCESS CRITERA

5.1 The Strategy will ensure that all of the key partners involved focus theirefforts consistently and coherently onachieving these common goals. This will include:

• a reduction in the frequency of poorprovision, improvement in thesatisfactory and a shift towardsexcellence;

• an embedded culture of self-improvement as the basis for progresstowards excellence in provision;

• the development of a proportionatebased inspection cycle that provides a more appropriate balance betweenprovision that is good and provisionthat is poor, or not showing signs of improvement;

• an inspection cycle that supportsdirectly the self-evaluation andimprovement planning process,evaluates regularly the quality ofevidence that underpins it, and which

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4.1 The key objectives of the Strategyare to:

• develop and embed a culture of self-improvement that will ensure that allproviders of further education andtraining are responsive fully to theneeds of learners, employers and thewider community and commit to, andachieve, continuous self-improvementand excellence;

• assist in the development of clear and coherent systems of support toensure that inspection findings areaddressed effectively and efficiently,and that innovative and good practiceis identified and shared;

• ensure that the LLUK nationalprofessional standards for teachingand learning meet the needs, andenhance the professional developmentof teachers, trainers and tutors across the further education andtraining system;

• develop strong and innovativeleadership and management at alllevels of the further education andtraining system;

• ensure that the programmes of work,protocols, business processes andstandards of the key partners,including the Inspectorate, LSDA (NI)and LLUK are aligned with those ofthe Department to support moreeffectively and coherently the furthereducation and training system’scapacity to improve and develop; and

• help shape the work of a DepartmentalQuality and Performance Branch toensure that quality and contracting

4. OBJECTIVES

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results in accurate reporting andgrading of the quality of provision,including the capacity of the leadershipand management to self-improve;

• the development of support networksthat enable providers to shareinnovative and good practice andassist in peer learning;

• a range of advice, support services and resources that meets the needs of providers and drives up the quality of provision;

• the development of a standards-basedframework that meets the continuousprofessional development needs ofteachers, trainers and tutors;

• the development of a quality andperformance framework that willbenchmark excellence across the furthereducation and training system; and

• an improvement in the Department’scontract management function thatprovides recommendations to thefunding division of the appropriateDepartmental business area regardingthe use of suitable sanctions to dealwith poor quality provision, including,where necessary, removing a provider’sfunding and/or contract.

5.2 The Department will use theBalanced Scorecard methodology toensure the Strategy’s success criteria,and the performance indicatorsassociated with them, are continuallymonitored and, where appropriate,amended and improved upon. A range ofthe performance indicators that reflectevidence of success, in each of thecriteria outlined above, and which will beassessed and scored leading to a singleoverall performance rating, are includedin Appendix 1.

6. IMPLEMENTATION

6.1 In order that the success criteriaoutlined above are realised, the Strategyis classified into five broad strands thatfocus on the programmes of work to betaken forward with:

• the Inspectorate, to ensure that inspection provides clear, consistent and accurate reporting and grading of further education and trainingprovision, resources and supportseffectively the culture of self-improvement, and identifies andassists in the dissemination ofinnovative and effective practice;

• the LSDA (NI), to secure betteroutcomes for learners and employersby providing focus and support forquality improvement in the furthereducation and training system;

• LLUK, to develop a standards-basedframework for the further educationand training system, including thecommunity based learning sector,which supports continuous


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regarding the quality of provision and theeffectiveness of self-improvementprocesses, to support it in managing therisks associated with the funding andcontracting of provision. These will besummarised and highlighted in the biennial Chief Inspector’s Report, anddetailed specifically in the Inspectorate’sannual report to the Department.

7.2 The Inspectorate providesinspection services and information forthe Department about the quality offurther education and training provision,with the key purpose of promotingimprovement. The Departmentrecognises that the responsibility for theprovision of good quality furthereducation and training lies first andforemost with providers, and is foundedon their own processes for planning,evaluation and improvement.Consequently, the responsibility for self-improvement lies firmly in the hands ofproviders, and it is important that theydo not simply react to inspectionfindings, but take control for themselves.

7.3 The programme of action agreedwith the Inspectorate, and which isfundamental to the success of theStrategy, reflects and reinforces the tenprinciples outlined in the Office of PublicServices Reform’s 2003 publication,“The Government’s Policy on Inspectionof Public Services”. This policy expressesthe Government’s view on the inspectionof public services, based on bestpractice, and states that inspectionshould, for example, pursue the purposeof improvement, be proportionate to risk,and encourage self-evaluation.

Policy Advice and Guidance

7.4 Through its annual programme of

professional development for allteachers, trainers and tutors;

• the key recommendations outlined inthe joint Department/LSDA (NI) report,“Purpose, Performance and PublicValue”, and ensure they are integratedinto the Strategy; and

• the Department’s contract managementfunction, to ensure a consistentapproach to the monitoring ofcontracts, which will focus on highquality and improved performancefrom contracted providers.

7. STRAND ONE: THEINSPECTORATE

7.1 Key to the success of the Strategywill be effective partnership between theDepartment and the Inspectorate,including the development of aMemorandum of Understanding and aService Level Agreement between thetwo organisations, to promotecontinuous quality improvement acrossthe further education and trainingsystem. The Department and theInspectorate will work together in thebest interests of all learners, sharing anopen and transparent relationship thatrecognises and respects one another’sseparate roles and responsibilities.External inspection will provide objectiveand accurate reporting and grading offurther education and training provision,and support effectively the culture ofself-improvement using, andunderpinned by, the Improving QualityRaising Standards (IQ:RS) inspectionframework. The Inspectorate will providethe Department with judgements

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work, the Inspectorate provides animportant source of professional andobjective advice on the quality of theDepartment’s funded and contractedprovision in the further education andtraining system. The Department drawson this source of expertise in support ofevidence-informed policy making, byseeking appropriate objective advicefrom the Inspectorate when new policiesor strategies, including this one, arebeing developed or consideration isbeing given to major changes in existingones. In addition, the Inspectorateprovides reports to the Department onthe quality of provision in relation tospecified aspects across the system, insupport of policy advice and development.The range of inspection, survey andadvisory reports, including timescales forcompletion, are specified in the ServiceLevel Agreement agreed between theDepartment and the Inspectorate on an annual basis. The framework for co-operation between the Departmentand the Inspectorate is laid out in theMemorandum of Understanding, publishedin June 2006.

Action Points

The Inspectorate will:

• provide an independent professionaland objective assessment of theeffectiveness of Departmentalstrategies or policies, basing its adviceon the best evidence available to itthrough its inspection programmes;

• work closely with the Department toensure that areas for improvementand/or policy advice and guidanceidentified as a consequence of theagreed programme of inspection,survey and advisory reports are

disseminated and acted upon asappropriate; and

• provide an annual report to theDepartment, outlining the key strengths and areas forimprovement of the further educationand training system, which is timed to contribute to the Department’sbusiness planning process.

Self-evaluation and QualityImprovement Planning

7.5 A key principle of the Strategy is toraise further the quality and standards ofprovision. This will be achieved throughimproving the capacity of providers toimplement continuous qualityimprovement based on effective self-evaluation and improvement plans.The chief purpose of the self-evaluationprocess is to support the provider’s ownwork on quality improvement and tomeasure progress. The Inspectorate willplay a vital and integral role in helping todevelop further the self-evaluationprocess. The continuing pursuit of qualityimprovement over time, as evidenced inself-evaluation and quality improvementplan reports, will be one of the foundationsof the inspection cycle.

7.6 In Northern Ireland, the IQ:RSpublication is the Inspectorate’sinspection framework for the furthereducation and training system. Mostproviders across the system have usedthe IQ:RS framework effectively todevelop their own approaches to qualityassurance, self-evaluation and qualityimprovement planning. However, therequirements for contracted trainingproviders have developed along differentlines from those providers of further and

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that evaluate and provide appropriatefeed-back to ALL further educationand training providers on the quality ofthe evidence that underpins theirannual self-evaluation and qualityimprovement plan reports. This willenable the Inspectorate to makejudgements as to whether the providerhas the capacity to evaluate its ownperformance and if there is adequatejustification for the strengths andareas for improvement identified;

• share their judgements and gradeswith the Department on the qualityand effectiveness of self-evaluationand quality improvement planning; and

• work closely with the LSDA (NI) tooffer appropriate support to providersto improve the self-evaluation andquality improvement planning process.

Proportionate Based Inspection

7.7 Over time, the embedding of theethos of self-improvement firmly with theproviders, and the evolving role of theInspectorate in assuring the quality ofthe judgements contained in the self-evaluation and improvement planreports, alongside evidence generatedfrom mainstream inspection activities,will provide the basis of a move towardsa proportionate based inspectionprogramme. A more incisive and focusedinspection programme that supports andcontributes effectively to a provider’sself-improvement and overallperformance will be crucial to theDepartment’s ability to predict, preventand manage poor provision. Also, theInspectorate will be able to assignInspector days and plan its full range ofinspection activities more appropriately

higher education. The submission of anannual self-evaluation and qualityimprovement plan to the Department,based on the IQ:RS framework, is acontractual requirement for all trainingproviders. In contrast, each college offurther and higher education submitsannually a College Development Plan(CDP) to the Department for evaluationand cross-sector comparison, within

which a key component is an evaluationof their education and training provision,based on the IQ:RS framework. It isimportant, for the Strategy to beeffective, that consistency is establishedacross the two sectors, and that theInspectorate play a key role in evaluatingthe quality of a provider’s ownjudgements of its effectiveness, and setthis against the accuracy or otherwise ofthe self-evaluation and qualityimprovement plan. Consequently, theDepartment will require each college tosubmit a self-evaluation and qualityimprovement plan, separate from theirCDP, in line with the procedures alreadyestablished with contracted trainingproviders.

Action Points


• by April 2008, develop and embedobjective and consistent procedures


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to ensure that its resources are allocatedproportionately across all furthereducation and training providers. The Inspectorate will work with theDepartment to align the businessplanning processes of both organisationsto focus more effectively on the qualityand performance of further educationand training providers. Alignment ofthese processes, including matchingmore appropriately evaluative statementscontained in the IQ:RS framework withstrands of Departmental policy, such asthe development of key quality performanceindicators for the further education andtraining system, will help to strengthenthe focus of the Inspectorate’s work whenevaluating the quality of a provider’sprovision.

Action Point

• By April 2008, the Inspectorate willdevelop in partnership with theDepartment, a more incisive andfocused inspection programme that isproportionate in its design and whichensures that the resources of bothorganisations are targeted moreefficiently and effectively.

Inspection Reports and Grading of Provision

7.8 The Department has worked withthe Inspectorate to review a wide rangeof inspection procedures and protocolsfor the further education and trainingsystem, critical among which are thestructure of reports, and the publishing ofinspection grades.

Action Point

• From April 2007, the Inspectorate willpublish further education and traininginspection reports that will be shorter,

more accessible, focus on the keyareas for improvement and identify,where appropriate, best practice.

Identification of Good Practice andProfessional Development

7.9 A key outcome of the inspectionprocess is the identification andaffirmation of innovative and goodpractice. The Inspectorate play a vitalrole in evaluating, at first hand, theimpact that good quality teaching,training and learning has on bothlearners and employers, in terms ofenhanced opportunities to succeed andprogress, and in meeting effectively skillsneeds in the workplace. The commitmentby the Department in establishing andfunding Centres of Excellence in priorityskills areas across the further educationsystem, and by the Inspectorate in therecruitment of Associate Assessors (1)from the further education and trainingsystem to work alongside Inspectors, hascontributed to the identification andsharing of good practice between andamong practitioners. The Inspectorate isalso working currently with representativesfrom industry, commerce and otherrelevant public bodies to explore the useof Professional and Technical Associatesin the inspection process to ensure, for example, that both the specialistexpertise of Inspectors and the provisionfor professional and technical educationremains up-to-date, and in line withindustry standards.

Action Points


• liaise with the Department and LSDA(NI) to ensure that where good andinnovative practice is identified it isshared and disseminated in an

(1) Associate Assessors are deployed by the Inspectorate to support the work of a specialist and/orReporting Inspector during scheduled inspection activities. They participate in all aspects of the inspectionprocess, including evaluating the quality of teaching, training and learning, and the self-evaluation and qualityimprovement planning process.

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• liaise with the Department and LSDA(NI) to clarify the appropriate action tobe taken forward with a providerregarding the areas for improvementidentified as a result of the inspectionprocess.

Post-inspection Improvement Planand Follow-up Inspections

7.11Following an inspection, a provideris responsible for deciding whatimprovements are needed and howthese will be implemented. The LSDA(NI) are contracted by the Department

to provide the most appropriate andtargeted support as required by a providerto help ensure that the improvementplan that is formulated and submitted tothe Inspectorate for evaluation, addresseseffectively the areas for improvement.

7.12Following the submission of theimprovement plan, a provider will besubject to a proportionate programme offollow-up inspections, which will normallybe completed within 12 months. TheInspectorate, working closely with theDepartment and its individual businessareas, aims to ensure that follow-upinspections are better fitted to thepurpose of improving the quality andperformance of the further educationand training system.

appropriate format across the furthereducation and training system,particularly in those areas identified askey recurring themes in the ChiefInspector’s Report, 2002-2004; and

• by April 2007, embed further the useof Associate Assessors in theinspection process, and develop theuse of Professional and TechnicalAssociates to ensure that thespecialist expertise of Inspectors andsubsequently the provision forlearners, remains up-to-date, and inline with industry standards.

Post-inspection Support

7.10A key area of work underpinning the Strategy, and one that has beendeveloped in line with the Memorandumof Understanding and Service LevelAgreement, is ensuring that the findingsand areas for improvement frominspection reports are acted upon by theDepartment in a more consistent andcoherent manner. A revised set ofprocedures agreed with the Inspectorateensures that, based on the inspectiongrades awarded, post-inspection qualityimprovement initiatives are put in placewith the provider almost immediately atthe end of an inspection. (See Appendix2 for grade descriptors.)

Action Points


• in line with the agreed protocolsoutlined in the Service LevelAgreement, share the findings ofinspection including the gradesawarded with the Department withinone week of the end of eachinspection; and

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Action Points


• after receiving and evaluating theimprovement plan, conduct aproportionate programme of follow-upinspections, and provide to theDepartment at the end of the process,final recommendations and gradesreflecting the improvement achievedby the provider since the originalinspection; and

• by June 2007, embed follow-upinspection procedures that contributeeffectively to improving theperformance of providers.

Dealing with Poor Quality Provision

7.13 The Department, working with theInspectorate will give providers notice toimprove within a reasonable timescale.However, if improvements are notdemonstrated to a satisfactory level,steps will be taken by the Departmentthat may result ultimately in removing aprovider’s funding and/or contract;quality improvement will operate as anintegral part of the Department’s fundingand planning arrangements for thefurther education and training system.

Action Point

• Where provision is of poor quality anddemonstrates over a 12 month periodthat it is not improving as reflected inthe grade(s) reported by theInspectorate at the conclusion of thefollow-up inspection process, theDepartment will take suitable actionincluding, where necessary, removing aprovider’s funding and/or contract fromall or specific areas of learning.

8. STRAND TWO: THE LEARNING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, NORTHERN IRELAND(LSDA (NI))

8.1 The LSDA (NI) is contracted by theDepartment to secure better outcomesfor learners and employers by providing afocus for quality improvement initiativesin the further education and trainingsystem. The LSDA (NI) work closely withthe Department, the Inspectorate, andother key partners to provide support tofunded and contracted providers toimprove quality and performance, and torespond better to learners’ andemployers’ needs. This includes workingwith providers whose provision has beenevaluated by the Inspectorate as havingimportant and/or significant areas forimprovement or is poor, and which issubject to follow-up inspection.

8.2 The LSDA (NI) provide advice andsupport to further education and trainingproviders through tailored programmes ofquality improvement, where need isidentified by the providers themselves,the Inspectorate and/or the Department.The LSDA (NI) provides a regional focusto enable providers to learn from othersin the sector, and to disseminate goodpractice. Working with the Department,and other key partners, it will buildcapacity for self-improvement in thesector through the provision of supportfor teaching, training and learning, andby offering expert advice services tosupport the self-evaluation andimprovement planning process.

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system as highlighted in the ChiefInspector’s Report, 2002-2004.

Action Points

The LSDA (NI) will:

• by April 2007, implement fully,appropriate support programmes forALL further education and trainingproviders whose provision has beenevaluated by the Inspectorate ashaving important and/or significantareas for improvement or is pooracross all, or part of its provision, atthe conclusion of a formal inspectionactivity;

• provide support and advice toproviders where significant issues havebeen identified by the Inspectorate,following the submission andevaluation of their self-evaluation andquality improvement plans on anannual basis; and

• work with the Department to addressand provide support for a range ofissues, including the development ofappropriate key performance measuresthat will measure the extent and rangeof economic engagement provided by the further education and training system.

Business Plan

8.3 The LSDA (NI) submits an annualbusiness plan to the Departmentoutlining the key areas of qualityimprovement and support they willprovide across the further education andtraining system, in line with theDepartment’s key priorities. In thecurrent business cycle the plan has beenreviewed and revised by the Departmentto ensure that it focuses more appropriatelyon the quality improvement needs andpriorities of the whole further educationand training system in Northern Ireland.

Action Point

• By April 2007, LSDA (NI) will embedand provide coherent and consistentprogrammes of support, advice andguidance across the further educationand training system in line with theDepartment’s key priorities.

Self-evaluation, Post-inspectionSupport and Cross-sector Work

8.4 The LSDA (NI) work closely with theDepartment and the Inspectorate to support providers to improve quality.As well as providing a range of servicesto support all further education andtraining providers’ self-evaluation andquality improvement planning processes,and post-inspection improvementplanning, the LSDA (NI) will work withthe Department and the Inspectorate totake forward a programme of work thatwill address and provide support for anumber of broad sectoral issuesincluding, for example, addressing more effectively the priorities outlined inthe Skills Strategy: Success ThroughSkills, Further Education Means Businessand the key recurring themes across the

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Leadership and Management

8.5 Essential to the on-going successof the Strategy is the capacity it providesto support and develop effectiveleadership and management at all levelsof the further education and trainingsystem in Northern Ireland. A key focusof the work of the LSDA (NI) is to providesupport for leadership and managementdevelopment across the system. Theywill, in partnership with the Centre forExcellence in Leadership (CEL), lead onproviding leadership and managementdevelopment programmes informed byresearch and good practice. It is aparticular priority of this aspect of theStrategy that the LSDA (NI) target moreeffectively the training sector to ensure arange of appropriate leadership andmanagement programmes are developedand embedded successfully.

Action Point

• By April 2007, in line with the businessplan agreed with the Department, theLSDA (NI) will implement a range ofleadership and management developmentprogrammes across the whole furthereducation and training system.

Dissemination of Good Practice

8.6 It is recognised that there is someexcellent provision across the furthereducation and training system inNorthern Ireland. The work of the LSDA(NI) will be to focus on thoseorganisations across the system whodemonstrate good teaching, training andlearning and those who lead, manageand support them, and ensure that whatconstitutes excellence is sharedeffectively.

Action Points

The LSDA (NI) will:

• co-ordinate and support effectivetransfer of good practice, workingclosely with the Inspectorate to ensurethat it is disseminated effectively, andthat there are clear messages to thesystem about what constitutesexcellence; and

• develop further its web based Teachingand Learning Communities portal toprovide online resources and casestudies to support and facilitate theexchange of good practice in teaching,training and learning.

9. STRAND THREE: LIFELONGLEARNING UK (LLUK)

9.1 LLUK is the Sector Skills Council(SSC) responsible for developing andimplementing a range of services tosupport continuous professionaldevelopment for those who work infurther education, higher education,work-based learning, communitylearning, libraries, archives andinformation services. In terms of theStrategy, a priority for LLUK will be todevelop a standards-based framework forthe further education and trainingsystem, including the community basedlearning sector, which supportscontinuous professional development forall teachers, trainers and tutors.

9.2 The programme of work being takenforward by the Department with LLUK isat an early stage of development.However, LLUK is vital to ensuring thatthe national professional standards for

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national professional standards forteaching and learning, and

• work with the Department to ensurethat continuous professionaldevelopment programmes are developedto meet the specific training needs ofthe management and staff of the work-based learning and training system.

10. STRAND FOUR: THE REVIEW OF PURPOSE,PERFORMANCE AND PUBLIC VALUE

10.1 This review of the quality andperformance arrangements forprofessional and technical education andtraining in Northern Ireland, was carriedout by Chris Hughes CBE (2),commissioned through the LSDA (NI) onbehalf of the Department, and publishedin May 2006. The key purpose of thereview is to ensure that professional andtechnical education provided by thefurther education and training systemhas the capacity to support the futureeconomic development and skills needsof Northern Ireland, by identifyingmeasures that will deliver excellence tolearners, employers and communities.The Department will integrate the keyrecommendations identified in the reviewinto the Strategy. This will involve workingclosely with the Inspectorate and theLSDA (NI) to ensure key areas, such asthe IQ:RS framework, developappropriately in line with theDepartment’s strategic priorities, andthat benchmarking and performancemeasurement schemes are developed

teaching and learning are developed,and that programmes of professionaldevelopment for teachers, trainers andtutors are established to meet the

significant challenges in relation to thequality of provision offered to learners. Inthe Northern Ireland context, it will beparticularly important for LLUK to workclosely with the University of Ulster toensure that the existing PostgraduateCertificate in Further and HigherEducation (PGCFHE) is developed in linewith the national professional standardsfor teaching and learning, and toconsider developing similar programmesof professional development aimedspecifically at the management and staffwho work exclusively in the work-basedlearning and training system.

Action Points

LLUK will:

• by September 2007, develop nationalprofessional standards for teachingand learning to meet the continuousprofessional development needs of allteachers, trainers and tutors who workin the further education and trainingsystem in Northern Ireland;

• work with the University of Ulster toensure that the PGCFHE programmedevelops appropriately to meet the

(2) Chris Hughes was Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) from 1998 toDecember 2004. During that time, at the invitation of the Department for Employment and Learning, LSDAextended its operations from England and Wales to Northern Ireland.


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and implemented across the furthereducation and training system.

Action Points

The Department will:

• by April 2007, in concert with thefurther education and training system,develop a range of performancemeasures and a benchmarkingscheme that monitors and improvesproviders’ performance across thefurther education and training system;

• work with the Inspectorate to ensurethat inspection procedures focus moreeffectively on the quality of providers’ self-evaluation andimprovement planning processes, andthat the performance indicatorscontained in the IQ:RS frameworkreflect more appropriately the strategicaims for the further education andtraining system outlined in the SkillsStrategy: Success Through Skills andFurther Education Means Business;and

• ensure a stronger focus on learner andemployer satisfaction to assess thepublic value of the professional andtechnical further education andtraining system.

11. STRAND FIVE: THEDEPARTMENT’S CONTRACTMANAGEMENT FUNCTION

11.1 The recent Northern Ireland AuditOffice (NIAO) report on Jobskills raisedissues about the Department’s overallcontract management and monitoring

function. These related mainly to themonitoring of compliance checksincluding learner attendance,employment and qualification outcomes.

11.2 The management and monitoringof contracts can include different andwider measures of performance, such as compliance with financial and auditrequirements, and generic contractualobligations and targets. While there arestrengths in the existing contractmanagement function, there is a need to define clearly the key elements thatwill ensure there is a more accountableand robust contract managementsystem. This will include thedevelopment of a range of keyperformance measures and indicators,including appropriate compliancestandards that reflect more accuratelythe key outcomes of the differenttraining and employment programmesfunded by the Department. It is not theintention to separate quality improvementand contract management. They are partof the same process, which will ensurethat learners gain the education andtraining to enable them to acquire thenecessary skills and progress into work.It will be important, for example, to ensurethat the performance measures andindicators developed for contractmanagement complement similarmeasures of performance used by theInspectorate to evaluate the quality ofstandards and outcomes of thecontracted providers, both in their on-going programme of inspections, and in

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management and monitoring ofcontracts. Decisions with regard to thetermination of a contract, however, orthe use of other appropriate sanctionssuch as the withdrawal of funding todeal with poor quality provision, is amatter for the funding division of theappropriate Departmental businessarea, advised by the Quality andPerformance Branch; and

• ensure that the Quality andPerformance Branch takes appropriateaction on the recommendations arisingfrom Financial Audit and Support Team(FAST) inspections. FAST will continueto provide assurance to theDepartment’s Accounting Officer withregard to the quality of financialsystems operated by contractedproviders, and the propriety of claimspaid by the Department.

their annual evaluation of providers’ self-evaluation and quality improvementplans. Figure 1 below, illustrates thelinkages and lines of communicationbetween the key partners in qualityimprovement, and the business/fundingareas of the Department.

Action Points

The Department will:

• by April 2007, ensure that its contractmanagement and quality improvementprocesses are clearly defined andcentralised within a Quality andPerformance Branch. This will ensure aconsistent approach to themanagement and monitoring ofcontracts that focuses on high qualityand improved performance andoutcomes from providers;

• ensure that quality and contractingissues are regarded holistically,including co-ordinating more effectivelyfindings from external inspection,quality improvement and interventioninitiatives, and the on-going

FURTHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROVIDER

FAST

LSDA (NI)

LLUK

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

ANALYTICAL SERVICESDEPARTMENTAL BUSINESS/FUNDING AREAS(TENDERING/CONTRACTING)

QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE BRANCH

ACCOUNTING OFFICER

INSPECTORATE

Figure 1

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12. CONCLUSION

12.1 The drive to improve the qualityand performance of the provision that itfunds is the Department’s top priority.Key to the Strategy is developing andmanaging the capacity for all furthereducation and training providers tobecome self-improving organisations.Quality improvement cannot be imposed;it must come from within. However, theStrategy provides the framework andstructure that facilitates the bestsupport, advice and guidance to ensurethat providers achieve consistently highquality, and strive for excellence.

12.2 The Strategy outlines the roles thatall of the key partners in qualityimprovement and support will have toplay to ensure its success within each of the five strands. While they are allinter-related, the success of the Strategywill be judged on how well each partner,including the Department, strives tomeet the challenges contained in it. TheStrategy ensures that all providers canaccess the support they need, basingtheir improvement activities on clear andobjective evidence, facilitated by thestrengthened role of the Inspectorate in the self-evaluation and improvementplanning process, and a move towards a more proportionate inspection regime.Those providers that are identified aspoor will be given the support to improvewithin a reasonable timescale.

12.3 The Strategy provides the furthereducation and training system with thebest support and resources for improvingteaching, training and learning, and tomeet employers’ needs more effectively.In addition, it provides the capacity to

develop appropriate leadership andmanagement programmes, andprofessional development opportunities forall teachers, trainers and tutors that willultimately underpin its successfuldelivery.

APPENDIX 1: SUMMARY OF SUCCESS CRITERIA,KEY ACTION POINTS AND RELATED PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

SUCCESS CRITERIA KEY ACTION POINTS PERFORMANCEINDICATORS

Strand One:The Inspectorate

A reduction in thefrequency of poorprovision, improvementin the satisfactory and ashift towards excellence.

• Ensure that areas for improvementand/or policy advice identified as a consequence of the agreed programme of inspection, survey and advisory reports are disseminated and acted upon.

• Liaise with the Department and LSDA (NI) to clarify the appropriate action to be taken forward with a provider regardingthe areas for improvement identified as a result of the inspection process.

• Work closely with the LSDA (NI) to offerappropriate support to providers toimprove the self-evaluation and qualityimprovement planning process.

• At the end of the follow-up inspectionprocess, provide final recommendationsand grades reflecting the improvementachieved since the original inspection,that will enable the Department to take suitable action including, wherenecessary, removing a provider’s fundingand/or contract from all or specific areasof learning.

• Continuousimprovement ininspection grades.

• Targeting andsupporting provisionthat is satisfactorybut not improving.

• Targeting and removalof poor provision by 2008.


An embedded culture of self-improvement as the basis for progresstowards excellence in provision.

• Work closely with the LSDA (NI) to offerappropriate support to providers toimprove the self-evaluation and qualityimprovement planning process.

• Share judgements and grades with theDepartment on the quality andeffectiveness of self-evaluation and qualityimprovement planning.

• Continuousimprovement ingrades for annual self-evaluation andimprovement plans.

• Increase in frequencyof best practiceevents and services.

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The development of aproportionate basedinspection cycle thatprovides a moreappropriate balancebetween provision thatis good and provisionthat is poor, or notshowing signs ofimprovement.

• Develop, in partnership with theDepartment, a more incisive and focusedinspection programme that isproportionate in its design and whichensures that the resources of bothorganisations are targeted more efficientlyand effectively.

• Liaise with the Department and LSDA (NI)to clarify the appropriate action to betaken forward with a provider regardingthe areas for improvement identified as aresult of the inspection process.

• After evaluating a provider’s improvementplan, conduct a proportionate programmeof follow-up inspections.

• Liaise with the Department and LSDA (NI) to ensure that where good andinnovative practice is identified it isshared and disseminated in anappropriate format across the furthereducation and training system.

• Embed further the use of AssociateAssessors in the inspection process, and develop the use of Professional andTechnical Associates to ensure that thespecialist expertise of Inspectors andsubsequently the provision for learners,remains up-to-date, and in line withindustry standards.

• Targeting andsupporting provisionthat is satisfactorybut not improving.

• Increase in number ofproviders ofprofessional andtechnical excellence.


• Sustained use ofAssociate Assessorsand Professional and TechnicalAssociates in theinspection process.

Strand One: The Inspectorate

An inspection cyclethat supports directlythe self-evaluation andquality improvementplanning process,evaluates regularly thequality of evidence thatunderpins it, and whichresults in accuratereporting and grading ofthe quality of provision,including the capacity ofthe leadership andmanagement to self-improve.

• Develop and embed objective andconsistent procedures that evaluate andprovide appropriate feed-back to ALLfurther education and training providerson the quality of the evidence thatunderpins their annual self-evaluation andquality improvement plan reports.

• Publish further education and traininginspection reports that will be shorter,more accessible, focus on the key areasfor improvement and identify, whereappropriate, best practice.

• Embedded scrutinyand grading of self-evaluation andimprovement plans.

• Accessible andprioritised inspectionfindings.


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Strand Two:LSDA

The development ofsupport networks thatenable providers toshare innovative andgood practice and assistin peer learning.

• To embed and provide coherent andconsistent programmes of support, adviceand guidance across the further educationand training system in line with theDepartment’s key priorities.

• To implement fully, appropriate supportprogrammes for ALL further education andtraining providers whose provision hasbeen evaluated by the Inspectorate ashaving important and/or significant areasfor improvement or is poor across all, orpart of its provision, at the conclusion ofa formal inspection activity.

• To provide support and advice to providerswhere significant issues have beenidentified by the Inspectorate, followingthe submission and evaluation of theirself-evaluation and quality improvementplans on an annual basis.

• To develop further its web based Teachingand Learning Communities portal to provideonline resources and case studies tosupport and facilitate the exchange of goodpractice in teaching, training and learning.

• Improved access togood and innovativepractice.

• Continuous increasein the use of Teachingand LearningCommunities portal.


Strand Two: LSDA

A range of advice,support services andresources that meet theneeds of providers anddrives up the quality ofprovision.

• To work with the Department to addressand provide support for a range of issues,including the development of appropriatekey performance measures that willmeasure the extent and range ofeconomic engagement provided by thefurther education and training system.

• To implement a range of leadership andmanagement development programmesacross the whole further education andtraining system.

• To co-ordinate and support effectivetransfer of good practice, working closelywith the Inspectorate to ensure that it isdisseminated effectively, and that thereare clear messages to the system aboutwhat constitutes excellence.


• Continuousimprovement inlearner satisfaction.

• Continuousimprovement inemployer satisfaction.

• Continuous improvement in responding effectivelyto employers’ needs.

• Increase in number ofstaff with leadershipand managementqualifications.

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Strand Three: LLUK

The development of a standards-basedframework that meetsthe continuousprofessionaldevelopment needs ofteachers, trainers and tutors.

• To develop national professionalstandards for teaching and learning tomeet the continuous professionaldevelopment needs of all teachers,trainers and tutors who work in the further education and trainingsystem in Northern Ireland.

• To work with the University of Ulster toensure that the PGCFHE programmedevelops appropriately to meet thenational professional standards forteaching and learning.

• To work with the Department to ensurethat continuous professional developmentprogrammes are developed to meet thespecific training needs of the managementand staff of the work-based learning andtraining system.

• Increase in percentageof appropriatelyqualified andrecognised teachers,trainers and tutors.

Strand Four:The Review of Purpose,Performance and PublicValue.

The development of aquality and performanceframework that willbenchmark excellenceacross the furthereducation and trainingsystem.

• The Department will, in concert with thefurther education and training system,develop a range of performance measuresand a benchmarking scheme that monitorsand improves providers’ performance acrossthe further education and training system.

• The Department will work with theInspectorate to ensure that inspectionprocedures focus more effectively on thequality of providers’ self-evaluation andimprovement planning processes, andthat the IQ:RS performance indicatorsreflect more appropriately the strategicaims for the further education and trainingsystem outlined in the Skills Strategy:Success Through Skills and FurtherEducation Means Business.

• Ensure a stronger focus on learner andemployer satisfaction to assess the publicvalue of the professional and technicalfurther education and training system.

• Development andimplementation of arange of performancemeasures for thefurther education andtraining system.

• Implementation oflearner and employersatisfaction surveys.

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Strand Five:The Department’sContract ManagementFunction.

An improvement in theDepartment’s contractmanagement functionthat providesrecommendations to thefunding division of theappropriateDepartmental businessarea regarding the useof suitable sanctions todeal with poor qualityprovision including,where necessary,removing a provider’sfunding and/or contract.

• Ensure that the Department’s contractmanagement, and quality improvementprocesses are clearly defined andcentralised, providing a consistentapproach to the management andmonitoring of contracts that focuses onhigh quality and improved performanceand outcomes from providers.

• Ensure that quality and contracting issuesare regarded holistically, including co-ordinating more effectively findings fromexternal inspection, quality improvementand intervention initiatives, and the on-going management and monitoring ofcontracts.

• Ensure that appropriate action is taken onthe recommendations arising fromFinancial Audit and Support Team (FAST)inspections.

• Creation ofDepartmental Qualityand PerformanceBranch.

• Development andimplementation of arange of keyperformancemeasures andindicators for thefurther education andtraining system.

• Targeting and removalof poor provision by2008.

APPENDIX 2: INSPECTION GRADE DESCRIPTORS

The Inspectorate has, to date, used a four-pointgrading scale when evaluating the quality of theprovision of a further education and trainingprovider. After completing a review of the four-point scale, the Inspectorate is piloting a newsix-point scale from September 2006. They haverevised key aspects of their inspection guidanceand protocols in line with this new grading scale.The descriptors associated with the new six-pointscale are:

Grade 1: Outstanding characterised by excellence;

Grade 2: Consistently good;

Grade 3: Many good features but some areas forimprovement which the organisation has thecapacity to address;

Grade 4: Overall sound/satisfactory but withsome areas for improvement which needaddressed;

Grade 5: Significant areas for improvement whichoutweigh strengths; and

Grade 6: Poor.

Further information:telephone: 028 9044 1910email: [email protected]: www.delni.gov.uk/qualityimprovementstrategy

THE DEPARTMENT:Our aim is to promote learning and skills,to prepare people for work and to supportthe economy.

This document is available in otherformats upon request.

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SUCCESS THROUGH EXCELLENCE