EAQUALS

Evaluation and Accreditation of Quality in

Language Services

The EAQUALS Inspection Scheme: Version 7

Why a new version?

There is fairly widespread agreement that we needed to tidy up V6.2. There’s a bit of repetition, some criteria are not very clear, and the manual gives too much information to take in. So we need to streamline and to reduce both the quantity and variety of paperwork.

The educational scene is changing:

• Other quality marks are moving into the marketWe need to be sure our scheme is competitive: good value for money, clear and easy to

understand, even at first glance. Our USP is the consultancy element: the supportive and knowledgeable ‘critical friend’ whose expertise helps an institution to engage fully with our values.

• Students are becoming more sophisticated and demandingStudents want a wider range of services, for even less money! So we need to ensure our

scheme can cover that wide range. They expect more than just good teaching; and partly through our work, they expect a higher standard of teaching too

• Online provision growing in importanceOnline provision is becoming an essential element in the ‘product range’ of any school.So our scheme has to be applicable to online learning whether standalone or embedded in

a face to face course

Our members’ needs are changing:

Language Teaching Institutions are under unceasing pressure to •Keep costs downWe must offer a streamlined but very high quality service which members feel delivers value for money•Expand businesWe must be flexible and able to respond to the new demands of exiting members, and also to the needs of a more diverse membership.•Deliver high quality serviceWe must employ the best people. Inspector fees have not risen for some time; if we can’t raise their fees we must try to make the work they undertake simpler and more time-effective.

So what have we done?Revised the categories to reflect the changes in student expectations and institutional needs

Reduced the number of criteria to keep it all simpler

The EAQUALS Inspection Scheme: Version 7

CATEGORIES OF THE EAQUALS INSPECTION SCHEMENote: The order is NOT one of importance: It reflects the order of the two days of an inspection to some extent but not fullyWe hope the categories are open enough to allow for the accreditation of language education on-line

1  Management and Administration 7 Client Services

2  Teaching and Learning 8 Quality assurance

3  Academic Systems 9 Staff Profile and Development

4  Assessment and Certification 10 Staff Employment Terms

5  Academic Resources 11 Internal Communications

6  Learning Environment 12 External Communications

1. Management and Administration

• 1.1 An institutional ethos and a mission statement underpins the institution’s activities.

• 1.2 The organisational structure is coherent with the mission statement and ethos

• 1.3 The leadership, company policies, strategies and management and administrative systems of the institution guide and support the achievement of its objectives

2.Teaching and Learning• 2.1. The teaching approach and teaching methods used

supports course participants’ language learning needs and the course objectives.

• 2.2. Lessons are planned with reference to the course programme and the outcomes of previous lessons, and take into account the current learning and motivational needs of individual learners and the group

• 2.3. The opportunities offered for learning include varied tasks, activities and opportunities to communicate in the language, as well as to better understand how it works

• 2.4. Learners are encouraged also to work on their own both during and outside the lesson

3. Academic Systems3.1 There are descriptions of the institution’s educational philosophy and of the objectives and extent of its courses. Teachers are made aware of these and implement the educational philosophy and language teaching methodology.

3.2 There are organised programmes describing the aims and content of each course offered. The programmes make reference to the CEFR system of levels and draw on CEFR principles

4. Assessment and Certification

• 4.1 The systems for assessing individual learners’ progress during the course and their achievement at the end of it provide reliable, valid and fair means of evaluating student achievement and performance.

• 4.2 The assessment procedures are compatible with the institution’s educational philosophy and the course objectives.

• 4.3 The reports and certificates issued to learners indicate learners’ achievements in terms of the course objectives and content.

5. Academic resources• 5.1 The course books or other core materials for the courses,

online learning platforms and resources, and reference materials are in line with the course objectives and the methodology used.

• 5.2 Access to the internet is available for learners and teachers

• 5.3 Materials are developed in-house as a complement or supplement to published resources

• 5.4 The IT equipment needed for the course programme is available for teachers’ use

6.Learning Environment

• 6.1. The teaching and study facilities take into account the requirements of the course programme

• 6.2. Any other facilities required for the services to be provided to learners are also provided

• 6.3. Arrangements are made to protect the health and ensure the safety of learners and staff

7. Client Services

• 7.1 Advice and support is offered to students on their language learning and general welfare

• 7.2 Where a leisure and social programme is organised for students it is varied and takes account of students’ interests

• 7.3 Where accommodation is offered to students it meets agreed standards

8. Quality Assurance

• 8.1. Procedures are in place for lesson observations, both for quality assurance and teacher development purposes

• 8.2. There are procedures in place to enable clients to give feedback and make complaints or suggestions relating to the academic and other services provided

• 8.3. Additional measures are used for monitoring and improving the quality of all services provided

9. Staff Profile and Development

• 9.1. The competences, experience and qualifications of managers, teachers and administrative staff meet the requirements of the language learning and other services provided to students

• 9.2. All staff are given management and peer support and guidance, as well as professional development opportunities

• 9.3. There is a system in place to review staff performance and to plan professional development

• 9.4. Feedback on performance is a factor in determining training provision

10. Staff Employment Terms

• 10.1. There are up-to-date employment contracts between the owners of the institution and each member of staff, and these conform to local norms

• 10.2 The terms and conditions of employment offered to staff also conform to local norms

11. Internal Communications

• 11.1. The responsibilities and coordination links among members of management and/or staff are clearly defined

• 11.2. Information is available to staff about the institution, its mission and its development

• 11.3. There is regular communication between staff and managers

• 11.4. Grievance and disciplinary procedures are in place for staff and are known to them

12. External Communications

• 12.1 All promotional materials accurately describe the institution’s learning services and other services and facilities

• 12.2 Contractual information provided to clients is accurate and complete

If the institution has been accredited by EAQUALS:• 12.3 Information about EAQUALS is available to clients and

students, the EAQUALS Charters are publicly displayed, and the EAQUALS logo is correctly used.

Not just the Framework:•New Manual•New Application Forms •New Report Template

The EAQUALS Inspection Scheme: Version 7

The New Manual – proposed contents:

• Brief introduction • The Charters • The Framework: Categories and criteria• Flow chart of the Inspection process• Preparing for the inspection • During the inspection

– The grading scheme – Criteria for points of excellence – Certificate of Achievement Scheme

• After the inspection

The New InformationForm: A Biennial Return

Prior to an Inspectionand

Midway between Inspections (with SAQ)Will contain information about the LTI

–Philosophy and approach–Legal status–Student numbers (student hours)–Staff–Courses offered–Procedures … some of which will be pasted into the report by the Inspectors

The 4-year Cycle Inspection

Process for EAQUALS Members

1. Secretariat contact LTI with Biennial return form and Self-Assessment Questionnaire

2. LTIl returns Form and Self-Assessment Questionnaire

5. LTI returns Biennial Return Form and dates

6. Inspectors appointed

7. Inspectors contact LTI and start arrangements

8. LTI sends required documents to inspector copies of all mails to DACS and secretariat

INSPECTION

REPORT

Verdict letter

Certificate of

Accreditation

Y3

9.Moderation Process

3. DACS follows up as necessary

Y2

4. Secretariat contact LTI with Biennial Return Form and choice of dates

Y4

Y1

The New FormSection A Institution Description Official name of LTI Please delete this and any other

instructions in green as you complete this form.

Full postal address of LTI  Email of contact person  Website address Please paste in the hyperlink to the

Home pageWeb link to EAQUALS information on website

Please paste in the hyperlink to information on EAQUALS on your website

Name of Contact Person for regular communications (and Inspection if relevant)

 

Legal status (sole ownership/company ownership/public or state ownership etc)

 

Details of company or organisation as filed at the national company registration authority if relevant

 

Section B Teaching Staff (add rows as needed)Names Languages and

specialisms taughtNum-ber Full Time

Num-ber Part-Time

Experience, including service with the present organisation

Qualifications (TFL and other)

                                                       Section C Administrative Staff (add rows as needed)Names Job Title Num-

ber Full Time

Num-ber Part-Time

Experience, including service with the present organisation

Qualifications

                                 

The New Form

Section D Courses OfferedApproximate percentage of total student hours as calculated below

Approximate number of teachers per language taught

Language 1 (insert name) add further rows as needed

%  

Types of course, e.g. EAP, IELTS etc.and on-line courses over the year (add rows as needed)General Language  (name) %

Special purpose (name) %Special purpose (name) %Any courses provided which are not language courses (e.g. teacher training).Please specify type and student numbers.(add rows as needed)Name of course Type Student Numbers     

The New Form

Section E Student Numbers Approximate total of number of all student hours of tuition provided by the institution during the last 12 months Include course participants taught in-company and in other off-site locations.

To calculate student hours: multiply the number of course participants registered, by the number of 60 clock hours each received (for example, 30 course participants doing a course lasting 60 clock hours is 1,800 student hours)Total Number:

Approximate total of number of students at different times of the year

Q1 Jan-March:

Q2 April-Jun:

Q3 July-Sept: Q4 Oct-Dec:

Approximate Numbers of full time (15 or more hours per week) and part-time (under 15 hours per week) course participants over the year

  Full-time Part timeNumber:    Percentage: % %

Approximate Numbers of Junior (under16) Young Learners (under 10) and Very Young Learners (under 6) over the year

  Junior Young Learners

Very Young Learners

Number:      Percentage: % % %

Maximum size of classes taught:

 

The New Form

Section F Background InformationHistory Please provide a brief account of the history of the

institution (date founded, any mergers, moves, etc.)Premises Please give a brief description of the main premises:

number and size of classrooms (how many students can be accommodated in each) student common rooms, offices etc.

Facilities Please give a short account of the facilities available to staff and students such as café/refreshment bar, drinks and snack machines, and anything you feel is important to include.

Classroom equipment Please describe the equipment available in classrooms, indicating whether it is in all classrooms or only some and if so, how many.

Any other premises used by the LTI

Please describe any other premises used by the institution, indicating distance in km and travel time from the main premises

Any recent developments of importance to the Inspection

Please give a brief account of any developments which you feel have made a significant contribution to the Institution’s performance in the last two years..

The New Form

The New Report

• A simpler layout• Executive Summary and

global Verdict first• Evidence and verdict in the

same place for each category

Grading Scheme• The Inspectors found this category to be a Point

of Excellence for the Institution. (Grade 1)• The Inspectors found some Points of Excellence

in this category (Grade 1.5)• The Inspectors found that the Institution meets

EAQUALS criteria for this category (Grade 2)• The Inspectors found that the Institution meets

EAQUALS criteria for this category in most areas but some action must be taken to fully comply with EAQUALS standards. (Grade 2.5)

• The Inspectors found that the Institution does not meet EAQUALS criteria for this category (Grade 3)

For example ….1 Management and administration (EAQUALS General Charter: 1, 2, 3,

4)

Verdict statement: Delete all verdict statements except the relevant one.

The Inspectors found this category to be a Point of Excellence for the Institution.

(Grade 1) The Inspectors found some Points of Excellence in this category (Grade 1.5) The Inspectors found that the Institution meets EAQUALS criteria for this category

(Grade 2) The Inspectors found that the Institution meets EAQUALS criteria for this category

in most areas but some action must be taken to fully comply with EAQUALS standards. (Grade 2.5)

The Inspectors found that the Institution does not meet EAQUALS criteria for this category (Grade 3)

The Inspectors found:

1.1. A company ethos and/or mission statement appropriate to the institution’s activities 1.2. An organisational structure coherent with the above 1.3. Effective leadership, company policies, and strategies 1.4. Efficient management systems

Insert here a description, either for each criterion, or in one paragraph, which justifies your verdict on this category. Then add: Points of Excellence

Eg 1.2 is excellent because…(refer to criteria for excellence for guidance; if none, delete heading. Recommendations

Use bullet points; bold where a priority; if none, write ‘none’. Requirements

Use bullet points; if none, write ‘none’

What next?A period ofReflection and listeningDocument preparationPilot InspectionsFurther revision… and finally … LAUNCH .. . April 2014