The North Highland College
22 April 2016
A report by HM Inspectors
on behalf of the
Scottish Funding Council
Summary report
The external review process
HM Inspectors undertake an independent review of the quality of provision in Scotland’s
colleges on behalf of the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC)
under a service level agreement between the council and Education Scotland. External
review teams include HM Inspectors, associate assessors and a student team member.
The review took place in accordance with the protocol on quality assurance of University
of the Highland and Islands Millennium Institute and the SFC-funded colleges which are
academic partners of UHIMI (March 2009). Under this protocol, which was agreed by
SFC, Education Scotland and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
(QAA), the review focused solely on Further Education (FE) provision.
During external reviews, members of the review teams observe learning and teaching
and hold discussions with learners, staff and stakeholders. They consider information
on learner attainment and evaluate learner progress and outcomes. They meet with
members of the Board of Management and obtain feedback from community groups,
partners and employers who work with the college.
The purpose of this report is to convey the main outcomes arising from the external
review, to acknowledge the college’s strengths and to provide a clear agenda for future
action to improve and enhance quality.
This external review results in judgements of effective or limited effectiveness or not
effective that express the external review team’s overall evaluation of high quality
learning, learner engagement and quality culture.
The report also uses the following terms to describe
numbers and proportions:
almost all
most
majority
less than half
few
over 90%
75-90%
50-74%
15-49%
up to 15%
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Contents
1.
Page
Introduction
1
The external review
1
2.
The college and its context
2
3.
Outcomes of external review
Judgement of Effectiveness
3
Section A:
Section B:
Section C:
Section D:
Section E:
Overarching judgement
Supporting statements
Areas of positive practice
Areas for development
Main point for action
3
3
4
5
5
4.
Signposting excellent practice
6
5.
What is an overarching judgement?
8
6.
What happens next?
10
7.
Further information
10
8.
How can you contact us?
11
Appendices
12
Glossary of terms
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
12
13
1. Introduction
The external review
The external review by Education Scotland took place during the week beginning
22 February 2016.
We examined learning and teaching and other important activities that impact on the
quality of the learner experience. We evaluated these against the three key principles
of high quality learning, learner engagement and quality culture, using the 13 reference
quality indicators (QI) outlined in External quality arrangements for Scotland’s colleges,
updated August 2013. We also included QI 1.3 Adherence to statutory principles and
2.2 Relevance of programmes and services to learner needs, to support our
evaluations. We used information from previous visits to the college to decide the
scope of the review.
We found three examples of excellence which we describe in this report on pages
6 and 7.
The external review team talked with learners, staff at all levels in the college, members
of the Board of Management, employers, external agencies and other users of the
college.
1
2. The college and its context
In carrying out the external review of The North Highland College UHI, Education
Scotland took the following college context fully into account.
Thurso Technical College was founded in 1959, primarily to provide a skills
development service to the new nuclear energy development site established by the
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at Dounreay eight miles west of Thurso. In
1990, following a significant enhancement and diversification of the college curriculum,
the college was renamed (and later incorporated) as Thurso College. In 1999, as a
consequence of a significant expansion of the college’s geographical operations, the
college was given its current name: The North Highland College UHI.
The North Highland College UHI is an academic partner of the University of the
Highlands and Islands (UHI). The college offers a range programmes across levels
1-12 on the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF).
The North Highland College UHI is a small, rural college serving a large geographical
area within the Highland region, including Easter Ross, Sutherland and Caithness. It
delivers provision from a number of locations: the main campus in Thurso; one in
Alness; two campuses in Dornoch; and Dale Farm, a bespoke rural studies centre just
outside Thurso. The college’s land-based provision represents 25% of the total further
education (FE) curriculum and attracts learners from across the UK to programmes in
gamekeeping, equestrian and veterinary nursing. The college’s Environmental
Research Institute is also based in Thurso.
The area served by the college has a lower unemployment rate than the rest of
Scotland. However, unemployment rates are higher in areas such as Thurso, Wick and
the Cromarty Firth (including Alness). The nuclear plant at Dounreay is currently being
decommissioned and the college works with site managers and contractors to service
ongoing training needs. A new, £8.8m Engineering Technology and Energy Centre
(ETEC) opened in 2011-12 at the Thurso campus to support growth in the renewable
energy sector.
In 2014-15, the college enrolled around 393 full-time and 1,618 part-time FE learners,
delivering around 18,062 weighted student units of measurement (WSUM) of learner
activity. The college currently employs 270 members of staff.
The college revenue budget for FE activity for 2014-15 was £6.7m, with grant-in-aid
from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) accounting for about 51% of the total.
2
3.
Outcomes of External Review
Judgement of Effectiveness
Section A: Overarching judgement
The North Highland College UHI has in place effective arrangements to maintain
and enhance the quality of its provision and outcomes for learners and other
stakeholders.
This judgement means that, in relation to quality assurance and enhancement, the
college is led well, has sufficiently robust arrangements to address any identified
minor weaknesses, and is likely to continue to improve the quality of its services for
learners and other stakeholders.
Section B: Supporting statements
Learner progress and outcomes
The college offers a good range of full and part-time programmes which provide
well considered progression routes to employment and further study. Many
programmes are offered in ways which improve access to learning opportunities.
The college places a strong emphasis on developing essential skills. Learner
success on full-time FE programmes is high and significantly better than national
sector performance. Learner success on part-time FE programmes has improved
significantly over recent years but still remains below national sector performance.
Almost all FE learners progress to further study, modern apprenticeships or
employment. The college is responding well in relation to PREVENT and Corporate
Parenting duties.
Learning and teaching processes
Learning and teaching across the college is strong. The college offers a broad
portfolio of programmes which meets the needs of learners and employers well.
Learners are motivated and enthusiastic about learning and peer learning is
particularly effective. Almost all teaching staff use their subject and professional
knowledge well to engage learners fully. Learners are supported well by teaching
and support staff during their studies. Learner views are used to inform quality
improvements activities, particularly from class representatives. Almost all teaching
staff reflect effectively on their classroom practice and adopt changes to further
improve the experience for learners.
Learner engagement
The college has a strong commitment to learner engagement, putting the learner at
the centre of its activities. Almost all full-time programmes have elected
representatives who attend regular Learner Council meetings with senior managers.
3
Learner representatives also participate actively in course team meetings, resulting
in agreed actions to improve learning and teaching and college services. Most
class representatives have benefited from relevant training but more than a few
have missed this opportunity. The college management is committed to developing
a sustainable local Students’ Association following the recent establishment of the
Highland and Islands Students’ Association. Almost all learners are involved in
planning and contributing to enterprise and volunteering events as part of their
programme.
Leadership and Quality Culture
The college has developed extensive and effective partnership arrangements over a
number of years. The principal is supported well by a small team of directors and
together they provide strong and effective leadership for learning and teaching and
other college functions. Leadership for services to support learners is effective.
However, the college has recognised the need for further development around the
self-evaluation arrangements in most support areas. Academic and support teams
work well together to integrate their services, with the learner firmly at the centre of
what they do. The college has a strong quality culture and has been particularly
successful developing comprehensive peer review arrangements for teaching staff.
Although teaching staff have welcomed the changes to the course monitoring and
reporting arrangements, the college has identified the need for further staff
development around writing evaluatively and the analysis of data.
Section C:
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

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Areas of positive practice
The number of learners on full-time FE programmes who successfully completed
their programme has improved over the last three years. At 74%, this is significantly
better than national sector performance.
Almost all of programmes include meaningful work placements, guest speakers
from industry, visits, volunteering opportunities or enterprise activities, which helps
to prepare learners well for employment.
The college places a strong emphasis on the importance of developing essential
skills and learners in almost all programmes gain these through a variety of learning
activities. In many programmes learners gain additional certification through
undertaking an enterprise unit.
Peer learning is encouraged by teaching staff and many learners enjoy this learning
approach. Learners use their own experiences from placement and independent
research activities to share learning within groups.
Almost all teaching staff use a wide range of effective teaching approaches,
including individual and group activities to ensure learners are engaged, understand
key learning points and make good progress.
Almost all teaching staff reflect well on their classroom practice and adopt changes
to further improve the experience for learners. Teaching staff are enthusiastic about
the peer observation process and find it helpful to assist them to reflect on their own
practice.
Many learners are involved in planning aspects of their learning jointly with teaching
staff. They play an active role in developing opportunities for their further learning to
enhance their learning and improve their employability.
4
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



Almost all class representatives participate in discussions around learning and
teaching in course team meetings. This helps learners build confidence in engaging
on a professional level with staff and ensures that the learner voice is heard and
actions are taken in relation to programme content and delivery.
The Learner Council provides an effective forum for senior staff and class
representatives to meet regularly to discuss issues and exchange views. Actions
from the meetings are tracked and progress on actions is monitored.
Leadership for learning and teaching is strong and effective. The principal is
supported well by a small team of directors and together they provide effective
leadership for learning and teaching and other college functions.
Leadership for services to support learners is effective. Support managers lead
their areas well and ensure that their services contribute positively to the learner
experience.
The college has a strong quality culture. The college has been particularly
successful developing comprehensive peer review arrangements for teaching staff,
which evaluates effectively the quality of learning and teaching through observation
and professional discussion.
The college works effectively with key strategic partnerships and partners value the
college’s commitment to responding to the priorities for the area.
Section D:
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

The number of learners on part-time programmes who successfully completed their
programme has improved by 12 percentage points over the past three years as a
result of the college implementing a number of interventions to reduce levels of
partial success. However, at 72%, this still remains four percentage points below
national sector performance.
Rates of successful completion for a few full-time and a number of part-time FE
programmes are low. These include care, construction, and some national
qualifications at SCQF level 6.
Overall, accommodation for learning and teaching is of a good quality, particularly in
the ETEC building. However, some accommodation in the Tower Block in Thurso is
of poor quality. Workshop areas and classrooms in the construction wing are noisy
and this results in interruption to the learning process.
Learners are not always able to access computers at times they require. Internet
connectivity and the information and communications technology infrastructure in
parts of the Thurso campus are often unreliable.
Although arrangements for course monitoring work well, in most areas analysis in
course monitoring reports are not sufficiently evaluative and many actions do not
have specific, measurable outcomes.
The college has recognised the need for further development around the
self-evaluation arrangements in most support areas.
Section E:

Areas for development
Main point for action
The college should continue to improve successful completion rates on
programmes where they are low.
5
4.
Signposting excellent practice
During the Education Scotland external review, the college submitted examples of what
it considered to be excellent practice and the review team also identified examples
worthy of dissemination.
4.1 Embedding entrepreneurship and enterprise in the curriculum
The promotion of skills in entrepreneurship and enterprise is particularly important in
communities experiencing economic change. At The North Highland College UHI the
development of these skills is deemed a key priority to encourage young people to
create their own employment opportunities and contribute to the economy of the local
area. This is achieved by a number of interventions which ensure that every learner has
the opportunity to acquire these skills, regardless of their vocational specialism.
Wednesday afternoons are dedicated to the development of essential skills, and
enterprise activities. The Links2Life initiative uses this time well to create a calendar of
events which includes essential skills development, career management skills
workshops and visiting employers. Learners participate enthusiastically across the
college and at every campus. In addition, all full-time programmes incorporate an
enterprise project which is tailored to each curricular area.
Many of these activities are coordinated and promoted by a Scottish Institute for
Enterprise intern who manages and promotes enterprise opportunities across the
college. Staff enterprise champions work with voluntary champions from the learner
body to ensure that these activities are promoted and supported effectively to learners.
Bridge2Business works in partnership with college staff to offer business start-up advice
to learners and offer small grants to help develop ideas.
The college makes use of its network of partners to participate in high profile local
events such as the iStart Challenge. This competition invites learners and members of
the public to develop and propose a business start-up idea to a panel of business
leaders. There are cash prizes in a range of categories. Seventeen of the 19 teams
competing in the finals comprised of college learners. The finals of this competition
were watched by many learners and local employers and all participants received
mentoring advice. Some participants received offers of employment or investment as a
result of their participation.
4.2 Chef mentoring scheme in SVQ Level 2 Professional Cookery
The North Highland College UHI offers SVQ qualifications at all levels in Professional
Cookery. However, the college recognised that not all learners make the transition
between levels of study successfully. Although learners can achieve all of their
competencies within the college refectory and catering facilities, teaching staff identified
that only those with additional workplace experience outside of college routinely
succeeded at the higher levels. To address this, staff met with a range of local
employers to jointly develop a chef mentoring scheme. The scheme involves all SVQ
level 2 learners being assigned a mentor who is a local chef or restaurant owner.
Mentors take learners ‘under their wing’ and support them to obtain valuable work
experience and one-to-one career management advice.
6
The mentoring relationships between the employer and learner builds on and extends
previous work placement schemes. Mentors commit to completing regular feedback to
assess learners’ timekeeping, attendance, readiness for learning, attitude and
performance. The college tutor and employer work collaboratively to help learners stay
on track. Employers have frequent one-to-one coaching discussions with the learners.
This provides learners with current career advice, access to the employer’s network of
contacts and can lead to permanent employment.
This approach has improved significantly the retention rates on the Level 2 SVQ.
Employers have reported an increase in the number of candidates wanting to enter the
industry. The initiative has also helped to keep young people in the local area by raising
their awareness of the range of opportunities in their own community. The approach is
already being trialled in other subject areas.
4.3 Flexible delivery in equestrian studies
The North Highland College UHI has recently completed a suite of programmes in
equine studies which offers progression from national progression awards at SCQF
level 4 to the UHI degree in Equine Business Management at SCQF level 10. Despite
the necessarily practical nature of these programmes, they have been designed for
delivery on a flexible, distance learning basis. This provides over 400 FE learners each
year with the opportunity to learn at their own pace, at venues all over Scotland.
The college has developed a network of delivery partners to help learners overcome the
significant challenges of studying remotely from the college and their peers. Partners
include yard owners, riding school owners or equestrian specialists who have been
recruited as associate teaching staff. Their involvement has improved access to the
programmes for learners from across Scotland who would have otherwise been unable
to relocate to the North Highlands and complements existing online delivery. Learners
have the opportunity to attend regular, local workshops to engage in peer learning and
be assessed on practical activity at every level of the programme. Workshops involve
learners at a variety of programme levels and provide good opportunities for learners to
learn from more experienced peers.
The course team has established a set of measures to ensure the quality of delivery
and associate staff meet routinely to undertake continuous professional development
activities, standardisation, and internal verification of assessment. Programmes have
also been mapped to British Horse Society standards and additional Professional
Development Awards at levels 7 and 8 are currently being developed in collaboration
with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). The recent addition of the National Progression
Award at SCQF level 4 is enabling young learners to evidence horse care skills at an
earlier stage and has extended provision for schools in this subject area.
This longstanding initiative has played a significant role in helping many communities
retain these rural skills. It has enabled many learners to find work in livery stables,
equine management, equipment sales, riding schools, or to enter self-employment
7
5.
What is an overarching judgement?
Education Scotland uses an overarching judgement of Effectiveness to express the
findings of the review team. The judgement of effectiveness takes into account all the
evidence gathered through the external review. Such judgements express outcomes
as:
effective;
limited effectiveness; or
not effective.
This judgement is further detailed by supporting statements which substantiate the
judgement of effectiveness. Education Scotland evaluates and reports according to the
three key principles. In this report, the principles and supporting statements relate to:
Key principle 1 – High quality learning (supporting statements numbers 1 and 2)
Key principle 2 – Learner engagement (supporting statement number 3)
Key principle 3 – Quality culture (supporting statement number 4)
Judgements of effectiveness and supporting statements provide stakeholders with
assurances, or otherwise, about the quality of a college’s provision. These judgements
are based on trends and track record of a college, the findings at the time of the
external review, and the college’s capacity to continue improving.
A judgement of effective indicates that the college has in place effective
arrangements to maintain and enhance the quality of its provision and outcomes for
learners and other stakeholders. This judgement means that, in relation to quality
assurance and enhancement, the college is led well, has sufficiently robust
arrangements to address any minor weakness, and is likely to continue to improve the
quality of its services for learners and other stakeholders.
A judgement of limited effectiveness indicates that the effectiveness of the college’s
arrangements to maintain and enhance the quality of its provision and outcomes for
learners and other stakeholders is limited. This judgement means that there are some
strengths in the college’s arrangements for quality enhancement. However, there are
weaknesses in arrangements for high quality learning and/or learner engagement
and/or quality culture. If not addressed, the importance of these weaknesses will
continue to limit the effectiveness of the college’s arrangements.
A judgement of not effective indicates that the college’s arrangements to maintain and
enhance the quality of its provision and outcomes for learners and other stakeholders
are not effective. This judgement means that there are significant weaknesses in the
arrangements for high quality learning and/or learner engagement and/or quality culture.
There is a high probability that, without significant and comprehensive action, with
external monitoring and support, the college will fail to improve current low-quality
provision and outcomes to an acceptable level. Education Scotland does not have
evidence that the college has the capacity and commitment to identify and implement
effective and comprehensive action.
8
Scottish Funding Council response to judgements
If the overarching judgement is effective, the Council will expect the college to engage
with Education Scotland in follow-up activity, as appropriate, and, one year after the
publication of the review reports, to provide a report, endorsed by its governing body
(see Council guidance to colleges on quality from August 2012, paragraphs 62-66
SFC/13/2012 setting out its response to the review.)
If the overarching judgement is of limited effectiveness or is not effective, the Council
will require the institution to prepare and fulfil an action plan to address the
shortcomings identified (see paragraph 67 of guidance). Education Scotland will
provide advice to SFC on the adequacy of the action plan and on how it is being
implemented. SFC, taking into account any advice from Education Scotland, will
normally require a formal follow-up review at an appropriate time, usually within no more
than two years.
9
6. What happens next?
Education Scotland will continue to monitor progress during annual engagement visits to
the college.
There will be feedback to the learners at the college.
One year on from this report, the college will produce a report setting out what it has
done to address the main points for action and/or areas for development in the report
and other quality assurance and enhancement activities. There will be a link to this
report from Education Scotland’s website.
Dr John Bowditch
HM Inspector
7. Further information
The review and judgements relate to the college as a whole and do not provide
information about individual programmes of study or subjects. For further information
on these or any other queries, contact the college or look on its website
https://www.northhighland.uhi.ac.uk/
For further information about Education Scotland, the external review methodologies, or
other information about reviews, see www.educationscotland.gov.uk
For further information about the Scottish Funding Council, see www.sfc.ac.uk
10
8.
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11
Appendix 1
Glossary of terms
ETEC
FE
QAA
QI
SCQF
SFC
SRUC
SVQ
UHI
WSUM
Engineering Technology and Energy Centre
Further Education
Quality Assurance Agency
Quality Indicator
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
Scottish Funding Council
Scotland’s Rural College
Scottish Vocational Qualification
University of the Highlands and Islands
Weighted Student Units of Measurement
12
Appendix 2
13