Shetland College UHI
10 January 2014
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 points for action
3
3
4
5
6
4.
Signposting excellent practice
7
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
28 October 2013.
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 outlined in External quality arrangements for Scotland’s colleges,
updated August 2013. We also included QI 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 an example of excellence which we describe in this report on page 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 Shetland College UHI Education Scotland took the
following college context fully into account.
Shetland College UHI is Scotland’s most northerly college and operates in a rural island
community with a population of around 22,500.
The college is one of the few in Scotland not incorporated under the Further and Higher
Education (Scotland) Act 1992. Responsibility for further education in Shetland lies with
Shetland Islands Council (SIC) and the Board of Management of the college is a
sub-committee of the Council.
The college is the main provider of further education (FE), vocational training and short
course training in Shetland. Along with the North Atlantic Fisheries College (NAFC)
Marine Centre and through its membership of University of the Highlands and Islands
(UHI), it is also the main provider of higher education on the islands.
Shetland College operates from its main campus at Gremista on the outskirts of Lerwick
and its nine learning centres, including one in the North Isles. The college works in
partnership with the NAFC Marine Centre to deliver FE programmes in engineering and
has responsibility through Train Shetland for delivery of apprenticeship and skills
training programmes. An extension to the college is currently being constructed and is
due to be completed in April 2014.
Levels of unemployment in Shetland remain very low. New developments in the oil and
gas industry and renewable energy are having a major impact on the economy.
The current FE portfolio covers programmes in art and design; business; community
learning; computing; construction; engineering; health and care; hospitality and music.
A wide range of vocational pathways programmes including sound engineering and
hairdressing is delivered to school pupils across Shetland.
In academic year 2013-14 there are 92 full-time FE learners and each year the college
enrols around 1,200 part-time learners on FE programmes from Scottish Credit and
Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Level 3 to Level 6.
In January 2013, following the resignation of the principal, the depute principal took up
the role of acting principal. The Board of Management has not replaced the depute
post and intends that the acting principal fulfils both roles until summer 2014.
The college’s projected revenue budget for 2013-14 is £2.8 million, of which 58% is
grant-in-aid from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) for further education programmes
2
3.
Outcomes of External Review
Judgement of Effectiveness
Section A: Overarching judgement
Shetland 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 majority of college learners complete their programmes, make good progress
and gain relevant qualifications. Overall, successful completion rates for learners
on full-time FE programmes have improved significantly over the last three years.
They are now well above the 2011-12 national sector performance level. The
proportion of learners successfully completing part-time FE programmes has
fluctuated marginally over the last three years but over this period has remained
around the national sector performance level. Most learners who gain relevant
qualifications obtain employment locally or progress internally onto further learning
programmes, apprenticeships, or higher education programmes delivered by the
college through UHI. The college aims to ensure that programmes are made
available to learners wherever they are located in Shetland and at whatever their
entry level is. Programmes delivered by the college range from access (SCQF level
3) to degree-level provision. Almost all full-time FE programmes provide
progression routes to higher education (HE) programmes. Most learners make
good progress during their programmes, develop confidence in their learning and
acquire a wide range of vocationally relevant skills.
Learning and teaching processes
The college provides high quality learning opportunities for learners from different
backgrounds, circumstances and geographical areas. Programme design, delivery
and assessment support the development of skills and underpinning knowledge
well. Almost all learners are very motivated and apply themselves conscientiously
to their work. Most learners reflect well on their learning as they progress with their
studies. Almost all staff demonstrate high-levels of professional knowledge and, in
a few programme areas, they involve industry practitioners in the delivery of
programmes. Positive and purposeful relationships between teaching staff and
learners support learners’ confidence and contribute to a productive and effective
climate for learning. The college provides effective curriculum and pastoral
3
guidance for all learners and effective learning support for those who need it.
However, despite a clear college policy on one-to-one academic progress interviews
for full-time learners, not all programme teams carry these out. Most self-evaluation
reports are clear and detailed. However, although most self-evaluation reports
focus effectively on a range of relevant programme issues, there is no clear and
consistent analysis of issues directly related to learning and teaching.
Learner engagement
Most learners are actively involved in influencing their learning experiences. Staff
employ a range of effective approaches to gather learners’ views and almost all
full-time programmes have appointed class representatives. Learners enjoy good
relationships with teaching and support staff, engage well with them and feel
comfortable when raising issues of concern. The recently-reviewed and enhanced
Learner Engagement Strategy ensures learners are provided with a range of
opportunities to engage in the work and life of the college. Learners provide
evaluative commentary on their experiences and suggestions for improvement
through use of the online Talk Box feedback forum. Class representatives provide
effective support for their peers enabling them to contribute to the work and life of
the college. However, the college has not managed to secure FE learner
attendance at Board of Management Committee meetings.
Leadership and Quality Culture
The acting principal and senior managers have a clear vision for the college to
provide high quality education and training which meets the needs of the population
and employers. College strategic drivers are mapped well to both SFC priorities
and Scottish Government national performance outcomes. However, current
arrangements to engage effectively with some key employers in expanding
employment sectors are underdeveloped. Key college strategies, including the
Learning and Teaching Strategy and the Learner Engagement Strategy, have
recently been revised, refreshed and implemented. The senior management team
(SMT) is small with only two members. Both members work effectively ensuring the
college meets its current aspirations and commitments. Support staff engage in
productive and effective partnerships with a range of internal and external agencies
to support learners. The support team is led well. Staff are committed to the
college’s quality culture. However, at the time of the review the acting principal is
also the chief officer for Train Shetland and continues in her previous role as depute
principal at the college. These staffing arrangements may jeopardise the college’s
future performance, its ability to improve and meet the future needs of learners,
communities and employers.
Section C:


Areas of positive practice
Overall, successful completion rates for learners on full-time FE programmes
have improved significantly over the last three years from 63% in 2010-11 to 77%
in 2011-12 and down to 73% in 2012-13. They are now well above the 2011-12
national sector performance level of 64%.
The college delivers a large number of Skills for Work (SFW) pathways which
meet the needs of learners well. During 2012-13, 127 school learners engaged
4





in vocational pathways provision. This represents around one quarter of the
Islands S3 and S4 learner population. Approximately 25% of these learners
progress onto full-time FE programmes delivered at the college.
In the subject areas of art and design, business, care and nursing, completed
successful outcome rates have improved and are now in line with the highest
performing colleges in the sector.
The college provides an extensive range of full-time and part-time programmes
for learners across a very wide geographical area. Programmes make good use
of facilities in nine learning centres across the islands and provide access for
learners in remote areas.
Teachers plan lessons well. They take good account of learners’ prior learning
and ensure that learning activities are appropriate and sufficiently challenging in
meeting individual learner needs. Lessons are well structured with lecturers
consolidating previous learning before progressing to next topic.
The college’s commitment to learner engagement is evidenced well through the
Learner Engagement Strategy and the establishment of the Learner Engagement
and Marketing Assistant post. As a result there are now effective arrangements
to ensure learner views are represented effectively in the work and life of the
college.
College strategic drivers are mapped well to both SFC priorities and Scottish
Government national performance outcomes. They include a commitment to
develop programmes that meet the needs of the local community and the
economy of Shetland.
Section D:





Areas for development
The college does not promote equality and diversity consistently within learning
and teaching or within the college environment. Sustainability does not have a
sufficiently high profile in learning and teaching activities.
Despite a clear college policy on one-to-one academic progress interviews for
full-time learners, not all programme teams carry these out. Many learners are
unaware of this entitlement and have not experienced individual progress
interviews. As a result, many learners do not set learning goals systematically or
monitor progress towards them.
Although most self-evaluation reports focus effectively on relevant programme
issues, there is no clear and consistent analysis of issues directly related to
learning and teaching within them.
Staff seek feedback from learners through distribution of end-of-unit
questionnaires to gather learners’ views on their learning experiences. However,
the questions asked focus almost exclusively on resource-related issues and do
not explore approaches adopted in relation to learning and teaching.
At the time of the review the acting principal is also the chief officer for Train
Shetland and continues in her previous role as depute principal at the college.
These staffing arrangements may jeopardise the college’s future performance, its
ability to improve and meet the future needs of learners, communities and
employers.
5
Section E:
Main points for action

Programme teams should ensure that learning and teaching is a major
focus within self-evaluation.

The college should ensure that its policy on academic progress interviews
for learners is implemented.

The college should ensure that current senior management staffing
arrangements do not jeopardise the college’s future effective performance,
its ability to improve and to meet the future needs of learners, communities
and employers.
6
4.
Signposting excellent practice (delete this section if necessary)
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
Excellence practice in embedding employability and entrepreneurship skills
in art and design programmes
Shetland College has introduced a number of approaches to support aspiring artists to
make a living through self-employment. Shetland is a popular destination for artists due
to excellent light conditions and extensive panoramic scenic views.
To help development of employability and entrepreneurial skills the National Certificate
(NC) Art and Design programme includes communication, numeracy and IT core skills.
Each year nine learners, supported through Leonardo EU funding, attend vocational
placements in Voss in Norway. Several of these placements are reserved for NC art
and design learners who are based in local art studios. During their placements
learners experience artistic working practices and acquire and develop improvement in
artistic technique. This experience also supports development of learners’ independent
living skills and improves confidence in their ability to engage in purposeful dialogue with
local residents.
During NC art and design lessons teaching staff invite local practising and visiting artists
to demonstrate their work and techniques, talk about their experiences as self-employed
artists. Learners benefit from discussions held relating to business set-up approaches.
Teaching staff have developed effective links with a number of UK-based publishers
who provide live briefs for learners to work on relating to designing covers for books and
magazines. Learners respond positively, submit finished design covers and on
occasions their work succeeds and is used commercially. During an annual exhibition
held at a local cinema and art complex in Lerwick, NC Art and Design learners’ work is
displayed to the public. This promotes effectively college learners’ artistic talent and
provides opportunities for learners to sell their work or undertake commissioned work.
Learners’ work is also displayed prominently throughout the college estate. The college
is currently developing an online gallery space where learners can display their work for
a silent-auction which will provide funds for a forthcoming study trip to Amsterdam.
There is good use made of the college’s Facebook page to promote learners’ work.
This approach is popular. Recently, one learner’s work was viewed by 4,300 people
and received over 300 positive responses. This encourages NC art and design learners
and motivates them well to continue with their programme and their aim of becoming
self-employed artists.
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 eternal 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.
Andrew Brawley
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 http://www.shetland.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.
How can you contact us?
This report has been produced as a web-only publication and is available on our
website at:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/othersectors/collegere
views/ShetlandCollegeofFurtherEducation.asp
If you would like to receive this report in a different format, for example, in a translation
please contact the administration team on 01506 600381.
If you want to give us feedback or make a complaint about our work, please contact us
by telephone on 0141 282 5000, or e-mail: complaints@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk or
write to us addressing your letter to The Complaints Manager, Denholm House,
Almondvale Business Park, Livingston, EH54 6GA.
Text phone users can contact us on 01506 600236. This is a service for deaf users.
Please do not use this number for voice calls as the line will not connect you to a
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Crown Copyright 2014
Education Scotland
11
Appendix 1
Glossary of terms
FE
NAFC
NC
SCQF
SFC
SFW
SIC
SMT
Sparqs
UHI
Further Education
North Atlantic Fisheries College
National Certificate
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
Scottish Funding Council
Skills for Work
Shetland Islands Council
Senior Management Team
Student Participation in Quality Scotland
University of the Highlands and Islands
12
Appendix 2
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework brings together all Scottish
mainstream qualifications into a single unified framework. The framework includes:
degree provision, HNC and HND, SQA National Qualifications, and SVQs. There are
12 levels ranging from Access 1 at SCQF level 1 to Doctoral degree at SCQF level 12.
Each qualification whether a unit, group of units or larger group award has also been
allocated a number of SCQF credits. Each credit represents 10 notional hours of
required learning. Doctoral degrees based on a thesis are an exception to this.
Other learning may be credit rated and included in the framework provided it leads to a
clear set of learning outcomes and has quality-assured learner assessment. All of
Scotland’s colleges were awarded SCQF Credit Rating powers in January 2007.
13