Edinburgh College 27 June 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. 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% This report is Crown Copyright. You may re-use this publication (not including agency logos) free of charge in any format for research, private study or internal circulation within an organisation. You must re-use it accurately and not use it in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown Copyright and you must give the title of the source document/publication. For any other use of this material please apply for a Click-Use Licence for core material at: www.hmso.gov.uk/copyright/licences/click-use-home.htm or by writing to: HMSO Licensing, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich, NR3 1BQ Fax: 01603 723000 E-mail: hmsolicensing@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk Contents Page 1. Introduction 1 The external review 1 2. The college and its context 2 3. 3 Outcomes of external review Judgement of Effectiveness 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 5 6 6 4. Signposting excellent practice 7 5. What is an overarching judgement? 9 6. What happens next? 11 7. Further information 11 8. How can you contact us? 12 Appendices 13 Glossary of terms The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework 13 14 1. Introduction The external review The external review by Education Scotland took place during the week beginning 28 April 2014. 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 QIs 2.2 Relevance of programmes and services to learner needs and 6.3 Managing and responding to changing environments to support our evaluations. We used information from previous visits to the college to decide the scope of the review. We found examples of excellence which we describe in this report on pages 7 and 8. The external review team talked with learners, staff at all levels in the college, members of the Regional Board, employers, external agencies and other users of the college. 1 2. The college and its context In carrying out the external review of Edinburgh College, Education Scotland took the following college context fully into account. Edinburgh College came into being on 1 October 2012, formed from the merger of three colleges: Edinburgh’s Telford College, (now known as Granton Campus), Stevenson College (Sighthill Campus), Jewel and Esk College (Milton Road Campus and Midlothian Campus). The college is now the largest in Scotland, with approximately 26,000 enrolments and 1,400 staff. It serves a widespread region which includes the city of Edinburgh as well as Mid and East Lothian. A significant number of learners travel to the college from Fife, the Scottish Borders and other parts of the country, to access the college’s specialist provision. The college provides a large number of programmes for speakers of other languages, young people attending school and work-based learners. It provides community-based programmes in approximately 30 outreach centres, many in partnership with local authorities. The college’s curriculum covers almost all subject categories with programmes offered from SCQF levels 1 to 11. Degree provision is offered in partnership with universities in several subjects areas. Over the past year, college leaders have carried out an analysis of the legacy curriculum. They have begun the process of rationalisation and development with the aim of aligning the curriculum to the requirements of the regional economy. The curriculum is now configured through seven centres, with most subject areas offered across more than one campus. The college has extended its provision for learners at the early stage of college study, through an increased number of programmes at SCQF levels 4 and 5. Since 2010, the number of young learners between the ages of 16 and 19 has increased significantly across the region. Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian have a population of approximately 659,500, with 22% of the population aged between 16 to 29 years old. The employment rate of Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians is slightly above Scotland’s national employment rate. Youth unemployment (16 to 24 year olds) in Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians doubled between 2005 and 2013 and the current figure of approximately 22% is in line with the rest of Scotland. In 2011-12, approximately 88% of school leavers within Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian achieved a positive destination, slightly below the national figure of 90%. Health, professional, scientific and technical, retail and financial services are the largest employing sectors in the region. Future employment growth in the region is expected to be driven by construction, business services, hospitality, engineering and renewable energy. The region has 7% of the population from the 10% most deprived areas nationally. Following vesting in 2012, the college established an Edinburgh College Students’ Association (ECSA). ECSA and college management have recently completed a partnership agreement which sets out terms for ECSA as an autonomous organisation. The college’s weighted student unit of measurement (WSUM) allocation for 2013-14 is approximately 255,000. Its projected revenue budget for 2013-14 is £65m, of which 70% is grant-in-aid from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). 2 3. Outcomes of External Review Judgement of Effectiveness Section A: Overarching judgement Edinburgh 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 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 Successful completion rates on full-time programmes are above the national sector performance level. Successful completion rates on part-time programmes are below the national sector performance level. Most learners make good progress during their programmes and acquire and develop an appropriate range of vocationally-related skills. Most learners attain their core skills qualifications. The college offers an extensive range of programmes which meet the needs of learners and industry well. There is a wide range of successful and imaginative programmes for school pupils. Most programmes have well-considered arrangements for preparing learners for employment and also working in the community. Many learners across a range of curriculum areas enjoy success when entered for competitions. Ninety-four per cent of learners whose destinations are known progress successfully to further study, apprenticeships or employment. Learning and teaching processes A range of well-designed programmes support learners from a variety of backgrounds. A wide range of learning resources is used well by staff and learners. Teaching staff promote equality and diversity effectively. Almost all learners are motivated and participate well in lessons. Most learners develop independence in their learning and the majority reflect well on their learning. Almost all staff use their professional and subject knowledge effectively and convey well the standards and expectations of industry. Most staff use an appropriate range of teaching approaches but in a few lessons teaching staff do not provide learners with sufficient opportunities to plan or enhance their own learning. Staff plan and support assessment well. Learners have good access to information and support. Learning Development Tutors (LDT) support many learners well to reflect on their progress. However, aspects of the LDT initiative are not yet consistently effective across the college. Staff are responsive to learner views and use a range of informal 3 methods effectively to reflect on and improve their practice. However, revised arrangements to enhance quality have not yet been fully adopted by all programme teams and therefore do not comprehensively support action planning for improvement. Learner engagement The college has a strong commitment to learner engagement. Almost all learners have positive and supportive relationships with staff and many learners contribute effectively to shaping their own learning, for example through exercising project choices. Learners are confident about providing their views to staff on issues affecting their learning and most staff are responsive to them. Most full-time classes have a trained class representative. However, the learner contribution to formal programme review and self-evaluation processes is unsystematic and not always fully evidenced. The college works very effectively in partnership at a strategic level with the ECSA, and the learner voice is influential at Board, college committee and campus management level. Learners benefit from involvement in a range of charity and community activities and the Students’ Association actively promotes sporting and social events and campaigns. However, learners in the different campuses are not all aware of the full range of ECSA’s work. Leadership and Quality Culture The Regional Chair, the Board and the principal work well together to provide clear direction for the college’s development. College strategies and operational plans provide a clear and comprehensive basis for its future activities. The college’s leadership structure sets out clear lines of responsibility with effective cross-working amongst leaders beginning to have a positive impact on the college’s work. College staff are committed to providing a good service for learners and the college has maintained a high quality learning experience for most learners throughout the merger process. College leaders acknowledge that there is work to do to ensure that all groups of staff embrace change and focus on achieving the college’s strategic aims. The Curriculum Strategy sets out comprehensively the college’s intentions in relation to its programme portfolio. There is extensive and successful partnership working with a wide range of stakeholders. Support area managers and staff are highly committed to their role in supporting the learner experience. The college has taken active steps to anticipate and manage potential risk in key areas which have an impact on learners. New quality enhancement policies and procedures for curriculum areas are well designed. However, at the present time there is no overarching guidance in place to provide clarity to programme teams about how the quality system should operate overall. The development of consistent and coherent approaches to quality enhancement across the college is not yet fully underway. 4 Section C: Areas of positive practice In 2012-13, early and further withdrawal rates for further education (FE) and higher education (HE) programmes were better than national sector performance levels. Successful completion rates on FE and HE full-time programmes in 2012-13 were also better than the national sector performance. The college uses robust systems for tracking learner progression. Almost all learners whose destinations are known progress to further study, apprenticeships or employment. Within the subject areas of art and design, care, engineering, hospitality, land-based and sport and leisure, the levels of learner success in certain programmes rank amongst the best in the sector. Many learners across a range of curriculum areas also enjoy success when entered for competitions. The college takes good account of stakeholder needs when it plans its programmes which ensures that they are at appropriate levels and reflect the requirements of different vocational sectors. There are effective arrangements in place for preparing learners for employment. This includes engagement with employers to make programmes relevant and interesting. A wide range of successful and imaginative programmes for school pupils is delivered across all campuses. The college Academies programme is an innovative and successful project which reflects very constructive partnership working between universities, the college, employers and schools. Almost all learners are motivated and participate well in learning activities. They develop skills and confidence particularly through practical activities. Almost all teaching staff convey well to learners the expectations of industry and encourage them to achieve high standards in practical and theory work. Positive and very supportive relationships between staff and learners contribute to a relaxed and purposeful climate for learning in classes. Almost all teaching staff are very approachable and adaptable, and actively seek to develop learner confidence. Learners benefit from welcoming and informative student advice and guidance centres in all campuses. Most learners report high levels of satisfaction with college programmes and services. Most programme teams engage in effective informal evaluative activity which generates actions that have a positive impact on learner experience. Most learners are confident about providing their views on their learning directly to teaching staff and most staff are responsive to their views. Effective partnership arrangements between the college and the students’ association ECSA, ensure that the learner voice is represented very strongly and effectively at strategic level. The Regional Chair, the Board and the principal work well together to provide clear direction for the college’s development. The college’s mission, vision and aims are aspirational, appropriate and clearly articulated. The college has developed a series of clearly-expressed, interrelated strategies which collectively provide a clear vision for its future activities. Support area managers and staff are highly committed to their role in supporting the learner experience. They are working increasingly well together and with curriculum leaders to establish well-integrated learner support systems. 5 Section D: Areas for development A few programme areas have low outcomes, including business, computing and special programmes. In a few lessons teaching staff do not provide learners with sufficient opportunities to plan or enhance their own learning. While aspects of the LDT initiative work well, it is not yet consistently effective across all programme areas. The learner contribution to formal programme review and self-evaluation processes is unsystematic and not always fully evidenced. College leaders acknowledge that there is work to do to ensure that all staff embrace change positively and focus on achieving the college’s strategic aims. Training for programme managers has yet to focus sufficiently on leadership for learning and leadership of people. At the present time there is no overarching guidance in place which provides clarity to programme teams about how the overall quality system should operate. The development of consistent and coherent approaches to quality enhancement across all curriculum areas is not yet fully underway. Section E: Main points for action The college should ensure that the LDT initiative is implemented consistently and effectively across the college. The college should ensure that the learner voice is fully and systematically represented in review, self-evaluation and action planning for improvement at programme level. In order to ensure future capacity for improvement, the college should develop overarching guidance which provides clarity to programme teams about how the overall quality system should operate. The college should support programme managers and their teams to engage effectively with college quality processes to ensure enhancement in services for learners and promote a quality culture. 6 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 Enhancing Employability : HND Visual Communication Graphic Design Mentoring Programme The Visual Communication Graphic Design team has established very strong and productive relationships links with the design industry through a range of innovative and imaginative projects. A particularly successful approach is the Mentoring Programme which commenced five years ago and has developed very well since then. It involves leading members of the graphic design industry working directly with learners and having sustained, embedded engagement with programme delivery. The project now involves 13 mentors working regularly with 26 learners at HND level. The specific nature of the mentoring commitment makes it very attractive to designers, who are keen to support college learning, but have limited time and resources to do so. The programme works in a range of ways. At the start of the year mentors provide a brief to their learners, support them as they work through it and carry out a critique of the finished design. This initial contact helps to establish a working relationship and set the scene for future interaction. During the second term mentors advise their learners as they prepare their portfolios for work experience and provide support as learners prepare competition entries. Many learners are offered placements at mentors’ own agencies and this has led directly to employment for some learners. Many mentors also provide feedback on learner work at group presentations throughout the year. A highly successful initiative, guerrilla days, involves a mentor turning up unannounced at the start of the day, setting a one-day project and reviewing the results at the end of the day. This way learners experience directly the standards, time pressures and project management requirements of industry. Over the past two years mentors have also supported learners to carry out work for real clients. This has enhanced the reputation of the college across a number of businesses throughout the city. The Mentoring Programme has had a direct and positive impact on learners, as they acquire first-hand experience of current industry practice. Many learners have won prestigious national and international awards over the past few years, gone on to successful further study or gained employment in the design industry. The programme also means that teaching staff have direct contact with industry and are able to ensure that their own skills and knowledge are up to date. 4.2 Effective partnership working : East Lothian Hospitality and Tourism Academy and South East Scotland Academies Partnership This initiative is a positive example of collaborative partnership working which benefits both learners and employers. In order to enhance and improve learner transition from school to college, university or employment, Edinburgh College Hospitality and Tourism department has introduced an HNC programme for school-aged learners, in partnership with Queen Margaret’s University. This has laid the foundation for the formation of the South East Scotland Academy Partnership initiative, designed to smooth the path for 7 learners from school to college and on to university. In its first year 2012-13, 34 learners were recruited onto the programme and 30 were successful attaining HNC Hospitality and employability modules. Before launching this initiative, college managers identified work experience as a key feature of partnership working with local, national and multi-national hospitality employers. They identified critically important commitments from both parties to ensure the partnership arrangements work well. For example: each placement to be assigned a mentor; each placed learner to be assigned specific tasks to undertake; an expectation that learners would acquire new skills and understanding; and over the duration of their stay, placed learners would add value to that company’s business. The college agreed placement principles with local employers which include prominent local hotels. This consistent approach helped to ensure that learning was very well supported and based entirely on current industry practice. The placements were undertaken by S5 learners, from three local secondary schools, in addition to their full-time study commitment at school. The placements are scheduled on Friday afternoons in order that they do not interrupt school learning. In addition, learners agree to work one evening each week to directly experience working with customers. During placements, learners study modules which include front office and food and beverage service. They develop and enhance their communication and employability skills and benefit from up-to-date employer-devised training. Of the 30 learner succeeding in 2012-13, 18 continued to study their HNC at school, four progressed onto Edinburgh College to undertake SVQ 2 Professional Cookery and eight moved into employment. For 2013-14, the college has expanded the programme and has enrolled 92 learners. There is major increase in uptake for the 2014-15 programmes with approximately 500 learners enrolling. There are plans to capitalise on the success of this initial programme and expand the Academies initiative into other curriculum areas. 8 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. 9 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. 10 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. Sheila Page 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.edinburghcollege.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 11 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/EdinburghCollege.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 member of staff. Readability Survey Alternatively if you are reading this report in hard copy please type the following address into your web browser. http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/FEReadabilitysurvey130612_tcm4719342.doc Crown Copyright 2014 Education Scotland 12 Appendix 1 Glossary of terms ECSA FE HE HNC HND LDT SCQF SFC SVQ WSUM Edinburgh College Students’ Association Further education Higher education Higher National Certificate Higher National Diploma Learning Development Tutor Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Scottish Funding Council Scottish Vocational Qualification Weighted student unit of measurement 13 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. 14