Further memorandum submitted by the Association
of Colleges (AoC)
THE WORK
OF OFSTED—CONTEXT
This submission addresses the work of Ofsted
in the context of recent major developments:
— the publication of LSC quality assurance
framework for colleges;
— the merger of Ofsted with the Adult
Learning Inspectorate; and
— the implementation of proportionate
Inspection.
SUMMARY
Quality of Ofsted's work
Recent changes to the inspection arrangements
are recognised as valuable by colleges.
Lighter touch
AoC welcomes lighter touch, proportionate inspection,
which acknowledges the improvements in the sector and its capacity
to self improve, and supports colleges' goal of self-regulation.
Ofsted's professional judgement
Colleges value the contribution that Ofsted
has made to college demonstrable self improvement. Over the last
two cycles, colleges have become confident with the decisions
that Inspectors make. Their professional judgements are for the
most part recognised as being fair and accurate.
Framework for Excellence
AoC is pleased to see the greater alignment
of the Framework for Excellence with the CIF, and the commitment
to a single quality framework announced in the LSC publication
(03/07) Framework for Excellence: Raising Standards and Informing
Choice which reflects the responses to the original Framework
consultation.
Self assessment and self regulation
AoC welcomes the key role of self assessment
and peer review envisaged in within the new arrangements for Framework
for Excellence, and particularly welcomes the suggestion that
Ofsted have a role in validating self assessment reports. Ofsted
currently has a vital role in the validating of college self assessment
under the inspection arrangements, and this external role in quality
assurance should be retained and strengthened as colleges move
towards self-regulation.
Funding Ofsted
In view of the reduction in Ofsted's budget,
and the expansion of its remit as a result of the merger with
the Adult learning Inspectorate, AoC would suggest that its budget
is reviewed in the light of the likely time—commitment which
would be required if Ofsted were to now expand its role in validating
self assessment report, as envisaged
ALI/Ofsted Merger
The combined service is welcomed, but it is
important that the FE sector is not lost or subsumed in the enlarged
service. With the reduction in the Ofsted budget, recent and planned,
AoC urges that this is closely monitored.
QUALITY OF
OFSTED'S
WORK
Proportionate inspection
1. The new inspection arrangements are risk-based:
the lower performing colleges receive the most intensive inspection.
Some colleges are now exempt from inspection, and we welcome this
incremental and proportionate approach that Ofsted is taking,
which is appropriate for a more mature sector.
2. Risk-based assessment means that colleges
that have proved themselves are enabled to get on with minimal
inspection to ensure inspection resources are devolved where they
are most needed. This is consistent with colleges' goal of self-regulation.
The value of Ofsted's professional judgement
3. While welcoming these proportionate developments,
AoC would also wish to see the continuation of the annual visit
from Ofsted, as even outstanding colleges value the professional
judgement that they have to come to expect of Ofsted.
4. AoC would like to emphasise that over
the last two cycles colleges have become confident with the decisions
that Inspectors make. Their professional judgements are for the
most part recognised as being fair and accurate. AoC does not
wish to see the expertise and vast body of experience which is
the basis for sound professional judgement being lost with the
introduction of Framework for Excellence.
The central role of Ofsted in validating colleges'
self assessment
5. The college Self Assessment Report (SAR)
is the centre of the current inspection arrangements. Ofsted is
essentially making judgments about the accuracy of this report.
In particular, the new and critical judgement, "capacity
to improve", is largely made on the basis of how well a college
is able to self-assess its own performance and implement effective
action plans to improve.
6. We would like to emphasise that AoC sees
Ofsted's role as the external assessor of colleges' performance
as essential and critical. This is something that AoC would wish
to remain even within a self-regulating system. The credibility
and rigour would be important to retain, especially when colleges
are working with peers to regulate themselves.
7. The self-assessment reports in the sector
have received greater importance in inspection than ever before,
as this is the main plank along which the self regulation agenda
is built into the Framework for Excellence.
Framework for Excellence and a single quality
system
8. We would like to see the growing alignment
between the LSC and the Common Inspection frameworks continuing
and strengthening .
9. AoC would like to go further in having
greater simplicity in terms of quality assurance, which would
align all standards within a single quality framework, so that
one set of judgements could be used many times.
10. We have major concerns about the proliferation
of different organisations, including the Sector Skills Councils,
setting standards and making judgements about colleges. This is
unhelpful in that it diverts their efforts away from what should
be their priority—providing quality education and training
for learners.
11. There is already a rigorous and independent
set of standards embodied in the Common Inspection Framework,
and AoC believes that this should be the basis for Ofsted, the
LSC, SSCs and other agencies to form a single quality framework.
Remit of Ofsted post-merger
12. We have emphasised previously in our
previous submissions to the Committee in October 2005, March 2006
and December 2006, the necessity for each division within the
merged organisation to retain the specialist expertise that it
needs to inspect different parts of the sector. We are particularly
concerned that the interests of the 14-19 sector is given due
importance within the organisation in view of the complex quality
issues that arise as a result of the 14-19 Diploma developments
and the consortia partnership arrangements between colleges, schools,
and other institutions
May 2007
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