QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR THE VET SECTOR 8 DECEMBER 2011

Self Assessment and Preparing for Inspection Overview Introductions (Angela Edwards and Nicole Barber) A case study – Westminster Kingsway College Aspiring to Excellence through Quality Assurance Self Assessment and Preparing for Inspection The WKC approach! Teacher Training for Excellence in the VET sector

Westminster Kingsway College – a Further Education College in England

WKC key statistics Approx 15,000 students 37% male, 63% female 1% aged under 16; 15% aged from 16-18; 84% aged over 19 500 staff 50% lecturers & assessors 10% managers 40% business support £35 million turnover

Our sites across central London

Strategic priorities International Partnerships 14-18 year olds and 19+ Adults Providing routes to Higher Education & employment Employers Workforce development Employability -adults outside the workplace supporting them towards employment International Partnerships Routes to Higher Education Customised skills In-country workplace development 6

Curriculum specialisms Primary specialism: Hospitality (Culinary Arts, Hotel Management, Travel & Tourism) VET Teacher Training and Assessor Academy Creative Industries and Digital Media English Language (ESOL) Leadership and Management (including Business & Finance) Clients include: Major Public Sector employers Major international Corporates Small/Medium sized enterprises – focussing on entrepreneurial skills 7

Working with Employer Training solutions Dedicated Employer responsiveness team, holders of the Customer First and Training Quality Standard awards. More details at: www.employertrainingsolutions.co.uk Staff excellence recognised through Star Awards. Matrix Award for IAG (Information, Advice & Guidance) Rated ‘Outstanding’ for Employer engagement under the Framework for Excellence ‘Outstanding Partnerships’ – Ofsted 2011

Westminster Kingsway College Preparing for Inspection and the Self-Assessment Report Process The WKC Approach!

Quality Assurance 1 Ofsted (Lesson Observations/SAR/Safeguarding) Skills Funding Agency (Framework for Excellence) Framework for Excellence Training Quality Standard Sector Skills Councils Awarding Bodies Colleges internal quality assurance

Quality Assurance 2 Quality Policy The primary aim of Westminster Kingsway College is to support all of its students in realising their ambitions as learners within a diverse and fully inclusive educational community. In addition to providing a high standard of education and training we will ensure that these standards remain high and continuously improve. This will be done by continually monitoring the work we do with a set of quality improvement arrangements.

Quality Assurance 3 The college’s processes have been designed to: create straightforward and manageable systems to which all members of staff can contribute meet the external requirements of the funding bodies, the inspection regimes and the awarding bodies to reflect best practice in the sector

Quality Assurance 4 Aspiring to Excellence Plan The approach – the norm rather than for Inspection: Aspiring to Excellence Plan Department Reviews with College Executive Team Review Weeks Lesson Observation Self-Assessment Reports

EXCELLENCE THROUGH THE WORKFORCE FURTHER EDUCATION EXCELLENCE THROUGH THE WORKFORCE

The Lifelong Learning Sector Teacher Training for VET Excellence The Institute for Learning The FE Workforce Development Strategy Routes into Teaching - post-compulsory sector Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Workforce Development Strategy - 4 Priority Areas (graph from LLUK site 2010)

nicole.barber@westking.ac.uk angela.edwards@westking.ac.uk