The role of governance in self assessment

1. The role of governance in self assessment Natspec governance conference April 20th With thanks to Sue Preece HMI, Ofsted

2. Objectives of the session To inform participants about: • the Common Inspection Framework (CIF) • use of the Ofsted inspection handbook • features of good self-assessment • role of governors in self-assessment

3. New Common Inspection Framework 2009 • a strengthened approach to judging capacity to improve • a greater focus on how colleges meet users' needs • a greater focus on learning through teaching & assessment • grades for equality and diversity, safeguarding and value for money that will contribute to the judgement on leadership and management • more emphasis on Every Child Matters as outcomes • an increased focus on the progress made by different groups • the introduction of limiting judgements – safeguarding, equality & diversity and capacity to improve

4. Ofsted inspection handbook C2. How effectively do governors and supervisory bodies provide leadership, direction and challenge? Inspectors will take into account: • how well governors monitor the quality of learner experiences and their outcomes • how effectively governors monitor financial management and health, including value for money • procedures to ensure the accountability of the chief executive and senior post holders, or equivalent

5. Ofsted inspection handbook C2. How effectively do governors and supervisory bodies provide leadership, direction and challenge? Inspectors will take into account: • procedures for governors to assess and monitor risk • how well governors ensure that legislative requirements are fulfilled, such as those for disability, safeguarding, and health and safety.

6. Self-assessment • SARs provide Ofsted inspectors with crucial evidence to support judgements about the • CIF’s main aspects • contributory grades for equality and diversity and safeguarding • capacity to improve. • Inspectors will use the report to assess risk, monitor standards and plan for inspection. • During inspection, findings will be compared with those in the provider’s self-assessment report, and a conclusion reached on the accuracy of those judgements.

7. The best providers: • involve all staff, and where possible learners, to produce an honest and objective report • relate the report to their vision • demonstrate how they meet learners’ needs • use the process to find out about their provision in order to make significant improvements • address all aspects in the CIF and make clear judgements • provide accurate evidence as the basis for making their judgements • have a realistic, monitored quality improvement action plan which includes measurable targets

8. Is your SAR fit for purpose? Is it: • a descriptive account of the provision that tells someone what you do or • a document which evaluates the quality and effectiveness of your provision against all aspects of the CIF, and is at the centre of all of your quality improvement activities

9. Governance Governance deals with • approving, reviewing and monitoring the mission of the college, its services and learning activities • formulating medium and long term strategies, including quality, and monitoring the performance of the SMT against those strategies • assuring the overall ethos of the college and how it conducts its business, ensuring the college's financial solvency

10. Management College management, led by the Principal, is responsible for • developing and proposing the educational character and mission of the college to the governing board • developing and managing services and learning activities • implementing the medium and long term strategies formulated by the governing board • the day to day running of the business of the college.

11. Excellence begins in the boardroom • The college self-assessment and improvement process must be led and managed effectively – and should be an integral part of leadership, management and governance. • Systematic and robust self-assessment and improvement of performance by the governing board and managers is indicative of leadership by example. Senior post holders have a key role to play in the process across the college.

12. Excellence begins in the boardroom While college governors and managers have a shared role in leading college self-assessment and improvement, governors have two distinct roles: • reviewing the college's self-assessment and monitoring the resulting Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) • being involved in self-assessment of the quality of performance of the board itself

13. Excellence begins in the boardroom Governors can achieve this by: • ensuring there is a framework for systematically collecting and analysing issues and views from all areas of the college, which together with college data, informs the SAR & QIP • reviewing the self-assessment process and draft self-assessment report as a board or through a committee • using a small group of governors in a task group

14. Excellence begins in the boardroom Governors can achieve this by: • having governors sitting on a college SAR validation panel • reviewing results of surveys of staff, students, employers; observations of teaching and learning; inspection grades • monitoring progress against the QIP (as a board or through a committee) and ensuring that real improvement is taking place. The governing board must approve the SAR before it is submitted to the LAs and Ofsted