This blog is part of our Quality Times series, inviting professionals working with young people with SEND / ALN in further education to speak about their work developing quality provision.
This article is based on the transcript of a conversation between Megan Dauksta, Natspec associate, one of the authors of the Quality assuring specialist FE provision training, and Yola Jacobsen, Natspec Transform CPD Manager, who commissioned the training. They met in August 2024 to review the first delivery of the training, discuss how it had been received, reflect on the original rationale for developing the training and, consider whether it had achieved what it aimed to.
Yola Jacobsen
So looking back on the writer’s brief that you were working to Megan, the rationale for the training was that analysis of Ofsted reports suggested that not all specialist colleges were conducting varied and thorough enough quality assurance activities in order to accurately assess the quality of their provision and to identify where improvements were needed. We identified a need to upskill college staff in selecting and applying a wider range of quality assurance tools and strategies to build a rounder, more triangulated picture of the quality of their provision. We also wanted to make sure the training emphasised the importance of the inclusion of the learner voice in quality assurance and quality improvement processes.
Megan Dauksta
Yes, in terms of what we wanted to achieve with the training we tried to move beyond a focus just on observation of teaching and learning (OTL) and learning walks. What was very interesting during the training was that many of the delegates were in the mindset of thinking that the main thrust of quality assurance and quality improvement was OTL.
Yola Jacobsen
Do you think that’s mainly because of previously what Ofsted was focusing on?
Megan Dauksta
I think it’s always partly driven by Ofsted but we were very much moving beyond the slightly narrow focus on OTL to ensure that delegates could think about the whole curriculum. Basing it on all the aspects of the learner journey, as it moves from pre-entry settling in through to setting baseline targets and moving on that journey towards achieving the outcomes in the Education Health and Care plan (EHCP) or Individual Development Plan (IDP) as it is in Wales.
Yola Jacobsen
There was no explicit intention to design the training as preparation for Ofsted inspection.
Megan Dauksta
We wanted it to be a holistic, whole college approach. Keeping staff on board and involved as well. It’s not just something that managers are coming in and doing to them, they’re doing it with them. That was very important. We wanted to give lots of tools and examples, but in no way be prescriptive. I think at the end of it there were about 10 tools weren’t there?
Yola Jacobsen
Yes, there could have been more, but we wanted to not just bombard people with lots of handouts of different quality assurance ‘tools’ but to talk through things collaboratively. Rather than starting from a blank page, handouts like the example of the quality cycle are designed to help people consider what might work in their own setting. Delegates said the section on effective quality reports and the use of data in self-assessment and in quality improvement plans were particularly helpful.
Megan Dauksta
One of the things we focused on specifically was target setting because that drives so much; how do you quality assure targets and what is the involvement of support staff within that process? We looked at all the different ways that data could be included because I think that can sometimes be quite a narrow approach, but there’s lots of ways you can include data. We also considered how we quality assure work experience because obviously we want to make sure that what’s happening in the workplace is carrying through from what’s happening in the college – the links between practical and theory.
Yola Jacobsen
As the lead trainer on this what were your overall impressions of how it was received and was there anything you learned from what was said by delegates in the sessions?
Megan Dauksta
Many of the delegates said in the sessions and also in their feedback that they hadn’t thought of some of the issues.
Yola Jacobsen
Was that about anything in particular?
Megan Dauksta
Well, I just think going beyond the OTL.
Yola Jacobsen
Yes overall from the feedback from delegates it was apparent that they recognised or realised from the training the importance of a whole organisational approach around quality assurance and specifically, in one case, quality assuring therapies. I suppose that this reflects the original reason for developing the training. I can really understand in a busy organisation where that overview doesn’t happen or it doesn’t get joined up enough. The examples of how to embed the learner voice in the process also struck a chord with quite a few people.
Megan Dauksta
And another key aspect of the training is the networking and seeing what other colleges are doing or what other colleges are feeling anxious about, because that always makes you feel better, doesn’t it? Staff retention and recruitment, that’s big for everybody at the moment and just knowing that everyone else is having to deal with that and you’re not alone can be very reassuring. So, I think that another key aspect of it is the reassurance of working with colleagues.
Yola Jacobsen
Do you think we had the right people on the training, the target audience was staff with responsibility for quality assuring SEND provision; pathway leads, curriculum managers and quality managers. In the event we had quality and compliance leads, heads of education, quality managers, assistant and a vice principal, some senior tutors, quality assurance officer and an advanced practitioner.
Megan Dauksta
Yes, we had the right people on it. I wasn’t sure about the senior tutors but I mean, maybe they’re organised in a way that they have quality roles so it was relevant for them. I didn’t get any sense that it was not right for any of them.
Yola Jacobsen
Was there anything else that surprised you about what people were saying?
Megan Dauksta
I was surprised at how needed the course was. I think it’s partly because colleges are so pushed for time. It’s not about being patronising. It’s about maybe refreshing.
Yola Jacobsen
OK. And just going back to what you just said about being surprised at how much it is needed. Why do you think apart from maybe not good communication from me at the commissioning stage, we grappled with it in terms of how to pitch it and how much to include?
Megan Dauksta
I mean, it is a huge thing to cover, isn’t it? Even over two sessions. That’s perhaps why. Do you include this, do you include that? So initially I didn’t mention governors and then they were included. I think it was also the breadth of what could be potentially covered.
Yola Jacobsen
Yeah, I think so. I think that’s why it was a bit of a thing to grapple with. There was an awful lot of material to cover in the training. I think the range of quality reviews and bespoke consultancy support we offer complements this training well. Anyway, we got there in the end with the training and it has been well received. There’s been some great feedback including:
“Informative, supportive and encourages networking.”
“I have really enjoyed it and given me lots of tools and food for thought about areas I cover and how we can be quality assuring. I had only thought about quality in terms of the curriculum/quality of formal education. Great to have the resources beforehand to look at if we wished but no pressure to read.”