Quality Improvement Toolbox Making Sense of Self –Assessment Amena Matin LSC co-financed ESF O3 pan-London 2 Program

1. Quality Improvement Toolbox • Making Sense of Self –Assessment • Amena Matin • LSC co-financed ESF O3 pan-London 2 Programme

2. Project Objective To assist ESF-funded training providers in London with the development of their Self-Assessment Reports (SARs) and Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs)

3. What is a Self-Assessment Report? • “An accurate analysis of an organisation’s performance, based on key objectives, evidence & evaluation of actions; integral to a quality improvement plan/development plan” (LSC definition) • Adhere to Common Inspection Framework – focus should reflect provider’s own activities • Evidence based – ‘prove’ judgements claimed and quality of provision

4. Key themes of Common Inspection Framework • Focus on learners and how well they achieve • Standardsreached • Progress in relation to prior attainment and potential • Personal and learning skills • Quality of education and training, and leadership and management, judged in terms of their effect • Focus on teaching, training and learning • Inclusiveness is central • Equal opportunities • Evaluation requirements apply to the whole provider, as well as to parts of its work • Off site training provision/partner delivery has implications for inspection

5. Why do we want to assist you? • ALI inspection • ESF provision is subject to ALI inspection • During an inspection ALI will compare and validate a provider’s own assessment of its quality, as detailed in its SAR/QIP, with the evidence presented to it • ESF regional inspections cover providers who are not already inspected by Ofsted, ALI etc. and would not expect a college to be part of the sample. • Quality improvement (Common Inspection Framework) • Self Assessment & Quality Improvement are fundamental to managing annual performance and underperformance. • Future funding • ESF is running out – providers currently funded by ESF need to look for new markets/funders to be sustainable • To compete in the market, need to meet Public sector’s requirements in terms of capacity, quality and quality assurance systems.

6. What can we offer you? • We will • Provide a computer-based SAR/QIP toolkit • One-to-one visit to complete TNA and assess support needed to produce a SAR/QIP • Deliver a ‘support’ action plan to meet identified quality improvement needs • Provide a SAR/QIP template • Assess ‘distance travelled’ by and providers

7. What does the Toolbox cover? • Common Inspection Framework • Cross-cutting themes • Support to improve ESF training provision and reach Quality Assurance Standards SAR/QIP Template

8. Benefits of producing a SAR • For the ‘provider’ • Informed judgements of your quality, strengths & weaknesses • Address weaknesses and direction for change. Catalyst for a Quality Improvement Plan to drive forward developments & implement monitoring systems for quality of provision. • Better understanding of leadership, management and organisational impact • Identify good practice for future training provision and open gateways to more funding -’ • Improve targets and achievement of outputs & outcomes - ‘‘needs focussed” • Understanding of internal skills to build capacity and ‘compete’ in public sector!

9. Benefits of producing a SAR • For the ‘beneficiary’ & individuals: • Improved delivery engages & supports ‘learners’ or ‘beneficiaries’ to tackle barriers to learning and employment. • Good ‘products’ & targeted individual learning plans = raised retention & achievement rates • Up-skilling of individuals (provider’s employees) - effective assignment of roles & responsibilities raises employability skills and standards.

10. Delivering the Toolbox project Jan 2007 – June 2008 Recruit Providers TNA completed Package of support agreed SAR/QIP template provided Support delivered SAR/QIP completed SAR/QIP evaluated Distance travelled assessed

11. Why should you get involved? • ALI inspection will happen – it is possible to ‘tick all the boxes’ but still be deemed ‘unsatisfactory’ • ESF provision may not be covered by your organisation’s annual SAR/QIP exercise • We will capacity-build your partners with you to strengthen your project’s delivery & SAR expertise • We can assist those partners where you think support would be most useful • We can assist you to work towards Quality Assurance benchmarks • LSC expect you to have a SAR/QIP – we can help!

12. How do you get involved? • Phase 1 • Organisational lead provider: pan-London O2 + local LSC programmes • Phase 2 • Organisational level: opportunity to work with delivery partners requiring support (not necessarily the poorer performers) • Sign up today!

13. Contact • Amena Matin/David Palfreman • toolbox@enfield.ac.uk • amenamatin@enfield.ac.uk • davidpalfreman@enfield.ac.uk • 020 8372 7619