governance good practice guide

self-regulation

Colleges are subjected to a range of different quality and financial inspections and audits – from a number of agencies involved with regulation, standards setting and control in the further education college sector.

Responding to the requirements of these agencies is time-consuming and costly, and can be confusing and demotivating – distracting colleges and other providers from focusing their effort and resources on their main business.

The FE college sector argues that regulating only when necessary, and doing so in a light-touch way that is proportionate to risk, is the way forward.

Self-regulation for FE – the ultimate goal – means colleges and other providers (individually and collectively) policing their own standards of performance in all areas of their activity, reassuring the Government and the public that levels of external regulation and intervention can be significantly reduced.

If self-regulation is to be successful across the FE system, it must be based on routine and effective self-assessment that can be relied upon.

The self-regulation implementation group has a comprehensive website containing information about its proposals and developments.

action/reflection view all action/reflection points for this section

• Are all members of your governing board familiar with the implications of self-regulation for the college and for the FE system?
• Are your self-assessment procedures, practices and outcomes rigorous and fit for purpose?
• How do you measure the impact of your actions to improve?
• How do you measure the impact of your decisions on the quality of provision for learners?
• Do you look outwards as well as inwards when setting and measuring your improvements?
• Are you involved in peer review and referencing with other colleges/learning and skills organisations?
• Have you considered the implications for your governing board of new collaborative models for working with schools, colleges, businesses and other providers to support system-wide improvements?
• Do you need to review your involvement in self-assessment and self-regulation as a governing board?