governance good practice guide

supporting quality improvement

National agencies are working together to support the drive for excellence in the further education (FE) system.

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has set up the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA).

The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) and the Adult Learning Inspectorate (AL) are merging to form one single inspectorate with new Annual Assessment Visit (AAV) and Common Inspection Framework (CIF) inspection arrangements.

• The QIA has issued its outline Improvement Strategy (IS)
• The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has issued its outline Framework for Excellence.

The aim is a national, integrated approach to quality improvement, self-assessment and inspection across the FE system, but respecting the distinct roles and responsibilities of the various national agencies, and the core responsibility of colleges and other providers for their own quality improvement.

The LSC is developing (in conjunction with the QIA and DfES) a Framework for Excellence, alongside the development of the IS by the QIA.

Its aim is to streamline arrangements for assessing provider performance and to promote FE self-improvement through effective self-assessment across the system.

The ultimate goal is self-regulation for the FE system.

Click here for information on National Quality Improvement for Lifelong Learning: Pursuing Excellence.

Click here for information on the Framework for Excellence.

Click here for Self-regulation.