Which comes first, compliance or quality? A key aspect of recent reports focuses on quality assurance, highlighting a continuing area for improvement. A QA focus may likely continue into the new framework. We know that for many, good QA is a problem, but what does good and effective quality assurance look like? This extract from […]
Progress from starting point still haunts many We make no apology for revisiting this topic, and as the following extract illustrates, some are a long way from finding a solution. Staff do not use information about what apprentices already know and can do to plan a sufficiently challenging curriculum. Coaches complete a check of apprentices’ […]
Outstanding or questionable?We’ve known for some time that some providers carefully select which learners will take national examinations, thereby maintaining high success rates. This inspection extract is from an outstanding college, published in May. It’s an approach you may or may not agree with, but it meets the learner’s best needs. “Leaders and managers have […]
Looking at inclusion in the new inspection framework? The draft proposals for the new inspection framework have been available for a while now although they appear far from finalised or proposals for grading agreed. We do know the new structure is going to feature inclusion as a key driver. An outstanding provider report had this […]
Use of assessment strategies? Too often, leaders believe tutors understand the effective use of assessment only to find out their beliefs are ill-founded too late. At a recent inspection, while tutors use questioning well, the dreaded ‘however’ describes a different story. “However, too many tutors on courses for young people do not routinely check students’ […]
Do you have too many eggs in the one basket? During the past two months, there has been a significant increase in new providers, with44 new training providers, increasing the number of players on the pitch and spreadingrecruitment more thinly. Almost all of these are Independent Learning providers, and nearlyall offer boot camps. It’s worth […]
What do good and better behaviour and attitudes look like? The majority of providers perform well in outcomes for behaviours and attitudes. Theextract from an outstanding 6th Form is an excellent example of what inspectors mayexpect to see and nicely sums up the criteria identified in the handbook. Students’ behaviour is impeccable. Students attend well, […]
Welcome to the first edition of Inspection Insights for 2025. During the past sixmonths of 2024, 224 inspection reports have been published. Almost 75% of thesehave been rated good, and just over 12% rated outstanding, with 87% graded goodor better. We have seen a progressive reduction in those not yet good to around13% and a […]
Are leaders focusing sufficiently on achievement? This area for improvement identified in a recent report indicates a closer focus on achievement than recently seen. “Accelerate the pace of improvements in apprenticeships so that more apprentices achieve their qualifications on time.” Achievement is increasing in frequency in reports, and of course, we have the ‘achievement’ aspect […]
Are leaders sufficiently ambitious for their learners? The Inspection Handbook refers to and explores the concept of ambition in education, emphasising that while most tutors and coaches consider themselves ambitious for their learners, defining and measuring ambition can be challenging. Ambition varies based on subject matter, age, and specific knowledge of what learners should achieve […]
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