angus college hmie review report may 2009

8/14/2019 Angus College HMIe Review Report May 2009

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A report by HM Inspectors on behalf of theScottish Funding Council

Angus College8 May 2009


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The external review process

HM Inspectors undertake an independent review of the quality of provision in Scotlands colleges on behalf ofthe Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC) under a service level agreement betweenthe council and Her Majestys Inspectorate of Education (HMIE). Review teams include HM Inspectors,associate assessors and a student team member.

During external reviews, members of the review teams observe learning and teaching and hold discussionswith learners and staff. They examine information on learner attainment and evaluate learner progress andoutcomes. They meet with members of the Board of Management and obtain feedback from communitygroups, partners and employers that work with the college.

The primary purpose of this report is to convey fully the main outcomes arising from the external review, toacknowledge the colleges strengths and to provide a clear agenda for future action to improve and enhancequality.

This report contains confidence statements that express the review teams overall evaluation of high qualitylearning, learner engagementand quality culture.

The report also uses the following terms to describe numbers and proportions:

almost all over 90%

most 75-90%

majority 50-74%

more than a few 15-49%

few up to 15%

This report is Crown Copyright.

You may re-use this publication (not including agency logos) free of charge in any format for research, privatestudy or internal circulation within an organisation. You must re-use it accurately and not use it in amisleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown Copyright and you must give the title ofthe source document/publication.

For any other use of this material please apply for a Click-Use Licence for core material at:www.hmso.gov.uk/copyright/licences/click-use-home.htm

or by writing to: HSMO Licensing, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich, NR3 1BQ

Fax: 01603 723000

E-mail: [email protected]


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Contents Page

1. Introduction

The college and its contextThe external review

1

12

2. Confidence statements 3

3. Summary

StrengthsMain points for action

4

44

4. How well are learners progressing and achieving relevant, highquality outcomes?

5

5. How effective are the colleges learning and teaching processes? 8

6. How well are learners engaged in enhancing their own learningand the work and life of the college?

11

7. How well is the college led and how well is it enhancing the qualityof its services for learners and other stakeholders?

13

8. Signposting excellent and sector-leading and innovative practice 15

9. What happens next? 17

10. How can you contact us? 18

Appendices

Glossary of terms 19

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework 20


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1 Introduction

The college and its context

In carrying out the external review of Angus College, HMIE took the following college

context fully into account.

Angus College, founded in 1956, serves the diverse communities of Angus and theSouth Mearns, a geographical area of 850 square miles with a population of around120,000. Approximately three quarters of the population live in the dispersed burghtowns of Arbroath, Forfar, Montrose, Brechin, Carnoustie, Monifieth, Kirriemuir andLaurencekirk with the remainder spread across the rural farmlands and the more remoteAngus glens. The population of Angus and the surrounding area is projected to riseslightly owing to its increasing role as a commuting base for both Dundee and Aberdeenand also owing to the effects of inward migration, especially from eastern Europeancountries. Age profile projections for this area predict an ageing population, especiallywith growth in the numbers of those over 60. The Angus area has a relatively highproportion of its employment in manufacturing (17%) and agriculture (5%) but the largestemployment areas remain public administration, health and education (37%) anddistribution, hotels and restaurants (22%). Angus, significantly, has the highestpercentage of young people leaving school and entering further education in Scotland,some 44% above the national average. Smaller companies dominate the businessscene in Angus with 93% of businesses employing between one and 49 employees andonly nine companies employing more than 200 people on one site. Currently, theunemployment rate for Angus is 4.4% which is similar to the overall rate in Scotland of4.5%.

Angus College operates across a linked network of seven learning centres located in themain burgh towns of Angus, offering a diverse range of programmes from introductorylevel to HND level (SCQF level 8). Of particular significance to the college has been thegrowth of learner enrolments in the 14-18 age range and also in the 50+ age range. Thecurriculum, staff development, teaching methodologies, learner engagement strategyand behavioural management policy have all been adapted and developed over the pastthree years to meet the needs of these groups of learners. The college also offerstraining, consultancy and conference facilities on a commercial basis through itsbusiness services section, Metropolitan.

Over the past few years, Angus College has seen a growth in total learner enrolments tothe 2007-2008 level of 11,800. The colleges revenue budget for the academic year2007-2008 was approximately 11.5m, with grant-in-aid from the Scottish Further andHigher Education Funding Council (SFC) accounting for about 75% of the total.

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The external review

The external review by HMIE took place during the week beginning 2 February 2009.

The external review team examined learning and teaching and other important activities

that impact on the quality of the learner experience. The team evaluated these againstthe three key principles of high quality learning, learner engagementand quality culture,using the 17 reference quality indicators outlined in External quality arrangements forScotlands colleges, September 2008.

We used information from previous visits to the college to decide the scope of theexternal review. We talked with learners, staff at all levels in the college, members ofthe Board of Governors, employers, external agencies and other users of the college.We found examples of excellent or sector-leading and innovative practice which wedescribe in this report1.

1See Section 8, page 15

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2. Confidence statements

The following are holistic judgements made by HMIE on the basis of the external reviewactivities which took place in February 2009. These judgements relate to the keyprinciples of high quality learning, learner engagement and quality culture.

HMIE is confident that:

learners are progressing well and achieving relevant, high qualityoutcomes;

the college has in place high quality learning and teaching processes;

learners are actively engaged in enhancing their own learning and the workand life of the college; and

the college is led well and is enhancing the quality of its services forlearners and other stakeholders.

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3. Summary

Strengths:

The college is making good progress towards the vision it established in 2000.

The Board of Governors and the college senior management team havedeveloped and communicated clear and comprehensive educational aims,objectives and targets that have been influential in moving the college forward.

Staff understand well the objectives of the college and feel they are empoweredto achieve them.

The principal and senior management team provide strong and effectiveleadership in all areas of the college.

Mutually-respectful partnerships, established with a range of organisations, resultin effective collaboration to deliver learning provision which encouragesparticipation by learners throughout the local area.

The college is responding to increased numbers of younger learners byintroducing a wide range of introductory level programmes with appropriateprogression to further study.

Almost all learners experience high levels of success, and retention andattainment rates have risen over the last three years.

Learners respond well to being given responsibility for their individual learning,and almost all learners make good progress with their work in classes.

Learners enjoy being able to work at a pace that suits them, and most of themare rapidly developing skills in designing and managing their own learning.

Relationships among learners and between learners and teaching staff arerespectful, courteous and friendly.

Programme teams have made substantial progress in involving learners in theinternal review and self-evaluation of programmes and college services.

The student engagement officerand student engagement mentorsuccessfullypromote the learner voice across the college and in curriculum areas.

A lively and highly effective student representative councilworks very well withcollege staff to stimulate and encourage learner engagement in the work and lifeof the college.

Learners, staff and managers are highly motivated and proud to be part of AngusCollege.

The college has developed a strong quality culture where the learner is at the

centre of considerations and enhancing the quality of learning and teaching is thekey priority for the college.

The self-evaluation process is comprehensive and detailed with effectivecommunication and feedback arrangements to teams to promote meaningfulimprovement and enhancement for learners and other stakeholders.

Main points for action:

No main points for action identified.

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4. How well are learners progressing and achieving relevant, high

quality outcomes?

HMIE is confident that learners are progressing well and achieving relevant, highquality outcomes.

How well does the college perform against its educational aims, objectives andtargets?

The college is making good progress towards the vision it established in 2000 To bethe best community college in Scotland by 2010. The strategic and operationalplanning process takes appropriate account of local community planning priorities.Mutually respectful partnerships established with a range of organisations result ineffective collaboration in delivering learning opportunities which encourage learnerparticipation throughout the local area. Continued investment in a network of learning

centres provides opportunities for learners in more rural areas to access provision. Thecollege is making good progress towards the five strategic aims for the period2008-2010 and the associated operational targets, including improvements in learnerretention, achievement and attainment. However, the college is aware of the furtherdevelopment required to ensure continued progress towards its own aspirational targetof outstanding learning and teaching across the college by 2010.

How effective is the college at achieving and maintaining high levels of retention,attainment and progression?

Retention and attainment rates have been rising over the last three years and almost all

learners experience substantial success. However, the college is continuing to addressissues where they exist in relation to low retention and attainment levels for a fewprogrammes. The colleges robust system of monitoring and highlighting aspects ofpoorer performing programmes is linked to effective monitoring of appropriate qualityimprovement action plans.

The colleges learning strategy, Learning@Angus, has guided the development of arange of initiatives and priorities which have improved levels of retention, attainment andlearner engagement. Many learners successfully progress to the next level of study atthe college, to higher education institutions and to employment.

How well does the college fulfil its statutory duties?

The Board of Governors maintains an appropriate overview of the college requirementsin relation to statutory duties. Responsibilities in relation to the colleges fulfilment ofstatutory duties, including equalities and diversity legislation, are clearly identified and itsresponse to directives and legislation is effective. The college has reviewed its schemesand policies in light of equalities legislation and has made changes where appropriate.The college has relevant policies for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, andprovides the associated training for staff.

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How accessible, flexible and inclusive are the colleges programmes andservices?

The range and flexibility of programme delivery and assessment meets the needs oflocal employers and different groups of learners well. Programme teams promote

equalities and inclusion in meetings, through annual course reportsand within theirroutine working practices. The college analyses rates of retention and attainment inrelation to equalities to identify performance differences and help identify actions toremove barriers to learning.

The college makes effective use of diagnostic testing of learners to identify coreskills levels and arrange appropriate support or adaptations to any learnersprogramme. Arrangements to support learners are promoted well to staff andlearners and delivered effectively. Language support for learners who require itis effective.

The college is developing blended learning programmes to enable learners who cannotalways attend the college to participate in learning. However, the introduction anddevelopment of the colleges Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is yet to havesignificant impact in a number of curriculum areas.

How well do programmes and services meet learner needs?

The range of programmes at different levels provided by the college through a variety ofmodes of delivery meets the needs of a wide range of learners. Appropriate entry andexit points enable the college to offer learners programmes that are appropriate to theirneeds and abilities and prepare them well for employment and further study.

The college is responding to increased numbers of younger learners attending collegeby introducing a wide range of introductory level programmes with appropriateprogression to further study. School-college programmes delivered at college or withinschools by college teaching staff are effective in meeting the needs of learners across arange of vocational areas. The colleges English for Speakers of Other Languages(ESOL) programmes are effective in meeting the needs of migrant workers and theirfamilies. The Skillzoneprovides high quality experiences for younger learners who havebecome detached from learning in school and enables them to develop employability,literacy and core skills in a realistic working environment. This provision generally

increases their confidence and prepares them well for further learning or employment.Learners express high levels of satisfaction with this programme.

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How well do learners make progress, attain qualifications and achieve morewidely?

Learners are progressing well in almost all subject areas and most are attainingqualifications. Learners are making appropriate progress from prior learning and

attainment and developing employability, vocational and personal skills. Increasingly,they are also developing the ability to manage and evaluate their own learning.Learners in particular subject areas also achieve additional awards and qualificationswhich enhance their employability and employment prospects in particular vocationalareas. They are able to explore wider issues such as equal opportunities and social andcommunity issues in a variety of programmes. Learners across the college are activelyinvolved in volunteering and benefit from opportunities to develop additional skillsthrough interesting citizenship activities.

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5. How effective are the colleges learning and teaching

processes?

HMIE is confident that the college has in place high quality learning and teachingprocesses.

How well does the college develop and deliver programmes and services to meetthe needs of learners from all backgrounds?

The college has a positive approach to inclusion within its curriculum, both in the wayprogrammes are delivered and in most teaching materials. In response to analysis oflearner needs, it offers a wide range of programmes that help learners prepare forfull-time study. Its range and models of outreach programmes help build confidence inthose previously experiencing barriers to learning, particularly in older and younger agegroups and ESOL learners.

The college has effective arrangements for meeting the needs of learners with additionalsocial and personal barriers to learning, including services and equipment for learnerswith disabilities. Many of these arrangements involve key workerswithin the studentservices team or successful partnership arrangements with agencies based in thecommunities the college serves. Additional learning support is readily available to thosewho need it. The college offers a range of highly successful school-college partnershipprogrammes, designed to promote employability and personal skills in young people. Itis responsive in accommodating the needs of individual school pupils where necessary.

How well do learners learn?

In almost all classes, learners are well motivated and enthusiastically take part in theirlearning. Almost all learners use learning resources well to support their practical workor to extend their knowledge and understanding. Learners use tools and equipmentconfidently and safely, with supervision appropriate to their level of study.

Learners enjoy being able to work at a pace that suits them, and most of them arerapidly developing skills in designing and managing their own learning. Learnersrespond well to being given responsibility for their individual learning, but they also workvery well together, supporting each other in group activities and buddying those whoneed extra help. Almost all learners make good progress with their work in classes.

They are building the right vocational and personal skills at college, and in some caseschallenge themselves by doing additional work to extend their skills.

How well do teaching and the use of resources ensure effective learning?

Timekeeping, attendance and conduct of learners in classes are very good. Teachingstaff draw on their vocational knowledge well to make sure learning activities relate wellto current industrial practice. Most teaching staff use an appropriate range ofapproaches which help learners develop interest in their work. They pitch activities atthe right level, while challenging learners to achieve the highest standards. In mostclasses, staff explain the purpose of learning activities clearly. A few staff use

technology well for teaching, but in a few areas staff do not use it as imaginatively asthey could.

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Most teaching staff use suitable methods to check learners understanding throughquestioning, setting written exercises or, in a few areas, through the VLE. However, in afew areas, teaching staff do not use questioning thoroughly enough to make sure alllearners understand the topic. Occasionally, opportunities to extend knowledge are

missed. In all practical classes, teaching staff encourage learners very well throughone-to-one support. Staff know learners well and work with them according to theirneeds.

How effective is the context and planning for learning and teaching?

Relationships among learners and between learners and teaching staff are respectful,courteous and friendly. Those younger learners who have previous negativeexperiences of learning feel particularly welcome. Pupils attending school-collegeprogrammes enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere of college learning and quickly developconfidence in their abilities.

Accommodation and facilities in most practical subject areas are very well planned andprovide an environment for learning that reflects industry standards well. Almost allclasses are well planned and build on learners previous knowledge. In most classes,practical learning is well balanced by theory sessions or personal research usingInformation and Communication Technology (ICT). Aware that the VLE could be furtherdeveloped, the college is taking steps to ensure progress continues in this area tosupport learners. In a few subject areas, core skills classes are unrelated to thelearners main subject and are not enjoyed fully by learners.

An increasing number of learners contribute to the design and delivery of learning.Teaching staff respond very well to learner feedback in relation to issues such as thescheduling of assessment and make suitable adjustments where possible.

How well is assessment used to promote effective learning?

Most teaching staff use assessment well to help learners to build up their confidence intheir own abilities as well as to test their skills and knowledge. In most classes,assessment is ongoing and is well linked to classroom activities. Teaching staffschedule summative assessments well and explain clearly to learners what is expectedof them. In particular subject areas, learners can attain extra qualifications within their

programmes to help with their future employability. In some areas, learners assesseach others work, which helps them with their own understanding of the subject.Teaching staff make suitable arrangements for the assessment of all learners withadditional support needs. Most teaching staff provide clear oral and written feedback tolearners on their assessed work and learners use this to help them set targets forimprovement. Learners and staff use reflection effectively to promote effective learning.

How well are potential and current learners provided with information, advice andsupport?

The college provides useful pre-course information and advice to potential learners,

including, for example, through imaginative events for parents and school pupilsplanning to attend Skills for Workprogrammes. Teaching staff plan induction into

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college carefully to help learners settle into the college and to work well alongsideclassmates. Teaching staff provide regular and effective guidance for learners as partof their programmes but quickly enlist specialist help from central student services staffwhere needed. Learner progress is monitored through personal development plans andlearners are helped to set appropriate personal targets.

Teaching staff are very quick to tackle irregular attendance, through telephone contactor by text messaging. They also sensitively address behavioural or social problems.Learners in many classes work very supportively with each other, through collegebuddying schemes or more informally using social networking technology.

How well does the college sustain continuous enhancement throughself-evaluation and internal review activities?

Programme teams have made substantial progress in involving learners in the internalreview and self-evaluation of programmes and college services. Teaching staff make

very effective use of feedback from learners at the end of lessons, at staff-studentmeetings and through focus groups organised by the college to make adjustments whichdirectly enhance the learners experience.

Most programme teams analyse and evaluate their programmes well. They focusconstructively on learner progress and outcomes during regular team meetings, andwork well together to address issues. The majority of programme teams discusslearning and teaching usefully, but a few do not always identify actions relevant toclassroom practice. In most programme teams, actions for improvement have beenachieved, and retention and attainment rates are high. Programme team evaluationsare well monitored by senior managers and appropriate actions supported wherenecessary.

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6. How well are learners engaged in enhancing their own learning

and the work and life of the college?

HMIE is confident that learners are actively engaged in enhancing their ownlearning and the work and life of the college.

How well do learners engage in enhancing their own learning?

Learners have very good opportunities to influence the quality of their experience andmost learners participate very enthusiastically in activities which enhance their ownlearning. Very positive and mutually respectful relationships between staff and learnersresult in learners being comfortable and sufficiently confident to raise issues about theirlearning and teaching. College quality systems ensure that most learners are involvedin the design and delivery of their programmes on an ongoing basis.

At the early stages of programmes, staff incorporate group activities to help learnersbecome more proficient at reflecting on their learning and expressing their views. Mostlearners engage regularly and actively with teaching staff in discussing their individualand group learning preferences, and staff respond quickly to meet these needs.Younger learners greatly value the opportunity to be able to talk openly with teachingstaff about their learning. They feel the learner views they provide staff with arewelcomed, taken seriously and lead to changes and enhancements.

Most learners make good use of personal learning and development plans to reflect ontheir progress and set their own individual goals. In most classes, learners are involvedeffectively in managing their own learning, providing feedback to teaching staff and,

increasingly, the co-delivery of lessons. There are good examples of more vulnerablelearners and, in particular, young school leavers developing confidence in using collegefacilities for independent study. In most classes, learners work well independently andin some cases with minimal supervision. Where appropriate, learners also work verywell with each other, supporting whole-class learning. In Skillzone, learners makedecisions about the length of time they stay on the programme and make good use ofpersonal development tools to reflect on their learning experiences, assess theirachievements and plan next steps.

How well do learners engage in enhancing the work and life of the college?

The student engagement officerand student engagement mentorsuccessfully promotethe learner voice across the college and in curriculum areas. A lively and highlyeffective student representative councilworks very well with college staff to stimulateand encourage learner engagement in the work and life of the college. As a result, thereis a wide range of activities across the college for learners to take part in. Many collegeforums and committees have class representation and learner involvement. The collegehas recently developed a learner representative role within the internal audit team aspart of the expansion of learner engagement within the quality culture of the college.

The results of a recent learner survey that was designed by learners for learners areprominently displayed in reception areas on all college sites. There are very good

examples of learners being involved in activities to help other learners or the widercommunity. For example, one member of the student representative council provides a

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weekly support facility for ESOL learners to help them with translation andcommunication on housing and financial issues. Learners work very supportively witheach other, through buddying schemes and group projects. In many areas, peersupport for learners is successful in developing confidence in new learners. The collegehas established a particularly effective partnership with the Angus Volunteer Centre. A

strong culture of volunteering within the college has resulted in high numbers of learnersbeing actively involved in volunteering within the local community. The college alsodelivers popular training programmes to volunteers on a wide range of topics includingchild protection, confidentiality, and community volunteering.

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7. How well is the college led, and how well is it enhancing the

quality of its services for learners and other stakeholders?

HMIE is confident that the college is led well and is enhancing the quality of itsservices for learners and other stakeholders.

The Board of Governors and the college senior management team have worked well inpartnership with staff to develop educational aims, objectives and targets that are clearand comprehensive, and they communicate them effectively to curricular teams andsupport teams. Staff understand well the objectives of the college and feel empoweredto achieve them. The college has responded particularly well to the needs of the localcommunity and works well with local partners. For example, very productivecollaboration arrangements with the adult literacy and numeracy partnership haveresulted in a wide range of activities which have contributed to the success of literacyprovision in Angus. The college is a key contributor within the community planningpartnership and associated sub-groups, with college aims well linked to community

needs and priorities.

The college links strategic aims and objectives effectively to operational objectives. Theprincipal and senior management team provide strong and effective leadership in allareas of the college. The principal has been successful in extending the capacity of thesenior management team over the last few years to its current high level. Roles andresponsibilities are clearly understood and there is a strong culture of respect andteamwork. Effective leadership for learning and teaching across the two directoratesand the colleges learning and teaching strategy provide clear signposts forimprovement in learning and teaching practice and for the incorporation of newtechnologies. Staff share a commitment to improving the learning experience and areactively developing new approaches to maximise learner engagement in the learningand teaching process. Staff development is, appropriately, closely linked to theachievement of college strategies. Staff who wish to develop leadership skills are wellsupported through both internal and external training.

Very effective leadership of services to support learners has resulted in effectivearrangements for learners both prior to and throughout their college experience. Thecollege has successfully communicated the importance of a learner-centred focus to allteams who provide services to support learners. Support team arrangements forinternal review, self-evaluation and staff development have been appropriately designed

to provide an increased focus on meeting the needs of learners. The role of keyworkersin curriculum areas provides a high level of service to staff and learners.

College staff are committed to making improvements in services and to the welfare oflearners. They meet regularly and work closely together to monitor learner progress andsupport learning. Learners consider staff to be approachable and helpful and enjoy verypositive relationships with them. Very effective collaboration between the studentengagement officer, the student engagement mentorand college staff is successfullydeveloping innovative approaches to capture the learners voice. This is furtherenhanced by the active roles of members of the student representative council.Learners, staff and managers are highly motivated and proud to be part of Angus

College. The college has developed a strong quality culture where the learner is at thecentre of considerations and the enhancement of learning and teaching is the key

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priority for the college. Learners are actively engaged in internal review andself-evaluation activities at many levels including individual, class, programme andwhole college.

Quality criteria are well established and procedures are implemented effectively. The

self-evaluation process is comprehensive and detailed with good communication andfeedback arrangements to teams to promote timely, meaningful improvement andenhancement. However, targets within action plans are not always sufficiently specificor measurable to allow the effective monitoring of progress. The college is aware that afew teams are still developing their skills in being fully evaluative. Most college teamsare effective in their analysis of Performance Indicator (PI) data and their evaluation oflearning and teaching. The college arrangements to identify at riskprogrammes areeffective with action plans in place to monitor developments where issues exist.

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8. Signposting excellent and sector-leading and innovative practice

During the HMIE external review, the college submitted examples of what it consideredto be excellent or sector-leading and innovative practice and the review team alsoidentified further examples worthy of wider dissemination. These examples of practice

are described below with links, where appropriate, to more detailed information on theHMIE website.

8.1 Excellent practice in providing learning opportunities forlearners in need of More Choices and More Chances

The Skillzoneat Angus College successfully engages socially and educationallyexcluded young people through the delivery of a roll-on-roll-off programme over 48weeks of the year, giving access at times to suit individual needs. Angus College hasdeveloped strong partnership arrangements across a range of agencies and

communities working with young people, including schools, Community Learning andDevelopment (CLD) services and youth agencies to support programme delivery. Thisapproach helps to overcome the effects of poor past learning experiences and helps theyoung person feel individually supported.

The college recognised that traditional approaches to learning were ineffective anddeveloped the approach of dealing holistically with each individual and the individualsissues as a first step towards critical intervention through personalised learningapproaches. The college also recognised that up to 60% of these young people arrivewith significant literacy problems, low self-esteem, low confidence levels and a lack ofqualifications. It has changed its disciplinary policies, replacing them with a behaviour

management policy. This development has been progressed with the development offull commitment from all college staff, investigating alternative methods ofcommunication with learners such as social networking and texting, developing softskills and measuring attainment as distance travelled. The key performance indicatoroutcomes for 2007-2008 give rates of early retention of 97%, student retention of 85%and student outcome of 86%.

8.2 Sector-leading and innovative practice in partnership workingwith schools and employers

An excellent example of employer engagement and partnership working is provided inthe innovative way the college construction team has developed the delivery of the Skillsfor Work course. Running since April 2007, a partnership between a nationalconstruction company, Brechin High School, and Angus College is central to the deliveryof the Skills for Work in Construction Crafts course to S3/S4 pupils. The programme isdesigned to offer the learners 9-12 weeks of vocational learning bitesin eachconstruction craft area over the two-year S3/S4 programme.

The innovative aspect of this course is that the roofing unit has been designed toencompass not only the high technical aspects of roofing, but also practical training intiling and slating. The companys bespoke training area has been designed specifically

for delivery of this course. For many pupils, this is their first introduction to being in aplace of work. The full-time joinery learners at the college on the Introduction to

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Construction programme are involved in manufacturing the roof rigs for use in thefacility.

The pupils experience of a real-life working environment has provided them with aninnovative opportunity to learn vocational skills in the workplace, linking learning with

employment and creating an interesting and dynamic method of delivering theprogramme. This also has enabled the college to engage with industry and localemployers, keeping teaching staffs knowledge of current industry practice andContinuing Professional Development (CPD) up to date. Impact during the 2008session resulted in 34 Skills for Workpupils returning to Angus College to continue theirstudies in construction, nine of whom are in full-time employment as apprentices in theindustry.

8.3 Sector-leading and innovative practice in proactively developinglearner engagement

Through the creation of the roles of student engagement officerand studentengagement mentorthe college supports the proactive engagement of learners withtheir learning and teaching and within the wider work and life of the college.

The student engagement officerpost provides a dedicated staff role with responsibilityfor working closely with class representatives and Student Representative Council(SRC) members and office bearers in driving forward learner engagement in all aspectsof the work and life of the college.

The student engagement mentordirectly supports the awareness and practice of

learners and staff in relation to learner engagement in their learning and teaching at aclassroom level through the provision of one-to-one and whole team activity. Recentinitiatives include the development and dissemination of a learner engagement toolkitforstaff to use in their planning processes.

As a result, learners in Angus College really feel empowered, listened to and involved indecision making. Learners can recognise significant changes that they have been ableto influence in the way their learning takes place and how the college operates.

8.4 Excellent practice in updating the Board of Governors on quality

The college has implemented a robust and comprehensive system that advises theBoard of Governors of the quality assurance and quality enhancement arrangements inplace across the college. In academic year 2007-08 the Board of Governors consideredthe colleges first baseline report and the first annual supplementary report fromcurriculum and support teams. These reports convey fully the main outcomes of activityfrom team reviews in a given academic year. They acknowledge college strengths andprovide a clear agenda for future action to improve and enhance the quality of learning,teaching and services for learners and other stakeholders.

The Board of Governors uses the report to facilitate dialogue with the seniormanagement team around the quality enhancement agenda. The process is thecornerstone of quality in the college and follows the recommendations of the JointQuality Review Group of the Scottish Funding Council.

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9. What happens next?HMIE will continue to monitor progress during annual engagement visits to the college.

Janet P GardnerHM Inspector

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10. How can you contact us?

If you would like a printed copy of this report

This report has been produced as a web-only publication and is available on our website

at www.hmie.gov.uk.

This supports the sustainability of natural resources and the Scottish GovernmentsGreener Scotland agenda. Copies of the report can be printed for individual use.Please contact the Business Management and Communications Team (BMCT) if youwish to enquire about our arrangements for translated text or copies of this report inother formats.

If you wish to comment about college external reviews

If you wish to comment about any of our reviews, contact us [email protected] or alternatively you should write in the first instance toBMCT, HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park,Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.

Our complaints procedure

Our complaints procedure is available from our website or alternatively you can write toour Complaints Manager, at the address above or by telephoning 01506 600259.

If you are not satisfied with the action we have taken at the end of our complaints

procedure, you can raise your complaint with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman(SPSO). The SPSO is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaintsabout Government departments and agencies. You should write to SPSO, FreepostEH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR. You can also telephone 0800 377 7330, fax 0800 3777331 or e-mail: [email protected]. More information about the Ombudsmans office canbe obtained from the website at www.spso.org.uk.

Crown Copyright 2009HM Inspectorate of Education

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Appendix 1

Glossary of terms

CLD Community Learning and Development

CPD Continuing Professional Development

ESOL English for Speakers of Other Languages

HMIE Her Majestys Inspectorate of Education

HNC Higher National Certificate

HND Higher National Diploma

ICT Information and Communication Technology

PI Performance Indicator

SCQF Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework

SFC Scottish Funding Council

SQA Scottish Qualifications Authority

SRC Student Representative Council

SVQ Scottish Vocational Qualification

VLE Virtual Learning Environment

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angus college hmie review report may 2009

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