What Does Outstanding Look Like Alison OBrien KA

What Does Outstanding Look Like? Alison O’Brien, K&A Associates. Anne Price, Director of Education and Life skills, David Lewis

So what does outstanding look like? How do we get there. . . . . ? ?

It is Difficult to Get! Between 2001 -2011 only 143 providers in the FE sector were rated outstanding

Even Harder to sustain Only 38% managed to retain their outstanding grade at re-inspection

Outstanding ISCs • • • Derwen College Foxes Beaumont College Linkage Thornbeck Ruskin Mill

Can we Describe it? • • It is better than good It is great outcomes It’s learner centred ? ?

Will it look different with the new CIF? • What will be different? • Do you understand the differences? • How do you keep up to date in the changing landscape? • Being inspection ready – providing the evidence

Doing things Right and Doing the Right Thing “ The difference between efficiency and effectiveness” “Efficiency is concerned with doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things”. “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. ” Peter F. Drucker Efficiency is outputs Effectiveness is outcomes Outstanding providers do both!

Doing things Right • • • Quality Assurance comprehensive and rigorous Commitment to E&D. Equalities legislation, Staff Training Observation of teaching and learning Detailed risk assessments Strategic plan, development plan action plan clearly reviewed Links and partnerships Comprehensive safeguarding procedures Compliance and promotion of health and safety Adaptation of equipment

Doing things right can change over time That is when it can feel like the goal posts keep moving!

Doing the right thing is more constant Some fundamentals. . Some tablets of stone?

What do we know about doing the right thing? • Further Education Funding Council : Good Practice Guide – 1996 • Adult Learning Inspectorate – Greater Expectations, 2007 • Ofsted Report - Progression post-16 for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

Key Areas • • • Delivering Outcomes drives the rest Curriculum Planning Learning and Reviewing Progress Delivering learning (Aspect B delivers Aspect A) Workforce (how do they promote independence / allow learners to make mistakes but then learn from them? ) • Outcomes including Destinations • Consistency (L&M at all levels / taking responsibility for delivering high quality first time)

Curriculum Ofsted says: "Too few young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities progress from school to complete programmes of learning in post-16 settings which develop greater independence; lead to further study, supported or open employment; or provide skills for independent living".

Making the Best of Foundation Learning Ofsted says; “The programmes reviewed by inspectors were too narrowly focused on accreditation and were not effective in enabling learners to progress to open or supported employment, independent living or community engagement. ” “Foundation learning programmes were successful for learners whose main goal was to progress to level 2 provision or higher. But for those learners for whom this was not a main goal, they were too narrowly focused on accreditation. The programmes seen offered too few meaningful opportunities for work experience and other practical learning situations in which to develop skills. ”

Curriculum Key Themes The Curriculum is: • The mechanism by which we translate the aspirations of the person centred plan and the students vision for the future into meaningful outcomes and destinations. • Prioritises skills which are directly related to their future lives • Has an employability focus with work related skills and appropriate qualifications • Embeds “skills for life” in practical activities • Sets clear and challenging targets • Focus on development of social and independence skills • Is modified in response to learners needs

Planning Learning and Reviewing Progress Ofsted Says "In reviewing learners’ individual learning plans, a common area for improvement identified by inspectors was that, although the plans identified support needs clearly, the goals for learners on the foundation programmes were frequently expressed solely in terms of qualifications. The generic goals that learners might develop as a result of taking different units, such as social skills, were not clearly identified or tracked“ "ensure that teaching and learning focus on providing meaningful practical activities that match individual needs" "offer programmes which provide an appropriate level of challenge and prepare learners for progression to the destinations that match their long term goals"

Planning Learning and reviewing progress • A relentless focus on long term goals and outcomes? • A clear line of sight between those long term goals and learning activities • The learning as a means not an end • Capture all learning – formal, incidental • Focus on purpose with detailed and regular feedback from learners, parents and carers

Delivery Ofsted Says • "Too few practical, real work opportunities were available to learners on foundation programmes. . • "In the less effective sessions, areas for improvement included poorly planned support, low expectations of learners and too much focus on achievement of units, rather than generic goals such as social skills that would prepare learners for their future destinations. " • "successful outcomes are more likely to occur where learners spend significant amounts of time gaining work experience as part of their learning programme“ • "explore ways to provide job coaching and internships to prepare learners for open or supported employment and apprenticeships"

Delivery -Key themes • Delivery in real, relevant and practical contexts wherever possible • Acquire skills through real rather than simulated activities • Adopt innovative delivery approaches • Teaching is consistently good or better • Specialism is developed and deployed effectively particularly in assessment

Workforce Ofsted says “the roles of the support staff on mainstream courses had gradually evolved into specialists who enabled learners to develop strategies for learning, rather than primarily assisting in the classroom”. “an indication of training required for tutors and support staff working with the learner on ILPs” “guidance for staff about effective strategies and ways of working with the learner” (including those in service areas)

Workforce Development – Key Themes • More than compliance • Development clearly linked to the needs of the learners • Specialist!! • Clarity about respective roles and responsibilities and how to work together to support progress

Measuring Progress and Outcomes Ofsted says “Too little is known about the destinations of learners once they leave post-16 provision “The survey visits identified that all providers had started to collect data about destinations, although very few could provide year on year comparisons about sustained employment. Employment outcomes were relatively low from entry level provision. ” “Very few providers included comprehensive information about the extent to which learners met their long-term destination and aspirational goals “ “The reliance on qualification success rates as the sole indicator of the effectiveness of provision is not appropriate for learners on entry and pre-entry level programmes. It is also not appropriate as the sole indicator for supported learners at levels 2 and 3, where the support required may relate to enabling a young person to manage social situations as well as the academic aspects of a course. “ “provide more detail in their self-assessment reports about outcomes, including learners’ destinations and the distance travelled by them from the start of their programme to achieve their long-term goals”

Measuring Progress • What might a range of comprehensive information look like? • How do we create a better balance between the use of data for the purposes of external accountability (measurement) and that which provides feedback for organisational improvement. How do we measure what matters as well as what can be counted? • How do we evidence an understanding the learners journey through the college, as part the self assessment activity to get under the skin of the pattern, and effectiveness, of the provision.

Activity • • Taking one of key themes, work in groups to discuss: What is outstanding? – do you agree with our suggestions and what would you add? How? – what has or is helping you to do that well? Examples? Action points? – what are the key action points/areas for further development in your college? Agree key things to feedback to the group