BOARD OF GOVERNORS

HUMAN RESOURCES AND QUALITY COMMITTEE

MAY 2010

COLLEGE RESPONSE TO FEBRUARY 2009 HMIE REVIEW OUTCOMES

1. Introduction

As part of the quality arrangements in place for colleges in Scotland, the Scottish Funding
Council requires the College to prepare a formal response to the outcomes of its HMIe
Review report one year on from publication.

The requirements for this report are outlined within SFC circular SFC/33/2008, and the final
report must be approved by the College Board of Governors prior to submission to the
Scottish Funding Council.

This report is designed to meet the above requirement and to ensure that members of the
Board of Governors are aware of on-going enhancement activities that have taken place
since the HMIe Review of February 2009 and the publication of the full HMIe Review report
in May 2009.

2. HMIe Review Outcomes

As detailed on previous occasions, the HMIe Review of 2009 provided strongly positive
endorsement for the activities and quality approaches adopted and evidenced by the
College.

The review and subsequent report of May 2009 contained 16 key areas of strength and no
main point(s) for action.

Six “however” or minor points for further consideration/development were picked up through
the review report text. These were as follows:

a) the college is aware of the further development required to ensure continued

progress towards its own aspirational target of outstanding learning and teaching
across the college by 2010;
b) the introduction and development of the college‟s Virtual Learning Environment
(VLE) is yet to have significant impact in a number of curriculum areas;
c) A few staff use technology well for teaching, but in a few areas staff do not use it as
imaginatively as they could;
d) the college is continuing to address issues where they exist in relation to low
retention and attainment levels for a few programmes;
e) in a few areas, teaching staff do not use questioning thoroughly enough to make sure
all learners understand the topic. Occasionally, opportunities to extend knowledge
are missed;
f) targets within action plans are not always sufficiently specific or measurable to allow
the effective monitoring of progress.

3. Actions in respect of HMIe Review Outcomes

A key point of feedback in respect of the HMIe Review of February 2009 was the view
expressed by the Managing Inspector that “if there was to be a main point for action it would
be to keep doing what you are doing”.

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Given this, the College has ensured that each of the above points have been built into the
on-going range of developments and quality enhancement priorities taking place within the
College.

As part of College developments, a number of key quality enhancement priority areas are
identified for each academic session. These priority areas influence quality enhancement
and continuing professional development plans for the year and influence and inform self-
evaluation reporting and the annual feedback provided to the Board of Governors through
the annual reports on Course Reviews and Team Evaluation and Operational Plans (ACR‟s
and TEOP‟s).

From the list noted in section 2, points “b”, “c” and “e” are incorporated within these annual
development priorities and are being progressed as planned (see appendix 1). Outcomes in
respect of these areas are reported through the Quality Enhancement Committee of the
Academic Board.

Progress in respect of action point “a” was detailed within the College‟s 2009/2012 Strategic
plan. This is the key focus of the Learning at Angus: a Strategy for Excellence, with further
development fully embedded within the Colleges 2010/2013 strategic plan and the new
aspirational 2020 vision for the achievement of excellence.

Action in respect of point “d” is embedded within the College self-evaluation system, with
progress on this monitored and reported to the Board of Governors through the traffic light
system as part of the annual reports on Course Reviews.

Point “f” has been picked up through additional guidance and monitoring in respect of self-
evaluation and action planning practice.

The above areas were also considered as part of the Annual Engagement visit conducted by
HMIe in on 24 February 2010. The feedback report from this visit highlights the following:

The college was last reviewed in May 2009. The report showed full confidence, with
no limited confidence or caveats. There were no main points for action.

Since the external review the college has continued to develop and confirm the long
standing vision planned in 2000 „To be the best community college in Scotland by
2010‟.

4. Conclusions

Overall it is noted that all minor areas for action outlined within the HMIe report of May 2009
have been picked up and actioned in line with on-going College quality enhancement
arrangements.

5. Further Information

If any member of the Board of Governors wishes further information in respect of HMIe
Review arrangements or outcomes can contact Steven Taylor, Director of Quality and
Human Resources steven.taylor@angus.ac.uk for further information.

6. Approval

Report approved under Board of Governors devolved arrangements by the Board of

Governors HR and Quality Committee meeting, 5 May 2010.

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03 September 2010

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 ANGUS COLLEGE

QUALITY ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE - LEARNING STRATEGY GROUP

2009/10 KEY PRIORITIES

Following discussion by the Learning Strategy Group and Curriculum Managers, the
following points have been identified as key priorities for 2009/10. These priorities reflect
developments and the action points arising from:

on-going self-evaluation activities;

priorities designed to support achievement of Learning @ Angus, a strategy for

excellence; and

the 2008/9 HMIe Review.

Key Priorities

1. Enhancing Learning and Teaching, with a specific focus on:

Effective use of ICT to support learning and link to Virtual Learning @ Angus
Effective questioning techniques

2. Essential Skills development, with a specific focus on:

Contextualisation of essential skills

Employer Engagement & Entrepreneurialism

3. Assessment is for learning

4. Induction/CPD/Baseline ICT skills

5. Leading Learning

Further priorities will be embedded within the above (or developed on a stand alone basis)
relating to the utilisation of E-portfolios; the promotion of the Take5 campaign; and the
development and embedding of changes to the self-evaluation process.

Promotion/Development

The above priorities will be promoted and developed through the usual range of College
activities and groups. This will include on-going Team activity; Curriculum Managers
meetings; Learning and Teaching Forums; Curriculum Leaders Forums; Mentor activities;
Staff Development and Good Practice days; observation activities;, focused CPD activities;
self-evaluation support; ACR/TEOP; and learner engagement projects.

In addition to the above, an internal marketing campaign will be developed to run from
October 2009 onwards focussing on the promotion of the key priorities and developing
awareness/understanding of what this means for individual staff and what support
arrangements are in place to encourage further enhancement.

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