Definitions of quality and their

implications for QMS in schools

Stephen Murgatroyd and Colin Morgan

Adapted version by Sara Colonna
There are three basic definitions of
quality:

quality assurance
contract conformance
customer-driven
Quality assurance

Determination of standards, appropriate

methods and quality requirements by an expert
body, accompanied by a process of inspection or
evaluation that examines the extent to which
practice meets these standards.
Critical to the quality assurance process is the
publication of standards. A framework for
developing published standards is provided by
various national bodies, most of which are
variants of the Quality Systems ISO 9000 Series
defined by an international standards agency.
Contract Conformance

When some quality standard has been specified during

the negotiation of forming a contract.
Quality specifications are made locally by the person
undertaking the work, not by a panel of experts.
Quality through integrity- doing what you say you were
going to do. It is a provider-given quality
The provider determines the meaning of quality
conformance. While the provider may be informed by
quality assurance standards for the kind of service they
are offering, quality is locally determined.
Customer drive quality

Here quality is defined in terms of

meeting or exceeding the expectations of
customers. This market-driven quality- is
at the heart of the quality revolution and
is requiring organizations to look again at
their procedures and ways of working so
as to better meet the needs and
expectations of customers.
Quality and Schooling

How do these three types of quality

relate to the work of the school?
The quality revolution
A systematic focus on quality is an imperative for
organizations to survive in an increasingly global
marketplace, whether they are schools, universities or
companies
The basis of the new focus on quality is a move to balance
quality assurance, which has been well established for
many years, with contract conformance and customer-
driven quality. The new quality revolution places emphasis
on customer-driven quality supported by contract
conformance and quality assurance.
Balancing quality- past and future
Past balance Type of quality Future balance

Quality
assurance

Contract
conformance

Customer-
drive
The internal customer- the new key
component in quality

Adviser Programme Subject

Review panel teacher

Student
ultimate
customer
Form or home- Secretary
based teacher
Implications for management of the
internal customer-supplier chain

Customers
Senior
IMPORTANCE

managers Teachers

IMPORTANCE
Teachers
Senior
managers
Customers

Traditional QMS
management
A model for QMS in the school

QMS refers to the systematic

management of an organizations
customer-supplier relationships in such a
way as to ensure sustainable, steep-slope
improvements in quality performance.
The essence of QMS is
visionary leadership, in that it
embraces empowerment, performance,
and strategy.
There is a need to see leadership as a
systematic basis for facilitating the
work of others (empowerment) so that
they can achieve challenging goals
(performance) that meet or exceed the
expectations of stakeholders (strategy).
The 3Cs of QMS are
1 Culture-
the implicit rules, assumptions and values that bind an
organization together.
A successful QMS organization is one that has created a
culture in which:
Innovation is valued highly
Status is secondary to performance and contribution
Leadership is a function of action, not a position
Rewards are shared through the work of teams
Development, learning and training are seen as critical
paths to sustainability
Empowerment to achieve challenging goals supported by
continued development and success provide a climate
for self-motivation.
Commitment
a great deal of ownership for the goals of
the organization among and between all
employees. Commitment extends to taking
risks so as to achieve goals, as well as
working systematically to keep others
informed of the opportunities that exist for
innovation and development. Commitment
should become normative, and oriented to
share goals.
Communication

within and between teams from one are

of the organization to another and
between different levels for process
improvement and quality performance.
 The QMS approach to
leadership
Strategy
and goals
Commitment Communication

Vision

Culture
Teams Tools
QMS leadership is about:
Imagination, enabling and empowerment of the rank
and file-not about status
Activate, coach, guide, mentor, educate, assist and
support colleagues to focus on shared vision, strategy
and a set of intended outcomes.
Cost-effectiveness to empower those nearest to the
process
The whole picture to be kept at the forefront of peoples
thinking
Attention to details that can make the difference
Challenge and fun go together! (laugher is healing)