A new quality and
performance framework to inform learners' and
employers' choices - Rammell
DEPARTMENT FOR
EDUCATION AND SKILLS News Release (2007/0059) issued by The
Government News Network on 30 March 2007
Details of a
system to give learners and employers clearer assessment of
college and learning provider performance were published today by
the Government. It will be trialled using a balanced set of
scorecard indicators to measure effectiveness and achievement.
The system will support the further education sector in moving
closer towards to self-regulation. It will be fully operational by
summer 2008 and is being developed in consultation with providers
by the LSC, DfES, Ofsted, and QIA.
The framework will provide a transparent basis for employer and
learner choice that takes into account all the main aspects of
college and provider activity. It will also be a management tool
for providers' self-improvement.
For the first time, seven key performance areas, including
responsiveness to employers and financial health, will contribute
to the providers' overall rating. Key areas have been grouped
into three dimensions: effectiveness, responsiveness and finance.
Taken together, the overall rating will deliver a clearer and
sharper framework for accountability. The key performance areas
build on data already being collected, including the (Ofsted)
Common Inspection Framework, New Measures of Success and the new
financial audit arrangements.
Launching Framework for Excellence, Minister for Lifelong
Learning, Higher and Further Education, Bill Rammell said:
"Further Education makes a huge contribution to our economy
and society. This important framework document underpins the
sweeping FE reforms we announced last year and will help us
realise Lord Leitch's vision for skills set out for our
future competitiveness.
"This measure will better enable colleges and providers to
manage their own improvement - we want each college and provider
to be able to demonstrate how well they are doing in a simple,
clear way. Taken with the [QIA] Improvement Strategy and our
intervention policy Framework for Excellence adds up to a powerful
support package, which will help remove the current complexity
around demonstrating achievement. The Framework will show
colleges and providers where they are and will help them get to
where they want to be. "
Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council, Mark Haysom said:
"Quality of learning is at the heart of the work of the
Learning and Skills Council. The Framework for Excellence is a key
component in the drive to improve that quality of learning, by
moving the sector towards a single, coherent and integrated
quality and performance framework, which will support a common
culture of self-improvement.
"As high performance becomes the norm and poor performance
disappears, the sector will enjoy a well-deserved reputation for
public service excellence. The Framework for Excellence will help
the sector to deliver the skills and learning which are vital for
the long-term economic success of the nation and support moves
towards self-regulation."
NOTES TO EDITORS
This press notice applies to England
Framework for Excellence: Raising Standards and Informing Choice
is jointly published by the Learning and Skills Council with the
Department for Education and Skills, the Office for Standards in
Education and the Quality Improvement Agency. It can be viewed in
full at http://www.lsc.gov.uk/publications/latestdocuments
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