Item 15 - Quality Framework Launch
West Dunbartonshire Council · 28 September 2022
Back to Educational Services Committee — 28 September 2022 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer - Education Committee: Educational Services Committee 28 September 2022 Subject: Quality Framework Launch 1 Purpose 1.1 This report advises members on the launch of the ‘Quality Framework’, and outlines the programme of activities relating to quality assurance. 2 Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Committee notes the launch of the ‘Quality Framework’. 3 Background 3.1 It is the responsibility of the local authority to ensure the quality of education provision in our establishments. We do this by working directly with our establishments through a programme of activities outlined in our ‘Improvement Framework’. Whilst this addresses the quality of provision in each establishment, of great benefit to us as a service would be a holistic overview of quality, for which we have established a ‘Quality Framework’. 3.2 Previous approaches to assessing the overall quality of provision have been the result of external factors – in 2012, we worked in partnership with Education Scotland as part of a ‘Validated Self Evaluation’ programme of activities. In December 2017, we worked with HM Inspectors within Education Scotland to build on ongoing activities to evaluate the impact of strategies on the progress to improve learning, raise attainment and narrow the poverty related attainment gap. 3.3 Our ‘Quality Framework’ will allow us to take a broader look at the quality of education provision, and highlight areas for improvement over time. 4 Main Issues Quality Assurance 4.1 The Quality Framework can be found online at https://sites.google.com/ourcloud.buzz/quality-framework/home. 4.2 In developing our ‘Quality Framework’, we turned to the national ‘Quality Management in Education 2’ (QMIE2) framework, to structure our approach. ITEM 15
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QMIE2 has 25 quality indicators across the following six themes which can be used to assess the quality of education provision: 1. What key outcomes have we achieved? 2. How well do we meet the needs of our stakeholders? 3. How good is our delivery of education processes? 4. How good is our management? 5. How good is our leadership? 6. What is our capacity for improvement? 4.3 The 25 quality indicators allow education authorities to direct their evaluative activities into core areas of education provision. Although all 25 indicators carry great value, a manageable approach to addressing each has been created, and a structure to govern the evaluative activities. Review Cycle 4.4 By creating six different evaluative groups based on the six themes above, we can address all 25 quality indicators over a three year programme of activities. The cycle of evaluative activities can be found online at https://sites.google.com/ourcloud.buzz/quality-framework/evaluation-cycle. 4.5 Groups will be composed of a variety of stakeholders, ensuring we have representative people involved in the activities. Where suitable, this will involve external partners making sure that we ‘look outwards’ in our evaluations. 4.6 A governance framework has been established to manage the activities of the group, and coordinate publication of findings on the website. We plan to use this as a ‘live’ view of quality activities, with anyone being able to visit the website and get an up-to-date view of the current state of the quality of education provision. Lenses 4.7 To help give a clear focus to the work of the quality groups, activities will be structured according to three lenses – this gives the groups involved in the quality assurance activities a clear direction. The lenses match in with the areas identified through the Community Planning Partnership – Empowerment, Sustainability and Wellbeing. 4.8 Groups would change their lens each year, helping us to get a clear overall view of the quality of education provision. 4.9 In 2022, the groups will address the following questions: Lens 1: Empowerment – • To what extent are learners included, engaged and empowered?
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• To what extent are parents/carers and families involved and engaged in improvement? • How empowered are stakeholders in policy review and development? • How active are our learners and other stakeholders in the work of the service? • How central are stakeholders to the development of operational plans? • To what extent does Education in West Dunbartonshire empower stakeholders? Lens 2: Sustainability – • How sustainable is the delivery of our education services? • How well do our vision, values and aims promote positive attitudes to social and cultural diversity? • To what extent does our leadership of change and improvement promote creativity, innovation and step change? Lens 3: Wellbeing – • To what extent do the aims, objectives and targets of the service have the wellbeing of stakeholders at heart? • Does the fulfilment of statutory duties promote the wellbeing of all stakeholders? 4.10 Output of the quality activities will be published on the website as they are completed, giving a ‘live’ view of the quality of education provision to any site visitor at any time. We will return to Education Committee at various stages with an update on the findings and publications. 5 People Implications 5.1 There are no direct people implications arising from this report. 6 Financial & Procurement Implications 6.1 There are no direct financial or procurement implications arising from this report. 7 Risk Analysis 7.1 It is our statutory duty to ensure the quality of education provision of our establishments. Failure to do so would bring reputational damage, and impact on the delivery of strategic objectives. 8 Equalities Impact Assessment 8.1 Screening and impact assessments will be carried out on specific activities as
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required. 9 Consultation 9.1 The Section 95 Officer and officers from the strategic service area were consulted to develop the framework. 10 Strategic Assessment 10.1 Failure to ensure the quality of education provision in our establishment would impact our delivery of ‘Objective 7. Increased skills for life and learning through education and training’ and ‘Objective 8. Children are given the best start in life’. Chief Officer: Laura Mason Service Area: Education Date: 29 August 2022 _____________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Andrew Brown andrew.brown@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: None Background Papers: None Wards Affected: All