Ensuring Standards, Quality and Accountability

The UK must aim for world-class standards in the Learning Age.

39. The Green Paper asked for views on:

• quality and accountability in further education;
• TEC accountability and effectiveness;
• quality in adult education; and
• improving standards and quality in higher education.

40. Typical comments from respondents included:

'The availability of independent assessments on all local education and training providers will be key to raising standards and to informing choice and decision making for both individuals and employers.' (TEC)

'Many of the best, most committed adult tutors undertake such qualifications in their own time and it is reflected in their practice.' (local authority)

'It is essential that TECs remain employer-led but that standards and consistency are improved.' (employer)

'The Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education is an important initiative…we believe that its lessons should be made available to the whole of the post-school teaching profession.' (trade union)

41. Respondents endorsed the Green Paper's emphasis on raising standards and quality assurance.

• There was broad recognition of the importance of inspection in raising standards and achieving consistency of approach between the different sectors and inspectorates involved with post-16 education and training (excluding higher education). Although challenging, it was widely supported.
• Some favoured an over-arching body or single agency which would not only provide consistency but also lead to significant economies of scale. Others cautioned that a national framework of inspection should not lead to an undesirable degree of standardisation, but would need to recognise diversity.

42. Proposals to raise standards and to develop accountability and governance in further education were broadly welcomed.

• There was widespread agreement - particularly among colleges - that both full and part-time teachers in further education should have a recognised initial teacher training qualification within two years of appointment. However, it was considered important that there should be a recognised in-service training route and that a further education teaching qualification should enable free movement between schools and colleges.
• There was general support for the principle that key stakeholders had a role to play in further education accountability.

43. High standards for TECs and their providers were recognised as vital.

• The role of the new Training Standards Inspectorate was widely endorsed.
• A number of respondents commented that high standards required high levels of investment.
• There was broad support for changing eligibility criteria for TEC directors so that they might better reflect their communities and help make TECs more responsive and accountable.

44. There was support for raising quality in adult education.

• A joint approach to standard setting developed by OFSTED, FEFC, the BSA and other relevant bodies found general favour. Some advocated the development and publication of national performance indicators to facilitate benchmarking and target-setting.
• It was recommended that the training needs of adult education tutors should not be forgotten or neglected.

45. There was near universal support for the Green Paper's proposals to improve quality in higher education.

• There was a warm welcome for the new Institute of Learning and Teaching and for the link between funding and teaching quality.
• A small minority of respondents took the view that there was too little understanding of what constitutes quality in higher education.