CANTERBURY COLLEGE Minutes of the MEETING OF THE QUALITY COMMITTEE MONDAY, 21 NOVEMBER 2011 AT 5.30 PM IN ROOM J221 MEMBERSHIP: Advising: In Attendance: Barry Brooks, Paul Barrett, Penny Williams, Angela Tithecott, Harry Fox, Alison Clarke (Principal) Advising: Jon Dent - Director of Curriculum & Quality Rachel Mann Director of HE & International Provision Garry Costain Director of Curriculum & Quality Lut Stewart Director of Student Support Services Mark Hill - Director of Business Development and Associated Services Malcolm Dixon External Adviser Linda Fosbrook, Faculty Head, ICT Retail & Commercial, Leisure & Tourism, Catering, Business & Law Section Managers Faculty Head, ICT Retail & Commercial, Leisure & Tourism, Catering, Business & Law Section Managers, Engineering & Construction Fiona Gardiner Clerk to the Corporation Italics denotes absence 494 APOLOGIES i. Apologies were noted from Harry Fox and Penny Williams 495 DECLARATION OF INTEREST i. Barry Brooks declared his interest in Tribal Group 496 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 17 MARCH 2011 i. The Minutes of the meeting of 13 June 2011 were agreed as correct and signed by the Chair. 497 MATTERS ARISING i. It was noted that last year, Lecturers graded at level 3 in their observations were offered further training. It was agreed that this need to be made mandatory in order to drive up teaching and learning standards. Jon Dent advised that this will be followed up more vigorously this academic year. 498 COLLEGE PERFORMANCE REPORT i. The overall success rate is improved by 3% at 83.1%, There are however still issues at long level 1 for 16-18 year olds ii. The teaching and learning profile is lower but this is primarily due to a change in the process of observations. It is now in line with the national average iii. Attendance overall has improved by 2% at 88% iv. SAR grading meetings have been done early this year and were all completed by October half-term. v. Allocation targets were all reached but was reliant on in year starts, summer school and neets work vi. Targets for 2011/12 are 5329 for 16-18 provision and 2133 for 19+. The SFA have stated that numbers will not be so important, more so the use of funds for provision. vii. This year s recruitment figures are up considerably on last year and it is expected that targets will be met by Christmas for 16-18 year olds viii. Adult Learner Responsive (ALR) is a concern with slower enrolments, partly due to SFA s fee remission policy complications. Funding was increased by 14%. Work Based Learning and Job Centre Plus schemes are currently being worked on to increase capacity. ix. Success shows a 3 year trend of improvement at 83.1% against a national rate of 79.3% overall. Long courses are at 76.4% against a national average of 76.8% and short courses are 89.3% against a national average of 85% x. Improvement in all long success rates except level one 16-18 long courses. Poor performance in Foundation Learning has impacted this figure and Foundation Learning was closed down at the end of last year. xi. xii. Level 3 courses show an improvement of 3% in success. Retention has improved at the College but all levels are below the National rate. Work is currently being undertaken with Active Solutions to map students and identify issues. 1
xiii. Short 5-24 week courses show a decline in retention, mainly 19+. If the foundation Learning statistics are removed from the data, it shows a 3% increase and above the national average. xiv. For very short courses Retention is 99.8% against a national average of 98.7% xv. Functional Skills improved success rate maths are the College s strength, English is its weakness. The issue last year was the timing of the speaking and listening element and this will now be completed by December to ensure it is covered. xvi. Actions for overall improvements are: i. Red alert plan with early intervention plans in place ii. Increase reporting on retention to SMT iii. Increase in success rates targets will be given to areas that have met their targets. xvii. Attendance target was 85% - actual was 88% for 2010/11 which is in line with KAFEC. xviii. 16 of the 34 sections improved. 12 areas are above 88% xix. Target of attendance for 2011/12 is now set at 90% xx. Electronic registers are being implemented across the College which will allow more timely records to be kept for attendance xxi. The management actions for attendance were noted. xxii. Teaching and Learning observations numbers dropped last year but will be increased this year. Grade 4 judgements were static at 1.8%, outstanding were 15.2%, good 50.6% and satisfactory 32.3% xxiii. Equality and Diversity is one area of focus for improvement in observations xxiv. There was an excellent staff conference inspiring teaching and learning which was very motivational. xxv. Management actions for teaching and learning were noted. xxvi. There was a 84% return on student satisfaction questionnaires and the results show a maintaining of a high level of satisfaction. xxvii. Lesson planning and lack of regular feed back were stated as the weaker points on student satisfaction. xxviii. Target setting has improved as has the effectiveness of tutorial programmes and progression opportunities xxix. Management actions for student satisfaction were noted. xxx. The response rate for the destination data was noted as 95% compared to 90% last year. xxxi. Key issues for the College at this time were noted as: i. Improving success rates, particularly at Level 1 and 2 ii. Implementing strategies to improve attendance and punctuality iii. Improving retention, achievement and success in all areas through innovation in teaching and learning iv. Further embedding of equality and diversity into curriculum delivery v. Further embedding of safeguarding into the curriculum vi. Continuing to improve the quality of teaching and learning vii. Improving the reliability of the observation and moderation process xxxii. Members asked if there was a reward system for good teaching. The Principal advised that some awards are given at the annual staff conference i.e. for outstanding teachers and outstanding teams xxxiii. There has been a positive culture change in some areas which was noted in the SAR meetings by SMT and this change will be encouraged to continue. i. The report was noted. ii. Key recommendations and actions were approved. iii. SAR grading moderations were discussed and the following grades were agreed: Hair overall grade 3 Building Services overall grade 4 Business, Admin and Law capacity to improve 2 History, philosophy, theology capacity to improve 3 Animal and Equine capacity to improve 3 Social Sciences capacity to improve - 4 499 FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION i. A copy of the presentation is filed with these minutes. ii. Sections within the faculty were noted as building services, construction, engineering, motor vehicle iii. Success rates improved by 2% from 79% to 81% iv. Retention is the weakest point at 87%, particularly on long courses. v. Poor functional skills at 53% down from 58% vi. Teaching and Learning is 46%, below the College average by 20%. Construction is 87.5% vii. Attendance was 79% last year and is currently 82% viii. Equality and Diversity is poorly addressed in the classroom ix. Construction success is up to 77% x. Achievement is good at 95% xi. Functional skills is 78% in engineering xii. Construction have a Teaching and Learning grade with 7 out of 8 grade 2 2
xiii. Targets are to raise the overall success rate to 84%, a 3% increase, and retention rate to 89%, a 3% increase. Learner responsive long courses have the greatest scope for the greatest improvement. xiv. The Functional Skills target is raised to 75% xv. Teaching and Learning observations target is 65% xvi. Attendance target is 85-90% Xvii The 10 point plan to achieve these targets was noted. xviii. The impact to date of actions were noted xix. Specific target areas have been identified and now have specific actions xx. Attendance and retention are being addressed. Courses are being tiered so any student who leaves has achieved an award xxi. Those students who leave the course, often do so as they find casual work and then they do not return. i. The report and its recommendations were noted. 500 FACULTY OF ICT RETAIL & COMMERCIAL, LEISURE & TOURISM, CATERING, BUSINESS & LAW i. A copy of this presentation is filed with the minutes ii. The areas within the Faculty were noted as Beauty, Business, Computing, Hairdressing, Hospitality and Catering, Sports and Leisure, Travel and Tourism iii. Key Actions for 2010-11 were: i. Attendance now 91% against 86% the previous year ii. Retention now 90% against 88% iii. Achievement now 93% against 89% iv. Success now 83% against 79% v. Student satisfaction now 82% against 86% vi. Teaching and Learning grades now 72.5% against 75% iv. Strengths for the past year were noted as: i. Attendance 4 sections over 92% ii. Induction qualifications 5 of 7 sections of 96% success iii. Success in 4 sections above 80% iv. Enrichment and Progression v. Weakness for the past year were noted as: i. Recruitment ii. Student voice iii. Attendance in hairdressing and computing (due to staff absence) iv. Specific course retention and achievement (level 1) v. Some T&L profiles vi. Some areas E&D success rates i.e. catering vi. Quality improvements for 2011-12 are noted as: i. Recruitment ii. Student voice iii. Attendance in hairdressing and computing iv. Specific course retention v. Some T&L profiles vi. Some areas E&D success rates vii. Continuation and refinement of actions undertaken in 2010/11 vii. There is shared intervention and good practice between faculties viii. There is Olympic focused work with Get Set and Student Activities manager ix. Action plans have been created from the CROs last year. Some courses were run in a building of poor repair which affected the CRO results. This should change with the move into the new building. x. The Business and Computing classes are all close together now in D Block rather than spread around and this should have a positive impact on student satisfaction xi. Apprenticeship rates are above average in this section. i. The report and its recommendations were noted. 501 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES REPORT i. Sheppey College, Foundation Learning and Supported Learning are no longer part of Lut Stewart s remit, although ESOL now is. ii. There have been some staffing issues and staffing has been increased in the ESOL provision iii. Student Union elections saw double the votes of last year. iv. Student screening process and questions have been developed in regard to safeguarding. v. Additional Learning support now has a dedicated space with better support. vi. NEETS work continues with 135 of these now accessing the college vii. 230 Looked After or Care Leavers have received bursaries and 2200 students received a free first week bus pass. viii. Now that ESOL students are more integrated, attendance is up and there has been no repeat of the safeguarding issues seen last year. 3
ix. A Welcome Crew have been appointed. These are students employed to help other students, particularly at enrolment, marketing events, induction etc. x. Tony Payne has been awarded an LSIS Award for outstanding contribution to Learners xi. 3,000 has been raised through staff fundraising events for the new build block 17. xii. xiii. xiv. xv. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix. xx. There was a recent Fair for All event centred on the Olympic value of friendship The Equality and Diversity committee have introduced staff Champions for the 9 protected characteristics i.e. pregnancy, race etc. and this has resulted in the introduction of a student parent group and collaboration with Stonewall. The BDA Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark Award Initiative has been achieved making Canterbury 1 of only 3 colleges to achieve this Award Counselling is functioning well within the College There have been some safeguarding issues primarily external events. There have been 81 cases this term compared to 76 over the same period last year. On-line peer mentoring is now up and running. Drop-In Skill Centre in the LRC has now been extended to copy with demand. The College has been awarded a Bronze award for the work it has done in promoting the Olympics The College now has a dedicated Social Worker and they are working with LSIS i. The recommendations in the report noted. 502 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT REPORT i. There has been a re-organisation of the Directorate, partly due to the fact that Train to Gain has now ceased to exist. ii. The TQS standard is no longer funded but remains in place to March and will continue to operate within it. The Framework for Excellence awards the College an outstanding grade for having this award. iii. CTR has recruited to 251 positions including 83 apprenticeships. Income has been 900,170 and there have been 189 new clients. iv. CTR have worked with 41 employers over the past year and there are currently 78 jobs advertised with over 50 apprenticeships v. There was an Employers survey carried out of 220 employers. There was a 100% return rate and overall 91% were satisfied with the service they received, up 3% on last year and 23% on 08/09. vi. JC Plus received only 364k of the full potential value of the SFA/ESF funded schemes. 424 people undertook College training projects with 82% success rate. vii. 10k income has been received as a result of short one-day courses in leadership and management full cost recovery programmes. viii. Marketing have worked hard on the College profile and new a new prospectus and the App is now up and running. ix. Events and Corporate hire earned 95,235 against a target of 95k. x. Work based learning shows a 4 year improvement profile on overall success and timely success rates. The success rates are however below the national average. On-line individual learning plans have been set up to help tutors liaise with training advisors, employees and trainers xi. There was a record peak of 413 apprenticeships last year and 431 to date in year. xii. Train to Gain had 500 employees engaged overall and this work will be continued through work placed training. xiii. Links are being advanced with the Army Community covenant scheme and the Sports England scheme. xiv. The Committee thanked the directorate for their achievements to date. i. The recommendations in the reports are noted. 503 FACULTY UPDATE REPORTS i. The Faculty reports were all noted. i. The recommendations in the reports are noted. 4
504 TRIENNIAL REVIEWS HE Business and Technology Paul Barrett HE Creative Arts Angela Tithecott Sheppey College Penny Williams Cross College A Level Barry Brooks Cross College Work Based Learning Paul Barrett 505 DATE OF NEXT MEETING i. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, 12 March 2012 at 5.30 pm. 506 EVALUATION OF THE MEETING i. Members noted the evaluation report. ii. The evaluation of the meeting was completed by members of the Committee. 5