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CLMD

Introduction

CLMD has in place a set of processes to ensure quality will be experienced consistently across all aspects of the Company operations (Quality Assurance) and support the Company in a cycle of continuous improvement and rising standards (Quality Improvement).  At the heart of the cycle is self-assessment

The aim is to achieve quality improvements that are learner focussed and that have a positive impact on the learner experience:

  • The quality of teaching, learning and assessment
  • The Company environment, including resources
  • The Company services and operations

Our Procedures

The processes that support quality are set out in detail and available on the Company intranet in the policies and procedures area.  All staff, from induction and probation onwards, are introduced and trained in these processes.  Implementation is monitored to ensure staff understand and comply and that all aspects of the procedures are effective.

Feedback is regularly sought from learners, partners and subcontractors with regard to the quality of their experience of CLMD. This feedback is evaluated by the relevant management team and used to improve the quality of Company operations.

Responsibility for Implementation

  • All staff (managers, tutors, assessors, support staff) are responsible for the implementation of the Quality Policy
  • It is the Training & Development Manager’s responsibility to ensure there is an annual review of the policy
  • It is the responsibility of all to engage positively in that review and ensure implementation

Quality Assurance Framework

The Company has in place a range of systems and procedures that combine to provide a quality assurance framework.

  • Companywide annual self-assessment by area of learning and funding stream.
  • Annual observation of teaching, learning and assessment cycle
  • Moderation of observation of teaching, learning and assessment grades and processes
  • Annual staff development plan
  • Staff appraisals
  • All new tutors are encouraged to gain or to be working towards a recognised teaching qualification during their first year of employment
  • Probation and mentoring scheme for new tutors
  • A master practitioner scheme to support tutors in moving from a “satisfactory” grade to “good” in lesson observations
  • Annual course review and evaluation by subject sector category
  • Student involvement strategy, including User Group meetings
  • A customer care policy, with complaints and issues of concern investigated by the customer care team
  • Student and staff induction programmes
  • Learning walks
  • Quality Assurance Folders (QAFs) for all courses and apprenticeships
  • All company policies and procedures that support the quality framework are available via the Company intranet and shared drive
  • Matrix accreditation
  • Quality support visits
  • Quality expectations are set out in the specification for all subcontracting arrangements and the performance of successful is monitored against the criteria

Focus of Quality Assurance

Adult Curriculum

  • To encourage continuous improvement in the quality of all teaching and learning programmes, thereby making learning an enjoyable activity and through this, increasing learner retention and the achievement of individual learning aims
  • To develop and sustain a diverse range of programmes which provide opportunities for progression and which provide learners with experiences and wherever appropriate, qualifications suited to their learning aims
  • To ensure rigorous, standardised and consistent assessment procedures, which meet the standards of external validating agencies
  • To provide information which supports strategic planning for CLMD’s business development
  • To monitor and evaluate the procedure for advising, interviewing and counselling learners at entry and throughout their time at CLMD
  • To establish standards and monitoring procedures for providing a supportive and accessible range of services to all learners

Staff

  • To review regularly the performance, training and developmental needs of all employees through the operation of CLMD’s annual review and appraisal scheme
  • Through the Continuing Professional Development Plan, to offer training and development to individuals from Induction and throughout their employment
  • To monitor and evaluate performance and developmental needs through three internal observations a year and one external observation
  • To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the training and development against CLMD’s strategic goals.

Learners

  • All learners at Induction will be made aware of the quality standards at CLMD
  • All learner feedback including comments in the Learner Feedback form, review meetings and exit questionnaires will be analysed and acted upon
  • All learner’s performance in the workplace will be monitored and evaluated
  • All learner’s files will be continuously and rigorously assessed for quality

Employers

  • All employers will be made aware of the quality standards of CLMD
  • All employers will be assessed for safeguarding procedures
  • All employers will be monitored and evaluated on the quality of placement offered

Quality Improvement

A cycle of review, evaluation, planning and reporting is in place to identify priority areas for continuous improvement and development. The review cycle arises from:

  • The company mission statement
  • The Company Strategic Objectives and annual targets
  • Annual Quality Improvement and Development Plan (arising from the Self-Assessment process) and termly progress reports
  • Area of learning quality improvement plans with specific targets
  • Observation of teaching, learning and assessment – action planning and coaching process
  • Annual Staff Development Plan
  • Use of target setting – company-wide, faculty and subject sector category.
  • Staff appraisal and regular “Work in progress” review meetings.
  • Sharing of good practice through team meetings, networking and learning walks
  • Use of feedback – student surveys, User Group Meetings, complaints, compliments and social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
  • Learner mid-course and end of course reviews
  • Analysis of learner data on enrolment, retention, achievement and satisfaction to identify trends and areas requiring improvements or a change in policy or procedure.
  • Use of national, local and internal benchmarking data to identify priority areas for improvement
  • Peer Review and development, working with partners and local adult learning providers to moderate self-assessment, develop local benchmarks and share good practice.

Review

This policy is reviewed annually.