Continuous improvement through collaborative development February 2010

Agenda Time Content 10:30 – 10:40 Welcome and objectives of the day 10:40 – 11:45 Part 1 - Making PRD work for you and your colleagues: Successfully embedding PRD within your own organisation! 11:45 – 12:30 Part 2a - Making your PRD group work for you: A rigorous approach to validating your SAR can serve many purposes! 12:30 – 13:15 Lunch 13:15 – 14:15 Part 2b - Making your PRD group work for you: Collaborating on improvement activities can provide greater and more cost effective returns than working individually! 14:15 – 15:00 Part 3 - Making other PRD groups work for you: The wider PRD community provides access to a network of 900 Learning and Skills sector experts – use them! 15:00 – 15:30 Tea/coffee and close: further opportunity for networking

Welcome and introductions 10:30 – 10:40

To further develop effective approaches to collaborative group working Purpose of the day Aim: To further develop effective approaches to collaborative group working Objectives: For delegates to learn how to: successfully embed a collaborative PRD ethos within their own organisation reap the benefits of collaborative activity arising from the rigorous validation of self-assessment judgements undertake collaborative development activities use the broader PRD community to address specific issues.

SfE Programme update Over 900 providers currently engaged in the SfE Programme 176 groups currently across the FE sector Development of an online PRD community and resources Key issues for groups: demonstrating impact group sustainability

Part 1 - Making PRD work for you and your colleagues Successfully embedding PRD within your own organisation! 10:40 – 11:45

Objectives During this session delegates will: identify the key characteristics of embedded PRD address some of the key challenges/barriers to embedding PRD formulate key actions to achieve embedded PRD.

Case study - North West Two group Task one (a) Please spend a couple of minutes reading the case study of the NW2 group (copies on the table) In what ways have the providers embedded PRD into their own organisations? Please be prepared to feedback to the wider group

How well embedded is PRD in your organisation? Low Level Embedded Fully Embedded

Characteristics of embedded PRD Task one (b) Individually list (on the template provided) the top 10 key characteristics of what embedded PRD looks like? Rate your own organisation from 1 (low) to 10 (high) with reference to how well embedded PRD is. Be honest! Please be prepared to feedback to the wider group

Key characteristics of embedded PRD 1 Senior Management actively support PRD and action outcomes where appropriate 2 PRD is identified in our quality assurance and improvement processes 3 Training for effective PRD forms part of our staff development plan 4 Results from PRD are identified within our self-assessment report 5 Development opportunities through PRD are identified within the quality improvement plan 6 Peer Review and Development is used internally to review and develop provision 7 Ofsted have recognised the positive effect of our PRD activities 8 There is a ‘pool’ of staff within the organisation trained to undertake reviews and give feedback 9 There is an annual calendar of PRD consortium activities with roles and responsibilities identified 10 PRD is well-understood across the organisation including recognition at Governor level

Challenges/barriers to embedding PRD Task two What are the internal barriers to embedding PRD and how can they be overcome? Please discuss on your table and be prepared to feedback the barriers and possible solutions

Key barriers to embedding PRD 1 Senior Management (inc Governors/Non Exec Directors) are not aware of the existence of the PRD group so are not leading on implementing actions/outcomes of review 2 Senior Management are aware of the existence of the PRD group. There is nominal support but they are not aware of the potential of the group and are not leading on implementing actions/outcomes of review 3 PRD is person dependent. All organisation, knowledge and leadership rests with one person 4 PRD is seen as adhoc. Relationships with other providers are seen as useful but are not formalised and there is no formal plan of activity, reviews and actions 5 There is no reference to PRD activity in self-assessment and quality improvement plans so good work on PRD can sometimes go unrecognised or unnoticed 6 Staff have not been trained on PRD and are not sure what they are meant to do 7 There are no external sources of funds available to providers for carrying out PRD

Key actions to embed PRD in your organisations Task three Based on the discussions during the session: list the top four key actions you will look to take to embed PRD into your organisations when you return to the office what are the outcomes you want to achieve from these? Please be prepared to feedback to the wider group

Key actions to embedded PRD Put together a business case/plan on why the organisation should be involved in PRD and present to the senior management (and Governors/Non-Exec Directors) Outcome 1 Senior Management agree to support and lead PRD activity with other organisations. PRD is no longer person dependant Action 2 Integrate PRD activity into self-assessment and quality improvement processes and plans Outcome 2 PRD activity is formalised in the self-assessment and quality improvement plan cycle and is recognised as having a positive impact Action 3 Source funding from within the organisation for PRD activity Outcome 3 Funding for PRD activity is guaranteed for at least three years in order for full impact and benefits to be realised Action 4 Train staff in PRD activity to be able to carry out meaningful reviews and not just share best practice Outcome 4 There is an annual programme of training linked to CPD to keep PRD skills up to date and relevant

Part 2a - Making your PRD group work for you A rigorous approach to validating your SAR can serve many purposes! 11:45 – 12:30

Objectives During this session delegates will: consider what needs to be contained in a SAR and how you validate the SAR be encouraged to re-evaluate their own SAR and revisit the document with a fresh pair of eyes.

SAR validation activity You will be given an extract from a SAR focusing on either safeguarding or equality of opportunity from either a: work-based learning provider offender learning provider general further education provider adult and community learning provider Before you look at the individual SAR, in groups or pairs list what you expect or need to see in the SAR Feedback to the room Review the SAR and feedback

Expectations of information in a SAR - Safeguarding Information about policies and procedures within the organisation and how they are communicated to staff Who takes responsibility for safeguarding and how safeguarding is managed Information about CRB checks Staff development, training and awareness of safeguarding When and how learners receive safeguarding information Answers to the question about how safe learners feel and how the provider knows this How safeguarding is promoted and reinforced Information about risk assessments of learners Examples of good practice or examples of changes or initiatives introduced Other information

Expectations of information in a SAR – Equality of opportunity Information about policies and procedures within the organisation and how they are communicated to stakeholders and staff Who takes responsibility for the promotion and monitoring of equality and diversity How equal opportunities is promoted and monitored Staff development, training and awareness of equality and diversity When and how learners receive equal opportunities information How equal opportunities is reinforced on an ongoing basis How data is collected and used to monitor the performance of different groups of learners Examples of good practice or examples of changes or initiatives introduced Other information

Lunch 12:30 – 13:15

Part 2b - Making your PRD group work for you Collaborating on improvement activities can provide greater and more cost effective returns than working individually! 13:15 – 14:15

Objectives During this session delegates will: consider what is required in order to carry out collaborative development activity discuss how collaboration could help their organisations to save resources and improve provision.

Collaborative development activity On your table look through the cards for safeguarding or equality and diversity some of which are essential and some are desirable In groups or pairs consider which could be produced/delivered collaboratively Identify the advantages of collaborative working and how the tasks could be shared Feedback the conclusions from the group

To further develop effective approaches to collaborative group working Purpose of the day Aim: To further develop effective approaches to collaborative group working Objectives: For delegates to learn how to: successfully embed a collaborative PRD ethos within their own organisation reap the benefits of collaborative activity arising from the rigorous validation of self-assessment judgements undertake collaborative development activities use the broader PRD community to address specific issues.

Part 3 - Making other PRD groups work for you The wider PRD community provides access to a network of 900 Learning and Skills sector experts – use them! 14:15 – 15:00

Objectives During this session delegates will: network with colleagues who have carried out activities in an area of interest to their group inform colleagues of the activities that their group has undertaken and the outcomes of these consider for what purpose they might want to work with another PRD group.

Collaborative group working across the Programme Approximately 54 (31%) of groups are actively collaborating with other groups/organisations A large number of groups are part of a network (e.g. South West Peer Confederation) who share information from their PRD activities with the other network members One of the key areas groups are collaborating on relate to national priorities and current challenges facing the sector

Activity – Making connections In relation to the topic heading on the posters around the room: choose an area where you have carried out PRD activity in as a group brainstorm: what collectively you have done in this area what were the outcomes how could you work collaboratively between groups on this important factors when collaborating are you looking to collaborate in a particular area? feedback to the room.

PRD community A new web space designed to promote collaboration between providers. The community holds information on every organisation and PRD group currently involved in SfE peer review and development activity and allows users to: Browse groups and organisations by sector, region and PRD activity Identify other groups involved in activities of common interest Contact (and be contacted by) other groups and providers over a secure server Ask questions and share experiences via an interactive notice board Apply to join additional PRD groups and networks Set up new groups and manage group details

Thank you for attending