Inspection Notebook for Colleges

INSPECTION NOTEBOOK FOR COLLEGES

Name of college
Lead inspector
Additional college inspector(s)
Date of inspection

Standards for courses and qualifications

Inspectorsmust evaluate whether the college meets the following standards / If Yes put Y / If No put N / N/A / If yes, what is the evidence that the college meets this requirement?
If no, what must the college do to meet the requirement?
1 / Are the courses offered at a suitable level for the students?
2 / Are prospective students given clear information about the level of English and the prior knowledge of the subject required for each course?
3 / Where students are admitted without the usual level of English or prior knowledge, is appropriate support given to bring them quickly up to requirements?
4 / Do all full-time students follow courses that taken together require full-time study?
5 / Where courses lead to externally validated qualifications, is the college authorised by the external validating bodies and does it meet their requirements?
6 / Where colleges provide their own qualifications, are prospective students made fully aware of this fact?
7 / Is the proportion of students completing courses and attaining qualifications appropriately high, given the nature of the courses and qualifications?
8 / Do all courses on offer to international students using Tier 4 lead to qualifications which meet the definition of an approved qualification for UKBA purposes?
9 / Is the content of all courses compatible with the religious ethos?

Notes for report on the college’s courses and qualifications:

Standards for teaching, learning and assessment

Inspectorsmust evaluate whether the college meets the following standards / If Yes put Y / If No put N / N/A / If yes, what is the evidence that the college meets this requirement?
If no, what must the college do to meet the requirement?
10 / Does the teaching enable students to acquire new knowledge, and make progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the courses taught?
11 / Do students apply intellectual, physical or creative efforts, show interest in their work, and think and learn for themselves?
12 / Do teachers demonstrate appropriate knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught?
13 / Is students' work assessed regularly and thoroughly and are students given clear information about their progress?

Record of observations of teaching and learning

EF number / Nature of activity / Grade / Main strengths / Main weaknesses

Notes for report on the teaching, learning and assessment:

Standards for spiritual and moral development

Inspectorsmust evaluate the extent to which it meets the following standards / If Yes put Y / If No put N / N/A / If yes, what is the evidence that the college meets this requirement?
If no, what must the college do to meet the requirement?
14 / Do students have opportunities to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence and to deepen their spirituality and their understanding of morality?
15 / Are students expected to behave responsibly and obey the law?
16 / Are students strongly encouraged to treat everyone with respect, and not to hate or despise any human beings, whether because of their religious beliefs, or for any other reason?

Notes for report on spiritual and moral development:

Standards for welfare, health and safety

Inspectorsmust evaluate whether the college meets the following standards / If Yes put Y / If No put N / N/A / If yes, what is the evidence that the college meets this requirement?
If no, what must the college do to meet the requirement?
17 / Does the college have proper regard, and effective procedures and practices, for health and safety issues?
18 / Is there a satisfactory level of fire safety which conforms to legal requirements?
19 / Is the welfare of students safeguarded and promoted through pastoral care in line with the religious ethos and the college’s aims?
20 / Does the college maintain accurate admission and attendance registers and follow up absences with prompt and effective action? In particular, when a student with a Tier 4 visa fails to enrol, misses ten expected contacts, or discontinues study, is the required report made to UKBA as soon as is practicable?
21 / Where students under the age of 18 are accommodated, are the standard of their accommodation and the arrangements for safeguarding their welfare broadly comparable to those required in the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools?
(Note: Colleges that provide accommodation for students under the age of 18, are also requested to complete the Supplementary CIEF for Boarding, which asks for an evaluation against the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools. .In these cases, inspectors should also complete the Supplementary Inspection Notebook for Colleges with Boarders under 18)

Notes for report on welfare, health and safety:

Standards for proprietors and staff

Inspectorsmust evaluate whether the college meets the following standards / If Yes put Y / If No put N / N/A / If yes, what is the evidence that the college meets this requirement?
If no, what must the college do to meet the requirement?
22 / Do the working relationship between the proprietors and the senior staff lead to sound governance and effective leadership and management, clearly focused on improving outcomes for students?
23 / Are the proprietors successful in recruiting and retaining sufficient staff with appropriate qualifications, expertise and experience, who are in sympathy with the religious ethos and aims?
24 / Prior to the confirmation of the appointment of all staff and volunteers, have appropriate checks been carried out to confirm their identity and their right to work in the UK, and have prudent enquiries been made, taking up character and professional references and checking on qualifications, as appropriate, so that all this information is taken into account to determine whether appointments will be confirmed?
25 / Where there are students under the age of 18, have all staff and volunteers had appropriate checks made on their suitability to work with young people, including an enhanced CRB check, following government guidance regarding the frequency and nature of their contacts with such students?
26 / Is there is a comprehensive list, which can be made available to inspectors, of all staff and volunteers, showing the dates on which they started working (and, if applicable, when they stopped working) at the college?
27 / Are there records, which can be made available to inspectors on request, of all checks made on staff and volunteers who are currently working at the college?
28 / Are there records, which can be made available to inspectors on request, of all instances of disciplinary action, suspension or departure of members of staff or volunteers; where this was due to their lack of suitability to work with young people, does the record show that an appropriate report has been made to the Independent Safeguarding Authority?
29 / Where the college uses temporary staff supplied by an employment business, has the identity of these staff been checked, and have all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that the employment business has carried out all appropriate checks?
30 / Do the proprietors, leaders and managers work together effectively to sustain the college’s strengths and to remedy any weaknesses?

Notes for report on effectiveness and suitability of proprietors and staff:

Standards for premises and accommodation

Notes for report onpremises and accommodation:

Standards for information and complaints

Inspectorsmust evaluate whether the college meets the following standards / If Yes put Y / If No put N / N/A / If yes, what is the evidence that the college meets this requirement?
If no, what must the college do to meet the requirement?
34 / Are students and prospective students given clear, comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date information through the prospectus, the web-site (if any) and by other means?
35 / Are students and staff made aware of a fair complaints procedure which is effectively implemented when necessary? Do these procedures make it clear that they also apply to any student for whom the college provides accommodation? (National Minimum Standard for boarding (NMS) 18)
36 / Does the college keep records, which can be made available to inspectors on request, of any formal, written complaints that have been made and of how they have been dealt with?

Notes for report on provision of information and manner of handling complaints:

STUDENTS’ QUESTIONNAIRE: SUMMARY

Number of responses: Response rate: %

Percentage responses / agree / disagree / don’t know or not applicable
1 / The courses I am following are too easy for me / % / % / %
2 / The courses I am following are too difficult for me / % / % / %
3 / I was given clear information about what I needed to know for my courses before I began / % / % / %
4 / (For students whose principal home language is not English) I was given clear information about the level of English I would need for my courses before I began / % / % / %
5 / I know which of my courses lead to externally validated qualifications and which lead to the college’s own qualifications / % / % / %
6 / I feel that staff show good knowledge and understanding of what they are teaching me / % / % / %
7 / My work is assessed regularly and thoroughly / % / % / %
8 / I am given clear information about my progress / % / % / %
9 / My time at college has helped me to deepen my faith and spirituality / % / % / %
10 / I feel that I am looked after well and valued as an individual / % / % / %
11 / The college seems to me to be well run, for the benefit of students / % / % / %
12 / I am given clear, comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date information about the college / % / % / %
13 / I am aware of the procedures for making complaints / % / % / %

BOARDERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE: SUMMARY

Number of responses: Response rate: %

Percentage responses / agree / disagree / Don’t know or n/a
1 / I am aware of the college’s statement of boarding principles and practices
2 / When I started to board, I was given help to settle in
3 / I can choose a member of staff to go to if I need advice and support about personal matters
4 / I have been given details of an outside adviser and of helpline(s) to contact if I have problems or concerns
5 / I can contact my family in private
6 / I have enough space for living, and for study
7 / I feel safe as a boarder
8 / I have enough to eat, with a reasonable amount of choice and variety
9 / I have a range of things to do outside teaching time
10 / I have enough free time

If the college fails to meet one or more of the BSI standards, complete the following table:

Standard that is not met / Evidence that standard is not met / What the college needs to do in order to meet the standard / Reasonabletime-scale for meeting standard

Delete one of the following statements:

*The team judges that things can be put right within a year, so the college should draw up an action plan within 30 days giving details of how the outstanding BSI standards will be met within six months. Once the plan has been implemented, it can apply for a partial re-inspection.The partial re-inspection will be undertaken by a lead inspector for [state the number] of days [if an additional college inspector is needed, state the number of ACI days as well] as soon as is practicable.

*The team judges that the deficiencies are serious and that the college has not demonstrated the capacity to remedy these deficiencies speedily so it fails its educational oversight inspection and will no longer be able to sponsor Tier 4 students.

For use from September 2012Page 1