Colleges need to use observation of teaching and learning more effectively to improve learners’ standards
Estyn’s report, ‘Effective teaching and learning observation in further education colleges’, focuses on how colleges use observation effectively to improve standards of achievement for learners. It also contains best practice case studies.
Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, says:
“The quality of teaching has a direct impact on the standards learners achieve. Teaching and learning observation can be an effective tool in improving standards in colleges and in establishing a culture of improvement and self-evaluation that benefits teachers and learners.
“Large institutions such as FE colleges face the challenge of how to ensure that teaching across the college is consistently good. With recent mergers, this challenge has only increased. I urge leaders, managers and staff in FE colleges to read the best practice case studies in this report so that effective practice is adopted more widely.”
All colleges have teaching and learning policies in place, although only a minority clearly set out the purposes, procedures and expectations for teaching and learning observations. This means that, in a few cases, staff being observed and the observer are not entirely clear what is expected of them as part of the observation process.
Observation can be used in many ways. Nearly all colleges use internal inspections for the purpose of self-evaluation. When observations are used as part of mentoring, mentors do not use graded observations but focus on progress and areas for improvement. All colleges also use informal peer observation, although only a minority realise the potential benefit of this.
An effective example of ungraded peer observations is the use of ‘teacher development observations’ at Coleg Gwent. These are ungraded peer observations by teachers wishing to develop their own practice by seeing the good practice of another teacher. By recording their observations they can reflect and learn on the teaching development points identified.
Nearly all the colleges visited by Estyn for the report use observation forms which allow the observer to write evaluative comments. However, a very few colleges use a simple ‘tick box’ approach which narrows observations and provides little commentary. Nearly all graded observation forms include separate grades for teaching and learning which helps observers to focus on the progress made by learners and how well teaching strategies promote learning. In a very few cases, observations do not take enough account of the progress of learners.
The report contains a number of recommendations, including that colleges should establish a culture of improvement, self-evaluation and professional learning. They should also develop clear teaching and learning observation policies that all staff understand, arrange opportunities for the professional development of staff, and work in collaboration with other colleges to improve the consistency of observations and to share good practice. CollegesWales should work with colleges and Welsh Government to promote professional learning communities. Finally, it recommends that the Welsh Government promotes opportunities such as a Quality Improvement Fund to support colleges.
Notes to Editors:
About the report
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Estyn’s report Effective teaching and learning observation in further education colleges was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government and is available in full at https://www.estyn.gov.wales/english/thematic-reports/recent-reports/
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The evidence base of the report includes:
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Visits to the following colleges:
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Bridgend College
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Coleg Cambria
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Coleg Gwent
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Coleg Sir Gâr
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Gower College Swansea
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Grŵp Llandrillo Menai
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NPTC Group
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Pembrokeshire College
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St David’s Roman Catholic College
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The College Merthyr Tydfil
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At each college, inspectors met senior managers and managers responsible for the teaching and learning observation programme, mentors, teachers identified as excellent practitioners and teachers who had been identified as in need of development.
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Inspectors also attended meetings of the CollegesWales’ Teaching and Learning and Quality Managers’ networks and took part in email discussions with Coleg Ceredigion.
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The report contains case studies on:
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Coleg Cambria, Wrexham
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Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, Conwy
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Coleg Gwent, Newport, Torfaen, Monmouth, Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly
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Gower College, Swansea
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NPTC Group, Neath Port Talbot
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Coleg Sir Gâr, Carmarthenshire
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Pembrokeshire College, Pembrokeshire
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Coleg Ceredigion, Ceredigion
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