As a starting point for the quality improvement process, it is essential that the Principal of each member college makes a firm commitment to active engagement in the process both for her/himself and the whole college. This ‘mandate’ for action is fundamental to the success of the entire process.

The key steps in the FE Sussex quality improvement process are as follows –

Step 1: The identification of Quality Improvement needs

Though the identification of needs should be an ongoing function, the formal process will take place in the spring and summer of each year, leading up to the publication of a revised three year Quality Improvement Strategy each September.

The process will begin in January with visits to each college by the FE Sussex CEO to discuss and explore support that FE Sussex may be able to provide in respect of Quality Improvement.

Steps 2 and 3: Prioritising of needs and developing measures and targets

Each year, the quality improvement needs that have been identified will be reviewed (by the FE Sussex Networks). The purpose of the review is to prioritise the needs to ensure that actions taken by FE Sussex in the coming year will focus on the most relevant quality improvement needs and those which will have the greatest potential positive impact on standards in the member colleges.

Step 4: Resourcing the actions and interventions required

In late May, FE Sussex members will have agreed the quality improvement needs that are to be addressed in the coming year, together with their associated measures and targets. Based on this information, FE Sussex will develop an action plan for quality improvement actions and assess its broad resource implications.

Step 5: Quality improvement actions (The QI Action Plan)

Based on the work carried out in steps 1-4, the Quality Improvement Action Plan will be drafted during late June/August and presented to Members for approval and implementation in September.

The main areas of activity that make up the Quality Improvement Action Plan will vary from year to year, responding to the content of that year’s Quality Improvement Needs Report.

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It is important to note that the Quality Improvement Action Plan will be at an FE Sussex level, across all member colleges, not at an individual college level.

In all five steps of the above process, the aim is to develop, over time, the capacity of personnel from the member colleges to carry out as much of the work as possible, progressively reducing the reliance on FE Sussex staff/consultants. This is in line with the concept of ‘internal consultancy’ on which FE Sussex is placing such emphasis: a drive towards sustainability.

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