Judged Observation Procedure Rationale Judged Observations (J Obs) help the College in its development of a robust self-critical culture. They also inform the evidence base for Departmental/Faculty and College Self Assessment Reports. As the J Obs process is conducted with the back-up of a Teaching and Learning Support Programme, it is expected that the judgement profile of the College will improve year on year. The aim is that all graded observations should be judged Excellent or Good. Accordingly, the J Obs process will be used to collect examples of best practice to be shared where appropriate via Staff Development sessions. J Obs (Judged Observations) are carried out primarily by Cardiff and Vale College managers but also includes other internal and external managers who are either Estyn-trained peer inspectors, trained by ColegauCymru or trained in College by the Director of Quality & Learner Journey or the Director of Curriculum with responsibility for Teaching & Learning. This serves a double purpose. Intrafaculty observations are used by departmental/faculty management to help them monitor their staff and this strong element of cross-faculty observations helps to maintain the measure of objectivity and impartiality that is necessary for valid self assessment. J Obs can also be used to furnish evidence for PMAR (threshold progression) and Appraisal/Performance Review. Usually a lecturer will be observed only once per academic year. The only exception will be if a lecturer is judged Unsatisfactory; then, following support and guidance, a re-observation will be required after a negotiated period of time to be decided between the lecturer and their Head of Department. • • • • • •

All academic departments/faculties will participate in the J Obs process. J Obs will be judged according to the Estyn judgement descriptors: Excellent; Good; Adequate or Unsatisfactory. The J Obs will mostly use the criteria of Key Question 2 of the Estyn Common Inspection Framework 2010 (updated September 2013). All new full- and part-time (fractional and hourly-paid) lecturers will be observed at least once during their probationary period, usually term one of the academic year. All full-time and part-time (fractional and hourly-paid) lecturers will be observed once during an academic year. J Obs will focus on teaching and learning and assessment and will also be used to identify good practice.

Inspirational. Inclusive. Influential. Ysbrydoledig. Cynhwysol. Dylanwadol. www.cardiffandvalecollege.ac.uk

Revision No: Revision Date:

2 Dec 13 Page 1 of 6

• • •

J Obs may identify individual training and development needs. The needs will be met by staff development whether in the department/faculty or cross-College. Evidence obtained from the J Obs process will inform individual Performance Reviews (appraisal) and also PMAR for threshold progression. The collated judgements will be used to inform Key Question 2 of the departmental, faculty and College Self Assessment Reports.

Procedure for Conducting Judged Observations Judged Observations will begin immediately after autumn Study Review Week and continue until the end of the spring term. All observers will receive training/update training prior to them undertaking any observations. As part of the moderation process, the first observation undertaken by any observer will be standardised by means of a joint-observation with the observer and the Director of Curriculum with responsibility for Teaching & Learning or a senior manager from the Teaching and Learning team. 1. No less than four weeks prior to the commencement of the J Ob annual cycle, the Head of Department (or their nominated representative) and the relevant Faculty Standards Improvement Manager will draw up a matrix of observations. This matrix will be a representative sample of the department’s provision, e.g. part-time, full-time, type and level of courses, subjects, units, modules, staff, etc. It will clearly identify the member of staff, subject and provision to be observed (including whether the observation is to be undertaken in term one or two). This matrix should be forwarded to the Standards Improvement Administrator. 2. The Director of Quality & Learner Journey will ensure that there is a pool of appropriately trained observers to undertake the Judged Observations. This pool will consist of members of the College management team who are either Estyn-trained peer inspectors, trained by ColegauCymru or trained in College by the Director of Quality & Learner Journey and the Director of Curriculum with responsibility for Teaching and Learning. This pool will conduct the majority of the observations and may also include other internal and external managers who are trained in a similar way. All observers will be fully trained/updated in college procedures. 3. Following initial or update training of observers, the Standards Improvement Administrator will allocate these observers to staff identified on departmental matrices and notify all observers and observees of these allocations.

Inspirational. Inclusive. Influential. Ysbrydoledig. Cynhwysol. Dylanwadol. www.cardiffandvalecollege.ac.uk

Revision No: Revision Date:

2 Dec 13 Page 2 of 6

4. If the scheduled observer is someone who the lecturer thinks would not conduct a fair and impartial observation of the class, then it is recommended that the lecturer liaise with the Standards Improvement and Professional Development Manager. An alternative observer will be appointed if the lecturer’s objection is valid. 5. In the event of a perceived dispute with the Standards Improvement and Professional Development Manager, then the Director of Quality & Learner Journey will be asked to appoint a mutually acceptable observer. 6.

The Observer should make contact with the lecturer to be observed in order to arrange a date for the observation. This date should be confirmed to the Faculty Standards Improvement Manager prior to autumn study week (for those observations that are to be undertaken in term one) and two weeks prior to the Christmas holidays (for those observations that are to be undertaken in term two). Faculty Standards Improvement Managers will collate this information, ensure that all observations are set-up and notify the Head of Department and Standards Improvement Administrator of all arranged dates.

7.

At least two weeks before the date of the observation, a pre-observation discussion between the observer and the person to be observed must be held, to ensure: • • • • •

That both are clear about time, date and location. That both understand clearly the criteria to be used. That both are clear what evidence will be required. That the observer gets an overview of the session to be observed. That there will be time allocated for a feedback session.

If a face-to-face meeting proves difficult, this discussion could be carried out via email or telephone if this is agreeable to both parties. 8. All observers will have their first observation of each academic year standardised by the Director of Curriculum with responsibility for Teaching and Learning or a senior member of the Teaching and Learning team. This will be organised by the Academic & Professional Standards department. 9.

When the observation takes place, the observer should spend at least 40 minutes at the session and should be provided with documentation which could include: scheme of work, lesson plan, handouts, etc. • •

The observer should take care to be unobtrusive in the place where the session is taking place and should not participate in the lesson. Student files should be carefully scrutinised for evidence of successful learning.

Inspirational. Inclusive. Influential. Ysbrydoledig. Cynhwysol. Dylanwadol. www.cardiffandvalecollege.ac.uk

Revision No: Revision Date:

2 Dec 13 Page 3 of 6

• • •

The observation form should be completed as the lesson proceeds. At the end of the session the observer will complete his/her final comments on the observation form in readiness to feed back to the class teacher. Immediately after the observation the observer should be given 5-10 minutes with the students to ask up to 5 supplementary questions taken from the published list of “Questions for Learners”. These questions are not directly related to the session observed, but are to gain information re: Learner Voice. The class tutor may, if they wish, be present during this questioning.

Immediately after the observation the observer will provide brief feedback to the observee via a professional dialogue on the observation findings. This feedback is confidential and should be given in a quiet, private place. No judgements will be shared at this time. A copy of the observation record should be given to the observer. In the event of a learning session being below standard because of technical, health or personal problems or other unavoidable circumstances, the lecturer should request a re-observation at a later date. 10. At a pre-arranged time (but within 48 hours), the observer and observee should meet to discuss the observation. This time-lapse will give both parties time to reflect on the observation and to hold a meaningful dialogue about this. At this meeting the observer will disclose the judgement given and the reasons for this; stressing that this judgement is provisional until moderation and is not negotiable at this stage. When giving this extended feedback, the observer should: • • • •

Stress that the focus is not on the teacher performance but on the quality of the learner experience. Use the notes made during the session. Start with the positive and give praise for good features of the session. Not shy away from identifying shortcomings or areas for development. Any areas of disagreement should be recorded on the observation record for use by the moderation panel.

In the event of a dispute, feedback should be abandoned and the Director of Quality & Learner Journey should be contacted. S/he will apply the Appeals Procedure. In the event of the Director of Quality & Learner Journey being involved in a dispute over grades, the appropriate Director of Curriculum would apply the Appeals Procedure.

Inspirational. Inclusive. Influential. Ysbrydoledig. Cynhwysol. Dylanwadol. www.cardiffandvalecollege.ac.uk

Revision No: Revision Date:

2 Dec 13 Page 4 of 6

11. The completed observation record (including judgements, observee’s comments and signatures of both observer and observee) should be placed in a sealed envelope and forwarded to the Director of Quality & Learner Journey as soon as possible after extended feedback has been given, but no later than one week after the observation. These records will be scrutinised to ensure that cross-College training and development needs are arranged as appropriate. Completed observation records will be held for three years, after which they will be destroyed. At all times these records will remain completely confidential. 12. Where an observation has been judged as Unsatisfactory, the Director of Quality & Learner Journey will arrange training and support procedures prior to a re-observation. 13. The Academic & Professional Standards Department will ensure that copies of the observation records are circulated to individual Heads of Department, who will use these records to inform the departmental SAR, PMAR (threshold progression) and Appraisal/Performance Review. The records will also be used during faculty moderation meetings. At all times these records will remain confidential between the HoD and the observer and at the end of the academic year these records should be confidentially destroyed.

Appeals Any member of staff who does not feel that the judgement awarded is accurate can request a second observation by the same observer or by a different observer. If the situation is not resolved at this stage, a further observation may be carried out. It will be the responsibility of the Faculty Moderation Panel to decide which judgement should be awarded in the dispute. If the dispute cannot be resolved at Faculty level, it will be referred to the Head of Academic and Professional Standards who will make the final decision on the judgement to be awarded. If the dispute involves an observation made by the Head of Academic and Professional Standards, the final arbiter would be the Head of HE & Lifelong Learning or vice versa.

Moderation 1. Moderation of judgements will be undertaken twice per year – January and May. 2. The moderation team will consist of the relevant Director of Curriculum, Heads of Department, Faculty Standards Improvement Manager and either the Director of Quality & Learner Journey or the Director of Curriculum with responsibility for Teaching and Learning.

Inspirational. Inclusive. Influential. Ysbrydoledig. Cynhwysol. Dylanwadol. www.cardiffandvalecollege.ac.uk

Revision No: Revision Date:

2 Dec 13 Page 5 of 6

3. Following moderation, lecturers will be notified of their moderated/agreed judgement. These judgements will be used to inform the departmental, faculty and college self-assessment reports and any future professional development events.

Support for Staff In the event of a teacher being awarded a judgement of Unsatisfactory, the teacher would be offered support by the most appropriate person, e.g. Director of Curriculum/Department or Director of Quality & Learner Journey or Director of Curriculum with responsibility for Teaching and Learning and then re-observed. The support would consist of: • • • •

Identification of support needed. Development of an individual teaching and learning action plan. Provision of relevant support to meet identified needs and/or special needs. Re-assessment of performance.

If after eight weeks (excluding holiday periods) the re-assessed judgement is not Adequate or above, then the period for review may be extended to support further improvement.

Follow Up A summary of the J Obs judgements will be presented to the Quality Standards Board in July of each year and used to inform the College SAR.

Date approved:

October 2013

Approved by:

Quality Standards Board

Responsible Manager: Director of Quality & Learner Journey Executive Lead: : VP Quality & Curriculum

Review date:

August 2014

Accessible to Students: : No

Inspirational. Inclusive. Influential. Ysbrydoledig. Cynhwysol. Dylanwadol. www.cardiffandvalecollege.ac.uk

Revision No: Revision Date:

2 Dec 13 Page 6 of 6