Key Self Assessment judgements recommended to Trustees

The WEA's Annual Self Assessment process had led to a report to the Trustees on 1st October which has identified the Association's strengths and areas which need improvement along with three key strategic areas. As ever, the report has drawn on many contributions and sets of evidence. It has specific judgements and recommended grades on each area of curriculum and it includes extracts of feedback from students, tutors and partners. 

I will pick up some of the individual issues and curriculum judgement after the Trustee meeting and I hope to set up some discussions with WEA tutors around these to supplement activities in regions and locally.

You can open the report by clicking here: Download csar_report_to_amtactrustees_010908.doc

Key Strengths:

• Strong leadership of a very large, diverse and complex organisation
• Strong advocacy and delivery of responsive curriculum for adults and communities across

  England

• Good development of learners’ skills and knowledge
• Excellent partnerships
• Good performance management to promote improvement
• Excellent contribution by volunteers across the organisation

 Key Areas for improvement (Weaknesses): 

• Insufficient progress in using Educational Strands to lead to a coherent offer
• Inadequate formal arrangements to monitor learners’ progression
• Accredited success rates below sector average in some Curriculum Management Areas due to low achievement rates (82%)
• Under-developed arrangements to monitor and report learners’ success on non-accredited courses
• Not enough systematic communication and sharing of good practice between regions
• Few strategies to include and engage men in learning

 Key Issues recommended for inclusion in Association Strategic Plan: 

1.     Determine curriculum balance in relation to WEA mission, State priorities and wider government issues (including skills, qualification and foundation learning tier)

2.     Improve systematic communication and sharing of good practice across the organisation

3.     Diversification of funding including changes in contracting and associated standards