3.3.5
Leaders seek out and share best practice, contributing to a coherent programme of professional development
Best practice is gathered by leaders during lesson observations (undertaken by the Head of School with another Senior colleague from another department), from learner feedback during student forum meetings (where learners meet with the Head of School without any other staff present except for the Student Support Coordinator who minutes the meeting and records agreed actions and good practice identified by learners), from attending annual reviews, team meetings and reading external examiners’ reports. Examples of best practice are disseminated across programmes within the department through Annual Review Documents, team meetings, School meetings, PETAL (Peer enhancement of teaching and learning) projects and staff development away days. Good practice could be better documented and shared more widely beyond the School of Arts. This is an area that we have identified for improvement in our Quality Improvement Plan. 3.3.6
Resources, including staff, accommodation, facilities and technologies, are developed and used to support learning
The School of Arts receives a budget for staff development every year with the common aim of improving learning and teaching. This budget is used to resource all aspects of staff development including areas identified for improvement through the quality monitoring processes, to up-skill staff in the use of IT and new technologies, to provide specific training to art and design practice, to induct new staff, and to support individual staff in acquiring theexperience, skills and qualifications they need to carry out their roles. Accommodation, facilities and equipment are reviewed every year. The Faculty has an IT replacement strategy from which the School of Arts has already benefitted from with the replacement of new computers in the editing suite and new computers in the Foundation Art and Design studio in order that new dyslexia software could be installed to support learning. Larger resourcing issues are met through the Faculty’s capital bid process. 3.3.7
Managers ensure that staff have the experience and skills needed to carry out their roles
All new staff are required as part of their induction and probation period, to complete mandatory training in Health and Safety and University policies. All staff who teach on the Diploma programme must have a teaching qualification or be currently undertaking one. The University’s Personal Development Review (PDR) process records the reflections of staff in reviewing their teaching, research and where appropriate leadership. Areas to be developed are identified and discussed as part of the PDR process and further development is agreed and actioned by the reviewer. The Course Leader and Head of School promote and organise specific training sessions in order to develop staff roles, skills and expertise. Head of School has one to one meetings every 3 weeks with the Course Leader to provide opportunities for professional dialogue and to provide any support and advice needed. Self Assessment Report 2011-12
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