ORMS provides a range of different courses, which include;

• Internally validated short courses delivered over a few days, a weekend, or a couple of weeks. These are ‘stand-alone’ and are based on taught modules. They may be delivered outside of the UK.
• Externally validated short courses (sometimes referred to as CPD or commercial courses) which typically last for less than one month either full or part-time. These carry recognition by an Awarding Body. These are ‘stand-alone’ and are based on taught modules. They may be delivered outside of the UK.
• Internally validated professional courses, which usually last for more than one month either full or part-time. These may carry recognition by an industry, association or profession. They may be delivered outside of the UK. There may be a practice placement requirement for these courses.
• Externally validated professional courses, which usually last for more than one month either full or part-time. These carry recognition by a University. There may be a practice placement requirement for these courses.

The diversity of products and services that ORMS offers requires a flexible, yet coherent approach to the management of quality, and this is reflected in the Annual Quality Cycle, which uses a range of measures and approaches to ensure that products and services are appropriately evaluated and developed. Not all of the stages are applied to short courses, but all of the stages are applied to professional courses.

Evaluation of Learning and Teaching

ORMS uses a range of internal and external information and feedback from diverse sources along with examples of sound practice and innovation to enable us to keep our strategic approach to learning and teaching under review, to modify it as appropriate and to facilitate the continuous improvement of the learning opportunities we provide.

Data sources on which we draw includes:

• Feedback from students on how they were recruited to the course, particularly the information with which they were provided, how they made decisions about joining the course and how effective was the enrolment process;
• feedback from students on their learning opportunities (including placements) collected through internal mechanisms;
• feedback from students through external instruments like the National Student Survey (NSS);
• routine evaluations of modules and course incorporating feedback from staff and external examiners;
• feedback from alumni, employers and placement providers;
• feedback from service users and carers;
• retention statistics;
• grade profiles for students, modules and courses;
• availability and quality of teaching and learning spaces for formal and informal learning;
• uptake and utilisation of virtual learning environment and assistive technology;
• student academic appeals and complaints;
• feedback from external reviews and accreditations, such as those of professional, regulatory and statutory bodies;
• data on the professional qualifications of staff involved in teaching or supporting learning.

Evaluation takes place at different levels from module evaluation by the individual teacher or module team, through to senior management level and is appropriate to the mode and level of the provision.

Annual Quality Cycle

Event	When	Who	How
Annual Risk Assessment	Before the start of the first run of a course	Head of Administration Course Leader Quality Manager Clinical Development Group Directors	Identification of factors likely to affect the student learning experience and effective running of the course
Student survey: Induction and early course experience [Professional Courses]	During Term 1 (4-6 weeks after starting course)	Course leader	Online survey
Identification of student cohort representative [Professional Courses]	During Term 1(4-6 weeks after starting course)	Course Leader	Student representatives are expected to canvas their cohort members for their views on their learning experience and to feed these into the course reviews.
Student Module evaluation	After completion of module	Module leader	Online survey
Sampling of teaching and learning materials and approaches	During each taught and/or online module	Course Leader Quality Manager	Review of teaching and learning methods looking for examples of best practice
Module Evaluation	After completion of module	Module leader	Written summary of student module evaluation. Format to include recruitment, retention and attainment data; student engagement during online tasks
PPEd registration [Professional Courses]	Annually, and prior to placement experience	Practice Placement Coordinator Course leader	Check of HCPC registration of PPEd PPEd induction as necessary
Placement audits [Professional Courses]	Ongoing, Placements to be audited prior to placements and annually. Risk assessment system to be used to reduce loads on placement providers.	Practice Placement Coordinator Course leader	Visits; compliance with PPEd statements and quality expectations PPEd induction as necessary
Placement evaluation [Professional Courses]	After completion of placement	Practice Placement Coordinator Course leader Placement provider Students	Contact from Course Leader, online form (?) Student feedback form
Sponsoring Organisation / Placement Provider Reviews [Professional Courses]	Annually by mutual agreement	RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses) Practice Placement Coordinator Course leader Placement provider	Review of learning agreements Review of placements
Employer Focus Group	Annually by mutual agreement	RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses) Course Leader Quality Manager	Review
Internal moderation of assignments	After marking; before return of assessed work	Second marker to be nominated not having taught that module; marking to cover knowledge, construction, referencing skills.	Grid of marked work Policy for second marking: 10% or 3 (top, middle, bottom), all at fail / refer; all at excellent
External moderation of assignments	Sampling of student work	RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses) External Examiner	Annual External Examiner reviews
Student Staff Liaison Committee (SSLCs) [Professional Courses]	Term 1 and Term 3. Feedback from students on induction, teaching and course experience via student representatives	RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses) Student Representatives from each cohort Course Leader Head of Administration Quality Manager Service User and Carer Group	Arranged meeting through face to face or Webex / Facetime
Course Committee Meeting [Professional Courses]	Term 1 Term 2 Term 3	RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses) Course Leader Quality Manager Head of Administration Module Leader Tutors	Early meeting in Term 1 Late meeting in term 2
Board of Examiners [Professional Courses]	End of Academic Year	RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses) External Examiner Course Leader Head of Administration Quality Manager Module Leader	Review of student experience; placement reviews; reports of complaints, Cause for Concerns; External Examiner(s) reports and recommendations
Course Self-Assessment Report (CSAR)	End of Academic Year	Clinical Development Group Course Leader Module Leader	Pulls all data together from all reports including EE reports. Sets plans for following year. Updates risk assessments and action plans
Course Development Meetings	End of Course Year	RGU Course Moderator Head of Administration Course Leader Practice Placement Coordinator Subject Matter Champions Service User and Carer Group Placement Providers	Using data gathered from meetings, reviews and quantitative evaluations during the preceding periods
Marketing, recruitment and enrolment reviews	6 months before new courses start	Head of Administration Course Leader	Review how students were recruited and update plans, methods and processes for enrolment
Course development days. Updates: resources & reading list.	End of Academic Year	RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses) Course Leader Head of Administration Quality Manager Module Leader Course tutors Service User and Carer Group Practice Placement Educators	Uses data from Subject Champions, reports, evaluations, external feedback to update and develop approaches and materials for the forthcoming period.
Bi-Annual Conferences [Professional Courses]	As agreed	RGU Course Moderator (RGU courses) Course Leader Module Leader Course tutors Service User and Carer Group Link Tutors Students Practice Placement Educators	CPD opportunities for delegates to share best practice, interprofessional networking. Developments of Communities of Practice

 

Publication of outcomes

ORMS will make information on performance available and accessible to students and appropriate to different levels, products and services (e.g. Key Performance Indicators, retention and progression, national and institutional survey results and comparisons, and quality review information).

In order to improve our performance, we will;

• Facilitate discussion around trends and issues identified;
• Initiate tutor-led activities designed to get feedback and facilitate discussions on improvements in the learning environments and placement settings;
• Undertake activities designed to help students comment on and contribute to shaping their current experience in addition to summative feedback.