The report points out that:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe importance and impact of outstanding leadership and management cannot be underestimated. All the elements this report identifies are inextricably linked to the actions and behaviour of leaders and managers, and the example they set.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, that\u2019s key message 1. It\u2019s about the quality of leadership and management and the culture leaders and managers create and nurture at their RTO, supported by their Boards if they have one.<\/p>\n

Key message 2 is that \u201ceffective staff training [is] vital in helping staff and colleges to respond successfully to changes in government policy and making good use of their own expertise in routinely sharing good practice across departments.\u201d In addition,<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best continuing professional development [is] linked to sound and productive performance management; it recognised and promoted improvement while also dealing effectively with poor performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was the same message from the Australian research highlighted above. It found that performance management often wasn\u2019t as well done as it could be.<\/p>\n

Key message 3: You need to gather and use good data and information. As the paper noted:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe spur to action [is] good management information, particularly relating to learners\u2019 performance. Good management information [is] clear, accurate, authentic, available and timely. The improving and high-performing colleges use such information effectively to challenge, motivate and make changes.\u201d<\/p>\n

What doesn\u2019t help!<\/h2>\n

So, what leads to colleges being underperformers? Ofsted found that \u201cthere were often several interrelated reasons and common features. These included:<\/p>\n

\u201cweak governance, a lack of direction and urgency from senior leaders in tackling underperformance, an acceptance of the ordinary and a lack of self-criticism, no sharing of good practice, ineffective teaching and learning, too strong a focus on budgetary control to the detriment of curriculum development [and finally,] the deletion of courses without apparent rationale.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other factors include complacency, poor communication, no ownership of decisions, poorly managed staff changes, and all this could be coupled with a \u201cdefensive and inward-looking approach.\u201d<\/p>\n