Chapter 2 – Quality assurance and improving quality
16.Chapter 2 gives the Commission the function of publishing quality assurance frameworks for the purpose of guiding policy and practice in the assessment of tertiary education by the Commission, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training for Wales (“Estyn”) or a body designated by the Commission under Chapter 2 to carry out the Commission’s assessment functions in respect of higher education.
17.In respect of tertiary education provided by registered providers or tertiary education funded or secured by the Commission, the Commission—
must monitor, and promote improvement in, the quality,
may provide advice or assistance to improve quality, and
may carry out or arrange reviews of matters relevant to quality.
18.The Commission has a specific duty to assess, or arrange assessment, of higher education provided by or on behalf of registered providers; and a duty is placed on the governing bodies of registered providers to publish action plans following these assessments. The Commission is given a power to designate a body to perform its higher education assessment functions. Schedule 3, which is introduced by the Chapter, provides for the process for designation of a body, oversight of the body by the Commission and the charging of fees by the designated body.
19.Chapter 2 restates the functions of Estyn in respect of the inspection of post-16 education and training and the duties of persons responsible for providing education inspected, with modifications to take account of the new statutory context established by the Act. The existing provisions in sections 75 to 80 and 83 to 88 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 are repealed.
