Effective practice that secures continuous improvement is evidenced by:

• learners’ success in achieving challenging targets, including qualifications and personal learning goals
• improving achievement trends over time and clear action to address any equality gaps or significant variations in performance between groups of learners
• the standards of learners’ work in relation to their learning goals
• learners’ progress relative to their prior attainment and potential

and, where appropriate, by:

• the acquisition of skills that enhance employability, effectiveness at work and personal prosperity
• the development of skills that contribute to the social and economic well-being of the learner and extend their opportunities for active citizenship
• the behaviour of learners
• the attendance of learners
• the extent to which learners adopt safe practices and a healthy lifestyle
• learners’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Supporting evidence could include:

• learner achievements, improving trends over time and progress against college targets
• achievement of Skills for Life and key skill qualifications
• positive learner achievements relative to national benchmarks
• the relative performance of different groups of learners (by age, mode, gender, ethnicity etc) and records of actions taken to remedy any equality gaps
• demonstrated learner progress relative to initial-assessed starting point
• clear evidence of distance travelled or added value
• improvements in literacy, numeracy and language skills which contribute to success on a learner’s vocational or other main programme
• the use of challenging and realistic targets
• individual records and learning plans showing progress towards individual goals and measured against the national standards
• records showing the contribution made to the local and national Skills for Life targets
• regular progress review records monitoring performance against the individual learning plan
• interviews with learners that show ownership of targets and understanding of progress
• individual or group signs of growing confidence, independent learning skills and personal skills
• punctuality, attendance and retention records, and systems to deal with poor participation
• the positive impact of learning support and literacy, numeracy and ESOL skills learning on wider achievement
• learner destinations and progression records that show learners are meeting their goals.

In effective self-assessment, achievement is evaluated by the extent to which...
1.1	results and retention rates compare well with local and national averages
1.2	trends in performance over time show continuous improvement or the maintenance of very high standards
1.3	the analysis of added value indicates that learners make at least the progress expected of them
1.4	standards are consistently high across the provider's work
1.5	challenging learning goals and targets are achieved
In effective self-assessment, achievement is evaluated by the extent to which learners...
1.6	make significant progress towards fulfilling their goals and potential
1.7	are prepared for effective participation in the workplace and in the community
1.8	progress to relevant further or higher education, training or employment
1.9	reach appropriate levels in basic and/or key skills consistent with their main programmes of study or training
1.10	develop the skills of critical evaluation, research and analysis
1.11	develop the attitudes and skills necessary to maintain lifelong learning, including the capacity to work independently and collaboratively
1.12	attend regularly and are punctual