Every year we take part in a quality assurance visit led by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), and in our latest Annual Monitoring Review we received a ‘commendable’ rating. This is the highest judgement we could have received.

The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) is responsible for maintaining standards and improving quality in UK Higher Education (at L4 and above). The UK Quality Code is a key reference point for UK Higher Education, and is a strong indication that Kaplan continues to develop and maintain effective quality assurance practices.

We took part in a series of meetings with the QAA inspection team in November, including a student forum and a staff forum. This allowed the inspection team to really probe into the evidence that we provided them with back in September.

Our students were keen to share their thoughts with the team, reflecting what they found to be positive aspects of our provision:

• They praised MyKaplan for its ease of use and comprehensive content. Students particularly liked its flexibility, the ‘chat with tutors’ function, videos and recap materials.
• They valued the availability and responsiveness of teaching staff, citing examples of the quick responses and support provided in the evenings and at weekends.
• We have an active Apprenticeship Advisory Panel, which was recommended as a useful means of communication for students and staff to secure improvements to the programme and student experience. Student members felt that their voice was always heard in the panel meetings.
• Students confirmed that Kaplan followed up with surveys, sometimes communicating personally and then implementing clear improvements. They also confirmed that there was clear guidance on identifying and accessing additional support.

Other recognition

Our last full Higher Education Review (HER) from QAA took place in November 2020 and we were deemed to ‘meet expectations’ for both maintaining academic standards and the quality of student learning opportunities.

This was the highest achievement level, and we received no recommendations or affirmations of actions being taken. They identified the following as an area of best practice:

• The comprehensive and interactive virtual learning environment, MyKaplan. Rapidly developed and enhanced during COVID-19, it provides a highly effective resource for student learning and makes a particularly positive contribution to student achievement and satisfaction.

We are proud of the work we do for our learners, and tirelessly work on enhancing their learning experience, whether that be in the classroom or learning remotely. So it’s fantastic to see one of our key regulators giving us such positive and objective feedback.

Here’s to a successful year for all our learners!