School Inspection Service Monitoring Report (SIS)
We are delighted to receive another excellent annual report from SIS. Here is the introduction and executive summary from their monitoring visit undertaken on 2nd March 2015. SIS is an independent professional inspection of colleges with a Montessori, Steiner or Eurythmy basis, approved by UK Visas and Immigration department of the Home Office. For a copy of the full report please contact the Tobias School of Art & Therapy office or contact www.schoolinspectionservice.co.uk
Purpose and scope of the inspection:
Inspection by the SIS is designed to strengthen the quality of education on offer to international students through Tier 4 of the points-based system for student visas. Inspection provides objective and reliable reports on the quality of colleges, and by placing reports in the public domain, makes this information available to students, the UK Visas and Immigration and the wider community. Inspection takes account of the context of each individual college, and of how it evaluates its own performance and demonstrates its success. Reports help colleges, their staff and governors/proprietors to recognise and build on their strengths and to identify and remedy their weaknesses. Reports also address the issues relating to the safeguarding, welfare, health and safety of students including, where applicable, those under eighteen and vulnerable adults.
Summary evaluation of the college:
Tobias School of Art & Therapy continues to be highly successful in fulfilling its aims of providing specific and stimulating courses in art and therapy. There are few, if any, other schools that provide these courses. The teaching and assessment remains of a particularly high quality, and the students are fully committed to and inspired by the courses they pursue. Students interviewed were delighted with the provision they receive, and the quality of this was confirmed by classes visited and the stimulation provided. Specific files of work were examined and the assessment is detailed and helpful. The students were clear about their progress and stated that at any time they could approach staff for support, whether academic or personal. There continues to be a strong sense of community which is supplemented by the international background and range of cultures from which they come. The school meets the requirements of educational oversight and ensures that entry procedures are rigorous and clear. There are no issues of non-attendance.
The school is actively looking to extend its profile as the only provider of its expertise in the UK.
