Advisory Council for English Language Schools
44 Leeson Place
Dublin 2, Ireland

The Advisory Council of English Language Schools (ACELS) was set up 1969 by the Irish government. The Council's principal function is to assure the quality of English Language Teaching in Ireland which is carried out through an Inspection Scheme leading to recognition by the Department of Education and Science. It is an Associate Member of EAQUALS. In addition, several of the ACELS member schools are also full members of EAQUALS.

Laura Muresan: Does the quality guarantee system that you represent, Jim, address quality issues in both the public and the private sectors in Ireland?

Jim Ferguson: The Inspection Scheme covers both the private and public sector. The majority of recognised organisations are from the private sector. At present, language centres in seven institutions of Higher Education are recognised and this number is predicted to grow as more overseas students are offered places in Institutes of Technology.

L.M.: Does ACELS refer to foreign language teaching & learning or does it also include mother tongue literacy and other issues or school subjects?

J.F.: ACELS brief covers only the teaching of English as a Foreign Language. Mother tongue literacy and the teaching of English to the growing immigrant population (ESL) are provided by other agencies.

L.M.: What is the mission statement of ACELS?

J.F.: The mission statement includes '… working in partnership with all stakeholders to position Ireland as a centre of excellence for international education, of which English Language Teaching is a part …'

L.M.: What are the main quality criteria?

J.F.: The quality criteria on which inspections are based are:

- general management and administration
- academic management
- teaching performance
- student welfare and activities' programme
- premises, facilities and resources

L.M.: Is the main focus on control or on counselling? (e.g. What does the quality control/guarantee system consist of? Is it mainly based on inspections or on other types of activities and instruments? Has there recently been a shift of focus from inspection to counselling?)

J.F.: A New Model Inspection Scheme was introduced in 2000 with the aim of going beyond 'control' and encouraging organisations to view the inspection (external audit) as a part of a process of development and improvement which includes regular 'internal audits'. Full inspections are carried out at least once every 3 years and a comprehensive report is sent to organisations with recommendations for future development. Regular 'spot checks' also form part of the Scheme. As an advisory council, ACELS has an open-door policy for organisations wishing to address issues pre- and post-inspection and we also organise regular workshops/seminars/conferences for the ELT community. ACELS considers partnership with the industry as being primordial and the schools association MEI/RELSA has 3 representatives on ACELS' Board of Directors.

L.M.: Do schools receive any self-assessment questionnaire prior to quality control by ACELS?

J.F.: ACELS views self-assessment as an important component of the equality assurance process and is seeking to include it as part of the formal inspection procedure. We have sought collaboration from EAQUALS in this regard, and a large number of organisations attended a presentation made by Hilary Maxwell-Hyslop. Many are presently using versions of the EAQUALS Self-Assessment for Schools criteria which they have tailored to suit their context.

L.M.: Are there any favoured 'Frequently Asked Questions' addressed to ACELS?

J.F.: Because of its wide remit, ACELS receives enquiries about a range of issues dealing with the day to day running of a school e.g. visa requirements, host family accommodation, health and safety etc. On the academic side, many enquire about training and development opportunities for teachers and directors of studies.

L.M.: Are there any differences between quality assurance in the public sector and quality assurance in the private sector?

J.F.: The Inspection Scheme aims to assess organisations based on the claims that they make in their documented curriculum framework and in their promotional literature. The same regulations and required standards as laid down by the Department of Education and Science, apply to both private and state sector, although the inspection aims to be 'organisation?centred' irrespective of what sector they are in.

L.M.: Are the same instruments being used for both types of schools?

J.F.: Yes.

L.M.: How easy or difficult was it to develop a quality control system that would be applicable to both sectors? What are the main challenges from the perspective of the inspecting authority?

J.F.: The New Model Inspection Scheme was developed and piloted over a two-year period with extensive consultation being carried out with the different stakeholders. The main challenge then, as it is now, was to ensure commitment to, and ownership of, the Scheme. It is the view of ACELS that quality cannot be legislated for but that it requires a combination of external assessment, through the inspection, and a drive for continuous improvement through regular internal audits.