Condition B Through the Looking Glass. Documentation a HEI is likely to be required to ‘lay on the table’ should the OfS ‘visit’

Karen Stephenson, University Secretary, Birmingham City University and Katherine Brymer, Senior Teaching Fellow Project Management, University of Portsmouth explore how the OfS B3 Conditions of Registration ensure quality education and student success through rigorous standards and documentation.

Posted by Karen Stephenson on 15th July, 2025

Introduction

The B3 Conditions of Registration are designed to ensure a quality of teaching and student experience. This is intended to safeguard the interests of students within this sphere. In turn, by ensuring the quality of teaching and student experience the reputation of providers is enhanced as it can be recognised that they are providing ‘quality’ within these areas. This established, facilitates HEIs ability to attract prospective students.

The OfS B3 Conditions of Registration are designed to safeguard the interests of students while in compliance, simultaneously enhance institutional reputation which facilitates HEIs ability to attract prospective students. The B3 Conditions aspire to protect students via transparency, continuous improvement, the maintenance of academic integrity and the facilitation of innovation. This is done by focusing on key areas which include curriculum design, teaching and learning methods and academic staff qualifications. These areas are placed into designated categories under the Conditions B1-B6: student Academic Experience (B1), Resources support and student engagement (B2), Successful Student Outcomes – Employment and Further Study (B3)., Assessment (B4), Academic Standards (B5) and the TEF (B6). Within the B3 category the OfS specifies numerical thresholds for different student cohorts. These thresholds vary on the basis of modes of study, for example first time students undertaking their first degree: a minimum of 80% of students continue their studies, minimum 75% of students successfully complete their course, minimum of 60% of students’ progress to further study, professional work / other positive outcomes within 15 months of graduation¹.

If the OfS chooses to inspect a specific HEI this will not be a ‘boots on the ground‘ process. It will take the form of scrutiny of documentation and the interrogation of datasets. In short a ‘desktop’ inspection. The same evidence may well be presented under more than one ‘Condition’. The documentation an institution will be required produce is likely to include:

Condition B1: Academic experience

Documentation demonstrating a meaningful teaching observation scheme with a feedthrough into the appraisal system. Documents providing a clear audit trail of curriculum development and module evaluation by both academic staff and students. External Examiner reports and the response of academic staff. Course and module approval / validation / review documentation. Evidence that courses have undergone an annual evaluation with follow up actions. Academic regulations pertaining to assessment policies and terms of reference and minutes of Award Boards in conjunction with germane regulations.

Condition B2: Resources support and student engagement

Evidence that staff are appropriately qualified e.g. staff CVs. Policies relating to student support and engagement such as induction, mental health support and careers guidance. This can be complemented by documents which evidence the operation of practical support such as an ‘employment hub’ or financial assistance provided to students. Records that demonstrate staff development is designed to address specific and identified needs, for example in the area of personal tutoring or coaching. Similarly evidence of a meaningful personal tutoring / coaching support system. NSS data and data produced by internal surveys. Minutes of committees which relate to student support, e.g. mitigating circumstances and the award of bursaries. Evidence under this Condition may be strengthened by documentation indicating an active teaching observation scheme which feeds into the appraisal process. Additionally a route to promotion based on teaching excellence.

Condition B3: Student Outcomes

Continuation and progression rates. Employment / further study 15 months after graduation – DLHE data. Trends by subject, demographic, ethnicity, disability, POLAR, longitudinal student tracking etc. Evidence drawn from alumni and evidence of employer feedback.

Condition B4: Assessment and Awards

Programme specifications / learning outcomes / assessment criteria / assessment specifications / teaching and learning methods. External Examiner reports and responses. Partnership – validation agreements with partners where appropriate. Minutes from and reports of Academic Board / Committee / Panels / Award Boards. Example assessment and feedback demonstrating alignment with learning outcomes. Policy regarding plagiarism. The availabity of Turnitin reports.

Condition B5: Sector-recognised standards

Quality process documentation. External Examiner reports. Programme Approval, Validation, review documentation. Monitoring reports both for modules and courses. Internal academic regulations and policies e.g. assessment, award criteria, marking and moderation including appeals process / policy. Partnership validation agreements where relevant.

Condition B6: Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) participation

The Award achieved from participation in the TEF will be necessary under this Condition²

Conclusion

A university is a living, breathing, problem-creating, problem-solving entity with worthy aspirations. A cauldron of conflicting interests and power bases that tumbles forward with its own momentum. Resolving challenges as they arise; to those ‘on the inside’ can feel like a daily battle with the ‘forces of Mordor’³ It is the ‘academic infrastructure’ of an institution and its operational functionality which provides the rail track which institutions roll forward on. This academic infrastructure must be evidenced to the OfS. Performance, or what and how the institution and its students achieve must also be documented. This documentation is of decisions, actions and life as a record of live events or life as it is lived. The understanding of what has happened is won by looking back.

“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”

Søren Kierkegaard Journals IV.A.164 (1843)