self evaluation policy draft · web viewquality improvement calendar 2016/17 month activity august...

Ambition - Respect - Excellence



Purpose of the policy

To set out how we will address the central questions of self-evaluation:

How do we self-evaluate? (How are we doing and do we know?) Why do we self-evaluate? (Going from good to great) What is the intended impact of our self-evaluation processes? (What are we

going to do now?)

The policy will reflect national, local and school priorities and is based on the following key documents

How Good Is Our School 4? (HGIOS 4) National Improvement Framework (NIF) NAC Education & Youth Employment Quality Improvement Framework Ardrossan Academy Self Evaluation Policy August 2015 School Improvement Plan 2016-2017

Our Vision

In partnership with our school community, our vision is to improve the performance of our school, giving our students a high quality education which meets their individual needs and offers them appropriate personal support to achieve positive and sustained destinations.

“Meeting the wide-ranging needs of all children and young people and their families is the heart of what makes an excellent school”. (HGIOS 4)

Our rationale for self evaluation

In order to get it right for every child, we are committed to involving all stakeholders in the self-evaluation process. Ardrossan Academy belongs to the whole school community and therefore it is vital that the views of pupils, parents/carers, staff (teaching and non-teaching), external agencies and other partners are considered when planning for school improvement.

Underpinning our desire to improve our school is a commitment to look inwards, outwards and forwards. This will involve knowing ourselves inside out through effective self-evaluation; learning from what happens elsewhere to challenge our own thinking, and exploring what the future might hold for today’s learners and planning how to get there. We will use HGIOS4 quality indicators to ensure rigorous self-evaluation as part of improvement planning and we will also take into account the National Improvement Framework key priorities as well as local authority high level objectives in accordance with the 3 year improvement cycle.

Systematic approaches to self-evaluation must be manageable, meaningful and avoid excessive bureaucracy. Our approach to self-evaluation should centre on improving and not simply proving.



Quality Improvement Framework – NAC Education & Youth Employment

North Ayrshire Council has a clear framework in which all schools have a responsibility to monitor the quality of the work of the school. Ardrossan Academy’s self-evaluation links directly to the North Ayrshire Council Quality Improvement Framework. Self-evaluation is ongoing throughout the school session and is a school improvement priority. A Quality Assurance Calendar (Appendix 1) is produced every session and outlines how and when we will evaluate the quality of our work.

Quality Improvement Calendar 2016/17

Month Activity

August - September 2016Visit 1Senior Manager will feedback to HT on Self-Evaluation Report 2015/16, School Improvement Plan 2016/17 and progress of SIP 2015/16.

NIF focus will be on key driver: School Leadership and School Improvement and QI 1.3 Leadership of Change.

September – November 2016 Secondary SQA Attainment Report to be submitted to Senior Manager/Head of Service.

Standards and Quality Report to be submitted to Senior Manager/Head of Service.

October – November 2016 Visit 2Focus on Successes and Achievements – QI 3.2 Raising Attainment and Achievement. NIF focus will be on key driver: Assessment of Children’s Progress and School Improvement.

Validation visits to secondary schools will involve discussions relating to Insight data and plans for improvement in attainment.

January – April 2017 Visit 3Validation visits to discuss Learning Provision – QI 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment. NIF focus will be on key driver: Teacher Professionalism and School Improvement.

An additional QI will be identified by HT for validation or supported development by Senior Managers.

June 2017Complete data entry on SEEMIS CfE Tracking & Monitoring.

Submission of School Improvement Plan 2016/17 Review Report

Submission of 3 page Self-Evaluation Report for 2016/17

Submission of School Improvement Plan for 2017/18.

QI 3.1 Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality and Inclusion will be threaded through all of the validation visits given its holistic nature.



Approaches to Self-Evaluation

School Improvement Plan (SIP)

The School Improvement Plan has been devised to allow teaching staff to contribute to whole school developments within their specific subject areas, as well as provide opportunities for contribution to the whole school improvement agenda. Tasks will be identified within each faculty which will contribute to achieving the school priorities, and should be ready for discussion with Faculty Links by mid-September.

Standards and Quality Report (SQR)

The purpose of the Standards and Quality Report is to inform parents/carers and the wider school community of the progress of the school and to share and celebrate good practice and achievements. The SQR will be developed from returns made by all Principal Teachers/Faculty Leaders which are due mid-September, and should also reflect the ethos of the school, review improvement plan priorities of the previous session whilst identifying strategies priorities for the current session. The SQR is submitted to the link Senior Manager in September and will be made available to parents at this time in paper format.

From 2017 onwards there will also be a requirement to report on aspects of the NIF at school and local authority level including the SQR reporting format.

Departmental Meetings

Meetings involving all staff within a department or faculty should allow for professional dialogue on Teaching & Learning strategies, Attainment & Achievement, Self-Evaluation and ensuring the wellbeing, equality and inclusion of all learners. Minutes should be taken of discussion using the standard template and made available to all members of the department/faculty as well as the Faculty Link DHT and HT.

Faculty Link Meetings

Meetings will be conducted with SLT links and appropriate Faculty Leaders and agenda will be distributed in advance of the meeting by SLT link. These meetings will provide opportunities for sharing good practice and reflective questioning of processes, systems and the improvement agenda. The SLT link will record a minute of meeting on the standard template and share with all relevant links and HT. The Stop-Continue-Start paperwork (Appendix 2) may be used as a reflective tool. Meetings may be conducted in a group or SLT Link/PT/FL format.

Focus Groups

Senior Leaders (SLT) carry out focus groups with pupils, parents/carers, staff and external agencies including business links. Using HGIOS4 we will evaluate the following Quality Indicators in session 2016/17:

QI 1.2 Leadership of LearningQI 1.3 Leadership of Change



QI 2.3 Learning, Teaching and AssessmentQI 3.2 Raising Attainment and AchievementQI 3.1 Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality and Inclusion

Pupil Voice – Surveys

Principal Teachers/Faculty Leaders will organise and implement pupil surveys with the support of departmental/faculty colleagues using the following Quality Indicators;

QI 1.2 Leadership of LearningQI 2.3 Learning, Teaching and AssessmentQI 3.1 Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality and Inclusion (Pupil Support Department)

All data gathered from focus groups and surveys will be collated and used in conjunction with Stop-Continue-Start paperwork (Appendix 2). The schedule for pupil surveys is detailed in the Quality Assurance Calendar (Appendix 1) and the sample size will be 20% of targeted cohort/group.

Attainment Meetings

Faculty Leaders will prepare a report on attainment and achievement in the Broad General Education and Senior Phase which will be discussed with SLT links and the HT. The report should focus on the reflective questions provided in Appendix 3. These meetings, which will take place in August (BGE) and September (SQA/SP), should highlight areas of strength and priorities for improvement. Insight data should feature as part of the discussion and results machine will also be used to collate SQA data. Stop-Continue-Start paperwork (Appendix 2) may be used as a reflective tool.

Follow up meetings will take place in February to discuss prelim data and pupil progress, including CfE ‘working within’ levels, in the second year of the BGE. Insight data will also feature as part of this discussion.

Learning Observations

Teaching staff will organise their own peer partnerships by end of August 2016 to ensure a collegiate approach to learning observations. One reciprocal visit will be made between peer partners by the end of May 2017 at a time of their choosing and partners must select a chosen observation focus prior to the visit. Observation feedback should be recorded on Appendix 4 and follow up professional dialogue should focus on teaching and learning strategies to support all learners within the classroom.

Principal Teachers/Faculty Leaders will observe all members of the department/faculty within the scheduled times outlined in the Quality Assurance Calendar (Appendix 1). Observation feedback should be recorded on Appendix 4 and follow up professional dialogue should focus on teaching and learning strategies to support all learners within the classroom.

Senior Leaders (SLT) will take a learning walk approach to observations, identifying and informing staff in advance of the timing of the observations. Feedback on



teaching and learning approaches will be collated using Appendix 5 and a report will be provided to PTs/FLs identifying areas of good practice and areas for development. The purpose of the feedback summary report is to impact positively on consistency of approach.

Whole School Review of SIP

During the month of May, evaluation will take place with all staff of progress made in achieving actions associated with the school improvement priorities. It is vital that all staff contribute to discussion and identify which actions have been partially/fully or not undertaken to inform planning for next session. Staff will be also be given the opportunity to contribute to the SIP drafting process for the next session.

Parent/carer focus groups will take place during the month of June to provide feedback on progress made during the session and gather views on school priorities for improvement. The Parent Council will also be consulted on improvement planning for next session.

Feedback will be given to pupils on information gathered from their responses throughout the session. The priorities for the next session will be shared and discussed with the student body at the start of the new session via Student Councils and Personal Support classes.

Professional Review and Development (PRD)

The school will continue to take a systematic approach to continuing professional development to enhance the competence of individuals and assists them in becoming reflective practitioners. The review of staff will take place annually and will contribute to the improvement planning process and the identification of professional learning needs. All members will engage with annual PRD and where relevant, engagement with the Professional Update process, in line with council and national procedures and guidance. The school will continue to be committed to ensuring that members of staff have access to appropriate CPD, as identified in the annual review process.

Reporting to parents

All teaching staff are responsible for producing clear and informative reports for parents on the progress of learners, ensuring they are of an appropriate standard. Principal Teachers/Faculty Leaders will sample full reports to assure quality. DHTs and PTs Pastoral will also provide holistic comments on progress of learners.

Additional tasks

As per the Quality Assurance calendar, there are a range of other approaches to self-evaluation that will be undertaken by relevant staff. These include attendance, late coming, behaviour, learning journals, tracking data, health & safety, pupil support plans, pupil profiles, and pupil interviews etc.



Self-evaluation: responsibilities of staff

All teaching staff

Engage in self-evaluation using the relevant professional standard and maintain an effective record and portfolio of their own professional learning and development and a professional learning action plan.

Analyse attainment data Contribute to the completion of assigned tasks from SIP Contribute to self-evaluation focus groups (staff) Contribute to professional dialogue at departmental meetings Contribute to whole school review Support learners to complete departmental pupil surveys Act upon feedback, where practicable, to improve learners’ experiences,

attainment and achievement Participate in all elements of the Learning and Teaching Observation

programme

Faculty Leaders/Principal Teachers & Senior Leaders


Analyse attainment data and prepare attainment and achievement reports Collate data (with support) from pupil surveys Engage in professional dialogue through participation in Faculty Link

meetings and Extended Leadership Team meetings Observe teaching practice and provide verbal and written feedback to

colleagues Collate SIP returns as per Quality Assurance calendar Collate Stop-Continue-Start paperwork Produce faculty/department Standards and Quality Report Carry out additional quality assurance tasks as per the Quality Assurance

calendar Lead the culture of self-evaluation within the faculty/department

Senior Leaders


Conduct pupil, parent/carer, and external partner focus groups and collate data (with support)

Provide feedback to all stakeholders on school progress with school improvement priorities

Engage in professional dialogue via Senior Leadership Team meetings on school priorities

Produce whole school Standards & Quality report Produce School Improvement Plan review report



Prepare School Improvement Plan Prepare School Self-Evaluation report Prepare School Handbook Prepare reports and focus groups for QA visits (NAC) Participate in quality improvement visits and professional dialogue with

Senior Managers (NAC) Carry out additional quality assurance tasks as per the Quality Assurance

calendar Lead a culture of self-evaluation within the school and wider school

community

Senior Managers (NAC)

Implementing and reviewing authority quality improvement procedures and policies

Communicating quality improvement procedures and policies to all managers within school and early year’s centres

Monitoring and evaluating school self-evaluation procedures including visits to discuss self-evaluation and attainment

Developing, implementing and promoting the strategies to raise pupil attainment and achievement

Supporting and challenging schools, centres and departments on particular issues arising from HMI inspections

Impact of self-evaluation

The anticipated impact of self-evaluation is to establish robust internal approaches to self-evaluation as outlined in this document. Our commitment to ongoing self-evaluation will allow us to reflect and evaluate the work that we do and use evidence from these activities to plan for future improvements. Ultimately this will contribute towards improving future performance and outcomes for the benefit of all learners.

Pupil voice will be a key feature of our self-evaluation and parents/carers will be increasingly involved in the life of the school. Staff will have ownership of the direction of the school and have an input in identifying priorities based on their own observations and experiences. Non-teaching staff will be encouraged to contribute to self-evaluation to ensure that we work in partnership to shape the direction of school improvement at Ardrossan Academy.

EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT AND INFORM SELF-EVALUATION



The list below constitutes the range of evidence that can be used to reach an evaluation of quality: is not intended to be prescriptive nor exhaustive.

QUANTITATIVE DATA

Examination results Insight analysis CfE levels of attainment Value-added measures of performance Pupils’ progress from prior levels of attainment Pupils’ progress in meeting targets Overall progress towards set targets Data collected nationally or locally Analysis of other key performance data, such as: finance, pupil attendance,

pupil exclusion rates, progression rates and leavers’ destinations. Attainment Attendance Anti-bullying

PEOPLE’S VIEWS

Individual interviews with members of staff Individual interviews with parents Group discussions Discussions with the student council Focus groups with stakeholders Working parties Questionnaires and surveys to gauge satisfaction and to elicit suggestions for

improving effectiveness Written responses and detailed comments Team meetings at all levels Professional dialogue Learning visits

DIRECT OBSERVATIONS (linked to agreed criteria with a shared understanding of their purpose)

Shadow individual pupils Follow a class Observe lessons Video record your own teaching Exchange classes Observe each other in pairs Work alongside other teacher

You can engage in direct observation of a range of sources. For example:

Pupils’ work Reports to parents Pupil profiling



Diaries or records of work Programmes of study or schemes of work Teachers’ plans Progress reports on the progress if the Improvement Plan Course materials across the ability range Policies and guidelines Minutes of meetings

Useful information HMIE evaluative language (word scales)Almost allMostMajorityLess than halfFew

Over 90%75-90%50-74%15-49%Up to 15%

Level 6Level 5Level 4Level 3Level 2Level 1

ExcellentVery goodGoodSatisfactoryWeakUnsatisfactory

Outstanding or sector leadingMajor strengthsImportant strengths - areas for improvementStrengths just outweigh weaknessesImportant weaknessMajor weaknesses

How Good is Our School 4

How Good is Our School? 4th Edition is a framework for self-evaluation based around a range of quality indicators and supporting toolkit. It is designed to promote effective self-evaluation as the first stage in an ongoing process of self-improvement. The document provides a toolkit of illustrations, exemplar features of highly effective practice and challenge questions. These can be used by practitioners at all levels and with a range of stakeholders to ensure that schools, through collaborative approaches to self-evaluation, are able to identify their own features of effective practice and develop a shared understanding of what to do next. The ultimate purpose of HGIOS4 is to support self-evaluation through using the toolkit to analyse the impact of the work of the school on its young people.

The National Improvement Framework (NIF)

The Scottish Government published the National Improvement Framework in 2016. This strategy seeks to ensure that all young people achieve their full potential as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. The NIF priorities are:

1. to improve attainment for all, particularly in literacy and numeracy2. to improve the learning progress of every child, by reducing inequality in

education3. to improve children and young people’s health and wellbeing4. to improve employability skills and sustained positive school leaver

destinations for all young people.

The key drivers of improvement have been identified as:

1. School leadership2. Teacher professionalism



3. Parental engagement4. Assessment of children’s progress5. School improvement6. Performance information

NAC Education & Youth Employment Directorate Priorities 2016-19

1. We are reducing inequalities and delivering improved outcomes for children and young people.

2. High quality learning and teaching is taking place in all our establishments.3. Self-evaluation and performance improvement are embedded throughout our

schools and central support teams.4. Levels of attainment and achievement are improving for all learners.5. High numbers of our young people are entering positive and sustained post-

school destinations.

Curriculum for Excellence Entitlements

1. Every child and young person is entitled to experience a curriculum which is coherent from 3 to 18.

2. Every child and young person is entitled to experience a broad general education up to end of S3.

3. Every young person is entitled to experience a senior phase where he or she can continue to develop the four capacities and also obtain qualifications (S4-6 and ages 16-18 out of school).

4. Every child and young person is entitled to develop skills for learning, life and work, with a continuous focus on literacy and numeracy, and health and wellbeing.

5. Every child and young person is entitled to personal support and challenge to enable them to gain as much as possible from the opportunities which CfE can provide.

6. Every young person is entitled to support in moving into a positive and sustained destination.

The following processes are in place to support delivery across the entitlements: Planning to deliver the 6 entitlements CPD Leadership Assessment arrangements Understanding, applying and improving standards Self-evaluation

CfE Characteristics



The seven characteristics required for successful implementation of Curriculum for Excellence, and the most appropriate QI under which evidence will be recorded in the record of inspection findings (RIF)

1. A clear plan, based on self-evaluation, is in place for getting from ‘A’ to ‘B’, of how and when changes will be achieved (QI 1.2, 1,3)

2. Good quality support for professional learning (QI 1.2, 1.4)

3. Staff are working with increasing confidence with the significant aspects of learning and know how to use these in taking a coherent approach to learning, teaching and assessment (QI 2.3)

4. Effective arrangements to assess and track progress (QI 2.3, 3.2)

5. Strong and secure achievement in literacy and numeracy (QI 3.2)

6. Effective partnership and involving parents (QI 2.7, 2.5, 2.6)

7. Good leadership is essential at all levels with a vision for the outcomes of change (QI 1.3)

EVIDENCE AGAINST HGIOS4, QUALITY INDICATORS & NIF



WHAT IS OUR CAPACITY FOR IMPROVEMENT?

Leadership and Management

Learning provision Successes and achievements

How good is our leadership and approach to improvement?

How good is the quality of the care and education we offer?

How good are we at ensuring the best possible outcomes for all our learners?

1.1 Self-evaluation for self-improvement

1.2 Leadership of learning

1.2 Leadership of change

1.4 Leadership and management of staff

1.5 Management of resources to promote equity

2.1 Safeguarding and child protection

2.2 Curriculum

2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment

2.4 Personalised support

2.5 Family learning

2.6 Transitions

2.7 Partnerships

3.1 Improving wellbeing, equality and inclusion

3.2 Raising attainment and achievement

3.3 Increasing creativity and employability



HGIOS4 QI MAPPING GRID

Quality Indicator Themes 16/17

17/18

18/19

19/20

20/21

1.1 Self-Evaluation for Self-Improvement

Collaborative approaches to self-evaluation

Analysis and evaluation of intelligence and data

Ensuring impact on learners’ successes and achievements

1.2 Leadership of Learning

Professional engagement and collegiate working

Impact of career-long professional learning

Children and young people leading learning

*

1.3 Leadership of Change

Developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community

Strategic planning for continuous improvement

Implementing improvement and change

*

1.4 Leadership of management and staff

Governance framework Building and sustaining a

professional staff team Staff wellbeing and pastoral

support

1.5 Management of resources to promote equity

Management of finance for learning

Management of resources and environment for learning

Quality Indicator Themes 16/ 17/ 18/ 19/ 20/



17 18 19 20 21

2.1 Safeguarding and child protection

Arrangements for safeguarding, including child protection

Arrangements to ensure wellbeing

National guidance and legislation

2.2 Curriculum Rationale and design Development of the

curriculum Learning pathways Skills for learning, life and

work

2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment

Learning and engagement Quality of teaching Effective use of assessment Planning, tracking and

monitoring

*

2.4 Personalised support

Universal support Targeted support Removal of potential

barriers to learning

2.5 Family learning Engaging families in

learning Early intervention and

prevention Quality of learning

programmes

2.6 Transitions Arrangements to support

learners and their families Collaborative planning and

delivery Continuity and progression

in learning

2.7 Partnerships The development and

promotion of partnerships Collaborative learning and

improvement Impact on learners

Quality Indicator Themes 16/ 17/ 18/ 19/ 20/



17 18 19 20 21

3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion

Wellbeing Fulfilment of statutory

duties Inclusion and equality

HOLISTIC QI & MEASURED ANNUALLY

3.2 Raising attainment and achievement

Attainment in literacy and numeracy

Attainment over time Overall quality of

learners’ achievement Equity for all learners

*

3.3 Increasing creativity and employability

Creativity skills Digital innovation Digital literacy Increasing employability

skills


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