the abacus a qualitative approach to self-evaluation designed by john pearce working in westfield...
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The ABACUS a qualitative approach to self-evaluation
Designed by John Pearce working in Westfield School Sheffield March 2006
Updated with SEF Criteria for 2009 (not yet for 2010)
© 2010
Mathom House
152 Carter Lane East
South Normanton
Derbyshire DE55 2DZ
Tel: 01773-778013
Mob: 07970-892807
www.johnpearce.org.uk
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ABACUS © John Pearce 2006
Please watch this Power Point in slide-show mode for the
benefits of animation
PLANRE PLAN
DO
REVIEWREVIEW
DO
I M P A C T ?
EVIDENCE?
The ABACUS is a simple tool to aid the self-evaluation (action research) process….
The next slides concentrate on using the ABACUS on whole school provision using Oftsed criteria. However, the ABACUS may be used with other clear criteria and has been used successfully, as a planning tool using: head teacher standards, student achievement levels, behaviour issues and personal objectives in Life Coaching.
In a leadership role the ABACUS may be used to explore where you and school, or department/area want to be (right hand box) and how to get there… A key issue therefore is for colleagues to be precise about current performance and future expectations… being good or better are not criteria. “All students feel safe”, “Increasing Level 5s to 90%” and “increasing out of hours activities” are criteria.
When leaders work hard at identifying precise and relevant success criteria, all else follows…
Notes
The SEF (Self Evaluation Form) tests the capacity of school leaders to make judgements about provision and then identify action to progress…
Typically, evidence is studied first, in order to form a judgement in each area.
However, the ABACUS encourages teachers and leaders to trust their professional judgement, start with it and then look for evidence to prove it!
THE ABACUS PROCESS
ENCOURAGES YOU TO:
1. Make your judgement
2. Justify, or modify your judgement, the light of evidence and the judgement of others.
3. (Most important of all), identify the appropriate action to get you …
Where are younow?
Where do you want to
be?
Self-evaluation Abacus © John Pearce 2006
A2.1 Attainment
A2.2 Learning and progress
A2.4 Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning
A2.6 Pupils’ behaviour
A2.8 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community
A2.10 Workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being
A2.11 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
A4.1 Leadership and management in ambition and driving improvement
A8.2 Capacity for sustained improvement
A8.3 Overall effectiveness
OutstandingGoodSatisfactoryInadequateCriteria for judgement
Slide the beads to where you judge the school to be on each criteria
Compare judgements with colleagues
Discuss evidence that challenges or supports each judgement…
Then agree the judgement.
Note: The green beads are arguably the most critical in achieving sustained improvement
If you find the judgement difficult - use Ofsted Criteria to help you decide
NB These are just 10 selected
from 31 areas in th
e 2009 SEF
framework
Self-evaluation Abacus © John Pearce 2006
OutstandingGoodSatisfactoryInadequateAn example school…
A2.1 Attainment
A2.2 Learning and progress
A2.4 Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning
A2.6 Pupils’ behaviour
A2.8 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community
A2.10 Workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being
A2.11 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
A4.1 Leadership and management in ambition and driving improvement
A8.2 Capacity for sustained improvement
A8.3 Overall effectiveness
Note the overall pattern of beads
In this example (based on a real school) a new leadership team has yet to make a difference to standards but they are having an effect on ethos – so, they are, arguably, demonstrating a capacity for improvement.
Self-evaluation Abacus © John Pearce 2006
Inadequate Satisfactory Good Outstanding
Pupils' attainment
When the judgement is agreed – imagine a vertical line – this is your current position
Self-evaluation Abacus © John Pearce 2006
Effectiveness of leadership & management
Inadequate Satisfactory Good Outstanding
Helping factors? Hindering factors?
What I have done has made me what I am
What I will do will make me what I will be
Weaken the hindering forces
Strengthen the helping forces
Where are we now?
Where do we
want to be?
Force field planning…. (based on Kurt Lewin 1948)
CURRENT
HELPS HINDERS
FUTURE
Succe
ss Crite
ria
helps
helps
hinders/barrier
hinders/barrier
Identify what helps and hinders in your CURRENT situation, locking you to where you are. Now, weaken the hindering forces and strengthen the helping forces. You will then move closer to your success criteria… The ABACUS planning sheet allows you to create detailed, prioritised plans…. (separate handout)
See ABACUS Planning Sheet to aid this process
Self-evaluation Abacus © John Pearce 2006
OutstandingGoodSatisfactoryInadequate
BLANK FOR COMPLETION
NAME: Date:
A2.1 Attainment
A2.2 Learning and progress
A2.4 Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning
A2.6 Pupils’ behaviour
A2.8 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community
A2.10 Workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being
A2.11 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
A4.1 Leadership and management in ambition and driving improvement
A8.2 Capacity for sustained improvement
A8.3 Overall effectiveness
ABACUS
I’m keen to discuss these developing ideas and explore ways of progressing them
also www.johnpearce.org.uk