Themes

• The rationale and design of the curriculum
• The development of the curriculum
• Programmes and courses
• Transitions¹⁶

Level 5 Illustration

• Our curriculum has a clear rationale based on shared values. It is designed to promote challenge, enjoyment, breadth and depth, progression, relevance, coherence, personalisation and choice in learning for all pupils. The curriculum takes account of our local circumstances and of local and national advice. It leaves scope for teams and individual teachers to introduce well-considered innovations to meet the needs of learners.
• We develop and refresh our curriculum on a regular basis, involving all staff in the process and taking account of the views of our learners and parents. We reflect in staff teams on the range and quality of experiences for learners, the impact of these experiences on learners and the outcomes they achieve. We plan carefully and in consultation with stakeholders in making curriculum innovations, adaptations to meet the needs of learners, and opportunities for choice and, where appropriate, for specialisation.
• Our programmes and courses are stimulating, challenging, relevant and enjoyable. We respond to, and meet the needs of, learners. Timetabling supports progression within curriculum areas and links between areas of learning. Teachers develop learners’ literacy and numeracy skills appropriate to the curriculum area. Our curriculum promotes wider achievements very well and learners grow as citizens.
• We ensure that when learners transfer to or from our school, or when they have a shared placement between our school and another, they maintain continuity and progression in their learning. We ensure our learners are creative, enterprising and prepared for the world of work and their future careers.

Level 2 Illustration

• Our curriculum design has weaknesses, for example, in planning depth or progression in learning or in developing responsible citizenship or in meeting core requirements in national advice. Although it meets the needs of the majority of pupils, we need to make better provision for particular groups of pupils or to address weaknesses in some curriculum areas. There is not enough space for flexibility or innovation.
• The development of our curriculum is not based on effective self-evaluation and has not made the best use of the expertise and involvement of staff. We have not updated our curriculum well in response to changing needs or adapted it sufficiently to meet the needs of our learners. Choice is limited in opportunity or quality or is offered only to certain groups of learners.
• The curriculum has weaknesses in supporting learners to fulfil their potential for achievement. Some of our programmes and courses are insufficiently stimulating and challenging. We need to adapt our curriculum to meet the needs of particular groups of learners better. Our arrangements for timetabling and for developing skills across the curriculum, particularly literacy and numeracy, need improvement. Relevant knowledge, skills and understanding and wider achievement do not sufficiently permeate our curriculum.
• We do not liaise effectively enough with other schools to ensure continuity in learning at times of transition. We do not always effectively ensure that our learners are creative and enterprising or prepared for the world of work.

Themes

• The learning climate and teaching approaches
• Teacher-pupil interaction including learners’ engagement
• Clarity and purposefulness of dialogue
• Judgements made in the course of teaching

Key features:

This indicator relates to the quality of teaching for effective learning in the context of a positive climate and range of experiences that promote active learning by making learners think. It stresses the need for a varied and considered range of skilful and well-paced teaching approaches where teachers and learners interact to ensure that teaching is motivating and relevant to learners’ needs. It highlights the use of teacher-pupil interactions to form judgements of how teaching and tasks should be directed to meet learners’ needs. The indicator recognises the important role of information and communications technology (ICT) in enriching teaching and supporting and motivating learning.

Level 5 Illustration

• Building on our shared values, we create a stimulating learning climate using skilful and well-paced teaching and learning approaches. Learners’ experiences are well matched to their needs and sustain their motivation and attention. We develop learners’ abilities to be curious and creative and to think critically. Tasks and activities in our classes and home-learning activities are well planned and involve learners as effective contributors, working independently and with others cooperatively in solving problems. We make full and effective use of ICT during teaching and learning.
• We share the purposes of lessons with learners. Learners know what they need to do to improve and to become successful. Our explanations and instructions are clear and build on previous learning and real-life experiences. We ensure that learners have opportunities to take responsibility for aspects of their own learning and their relationships with others. Learners enjoy their experiences and make progress in their skills as learners. They are engaged in learning and aware of themselves as learners. We use feedback effectively to promote learning.
• Our teaching fully involves learners and encourages them to express views and ask questions. We use skilled questioning and discussion to stimulate learners’ interest, make them think and build their confidence. We value, encourage and build upon learners’ responses.
• In lessons, we make sound judgements and respond quickly to ensure that our teaching meets the needs of individuals and provides appropriate support and challenge. We identify and address weaknesses in learners’ knowledge and skills.

Level 2 Illustration

• Our climate for learning encourages learning but lacks stimulation or encouragement to learners to think critically or creatively. Our approaches are not always well paced or well matched to learners’ needs. We do not make sufficient use of a variety of teaching and learning approaches. We provide too few opportunities to develop our learners as active contributors who can work well independently and confidently. We do not make full and effective use of ICT in teaching and learning. We provide learners with home-learning activities, but this is not always well planned or well linked to classwork.
• We vary how well we share the purposes of lessons with learners or explain what they need to do to improve to become successful learners. Our interactions with the class, groups and individuals do not always support and challenge learners. We may allow insufficient time for learners to think before responding. We need to provide more opportunities for learners to take responsibility for aspects of their learning and their relationships with others.
• Our dialogue with learners is too teacher led. We do not use learners’ responses effectively to encourage them to express ideas and ask questions. We do not fully involve all learners.
• We do not always respond effectively to weaknesses in learners’ understanding to ensure that our teaching is matched to their needs. Individual learners have limited opportunities to engage with us and receive feedback about the quality of their work and the steps they can take to improve it.

Themes

• Tasks, activities and resources
• Identification of learning needs
• The roles of teachers and specialist staff
• Meeting and implementing the requirements of legislation

Level 5 Illustration

• We match learning activities to the needs of individual learners and groups with differing abilities or aptitudes. Our tasks, activities and resources provide appropriate support and challenge to enable all learners to maximise their progress. Our courses and programmes meet the varying needs of learners. The pace of learning is appropriate for individuals.
• We identify, review and evaluate learners’ needs including those whose needs are significantly different from those of their peers. We do this through working closely with our learners, their parents and partner services.
• We take positive and proactive steps to ensure that factors such as the learning environment, family circumstances, health needs or disability, or social or emotional factors which may hinder learning are promptly identified and addressed effectively. Learning support staff and partner agencies in our school provide valuable support and advice to staff and individual learners and contribute towards meeting learning needs.
• Individualised educational programmes and coordinated support plans contain appropriate learning targets for our learners. We involve parents and learners well in reviewing learners’ needs and learning plans.

Level 2 Illustration

• Although some work is matched to the needs of individual learners, we do not always take sufficient account of their prior learning. Our tasks, activities and resources do not always provide the support and challenge needed to help learners achieve their next steps in learning.
• We take steps to identify learning needs but do not give sufficient attention to those who require additional support or challenge. There are weaknesses in our arrangements to work with learners, their parents and appropriate agencies to identify their needs.
• When we plan learning activities and additional support, factors which may hinder learning are not given sufficient attention. Learning support staff and partner agencies provide limited advice, support and training to senior managers, staff and learners about how to meet learning needs.
• We do not make good use of current legislation to help us meet learners’ needs. There are gaps in our record keeping and arrangements to review the needs of individual learners.

Themes

• Assessment approaches
• Planning learning experiences and activities
• Use of assessment information to identify and plan future learning
• Arrangements for recording and reporting

Key features:

This indicator relates to the engagement of staff, learners and parents in using a range of assessment information to improve learning and development, and to reflect on the quality of teaching. It focuses on assessment as an integral part of learning and teaching and planning high-quality learning activities for all learners. It highlights the need for learners, parents and teachers to work together in setting targets for learning. It also relates to the responsibility of teachers for ensuring appropriate progress for all learners.

Level 5 Illustration

• Our assessment involves planned and high-quality interactions with learners and is based on thoughtful and probing questions related to learning outcomes. We use a range of approaches to engage them in discussions about understanding and progress. We provide high-quality feedback to learners and help them to understand next steps in learning. Our learners can assess their own progress and regularly engage in peer assessment. We make adjustments during lessons to our teaching and to the support we provide to take account of learners’ responses.
• We plan high-quality learning experiences using our understanding of children’s learning and development and of the learning outcomes. We know and respond to individual needs, support particular aptitudes and talents, and build on previous learning.
• We use assessment information well to evaluate learning and teaching and improve our practice. We observe learners closely. We discuss and share our assessments with colleagues to agree consistent standards, track progress and use the information to plan future learning. Learners are fully involved in discussions on what to learn and how to improve.
• We have manageable arrangements for record keeping which help us to track and report on learners’ progress. Parents receive regular and up-to-date information, including written reports, on their children’s progress across the curriculum, their wider achievements and pastoral needs, and their strengths and next steps in learning. There is a good level of involvement of learners and parents in arrangements for reporting and this helps to set learning targets.

Level 2 Illustration

• Although we have a general picture of learners’ progress, this is sometimes based on a limited range of approaches. We do not always involve learners in discussions about our assessments or provide them with good quality feedback. Learners do not readily assess their own progress. We do not always respond actively to learners’ responses during lessons.
• We plan learning experiences carefully but don’t tailor them sufficiently using our understanding of children’s learning and development or sources of information such as specialists and support for learning staff.
• We should make better use of assessment information to improve our practice. In some areas we over assess. We track learners’ progress and use some of the information we have to plan, but learners do not always understand what they are expected to learn or how to improve.
• Our arrangements for record keeping do not track significant steps in learners’ progress in a manageable way. We tell parents and learners about general levels of progress, but not how best to improve. Parents are unsure of some of the terminology we use. We do not regularly provide information about learners’ wider achievements.

Themes

• Staff expectations and use of praise
• Learner expectations and sense of achievement
• Promoting and sustaining an ethos of achievement
• Staff-learner relationships

Key features:

This indicator relates to expectations of staff and learners, and the extent to which the school promotes an ethos of achievement for all learners. It focuses on setting challenging but achievable expectations for learners and on praising and celebrating achievement. It highlights an ethos of achievement within which there is mutual respect between staff and learners.

Level 5 Illustration

• Our school community has confidence in its ability to achieve. We set consistently high expectations of learners’ achievements, attendance and behaviour and share these with learners and parents. Our use of praise is well judged and discriminating. It targets the personal achievements of individual learners and groups of learners. Learners value well-earned praise and are motivated by it.
• Learners have high expectations of themselves and others. They have a sense of achievement and respond well to opportunities to exercise responsibility. Their work is displayed in classrooms, in public areas and, where possible, in the community. Learners’ achievements in the community are valued and celebrated in our school.
• We know that everyone can learn and make progress. We demonstrate this in our attitudes and work. We do all we can to ensure that learners are not at risk from missing out on educational opportunities. We enable learners to be successful. Our learners’ high aspirations show in their positive approach to coursework, attainment and improvement. We use a wide range of approaches for reporting on and celebrating the success of individuals, groups of young people and staff and our school community as a whole.
• Relationships across the school community are positive and founded on a climate of mutual- and self-respect within a strong sense of community and shared values. Children and young people are well behaved and show consideration for others.

Level 2 Illustration

• Our expectations of learners’ achievement, attendance and behaviour are sometimes too low. We are not consistent in using praise as a motivating and positive aspect of school life and are not always successful in promoting positive behaviour. This contributes to underachievement and a lack of motivation for some learners.
• Too many of our learners underestimate their potential. Some lack confidence in their abilities to achieve or to take responsibility. We do not provide learners with challenging but achievable targets which enable them to experience a sense of achievement. There is little acknowledgement of learners’ achievements in the community.
• Not all of us promote an ethos of achievement throughout our school. Our learning environment is supportive but uninspiring and learners show only limited motivation to improve their performance. Although high quality achievement is valued in some areas, we do not extend this across all aspects of school life. We give insufficient attention to recognising or sharing learners’ achievements.
• Staff-learner relationships are generally positive but are not always founded on respect and trust. The atmosphere in classes is satisfactory in a number of respects but it is not always relaxed or purposeful and behaviour is sometimes poor.

Themes

• Approaches to inclusion
• Promoting equality and fairness
• Ensuring equality and fairness

Key features:

This indicator relates to the steps taken by the school to promote and ensure a strong sense of equality and fairness through the curriculum and across all aspects of its work. It focuses on the parts played by staff in the school working with partner agencies to ensure that all learners are included in the life of the school. It ensures that diversity in the school community and beyond is valued.¹⁷

Level 5 Illustration

• All of our learners and their parents are welcomed in our school and their needs are reviewed and met through staff working where appropriately with partner services. We successfully reduce barriers to development and learning and ensure that learners and their parents are fully included in the life of our school. We have a culture of inclusion, participation and positive behaviour based on respect. We take steps to engage disaffected learners and their families and enable them to experience success and belonging within the school. We maintain a particular focus on vulnerable learners.
• We stress the importance of putting values into action. Staff and pupils are expected to demonstrate personal responsibility, compassion and support for others, and actively promote fairness and justice in their interactions with each other. We actively promote equality of opportunity and access in our work. We recognise, value and promote diversity in our school and its community whilst stressing what is shared in our values and experience. We discuss equality issues openly and constructively. Our learners feel confident in recognising and addressing discrimination.
• We welcome and celebrate diversity. Learners, parents, and staff are treated with respect and in a fair and just manner. In our school, culture and language, disability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation and additional support needs do not become barriers to participation and achievement.

Level 2 Illustration

• We take steps to remove some barriers to learning, but many learners do not feel valued as part of our school community. We work with partner services but not always closely enough to ensure that all learners’ needs are identified and met. Some learners and their families do not feel included, or feel unable to participate fully in the life of our school.
• Equality of opportunity and a sense of fairness do not feature prominently in the work of our school. We do not sufficiently show that we value ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic diversity nor promote cohesion across groups. Some groups of learners are under-represented in school activities. Learners are not well prepared to promote equality and fairness or recognise and address discrimination in their future lives in society.
• We take many steps to treat learners, parents, and staff fairly and respectfully but we need to monitor and evaluate our success in these areas more systematically. There is variation across staff in our emphasis on equality and fairness issues. Staff, learners and visitors to our school feel safe and secure, but some doubt the extent to which they are genuinely valued.

Themes

• Engaging parents in their children’s learning and the life of the school
• Consulting and communicating with learners and parents
• Dialogue with learners and parents about the work of the school

Key features:

This indicator relates to the school’s partnerships with parents, carers and families how this impacts on learning and progress. It highlights the way that the school values all parents and their contribution to supporting learning as fundamental to a successful two-way partnership. It focuses on the school’s work in promoting parental involvement in their children’s learning, seeking and acting on parents’ views and informing them about the school’s work.

Level 5 Illustration

• Our approach to parental involvement is planned and purposeful and leads to productive two-way partnerships with individuals and representative groups of parents in children’s learning and the life of our school. Our school is a welcoming school. We actively encourage parents to participate in their children’s care and education, particularly those who are reluctant to be involved or face barriers to involvement. We support parents well in understanding and taking an active part in discussions about their children’s progress and ways of working together on their next steps in learning. As far as possible, we meet parents at times which are most convenient for them.
• We have effective mechanisms for communicating and consulting with parents and learners on the quality of education and the way our school is run, making good use of face-to-face contacts, newsletters, e-mail, websites and telephone calls. Groups representing learners and parents are involved in decisions about the future work of our school. We have clear complaints procedures and parents understand how to use them. They receive feedback, and when their suggestions are not taken on board they are given explanations. We have effective arrangements for meeting the varying needs of parents, for example, those who need interpreting or translation services or have restricted mobility, visual or auditory impairments.
• We report annually to parents and learners on our improvement priorities and key outcomes. We provide clear information in appropriate formats on key aspects of our work. Our standards and quality reports give accurate evaluations of key aspects of our work and identify strengths and areas for improvement. We welcome parents being proactive in raising issues and engaging in school improvement beyond the needs of their own children.

Level 2 Illustration

• We provide activities and support for parents and representative groups but do not actively involve them in a planned and purposeful way. We encourage parents to be involved in their children’s learning, for example through homework, but give insufficient guidance to help them to support their children. We welcome those parents who participate in the work of the school but we have not actively involved all parents. Some parents feel reluctant or apprehensive about engaging with the school. Our arrangements for meetings between staff and parents are not flexible enough to meet the needs of groups of parents.
• We use a range of methods for communicating with parents and learners, but do not have systematic ways of gathering their views or ideas to improve our school. We communicate well with most parents but have not developed ways of reaching those with minority languages and other groups of parents. We do not give parents feedback when their suggestions are not taken on board and some do not feel involved in decisions about the future work of our school. Parents are unclear about how to raise issues with us or about arrangements to make complaints.
• We report to parents and learners on achievements and areas for development in aspects of our school’s work but the value of the information to parents is reduced through, for example, poor presentation, lack of clarity or gaps in information on key areas.

Themes

• Arrangements for ensuring care, welfare and child protection
• Approaches to and provision for meeting the emotional, physical and social needs of children and young people
• Curricular and vocational guidance

Level 5 Illustration

• Our policies for pastoral care and welfare are clear, appropriate and implemented. Our whole school community takes an active role in promoting the care and welfare of others. We understand our roles and responsibilities in ensuring health and safety. We have been trained and are confident in child protection issues. We deal sensitively and effectively with children’s needs and concerns, and our learners have access to effective complaints procedures. We build healthy living and health promotion into our school’s culture. Our school has clear procedures for vetting adults who will work with children.
• We are alert to children’s emotional, physical and social needs and recognise and actively promote their personal and social development through all our work. We pay close attention to these at times of transition. Learners are actively encouraged to extend their wider achievements, care for others and develop citizenship skills. Our school has a climate of trust, respect and confidence. Staff and partner services including resources in the community, support children and their families. We make sensitive use of information concerning individuals.
• Learners are proactive in developing ideas about their future and have acquired the skills and knowledge to plan their careers effectively and gain experience of the world of work. Our vocational guidance is founded on appropriate consultation and accurate, relevant and up-to-date information and advice.

Level 2 Illustration

• While we generally take steps to provide a safe and caring environment, there are weaknesses in our practice. Our policies omit some aspects of care and welfare or are not fully implemented by all staff. Staff have some awareness of child protection issues but would benefit from further training. Our policies, for example on anti-bullying, racist incidents, misuse of drugs and safe use of the Internet, lack clarity or are not fully implemented. We recognise health issues but do not always follow these through into practical action. While we address individuals’ needs and concerns conscientiously, we sometimes neglect aspects of children’s rights, confidentiality, dignity and privacy. Some learners are unsure of how to express their views or complain. Our vetting procedures are not always clear enough.
• Our approaches to develop learners’ personal and social skills are not well coordinated. Not all learners have opportunities to care for others or to develop citizenship skills. At times of transition, not all pupils are fully supported in adjusting socially or emotionally. We do not provide sufficient opportunities for learners to develop personal responsibilities or wider achievement. Our approaches to creating a climate of mutual trust, respect and confidence are not fully effective. There are examples of a lack of sensitivity to background information and our response to learners’ emotional needs.
• Learners are not always given accurate, relevant and up-to-date information and advice which prepare them to make choices in education, training or employment. Our approaches to guide learners in their choices in education are limited or badly timed. Opportunities for work experience, careers guidance and learning about the world of work are limited in range, or of poor quality.

Themes

• Commitment to self-evaluation
• Management of self-evaluation
• School improvement

Key features:

This indicator relates to the school’s arrangements for improvement through self-evaluation and its commitment to this. It highlights the importance of gathering and responding to the views of all partners and stakeholders and involving them. It focuses on the extent to which a school knows itself well and improves the successes and achievements of learners, and the school community more widely.

Level 5 Illustration

• As individuals and with colleagues, we evaluate our own classwork as reflective practitioners and make improvements. We work as a school community and with partner agencies to evaluate provision in order to secure continuous improvement, including major change where this is needed. We have very effective systems to gather the views of staff, parents, learners, partners and others about the quality of our work. We work in active partnership with other services for children to secure improvement. Our vision, values and aims are used as the basis for reviewing our work.
• Our self-evaluation focuses on key aspects of learners’ successes and achievements. It draws on a wide range of advice and evidence and is rigorous, systematic and transparent. All our teams reflect on current practice and evaluate any new initiatives, ideas and changes we have introduced. Where appropriate, we use accreditation schemes as a sound basis for improvement. We clearly identify strengths and areas for improvement. We share good practice.
• Our school community takes a joined-up approach to improvement across all that it does. We are committed to acting on the results of self-evaluation and can show clear evidence of improvement based on our actions as part of our self-evaluation. Our improvements focus particularly on continuing improvements to learning and teaching and the achievement of all learners.

Level 2 Illustration

• As individual teachers we vary in the extent to which we evaluate classwork effectively. We regard self-evaluation largely as the responsibility of senior managers and do not sufficiently involve all staff, learners, parents or partners. Our approaches to self-evaluation need stronger professional commitment and teamwork focused on improving the quality of our work.
• Promoted staff evaluate the work of our school and its teams but use a limited range of approaches which do not focus sufficiently on our learners’ successes and achievements to evaluate effectiveness systematically. We are sometimes vague or form views about our strengths and areas for improvement which lack rigour. We are unable to demonstrate the impact initiatives are having on learners.
• Self-evaluation has little impact on improving learning and teaching and achievements for all learners. Our evidence about these aspects does not always provide key management information and is not used well to evaluate progress and plan improvement. We do not evaluate progress towards meeting targets in the improvement plan systematically. We use the results of self-evaluation to report on standards and quality but the evidence base is insecure.

Themes

• Range, clarity and appropriateness of aims and policies
• Coherence of policies
• Managing, evaluating and updating policies

Level 5 Illustration

• Staff, learners, parents and partners share and are committed to our school’s aims and values. Our policies put children first. They provide guidance and take account of local and national priorities and relevant legislation. They are consistent with the aims and policies of the education authority or governing body and with national policies. They provide clear and concise guidance which improves classroom practice.
• Our school’s policies are directed at meeting learners’ needs and reducing barriers to learning. Our working links with partnership initiatives and partner agencies are clearly indicated in our school policies and evident in our practice.
• Staff, learners, parents and the wider community are actively involved in the development and review of our policies. We keep policies updated to reflect changes in our practice and current legislation requirements, particularly those relating to the care, welfare and protection of children.¹⁸

Level 2 Illustration

• The links between our aims and policies are not always evident to our learners, parents and the community. Our policies do not always give clear and concise guidance for staff, learners, parents and stakeholders to help to ensure consistent practice and delivery. Our aims have insufficient focus on providing high-quality learning experiences and enabling all learners to achieve the highest standards.
• Our school policies are not clear enough about our roles and responsibilities in meeting learners’ needs and reducing barriers to learning. Our contribution to partnership working is not well defined and this leads to gaps in provision for some learners.
• We do not review and amend policies regularly enough. Many of our policies have not been updated to reflect changes in practice or legislation or changing national and local priorities. We have only limited engagement with our stakeholders in the review of policies to ensure that policies effectively guide practice which leads to improved outcomes for learners.

Themes

• Active participation in policy and planning
• Communication and consultation

Key features:

This indicator relates to the involvement of all stakeholders (staff, learners, parents, members of the community and partner agencies) in policy development and planning and the work of the school more generally. It highlights the importance of keeping all stakeholders well informed about the school’s work and development, and of consulting them on action for improvement.

Level 5 Illustration

• We use the views and expertise of all involved in our school’s work to inform the development, evaluation and review of our policies and plans in order to secure improvements for learners. Staff, learners, parents, partner agencies and other stakeholders participate actively in staff meetings, pupil councils, groups representing parents, working groups, focus groups and other stakeholder forums.
• We are committed to communicating, consulting and engaging with staff teams, learners, parents and partners and have systematic arrangements in place. We interact regularly with an appropriate range of consultative groups and have clear guidelines for communication and providing feedback to our stakeholders. Staff, learners, parents and partners are confident in contributing ideas, expressing concerns and making suggestions.

Level 2 Illustration

• We have few structures, such as meetings, working groups and other forums, in place to support and encourage the active participation of staff, learners, parents, partner agencies and other stakeholders in taking forward the work of our school. Some key groups of our stakeholders are not sufficiently involved in developing school policy in a planned or purposeful way. Our stakeholders do not always feel ownership of, or commitment to, our school policies.
• We provide learners, parents and staff with information about our work and progress but the information is not always clear, comprehensive or up-to-date. We do not have effective ways of consulting and communicating with some groups of stakeholders such as minority language groups or those with disabilities.

Themes

• Developing, implementing and evaluating improvement plans
• Structure and content of improvement plans
• Use of management information
• Joint improvement planning with partner organisations and services
• Planning for sustainability

Key features:

This indicator relates to the school’s arrangements for planning for improvement and their impact.¹⁹ It focuses on the school’s approaches to implementing plans and evaluating their outcomes for learners. It highlights the need for clear priorities based firmly on information from self-evaluation. It relates to inter-agency planning and implementation to secure improvements which will bring benefit immediately and over the longer term.

Level 5 Illustration

• We have a clear and well-understood cycle for improvement planning. We involve our stakeholders at an early stage to shape our plans. Staff are involved in developing our improvement plan and implementing it. In developing, implementing and evaluating our plans, we use well-developed approaches to risk assessment. We rigorously evaluate the impact of the plan on improving outcomes for learners.
• Our school improvement plan fully reflects our school’s shared vision along with local and national priorities and is presented so that the full range of our stakeholders find it accessible. The plan sets challenging but achievable targets and clearly indicates how developments will be resourced, who will be responsible, when they will be implemented, their impact on learners and how success will be evaluated and recognised.
• In producing our improvement plan, we make effective use of information from self-evaluation and professional review and development. In particular, we draw on evidence about the quality of learning and teaching and learners’ attainment and achievements.
• Our commitment to joint planning with associated schools, partner organisations and services is evident in the use of integrated working to achieve improvement objectives. Our partners are fully involved in planning to ensure that learners are safe, healthy and well cared for; that they achieve to their fullest potential across a range of skills; and that they are confident and responsible citizens who make active contributions to their communities.
• We have taken careful account of issues of continuity and sustainability in planning improvements.

Level 2 Illustration

• We engage in improvement planning but it does not focus sufficiently on improving the quality of learning and maximising learners’ achievements. We undertake some evaluation of improvement projects but need to place more emphasis on the direct benefits for learners. Progress towards implementing priorities at school, department and team level is inconsistent. The implementation of plans has not resulted in significant improvements in learners’ experiences, achievements or standards of attainment.
• The structure and presentation of our improvement plan is not clear or helpful as a working document. We have too many or too few improvement objectives and these are not always focused on key priorities for our school. Targets within our improvement plans, tasks, responsibilities and timescales lack clear definition. We are unclear about how we will evaluate or recognise the success of our plans.
• Our planning process is not well founded on information derived from self-evaluation, quality assurance, or analysis of information on attainment and achievement. We carry out some monitoring and evaluation of the quality of learning and teaching but this does not focus on learners’ classroom experiences as a source of key priorities for improvement.
• We work to some extent with associated schools, professional groups, support agencies and partner organisations to identify priorities and engage in joint planning. However, areas for joint action are not always clearly defined in the plan and partners are not always aware of their respective roles in implementing the plan.
• Our improvement planning gives insufficient attention to ensuring the long-term viability of projects.

Themes

• Provision of staff
• Recruitment, appointment and induction of staff
• Care and welfare of staff
• Recognition of achievement

Key features:

This indicator relates to the provision and recruitment of staff and the effectiveness of the arrangements to ensure their care and welfare and readiness to do the job. It focuses on transparency and equality and fairness in recruiting staff to posts, and on the extent to which staff successes are recognised and celebrated in the school.

Level 5 Illustration

• We have sufficient skilled and qualified staff and support from specialist services to provide an appropriate curriculum and learning experience for all learners, including those with additional support needs.
• Our school has effective and transparent recruitment procedures consistent with legal requirements. Our appointment procedures give due regard to the skills, aptitudes and experience needed for each post. We have effective induction procedures for all new staff including supply teachers and other temporary staff. We operate an effective equal opportunities policy in the recruitment and support of staff. We systematically address and monitor issues of equality and fairness including where appropriate, ethnicity, religion, disability and gender.
• We have clear procedures for setting the standards of conduct, care and welfare which all staff can expect and which are expected of them. Staff know their responsibilities and rights and relevant professional codes of practice.
• We support staff to give of their best and recognise and celebrate achievements. Those with leadership responsibilities regularly communicate staff successes and highlight best practice.

Level 2 Illustration

• Our range of teaching expertise enables broad coverage of the curriculum but there are gaps in some areas, such as support for learning staff or supply teachers. We do not make best use or take full advantage of the expertise of staff from partner agencies and other organisations to support the needs of individual learners.
• Our recruitment procedures generally operate well but could sometimes be more planned and proactive. Staff induction procedures are helpful but not always sufficiently customised to support the induction and development needs of different groups of staff to prepare for their roles. Our arrangements for supporting supply staff sometimes fail to ensure that they are familiar with our school procedures and are able to work effectively with the classes they are allocated. We are committed to equality and fairness in recruitment but do not always systematically monitor that these principles have been implemented.
• Our policies for setting the standards of conduct, care and welfare for staff are sometimes unclear and inconsistent. Some staff are unsure of their responsibilities and rights and relevant professional codes of practice and are unclear what they can expect or what is expected of them.
• Staff sometimes feel that those with leadership responsibilities do not value their achievements sufficiently and that we do not have an ethos of recognising success. We have little formal or public recognition of staff successes.

Themes

• Appropriateness and clarity of remits
• Deployment of staff, including partner agencies
• Effectiveness of teamwork
• Communication

Key features:

This indicator relates to the effectiveness of individual and team contributions. It also focuses on the extent to which staff are empowered to give of their best, and their work is directed towards improving outcomes for learners. It highlights the processes and structures which promote ownership of, and commitment to, this joint endeavour.

Level 5 Illustration

• Staff, including those from partner services, have clear job descriptions and remits focused on the needs of learners. They are empowered, challenged and supported. Our teams have clear structures, are task focused, and we take responsibility for evaluating their work.
• Our staff team is deployed effectively to meet learners’ needs and improve provision. Staff such as additional teachers, additional support needs auxiliaries and classroom assistants work in classrooms and contribute effectively to our learners’ progress. Business managers and staff from partner agencies complement the work of teachers and senior managers and allow them to focus on teaching and learning.
• We have established a collaborative and collegiate approach to our work. An ethos of team working and professional engagement is evident within our school. We work effectively with learning support staff and visiting specialist teachers. Our arrangements for liaison among staff working jointly with particular learners are clear and implemented effectively. Effective liaison takes place between class teachers and learning support staff, visiting specialist teachers, other specialists, health staff and care professionals to meet learners’ needs.
• Lines of communication and accountability for staff are clear. We all take responsibility for communicating, consulting and sharing information with colleagues. We have good opportunities to raise concerns or make constructive suggestions. Those with leadership responsibilities are responsive, visible and accessible.

Level 2 Illustration

• Some staff lack clear remits setting out their role in the wider team. Some remits are not well focused on the needs of learners. Staff contributions to the work of our school and involvement in teamwork varies in quality.
• Better use could be made of our skills through improved staff deployment. Remits and job activities do not always align with the key priorities and improvement objectives of our school. Teachers do not always understand the roles of learning support staff, classroom assistants, visiting teachers and staff from partner services. Senior managers and teachers sometimes spend time on routine tasks which should be undertaken by others.
• Deployment of learning support staff and visiting specialist teachers does not always match our learners’ needs. Staff involved jointly with particular learners or groups of learners are not always fully aware of each other’s contributions.
• Weaknesses in communication and consultation among staff and teams limit their effectiveness. Staff are often unsure of how to have their views and concerns considered or put forward constructive suggestions for service improvement. Some of those with leadership responsibilities are seen as accessible and approachable but ineffective communication or inadequate consultation on major issues sometimes affects work with learners.

Themes

• Processes for staff review and support
• Training and development
• Joint training with staff from partner agencies

Key features:

This indicator relates to the school’s arrangements for staff development and professional review for all staff managed by the school. It focuses on clear and systematic procedures for staff review which are supported by a wide range of appropriate opportunities for development. It relates to joint training which is designed to promote professional development and effective partnership working.²⁰

Level 5 Illustration

• The staff review process in our school meets best practice. It identifies the strengths and skills of all staff and meets their development needs. We have a clear and well-supported framework of continuing professional development and review for all staff deployed in our school. Information from staff review and other sources informs staff development activities and supports continuous improvement for learners.
• We take responsibility for identifying and promoting the aims and priorities for professional development. Staff development is well planned, matched to identified individual and school needs and draws on local and national expertise. Staff are aware of the aims and priorities for staff development and how these relate to review and school improvement. Staff development includes relevant national and local training, work shadowing, peer coaching and mentoring. We follow up and evaluate the impact on our classroom practice and use the findings to influence future planning.
• Staff learning and professional development is collaborative and collegiate. Staff come together to share understanding and engage in joint staff development on common priorities and practices. Joint staff development with partner services leads to improvements in the arrangements for supporting learners and their families.

Level 2 Illustration

• We have procedures for staff review in place, but reviews are not sufficiently systematic or effective in identifying individual development needs. Some staff are unclear about how to make best use of the review process and do not see it as supportive. The outcomes of staff review are not used systematically to support continuous improvement in classroom practice.
• Some staff are not proactive in promoting their own development. We do not always meet individual development needs or school priorities and the needs of groups of staff are sometimes neglected. Our programme for training and development is limited in scope and does not always make best use of available expertise. Evaluation and follow up of impact on provision for learners is uncommon.
• We undertake some inter-agency training but many school and partner service staff have limited understanding of each other’s contributions. While meetings do take place involving senior school staff and our partner agencies, these are neither programmed regularly nor characterised by shared agendas. We seldom discuss joint training or view it as a priority. Joint staff development sessions do not focus sufficiently on how we can support the needs of all learners.

Themes

• Clarity of purposes and aims
• Working across agencies and disciplines
• Staff roles in partnerships

Key features:

This indicator relates to the effectiveness and impact of the school’s partnership with the community, educational establishments, agencies, employers and others in supporting learners and targeting support to individuals. It focuses on the school’s arrangements for consulting, communicating and working with others in supportive and effective ways. Key considerations include the extent to which the school works effectively in a range of multi-disciplinary partnerships and is committed to joint working in planning, delivering, and evaluating joint projects.

Level 5 Illustration

• We have effective partnership working which makes a difference to the quality of support for learners. We are clear about those areas for which we take the main responsibility and those where we need the support of our partners to maximise benefits for individual children and young people. We have a clear framework with appropriate aims and effective procedures to evaluate the impact of partnership working on individuals and groups. Staff are committed to the aims of joint working and engage actively with partners, community representatives and agencies.
• Our links with other educational establishments, community and specialist agencies and employers have enriched learning and improved learners’ achievements and targeted support to individuals and their families. Staff work well with others to ensure that those most vulnerable are well supported and their learning and welfare needs are addressed throughout transitions. We provide effective support through partnerships, where appropriate, with employers, industry, community learning and development, Scotland’s Colleges, voluntary groups, educational psychologists, health services and social workers. Staff work with these partners to identify their distinctive contributions to enriching experiences for all learners or targeting support to groups and individuals. Staff participate actively in initiatives led by other agencies.
• We are clear about our respective roles and responsibilities and have very good opportunities to meet and share training with our partners. Our arrangements for communication, assessment, planning, review, recording and reporting are clear and work well. We work with partners providing integrated services to children and community-based projects to identify local priorities and objectives.

Level 2 Illustration

• Although some partnerships work well in meeting the needs of individual children or young people, there is potential for other partnerships to make a greater contribution. We lack a clear set of aims for partnership working and arrangements to evaluate its impact. Many staff are committed to the aims of joint working but we lack a consistent and coherent approach across our school.
• Our links with other educational establishments, community and specialist agencies and employers are not always used effectively to improve learning or support development. Some partnership working makes little impact on meeting the needs of learners. Our networks and partnerships provide effective support for some children and young people but the needs of others are not well met.
• We work in partnership with statutory agencies but are not always clear about each other’s roles and responsibilities in partnership working. There are weaknesses in some aspects of our arrangements for communication, assessment, planning, review, record keeping and reporting. Some partnership work shows different staff complementing each other well but we sometimes pursue our own approaches, priorities and objectives rather than implementing shared approaches.

Themes

• Sufficiency of available finance and setting budgets
• Financial procedures and controls
• Management of budgets, including links with the education authority/Board of Managers
• Best value use of finance to support school improvement

Key features:

This indicator relates to the impact of the provision and management of the school’s finances. It focuses on transparency, fairness and best value in managing the school’s finances and the extent to which the use of financial resources leads to improved outcomes for learners.

Level 5 Illustration

• Our finance is sufficient to support our school’s work and we make the best use of the finances provided. We consult staff, learners and parents on funding bids and these are clearly linked to the needs of the school, local improvement objectives and national priorities.
• We have clear procedures for financial control. We manage and monitor our expenditure openly and effectively and take account of local and national advice.
• Management information systems provide us with comprehensive and current data for budget management and resource allocation. Our arrangements for day-to-day financial management release time for senior managers and for teachers.
• Our priorities for the use of financial resources are clearly linked to our school improvement priorities. We use our finances to improve the quality of learning and to support specific developments. Our financial performance indicates that our school’s budget has been used efficiently to support our improvement priorities which in turn have led to positive outcomes for our learners.²¹

Level 2 Illustration

• Our finance is used to support our school’s work but we do not consult some staff appropriately about financial arrangements and our financial resources are not always matched to achieving the school’s improvement objectives. We often do not consider bids for projects linked to local and national priorities in sufficient depth.
• Our procedures for financial control are not sufficiently clear or up-to-date and arrangements for managing our budget lack openness and fairness.
• Information from administrative systems sometimes arrives too late or is incomplete. Our day-to-day financial management involves our headteacher and others unnecessarily with financial detail.
• Some budget allocations relate to short-term priorities and have only a general link to improving the quality of learning. The allocations we make are not always effectively aligned to school improvement priorities. Our budget decisions do not always take due account of the need for economy, efficiency, value for money, or support our school improvement priorities and improve outcomes for learners.

Themes

• Accommodation, display and presentation
• Provision of resources and equipment
• Organisation and use of resources
• Arrangements to ensure health and safety, including security

Key features:

This indicator relates to the impact of the provision and management of the school’s resources and space on the environment for learning. It focuses on the extent to which learners are stimulated by the accommodation and facilities, and on the school’s health and safety arrangements.

Level 5 Illustration

• Our accommodation, including corridors and playgrounds, provides a safe, pleasant and stimulating environment for learning, social and leisure activities. We have appropriate spaces for classes, staff, storage, display and learners’ social provision. We meet statutory duties on accessibility for disabled users. Our displays of learners’ work fully support learning and teaching and create a stimulating atmosphere. We create an appropriate balance between learners’ work, printed text and commercial displays.
• Appropriate resources, including ICT, are sufficient, up-to-date and well maintained. Our resources enable teachers to teach well and learners to learn effectively.
• Our resources are well organised, accessible, used effectively and managed in a sustainable way. Learning and teaching in our school is enriched through planned use of ICT, the local environment, the world of work and resources from outwith our school. We encourage learners to make independent and responsible use of resources including specialist resources. We monitor and evaluate the use of resources to ensure that the needs of all of our learners are met.
• Our buildings are secure and health and safety aspects of accommodation and facilities are identified and addressed. We implement relevant health and safety legislation and are vigilant in ensuring the security and safety of our learners.

Level 2 Illustration

• Our accommodation generally provides a safe environment but needs to be adapted to support learning, teaching, social and leisure activities. Lack of space or noise levels in some areas hinder learning and teaching. Our accommodation is in need of decoration or repair, and access is difficult for some users. Our displays of our learners’ work and items of interest are seldom changed and often contribute little to learning and teaching. Commercial materials often dominate displays.
• Most of our resources are functional but many need updating and/or repair. We have a limited range of ICT equipment and other resources which will motivate our learners. This limits several aspects of the work of our school.
• Our resources are generally well organised. The use we make of resources supports the delivery of our curriculum at a basic level but is at times not well matched to the purpose intended and does not provide high-quality support for learning and teaching or for enriching additional experiences. Some teachers enrich learning through imaginative use of resources but we make little use of the environment and resources from outwith the school. Our learners make little independent use of resources.
• We do not monitor the security of school buildings with sufficient rigour. We have identified some related health and safety issues but these are not always addressed effectively.

Themes

• Data collection, storage and retrieval
• Sharing information
• Analysing, evaluating and using information

Key features:

This indicator relates to the school’s arrangements for managing information. It focuses on the school’s systems for collecting and processing information and on the extent to which it is shared to help staff improve outcomes for learners. It highlights the extent to which information is used to monitor learners’ progress.

Level 5 Illustration

• We use effective approaches for collecting and storing data to improve learning and raise achievement. Our management information system provides useful information to monitor our learners’ achievements, inform planning and target support and resources. We have appropriate access to external data on comparative performance. We manage information to meet our users’ needs and enable appropriate access to information. Our arrangements to store, file and retrieve information comply with legislation.
• We understand and follow protocols for information sharing. We share information including data on budgets, staffing, attainment, attendance and exclusions appropriately among staff to improve outcomes for individual learners. Our management information system enables relevant partners to have access to the information necessary to ensure young people’s wellbeing and improve their learning. Our learners and their families are aware of any information held about them and with whom it might be shared.
• Our school is data rich. We use data analysis alongside professional judgement to track learners’ progress, promote, monitor and demonstrate improvement, benchmark performance and identify trends. This helps us to identify high and low performance in our school’s work in order to target support and challenge learning. We use data to help us to intervene promptly where this is needed.

Level 2 Illustration

• We collect and store a range of data but this does not include some key data needed to improve learning and raise achievement. Our system provides staff with some support for planning improvement. We make some use of external data on comparative performance. Our management of information meets the needs of some users but does not always enable appropriate access. Our arrangements for managing information comply with legislation.
• Our protocols for sharing information are not well developed and we have not reached agreement on the core set of data needed to support our planning for improvement. Staff have had little or no training on the interpretation or use of management data to plan improvement. We do not share enough information among staff to provide an overview of our school’s work and enable us to improve outcomes for our learners.
• We collate and analyse a range of data but do not always use it effectively to monitor and demonstrate improvement, benchmark performance and identify trends. We have systems in place to track learners’ attainment but more vulnerable groups, for example looked after children, are not specifically identified. We do not always use data to provide prompt intervention when this is needed.