HM INSPECTORATE OF EDUCATION: ANNUAL REPORT 2003/04: page 6

HM INSPECTORATE OF EDUCATION: ANNUAL REPORT 2003/04

6. What we did in 2003-04

Our performance against strategic priorities

Strategic Priority 1

Undertake a planned programme of independent evaluations, investigations into key aspects of education and publication of subsequent reports.

	exceeded
	fully met
	partially met
	not met

What we planned to do	What we did
1.1 Work towards the delivery of the generational cycle of inspections whereby all primary schools are being inspected on a seven year cycle by 2009 and all secondary schools are being inspected on a six year cycle by 2008, inspecting a minimum of 220 primary schools, 43 secondary and 24 special schools in 2003-04.	We continued to work towards our aim to inspect all primary schools by 2009 and all secondary schools by 2008. We inspected a total of 221 primary schools, 44 secondary schools, and 34 special schools.
1.2 Carry out a planned and balanced inspection and review programme including a minimum 12 FE college and subject reviews; community learning and development in eight local areas; and seven education authorities.	We carried out a programme of 12 FE college and subject reviews, and inspected community learning and development in ten areas, and seven education authorities.
1.3 Undertake a minimum of 400 inspections of early education centres; two inspections of secure accommodation services; and 15 inspections of residential special schools in collaboration with the Care Commission.	We inspected 596 early education centres and 26 residential special schools in collaboration with the Care Commission and two secure unit accommodation services with the Care Commission and Social Work Services Inspectorate.
1.4 Agree a Memorandum of Understanding and detailed administrative arrangements with the Care Commission by December 2003.	We agreed a memorandum of understanding with the Care Commission which sets out strategic and service level working arrangements.
1.5 Issue draft reports to 95% of schools within 16 working weeks of notification of the inspection and publish 92% of the final reports within 20 working weeks.	We issued 96% of draft reports within 16 working weeks of notification of the inspection. We published 97% of final reports within 20 working weeks.
1.6 Issue draft reports to all FE colleges within 8 working weeks from the end of the college review and publish all reports on dates stated in the published service level agreement with SFEFC.	Fully met
1.7 Issue 90% of draft reports to services responsible for community learning and development within 16 working weeks of notification of the inspection and publish 90% of reports within 24 working weeks.	Fully met
1.8 Have 85% of reports on education authorities ready for final publication within 12 weeks of concluding the inspection.	We met the target. The one report published beyond the planned timescale was delayed at the request of the education authority to meet particular circumstances.
1.9 Complete follow-through process working with schools and education authorities as appropriate in 90% of schools within two years of publication of initial inspection report.	New follow-through arrangements required revision of our target from August 2003. We met the revised target. All schools due to be followed through were visited and reported on as appropriate by either education authorities or HMIE as part of new proportionate inspection arrangements.
1.10 Undertake 90% of community learning and development follow-up inspections within two years of publication of the initial report.	Fully met
1.11 Undertake follow-ups to subject and college reviews of FE colleges as determined by SFEFC.	We undertook eight follow-ups to reviews of FE colleges as required by SFEFC.
1.12 Undertake all education authority interim follow-up inspections within 1 year of publication of the initial report and all other education authority follow-up inspections within 2 years.	We completed nine INEA follow-up inspections, two of which were interim follow-ups. We completed all within the agreed timescales.
1.13 Undertake agreed investigations requested by Scottish Ministers or other bodies within agreed time-scales.	We completed the scoping review of initial teacher education requested by Scottish Ministers and made the report available through the HMIE website. We carried out six reviews of national voluntary organisations involved in community learning and development on behalf of the Scottish Executive.

Strategic Priority 2

Manage and develop the collation and analysis of evidence from evaluations and the productive relationships with key stakeholders to enable HMIE to be well informed and to identify and promote best practice.

What we planned to do	What we did
2.1 Publish reports in our "improving" series, including improving education authorities and improving success in P7-S2.	Improving education authorities was presented to directors of education at a national conference in February 2003 and published on the HMIE website. Improving success in P7-S2 will be published later in 2004.
2.2 Disseminate good practice on key sectors and aspects of education through seminars and other media, including follow-up to Standards and Quality pre-school report; effective practice in drugs education; a review of the development of Integrated Community Schools; aspects of provision in FE; a review of provision for out of school care and learning; a report on the implementation of the Better Behaviour-Better Learning report; a review of approaches to promoting race equality in schools; a joint conference with Learning and Teaching Scotland on effective use of curriculum flexibility; and a conference to promote discussion of the issues and good practice relating to Count us in.	A conference to disseminate good practice in early education has been rescheduled to take place in May 2004. The review of development of integrated community schools is now complete. A report on progress with the introduction on new community schools, containing illustrations of good practice, has been drafted for publication in 2004. We will publish a summary of and findings on Effective practice in drug education later in 2004. A planned programme of events on aspects of provision in FE is ongoing with all events to date having taken place on schedule. An interim report on the implementation of the Better Behaviour - Better Learning report was provided to the Scottish Executive Education Department. We carried out good practice reviews on approaches to promoting race equality in schools and provided an interim report to the Scottish Executive. We published Flexibility in the Secondary School Curriculum: Emerging Practice in conjunction with Learning and Teaching Scotland. This was launched at a joint HMIE/L&T Scotland national conference in September 2003. A national conference was held in December 2003 to showcase good practice in inclusive education and to promote discussion on Count us in. A further national conference is planned for December 2004.
2.3 Publish aspect reports on FE as required in the published service level agreement with SFEFC.	We published a report on Student Learning in Scottish Further Education Colleges.
2.4 Publish report on aspects of youth work in community learning and development by October 2003.	We completed our Citizenship in Youth Work report ready for publication in October 2003 and launched it at a national community learning and development conference in December 2003.
2.5 Publish guides in our self-evaluation series, including Sensitive Health Issues, Achieving Charter Mark in schools, Curriculum Flexibility, Citizenship and Mainstreaming.	We published Curriculum Flexibility in September, Sensitive Health Issues in October and Education for Citizenship in December 2003. As part of the strengthening of Charter Mark in Scotland, our Charter Mark guidance for pre-school centres and schools was launched on 16 March 2004 by the Minister for Finance and Public Services. The guide on evaluating education for pupils with additional support needs in mainstream schools was published in March 2004 and guidance on provision for looked after children was published in November 2003. A guide on education for race equality was scheduled for publication in April 2004.
2.6 Develop advice on using quality indicators for evaluating Enterprise in Education and begin pilot, leading to final version in 2004-05.	We completed pilot work and were on schedule for publication of advice on quality indicators in late summer/autumn 2004.

Strategic Priority 3

Ensure the timeous provision of high quality, independent professional advice to the Scottish Ministers and others.

What we planned to do	What we did
3.1 Provide Scottish Ministers, relevant departments of the Scottish Executive and key national bodies with high quality advice within agreed time-scales, including undertaking the following activities. Provide advice to the Scottish Executive Education Department and others on the following areas:	Fully met
development of guidance to schools and education authorities on evaluating progress towards National Priorities	Fully met
evaluation of use of ICT within NGfL strategy	We provided a section on ICT in learning and teaching for the annual Scottish NGfL report.
teaching and learning	Fully met
independent schools	Fully met
implementation of the McCabe report	We have produced a report on the implementation of the McCabe report and Circular 2/2001 which will be published on the HMIE website later in 2004.
support for Science Strategy	We provided advice on the use of Science Strategy funding and on monitoring its impact as well as the management of a national 5-14 science project, and the use of national funding for CPD for science teachers. We also provided input to the Scottish Executive Science Cross-cutting group and to the steering group of the Improving Science 5-14 project.
development of the School Estates Strategy	We undertook major work on education authority proposals for school closures in East Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Dundee City and Stirling Councils.
development and improvement of provision for Modern Languages	We submitted our interim internal report to the Scottish Executive Education Department in November 2003. Our final report is due for publication in summer 2004.
child protection policy, practice and inspection	Fully met
implementation of the Teaching Profession for the 21st Century Agreement	We provided advice and an interim internal report to the Scottish Executive Education Department and Audit Scotland on aspects of the implementation of the agreement.
follow-through to the Discipline Task Group	We provided advice and an interim internal report to the Scottish Executive on the implementation of the Discipline Task Group recommendations.
review of SE funded specialist school programme	We provided advice to the external study into quality assurance in Scottish post-compulsory education.
SE Lifelong Learning Strategy	Fully met
development of a new model for quality assessment FE colleges from August 2004	We are on schedule to publish the new evaluation framework by the end of May 2004 and the new review model in time for SFEFC's revised starting date of January 2005.
quality of delivery of guidance and pastoral care functions in primary and secondary schools.	We have provided ongoing advice to the Guidance Review Group throughout the year. A published report was scheduled for summer 2004.
Provide advice to working groups and other fora including:
cross SE Community Learning and Development Group	We contributed to the Scottish Executive Guidance on community learning and development published in February 2004 as Working and learning together to build stronger communities.
SFEFC Learning and Teaching Committee	Fully met
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Joint Advisory Committee	We contributed to all meetings of the committee and to relevant elements of the SCQF national implementation plan.
Ministerial Strategy Committee for Continuing Professional Development (School teachers) and its four specialist sub-committees.	This target was revised as a consequence of the Committee being stood down. Prior to this, we provided professional advice on a wide range of teacher education issues. We then switched our advice to the second stage review of initial teacher education.
Learning and Teaching Scotland	We provided advice on the development of guidance on the effective use of ICT in early years and on learning and care for children under three. We collaborated closely with Learning and Teaching Scotland on developing national advice on curriculum flexibility and in promoting educational inclusion.
School Meals Task Group - follow on activities	We provided advice and piloted the use of associate assessors in evaluating school meals provision in accordance with the recommendations of Hungry for Success: A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland.
Ministerial PE Re	Fully met
National Qualifications Task Group	Fully met
National Qualifications Steering Group	Fully met
National Priorities Advisory Group	Fully met
INEA Review Group	We provided evaluations and advice to the INEA Review Group on progress with INEA inspections and the future models of inspections.
Joint Scrutiny Forum on future inspections/scrutiny arrangements for public services	Fully met
Guidance Review Group	We have provided ongoing advice to the group throughout the year. A full report was scheduled for submission to the review group in May 2004 with subsequent wider publication.
3.2 Undertake an agreed number of investigations of appeals concerning the terms of Records of Needs and complete these investigations, providing the Scottish Executive Education Department with reports of high quality.	We completed all investigations referred by the Scottish Executive Education Department within required timescales and to the required quality.
3.3 Complete evaluation activity in relation to ICT training provision for school teachers and librarians by December 2003, in line with service level agreement agreed with the New Opportunities Fund.	Fully met

Strategic Priority 4

Develop and maintain high quality services in all aspects of HMIE's activities, making efficient and effective use of resources.

What we planned to do	What we did
4.1 Develop and publish a Corporate Plan for 2004-2007.	The development of an HMIE corporate plan for the period 2004-2007 was delayed by the Ministerial announcement of a major extension of HMIE's activity to lead in the establishment of a system of inspection of services for children. We circulated a draft version to stakeholders and placed it for comment on the HMIE website in April 2004. The plan is on a revised schedule for publication in late summer 2004.
4.2 Review the Agency Framework Document.	The Framework Document has been revised for discussion with Ministers.
4.3 Deliver HMIE's Corporate Learning Plan for calendar year 2003, including training on equality and fairness and new proportionate inspection models.	We delivered a wide range of training, including training on equality and fairness. We provided training for staff, associate assessors and lay members on new proportionate inspection models.
4.4 Produce HMIE's Corporate Learning Plan for Calendar Year 2004. Prepare for Investors in People re-assessment.	We produced our Corporate Learning Plan for 2004 and the Scottish Executive successfully retained IiP status.
4.5 Implement the agreed projects for 2003-04 within HMIE Communications strategy.	All projects within the Communications Strategy were progressed and a number of key developments implemented including the introduction of a new external newsletter, HMIE Briefing, internal newsletter, staff survey and redesigned reports.
4.6 Extend the HMIE website by launching an area to disseminate good practice and by extending the availability of attainment data to schools.	We completed the software development for the good practice website and were on schedule to launch it during summer 2004.
4.7 Continue the phased introduction of the new computer system for planning and monitoring HMIE activities.	We have purchased software for an upgrade of the system and are planning to implement it.
4.8 Maintain and develop the HMIE risk register.	Fully met
4.9 Recruit, train, manage and deploy lay members.	We deployed all new lay members on inspections soon after training. A number of lay members with previous experience in schools were retrained for further education and community learning and development, and are now being deployed successfully.
4.10 Recruit, train, manage and deploy Associate Assessors.	We have recruited, trained and managed our associate assessors to meet our needs including an appropriate mix of short-term full-time secondments and part-time deployment. We undertook two combined HMI/associate assessor training events in relation to primary, secondary and special school inspection. We also held an early education training day for associate assessors and Care Commission officers in August 2003 and followed this up with a number of seminars in October and November 2003. We held training events in August and September 2003 for associate assessors in further education, and in March 2004 for associate assessors in community learning and development. We held four national training seminars to train education officers from education authorities to undertake the revised follow-through procedures in schools and to moderate reports as assessors.
4.11 Implement improvements to INEA inspections taking account of recommendations made by INEA Review Group in 2003.	We have revised INEA inspection arrangements to take account of the main recommendations from the INEA Review Group 2003.
4.12 Introduce new primary inspection model by August 2003.	After a number of successful pilots we introduced the new core inspections of primary schools in August 2003, completing some 150 core inspections by 31 March 2004.
4.13 Introduce a new special educational needs inspection model by August 2003.	Fully met
4.14 Implement new secondary inspection model by January 2004.	Fully met
4.15 Implement from August 2003 new proportionate follow-through arrangements.	We successfully introduced new proportionate follow-through arrangements in schools from August 2003. Education authorities are now publishing some school follow-through reports after moderation by HMIE.
4.16 Introduce new statistics support package for primary inspections.	Fully met
4.17 Implement the action points for 2003-04 contained in the HMIE Race Equality Scheme.	Each of our directorates monitors implementation of the HMIE Race Equality scheme on an ongoing basis. A nominated HMI then prepares a collated progress report for submission to HMIE Management Board.
4.18 Complete the accommodation review and submit recommendation to Ministers by end July 2003.	We submitted initial recommendations to the Minister for Education in July 2003, and formal recommendations to a wider group of Ministers in September 2003. We are now in the process of implementing Ministers' decisions on those recommendations.
4.19 Upgrade or replace inspection and reporting software in line with SE software upgrade.	We completed preparation work to replace our inspection software through a tendering exercise during 2004-05, with a view to commencing implementation by early 2005.
4.20 Plan for the introduction of Electronic Records and Document Management software.	This is an ongoing process. Planning and preparation for ERDM is now expected during 2004-2005 in line with SE ERDM roll-out and requirements for Freedom of Information.
4.21 Plan for the implementation of portal technology into the HMIE website.	We have completed a scoping study taking account of users' views and needs.
4.22 Use the SE performance management system effectively and fairly to manage and develop all HMIE staff.	Fully met
4.23 Produce and publish an Annual Report by July 2003.	Fully met

Strategic Priority 5

Ensure systematic quality assurance and continuous improvement within HMIE

What we planned to do	What we did
5.1 Commence implementation of new structure from April: complete implementation of structure by end July 2003.	Our new corporate management structure became operational in July 2003. We will continue to adjust the structure to meet our changing business environment.
5.2 Produce a Human Resource Strategy for HMIE by October 2003 and implement developments in recruitment.	Following approval of our HR Strategy, we have developed and implemented a three-year implementation plan. We have also revised our recruitment procedures and updated our induction and welcome manuals for all staff.
5.3 Work with the Quality Scotland Foundation to evaluate HMIE activities against the principles of European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM).	We have continued to work closely with the Quality Scotland Foundation in taking forward our own self-evaluations under the main criteria of the Business Excellence Model.
5.4 Prepare for Charter Mark reassessment in 2004.	We focused on the communications recommendations from our previous assessment. We set in motion a series of activities aimed at ensuring success in our reassessment for Charter Mark in the autumn of 2004.
5.5 Pursue SHAW bronze award in line with target set for wider SE.	We are pursuing the bronze award as an Agency, site by site, across all our offices, capitalising where we can on the Scottish Executive's wider approach.
5.6 Carry out surveys on the views of key users on the quality of services provided.	We continued to use extensive post-inspection surveys of users. The review group on education authority inspections commissioned an extensive survey of users' views. We maintained regular contact with stakeholders groups.
5.7 Carry out surveys on the views of key users on the content and structure of the new format of school inspection reports.	We commissioned an independent survey of key users to provide views on formats for published school reports. Their views were used to develop the final version of the new core inspection reports for schools.
5.8 Ensure that 95% of parents who respond to surveys on school inspection reports find them clear and easy to read and 95% find them helpful overall.	Ninety-nine per cent of parents found our school reports clear, easy to read and helpful.
5.9 Introduce a new set of post-inspection questionnaires.	Fully met
5.10 Carry out a review of community learning and development, education authority and further education inspection and review guidelines, taking account of practice in other sectors of education and of developments linked to the SE Lifelong Learning Strategy.	We undertook an internal review of existing further education guidelines and contributed to a wider review mounted by SFEFC across the further education sector. We worked with the SFEFC implementation group to develop a revised framework for publication in May 2004 and are on schedule with development of guidelines, taking account of conclusions of the review. The review of community learning and development and education authority inspection guidelines is a two-year task which is currently on schedule.

Working with others to build capacity in the education system in Scotland and beyond

Providing professional advice to others within the UK

We continued to participate in a wide range of groups concerned with the quality assurance and improvement in education within the UK, over and above those listed against our performance measures. These include:

Scottish Executive Science Cross-Cutting Group
British Council Scotland Committee
Learning and Teaching Scotland Advisory Council
Scottish Executive Joint Scrutiny Forum (for inspectorates and other scrutiny bodies)
Scottish Commission for Racial Equality
Quarterly meetings of Heads of UK Inspectorates

We have also maintained effective arrangements for liaison with other inspectorates and key players including:

Adult Learning Inspectorate (England)
Audit Scotland
Care Commission
Department for Education Northern Ireland
Department for Education and Skills (England)
Education and Training Inspectorate of Northern Ireland
HM Inspectorate of Prisons in Scotland
Learning and Teaching Scotland
Office for Standards in Education
Office of HM Chief Inspector in Wales
HM Inspectorate of Constabulary
Scottish Qualifications Authority
Social Work Services Inspectorate
Teacher Training Agency
UK Standards Group

International links

The Scottish approach to quality assurance in education, and the role of HMIE within that, continued to attract significant international interest.

We participated in a number of international groups concerned with quality improvement in education including:

The Standing International Conference of Inspectorates in Europe
European Network of Policy Makers for the Evaluation of Education Systems
Russian-British Education Steering Committee of British Council

Throughout 2003-04 we have continued to host international visits, make presentations and provide advice on quality assurance and improvement to educationalists and Government Ministers from a number of countries including Argentina, Austria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Romania, South Africa and Sweden.

We have also undertaken a contracted review of the work of the Catholic Education Office, Sydney, Australia (ongoing) and provided quality assurance consultancy advice in South Africa.

Following two very successful training sessions for senior members of the schools inspectorate of the Czech Republic, we have been invited by them to participate in a two-year collaborative project which will see HMIE training inspectors from the Czech Republic.

In addition, we have also participated in a number of projects and conferences including:

completing management of the Effective School Self-Evaluation project on behalf of the Standing International Conference of Inspectorates which closed with a presentation from HMIE to their General Assembly in Vienna;
hosting a joint HMIE/British Council seminar in June 2003 on quality assurance in schools, attended by delegates from 30 countries; and
contributing to the International Network of Innovative Schools.

As part of an international inspectorate task, a team of HM Inspectors carried out visits to three Scottish schools and wrote "ICT-schoolportrait" reports on each establishment which included clear insights into the management of ICT. The reports also clarified how teachers and pupils can be involved in integrating the technology to enrich learning and teaching and raise achievement.

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