Improving Outcomes for Learners Through Self-Evaluation: page 8

Improving Outcomes for Learners Through Self-Evaluation

7. QI 5.9 Improvement through self-evaluation

This QI is in the ‘delivery of educational processes’ section in the model. It is one of a range of process QIs which relate to the overall outcomes for the school and the impacts on individuals.

7.1 Key Features

In evaluating this QI a holistic, rounded judgement is made on how well the school or centre brings about improvement through self-evaluation. The scope of the QI is given in the Key Features:

This indicator relates to the school’s or centre’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/pre-school centre knows itself well and improves the successes and achievements of learners, and the school/pre-school centre community more widely.

When applying this QI and making judgements on the quality of provision it is important to:

evaluate the roles of teachers, other staff, partners, learners and other stakeholders in self-evaluation; and the effectiveness of approaches to gathering views on the work of the establishment;
evaluate the extent to which the establishment focuses on learning and teaching; its success in identifying strengths and areas for improvement; and how well good practice is shared; and most important of all
evaluate how well the establishment acts on its self-evaluation results; and how successful this has been in bringing about improvement to learning and teaching and the achievements of learners.

The following diagram shows that there are three themes for QI 5.9 and that evidence from each of these areas must be collected in order to make an evaluation. The diagram does not imply that a set order of evaluation must be followed.

In addition, the success of these processes in resulting in a positive impact would be considered when making an evaluation.

diagram

The following tables illustrate in more detail factors which should be taken into account when making evaluations.

7.2 QI 5.9 Organising evidence underpinning evaluations

This QI is concerned with the roles of those involved in self-evaluation; the focus of self-evaluation activities on learning and teaching and the sharing of good practice; and how well the results of self-evaluation are used to bring about improvement to learning and teaching and learners’ achievements.

Theme 1: Commitment to self-evaluation

In this theme, the role of those involved with self-evaluation is evaluated.

Key Questions	Sources of Evidence	Related Impact and Outcomes
To what extent does our vision for the school/centre give direction to self-evaluation?¹¹ Are all staff, partner agencies, learners and other stakeholders: involved in self-evaluation? aware of resulting strengths and development needs? committed to take action to effect improvement?	Interviews with managers, a cross-section of staff, partner agencies, learners and other stakeholders Analyses of stakeholder questionnaires Improvement plan	Effective self-evaluation would lead to improvement in learning and teaching, the curriculum and to other areas of the school/centre. These in turn would lead to improvement in learners’ engagement with learning (QI 2.1) and to improvements in learners’ progress, attainment and achievement. (QI 1.1).

Theme 2: Management of self-evaluation

In this theme the focus and effectiveness of self-evaluation is evaluated. In addition, whether self-evaluation yields clear strengths and development needs and whether these result in good practice being shared.

Key Questions	Sources of Evidence	Related Impact and Outcomes
Do we focus self-evaluation sufficiently on learning and our teaching? Have we identified important strengths and areas for improvement through self-evaluation? Has self-evaluation helped us to share good practice?	Quality assurance calendar Interviews with managers, other staff, partner agencies, learners and other stakeholders Improvement plan	Effective self-evaluation would lead to improvement in learning and teaching, the curriculum and to other areas of the school. These in turn would lead to improvement in pupils engagement with learning (QI 2.1) and to improvements in pupils’ progress, attainment and achievement. (QI 1.1).

Theme 3: School/centre improvement

This theme is the touchstone of effective self-evaluation — effective self-evaluation leads to school/centre improvement. This is evaluated by looking for discernible impact on the quality of learning and teaching and the attainment and achievement of learners.

Key Questions	Sources of Evidence	Related Impact and Outcomes
What is the evidence of improvement in our children’s progress/pupils’ attainment; in their broader achievement as learners; and in the quality of learning and our teaching? Is there evidence of improvement in other areas of our work?	Observation of learning and teaching Discussion with staff, pupils and other stakeholders Records of progress, achievement and attainment Stakeholder questionnaires Learners’ work Evidence about improvements brought about by previous improvement plans	Effective self-evaluation would lead to improvement in learning and teaching, the curriculum and to other areas of the school. These in turn would lead to improvement in pupils’ engagement with learning (QI 2.1) and to improvements in pupils’ progress, attainment and achievement. (QI 1.1).

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