The Learning Exchange Library
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SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND SELF-EVALUATION: This page lists useful documents and links to advice and ideas about school improvement and how schools can evaluate their improvements.
The blind spot in a system that 'cannot see the children for the schools' Two quotes from this interesting article (17 January 2011) by Professor Alan Smithers, Director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research, University of Buckingham: 'Improving individual schools is a way of improving the overall system only if it can be scaled up.' and 'No matter how much the quality of teaching is improved, the curriculum reformed and exams toughened, the education system will not serve all children unless it genuinely caters for different abilities, motivations and aspirations.'
Ofsted Annual Report 2009/2010 Ofsted's summary of UK inspections taken between September 2009 and August 2010, giving an overall view of current school standards and practices.
NCPTA Gold Star Rewards 2010: Finalists' innovative school improvement ideas A summary of how the five finalists in this year's National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations awards have shown outstanding achievements in changing the life of their schools.
Quality Development Framework (QDF) Quality in Study Support has updated The Integrated Quality Framework (IQF) for Extended Services. The revised document focuses on consortia; that is, schools working with partners or clusters of schools and multi-agency partners in order to reflect the way that Extended Services are being strategically developed at a local level.
Secondary school improvement Read the strategy.
School improvement planning framework in action Read how Cumbria is using the TDA's school improvement tool.
The arts education effect Why schools with arts programs do better at narrowing achievement gaps: Sandra S. Ruppert, director of the Arts Education Partnership, a national coalition of more than 100 arts, education, government, and philanthropic organisations advocating for an increased role for the arts in schools commented in Education Week on 23 September, 2009.
The school improvement planning framework (SIPF) Tools and techniques that can help schools improve their planning, strategic thinking and implementation of extended services; helpful in matching extended services to the Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes; aims to raise standards of attainment and promote pupil well-being. The tool has been refined and developed using the experience of schools that are already using it.
Annual Review of the Children and Young People’s Plan (supplementary guidance 2007) This is non-statutory guidance for local authorities and partnerships responsible for agreeing and implementing Children and Young People’s Plans (CYPP). It is specifically aimed at officers with responsibility for the production and review of the Plan. Section 2, Gathering the Evidence and Scope, suggests key questions that local authorities should consider when preparing for Annual CYPP reviews and in examining whether they are making real progress against ECM outcomes.
How well are we doing? (International) A training manual for consultants working in community schools (written in partnership by the International Quality Partnership Team and funded by Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. The Quality Partnership, December 2008). A document used by the International Centre for Excellence in Community Schools with a focus on work being done in Eastern Europe - relevant, however, for anyone involved in developing community schools)
Self-assessment standards for community school improvement (International) A guide, written in partnership by the International Quality Partnership Team, with funding from The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, offers indicators and tools to help users identify the extent to which the values and principles of community schools are being incorporated into schools.
How good is our school? (from the Scottish HMIE Self-evaluation series) How well does your school work with parents? This self-evaluation guide will help you to evaluate your current practice and identify strengths and areas for further development.