The ABACUS a qualitative approach to self-evaluation Designed by John Pearce working in Westfield School Sheffield March 2006 Updated with SEF Criteria for 2009 (not yet for 2010) © 2010

Mathom House 152 Carter Lane East South Normanton Derbyshire DE55 2DZ Tel: Mob: This slideshow is copyright but may be used for non-profit making, educational purposes, as long as the source is acknowledged. For commercial use please contact: ABACUS © John Pearce 2006

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PLAN RE PLAN DO REVIEW DO I M P A C T ? EVIDENCE? The ABACUS is a simple tool to aid the self-evaluation (action research) process….

The next slides concentrate on using the ABACUS on whole school provision using Oftsed criteria. However, the ABACUS may be used with other clear criteria and has been used successfully, as a planning tool using: head teacher standards, student achievement levels, behaviour issues and personal objectives in Life Coaching. In a leadership role the ABACUS may be used to explore where you and school, or department/area want to be (right hand box) and how to get there… A key issue therefore is for colleagues to be precise about current performance and future expectations… being good or better are not criteria. “All students feel safe”, “Increasing Level 5s to 90%” and “increasing out of hours activities” are criteria. When leaders work hard at identifying precise and relevant success criteria, all else follows… Notes

The SEF (Self Evaluation Form) tests the capacity of school leaders to make judgements about provision and then identify action to progress… Typically, evidence is studied first, in order to form a judgement in each area. However, the ABACUS encourages teachers and leaders to trust their professional judgement, start with it and then look for evidence to prove it!

THE ABACUS PROCESS ENCOURAGES YOU TO: 1. Make your judgement 2. Justify, or modify your judgement, the light of evidence and the judgement of others. 3. (Most important of all), identify the appropriate action to get you … Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Self-evaluation Abacus © John Pearce 2006 A2.1 Attainment A2.2 Learning and progress A2.4 Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning A2.6 Pupils’ behaviour A2.8 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community A2.10 Workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well- being A2.11 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development A4.1 Leadership and management in ambition and driving improvement A8.2 Capacity for sustained improvement A8.3 Overall effectiveness OutstandingGoodSatisfactoryInadequate Criteria for judgement Slide the beads to where you judge the school to be on each criteria Compare judgements with colleagues Discuss evidence that challenges or supports each judgement… Then agree the judgement. Note: The green beads are arguably the most critical in achieving sustained improvement If you find the judgement difficult - use Ofsted Criteria to help you decide NB These are just 10 selected from 31 areas in the 2009 SEF framework

Self-evaluation Abacus © John Pearce 2006 OutstandingGoodSatisfactoryInadequate An example school… A2.1 Attainment A2.2 Learning and progress A2.4 Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning A2.6 Pupils’ behaviour A2.8 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community A2.10 Workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well- being A2.11 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development A4.1 Leadership and management in ambition and driving improvement A8.2 Capacity for sustained improvement A8.3 Overall effectiveness Note the overall pattern of beads In this example (based on a real school) a new leadership team has yet to make a difference to standards but they are having an effect on ethos – so, they are, arguably, demonstrating a capacity for improvement.

Self-evaluation Abacus © John Pearce 2006 InadequateSatisfactoryGoodOutstanding Pupils' attainment When the judgement is agreed – imagine a vertical line – this is your current position

Self-evaluation Abacus © John Pearce 2006 Effectiveness of leadership & managementInadequateSatisfactoryGoodOutstanding

Helping factors? Hindering factors? What I have done has made me what I am What I will do will make me what I will be Weaken the hindering forces Strengthen the helping forces Where are we now? Where do we want to be?

Force field planning…. (based on Kurt Lewin 1948) CURRENT HELPSHINDERS FUTURE Success Criteria helps hinders/barrier Identify what helps and hinders in your CURRENT situation, locking you to where you are. Now, weaken the hindering forces and strengthen the helping forces. You will then move closer to your success criteria… The ABACUS planning sheet allows you to create detailed, prioritised plans…. (separate handout) See ABACUS Planning Sheet to aid this process

Self-evaluation Abacus © John Pearce 2006 OutstandingGoodSatisfactoryInadequate BLANK FOR COMPLETION NAME:Date: A2.1 Attainment A2.2 Learning and progress A2.4 Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning A2.6 Pupils’ behaviour A2.8 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community A2.10 Workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well- being A2.11 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development A4.1 Leadership and management in ambition and driving improvement A8.2 Capacity for sustained improvement A8.3 Overall effectiveness

ABACUS I’m keen to discuss these developing ideas and explore ways of progressing them also