The New Relationship with Schools and the OfSTED SEF A training seminar for school leaders

Objectives of the seminar To provide an overview of the consequences of the ‘New Relationship with Schools’ and ‘Every Child Matters’ guidelines derived from the Education Act 2005 and the Children Act 2004. To underline the centrality of a school’s self-evaluation processes in all future OfSTED inspections and the annual Single Conversation (SC) with the school’s School Improvement Partner (SIP). To provide an opportunity to review a hard copy of the on-line SEF that all schools have to maintain from September 2005. To help schools to identify their current state of play with respect to self-evaluation.

Objectives of the seminar To introduce schools to a suite of SIS software that will enable them to begin an embedded process of self-evaluation that will enable them to make the judgements needed to complete the on-line SEF and to inform their development and improvement plans. To introduce schools to a published suite of software that will shortly be available to assist them with the related processes of strategic school development planning, short term improvement/management planning, and maintenance of the SEF.

Consequences arising from the Children Act 2004 and the Education Act 2005.

New requirements Every Child Matters (ECM): Child at centre Five key focuses New Relationship with Schools (NRwS): New inspection arrangements School Evaluation Form (SEF) School Improvement Partner (SIP) Single Conversation (SC) School Profile

Every Child Matters The Children Act 2004 requires all planning to take into account the key framework focuses of ‘Every Child Matters’ and all Public Service agreement targets: Every child safe Every child healthy Every child enjoying and achieving Every child able to contribute (to society) Every child enabled to achieve economic well-being PSA – achievement by ‘looked after children’

Key Documents

The New Relationship with Schools (NRwS) Part 1 The new relationship will: Build the capacity of schools to improve with rigorous self-evaluation, stronger collaboration and effective planning for improvement. Enable talented school leaders to play more part in system-wide reform Operate an intelligent accountability framework that is rigorous, lighter-touch, and gives schools, parents and pupils the information they need. Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and remove duplication Improve data systems to put the most useful data on pupils’ progress into the hands of schools. Secure better alignment between schools’ priorities and those of local and central government.

The New Relationship with Schools (NRwS) Part 2 Alignment of 3-year budgets for schools with 3-year plans Shorter, sharper and more frequent inspections Better information to parents through the school profile High quality challenge and support for school heads from accredited School Improvement Partners (SIP) A ‘single conversation’ between the school and its SIP about priorities for improvement instead of multiple accountability to various stakeholders. School self-evaluation as the starting point for planning, inspection and the single conversation. Better data and information systems making use of the latest information on individual pupils’ progress. Schools decide what ‘communications’ they want to draw on and when.

The New Relationship with Schools (NRwS) Part 3 A ‘single conversation’ with a ‘school improvement partner 4-5 times each year Introduced over next two years – secondary first, then primary (but overlapping!) ERYC secondary schools in the roll-out of the single conversation from April 2006. ERYC primary schools scheduled for April 2007.

New Inspection arrangements All inspections to focus on, and validate, the school’s own self-evaluation processes and outcomes. All schools required to complete an on-line self evaluation form at least once a year – preferably on-going. School governors required to ‘take responsibility’ for the effectiveness of the evaluation processes. Inspection report to governors, parents and pupils.

The School Self-Evaluation Form (SEF) Came into force from 1st September 2005 Based on the old S4 (+S1, S2 & S3) Updated to include ECM focuses Includes requirements for consultation Completed on line Must be updated at least annually

The School Improvement Partner or ‘SIP’ Allocated up to 5 days to work with each school – the ‘Single Conversation’. Trained and accredited nationally Appointed, allocated, managed and quality-assured by the LEA Intention is to ‘reduce multiple accountabilities to various stakeholders

The Single Conversation (1) Inputs: The school’s self-evaluation statement and any inspection outcomes. Data on the school’s improvement and the five outcomes of the ECM framework. National and local priorities Use of the School Improvement Grant (SDG)

The Single Conversation (2) Content and process: Standards of achievement, attendance and behaviour Challenge and support for ‘bottom-up’ targets The school’s self-evaluation process Priorities for development and improvement Identify action for improvement and support Consideration of the School Profile Consideration of networks and links with other schools / agencies.

The Single Conversation (3) Outputs: Improved analysis, better planning, reduced bureaucracy School targets Advice to governors on head teacher’s performance management Package of support tailored to address school’s priorities. Recommendation on Specialist School re-designation Signing off the school’s development grant plans Commentary to the school’s governing body and the LEA.

Proposed SC calendar Visit type When In School Out of School Total Days Familiarisation visit (First year Late summer Early Autumn) 1/2 1 Target setting Autumn 3/4 1 1/4 Agree programme of support Head’s performance management 1/4 Progress evaluation visit Spring Summer

The SEF, the SC and the SIDP The SEF is the basis for the single conversation The ‘Single Integrated Development Plan’ (SIDP) will be the basis for all bids to central government and its agencies. NB The SIDP is still not a statutory requirement but life will be extremely difficult for any school without one!

The School Profile (1) Every school will be required to produce an annual School Profile, starting in the academic year 2005-06. Replaces the requirement for an annual report to parents and the annual governors’ meeting for parents. Replaces most of the school prospectus requirements.

The School Profile (2) Schools should prepare their profile in Autumn 2005 School profile guidance to schools ‘by end of September’ – (check TeacherNet) Pre-populated profiles available to schools in ‘early November’ Parents will be able to access the Profile on-line from January 2006 via the Parentscentre.

Key Documents

Please note These two documents are critical to the future of schools. They should be read by: - All school staff (teaching, support and administration) All governors They are available on Teachernet and Governornet as well as from the DfES publications centre in hard copy.

Pause for reflection and comment

School self-evaluation The OfSTED on-line SEF School self-evaluation

The OfSTED on-line SEF – its purpose Primarily designed to assist schools in their own self-evaluation but it will also: Be used as the basis for the inspection of schools and settings. Contribute to the 3-yearly joint area reviews (JARs) to be carried out in every LA. It will support the Single Conversation with the School Improvement Partner Serve as the basis for the school’s improvement planning.

The OfSTED on-line SEF The SEF is in three parts: A. Self-evaluation B. Factual Information about your school C. Information about compliance with statutory requirements

IMPROVING PERFORMANCE THROUGH SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING: AN INTRODUCTION - OfSTED Oct 2004 CONTENTS PART 1: GENERAL Introduction and the continuous cycle of self-evaluation, planning, review and monitoring for development and improvement PART 2: WHAT IS THE BASIS OF EFFECTIVE SELF-EVALUATION? PART 3: WHAT IS OFSTED’S SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION FORM (SEF)? PART 4: GUIDANCE ON COMPLETING THE EVALUATION SECTIONS OF THE SEF

Part 1:General Why is self-evaluation integral to school development and improvement? What is the basis of effective school development planning? The continuous cycle of self-evaluation, planning, review and monitoring for development and improvement (diagram)

Part 2: WHAT IS THE BASIS OF EFFECTIVE SELF-EVALUATION? Whatever approach schools adopt, there are some acid tests of its effectiveness: Is our school’s self-evaluation based on a good range of telling evidence? Does the self-evaluation identify the most important questions about how well our school serves its learners? How does our school compare with the best comparable schools? Does our self-evaluation and planning involve key people in the school and seek the views of key groups, eg parents, learners, other agencies? Is the self-evaluation process integral to our key management systems? Does our self-evaluation lead to action to achieve the school’s longer term goals for development?

Why is self-evaluation integral to school development and improvement? “School self-evaluation is an on-going developmental process which effective schools employ in order to identify their strengths and weaknesses and, consequently, their key priorities for improvement. It leads to action and evaluation and monitoring of that action. It needs to be undertaken openly and honestly and be embedded in the culture of the school. School self-evaluation, leading to a single School Development Plan, is an essential component of intelligent accountability; it ensures that school leaders are at the heart of the quality assurance process.”

Part 3: The Self Evaluation Form (SEF) The SEF will be the starting point of the dialogue in short notice inspections to check whether the school knows itself well – and to confirm the basis on which the school has made its judgements. Inspectors will check that the judgements made in the SEF fit with their view of the school. To avoid inspectors drawing conclusions about a lack of quality in leadership and management, head teachers and governors will want to ensure that their self-evaluation processes do not lead them to partial or inadequate judgements.

The Self Evaluation Form (SEF) The SEF and the evidence underpinning it will also inform the conversation between the head teacher and the SIP, as part of the school’s own accountability process.

Part 4: Guidance on completing the evaluation section of the SEF (1) Keep it simple and keep it accurate Make clear judgements and justify answers with a brief summary of the evidence. Assertion is not good enough! Refer, briefly, to data such as performance and attendance figures, where it is available. Refer to other reliable evidence where there is no clear cut data. Indicate clearly where other more detailed evidence can be found should it be needed.

Guidance on completing the evaluation section of the SEF (2) The ‘how do you know’ question is repeated many times over in the SEF and is very important. Evidence should be used selectively to support main conclusions on the school’s performance. Avoid focusing on what the school provides - the SEF focus is on the learners’ development. REMEMBER, the key focus is actual development – the outcomes/impact of provision.

Guidance on completing the evaluation section of the SEF (3) An effective SEF serves as an excellent basis for school improvement. NB The overall summary judgement in the last section of the SEF must be clear and consistent with the rest of the SEF. Overall judgements must be substantiated by easy cross-referencing to what is said elsewhere.

Documents to support completion of SEF Every Child Matters – Framework for the inspection of schools in England Using the evaluation schedule – Guidance for inspectors of schools Grade descriptions for evaluating ECM outcomes – OfSTED training guide

Documents to support completion of SEF PANDA Report – OfSTED Introducing the new PANDA Report - OfSTED Charter Data Pack –ERYC/SIS FFT: Analyses to support Self-Evaluation ALPS analysis - LSC (post-16) Foundation Stage Profile – ERYC/SIS On-entry assessment data

Documents to support completion of SEF Exemplar SEFs (from OfSTED website) (Nursery – not yet available) Primary Secondary – various Special (PRU – not yet available)

The Single Integrated Development Plan a.k.a the school development and improvement/management plans Hereafter to be known as the ‘Single School Plan’

The single integrated plan Schools should aim for a Single Integrated Plan which: has both short term (the year ahead) and medium term (3 - 5 years ahead) goals concentrates in the short term on a small number of priorities for improvement that will impact on learner achievement and well-being. (A common problem with school plans is that they may attempt too much, and distract energy from the most important issues.) encompasses all school initiatives and meets the needs of all partners for planning documentation covers partnership work with other schools and work with the wider community, as well as school-centred work

And: is clear about concrete outcomes and success measures (usually outcomes that can be expressed in terms of learner achievement), and provides a basis for monitoring how the plan is progressing is clear about who is responsible for action, and about deadlines for action is clearly linked to resources and costing is subject to systematic monitoring, review and evaluation

An effective Single Integrated Development Plan should: communicate a clear, unique vision, with both short and long term objectives and improvement priorities, reflecting the needs and views all of stakeholders and focusing on no more than 3 to 5 goals per year be practical and achievable, offering high impact strategies for improvement and development, including short and longer term activities, depending on circumstances be a clearly written working document that will be used as part of the on-going in-year evaluation process to guide and inform in-year decisions, evaluate and monitor shorter term targets and be revised as necessary as part of the self-evaluation process. As such it will have clearly defined objectives, timescales, milestones, details of who is accountable for what actions, and how the activities will be monitored and evaluated

It should also: offer challenging targets that drive the school forward by being focused on learner achievement, with success criteria for activities related to learner outcomes for teaching and learning enable effective financial planning, with improvement and development priorities costed within budget and in line with budget priorities provide a framework for performance management that supports priorities for improving teaching and learning for learners

And: encompass all school initiatives and provide clear information which will meet the needs of bodies who previously required separate documentation for bidding, monitoring or evaluation purposes. have a strong community dimension, reflecting partnerships beyond the classroom and show how the school will link with its partners, such as local schools, consultants and others in the wider community to improve outcomes in teaching and learning for learners at the school and/or in the community. involve and be approved by the Governing Body

Some helpful activities to start you on the journey – if you are not already underway!

Activity: Reviewing the SEF Review the seven areas of the SEF and the key questions for each section. For which questions do you already collect evaluation evidence in a systematic way in your school? Identify those questions for which you do not currently collect evaluative evidence. How do you currently collect evaluation evidence? How might you begin to collect additional evaluation evidence? Which aspects are going to present the biggest challenge for your school?

Your current state of play Use the criteria on the new 4-point scale to assess where your school is now in terms of the quality of evaluation practice. Explain to a colleague the basis on which you have made the assessment of your current position. What would you identify as your school’s evaluation strengths and weaknesses?

Activity: Evaluating an ECM focus Select any one ECM focus BUT NOT 3b (Standards of achievement) and, after reflection and with the help of the grade descriptions, determine the grade that you consider appropriate for you school. Tell a colleague what grade you have chosen and then discuss the evidence that you would place alongside your SEF to justify your evaluation.

Using the SIS SEF tool This tool was developed by SIS staff as a temporary ‘fix’ to help schools begin work on their SEF. The tool asks you to come to a self-evaluation judgement by reflecting on your policies, dissemination and practice, and the procedures you have in place for monitoring progress and evaluating impact. The most important evaluation to make is not what you do, but what effect/impact it has and how you would evidence this.

SchoolCentre software A helpful way forward SchoolCentre software An on-line management tool Incorporates all your school plans Takes you through an integrated evaluation process Collates and stores all your evidence Sends your completed SEF directly to OfSTED Enables you to share planning with a wide range of partners of your choice.

Pioneering the future or climbing ‘Everest the hard way’ A seismic shift in the landscape in which schools now find themselves Not only has the game changed but also the rules (the referee may also be about to change!) Success will depend on leadership, effective management and team playing.

Good luck with the journey!