Case Study
The Process of School Self Evaluation
Training for the headteacher and SLT - an 11-16 school in south London
By 2005, a community comprehensive school in south London had seen its GCSE results improved against every indicator and KS3 targets met in maths and English. The SLT and governors remained concerned about poor value added in science in KS3 and KS4 and in three other foundation subjects.
Just before Easter in 2006, the head commissioned a programme of training to develop further the SLT and governors' ability to lead and manage improvement through effective self evaluation and planned action. After an initial planning session between the consultant and headteacher the programme was agreed:
Stage One Inspector reviewed the SEF, school data and school development plan.
Stage Two SLT training session explored the external inspector's response to the SEF in relation to data and planned actions. This session explored options for further developing the recurrent self evaluation and action cycle and decided, with consultant advice, on a refined cycle and yearly calendar for proposal to governors. In addition deputies and assistant heads worked with our consultant to share best practice in relation to their line management strategies and also identified the ways in which that practice could be used to impact on and support all middle managers.
Stage Three Training in this stage focussed on subject leaders and the process of self evaluation, using outcomes data, student work scrutiny, and learner feedback. This ensured that senior staff and subject leader expectations in relation to self evaluation were aligned.
Our consultant returned in autumn 2006 to review subject level implementation and identify any necessary further support for 2007.
