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WRITING AN EFFECTIVE SEF AND TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR OFSTED INSPECTION

Learn how to improve school performance through rigorous self-evaluation and develop a new relationship with schools that is based on openness, honesty, and trust. This guide will help schools shape a simple and integrated process for self-evaluation that aligns with their routine management systems, incorporates the views of stakeholders, and focuses on the impact of actions on learners. Written in easy-to-understand language, this resource is essential for schools preparing for an Ofsted inspection.

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WRITING AN EFFECTIVE SEF AND TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR OFSTED INSPECTION

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  1. WRITING AN EFFECTIVE SEF AND TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR OFSTED INSPECTION

  2. A New Relationship with Schools: Improving Performance through self-evaluation • Rigorous self-evaluation helps schools to improve • Schools should shape for themselves a process that is simple and integrated with their routine management systems • Schools must listen to and do something about the views of their stakeholders • The school’s SEF should include information about the impact of its actions on learners, as intelligent accountability should be founded on schools’ own views of how well they are serving their learners

  3. WHAT IS THE POINT? ACCORDING TO OFSTED Self-evaluation is only effective if it is based on openness, honesty and trust – balancing the desire to highlight any barriers to learning facing the school with the need to challenge and seek the highest standards and levels of progress possible. Does this square with the reality of inspection under the new framework?

  4. QUESTIONS • Do you have to complete a SEF? • Do you have to complete all sections of the SEF? A, B and C • Do you have to complete it annually?

  5. Key principles • Involvement of all stakeholders • Integration with performance management, self-evaluation cycle and school improvement planning • Analysis of self-evaluation leads to well-planned and well-documented action • Keep up-to-date with OFSTED guidance, especially concerning grade judgements

  6. The Starting Point – Some Basic ‘do’s and ‘don’t’s • DO base everything on evidence, but DON’T give pages of evidence – use evidence to support judgement • DO be honest (NB relationship with SIPs) • DO be very clear about HOW you will improve areas for improvement • DON’T be descriptive; be analytical • DO focus on IMPACT • DO read the whole form first; it is very easy to repeat yourself, and may or may not be helpful.

  7. It is all too easy to diagnose a weakness and include that area for development without diagnosing exactly what needs to be done and why. An intelligent self-evaluation will identify the precise issue that needs tackling and what to do about it.

  8. Making judgements and allocating grades • Read the rubrics carefully – NB they are not always consistent • Use the Guidance for Inspectors of Schools – OFSTED publications 2005 • Discuss with SIP/LEA advisers • Make absolutely sure of grade to text match • Ensure there is a clear and consistent ‘big picture feel across all key sections’

  9. Key sections of the form May well be worth considering these areas first: • Achievement and Standards • Personal Development and Well Being • Quality of Provision – Teaching and Learning • Overall Effectiveness and Efficiency Give careful thought to consistency of judgement across these sections

  10. PRESENTATION • Bullet points?? • Font size? • Some repetition is useful – different readers for different sections (see QE PIB) • Length – 20 pages? • Use the prompts but remember they are only prompts

  11. EVERY CHILD MATTERS The Every Child Matters agenda covers issues at the heart of the inspection of every school. Issues that affect the well being of pupils have always been central to inspection judgements. Therefore inspecting Every Child Matters outcomes is not new for inspectors….but is more significant. In many ways, inspecting Every Child Matters should not be regarded as just a feature within inspection but as the main focus of the inspection itself. EVIDENCE AND IMPACT ON THE LEARNER

  12. Final checks and proof reading • Have you made the links clear between pupil progress, quality of teaching and the effectiveness of leadership and management? • Does the overall effectiveness section provide a consistent summary of the rest? • Do your judgement match the other information available to inspectors? • Have you conveyed well what others – parents, pupils and the community – think of the school?

  13. OFSTED ADVICE – before you submit! • Read it through • Is it short and to the point? • Have you answered ALL of the questions? • Are your judgements clear? • Have you reflected stakeholders’ views • Does it give a fair and honest picture of what the school is like? • Have you been clear about actions being taken to improve? • If you were an inspector what questions would your SEF lead you to ask?

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