Aims

1. Self- EvaluationConference for Heads of Modern LanguagesTechnology Education CentreThursday 23rd March 2006

2. Aims • To explore the role of Self-Evaluation in the development of quality learning and teaching • To become familiar with the process of Self-Evaluation and the tools available to implement the processes • To examine how outcomes of Self-evaluation can be used to develop an action plan which will meet the aims and objectives of PRSD • To explore relevant subject specific issues

3. Organisation of the day • Introduction: the context and what we know • Coffee • Self-evaluation in the ML context Focus on: Evidence gathering Monitoring and evaluation • Setting the climate for self-evaluation • Lunch • The Revised NI Curriculum: Ready to go!? Input from James Maxwell from CCEA

4. Quick Evaluation! • Share with the person next to you what you believe to be one strength and one area for development of your department. • Even stronger • Can you explain why you believe that these are strengths and areas for development? • Could you provide tangible evidence?

5. The Self-evaluation Agenda • Evaluating Schools • Evaluating Subjects • Improving Subjects • School Development Planning legislation • Together Towards Improvement • Performance Review and Staff Development • The Reflective Teacher

6. “Self- evaluation is not an end in itself. The process and the action which follows, when implemented effectively will help to bring about improvements in the quality of learning and teaching, the experiences of the pupils and the standards that they attain.” Marion Matchett Chief Inspector (Foreword to TTI)

7. Self- evaluation Share with the people at your table • up to 5 points you know about self-evaluation • 1 thing you would like to find out in the course of the day

8. What is self-evaluation? Self evaluation is a process through which an individual teacher, groups of staff, the staff as a whole and senior management: • Reflect on current practice • Identify and celebrate the strengths of the school • Identify and address areas for improvement in their wok

9. What is self-evaluation? • Engage in personal and professional development • Focus on improving the quality of learning and teaching, and the standards of achievement in the school

10. What is the purpose of self-evaluation? • Promote school effectiveness • Improve the quality of learning and teaching • Improve the experience of the pupils • Raise the standards which the pupils attain

11. What is the purpose of self-evaluation? ethos curriculum classroom assessment etc… Pupils’experience and attainment enrolment Teaching and learning resources Staff development

12. Why engage in self-evaluation? Symptoms? • Losing attention and motivation of the learners • Not achieving • After assessment • You have seen something that you want to try • Inspection or observation

13. Why engage in self-evaluation? • A way of operating • Quality assurance tool • How a learning organisation works • Way to ensure strategic decisions are effected at classroom level • Expectation on teachers and leaders to do so

14. The Big Picture of School Improvement Context (school) VALUES Context (community) VISION AIMS SELF EVALUATION SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN DEPARTMENTS’ ACTION PLANS TERM 1 TERM 2 TERM 3 TERM 4 EVALUATION AND MONITORING MONITORING AND EVALUATION REVIEW

15. Identifying a focus No staff can sustain work on too many fronts • Systematic review of all aspects of the work • Priority in School Development Plan • Acting on the symptoms • Taking part in a new initiative You must ensure Senior Management support

16. Self-evaluation :What?Quantitative - Quantitative • Provision • Quality of provision • Outcomes

17. Benchmarking How do our results compare with other schools’, other departments’? • DE Benchmarking data • CCEA stats • Spring pack • Not a lot to get on with!

18. Benchmarking

19. Benchmarking

20. Benchmarking

21. TTI-Evaluating Subjects Ethos Learning and teaching Management Reflective teacher Knowledge of needs, abilities and aspiration of your pupils Planning for improvement Teaching and learning Classroom management Monitoring and evaluation of learning Identifying the FocusThe Quality Indicators

22. Review Monitor and evaluate outcomes Identify strengths and areas for improvement The Process Plan and implement action for improvement Prioritise areas for improvement

23. Key characteristics of self-evaluation • The procedure should be rigorous, comprehensive and fit for purpose. • All those involved should be aware of the methods to be adopted and of their part in , and contribution to the process • The evidence obtained should be both qualitative and quantitative and be externally verifiable • The sources of evidence should include school and departmental documentation

24. Key characteristics of self-evaluation • The views of the pupils, teachers, parents and the board of governors should be taken into consideration • Observation of classroom practice should be an integral part of the process of self-evaluation • The outcome of the evaluation should lead to action to achieve the indented improvements in teaching and learning.

25. Practicing the skills • Gathering evidence • Setting targets • Setting up monitoring and evaluation strategies

26. Review Monitor and evaluate outcomes Identify strengths and areas for improvement The Process Plan and implement action for improvement Prioritise areas for improvement

27. These questions lead to a continuous process of evaluation as set out below How am I doing now? What improvements have I made and what do I need todonow? How do I know my strengths and areas for improvement? How will Iknowif I have made improvements? What do I need todoabout the areas identified for improvement ?

28. Establishing the baseline. • Identification of strengths and areas for improvement • Tangible and irrefutable evidence: where and how can it be found? • Qualitative and quantitative • How can the process of gathering the evidence be mainstreamed in the work of the department?

29. Setting the target • Narrowing the focus • Framing the target in an unambiguous way • The “SMART” test • Making the outcome easily verifiable • Not all targets pass the test

30. Success criteria • The evidence that you have succeeded • Tangible, easy to measure of compare against the baseline position • Focussed on T&L • Relevant to the area being evaluated • A benchmark for everyday practice

31. Planning the action • Realistic • Plan in • The support • The professional development • The structures • The cost

32. Monitoring and evaluating • Leadership issue • Internal and external • Rigorous • Regular • Practices that can be mainstreamed • What if you are off the mark?

33. Successful Implementation • Think about one area which you have successfully implemented in your department • How did you go about it? • What factors contributed to its success? • How did you overcome the obstacles that came your way? (if any!)

34. Successful Implementation • Share these with the people at your table. • See if you are thinking along the same lines • Could you group these factors according to themes?

35. Successful Implementation • Did we miss any? • Can you agree on the top 5? In the light of the coming changes, how can we create the climate for change?

36. Shared goals • Celebrating success • Collegiality • Ethos of continuous improvement • Risk taking • Mutual respect • Openness • Humour • Accept differences • Everybody is involved

37. Good communication • Keep the thing alive • Give it profile • Innovation and creativity • Collaborative structures • Don’t panic