Preamble

Self-evaluation has always been a feature of St Peter's. The introduction of MER meetings in 2000 is one example of the school's understanding the importance of departments 'pro-actively' evaluating the quality of their work. The school's emphasis on the importance of lesson observations, with timetabled allowances made for Subject Leaders to carry these out, is one example of the school's 'historic' commitment to Quality Assurance, as are the Headteacher's well-established termly meetings with Subject Leaders.

More recently (2003), the school has built on the strong teaching development work of its Deputy Head by establishing a Teaching and Learning Team to lead improvements in Teaching and Learning, and has also formalised a system of line-management through which members of the Leadership Team monitor, support and challenge their subject areas.

The Units of Learning initiative, launched in 2004, has established a clear process through which all subject areas firstly evaluate the effectiveness of their work, then plan improvements.

Nationally, the new era of School Self Evaluation (SSE), marked by radical changes to the inspection regime, provides the school with the opportunity to critique its current Quality Assurance practices and knit them together into a more powerful tool for improvement. The Self-Evaluation policy must ensure all staff are clear about what is expected of them, that the school's established practicies are developed to form a coherent process which contributes to sustained improvement. Finally, it must be rigorous enough to provide evidence which satisfies external (Ofsted) criteria, and must be embedded as a key element in a regular, on-going cycle of improvement.

Aims of a self-evaluation policy

• To ensure there are systems, processes and procedures in place to give the school an accurate picture of its performance, identify strengths and areas for development and enable it to make sustainable improvements

• To lay down clear, unambiguous expectations for all staff, so that they are sure what part they play in SSE and what is required of them

• To ensure external and internally generated data are used to improve learning

• To satisfy external agencies' requirements for SSE

Obligations under this policy

The Governors should

• ensure this SSE policy is carried out

• review the effectiveness of this policy on a regular basis

• assume responsibility for areas of self-evaluation specifically designated to the Governing Body*

The Headteacher should

• ensure that staff fulfil the requirements of the policy

• review the departmental folder prior to SSE interviews (as scheduled in the annual cycle) with the subject leaders

Line-managers should

• monitor, challenge and support their subject areas to improve learning

• report to the Leadership Team on their subject areas at least three times per year

• use the line managers' file to maintain records of meetings, discussions with subject leaders

• assist subject leaders in meeting requirements for planning and auditing

• advise the Headteacher about the allocation of the discretionary budget to subject areas in the Spring Term budget meeting

Subject Leaders should

• monitor, challenge and support staff in their subject areas to improve learning

• maintain accurate records of their quality assurance work in the subject leaders' folder

• carry out or delegate at least the statutory minimum number of lesson observations

• report a grading (1-4) range within their subject / department for SEF purposes

• carry out an annual departmental or subject audit

• write and submit an annual Action Plan, based on their subject area audit

• interrogate internal and external data with the Data for Learning Manager formally once a year (Autumn Term)

• use predictive data as a basis for setting, where applicable (Pupil Achievement Tracker)

• ensure each teacher is allocated an appropriate number of Units of Learning (UoLs), as appropriate

• ensure that units of learning evaluation and improvement is a continuous part of the subject’s monitoring, evaluation and review (MER) meetings

• ensure MER meetings are used to evaluate or plan, and maintain a record of these meetings

• carry out or delegate an Annual Review for each teacher, including a review of their responsibilities for UoLs and an identification of future training needs

Teachers should

• ensure they receive their entitlement to at least the statutory minimum number of lesson observations per year

• take part in an annual Review of their performance with their HoD, or another designated member of staff

• complete the self-review as part of their Annual Review

• be accountable for their Unit(s) of Learning

• participate in subject area MER meetings

The Data For Learning Manager should

• take responsibility for acquiring and managing all relevant external and internal performance-related data

• disseminate external and internal performance-related and predictive data (Tracker) to HoDs and Subject Leaders

• interrogate and interpret external and internal performance data with Subject Leaders, focusing on improving learning (Autumn Term, post-Panda)

• ensure that performance- related targets set by Subject Leaders in their Action Plans are valid, realistic and challenging

• assist the Headteacher in setting whole school targets

• take responsibility for providing data for LEA target-setting information

The School SIMS Manager should

• ensure the availability of agreed data through the network for improving teaching and learning.