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Press release: Ofsted calls for a culture of self-evaluation in schools, colleges and local authorities

In the best institutions headteachers, principals and council leaders have prioritised a continuous process of self-evaluation which they lead personally and which is clearly built into management systems. Best practice in self-evaluation: A survey of schools, colleges and local authorities, published by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) today, also found that institutions are at very different stages of development, but all are revising their self-evaluation systems to cope with change.

The report recommends that to extend best practice in self-evaluation schools, colleges and local authorities should focus self-evaluation specifically on the impact of provision on the outcomes for children and young people, while taking account of the views of a wide range of stakeholders and using the findings from self-evaluation to inform priorities when planning for development. Primary schools should also extend their self-evaluation to reflect the whole curriculum.

The report illustrates that self-assessment should be part of a continuous process for schools, which is governed by the needs of the institution, rather than by the requirements of external bodies. The report is based on visits by inspectors to schools, further education colleges and local authorities, whose previous inspection reports were positive about their self-evaluation and quality assurance.

The report finds that the success of self-evaluation in the institutions surveyed resulted, to a considerable degree, from the high priority given to it by senior managers. The headteachers, principals, council leaders and managers shared a firm belief that, to bring about improvement, it was essential to have a clear idea of where strengths and weaknesses lay.

Self-evaluation in these schools, colleges and local authorities was based upon regular internal reviews which supported, but did not replace external inspection. Self-evaluation was clearly built into their management systems. Rigorous analysis of strengths and weaknesses, particularly of teaching and learning, led to the clear identification of priorities and strategies for improvement.

David Hinchliffe, Ofsted’s Deputy Director of Education, said:

“It is vital that schools, colleges and local authorities have a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses in order to drive forward improvements in teaching and learning, which is why Ofsted inspections now place considerable emphasis on self-evaluation.

“However, as this report makes clear, self-evaluation should always be part of a continuous process, which is given high priority and seen as an integral part of the culture in schools, colleges and local authorities, rather than a paper exercise completed for bureaucratic purposes.”

Another significant contributing factor to successful self-evaluation in the institutions surveyed was the commitment and full involvement of people at all levels of the organisation, including governors and councillors. Leaders ensured colleagues’ commitment by devoting considerable time to explaining, discussing and developing ideas with them, and involving them closely in their implementation.

An important element within the institutions that demonstrated best practice was the emphasis they placed on seeking the views of those who used their services, particularly pupils and students. However, schools, colleges and local authorities were only just beginning to solicit the views of external partners to inform their self-evaluation.

An increasingly sophisticated use of a widening range of performance indicators enhanced the quality of self-evaluation in the institutions surveyed. In addition, they were starting to develop local data in order to analyse in more detail, and cast light on, their own circumstances.

The report found that all the primary schools visited had very detailed information on each pupil’s progress in English and mathematics. However, the lack of detailed information on pupils’ progress in the foundation subjects in primary schools detracted from the rigour and quality of self-evaluation.

In schools and colleges, indicators to identify the personal development and well-being of young people and outcomes of the Every Child Matters agenda were at a very early stage of development.

The report recommends the following.

To extend best practice in self-evaluation, schools, colleges and local authorities should:

• take account of the views of a wide range of stakeholders to inform self-evaluation

• use the findings from self-evaluation to inform the priorities in planning for development

• focus self-evaluation specifically on the impact of provision on the outcomes for children and young people.

Primary schools should:

• extend their self-evaluation to reflect the whole school curriculum.

Notes For Editors

1. Today’s report, Best practice in self-evaluation: A survey of schools, colleges and local authorities, is available on the website.

2. Ofsted is a non-ministerial government department established under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 to take responsibility for the inspection of all schools in England. Its role also includes the inspection of further education, local authority children’s services, teacher training institutions and some independent schools. During 2001, Ofsted became responsible for inspecting all 16-19 education and for the regulation of early years childcare, including childminders.

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