School Inspection Self Evaluation

Written for heads and teachers but also containing useful pointers for inspectors, this forward-thinking book examines exactly what the relationship between inspection and self-evaluation means for schools.

Self-evaluation in schools sits at the top of the national agenda in response to an awareness that performance tables and inspector's reports can only tell a partial story. Schools are now encouraged to raise questions about 'How are we doing?' and 'How do we know?'. Self-Evaluation: What's in it for Schools? demystifies school self-evaluation and encourages schools to be self-critical and self-confident. The book helps schools and teachers develop the necessary confidence to work with evaluation tools. Accessible and packed with case studies, it tackles the issues that are at the forefront of the national agenda in most countries in Europe. Challenging ideas for the future are given through discussion of the concerns and issues of schools in the present day.

Written for heads and teachers, this forward-thinking book examines exactly what the relationship between inspection and self-evaluation means for schools and explores some of the underpinning issues, featuring examples of best practice from successful schools. It is full of useful advice on topics such as how schools can juggle ongoing self-evaluation with OFSTED’s expectations, how to use web sources to best advantage and what can be learnt from experience to lessen the anxiety in the relationship and make it more of a friendly and formative experience for all parties. Drawing on case studies from primary, secondary and special schools, this all-round overview should be of immediate interest to practitioners while also offering students and aspiring heads and teachers a valuable source of detailed information about the processes of inspection and self-assessment.

This book traces the development of different forms of inspection. It contributes to the debate about the most appropriate and effective form of school inspection.

This book provides an overview and discussion of the evidence base of effective school inspections; reflecting on issues of validity and reliability of school inspections in relation to school effectiveness research, unintended consequences and emergent roles and responsibilities of Inspectorates of Education. Chapters include findings from systematic literature reviews and primary research while also presenting a range of practical examples from inspections systems from all over the world. The book provides relevant background materials for Inspectorates of Education who aim to improve the effectiveness of their systems and working methods, as well as clear examples for researchers aiming to analyse and understand the effectiveness of these systems. The final chapter reflects on changes in the current education landscape and discusses newer models of school inspections that fit within a more decentralized inspection system.

This book examines the role of the inspector within the context of a number of OECD member states and explores the ways in which the inspectors themselves interpret, implement and influence inspection practices and policy. Inspection policy can have various unintended consequences, some of which produce radical discrepancies between the policy intent and its implementation. A number of these discrepancies derive from the way in which the policy is articulated while others derive from the ways in which inspectors interpret and operationalise this policy. This implementation is coloured and conditioned by several factors, including the evidence on which inspectors base their judgements; what counts as evidence in different policy contexts; what counts as valid knowledge in inspection processes; the qualities needed by inspectors working in differing policy contexts and the identities that they adopt in order to successfully carry out their work. The book provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the politics and practices which colour and shape the legitimacy and operational execution of inspection policy. The work is unique in its focus on the inspectors’ role within the implementation of the inspection process— an element often overlooked in the literature. It also includes two chapters co-written by inspectors, offering unique insights into their life worlds and identities.