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Bryan Slater Director of Education |
Distribution |
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TO ALL
HEADTEACHERS AND CHAIRS OF
GOVERNORS – ALL SCHOOLS |
The attached document is provided for your information:
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ACTION |
Title
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Norfolk
School Self Review (NSSR) |
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Summary of contents |
Update re
NSSR developments: §
Nationally §
Locally §
Spring/Summer
RDA Agendas §
New
timescales for completion of the Norfolk Self Review |
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Associated documents |
School Self
Review Website |
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Date |
20th
January 2004 |
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Summary of action required |
To
incorporate updated guidance into the schools NSSR process and preparation
for Spring/Summer/Autumn term RDA visits |
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To be completed by |
School Self
Review Summative Statement to be completed by Friday 10th December
2004 |
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LEA Contact |
Terry Cook |
( |
01603/433276
Ext 178 |
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E-mail address |
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Norfolk Self Review reference |
7. How well
is the school led and managed? |
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Document reference |
MI 28/04 |
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Dear Colleague
Norfolk School Self Review
In the light of changes resulting from the introduction of the new Ofsted framework in September 2003, and the outcomes of our own monitoring and evaluation of the Norfolk School Self Review, I am writing to inform you of the refinements and developments we are making to the self review process. These are timely, particularly as David Miliband announced at the North of England Conference on 8th January 2004 that, “the time is right to embed honest hard-edged self evaluation across the whole system”. This is a view that we have supported for some time and was paramount in the decision to develop the Norfolk School Self Review model. This position has been further supported by John Dunford, General Secretary for SHA, when he stated that “mature school self evaluation reports on performance across the board and it is not necessary for external inspection to replicate this”.
Therefore the time is now right to ensure that we embed effective self review in all of our schools and provide support strategies to enable this to be undertaken effectively. The refinements and developments being undertaken will be fully explained to you by your RDA on their next visit. The key points they will outline are as follows:
§ The next school self review summative statement will not now need to be completed by 1st July 2004. Instead it will be timed to be completed by Friday 10th December 2004. This will mean that the summative school self review will coincide with the target setting process and at a time when pupil achievement tracker / interactive autumn package and validated National data is available. It is important to stress that the monitoring and information gathering process for school self review should be ongoing throughout the year, and should all be brought together to compile a summative statement by the end of the autumn term. This will ensure that the outcomes of school self review are available to support target setting, the identification of school improvement and development planning priorities and inform budget setting.
§ School self review should be seen as a cyclical process which is ongoing and if circumstances change at any time within the cycle the school self review grades and associated text can be amended / updated at any time, in negotiation with your RDA.
§ The new Ofsted framework places more emphasis on the outcomes of classroom observations in terms of the quality of learning, attainment and achievement. Therefore classroom observation is a vital component of the evidence base upon which self evaluation is conducted. RDAs can support this process effectively in individual schools, both via direct observation themselves, and by working with key staff and senior managers in undertaking joint observation and guidance training on classroom observation. Therefore over the next two terms the key emphasis of RDA visits will be on classroom observations. The nature and extent of this will be negotiated between the headteacher and the RDA.
§ To support schools in their monitoring activities and the gathering of evidence upon which to evaluate school effectiveness via self review we will continue to provide schools with a range of monitoring systems/tools. The latest “tool” we have developed relates to SEN. A separate letter outlining the SEN monitoring programme is being sent to all schools. To support the implementation of this programme, all schools are being allocated an extra half day RDA visit during the summer term 2004. This will enable your RDA to support you in using this evaluation tool.
Update on the Norfolk School Self Review Website:
The 2003 School Self Review data has been returned to the Headteacher’s prepared data section where this can be edited. This is in response to feedback from a number of headteachers on the use of the NSSR Website, Headteachers will be able to edit their 2003 record and then resubmit for the next academic year avoiding the necessity of starting the process from the beginning and reducing the need for unnecessary typing. We do hope that this will help in the process, please let us know if there are any problems.
We will not be sending out additional RDA agendas for the Spring and Summer Term visits as these will cover the following items:
§ Classroom observations / joint monitoring with senior management
§ SEN monitoring programme
§ School Self Review priorities
§ School specific priorities
Self evaluation is a key aspect of the new Ofsted framework and as stated by David Miliband at the North of England Conference “is a crucial component in the school improvement / inspection process in the future”. In Norfolk we have been a leading LEA in devising and implementing the school self review, and our process of following the strategy of an LEA moderated programme is in the forefront of National developments. The key to success in any school self review model is secure evidence and critical evaluation that focuses on improving the standards for all pupils. There is likely to be further national guidance on self evaluation but we are sure that Norfolk schools that
/3
use the NSSR rigorously are very well prepared for current and impending national requirements.
I look forward to your continued involvement with us in developing this key aspect of school improvement.
Yours sincerely
Dr Bryan Slater
Director of