Three primary school leaders discuss their tenets of best practice for effective self-evaluation. We talk about the self-evaluation cycle, what it should look like, and how it fits into the wider process of school improvement.
The panel includes a practising Ofsted inspector and we discuss Ofsted’s view on self-evaluation and how we can meet Ofsted expectations for our self-evaluation practice. We also discuss how the Ofsted inspection handbook and framework can be used as a way of RAG-rating progress and impact.
Who should be involved in compiling the self-evaluation form (SEF) and what format should you use? Which formats are best? How can schools ensure the SEF is impact-focused rather than descriptive, and plays a key role in moving a school forward and raising standards? How do you ensure your SEF is a “live” document?
The podcast is hosted by Helen Frostick is a National Leader of Education and semi-retired primary school headteacher. She is also a long-standing member of the Headteacher Update editorial board. Our guests are:
- Paul K Ainsworth has held director of school improvement roles in four multi-academy trusts and currently works with Infinity Academies Trust in Lincolnshire. He has supported leaders of small rural secondary schools to large 11 to 18 urban ones, working intensively with those in Ofsted categories. He is the author of No Silver Bullets: Day-in, day-out school improvement and a TEDx speaker.
- Louise Smith is CEO of Warrington Primary Academy Trust and the Generate Teaching School and Behaviour Hub. Louise is also an executive headteacher, a National Leader of Education and active Ofsted inspector.
- Bethan Harding is headteacher of an outstanding primary school in Wales and a principal in an all-through school in England. Bethan has been a peer inspector, a leader on the National Strategic Board and member of the Education Minister’s Panel in Wales. Bethan has established school improvement hubs and written and delivered a number of training programmes internationally. In 2017, she was awarded with an MBE for services to education. Bethan has launched Harding Education, providing leadership coaching and training and a maths curriculum and learning platform called Winning with Numbers.
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For details about The Headteacher Update Podcast, or to suggest future topics, email editor Pete Henshaw at pete.henshaw@markallengroup.com