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The role of self-assessment and
key skills
The responsibility for improving the quality of provision, including
key skills if they are delivered as part of the curriculum, lies firmly
with each learning centre. Schools are required to complete an annual
self-evaluation form (SEF). The SEF is submitted electronically and should
be an accurate diagnostic assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of
the provision offered by the school. Integral to the self-assessment process
is the school improvement plan which maps the priorities for action and
sets out how these will be implemented. For more information relating
to the SEF visit the Ofsted website:
www.ofsted.gov.uk.
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Implications of the SEF for senior managers
and key skills coordinators
If the school is offering key skills as part of its curriculum an analysis
of the quality of that provision will need to be carried out based on
the five key questions that underpin the Common
Inspection Framework.
These questions are:
- How well do learners achieve?
- How effective are teaching, training and learning?
- How well do programmes and activities meet the needs and interests
of learners?
- How well are learners guided and supported?
- How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement
and supporting all learners?
For each of the questions key skills coordinators will need to demonstrate:
- what is going well and why
- what needs improving
- how improvement will be monitored, achieved and evaluated.
Judgements made about the quality of key skills teaching and learning
and the effectiveness of the provision as a whole will need to be based
on accurate and reliable evidence. Key skills retention and achievement
data will need to be captured and used to demonstrate trends over time
(usually a three year period). In addition, managers will be expected
to demonstrate how this data has been interrogated and responded to in
order to set informed targets aimed at improving the quality of key skills
provision in the school.
The role of the SEF within the inspection
process
The new inspection arrangements place emphasis on schools demonstrating
the validity of the judgements contained in their SEF. Inspectors will
check the capacity of the school to quality assure its provision accurately
and to improve or maintain high standards. In particular, there will be
a strong focus on testing the school's view of the quality of teaching.
Key skills coordinators will need to be aware of this when making judgements
about the quality of the key skills provision in their school. All judgements
will need to be based on rigorous and accurate evidence that can withstand
scrutiny.
The SEF is one of the key documents used by the lead inspector to inform
the pre-inspection briefing (PIB) which is shared with the inspection
team. The PIB highlights any pertinent issues and outlines the particular
aspects the inspection will focus on. If key skills provision has emerged
as a particular strength or a particular weakness then managers can expect
this to be explored further during inspection.
References to the accuracy of the SEF will be made throughout the inspection
report. In addition, the accuracy and effectiveness of the SEF will feed
directly into the grades given for the overall effectiveness of the school
and its capacity to improve. The SEF will also influence the judgement
that is made about the quality of leadership and management.
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Summary of this section