Inspection reports in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation: a different approach 13-09-2012

Content 1. Inspectors’ missions 2. Methodology 3. Inspection reports 4. After the inspection

Missions assigned to inspectors For a particular subject, assessing and controlling the educational standards with reference to the set curriculum Controlling whether the goals and objectives of the curriculum have been respected Assessing teaching practices, including assessment practices Checking the adequacy of the didactic materials and the school equipment : do they match the pedagogic needs? Detecting possible segregation mechanisms

Methodology Lesson observations Examination of pupils’ notebooks and documents (including the written tests) Examination of pupils’ results in the external tests Questions to the pupils Analysis of the pupils’ failure rates, rates of repeating, school career of those who failed Examination of the teachers’ lesson plans / course planning Meetings with the principal and each teacher …

Inspection report : focus on Respect of the set curriculum (contents, knowledge, knowhow…) Does the course match the contents set up in the curriculum … Quantitatively: has the curriculum been covered? If not, why? Qualitatively : do the knowledge standards match the curriculum / expected learning outcomes? Impact on the overall success rate: Are some contents skimmed through and yet assessed? Do the assessment tests focus on aspects that have not been dealt with? Can the students’ absenteeism account for the poor success rates? …  conclusion about the contents

Inspection report : focus on B. Adequacy between the learning activities and the competences Are the knowledge and the knowhow taught with the prospect of acquiring competences? Has the course been thought of and structured with reference to learning situations whose main objective is to get pupils to solve problems in relation to the competences defined in the curriculum? During the learning situations : are pupils encouraged to work both autonomously and collaboratively ? Are all the competences set in the curriculum dealt with accordingly ? Through a balanced approach? Is the continuity of the learning process guaranteed? Impact on the overall success rate: Lack of training ? Lack of training in exercise solving? Does the learning encompass a wide and varied range of training activities? Are some contents never reactivated during the learning process? Are all the set competences exercised? Are the learning situations motivating / meaningful to the pupils? …  conclusion about the adequacy

Inspection report : focus on C. Assessment of competences Are (all the) competences assessed ? If so, do the teaching staff use or produce assessment tools that are equivalent to the models of the Assessment Tools Commission (ATC)? Is the assessment reliable ? Are assessment criteria grids used ? Is there some coherence between the learning situations and the competence assessment tests ? Is the student’s knowledge tested on a regular basis? How important is it in the whole assessment process? Impact on the overall success rate: Reliability : do the students’ results match their performance level? Are the assessment criteria grids also used during the learning process? Do the pupils get their tests back after the assessment, do they correct them afterwards ? Individually? Do teachers diagnose what pupils know and then remediate by working with struggling students? Does the teacher give positive feedbacks / encourage the pupils? …  conclusion about the assessment

After the inspection : The report : is addressed to the school’s principal or the local authorities contains advice for the school’s principal the teaching staff the teachers 3 possible types of notice: Favourable if A, B and C are satisfactory Limited favourable if only A (or A and B) is (are) satisfactory + follow-up the year after or two years after Unfavorable if none of the three is satisfactory + follow-up the year after or two years after + notice sent to the national, regional or local governments (public schools) / private association

Thank you for your attention. 13-09-2012