November 2013 Monitoring and Evaluating your School Development Plan Hollie King

In this session we will discuss: How to set up a monitoring framework; Ideas for a monitoring pack for governors; How to share monitoring outcomes with governors and build an evidence trail.

What is monitoring and evaluation? Monitoring: finding out what the school is implementing/ providing –Seeking Evidence Evaluating: finding out what difference this makes to the pupils –Assessing Impact

Who monitors and evaluates? Head and senior staff monitor, evaluate and report to governors. Governors ensure monitoring and evaluation is happening AND review outcomes of monitoring and evaluation. We do this because we are required to hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils.

Step One: Understand your School Development Plan Know what your priorities are – and why they are in the SDP. Understand how (and when) the HT and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) will monitor progress. Be clear about the success criteria.

Step Two: Develop a SDP monitoring calendar for the GB: To complement the school’s programme; To develop capacity within the GB; To provide governors with structure and focus to the monitoring role.

Some examples to discuss SDP Monitoring Calendar in October 2012 (Handout 1) In July 2013 (Handout 2) In October 2013 (Handout 3)

SDP Monitoring in School Governors’ Visits Policy Governor SDP Monitoring Pack (Handout 4) Building the evidence trail

SDP Monitoring at Meetings SDP updates – either as part of the HT’s report or as a separate agenda item – perhaps presented by a member of the SLT or subject leader. Questions, questions, questions!!

Some ideas for questions Include, as standard, these questions when discussing new initiatives: What will be different for pupils? What will be different for staff? Maintain a clear focus on “how are we going to know how much difference it is making?”.

SDP monitoring linked to Pupil Progress RAISEonline (Reporting and Analysis for Improvement through School Self-Evaluation) OFSTED School Governance Report: Learning from the Best said that ‘outstanding GBs seek information from external experts on issues such as the analysis of data relating to school improvement’.

SDP monitoring linked to the school’s budget Is there a clear and demonstrable link between the school’s budgeting and its plan for raising standards and attainment? (SFVS Question 8) Does the budget plan identify specific expenditure against the SDP, including use of Pupil Premium?

Governors’ Library Books Monitoring and Evaluation by David Marriott (Adamson 2004) Support and Challenge by NGA (2009) School Self Evaluation, Improvement and Inspection by Martin Pounce (Adamson Publishing 2012) From Governors’ Library at SCIL Tel

Websites Somerset: kwww.somersetgovernorservices.somerset.gov.u k National: nance

Reflection and Evaluation Review against original points Reflect on learning and identify key actions to take back to school Evaluate the course by completing the evaluation sheet