Evaluation and improvement principles

Effective evaluation and improvement are:

• learner-centred and focused on progression

• informed by a broad range of evidence and information

• collaborative and rooted in professional dialogue

• strengthened through engagement with learners, staff, families and partners

• focused on improvement rather than documentation

• proportionate, manageable and sustainable

• continuous rather than one-off activities

Schools should use a range of evidence to develop an accurate understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement. No single source of evidence provides a complete picture.

Professional discussion, collaboration and shared enquiry help schools:

• test assumptions

• build collective understanding

• learn from effective practice within and beyond their own setting

Improvement is most effective when schools work together to:

• develop expertise

• share learning

• build collective capacity across the system