Self-evaluation

Self-evaluation is a basic tool for supporting continuous improvement in careers education and IAG. It is a vital stage in the Diploma Gateway process, the first step in working towards quality standards and criteria and the starting point for all Ofsted inspections. When planning how to improve provision and practice, local consortia and their partners should review the effectiveness of current self-evaluation practices.

 

Effective self-evaluation requires a clear evidence base and a record of conclusions that are kept-up to-date as part of a continual cycle of self-improvement. An effective self-evaluation cycle includes the following stages.

 

Obtain the big picture– do a general ‘health check’ or audit of careers education and IAG using an appropriate evaluation framework (e.g. quality standards and criteria, an inspection framework or a self-evaluation form)

  • Ensure that evidence gathering involves the full range of contributors and participants, including young people and their parents and carers – it is important to get as many different perspectives of provision and practice as possible.
  • Update the portfolio of evidence so that it reflects the current state of play.
  • Check that the summary of findings is evaluative rather than descriptive – any overview should summarise evidence, present conclusions based on the evidence and make recommendations for action. There should be little if any contextual detail.

 

Identify priorities for improvement– sort recommendations for action into priority order. Consider which are most urgent and/or important (must, should, could do) and which of these are most achievable.

 

Plan action to improve– focus on the priorities for action and formulate action plans for each. Incorporate action points in relevant plans (e.g. development and improvement plans) and ensure that action plans include monitoring, review and evaluation arrangements.

 

Take action to improve– track progress on action to improve.

 

Evaluate action– evaluate improvements and do another general ‘health check’.

 

Check that self-evaluation outcomes contribute to all relevant quality assurance processes. Ofsted inspections of education providers, for example, look at career-related provision (e.g. how well learners are guided and supported) and its outcomes (e.g. how well learners prepare for their future economic well-being and how good are their personal development and well-being). This information should contribute to a provider’s overall self-evaluation recorded in the self-evaluation form (SEF) or self-assessment report (SAR).

 

Questions to ask yourself

  • Do organisational and/or local consortium arrangements support effective self-evaluation that involves the full range of contributors and participants?
  • How do you know?
  • What, if anything, could you do to improve self-evaluation procedures and practice and who could help?

 

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