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In Inverclyde we support the National Improvement framework’s vision for education:

• Excellence through raising attainment and improving outcomes: ensuring that every child and young person achieves the highest standards in literacy and numeracy, as well as the knowledge and skills necessary to shape their future as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and effective contributors.
• Achieving equity: ensuring every child and young person has the same opportunity to succeed, no matter their background or shared protected characteristics, with a particular focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap.
• Improvements in Inverclyde schools should support the key priorities of the National Improvement Framework:
• Placing the human rights and needs of every child and young person at the centre of education.
• Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing.
• Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people.
• Improvement in skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people.
• Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy.

Statutory duties The Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000 directs, “school improvement plans (SIPs) and must be produced on an annual basis, with the task being delegated from education authorities to individual Headteachers” and “The plans must be underpinned by consultation with: Pupils; any Parent Council or Combined Parent Council established for the school; teachers employed in the school; any volunteers working in the school; local bodies representing teachers and parents of pupils in attendance at the school.”

Inverclyde Education Services has identified strategic outcomes for the children and young people in our early learning centres and schools. These are:

• Enhanced leadership at all levels will impact on learners ensuring that their outcomes continue to improve and are above national averages on all measures.
• All children and young people benefit from high quality learning experiences.
• All children and young people benefit from strong partnerships having been developed with families and the wider community. The ongoing partnerships contribute directly to raising attainment and achievement, and to securing positive and sustained destinations.
• All children and young people make expected or better than expected progress in all learning, but especially in literacy and numeracy, regardless of their background. Young people in Inverclyde use the skills they develop in our schools to achieve positive and sustained destinations.
• All children and young people in Inverclyde experience a high quality curriculum that meets their needs.
• All children and young people feel safe and included in our schools and are achieving their potential.

Continuous improvement is needed to achieve these outcomes. This guidance is intended to support schools as they undertake a cycle of improvement, providing helpful information, guidance, tools and templates that can be adapted to suit the needs of schools. However, this guidance does not address every aspect of school improvement such as vision, values, leadership of change, empowerment, creating a culture of support and challenge. Senior leaders in schools are empowered in Inverclyde to choose which sections that they feel complement and enhance their existing improvement cycle processes in order to fulfil their responsibility to ensure the strongest outcomes for their learners.The guidance is there to support all improvements including those to close the poverty-related attainment gap.

HGIOS4 specifies that self-evaluation should: • not be a ‘bolt on’ activity • focus on the key work of the school namely, learning and teaching • be able to demonstrate impact in relation to improved outcomes for learners • help teams of staff analyse the impact of their work on learners

HGIOS4 specifies that self-evaluation should answer: How are we doing? How do we know? What are we going to do now?

Using the Data Packs An annual data pack are available that supports schools to review their context and look for trends overtime and areas for improvement . HTs are encouraged to share their analysis on their data within the pack. Data analysis should include attainment data and the poverty-related attainment gap.

Using DashboardsDashboards allow schools to review BGE data on a more regular basis and allow a deeper dive on any queries raised in through the analysis of the data pack. Schools are advised to undertake an analysis of both attainment and poverty related attainment gaps before their improvement decision making. Secondary schools are also very skilled in using the Insight tool for this purpose.

Using the BGE toolkit (GLOW)The BGE Improvement Tool uses national, local authority and school level data provided to the Scottish Government by schools, via local authorities, on “achievement of CFE levels”, and “pupil census” data collection returns. The BGE Improvement Tool provides schools and local authorities with their data against nationally produced comparators. The tool is used for self-evaluation, professional reflection and benchmarking purposes. It is intended to help stimulate dialogue and improvement activity by providing a means for encouraging a better understanding of the approaches being taken by schools across local authorities to improve the educational outcomes for all children and young people. Insight is also used to comparative purposes.

Using all data It is important to remember that data is not only numerical. Other forms of data should be taken in account when planning for improvement.

• Pupil Achievement/Output - Describes the results normally your statistical data
• Programme/Input – Defines what teachers are doing to get the results they are getting
• Demographic - Descriptive information about the school community
• Perceptions - Helps us understand what all stakeholders think

There are many toolkits to support self-evaluation for continuous improvement. The ‘How good...” series features illustrations, exemplar features of highly-effective practice and challenge questions are intended to be used by all types of practitioners at all levels, and with a wide variety of different roles and responsibilities. This is a selection.

The significant relationship between effective self-evaluation and school improvement can also be seen as an “inwards, outwards, forwards” approach to help you and your partners answer the questions which remain at the heart of self-evaluation: How are we doing? How do we know? What are we going to do now?

In additional to modifying ‘How good is our school/ELC?’, to gain views of children and young people. How good is OUR school? is a bespoke publication that is intended to support improvement in learner participation in self-evaluation and school improvement.

Other useful advice/exemplification on the six design steps to participation and engagement of children and young people can be found here.

Learner Participation Guidance can be used when designing participation:

• in learning, teaching, and assessment
• in opportunities for personal achievement
• in decision making groups
• in connection with the wider community .

“A recent Scottish study has shown that schools achieving better than expected exam results, given their catchments in areas of deprivation, were all making comprehensive efforts to address learner participation across schools” learner Participation in Educational Settings (3-18)

3- 5 year self-evaluation audit cycle Establishments should plan how they will gather the views of all stakeholders: Staff Pupils Parents Partners Over a three to five year period, it would be useful for you to demonstrate self-evaluation using all of the quality indicators. In this way you will build a complete picture of your school’s work and its capacity for improvement over time and ensure no important aspects are overlooked while remaining flexible to the needs of the school. Some quality indicators may be reviewed more regularly such as 1.3, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2. .

Next steps identified from assuring quality activities should be considered

“Plans should focus on learning, achievement and wellbeing linked to NIF drivers and HGIOS?4/HGIOELC quality indicators (QIs) with clearly identified responsibilities for implementation and clear timescales which ensure priorities are achieved” Effective school improvement planning 2022 The LA school improvement plan template can support the facilitation of the LAs statutory duties.

To create a meaningful and manageable plan the following should be considered:

Schools should consider how they can support the Children’s Service Plan priorities to ensure schools dovetail with a wider political, economic and social context. By doing this all stakeholders in Inverclyde can see how schools are taking account of local priorities.

Tools such as Breakspears ‘Clarifying Canvas’ can be useful when planning collaboratively at all levels: cluster, staff, pupils, parent, partners with everyone contributing to decision making.

Plans should include a manageable number of achievable and appropriate priorities. To make planning manageable consider:

• What is my 3 year plan? No lasting change happens in one year.

• Can priorities be blended to reduce the number of priorities?
• Who will lead/ be involved? Too much change might not happen if the same people are involved

• How much time will you need? Matching your plan to working time agreements/in-service days will allow you to determine if you have enough time to implement your plan.
• What resources will you need? If the improvement is about closing the poverty-related attainment gap, how will you use PEF?
• Are their any barriers you can predict from the change you want to implement?

• Will you implement the priorities in sequence or in parallel?

When planning for PEF, schools have a duty to adhere to the conditions of the PEF grant outlined in the National Operating Guidance. The Scottish Attainment Challenge Self-evaluation resource is also a useful tool to explore the quality of your planning.

Planning for PEF

Consulting Inverclyde’s PEF guidance will support you in your planning for PEF.

The Equity Toolkit is a live resource, which is shaped by practitioners to support the refreshed mission of the Scottish Attainment Challenge.

If you wish to ‘look outwards’ to review how others are using PEF and planning for 'Pupil Equity Funding: Looking inwards, outward and forwards is a useful document. It also contains a helpful checklist to ensure your PEF spend is impactful.

All improvements within the plan should be evidence based but PEF spend rationales should reference what evidence decisions have been made. “A decade of research into educational disadvantage has shown there are no ‘silver bullets’, but engaging with evidence offers schools a valuable tool for understanding which practices and programmes are most likely to deliver the greatest impact.” EEF

Engaging your partners

Recent reports highlight why multi-agency practice is critical in closing the poverty related attainment gap and accelerating educational recovery. There are many benefits of multi-agency partnerships for schools, learners and the community. Schools should consider who can support and enhance their plans.

Plans should focus on learning, achievement and wellbeing linked to NIF drivers and quality indicators (QIs). Not all drivers will be relevant for each priority but all should be considered.

Questions to ask as you plan your tasks for improvement using the drivers:

• School and ELC Leadership (class, mid-level, SMT ) What will leaders need to do differently for this improvement to be successful?
• Teacher and practitioner professionalism (T&L practice, expectations, beliefs, skills focus) What CLPL will support the improvement, is this research based? How can existing beliefs be challenged, expectations raised? What skills will staff have after the improvement is implemented?
• Parent/carer involvement and engagement (learn together, fostering positive attitudes to lifelong learning) Who will lead the parental/carer involvement, school staff/partners? What skills will parents gain to use at home that benefit the planned improvement? How will this experience benefit the parents/carers?
• Curriculum and assessment (assessment, pupil behaviours/beliefs, curriculum input) Does this improvement complement the school’s curricular rationale? Will the design of the curriculum need reviewed? How will the curriculum need to change at school or individual level to support the improvement? What methods will staff use to assess progress and achievement? How will staff, where appropriate engage with the Teaching and Learning Cycle (moderation cycle)?
• School and ELC improvement (skills, tracking of impact, pedagogy) What skills are we looking for develop in children and young people? What, if any pedagogical change will be required? What systems/culture/practice will need reviewed?
• Performance information (QA process, attendance, engagement, stretch aims) What tracking tools are in place or will need to be created to monitor progress? How often will I monitor progress? What QA activity will take place to support the improvement? Who will undertake this?

When considering which tasks will drive forward change, the golden threads are useful to consider meaningful change. For example when improving reading as a school, could digital learning and family learning have a focus on reading? Rather than having family learning and digital learning as separate priorities. .

Outcomes should have a line of sight to the learner.Outcomes are improvements for learners not activities.

Plans should outline clear outcomes to be achieved and how progress towards these will be measured.

Questions to help schools consider how ownership of the plan will be shared: * How frequently will you review the plan?* Who will help review the plan? * How will you make your improvement/progress visible? * How can you share progress with pupils, parents, partners?

Leaders need to assure themselves that experiences of pupils are of the highest quality. Creating a quality calendar supports this process. These calendars should be manageable and lead to confirmation of quality or further improvement.

Reflective questions to consider when planning quality assurance

• Why am I doing what I am doing to assure quality?
• How can I assure quality in my daily work (informal quality assurance)?
• How can I maximise my time during learning observations?
• How do I ensure I am triangulating any evidence of quality?
• How can I engage all staff in assuring quality?
• How can staff support each other?
• How effectively does any individual feedback evoke changes in practice? How do I know?
• How well do staff engage with enquiry?
• How well does feedback lead to professional learning?
• How do I report blocks of quality assurance to the whole school? How does this influence future improvement planning?

Strategic School Improvement Calendar (Example 1)*

Strategic School Improvement Calendar (Example 2)*

Some examples of quality assuring activities (This list is not exhaustive)*

The key to effective quality assurance is to triangulate evidence

Lesson Study

A lesson study is a collaborative professional development process that allows for an in depth exploration of an individual lesson in ways that enable participants to enhance their own and their students’ learning. It focuses on these three principles:

• Teachers learn best from other teachers.
• Teachers have a moral obligation to share their knowledge and expertise.
• Cultivating students’ interest and observing how they learn is the focus of all activity.

Those responsible for improvements; department heads, DHTs, PTs or working parties should have:* Clear outcomes and measures* Progress deadlines* Planned regular progress meetingsBreakspear’s work on ‘Scheduling’ and also ‘Learning Sprints’ are useful tools to support this progress planning.

Not all improvements will be led or involve the headteacher. However the headteacher should ensure that all priorities are progressing.

All school improvement should focus on improved outcomes for learners. It is therefore critical that schools can evidence progress and adopt, adapt or abandon change/interventions where necessary. This is particularly important when tracking the impact of PEF.

Schools should therefore ensure that they develop robust learner focussed tracking and monitoring processes. Moderation of professional judgements should be in place. Data outlined previously to identify a ‘shared understanding of context’ can be used by schools to also track progress of learners.

When tracking pupil progress it is important to remember that the quantitative data may not always tell the whole story. Other data is equally important in understanding progress and what next steps should be.

Headteachers are required to produce an annual Standards and Quality report. This should be created using Education Scotland’s Key features of effective writing.

Standards and quality reports should be clear, well-constructed, and as unambiguous as possible. There should be a consistent tone and style, which uses neutral and informative language that is stakeholder friendly. Writing should be evaluative and focussed on impact. Keep text clear, plain and straightforward by avoiding unnecessary punctuation, capitalisation, jargon and acronyms, by keeping sentences short and to the point.

The six-point scale is a tool for evaluating the quality indicators and is a well recognised language of evaluation. This use of this language should only be used where schools have evidence to support this evaluation.

Quantitative language outlined below should also be used accurately when reporting on progress.

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Examples of evaluative language *

Positive evaluative language

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Negative evaluative language*

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When making evaluative comments your evaluation should be triangulated:

When making evaluative comments your evaluation should be triangulated:

Some examples of the types of evidence you may look at : *

Possible examples of evidence within QIs *

Other relevant publications The following publications may be helpful points of reference in framing improvement priorities The Scottish Attainment Challenge Framework for Recovery and Accelerating Progress - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Pupil Equity Funding looking, inwards, outwards, forwards March 2022 SAC Theory of Change Logic Model Realising the Ambition | Learning resources | National Improvement Hub (education.gov.scot) Embedding race equality in schools - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Decision-making: children and young people's participation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Whole school and community approach to learning for sustainability (LfS) - Self-evaluation and improvement framework | Self-evaluation | National Improvement Hub (education.gov.scot) Change Programme ONE - The Promise Additional Support for Learning Action Plan updated October 2021 Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scottish Education - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Cost of the School Day | CPAG Successful Approaches to Learning Outdoors | National Thematic Inspections | HM Chief Inspector Report | Inspection and review | What we do | Education Scotland Health and wellbeing: a thematic review | National Thematic Inspections | HM Chief Inspector Report | Inspection and review | What we do | Education Scotland