CASTLEMILK HIGH SCHOOL
QUALITY ASSURANCE AND IMPROVEMENT POLICY (2009)
Policy:
This revised policy takes account of the school’s Quality Assurance Policy (2002) and the various national and local advice/guidance documents recently produced.
Aim:
To provide an excellent education for all our pupils.
Introduction:
Our collegiate approach to ensuring quality is based on:-
· Systematically using self-evaluation approaches and quality indicators as outlined in ‘How Good is Our School’ (2007)
· The assumption that as reflective practitioners, quality assurance is everyone’s responsibility
· Linking this policy to our school policy on Learning and Teaching and the school improvement plan( with a focus on expected outcomes)
Every 3 years as a school we will complete a full self-evaluation audit or will take a closer look at specific HGIOS themes over the three year cycle. This school audit will inform and help us plan for any future improvements.
The school Quality Assurance calendar (Appendix 1) highlights our collegiate and rigorous approach to securing the highest quality education for all our pupils. Staff should regard these quality procedures as an additional means of support and are expected to contribute their thoughts and ideas as to how the system and indeed the quality of education for our young people can be improved.
There is a range of quantitative and qualitative data which we will use to help us reach an evaluation. Appendix 5 of HGIOS 3 suggests a list based on:
· Quantitative data e.g. STACS analysis
· People’s views e.g. questionnaires
· Direct observation of episodes of learning and teaching by peers (followed by feedback based on the teacher’s self-evaluation of the lesson to the benefit of both teacher and peer learner)
· Direct observation of a range of documents e.g. sample pupils’ work
Each department, led by the Principal Teacher/Faculty Head will carry out a yearly review in May and thereafter produce a departmental Standards and Quality report before mid June. This information will assist in the preparation of the school Standards and Quality report due with the authority before September.
Each department/faculty will produce a department policy on Quality Assurance and Improvement that reflects the school policy and quality calendar (appendix 1). This department/faculty policy will outline in more detail the roles and responsibilities of all colleagues in the department/faculty. A list of examples of self-evaluation activities used in our school is attached for information (appendix 2).
CASTLEMILK HIGH SCHOOL
Self-evaluation leading to improvement
* Please note that this is not an exhaustive list.
· Quality Assurance and School Improvement policy
· School Improvement Plan – values, aims, vision and audit sections/QI for improvement/expected outcomes
· Calendar of self-evaluation activities – planned programme of whole school
· SMT link meetings – four times per year
· SQA analysis meeting – HT/link SMT
· Standards and Quality Reports – school and departments
· Questionnaires – QUAESTOR (2005); SMT leadership 2004 and 2007;
· Department Improvement Plans – linked to School Improvement Plan
· Investors in People award – linked to Quality Indicators
· Health Promotion – school self-evaluation moderated by visiting team – 9 Quality Indicators covered
· Fast track classes in English and Maths – department self-evaluation ongoing
· Evaluations of Parents Evenings/Buddy training event/Prizegiving event debriefing
· Use of pupil questionnaires at department level
· Every Enterprise event has evaluation built into feedback for improvement
· PRD/EDR process starts with self-evaluation exercise for all staff
· Feedback following classroom observation – self-evaluation before comment from peer observer (what went well/what was tricky if anything/what to do differently?)
· New staff – meeting with HT and use of three questions above – self-evaluation of how things going shortly after induction spell
· Cross curricular groups – annual report
· Quality Review by local authority based on self-evaluation – every department completed a self-evaluation of key indicators
· School of Ambition – evaluation by SCRE – of CPD via Mary Pirie and curricular enhancement at S5/6
· Parent Reports – quality assured by PT before sampling by DHT
· Monitoring and Tracking of pupil Targets
NB This is not an exhaustive list.
CASTLEMILK HIGH SCHOOL QUALITY ASSURANCE CALENDAR 2008/2009Activity / Action / Completed by / Frequency / AUG / SEP / OCT / NOV / DEC / JAN / FEB / MARCH / APRIL / MAY / JUNE
The Curriculum - S2 & S4 options / Checking of option forms / DHT, PT Pastoral Care / Annual / /
School attainment (5-14, SQA) / SMT Link/PT Meeting Sept / SMT, Faculty Heads / Quarterly / / / / / /
Assessing, forward plans, monitoring and reporting progress and achievement / Review and recording / Class teachers, PTs, Faculty Heads, SMT / Ongoing / / / / / / / / / / /
Homework Diaries / Review / Student Tutor/SMT / Weekly / / / / / / / / / / /
Pupil Jotters and Classwork / Sampling / Class teachers, PTs, Faculty Heads / Monthly sample / / / / / / / / / / /
Working in Classrooms (meeting pupil needs) / SMT, PT classroom observation / Peer, PTs, Faculty Heads, SMT / Planned programme / / /
S1 Reports / Department PT review and DHT for overall review / DHT / Twice per year / /
S2 Reports / Department PT review and DHT for overall review / DHT / Twice per year / /
S3 Reports / Department PT review and DHT for overall review / DHT / Twice per year / /
S4 Reports / Department PT review and DHT for overall review / DHT / Twice per year / /
S5/6 Reports / Department PT review and DHT for overall review / DHT / Twice per year / /
Pupil progress tracking / 1-1 PC Meetings, Review of progress against targets at report card time, Option interviews for S2 and S4/5. / Faculty Heads, PTPC,SMT / Continuous / / / / / / / / / / /
Monitoring Individualised Educational programmes / PT review involving pupils, parents and other agencies / PT SfL / Continuous / / / / / / / / / / /
Attendance / Review of daily, monthly attendance statistics, Attendance Councils / SMT, ELO, PT Pastoral Care / Daily, Monthly Comparisons / / / / / / / / / / /
Behaviour / Remove monitoring / SMT / Fortnightly / / / / / / / / / / /
Staff Views through cross curricular groups and PT Meetings / PT Meetings / SMT / Termly / / / / / / / /
Cross Curricular Groups / SMT / Annually / / / / / /
Pupils Views / Pupil Council / 3 times per year / / /
Parents Views / Parental Questionnaires, Quality Review, Voice of the Customer research / SMT / 3 times per year / / /
Health & Safety Checks / Meetings Amey/Council/SBM, Tour of Building / Council, SBM ,Amey / Termly
Progress towards Improvement plan targets / 4 Link meetings per year , SMT meetings / SMT / Termly / / / /
Staff Review / PRD, PSP (Support staff) / Line Manager, employee / Annually /
CHS Quality Assurance and improvement policy 2008-09