Self-evaluation as a concept and as a dynamic process

Recently I attended a Comenius 2.2-sponsored programme - Evaluating School Self-Evaluation, organised by Manchester Metropolitan University. The local Socrates office and the Education Division made my participation possible.

Fifteen other educators from Austria, Italy, Greece, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Latvia and Finland attended the course.

The aim of the course was to look at self-evaluation as a concept and as a dynamic process, and how it needs to be carried out by involving everyone's input - pupils, teachers, administration, parents and community.

Continuous emphasis was laid on the fact that, as a school or educational body, it is important to have clear and reachable goals that need to be self-determined. Emphasis was also placed on the need for self-evaluation to be feedback-oriented and non-threatening, a tool for self-improvement that will show off both our strengths and weaknesses, and also give us the information we need to go forward.

The first day involved a presentation by each delegate on the evaluation practices in his respective country and educational area. Being a PSD teacher in the primary sector, first I highlighted what the subject is, how the PSD primary group evolved and what the subject is and its impact on pupils.

Then I described the evaluation systems in the Maltese educational system and the evaluation exercises carried out in the PSD primary group. As peripatetic teachers who are spread out over different schools, self-evaluation is critical as is the continuous updating of our syllabus to adapt to the needs of the children and the schools.

Our Tuesday afternoon meetings reinforced the evaluation process with discussions and continuous in-service training. Also as a whole the group carried out an evaluation process where at the end of the school year the whole syllabus is revised and new resources are made.

During the course the delegates were introduced to the various methods of self-evaluation models that are being used at the moment in the UK. Andre Haynes, quality manager at the Lloyds TSB Bank, held a one-day seminar about "Quality in Education: the Excellence Model".

This was developed for the banking sector but then adapted for the school environment and distributed free of charge to all schools. Here self-assessment is just the first step, as the school has to organise itself, prioritise its needs and also plan on how to improve from its present level. This model is an excellent way for schools to organise a self-evaluation meeting and plan for the following terms.

Dave Wood, an OFSTED inspector and LEA officer, delivered a presentation on how the OFSTED system works and what the implications of an OFSTED inspection can have on a school. Ray Moorcroft, principal lecturer on Leadership and Management, not only looked at self-evaluation but also at leadership skills, which are needed to carry the school forward to its next level - and there is always a next level.

John Robinson, the course tutor, emphasised the Whole School Approach model. Here evaluation must be systematic and, at the same time, be self-empowering. There must be a vision for a sustainable future. One needs to involve all the stakeholders of the school community while, with the information gathered, keep everyone on track.

As part of this Whole School Approach, the delegates were divided into groups of three and were assigned a primary school in the local area. Each group was given an educational area of which to carry out an evaluation of during a one-day visit.

Together with my colleagues from Latvia and Italy, I was assigned to Elton Primary School to evaluate its links with the community and the parents. The school welcomed us, even though they did not know what we were actually evaluating.

However, from such things as parents in the school helping with the children and even a room where parents can wait for their children, one could feel that the community presence was quite high.

The next day a presentation of an evaluation of the school in the light of the Whole School Approach was carried out.

Through this course international links have been established, where the emphasis is on evaluating the different education systems and on how to adapt to what is best suited for our educational needs. Change for its own sake is not the right way, evaluation is needed to know the right way to change and how to go about it.