Eight things to consider when writing your SEF
There is no one way to write a school self-evaluation, but as well as writing statements, this publication includes some tips which may help. The SEF has no agreed or preferred layout. What is most important is the clarity of the information within the self-evaluation. Estyn will want to know that school leaders understand what is going well and have plans for what needs work. A good SEF is a ‘work in progress’ –there will be honesty about where the school is on its journey, which is the most crucial element. So, a good SEF should:
Be Evaluative and focus on how the school is performing with an ongoing focus on learner progress.
Inform the school’s processes for improvement (both priorities and actions)
Support sustained improvements in learning, teaching, and leadership instead of short-term ‘quick fixes.’
Identify areas of strength to be shared with others effectively.
Promote professional reflection and discussion and improve professional dialogue and understanding of where the school is at.
Inform professional learning and professional development for all staff.
It should be based on the schools’ priorities, but it should also pay specific attention to national priorities such as developing Welsh-medium education.
Schools should also ensure that their SEF helps them show impact over time. The SEF should never be written by one person, i.e., the head teacher. Instead, it should be written collaboratively so that all staff and stakeholders understand the progress made against the SDP during the academic year. There are three overarching areas for self-evaluation included in this guidance to help schools group or categorise the central regions where both issues and solutions are likely to be found and delivered:
Vision and leadership.
Curriculum, learning and teaching.
Well-being, equity and inclusion
But perhaps the most simplistic way to demonstrate is based on the three areas in the common inspection framework. This sets ‘what’ and ‘how’ Estyn inspects schools. These Inspection areas (IA’s) are as follows:
IA 1: Teaching and Learning
IA 2: Well-being, care, support and guidance
IA 3: Leading and Improving
Then, when writing your SEF, consider the following eight things:
Be clear and concise – The information must be easy to read and explain when writing your form. Flowery language is not as helpful, so write complete sentences with impact. It should also be written in Estyn's language. It should also be co-constructed by a range of stakeholders.
Add evidence – It’s essential to back up any statement you include in your SEF with some relevant evidence. This applies to successes as well as to weaknesses and targets. Evidence can take a range of forms, such as ‘hard data’ (test results or attendance data), parent view survey results, teaching and learning observations, and even the previous inspection report to refer to prior information. Estyn now includes “cameos” in their new reports. These are aspects of best practices seen in the school. Be clear about these in your school and include them in your SEF.
Refer to your SIP (School Improvement Plan) – Forgetting some elements, especially achievements, can be easy. Referring to your SIP can help to prevent this. This should also show some current targets you are already progressing toward. Be sure to include where targets from the SIP have been achieved. Reflection on what was implemented, which resulted in the success, is essential, too. Use the statements in this document to help you.
Include judgements against the 3 Estyn Inspection Categories – This may go without saying, but it’s essential to regularly reference the most current school inspection handbook. This will ensure you have covered all bases. Be evaluative in your statements. Include evidence that you can discuss based on your ongoing evaluations.
Keep it updated – Make sure to revisit the SEF termly so that it is always up to date in case of an inspection call. Aside from Estyn, this is also a tool for your school community. It is an opportunity to reflect on the last term and adapt as required for the upcoming term. This should be shared with various stakeholders as part of your professional dialogue.
Big yourselves up! (realistically) – Although there is no need for descriptive language, it’s essential to focus on your achievements and the impact of the school leadership. Make sure there is evidence of their impact. This may include comparing to previous inspections. Do not shy away from including all those key elements. Get your ‘Cameos’ and good practices in one place and show them off. These are new aspects of the inspection process aimed at showing good practices found in schools. This can be good preparation for an inspection.
You could include assessment in your evaluation – Estyn may not expect to see your in-house assessment data and tracking within the progression step. However, you must be aware of the narrative of your assessment in whatever form you use. This helps ensure your SEF reflects the impact on improving pupil outcomes. This may include reference to a cycle of monitoring of books/pupil interviews. Possibly, formative assessment or teaching and learning observations. Be clear on which groups of pupils are progressing and who might not be. Also, be clear about what progress looks like across AoLE. Do your AoLE leaders clearly understand what is happening in their area?
Exain your judgements – You may have judged based on solid evidence. Unless you ' show and tell ', this may not be obvious to others. So, be sure to explain what you base your judgements on. This can include a range of information and data sources. Anecdotal evidence can be helpful but should ideally have a measurable element. For example:
“Most pupils' listening and reading skills across the curriculum are excellent. However, the school is aware of the pupils reading below their chronological age and, as a result, this is increasing its targeted intervention. Most pupils' speaking and writing skills across the curriculum are excellent. Editing and redrafting skills have improved due to the recent implementation of new strategies. As a result, they can communicate and process learning extremely well, to engage particularly in classroom interactions with teachers and other pupils. Most pupils routinely use these skills unprompted and independently.”
However, if you do your SEF, remember that this and your website could be Estyn's first glance of your school. You want to do your best to give a good impression of what great stuff is happening and how you are focusing on the progress of Individuals on a day-to-day basis and over time and the groups of learners who are making progress. The following link might help you.
Continue the Conversation
Suppose you want to learn more about how we can support you with your SEF or ensure that you as a school are Estyn “Ready Already”, follow the links below. We have online training, or you can purchase a copy of the digital book Self-evaluation Mande Saimple for 60 pounds and make your Sef writing a breeze.
Alternatively, Get in touch with us here.
