power point kathy lemaire novo

1

Finding the evidence:School libraries and self evaluation

Kathy Lemaire OBE BA DipLib MCLIPFormer Chief Executive,

The School Library Association

Conference on self evaluation of school librariesLisbon

3rd November, 2008

2

What is self evaluation?

Why self evaluation is an essential tool

The drivers for school and school library improvement

How the UK model came about

3

It is not enough to understand what we ought to be, unless we know what we are; and we do not understand what we are, unless we know what we ought to be.

T.S. Eliot

4

5

The political background

Education law is created by : The Scottish Parliament The Welsh Assembly

The Northern Ireland Assembly The UK Parliament (England)

and managed by Local Authorities Individual schools

6

School libraries in the UK

Non-statutory status Most schools have libraries Most provide books, magazines, CD-

ROMs, Internet access Most give some training to students on

research skills and using the library Often targets for budget cuts

7

UK school libraries

Most actively support development of literacy and reading for pleasure

8

UK school libraries

Most give some training to students on research skills and using the library

9

UK school libraries

Primary schools

usually open only part of the day

usually run by a teacher, teaching assistant or volunteer

10

UK school libraries

Secondary schools

may be run by qualified or unqualified librarian or a teacher, often with student helpers

usually open longer hours, often before and after school for homework and reading clubs

11

12

Review of standards in schools External review – Inspection by official bodies

Internal review – carried out by the school

Internal review is becoming more formal and extensive

13

Inspection of schools England: The Office for Standards in Education

(OFSTED) Wales: ESTYN Scotland: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate (HMIE) Northern Ireland: The Education and Training

Inspectorate (ETINI)

All have been moving towards a model of schools evaluating their own performance.

14

Developing self evaluation

1. Evidence gathering and description ↓

Evaluation

2. Output↓

Impact

3. Occasional inspection↓

Continuous self assessment

15

New Haven public school criteria for libraries: Relationships: with students, staff, principal, parents,

etc Role: as teacher, education leader, manager Services: newsletters, email Facility: layout, desk, seating, access, scheduling Programmes, collaboration, research methods Collection: resources, reference, periodicals Technology: number of computers, online and other

technology

16

Self Evaluation Model - Scotland

How Good is Our School?

How Good is Our School Library Taking a Closer Look at the

School Library Resource Centre

17

Self Evaluation Models - Englandbased on Ofsted themes

Improve your library:

a self-evaluation process for primary schools

18

Self Evaluation Models - Englandbased on Ofsted themes

Improve your library: a self-evaluation process

for secondary school libraries and learning resource centres

19

Self Evaluation Models:based on Ofsted themes

Improve your library: a self-evaluation process

for secondary school libraries and learning resource centres

20

Self Evaluation Model Themes� How high are standards?� How well are students’ attitudes, values and

personal qualities developed?� How effective are teaching and learning?� How well does LRC provision meet pupils’

needs?� How well are pupils guided and supported?� How effectively does the school work with

parents and the community?� How well is the LRC led and managed?

21

Other drivers for self evaluation

Accountability and transparency

The expectation of continuous improvement

Demonstrating the value of the library

22

23

Self evaluation

Range of activities – assessing, appraising, monitoring, auditing etc

Undertaken from within – looking inwards and outwards

Reviewing the past, taking stock of the present and planning for the future

24

Development planning

“Policies are helpful management tools; development planning is management itself…...Development planning helps schools determine priorities for action and turn good intentions into actions”

Stewart Robertson HMI

25

What does self evaluation involve?

Agreeing focus – on specific areas of work Deciding indicators – activities that

demonstrate success Gathering evidence – how you know they

are taking place Planning development – taking place after

evaluation to improve service / activities

26

Focus of evaluation

How the library / librarian might:

support teaching and learning develop students’ information literacy skills help raise standards support students’ reading for education and

for pleasure affect students’ learning outcomes

27

Why evaluate your school library?

Develop a shared vision

Transparency

Demonstrate your value

Support whole school strategic planning

Basis for development / improvement

Support budget bids

Evidence for school Inspectors, school Governors, SMT

Salary and status

Comparison with national/local benchmarks

28

And finally . . .

Remember to record everything

If possible make use of a ‘critical friend’

Make good use of your findings

29

Weblinks

http://www.informat.org/schoollibraries/

http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/hgiosjte3.pdf

http://www.slainte.org.uk/slic/schoollibs/performance.htm

http://www.hmc.org.uk/publications/Making-self-evaluation-work.pdf

30