Transcript
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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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UK school libraries

Most actively support development of literacy and reading for pleasure

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UK school libraries

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

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UK school libraries

Primary schools

usually open only part of the day

usually run by a teacher, teaching assistant or volunteer

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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

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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

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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.

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Developing self evaluation

1. Evidence gathering and description ↓

Evaluation

2. Output↓

Impact

3. Occasional inspection↓

Continuous self assessment

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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

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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

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Self Evaluation Models - Englandbased on Ofsted themes

Improve your library:

a self-evaluation process for primary schools

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Self Evaluation Models - Englandbased on Ofsted themes

Improve your library: a self-evaluation process

for secondary school libraries and learning resource centres

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Self Evaluation Models:based on Ofsted themes

Improve your library: a self-evaluation process

for secondary school libraries and learning resource centres

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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?

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Other drivers for self evaluation

Accountability and transparency

The expectation of continuous improvement

Demonstrating the value of the library

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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And finally . . .

Remember to record everything

If possible make use of a ‘critical friend’

Make good use of your findings

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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

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