Improving self-improvement?

Abstract

This paper asks the question ‘Is school self-improvement improving or is it something that has been tried and tested and has failed?’. In an attempt to answer this question, particular attention is paid to some of the international research literature on school self-review and evaluation, two commonly used self-improvement strategies. Approaches to self-evaluation in England and Wales and how these compare with developments elsewhere are also examined. The conclusion reached is that school self-improvement is an essential complement to external improvement initiatives if schools are to become more effective. However, more needs to be done to ensure that self-improvement is sufficiently rigorous and systematic if it is to make a difference where it matters most, namely in bringing about improvements in the quality of teaching and learning in classrooms. The paper concludes by suggesting that a way in which this can be achieved is through a multi-dimensional approach to self-improvement. Three types of self-evaluation are identified and described. Used in combination they enable a school to make a direct connection between improvements within and beyond the classroom and pupils' progress and achievement.

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