Self-evaluation in schools sits at the top of the national agenda in response to an awareness that performance tables and inspector's reports can only tell a partial story. Schools are now encouraged to raise questions about 'How are we doing?' and 'How do we know?'.
Self-Evaluation: What's in it for Schools? demystifies school self-evaluation and encourages schools to be self-critical and self-confident. The book helps schools and teachers develop the necessary confidence to work with evaluation tools. Accessible and packed with case studies, it tackles the issues that are at the forefront of the national agenda in most countries in Europe. Challenging ideas for the future are given through discussion of the concerns and issues of schools in the present day.

What does the new OFSTED framework mean for me as a teacher? How will it change what happens in schools and classrooms? This new text guides you as new or trainee teachers through all you need to know about the 2019 OFSTED inspection. It helps you understand and reflect on the context of the new framework, as a professional. It dispels many of the myths that you might hear in schools and provides much needed clarity and detail. The book: * Explores the context of the publication of the new framework and what this might mean for schools and teachers * Demonstrates how the framework links to what happens in classroom and to school level priorities from SLT * Includes examples of outstanding practice to learn from * Features a mythbusting section to understand the facts about OFSTED * Helps you understand, prepare for and approach OFSTED inspections with confidence.

School evaluation is often linked to issues of accountability, performance assessment, regulation and inspection, where the work of teachers and/or the functioning of the school becomes the subject of critique. School Evaluation with a Purpose explores the latest thinking surrounding external and self-evaluation in schools. Examining teacher professionalism, reflective practice and what really matters in education, it considers the key challenges around current evaluative practice and puts forward alternative methods of evaluation, placing reflective practice and teacher professionalism at its heart. Exploring the stories of evaluation and the practice of resilient schools and school leaders in five European contexts, the book aims to support and promote the agency of teachers, school leaders and students. This book will be of particular interest to school leaders internationally, researchers, master's students of Education and Education Leadership, and policymakers responsible for law enforcement in the field of school inspection.

Since June 2004, millions of parents and teachers across the United States have been receiving report cards in the mail alerting them that their local schools have "failed." For many Americans, this was the first introduction to President Bush's controversial "No" "Child Left Behind" legislation, which calls for expanded student testing, more stringent accountability requirements, and annual school-focused report cards at the state, district, and school levels. The legislation ties substantial federal funds for disadvantaged students--which many schools have already been receiving for almost four decades--to performance requirements dictated by the new legislation.
But are these report cards accurate? "In America's "Failing" Schools," W. James Popham provides parents and teachers with explanations of "No Child Left Behind" as a whole, walking them through the implications for standardized testing in particular, in language that is uncomplicated and straightforward. Popham offers definitions of the law and its key terms, explanations of what it really means when a school is labeled "failing," and concrete suggestions for what can be done in response.
Because parents with children in failing schools will now have the rare option of transferring their children to other, non-failing schools, they will need to understand why a "failing" school may actually still be a good school. Similarly, the teachers and administrators at both failing and passing schools need to know whether their school's label was truly deserved, and how to bring about the changes required by the new legislation.
Whether parent, teacher, administrator, or involved citizen, anyone concerned with the state ofeducation in the U.S. will want to read "America's "Failing" Schools,"

This book critically examines the concepts of teacher knowledge, the effectiveness of teaching, and the relationships between these and the context in which teachers work and live. Providing an original analysis of empirical evidence from the UK Department for International Development's substantial 20-year language teacher education programme in China, this study demonstrates how both the understanding and effectiveness of teaching and teacher education are shaped by cultural contexts and traditions. The author points out the difficulties caused when teacher educators fail to realise this. Qing Gu also reveals the importance of identifying variations in teacher knowledge within single cultures and areas of common ground across cultures, articulating the key findings for sustaining and improving the long term effectiveness of teacher education programmes within the contemporary context of internationalisation.

American schools have always been locally created and controlled. But ever since the Title I program in 1965 appropriated nearly one billion dollars for public schools, federal money and programs have been influencing every school in America. What has been accomplished in this extraordinary assertion of federal influence? What hasn't? Why not? With incisive clarity and wit, David K. Cohen and Susan L. Moffitt argue that enormous gaps existed between policies and programs and the real-world practices that they attempted to change. Learning and teaching are complicated and mysterious. So the means to achieve admirable goals are uncertain, and difficult to develop and sustain, particularly when teachers get little help to cope with the blizzard of new programs, new slogans, new tests, and new rules. Ironically, as the authors observe, the least experienced and least well-trained teachers are often in the most needy schools, so federal support "is compromised by the inequality it is intended to ameliorate." If new policies and programs don't include means to create the capability they require, they cannot succeed. We don't know what we need to enable states, school systems, schools, teachers, and students to use the resources that programs offer. The trouble with standards-based reform is that standards and tests still don't teach you how to teach.

Gervase Phinn is offered the post of County Inspector of Schools in North Yorkshire because of his good sense and lack of pretension. 'We don't put people on pedestals in Yorkshire', he's told, 'they nobbut want dustin'. As Gervase Phinn reveals in this warm and wonderfully humorous account, his first year was quite an educational experience.

He quickly learns that he must slow his pace and appreciate the beautiful countryside - 'Backwatersthwaite's been theer since time o' Vikings. It'll still be theer when thee finds it'. He meets some larger than life characters, from farmers and lords of the manor, to teaching nuns and eccentric caretakers. And, best of all, he discovers the endearing and disarming qualities of the Dales children, including the small boy who, when told he's not very talkative, answers: 'If I've got owt to say I says it, and if I've got owt to ask I asks it'.

With his keen ear for the absurd and sharp eye for the ludicrous, Gervase Phinn has delighted audiences with tales of his experiences as a school inspector. Now, for the first time, readers, can enjoy him too.

School inspections still have the potential to spread fear and panic through even the best-run schools, but this practical book will remove all of the anxiety, with its proven advice to help ensure a successful inspection. Ideal for all teachers, whether newly qualified or with decades of experience, FAQs for School Inspection will guide the reader calmly through the pre- and post-inspection stages, offering valuable insights into what can happen during the inspection itself. Covering recent legislative changes and everything to do with school inspection, it outlines the teacher/inspector relationship and gives advice on coping with the potential stresses of inspections. Organised into logical sections, the book covers issues such as preparing for inspection being inspection-aware the effects inspection has on you personally what happens after inspection. Complete with advice on using inspection to further personal and professional development, this ready-reference guide will allow teachers to play a confident and influential role in school inspection.

What does the new OFSTED framework mean for me as a teacher? How will it change what happens in schools and classrooms? This new text guides you as new or trainee teachers through all you need to know about the 2019 OFSTED inspection. It helps you understand and reflect on the context of the new framework, as a professional. It dispels many of the myths that you might hear in schools and provides much needed clarity and detail. The book: * Explores the context of the publication of the new framework and what this might mean for schools and teachers * Demonstrates how the framework links to what happens in classroom and to school level priorities from SLT * Includes examples of outstanding practice to learn from * Features a mythbusting section to understand the facts about OFSTED * Helps you understand, prepare for and approach OFSTED inspections with confidence.

‘Could you tell me how to spell “sex”, please?’

Gervase Phinn thinks he’s heard just about everything in his two years as a school inspector, but a surprising enquiry from an angelic six-year-old reminds him never to take the children for granted.

This year, however, he has a few important things on his mind besides the schools. His impending marriage to Christine Bentley, the prettiest headteacher for miles around, finding themselves somewhere to live in the idyllic Yorkshire Dales, and the chance of a promotion all generate their fair share of excitement, aided and abetted as usual by his colleagues in the office. But it’s in the classroom where Gervase faces his greatest challenge, keeping a straight face as teachers and children alike conspire to have him – and us – laughing out loud.

'Miss, who's that funny man at the back of the classroom?'

So begins school-inspector Gervase Phinn's second year among the frankly spoken pupils and teachers of North Yorkshire. The sight of Gervase calmly getting out his notebook and pen provokes extreme reactions from children and adults alike. He finds himself unwillingly playing the stooge to Mrs Peterson's class of juniors, confronting a Mr Swan whose hunger for lunchtime exceeds his appetite for English and alarmingly disarmed by a pupil unsure whether he is 'learning' French or German.

But Gervase is far from daunted. He's still in pursuit of his dream girl - headteacher Christine Bentley, he is ready to brave the steely glare of the officious Mrs Savage and even feels up to helping Dr Gore organize the Feoffees - just as soon as someone tells him what they are!

This is a delectable second helping of hilarious tales from the man dubbed 'the James Herriot of schools'. It will have you laughing out loud.

Escape to the country with Gervase Phinn's heartwarming tales of life as a school inspector in Yorkshire 'Gervase Phinn's memoirs have made him a hero in school staff-rooms' Daily Telegraph His colourful cast of characters have become firm favourites: the mostly mad staff at County Hall, as well as the children themselves, who find ways of embarrassing the school inspectors with innocent ease. In The Heart of the Dales, we reconvene with Christine Bentley, head teacher of Winnery Nook School and now Gervase's wife and mother of their son, the well-named Mrs Savage and not forgetting the Queen of Clean - Connie. Gervase Phinn has an extraordinary talent to entertain, and the latest instalment to the Dale Series is heart-warming, wry and will make you laugh out loud.

Ofsted don't allow their inspectors to offer advice to schools. But as a former inspector, Paul Garvey is able to use his experience to help headteachers prepare for inspections in order to help every school gain the grade it feels it deserves. His book is full of invaluable insights, gathered from years of experience in inspecting thousands of different schools. He takes readers step-by-step through what schools need to be doing (and not doing!) in advance to prepare, and then walks readers through the inspection process from both the school's and inspector's point of view. Paul refers regularly to Ofsted's School Inspection Handbook in order to link his advice to the grading criteria. And finally, he guides readers on writing their self-evaluation form. This book is a must have for any senior leadership team with an inspection due.

Do you know how school inspectors will be judging effectiveness? Have you considered how you can demonstrate the effectiveness of your governing body? This new guide takes a practical approach, with key questions, key actions and key information supported by case studies of good practice from a wide variety of schools. It will provide you with support and guidance in undertaking the responsibilities of governance. Each section links to the new Ofsted criteria, provides you with an understanding of 'effectiveness' and a framework of questions and actions which you can use to review your current practice and focus your professional development as a governing body. The case studies are centred on a key question from the relevant section and provide you with a 'live' example of how a school is demonstrating effectiveness.

Principals want all students to bridge the achievement gap. Sometimes they just don't know how to make it happen. This book looks at what successful principals do to close the achievement gap and move their schools from one that needs improvement to one that is succeeding for all students. With current federal legislation, a principal who does not reach the proficiency mandates on the prescribed timetable ends up with a great deal of second guessing and community outcry. How can a principal avoid that result and instead be recognized as someone who went above and beyond to be sure that all of the students crossed the gap successfully in the right place and at the right time? In this book, the authors provide principals with the 'how' to exit Program Improvement, the 'protocol for success' that professionals in other fields have access to on a daily basis. Principals reading this handbook will have at their fingertips detailed descriptions of the behaviors needed to build success.

Provide for school safety and security with practical, realistic strategies that can make a difference! This timely resource for new, veteran, and aspiring school administrators offers cost-effective techniques to create a safe school environment for students, staff, and the community. The authors use their experience in education and law enforcement to show how administrators can combine the need for secure campuses with the desire to maintain an open and welcoming environment. Educators will find recommendations that can: help prevent or minimize a potential tragedy; facilitate a stronger, more informed response when needed; allow a school to recover and return to normalcy.

How do teachers successfully bridge the chasm between large numbers of very specific educational standards and deep understanding of important ideas? This well-researched text is based on the collaborative work between researchers and school practitioners to help answer this fundamental question. The authors have drawn from the most up-to-date research to help teachers, curriculum developers, and school leaders discover how to implement and promote learner-centred, quality teaching strategies that encourage students' understanding. Organized in five parts, this text systematically uncovers how to: o Advance student learning using leading-edge research on powerful forms of instruction o Foster metacognition in students and encourage them to take control of their own learning o Extend learning from academic thinking to real-world application across all disciplines o Learn how to instil a culture of deep understanding among students while still meeting specific achievement standards found in most district and state curricula This timely and accessible resource reveals how rethinking school curriculum and teaching for deeper knowledge transfer can help students take control of their own learning.

'I believe that [this book] could be of value to practitioners working with birth-five year olds, heads or managers of nurseries, health professionals or students who wish to gain an overview of this subject....I enjoyed reading this book and it literally gave me much food for thought' - Early Years 'This book is a welcome addition and the contributors should be congratulated on the scope and depth they manage to achieve...this book is an interesting read, dealing with a topical, yet complex issue' - Journal of Early Childhood Research 'Food plays a huge part in our lives, and this book looks holistically at its influence, including our emotional as well as physical wellbeing. It provides useful facts on diet and healthy eating guidelines for children under five, school age children, adults and pregnant mothers...There is advice on promoting positive attitudes towards food in an early years setting, along with practical advice and case studies to help practitioners promote heatlhy eating in their settings' - Early Years Update 'This highly readable, thoroughly researched book explores food and eating in an historical, cultural and psychological context and, as public concern about children's nutrition rises, its publication is timely. Food and Health in Early Childhood is a comprehensive, clearly written text enriched with case studies and pertinent reflective activities to consolidate learning' - Angela Underdown, Associate Professor, Early Childhood Studies, University of Warwick The media interest surrounding children, food and nutrition continues to influence policy and practice in early years settings, and food and eating is of fundamental importance to early childhood practice. Not only does food contribute to health, in terms of nutrition it's also a vital part of a child's emotional and socio-cultural experience that is linked to their growing sense of well-being and identity. This book gives you a comprehensive overview of food and eating in the early years, covering the following: - nutrition - policy development - health inequalities - food, culture and identity - food and emotion - healthy eating guidelines - promoting healthy eating in the early years - multi-disciplinary working in relation to young children's nutrition Each chapter includes case studies, links to useful websites, activities and suggestions for further reading. An interactive approach from the reader is encouraged throughout the book. Aimed at all early years practitioners, it will be of particular interest to those studying for Early Childhood Studies' degrees and those studying for EYPS. Other professionals and students with an interest in this area (teachers, health visitors, dieticians) will also find it useful.

Updated from the bestselling second edition, this resource provides concise, yet comprehensive coverage of school programs evaluation in a highly usable format. Providing examples designed to help the reader develop competence and confidence in program evaluation, it takes the reader through the five tasks of school program evaluation: o Focusing the evaluation o Collecting information o Organizing and analyzing information o Reporting information o Administering the evaluation The author shows how to successfully manage the many logistical, budgetary, and scheduling problems encountered, and provides tips for dealing with school politics, ethical considerations, and interpersonal relations.