School Leadership

Toolkit 3

TEACH TPD
Inspection Handbook for School Leaders
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Table of contents

Abbreviations................................................................................................................................................................. 3

Activity Key....................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Key Terms ......................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Introduction..................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Who is this handbook for? ........................................................................................................................ 6

How to use the handbook ......................................................................................................................... 7

Structure of the handbook ....................................................................................................................... 8

Section 1

The Revised Inspection Framework ............................................................................................................... 11

Section 2

Inspecting School Leadership ........................................................................................................................ 23

Section 2.1: School Vision ......................................................................................................................... 25

Section 2.2: Leading learning ................................................................................................................ 31

Section 2.3: Capacity to improve the school ........................................................................... 57

Section 2.4: Relationships with parents and the community ...................................... 64

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Abbreviations
CCP: Cluster Chairperson

CPD: Continuing Professional Development

PD: Professional Development

LT: Leadership Team

H: School Head

SBF Team: School-Based Facilitation team

SDC: School Development Committee

SI: School Inspector

Activity Key
Throughout the toolkit you will note a series of icons that support the
activities to be completed.

Individual reading

Individual reflection

School-based/leadership team group activity

Teaching team activity

Add evidence/data into your inspection folder

Information to collect, organise and share

School/parents activity
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Key Terms
Assessment

Identifying strengths and weaknesses in school performance for further

learning.

Compliance

Meeting the expectations set by MoPSE/responsible departments or bodies.

Evaluation

Judging the value or condition of someone/something in a careful and

thoughtful way.

Feedback

Information given to pupils or teachers about learning. This should focus on

improvement in pupils’ learning.

Performance evaluation

A formal procedure to measure an employee’s or an organisation’s results

based on identified job responsibilities and criteria.

Performance result

Measurement of outcomes and results which generates reliable data on the

effectiveness and efficiency of programmes.

School improvement framework

Domains or elements that guide school improvement.

School review

Careful examination of the quality or condition of school performance.

Self-assessment/reflection

Individual reflection on professional practice, to identify strengths and areas

for development and support learning.
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Self-improvement

Actions planned and undertaken following self-review and assessment;

self-learning.

SMART targets

Agreeing and setting goals/targets which are specific, measurable,

attainable, relevant and time-based.

Teaching dialogically

Teachers systematically engaging pupils in talk which deepens their

thinking and understanding.
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Introduction
Welcome to the School Inspection Handbook
The purpose of this handbook is to support school heads and their
leadership teams in preparing for and actively participating in Zimbabwe’s
revised School Inspection process.

This handbook is designed to support school heads and their teams in

understanding:

• the changes to the Zimbabwe Inspection Framework;

• their roles in the revised inspection process;
• how to prepare their school for the inspection process;
• how to use inspection to support the school improvement process.

School inspection provides a snapshot view of the standards in schools,

measured against the expectations set by MoPSE. It is also an
opportunity to recognise the effectiveness of school leadership in
improving the quality of teaching and learning and relationships within
the school and the community.

Who is this handbook for?

The handbook is designed to meet the needs of the school head and the
leadership team in schools in Zimbabwe, both of which are vital to the
continuing improvement of the quality of the school, and in providing all
pupils with an effective and enriching education.

The revised inspection framework refers to the leadership of the school, in

the broader sense as well as the ‘headteacher’ specifically.

This is in recognition of the fact that while the school head leads the
improvement process, they require an effective, engaged and skilled team
of colleagues to support them in bringing about and embedding
improvements which benefit every child in every classroom.
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How to use the handbook
The handbook details the expectations for school leadership set out in the
revised inspection framework and supports school heads and other school
leaders to prepare for school inspection.

The handbook provides a range of activities to support planning and

implementing improvements in the quality of teaching and learning, and
preparing for and participating in the Zimbabwe inspection process.

Each activity will require the school head and the leadership team to
engage in reflection, planning and taking actions which will produce
evidence/information needed for inspection.

The activities will help the team to understand:

• the expectations of the inspection framework;
• the readiness of the school for inspection;
• how to create a plan which will close the gap between where the
school is now, and the expectations of school inspection;
• how to capture and share the required information and evidence;
• how to engage stakeholders with the process and preparation.

As part of this process, you will gather the evidence/data you will need to
share with inspectors in a file or folder. These documents will be added to
over time and will be shared with the leadership team.
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Structure of the handbook
The handbook is divided into two sections, and each section is divided into
a series of numbered activities.

Section 1: Sets out the changes to school inspection and supports schools
in preparing for inspection.

Section 2: Looks in detail at each aspect of school leadership that is

monitored and evaluated. This enables leaders to collect, analyse and use
school information/data to improve the quality of education provided and
to share this evidence with school inspectors.

Section 1: The revised inspection framework

On completing this section, the school head and leadership team will:
• understand the differences between the existing and revised
inspection frameworks;
• be able to communicate these differences confidently to the staff
team and School Development Committee; and
• begin to identify and gather the data and information required by
inspectors.

Section 1 Activities

Activity 1: What is inspection?

Activity 2: Your experience of school inspection (looking back)

Activity 3: The revised school inspection approach (looking forward)

Activity 4: Sharing information on the changes to the inspection process

Activity 5: Gathering evidence, information and data

Activity 6: Analysing and using data and evidence

Section 2: Inspecting school leadership

On completing this section, the school head and leadership team will:

• understand the expectations of school leadership in each of the four

areas which are inspected;
• recognise the information/data required to evidence how the school
is meeting these expectations;
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• have completed an analysis of current standards in the school;
• have created plans to improve areas which require development;
• have communicated these plans with the wider team;
• have implemented these plans;
• have engaged parents and the School Development Committee in
these plans and processes where appropriate.

The section deals separately with each of the four aspects of school
leadership to be inspected.

Section 2.1: School vision

Section 2.2: Leading learning

Section 2.3: Capacity to improve the school

Section 2.4: Relationships with parents and the community

Section 2.1: School vision

Activity 7: Reviewing and refreshing the school vision

Activity 8: Sharing the vision for the school with team and School
Development Committee

Activity 9: Communicating the vision to inspectors

Section 2.2: Leading learning

Activity 10: Meeting MoPSE safeguarding requirements

Activity 11: Effective teaching and learning

Activity 12: Agreeing the elements of effective teaching and learning

Activity 13: The quality of teaching and learning in your school

Activity 14: Learning walks and lesson observations

Activity 15: Your school approach to lesson observations

Activity 16: Preparing to observe teaching and learning

Activity 17: Agreeing your school approach to lesson observations

Activity 18: The inspection lesson observation tool

Activity 19: Evidencing the standard of teaching and learning in your

school

Activity 20: Expectations of pupil performance

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Activity 21: Evidencing the standard of pupil performance

Section 2.3: Capacity to improve the school

Activity 22: Demonstrating your capacity to improve the school –

school head

Activity 23: Demonstrating your capacity to improve the school –

leadership team

Activity 24: Preparing to share evidence with inspectors

Section 2.4: Relationships with parents and the community

Activity 25: Reporting to parents

Activity 26: Reporting to parents – planning next steps

Activity 27: Meeting with parents

Activity 28: Preparing to share evidence with inspectors

Activity 29: Gathering and analysing views

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Section 1
The Revised Inspection Framework
Aims of the section:

The school head and the team will:

• understand the revised school inspection process;

• understand the strengths and areas for improvement in the school
against the inspection framework; and
• be prepared to actively participate in a school inspection.

Resources required for this section are:

• the revised Inspection Manual;

• information you have already gathered about teaching in your
school; and
• a ring binder/folder with four section dividers.

It is the right of every child to be educated, to learn, to feel safe and to

flourish as an individual. It is the responsibility of the school, school
leader, teachers and stakeholders to support and facilitate this in every
school.

Inspection is an event which celebrates schools, and challenges them

to meet their responsibilities. It both evaluates how the school is
performing against an agreed framework and identifies development
priorities.
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Activity 1: What is inspection?

In-school activity: with leadership/school-

based facilitation team

Look at the statements below about school inspection and mark them True
(T) or False (F).

School inspection is a compliance Pupils and parents are not involved in

check carried out by school inspectors
School inspection does not help to
improve quality of learning
My key role in school inspection visits is
to ensure that school inspectors are
welcome and have access to the
school
Information needed for inspection
should be prepared before inspection
Inspection of the quality of education
is more important than compliance
inspection
the process
School inspection does check
attendance
School inspection looks at the
individual teachers of the different
subjects
During inspection visits, school
inspectors make judgements without
discussing these with the leadership
team
My role is to make sure that I provide
school inspectors with the information
they require

With the team

Look at your answers, and discuss the similarities and differences in your
answers and how you made your choices. (Was this based on your
experience, knowledge, assumptions, fears? Note – there are no wrong
answers – this is a place to reflect on your current understanding.)

As you complete the activities in this Toolkit, reflect on your choices in the
True/False statements. Has your understanding of inspection changed?
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Activity 2: Your experience of inspection (looking
back)

Individual activity – think/reflect

What has your experience of school inspection been in the past (as a
teacher and/or as a school leader)? Complete the table for your own
experience. There are examples to support this activity.

How you Positive/negative Feedback Impact of the

prepared experiences received inspection
As a teacher e.g., I did/did e.g., the None Not sure
not know inspectors did/did
there was not distract the
an children in my
inspection classroom
As a leader I made sure The inspectors Inspectors said I told teachers to
that a lunch completed their that behaviour be firmer with
was work while I in some of the the children in
prepared for continued my day lessons could the classroom
the be improved
inspectors
and that the
attendance
data was up
to date
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Leadership/SBF team activity – pair and share

Think about and discuss with the SBF the following two questions.

• How similar/different are your experiences?

• How did your previous experiences impact teaching and learning
after the inspection?

Outcome: The previous task helped you to look back at the old way of
inspecting schools. In the new inspection process, you will have more
opportunity to collaborate with inspectors and demonstrate your ability to
lead learning in your school.

Activity 3: The revised school inspection approach

(looking forward)
The outcome of this activity is to ensure that school leaders are aware of
the changes to the Zimbabwe inspection process, and aware of what they
need to do to prepare for inspection.

The statements below are taken from the Revised School Inspection
Handbook. They are the new Seven Principles of School Inspection in
Zimbabwe. They underpin the new process and should be adhered to by
all school inspections.

Inspections are carried out in partnership with schools. Inspections

involve a continual dialogue between school staff and inspectors.
School staff feel that the inspection provides a valuable contribution
to the school’s strategy for improvement. All staff are treated fairly
and as the equals of the inspectors. All inspectors and school staff
are guided by the Code of Conduct.

Inspections focus on the quality of education, but also consider a

school’s compliance with MoPSE requirements. Inspections are a
key tool in driving inclusive and equitable quality education for all
pupils in Zimbabwe. They focus on evaluating pupils’ outcomes and
the quality of teaching and school leadership, and they identify
strengths in a school’s performance and provision as well as areas
that need improving. They also review a school’s compliance with
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the MoPSE requirements that are the foundations of a quality
education, such as curriculum and planning, management of
teaching and learning resources, and provision that guarantees the
health and safety of pupils.

Judgements and reporting explain the relationships between pupils’

outcomes and the quality of education the school provides.
Inspections explain the relationships between the input of teaching
and pupils’ outcomes (their attainment and progress, behaviour,
engagement and attitudes). For example: ‘Most pupils do not
develop any conceptual understanding because the teaching
focuses on them memorising and then practising a rule’ or ‘Almost
all pupils are engaged and think hard during lessons because
teachers frequently probe their answers and ask them to explain
their ideas’.
Inspections consider parents’ and pupils’ opinions. Inspectors actively
seek the opinions of parents and pupils during an inspection. They
reflect on these opinions and respect and acknowledge them. They
triangulate these opinions against other evidence that they find and
review during the inspection.

Inspections are objective and transparent. Inspectors make objective

and impartial judgements based on valid and reliable first-hand
evidence using standardised tools. This evidence is obtained by
direct personal observation of the work of pupils, teachers,
headteachers and school leadership teams. Inspections present an
accurate, honest, fair and reliable report of the performance of a
school, taking due account of a school’s context. School staff
understand the inspection process and also understand and respect
the inspection judgements and the reasons for them.

Evidence gained from an inspection is used to feed back, feed forward

and feed across. Inspections give feedback on judgements to both
schools and MoPSE on the current quality of education. They also
feed forward by making recommendations that support the
identification of future priorities for action. They also are used to
share good practice between schools (feed across), supporting the
development of ‘Champion Schools’.

There is consistency in inspections and rigorous quality assurance.

There is high-quality training for inspectors, and inspections are
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quality assured to ensure that they are fair, rigorous, reliable and
valid. The Quality Assurance Manual details all quality assurance
activities that may take place during and after an inspection.

Leadership/SBF team activity – pair and share

Each pair should read and discuss at least two of the principles above, so
that all seven will be looked at in detail.

Ask each pair to share their reflections on the statements with the group.
Some questions to guide your reflections are below.

1. What are the key messages and key phrases in each principle?

2. As a team, how will you use your understanding to plan how you will
monitor and gather the evidence you need?

3. As a team, how will you use your understanding to prepare for an

inspection?

4. How will you share this information with the whole school team?
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Please use the space below to capture your thoughts and responses to the
questions above.

The Revised Inspection Framework is supported by an evaluation

framework which is divided into two parts. The first part concerns the
quality of a school’s performance and provision. The second part
concerns a school’s compliance with MoPSE’s requirements.

Quality of a school’s performance and provision. The quality of a school’s

performance and provision focuses on pupils’ outcomes, and teaching
and school leadership. There are three sections.

Pupils’ outcomes

• Pupil attainment and progress

• Pupil behaviour
• Pupil engagement
• Pupil attitudes
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Teaching

• Creating a positive climate

• Structuring and organising lessons
• Teaching dialogically
• Providing well-designed learning tasks
• Assessing learning continuously

School leadership

• School vision
• Leading learning
• Capacity to improve the school
• Relationships with parents and the community

Compliance with MoPSE requirements.

The evaluation framework for a school’s compliance with MoPSE

requirements focuses on eight areas. Each area is broken down into
‘elements’ of compliance.

1. Curriculum and planning

2. Human resource management
3. Financial management
4. Teaching resources management
5. School accommodation
6. Sports facilities
7. School environment
8. Health and safety
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Activity 4: Sharing information on the changes to
the inspection process

Leadership team activity

As individuals, plan a two-minute briefing for teachers to explain the new

framework. What are the key messages that you want to share?

Pair and share:

• Share your two-minute briefing with the person sitting closest to you.

Listen to their briefing.

• Repeat the process with another person.

Reflect on what you have heard. What will you add to your briefing to
ensure you share the key messages about school inspection?

What is your role in the revised inspection process?

The school head and the leadership/SBF team will engage with inspectors
to:

• show how well they understand the strengths and areas for
development in the school and particularly in the quality of teaching
and learning;
• share data/evidence they have used to support this understanding;
• show their ability to identify areas for development and create
effective plans and processes to address these areas;
• show the impact of these plans and processes;
• show how they engage positively with pupils, teachers, parents and
SMCs and how this supports the school in celebrating successes
and carrying out improvements to teaching and learning.
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Activity 5: Gathering evidence, information and
data

Individual activity – school head

Prepare a folder with sections marked Pupil Outcomes, Teaching, School

Leadership and Compliance. Keep this in an accessible place so that new
information and evidence can be added as part of the daily running of the
school.

Put a date in your diary and the school calendar to check

what has been added or still needs to be added in each
section.
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Activity 6: Preparing data and evidence

Leadership team activity

Think about your school today – how much evidence do you have for each
of the elements of the framework?

For support with this you can refer to the MoPSE inspection manual where
the types of evidence are listed.

Complete the table below based on your knowledge/evidence/awareness

today.

This a reflective tool, to support your thinking and help you develop tools
to fill areas that are not yet as developed, or you do not have evidence for.

Y = yes you have evidence. P = partial evidence. N = no evidence yet.

Focus Framework element Your reflection

Pupils Y P N
Pupils’ attainment and progress
Pupils’ behaviour
Pupils’ engagement
Pupils’ attitudes
Teaching Creating a positive climate
Structuring and organising lessons
Teaching dialogically
Providing well-designed learning tasks
Assessing learning continuously
Leadership School vision
Leading learning
Capacity to improve the school
Relationships with parents and the community
Compliance Curriculum and planning
Human resource management
Financial management
Teaching resources management
School accommodation
Sports facilities
School environment
Health and safety
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• Which areas did you find difficult to capture?
• Are there elements that feel easier to evidence than others?
• What type of evidence does each member of the SBF team have?

Look at the list of documents below:

You may not have all these documents; this is a good opportunity to begin
to collect the evidence you will need during an inspection.

1. School development/improvement plan

2. School vision statement
3. Leadership (SBF) team meeting notes and action plans
4. Pupil attendance data
5. Pupil learning outcome data
6. Teacher and Leadership Competency Framework documents with
annotations
7. Notes/feedback following lesson observations/learning walks
8. Agendas/minutes from PD sessions
9. Agendas/minutes from parent meetings

Keep the table and document list to hand. It can

be placed at the front of your folder. Each time
you meet as an SBF team, revisit it and check
you have the data/documents you will need.
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Section 2
Inspecting School Leadership
In this section we will look in detail at each aspect of how inspectors will
evaluate and report the quality of school leadership.

You have now completed the six activities in Section 1. These

activities have provided information about the revised approach
to inspection, a structure for how you will communicate this to the
school team and SDC, and support for beginning the process of
gathering and collecting some key data in preparation for school
inspection.

Aims of this section: On completing this tool, the school head and
leadership team will:

• understand how school leadership will be evaluated under the

revised inspection framework;
• understand the expectations for each area of school leadership;
• have collected the evidence/data needed to show how you meet the
expected standards;
• be aware of the questions that inspectors will ask – and prepared to
respond to these questions;
• ensure your school’s compliance with MoPSE’s safeguarding
processes and procedures;
• have agreed what constitutes effective teaching and created
processes to monitor and improve the quality of teaching.

School leadership makes up one third of the first element of school

inspection. There are four areas of leadership which are
inspected/evaluated. These are:

1. School vision
2. Leading learning
3. Capacity to improve the school
4. Relationships with parents and the community
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The table below is taken from the Revised Inspection Handbook and shows
what inspectors will be looking for under each of these areas in school
leadership.

We will look at each of these aspects of leadership and support you in

developing and proving your effectiveness in each area.
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Section 2.1
School vision
The first quality indicator for school leadership is School Vision.

The table below is taken directly from the Revised Zimbabwe School
Inspection Manual. We have highlighted the minimum standard that you
should be achieving as a school leader, supported by your team,
regardless of your experience, school cohort and context.
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Activity 7: Review and refresh your school vision

School head and leadership team

Below is an example of a school vision.

‘The vision of XXXX Primary School is for our students to demonstrate

knowledge and skills supported by high-quality teachers that
support life-long learning to contribute to their own future, and that
of their community.
Our mission is to provide a positive, safe and stimulating
environment for children to learn where all are valued, enjoy their
learning, achieve their potential and become independent life-long
pupils.’

Share your school vision as it is today with the team. As a group, review
your school vision.

Use the questions below to review your current vision statement.

• When was this vision created?

• Who was part of developing the vision?
• Do the teachers, pupils and parents know the vision?
• Would teachers, pupils and parents agree that this vision reflects the
school?
• What evidence do you have to support that this vision is ‘lived out’
within school?
• How does this vision support learning?

It is good practice to review and refresh the vision statement for the school
each year. Use this opportunity to refresh your school vision.

As a group, use the questions below to refresh your current vision

statement.

1. What do you need to adapt/change/revise your school vision?

2. Who will you involve in this process?
3. What evidence can you share to show that the vision is reflective of
the school?
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4. How will you communicate and share the vision with pupils, parents,
stakeholders and the community so that they feel part of the vision
and will support the work of the school?

Summarise your discussions and actions and ensure these notes are
available during the inspection – they are evidence of your commitment to
creating and articulating an inclusive vision which is understood by all.

Use the checklist below to track your process and progress towards
achieving your school vision. Share this with inspectors to evidence your
progress. This is a positive tool to show how you are leading on the
development of the vision for the school.

Activity Completed Evidence

Yes (add Currently No
date of working
completion) on
Discuss school vision with
leadership team
Share and discuss vision with
teachers and take input
Meet with parents and community
leaders to discuss vision and take
input
Talk to pupils about their vision
and take input
Finalise a vision that has included
the voice of all stakeholders
Communicate the vision in school
and in the community
Review and monitor to ensure that
the school vision is reflected in the
teaching and learning within
school
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Activity 8: Ensuring the school community and
SDC understand the school vision

Leadership team activity

The graphic below shows how to focus stakeholders on the school vision
and mission.

Involving the whole school community in creating the school’s vision and
mission will ensure that they can demonstrate their understanding.

Discuss the suggestions below. Which will you use to help stakeholders to
understand and demonstrate the values and ethos in the school vision?
1. In meetings, assemblies and in dialogue with stakeholders, share
practical examples of ‘what the vision looks like in action’.

2. Notice and share examples of people acting in line with the vision as
you walk around the school.

3. Have weekly active and interactive school assemblies illustrating

these values.
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4. Ensure that your behaviour policy rewards the behaviours you have
identified in your vision.

5. Refer to the vision and mission in all school planning and evaluation.

6. Help everybody (teachers, parents, local community, pupils) to

remember their part in implementation by displaying the vision and
mission e.g., on the school notice boards.

Please use the space below to capture your thoughts and plans to engage
stakeholders.
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Activity 9: Communicating the school vision with
inspectors

School head

Inspectors are provided with a set of questions or prompts through which

they may ask about the school vision. They will look for first-hand evidence
to support the answers you provide.

The questions are below.

• What is your vision for the school?

• How has this vision been developed?
• How is the vision communicated to the school community (teachers,
pupils, parents and local community)?
• Can you give some examples of how you and the rest of the school
community work towards this vision?

Make notes in answer to each question and place these at the end of the
section on the school vision.

Put a copy of meeting agendas, minutes, notes,

photographs, forms etc. to the folder under the School
Leadership section: School Vision.
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Section 2.2
Leading learning

The second quality indicator for school leadership is Leading Learning.

The table below is taken directly from the Revised Zimbabwe School
Inspection Manual. The minimum standard that you should be achieving
as a school leader, regardless of your experience, school cohort and
context is highlighted.

You hold a critical responsibility to ensure the safety of all pupils and
adults in the school.
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N.B. if there is any evidence that there is a risk at any time to the physical
and/or emotional safety of children and staff, this is an URGENT issue that
requires immediate action.

MoPSE have detailed guidelines on safeguarding which you will need to read,
understand and follow.

To understand the importance of safety to our physical and psychological

wellbeing, and our capacity to learn and flourish, please see the diagram
below which illustrates the research of psychologist Maslow.

Maslow’s ‘hierarchy of needs’ is a theory comprising a five-tier model of

human needs, often depicted as levels within a pyramid. The lower-level
basic needs like food, water, and safety must be met first before higher
needs can be fulfilled. It is important that these needs are met in
classrooms and schools in order for learning to happen.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (simplypsychology.org)

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Activity 10: Meeting MoPSE safeguarding
requirements

School head: reflection

Review the MoPSE safeguarding expectations. How will you demonstrate

that you are monitoring the safety of all members of the school
community, and that you understand the processes and expectations of
MoPSE?

Add some notes here on the evidence you have and the information you
will share with inspectors.

The Revised Inspection Handbook identifies that inspectors will expect

that you:

• demonstrate a satisfactory understanding of effective learning,

teaching and curriculum;
• promote and provide opportunities that support teacher
development;
• monitor teaching and tracks pupils’ attainment and progress;
• provide teachers with feedback, which sometimes includes what
they need to do to improve.
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We will look at each of these aspects and provide guidance and support to
ensure you are able to evidence your leadership of learning.

Demonstrating a satisfactory understanding of effective learning,

teaching and the curriculum.

Learning is not necessarily an outcome of teaching. We know that

many pupils are in classrooms experiencing teaching for years, but they
have not learned to read, write or use numbers at age-appropriate
levels.
Often pupils themselves are ‘blamed’ for this lack of learning but we
know that effective teaching DOES result in learning.
Activity 11: Effective teaching and learning

Leadership team: discuss, clarify and agree on

what you believe to be effective teaching and
learning

• As a team, read and discuss the list of words/phrases in the four

columns below. Taking one word/phrase at a time, discuss what you
understand this to mean. Agree on a definition for each one.
• Look at the circles labelled Effective Teaching and Effective Learning.

Pair and Share:

Pair 1: Discuss and place the words from the first two columns in the circle
you agree is appropriate.

Pair 2: Discuss and place the words from the second two columns in the
circle you agree is appropriate.

Combine pairs and share your choices.

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What are some features of effective teaching and learning?
Identify Range of
Demonstrate/ strategies
misconceptions Revisit previous
Model
learning

Pace Apply skills and

Pupils actively
engaged knowledge
High expectations

Articulate what
they are Make links/
Good subject Discuss connections
thinking/doing
knowledge

Positive Collaborate
Differentiate Reasoning

Range of
Thinking Time Reflective questions
Resilience

Effective Teaching
Effective Learning

As a team you have now identified some important features of

effective teaching and learning. Refer to and build on these ideas
as you work with teachers to provide the support they need, and
celebrate examples of their own effective teaching.
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Activity 12: Agreeing the elements of effective
teaching and learning

Staff team: discuss, clarify and agree what

you believe to be effective teaching and
learning

• Repeat this activity with the staff team so all have shared
understanding of some key features of effective teaching and
learning.
• Add in the ideas and suggestions which come from the team.

Put a copy of the completed circles, meeting

agendas and minutes into the folder under School
Leadership section: Leading Learning.

Use these key ideas in discussions with school inspectors to demonstrate a

satisfactory understanding of effective learning, teaching and the
curriculum.
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Activity 13: The quality of teaching and learning in
your school

Leadership team: gathering evidence to show

your understanding of effective learning,
teaching and the curriculum

Read the table below which highlights the methods/tools you can use to
gather and provide evidence that you demonstrate a satisfactory
understanding of effective learning, teaching and the curriculum.

Source of Information about

evidence

Lesson • Safeguarding regarding any evidence of physical,

observation/ emotional or sexual abuse and any signs of neglect
learning • Classroom organisation
walks • Relationships
• Behaviour management
• How well the curriculum is being taught
• How well the work meets the needs of different groups of
pupils
• The impact of different teaching methods on learning
• The expectations of the teacher
• Time management

Examination • The sequence of learning to meet curriculum goals

of work, • How well pupils are completing activities
plans and • Misconceptions and how teachers overcome them
records of • An indication of the progress pupils are making over time
observations • Whether pupils of different abilities are given work that is
set at the correct level for them
• Whether the lessons that have been observed are typical

Discussions • Safeguarding regarding any evidence of physical,

with pupils, emotional or sexual abuse and any signs of neglect
teachers and • The knowledge and learning that pupils have retained
stakeholders • Teaching and learning intentions
 38
• Teachers’ understanding of the curriculum
• Parents’ views of the quality of teaching
• Other stakeholders’ views of strengths and weaknesses in
teaching and learning
• Questions that arise from other monitoring activities

Results of • External assessment – national exams:

assessments
- Indicate the success of teaching. Teaching over
time cannot be effective if the outcomes of pupils
are low or the progress that they have made from
their starting points has been too slow.

• Internal assessment – teacher records of formative

assessment:

- Indicates the effectiveness of teaching on learning.

- Helps to identify where additional monitoring
activity needs to be carried out.

As a team, look at each of the sources of evidence above, and for each
one complete the grid below for the evidence you have today in your
school.

Use this to plan the evidence you will collect, when this will happen, who
will be involved and when you will review the document again.

Source of Information/evidence Additional How this will be When this will

evidence already in place evidence collected be collected
needed
Lesson
observation/
learning walks

Examination of
work, plans and
records of
observations
Discussions with
pupils, teachers
and
stakeholders
Results of
assessments
 39

Put a copy of meeting agendas, minutes, notes,

photographs, forms, etc., in the folder under School
Leadership section: Leading Learning.

A very important way for you to have a satisfactory understanding of

effective learning, teaching and the curriculum, and to evidence this
during a school inspection, is by carrying out regular lesson observations
and learning walks.

Learning walks and lesson observations are two methods of observing

teaching and learning. They are most effective when used as part of a
process agreed with the teaching team.
 40
Activity 14: Learning walks and lesson
observations

Individual reading

Read through the information below which sets out the differences
between learning walks and lesson observations, and the tips and
guidance on what needs to happen before, during and after a learning
walk/lesson observation.

earning Walks esson Observations

uring any visit to the classroom where we focus on learnerswe are observing

hat are the differences between learning wal sand lesson observations

lesson observations learning wal s

Before a learning walk:

• Identify a sample of classrooms where learning walks will be carried

out, thinking about what will inform this decision.
• Consider how much notice will be needed to liaise and plan with a
learning walk partner.
• Establish an agreed way of carrying out the learning walks with the
teachers in the school. (You can use the guidance below to help with
this.)
 41
Before a lesson observation:

• Establish an agreed way of carrying out lesson observations with the

teachers in the school.
• Ensure the teaching team understand the purpose and focus of the
lesson observation. Questions to consider: Are you looking in more
depth at:
o One specific curriculum area?
o Use of questioning?
o Pupils’ engagement
• Agree which class and lesson will be observed and by whom. (You
can use the guidance below to help with this.)

During a learning walk/lesson observation:

• Teaching and learning must not be interrupted/stopped. Learning is
more important than greeting the observers.

Look at:

• Where are the girls/boys sitting – in single-gender groups or mixed

groups?
• Who is sitting at the front and who is at the back?
• Where are children with additional learning needs sitting – isolated
or with others?
• Can all pupils see the teacher/board clearly?

Listen to:

The questions that the teacher is asking.

• How often does the teacher ask pupils to recall the information
provided?
• Does the teacher ask questions to the whole class or to groups or
individuals?
• Are the questions closed (yes/no answer) or open (pupil explains
their ideas/thinking)?

How the teacher responds to the answers given.

• Who does the teacher choose to answer the questions?

Girls/boys/more able children?
 42
• Does the teacher praise effort?
• Does the teacher explain why a given answer is not what they
expected?

After a learning walk/lesson observation:

• Ensure there is sufficient time to discuss and share reflections.

• Note down what you observed.
• Discuss what you saw/heard/noticed with the person who was with
you (you will have seen and heard different things, which is good).
• Plan your ANONYMISED feedback for teachers.
• Agree on the key messages and feedback.
• Plan who will provide the feedback and when.
• Share the information at the next PD meeting – celebrate and share
how you will work together as a teaching team giving time and
resources to move.
• Agree the date for the next set of learning walks/lesson observations.

Activity 15: Your school approach to learning

walks/lesson observations

Leadership team

• As a team, draft an agreement for how learning walks and lesson

observations will be carried out reflecting the guidance above.
• Agree how this will be shared with the teaching team, by whom and
when.
• Note down feedback from the teachers, and where appropriate
reflect this in the learning walk/lesson observation agreement.

Put a copy of the meeting agenda, minutes,

and the school agreement for lesson
observations into the folder under the School
Leadership section: Leading Learning.
 43
Activity 16: Preparing to observe teaching and
learning

Leadership/SBF team

In this activity we will look at some images of learning, in preparation for

observing in classrooms. This will focus our attention on what we need to
look for when we are observing.

Observing teaching and learning is a complex activity. It is key to focus

on why the observation/learning walk is happening – what we are
looking to learn and understand.

For teachers and pupils, a lesson observation can feel threatening and
daunting. To minimise stress and anxiety it is important to use the
observation format you have agreed with teachers, and have a clear,
agreed focus for the observation.

We are not:

• looking at the teacher putting on a show;

• interrupting learning;
• distracting pupils.

We are observing:

• what the pupils are doing;

• what learning is happening;
• The teaching and learning process;
• the impact of teaching on learning;
• the relationships between the teacher and the children, and the
children and each other.
 44
Refer to the circles and statements you compiled in Activity 12:

Effective Effective
Teaching Learning

Look at the photograph below.

Discuss the strategies/practices you believe the teacher used to enable this
learning. Note down the strategies in the circles below.
 45

Effective Teaching
Effective Learning

Look at the following two photographs (below and on the next page).

What words/phrases come to mind which describe the learning captured

in the image?

Note down the words/phrases in the circles below the second picture.
 46

Effective Teaching
Effective Learning

This activity has provided an opportunity to discuss some elements of effective

teaching and learning. This will guide when you are observing in classrooms.

Add your reflections to the folder under the

School Leadership section: Leading Learning.
 47
Activity 17: Agreeing your school approach to
lesson observations

Teaching team – in groups: observing

teaching and learning

Ask the team to organise themselves into groups and provide them with
the photographs above (on the previous three pages) and the circles and
labels.

Ask them to discuss and capture their reflections.

Explain that when observations happen, you will focus on the learning you
can see and reflect on the strategies/practices that teachers have used to
enable learning.

Agree with the teaching team:

• the date of the cycle of lesson observations
• the format to be used
• the focus of the first cycle of observations
• the feedback arrangements and timelines
 48
Activity 18: The inspection lesson observation tool

Leadership team activity – pair and share:

understanding and using the lesson
observation tool
It is important to have a structure/framework to use when carrying out
lesson observations. You have agreed a structure you will use with the
team.

The form below will be used by inspectors when they are observing
lessons.

It is important that all members of the team are aware of what inspectors
will look for during a lesson observation, and that they are familiar with the
expectations and what this would look and sound like in each lesson.

Each pair should read and discuss the observation tool.

Ask each pair to share their reflections on the form with the group. Some
questions to guide your reflections are below.

• What are the key messages and key phrases when observing pupils
in lessons?
• What are the key messages and key phrases when observing
teachers in lessons?
• What are the key messages and key phrases when monitoring
lessons and learning?
 49
Observation tool
Look for examples of the following: Observations/evidence
Pupils’ attainment and progress: what they know, understand and can do; what
they are learning; progress they are making.
Pupils’ behaviour: attendance; punctuality; listening to teachers and to each other;
any off-task behaviour.
Pupils’ engagement: answering questions; explaining answers; thinking hard.
Pupils’ attitudes: active participation; intrinsic motivation; interest and enthusiasm.
Teacher demonstrates high expectations: of pupil behaviour and pupil
achievement.
Teacher treats all pupils fairly: promoting equal opportunities; behaviour
management.
Teacher is gender responsive: gender-balanced interactions; inclusive language
and tasks; challenging stereotypes.
Teacher recognises pupils with SEN and provides them with relevant support.
Lessons are well structured: learning objectives; episodes in lessons.
Learning time is maximised: prompt start; no unnecessary repetition; engaging
pupils.
Teacher explanations and instructions are clear: subject knowledge; use of
examples.
Teacher asks questions in ways that engage pupils: targeting questions;
engaging disengaged pupils.
Teacher asks questions that encourage pupils to think: use of testing and
genuine enquiry questions; use of wait-time.
Teacher responds to pupils’ answers to provide feedback and encourage
discussion: feedback that supports learning; feedback that encourages discussion.
Learning tasks engage and provide appropriate challenge for all pupils: level
of challenge; learning tasks relate to learning objectives.
Teacher provides a variety of learning tasks that enable pupils to see,
understand and master (understand and use) the content they are learning:
use of open and closed tasks; opportunities for pupils to practise and apply learning;
use of real-life and culturally relevant examples.
Teacher continuously assesses pupils: assessing for understanding; teacher
feedback on how to improve.
 50
Activity 19: Evidencing the standard of teaching
and learning in your school

Leadership team activity: understanding

pupil performance

Look back to Activity 13. You agreed the process and content of how
learning walks/lesson observations will be carried out in your school with
the teaching team. All members of the team should have a copy of this
agreement.

Implementing this agreement and carrying out a regular process of

observation, feedback and professional development will provide you with
a significant amount of the information you need to demonstrate that you
know the quality of teaching across the school.

It will also provide evidence of how you give feedback to teachers and use
the knowledge gained from lesson observations/learning walks to support
teacher development.

You will notice that many of the areas in the Inspection Observation Form
above are covered in the guidance for lesson observations.

The Inspection Observation Form organises what you have already agreed
to observe in classrooms into a clear structure. If you wish to use this
structure as a team, it will be important to plan how you will share this with
the teaching team.

Look at the example below which shows the learning walk/lesson

observation guidance and the inspection lesson observation component
on teachers’ use of questioning.

Discuss as a team what you observed in learning walks/lesson

observations or in conversations with teachers about questioning. Use
these insights to complete the table below.

Is this a strength, an area of emerging good practice or a priority for

development and support?
 51
Inspection Observation Form

School lesson Inspection lesson Information/ Do you rate this

observation format observation format evidence from S, E, or P? [*]
observation

Does the teacher ask Teacher asks

questions to the questions in ways
whole class or to that engage pupils:
groups or individuals? targeting questions;
engaging
disengaged pupils.

Who does the teacher

choose to answer the
questions?
Girls/boys/more able
children?

Are the questions Teacher asks

closed (yes/no questions that
answer) or open encourage pupils to
(pupil explains their think: use of testing
ideas/thinking)? and genuine enquiry
questions; use of
wait-time.

Does the teacher Teacher responds

explain why a given to pupils’ answers
answer is not what to provide feedback
they expected? and encourage
discussion:
feedback that
supports learning;
feedback that
encourages
discussion.
* Is this a strength = S, emerging good practice = E, or priority for
development and support = P ?
 52
Repeat this process for other components of teaching.

School lesson Inspection Information/evidence Do you rate this S, E,

observation lesson from your or P ? [*]
format observation observations
format
* Is this a strength = S, emerging good practice = E, or priority for
development and support = P ?
 53
Activity 20: Expectations of pupil performance

Leadership team activity: evidencing

your understanding of teaching, learning
and pupil attainment

Inspectors will make their judgements about your ability to lead learning
based on:

• how well you demonstrate that you know the quality of teaching
across the school;
• how you use this knowledge to support teacher development;
• how you provide teachers with feedback, which sometimes includes
what they need to do to improve;
• how effectively you track pupils’ attainment and progress.

Inspectors are provided with a set of questions or prompts through which

they may ask you about how you lead learning. They will look for first-hand
evidence to support the answers you provide.

The questions are below:

• What do you understand are features of effective teaching and

learning?
• What have you learned from analysing pupils’ examination results
• How do you monitor and track students’ attainment and progress in
lessons?
• How do you monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching?
• What is your main focus when monitoring teaching?
• How frequently do you observe lessons?
• What records do you keep of lesson observations?
• What feedback do you provide to your teachers?
• What professional development opportunities and support have you
provided to your teachers to help them improve their practice?
 54
Complete the table below to prepare to answer inspectors’ questions.

Prompts Your process/ Evidence/data

arrangements
What do you understand
to be features of
effective teaching and
learning?

What have you learned

from analysing pupils’
examination results?

How do you monitor and

evaluate the quality of
teaching?

What is your main focus

when monitoring
teaching?

How frequently do you

observe lessons?

What records do you

keep of lesson
observations?
What feedback do you
provide to your
teachers?

What feedback do you

provide to your
teachers?

What professional
development
opportunities and
support have you
provided?
 55
Agree with the team and with teachers that you will use elements of this
form during learning walks and lesson observations to prompt discussions,
monitor teaching and track pupils’ attainment and progress, and in
providing teachers with feedback, which sometimes includes what they
need to do to improve.

Add the completed tables to the folder under the

School Leadership section: Leading Learning.

The questions that inspectors may ask you refer to how well you monitor
teaching and track pupils’ attainment and progress.

The table below is taken directly from the Revised Zimbabwe School
Inspection Manual, under Quality indicator 1:

Pupils’ performance is in line with or above the national average

 56
Activity 21: Evidencing the standard of pupil
performance

Leadership team activity

Discuss:

• Is the performance of your pupils now below or above the national

average?
• How do you know?
• What evidence do you have that you can you show the inspector?

Add the information you have about pupil

attainment to the folder in the School Leadership
section: Leading Learning.
 57
Section 2.3
Capacity to improve the school

The third quality indicator for school leadership is Capacity to improve

the school.

The table below is taken directly from the Revised Zimbabwe School
Inspection Manual. We have highlighted the minimum standard that you
should be achieving as a school leader, regardless of your experience,
school cohort and context.
 58
Activity 22: Demonstrating your capacity to
improve the school – school head

School head: individual reflection

Remember a recent aspect/focus of school development that you have
led.

• What was the area that needed to improve?

• Who did you collaborate with to make the improvements?
• What were the specific actions that you took?
• What were the indicators that the steps taken to make
improvements had been successful?
• What is the impact of the improvements on teaching and/or
learning?
• What are the next steps?

Please complete the table below.

Improvement Reason Collaborated Actions Success Next
focus area with taken indicators steps

The information in this table is evidence that you are able to:

• Understand an area of strength and/or weakness of the school.

• Understand the actions that are needed to build on the strengths
and address the weaknesses of school performance.
• Drive improvement and ensure that the actions needed to improve
the school are implemented.
 59
Activity 23: Demonstrating your capacity to
improve the school – leadership team

Leadership team: demonstrating your

capacity to improve the school

Share the excerpt below taken from the quality indicators for school
leadership: capacity to improve the school.

Working in pairs (if possible), reflect on one or more learning walks/lesson

observations or PD sessions and describe the process the individual went
through (with examples) to:

• Identify an area of strength and area for improvement.

• Plan a set of actions/steps that were carried out.
• Work collaboratively with a colleague.
• Recognise the impact – what happened as a result of the steps?
• Identify further next steps to continue/sustain the improvement.

Ensure everyone can share an example.

Ask each member of the team to complete the table below – this is
evidence that as a leadership team you have the capacity to improve the
school.
Improvement Reason Collaborated Actions Success Next
focus area with taken indicators steps

N.B. Copies of the table are in Appendix 1

 60
Inspectors are provided with a set of questions or prompts, through which
they may ask you about your capacity to improve the school. They will look
for first-hand evidence to support the answers you provide.

The prompts/questions are below.

• What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of the school?
• What are the key areas for improvement?
• What do you think are the key actions that are needed to make these
improvements?
• How are you and the rest of the school leadership team supporting
these key actions?
• What are the main problems that impact on pupils’ outcomes in your
school?
o What are you doing to address these?
o What do you think future problems are likely to be?
• Is there a plan that captures and structures the improvements
necessary for the school?
 61
Activity 24: Preparing to share evidence with
inspectors

Leadership team: preparing to answer

inspectors’ questions

Use your knowledge of the quality of teaching and learning across the
school and the information you entered the tables above to complete this
activity.

Working in pairs (if possible), look at the table below which sets out the
questions inspectors may ask. Each pair discusses four of the questions
and suggests examples which could be added into the table. An example
is given below.

Prompts/ Response Your process/ Evidence of

questions arrangements to actions taken
find out
What are the Quality of teaching • Lesson See observation
key areas for linked to pupil observations notes and
improvement? attainment. • Learning walks feedback provided
We are working to • Scrutiny of to teachers during
improve the pupil work PD session (date).
variety of learning • PD session See notes from PD
tasks that enable notes session (date);
pupils to see and • Examples examples shared
understand the shared two teachers
content they are trialling and
learning. sharing with
others.
Quality of teaching
linked to pupil
attainment.
What key
actions are
needed to
make these
improvements?
 62
Each pair shares their ideas to be added into the table below. Provide as
many different examples as possible.

Prompts Response Your process/ Evidence/data

arrangements to find
out
What do you think
are the strengths of
the school?
What do you think
are the weaknesses
of the school?
What are the key
areas for
improvement?
What do you think
are the key actions
that are needed to
make these
improvements?
How are you and
the rest of the
school leadership
team supporting
these key actions?
What are the main
problems that
impact on pupils’
outcomes in your
school? What are
you doing to
address these?
What do you think
future problems are
likely to be?
Is there a plan that
captures and
structures the
improvements
necessary for the
school?
 63

Add the information and responses you have

prepared to the folder under the School Leadership
section: Capacity to improve.

Put a reminder in your diary and in the school calendar to

look at this table AGAIN with the team. You will gather more
evidence and examples of how you identified areas for
development and the impact of this on improving the
quality of teaching over time.
 64
Section 2.4
Relationships with parents and the community

This is the fourth quality indicator for school leadership.

The table below is taken directly from the Revised Zimbabwe School
Inspection Manual. We have highlighted the minimum standard that you
should be achieving as a school leader, regardless of your experience,
school cohort and context.

In this section you will:

• have the opportunity to assess your relationships to date with parents

and the community;
• explore opportunities to overcome any challenges in engaging these
groups in the life of the school.

Building positive relationships with parents, the school community and the
School Development Committee is an important investment for everyone.
This is a process that needs to begin as soon as you take up the leadership
role in a school.
To ensure relationships are positive and supportive it is important to engage
all these groups actively in the life of the school, and to communicate
regularly with them.
 65
Activity 25: Reporting to parents

School head: reflection activity

Use the check list below to capture key information from the last meeting
you held in school with parents.

Example School head reflection

Date of last meeting Sept 2023
Number of attendees 6 parents
(or % from the invited) 2 teachers

Topic/agenda Fixing the roof

Actions from the Materials to be bought
meeting People to help with repairs

Outcome(s) Agreed to mend the roof

Date of the next meeting Not set

Activity 26: Reporting to parents – planning next

steps

Leadership team activity: reporting to parents

Parent meetings can be challenging both for members of the school team
and for parents, but meeting regularly with parents is important in order to
share information, build positive relationships and support pupils.

We are going to look at some examples and work together to think about
the solutions that can be used to support school/parent meetings.

Discuss the questions provided and complete the table below.

• What are the main challenges that you face when planning and
holding parent meetings?
• How frequently do you hold meetings?
• How frequently do you think you should hold meetings?
• How engaged are the teachers in the parent/school meetings?
 66
Issue Barriers/ Solutions to try
challenges
Parents do not The time of the • Hold the meeting at the start or end of
attend meetings meeting makes it the school day, so that the parents only
difficult for need to travel to school at the normal
parents to attend time.
• Ask parents to share the times that suit
them most and plan for the majority.
• Offer a facility so parents can come to
the meeting with their children.
Parents do not • Share the purpose/reason for the
understand what meeting with the parents – do this
the meeting is for verbally and in a short simple
letter/poster which the child takes
home.
• Share the purpose with community
leaders and ask them to share with the
parents.
• Ask the parents what they expect from
a meeting and what they would like to
discuss.
The school • Start with a short tour of the school,
makes many and introduce parents to teachers in a
parents nervous social manner, perhaps with a snack or
(as they have no light meal to break the ice.
school • Consider holding the meetings in a
experience community hall or in a neutral location.
themselves) • Hold the meeting in a language that
everyone understands easily.
• Take time to listen to the parents’
worries and concerns.
Meetings are Add details here Add details here as in the example above
about school as in the
management; example above
there is no time
to discuss
learning
It is difficult to Add details here Add details here as in the example above
cover everything as in the
I need in one example above
meeting
 67
I don’t see any Add details here Add details here as in the example above
follow-up from as in the
the meetings example above
Parents lack Add details here Add details here as in the example above
confidence in as in the
how they can example above
support their
children’s
learning

Actions to consider:

1. Identify and share a calendar of meetings for parent meetings for the
school year. Hold one meeting per term, and identify a focus for each
meeting.
• Meeting 1: School vision
• Meeting 2:
• Meeting 3:

2. How will you make sure that parents know about the meetings?

• Circulate posters/leaflets/letters taken home by children.

• Have conversations with parents at the school gate.
• Request that community leaders share meeting information.

3. How will you manage and monitor these meetings?

• Who can help you?

• Where will you keep the agenda and minutes?

4. How will you know if parents find the meetings useful?

• Check attendance of different groups of parents and ages of pupils.

• Ask parents at the end of each meeting (ask different parents each
time):
o what other issues would they like to discuss;
o what they found helpful in the meeting;
o what further questions they have.

Please note: inspectors do not expect to see ‘perfect’ relationships

with parents. They are looking to see that you are meeting regularly
with parents and engage positively with them.
 68
Activity 27: Meeting with parents

School/parents activity

Once you have completed the thinking and planning above, hold a
school/parent meeting to share the refreshed school vision.

Use the following prompt questions to reflect on the successes and next
steps that you need to take.
Focus for the meeting: School vision

Date of school/parent meeting:

Number of parents attending:

Number of teachers attending:

What went Challenges Outcomes Next steps

well
 69
Activity 28: Preparing to share evidence with
inspectors

Leadership team – understanding the current

situation and planning ahead

Inspectors are provided with a set of questions or prompts, through which

they may ask you about the relationships between the school and the
community. They will look for first-hand evidence to support the answers
you provide.

Reflect on this academic year and discuss the answers you would give to
the questions below.
• What information do you provide to parents regarding their
children’s attainment, progress and engagement
• How frequently do you provide this information?
• In what ways are the SDC involved in supporting the school?
• What would you like to change?

Information about attainment, progress, engagement

What do you provide How would you want to Actions/steps needed

now? change this?

Involvement of School Development Committee (SDC)

How are they involved How would you want to Actions/steps needed
now? change this?
 70
Inspectors also have questions for parents and questions for members of
the School Development Committee.

To gather and understand the view of parents and the SDC, we need to ask
them in a way that ensures they can be honest and tell us what they would
tell inspectors.
Asking people face to face often results in them telling us what they think
we want to hear, e.g. parents may fear that their children will be penalised
if they are critical of the school.

One effective way of gathering information from parents and the SDC is to
develop, circulate, collect and analyse an ANONYMOUS questionnaire. See
the example below:

Name of school: Date of survey:

My child/ren is/are in standard/s 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6 etc.: please circle.

Put a tick in the column that reflects your views.

Question Strongly Agree Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree

My child/ren enjoy/s school

The school lets me know how my
child/ren is/are doing
Children behave well at the
school
Teachers care about my
child/ren
I know the vision that the school
has
I know how to help my child at
home
I know how I can help the school
I know who leads the school
The school is well led and
managed
 71
Activity 29: Gathering and analysing views

Leadership team – gathering and analysing

parents’ views

As a team, discuss the example survey above and agree on the next steps
you will take to gather the views of parents and the SDC.

Agree on how you will use the responses to understand parents’ views and
to identify where the school could improve its relationships with parents.

Collect this information once per year and refer to it when inspectors ask
you about the relationships with parents and the SDC.

The prompts/questions inspectors will use are below.

Parents’ views on teaching, learning and leadership in the school

• What do your children enjoy about this school?

• What do your children not enjoy about this school?
• How well are your children doing? How do you know?
• How does the school inform you about the progress your children are
making? (e.g. meetings with teachers, reports and notes from
teachers, test scores…)
o What information are you given?
o Is the information clear?
o How frequently is it given to you?
• What do your children tell you about the other children in school?
(e.g. their attendance, behaviour, attitudes)
• What is the school’s vision How do you think the school is working
towards this?
• What is the school doing to improve?
• How well do you think that the school is led? What are your reasons?
 72
Views of parents and members of School Development Committee

• How frequent are the School Development Committee meetings?

What happens in these meetings?
• Are there any activities that you take part in to support your child’s
learning?
• Are there any activities that you take part in to improve the school?
• How does the school encourage individual parents to be involved in
the school?
• What would you do if you wanted to make a complaint? (e.g. about
teaching, bullying)
• Have you ever had cause to complain to the school? How did the
school respond to your complaint?
• What kind of financial support, if any, do you provide to the school?
• What happens if parents are not able to contribute financially?
• Is there anything else you would like to tell me about the school?