schoolcentre.net helps schools be Ofsted-ready in advance of new Inspection Framework9 September 2009 – schoolcentre.net, Granada Learning’s online tool for helping schools to drive self-evaluation and improvement, has been fully updated to support the new Ofsted Framework for the Inspection of Maintained Schools in England, which will come into force in October 2009. The updated version of schoolcentre.net allows schools to complete the new Self-Evaluation Form, add relevant supporting evidence and upload it directly to the Ofsted website prior to an inspection, enabling them to be Ofsted-ready at all times. The portal now also benefits from a redesigned Performance Management area that offers a more efficient approach to performance management.
Easy to implement and simple-to-use, schoolcentre.net is helping thousands of schools to implement their Self-Evaluation Forms (SEF) and School Development Plans (SDP). Accessible from any PC with an internet browser, schoolcentre.net brings together the school’s main and Departmental SEFs, SDP and performance management documentation, and allows all the necessary information and evidence to be added or accessed at the click of a mouse. As such, it eliminates the need for paper-based systems and frees teachers to focus on pupil attainment.
One of the key differences in the new Ofsted Framework is the requirement for schools to complete an updated version of the SEF. The new document focuses on three key areas – outcomes for pupils, the quality of teaching and the effectiveness of a school’s leadership – rather than the seven areas set out in the previous SEF. Schools will also be required to grade themselves on the statements in the SEF and give reasons for the grades they have chosen. As such, Mike Boyce, schoolcentre.net manager, believes it will be increasingly important for schools to give Ofsted inspectors easy access to accurate and meaningful data alongside the SEF.
“The evidence schools provide will be scrutinised even more closely to ensure that the school is meeting the needs of every child. Using an online system such as schoolcentre.net can reduce the pressure on schools prior to the arrival of Ofsted, and managing the school improvement process in this way can be an effective way of completing the SEF and collating the wealth of information schools need to ensure their inspection runs smoothly,” Mike explains.
“schoolcentre.net adapts readily to the needs of primary, secondary, special and independent schools, and supports a team-based approach to improvement and self-evaluation. Throughout the school, staff can attach all the necessary documents and evidence directly to their online Departmental SEF. Schools find that communication within the school is enhanced and the latest achievements and best practices are shared easily. schoolcentre.net also ensures that all stakeholders and external agencies are kept fully up-to-date, without the need to collate, print and distribute paper-based reports that quickly become obsolete,” he continues.
The new Performance Management component offers an additional benefit to schools. As it incorporates the TDA’s job specification criteria, it offers teachers comprehensive support throughout staff objective setting, progress monitoring and review stages. At the outset, objectives can be agreed and entered directly into schoolcentre.net. Subsequent progress can be added easily, ensuring the performance management document is always up-to-date. Monitoring is equally straightforward for reviewers or mentors, allowing much more rapid intervention and helping to ensure that career development stays on track.
Granada Learning has today launched a new website to show how schoolcentre.net can support the needs of primary, secondary, special and independent schools. Teachers can see more at www.schoolcentre.net.
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About Granada Learning Granada Learning is the UK's leading provider of assessment solutions for children’s education, mental health and wellbeing. Our online and print-based tests assess children’s progress in literacy, numeracy and reasoning, and identify a broad spectrum of special educational needs.
We also provide training for teachers and have published an online self-evaluation and school development planning tool that helps schools work efficiently and effectively to meet their pupils’ needs.
For further information, please contact: Danielle Morgan PR and Events Manager Granada Learning Tel: 020 8996 3632 Email: danielle.morgan@granada-learning.com
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