Finding the evidence: School libraries and self evaluation Kathy Lemaire OBE BA DipLib MCLIP Former Chief Executive, The School Library Association Conference on self evaluation of school libraries Lisbon 3 rd November, 2008

Kathy Lemaire OBE BA DipLib MCLIP

Former Chief Executive,

The School Library Association

Conference on self evaluation of school libraries

Lisbon

3 rd November, 2008

What is self evaluation? Why self evaluation is an essential tool The drivers for school and school library improvement How the UK model came about

What is self evaluation?

Why self evaluation is an essential tool

The drivers for school and school library improvement

How the UK model came about

It is not enough to understand what we ought to be, unless we know what we are; and we do not understand what we are, unless we know what we ought to be. T.S. Eliot

It is not enough to understand what we ought to be, unless we know what we are; and we do not understand what we are, unless we know what we ought to be.

T.S. Eliot

The political background Education law is created by : The Scottish Parliament The Welsh Assembly The Northern Ireland Assembly The UK Parliament (England) and managed by Local Authorities Individual schools

Education law is created by :

The Scottish Parliament

The Welsh Assembly

The Northern Ireland Assembly

The UK Parliament (England)

and managed by

Local Authorities

Individual schools

School libraries in the UK Non-statutory status Most schools have libraries Most provide books, magazines, CD-ROMs, Internet access Most give some training to students on research skills and using the library Often targets for budget cuts

Non-statutory status

Most schools have libraries

Most provide books, magazines, CD-ROMs, Internet access

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

Often targets for budget cuts

UK school libraries Most actively support development of literacy and reading for pleasure

Most actively support development of literacy and reading for pleasure

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

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

UK school libraries Primary schools usually open only part of the day usually run by a teacher, teaching assistant or volunteer

Primary schools

usually open only part of the day

usually run by a teacher, teaching assistant or volunteer

UK school libraries Secondary schools may be run by qualified or unqualified librarian or a teacher, often with student helpers usually open longer hours, often before and after school for homework and reading clubs

Secondary schools

may be run by qualified or unqualified librarian or a teacher, often with student helpers

usually open longer hours, often before and after school for homework and reading clubs

Review of standards in schools External review – Inspection by official bodies Internal review – carried out by the school Internal review is becoming more formal and extensive

External review – Inspection by official bodies

Internal review – carried out by the school

Internal review is becoming more formal and extensive

Inspection of schools England: The Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) Wales: ESTYN Scotland: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate (HMIE) Northern Ireland: The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETINI) All have been moving towards a model of schools evaluating their own performance .

England: The Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED)

Wales: ESTYN

Scotland: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate (HMIE)

Northern Ireland: The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETINI)

All have been moving towards a model of schools evaluating their own performance .

Developing self evaluation 1. Evidence gathering and description ↓ Evaluation 2. Input ↓ Impact 3. Occasional inspection ↓ Continuous self assessment

1. Evidence gathering and description

↓

Evaluation

New Haven public school criteria for libraries: Relationships: with students, staff, principal, parents, etc Role: as teacher, education leader, manager Services: newsletters, email Facility: layout, desk, seating, access, scheduling Programmes, collaboration, research methods Collection: resources, reference, periodicals Technology: number of computers, online and other technology

Relationships: with students, staff, principal, parents, etc

Role: as teacher, education leader, manager

Services: newsletters, email

Facility: layout, desk, seating, access, scheduling

Programmes, collaboration, research methods

Collection: resources, reference, periodicals

Technology: number of computers, online and other technology

Self Evaluation Model - Scotland How Good is Our School? How Good is Our School Library Taking a Closer Look at the School Library Resource Centre

How Good is Our School?

How Good is Our School Library

Taking a Closer Look at the School Library Resource Centre

Self Evaluation Models - England based on Ofsted themes Improve your library: a self-evaluation process for primary schools

Improve your library:

a self-evaluation process for primary schools

Self Evaluation Models - England based on Ofsted themes Improve your library: a self-evaluation process for secondary school libraries and learning resource centres

Improve your library:

a self-evaluation process for secondary school libraries and learning resource centres

Self Evaluation Models: based on Ofsted themes Improve your library: a self-evaluation process for secondary school libraries and learning resource centres

Improve your library:

a self-evaluation process for secondary school libraries and learning resource centres

Self Evaluation Model Themes How high are standards? How well are students’ attitudes, values and personal qualities developed? How effective are teaching and learning? How well does LRC provision meet pupils’ needs? How well are pupils guided and supported? How effectively does the school work with parents and the community? How well is the LRC led and managed?

How high are standards?

How well are students’ attitudes, values and personal qualities developed?

How effective are teaching and learning?

How well does LRC provision meet pupils’ needs?

How well are pupils guided and supported?

How effectively does the school work with parents and the community?

How well is the LRC led and managed?

Other drivers for self evaluation Accountability and transparency The expectation of continuous improvement Demonstrating the value of the library

Accountability and transparency

The expectation of continuous improvement

Demonstrating the value of the library

Self evaluation Range of activities – assessing, appraising, monitoring, auditing etc Undertaken from within – looking inwards and outwards Reviewing the past, taking stock of the present and planning for the future

Range of activities – assessing, appraising, monitoring, auditing etc

Undertaken from within – looking inwards and outwards

Reviewing the past, taking stock of the present and planning for the future

Development planning “ Policies are helpful management tools; development planning is management itself…...Development planning helps schools determine priorities for action and turn good intentions into actions” Stewart Robertson HMI

“ Policies are helpful management tools; development planning is management itself…...Development planning helps schools determine priorities for action and turn good intentions into actions”

Stewart Robertson HMI

What does self evaluation involve? Agreeing focus – on specific areas of work Deciding indicators – activities that demonstrate success Gathering evidence – how you know they are taking place Planning development – taking place after evaluation to improve service / activities

Agreeing focus – on specific areas of work

Deciding indicators – activities that demonstrate success

Gathering evidence – how you know they are taking place

Planning development – taking place after evaluation to improve service / activities

Focus of evaluation How the library / librarian might: support teaching and learning develop students’ information literacy skills help raise standards support students’ reading for education and for pleasure affect students’ learning outcomes

How the library / librarian might:

support teaching and learning

develop students’ information literacy skills

help raise standards

support students’ reading for education and for pleasure

affect students’ learning outcomes

Why evaluate your school library? Develop a shared vision Transparency Demonstrate your value Support whole school strategic planning Basis for development / improvement Support budget bids Evidence for school Inspectors, school Governors, SMT Salary and status Comparison with national/local benchmarks

Develop a shared vision

Transparency

Demonstrate your value

Support whole school strategic planning

Basis for development / improvement

Support budget bids

Evidence for school Inspectors, school Governors, SMT

Salary and status

Comparison with national/local benchmarks

And finally . . . Remember to record everything If possible make use of a ‘critical friend’ Make good use of your findings

Remember to record everything

If possible make use of a ‘critical friend’

Make good use of your findings

Weblinks http:// www.informat.org/schoollibraries / http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/hgiosjte3.pdf http:// www.slainte.org.uk/slic/schoollibs/performance.htm http://www.hmc.org.uk/publications/Making-self-evaluation-work.pdf