The urgent need for new approaches in school evaluation to enable Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence

Abstract

This paper presents observations on the nature of school audit methods in light of the implementation of Scotland's incoming Curriculum for Excellence and the major normative, technological, and cultural changes affecting schools. It points to a mismatch between the concepts and structures of the incoming curriculum and that of the universalistic yet atheoretical grading schemas used in Scottish school inspections. The analysis demonstrates how school inspection with its basis in specifications and fixed measures conflicts with the formative agenda of the incoming curriculum, causing a barrier to its creative realisation in schools. An alternative framework of school developmental engagement is presented via interpretative processes, theoretically grounded purposes and systems thinking.

Insights gained by schools and emotional consequences of school inspections. A review of evidence

“…Several education systems have experimented with combinations of internal and external evaluations (OECD 2013). To a lesser extent than the issue above, scholars have discussed whether inspections can be conducted by "peer reviewers", either alone or in combination with "professional inspectors" (Baxter andClarke 2013, Faubert 2009) or whether the inspection can take on a more empowering role in training and guiding schools/principals to ensure their educational quality (Grek 2013, Mackinnon 2011. It can finally be concluded that, while much is known, still more remains under-researched when it comes to the effects of school inspections on schools.…”

Aan welke doelstellingen moeten schooldoorlichtingen voldoen? Exploratieve studie in Vlaanderen met de Delphi Methode

“…Dit gebeurt volgens verschillende academici echter zelden of nooit, door de scheve verhouding tussen inspecteur en school, waarbij de ene macht heeft over het lot van de andere (Ferguson, Earley, Ouston, & Fidler, 1999;Lonsdale & Parsons, 1998), en door de mogelijke sancties na een negatieve doorlichting (Ferguson et al, 1999;Woods & Jeffrey, 1998). Bovendien kunnen opgelegde aanpassingen geen echte schoolontwikkeling inhouden door het gebrek aan lokale gedragenheid (Faubert, 2009;MacKinnon, 2011;Perryman, 2010). Ook McNamara en O'Hara (2008) gaan ervan uit dat hoe meer een inspectiesysteem overhelt naar de verantwoordingsdoelstelling, hoe minder 'bruikbaar' het is voor schoolontwikkeling.…”