Clerical support for section 5 inspections
Age group: All Published: October 2009 Reference no: 090253
Contents Introduction 4
Background 4 Preparing for the inspection visit 4 Lead inspector 4 Clerical support – Criminal Records Bureau 4 During the inspection 4 Collating and analysing parental, pupil and staff questionnaires 4 Announced inspection 6 Duties that clerical support staff should not undertake 6 Use of the evidence form 7 Confidentiality 7 Inspection report 7 Annex: Parental/pupil/staff (delete as appropriate) questionnaire analysis 8 1. Positive comments 8 Topics covered 8 Examples of verbatim comments 8 Overall summary of positive comments 8 2. Negative comments 9 Topics covered 9 Examples of verbatim comments 9 Overall summary of negative comments 9 3. Statistical breakdown of responses (parents) 10 4. Statistical breakdown of responses (pupils)* 11 5. Statistical breakdown of responses (staff)* 12
Introduction 1. The purpose of this guidance is to clarify the role of clerical support on section 5 inspections.
Background 2. From 1 September 2009, inspection service providers (ISPs) are required to provide clerical support for all section 5 maintained school inspections, for the analysis of parental, pupil and staff questionnaires. It is for ISPs to decide on the number of personnel to be assigned to provide the support, noting the requirement for the completed analysis of all questionnaires within the timescales outlined below.
Preparing for the inspection visit Lead inspector 3. During the first conversation with the headteacher/principal, when discussing the plan for the inspection, the lead inspector (LI) should make clear the role of the clerical support staff.
4. It is expected that the deployment of clerical support will be for no more than one day and it is a requirement that the support is provided at the school, rather than remotely. The LI will therefore need to allow time for travel on the day.
Clerical support – Criminal Records Bureau 5. All clerical support staff must have obtained an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure certificate before they can support an inspection, and will need to have appropriate evidence of their identity. The personnel involved will be required to comply with high standards of professional behaviour.
During the inspection Collating and analysing parental, pupil and staff questionnaires 6. The task for clerical support staff on inspection is to analyse parental, pupil and staff questionnaires. 7. It is recommended that clerical support staff confirm with the LI the precise nature of the written analysis depending on the number of questionnaires and written comments there are to deal with. An example of a template is attached as an annex. 8. The analysis is to include the following (which is set out in a suggested order): • count (and number) the total number of questionnaires submitted • check all questionnaires for any concerns about safeguarding pupils, and flag these for the inspector’s specific and (it is suggested) immediate attention • calculate the total number and percentage of responses for each question under each heading (for example, strongly agree/agree) and (for pupil and staff questionnaires) under each year group/staff group heading • collate and analyse all concerns recorded in the questionnaires by grouping the concerns under suitable headings, such as: • quality of pupils’ learning and their progress • pupils’ safety • behaviour • adopting healthy lifestyles • homework • bullying • attendance • quality of teaching • school’s engagement with parents • school’s use of resources and provide an overall summary of the concerns expressed • collate and analyse all positive comments recorded in the questionnaires, by grouping the comments under suitable headings (as above), and provide an overall summary of the comments expressed • produce a transcript of all written comments received • for pupil and staff questionnaires, collate and analyse positive and negative comments under the year group/staff group headings.
9. A first analysis of parental questionnaires, highlighting emerging issues, is to be made available to the inspector no later than 1pm on the first day of the inspection. 10. All pupil and staff questionnaires are to be retrieved by the end of the first day, and a final analysis for both of these questionnaires should be made available to the LI by 8am on day two of the inspection. 11. The final completed parental questionnaire analysis is to be provided on day two by 1pm at the latest, in an Excel spreadsheet. 12. The table below sets out the process for gathering and analysing questionnaires. An example of an analysis template is also attached as an annex.
Announced inspection Day
Time
Parent
Pupil
Staff
By end of first day
All questionnaires to be collected
All questionnaires to be collected
By 8am
Final analysis
Final analysis
Day -2
ISP notifies school of inspection. School distributes questionnaires
Day -1
LI contacts school
Day 1
Day 2
At start of day 1
Collect all questionnaires returned at this stage
By 1pm
First analysis of parents’ questionnaire
By 1pm
Final analysis
13. Clerical support staff need to ensure that the LI has sight of all questionnaires that arrive after the analysis has been carried out, and to ensure their return to the ISP for inclusion in the data set. Where, for example, a large number of questionnaires arrive after the analysis, clerical support staff should liaise with the LI on the best way to handle these (for example, this may require a revised or additional analysis). 14. ISPs should have appropriate arrangements in place for translating questionnaires. All versions for translation will show (in English, at the top of the questionnaire) the name of the language being used.
Duties that clerical support staff should not undertake 15. Clerical support staff should be mindful that there are a number of things that they should not do. Clerical support staff should not be asked to operate in any sense as an inspector, for example: • engage with school staff other than to request data or files • provide feedback on any of the work that the clerical support staff has completed to anyone other than members of the inspection team • engage directly with pupils other than through normal greetings.
Use of the evidence form 16. Any collation of evidence from the questionnaires should be recorded on an evidence form, purely as a statement of fact. Clerical support staff should not attempt to put any grades on any form, though the LI may choose to do this subsequently having evaluated the evidence. The analysis of parental, pupil and staff questionnaires are to be retained as part of the inspection evidence base.
Confidentiality 17. The code of conduct for inspectors requires inspectors to ‘respect the confidentiality of information, particularly about individuals and their work’. 18. This also applies to anyone attached to the inspection team, including clerical support staff. Clerical support staff should therefore treat everything that they see and hear on inspection as highly confidential; it should not be discussed with anyone outside the inspection team or in a public environment.
Inspection report 19. The inspection report is to include: • the total number of parental questionnaires issued by the school and the number of questionnaires received • a table of responses from the parents’ questionnaire that includes the number and percentage of responses for each question under each heading (for example, strongly agree/agree).
Annex: Parental/pupil/staff (delete as appropriate) questionnaire analysis [Name] School 1. Positive comments These can be found in questionnaires (for example, numbers 4, 6, 8–12).
Topics covered (for example) • Quality of teaching
Examples of verbatim comments (for example)
• ‘The standard of teaching is superb’ (4).
Overall summary of positive comments
2. Negative comments These can be found in questionnaires (for example, numbers 4, 6, 8–12) Topics covered
Examples of verbatim comments
Overall summary of negative comments
3. Statistical breakdown of responses (parents) Number of forms received back:
1) My child enjoys school 2) The school keeps my child safe 3) The school informs me about my child’s progress 4) My child is making enough progress at this school 5) The teaching is good at this school 6) The school helps me to support my child’s learning 7) The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 8) The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example, changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 9) The school meets my child’s particular needs 10) The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 11) The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strong disagr
No.
No.
No.
No.
%
%
%
12) The school is led and managed effectively 13) Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school
4. Statistical breakdown of responses (pupils)*
Number of forms received back:
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Don't know (KS2 pupils only)
No.
1) I enjoy school 2) My school helps me to be healthy 3) I feel safe when I am at school 4) I learn a lot in lessons 5) Behaviour is good at my school 6) Adults care about me 7) Teachers are interested in my views 8) I know how well I am doing at school 9) Adults explain to me how to improve my work 10) My school helps me to prepare for the future (for example to change year group, to change school, or for pupils finishing
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
school, to enter further or higher education, or to enter employment) 11) The headteacher and senior staff in my school do a good job * Please note the additional set of questions (not included above) for boarding pupils.
5. Statistical breakdown of responses (staff)* Number of forms received back:
1) I am proud to be a member of staff at this school 2) My contribution to the school is valued 3) I know what we are trying to achieve as a school 4) I am involved in what the school is trying to achieve 5) I contribute to the school’s process of selfevaluation 6) The school makes appropriate provision for my professional development 7) The school is well led 6) Governors do an effective job in this school 7) The school runs smoothly on a daily basis 8) Children are safe in this school 9) Any unacceptable behaviour by pupils is consistently well managed
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Stron disag
No.
No.
No.
No.
%
%
%
10) The school successfully meets the differing needs of individual pupils *To be broken down further by staff role in school (for example, member of senior leadership team/middle leader/teacher/support staff – teaching/support staff – other.