​How to use this self-evaluation approach to improve practice?

Schools can use their data packs to identify trends and any attainment gaps. This may lead to identification of whole school improvement needs. Data packs can be used to track progress in closing the poverty related attainment gap and inform next steps.

School data packs can be used by headteachers, school managers and local authority senior officers to support professional dialogue. As next steps for schools are collated, the local authority is able to put appropriate central resources in place to support the improvement plans.

Download(s)

PDF file: Data pack exemplar (​555 KB)

Explore this approach​

As part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge, Inverclyde identified the need to simplify access to data in order to improve outcomes for individuals, whole classes and direct whole school improvement.​

A pupil progress tracker was created to allow schools to digitally track individual pupil progress. The tracker collated data from standardised assessments and teacher SEEMiS prediction data.

Data from each school’s progress tracker were collated. Broad General Education (BGE) benchmarking data was included at this stage. Using this overview, school data packs were then created for headteachers to analyse.

Headteachers were supported by local authority staff with expertise in data analysis to analyse their data, making evaluative comments on attainment, including poverty related attainment gaps. This took the form of one to one meetings between headteachers and data staff. Comparisons to local authority averages, family groups, and the virtual comparator school were interrogated, including trends over time. Evaluative comments regarding wider achievement, joint practice and collegiate working were also included. Next steps were then identified and recorded.

Data packs were used in one-one meetings between headteachers and the head of service to discuss and direct the focus for school improvement.

All schools’ data packs were then collated and analysed to determine how Inverclyde could support schools’ next steps centrally.

How to use this approach to improve practice​​

Schools can use this approach to improve practice by using data packs to identify trends and any poverty-related attainment gaps. This may lead to identification of whole school improvement needs. Data packs can be used to track the progress of closing the poverty related attainment gap and again direct next steps.

School data packs can be used by headteachers and local authority senior management teams to support professional dialogue. They are also used within school to direct school improvement with all staff.

Each school submits their data analysis and identified next steps to the local authority. Schools are empowered to influence the local authority’s next steps as each school’s data is collated and commonalties identified. Central resources are then put in place to support the improvement plans.