Effective use of data

“When schools create a collaborative culture around data use - when they use data not to point the finger but to inform collective decisions - something powerful can happen.” Data wise in action

This resource includes:

• workshop templates that presenters can adapt to suit their own context
• information to support tracking and monitoring
• a literature review on using data for improvement in education
• a glossary of commonly used terms
• podcasts that explore effective use of data
• links to further exemplification

We will continue to update this resource with new content as it becomes available.

Background to this resource

“Robust analysis of a range of intelligence and data are essential features of effective continuous self-improvement.” How good is our school fourth edition

Regular analysis and evaluation of intelligence and data is central to self-evaluation. Effective use of data includes:  

• diagnosing needs and using data to understand why learners have specific gaps
• triangulating data to inform improvement planning by using several different sources of information to draw the same conclusion
• understanding progress by incorporating data analysis measures into the planning process
• using data to track and monitor progress throughout an improvement cycle
• using data to identify and inform next steps for learners and families
• measuring the impact of interventions and approaches by using data to track and monitor the outcomes

This resource has been developed in partnership with practitioners and leaders to support effective use of data. It features six common themes from research to support effective use of data.