Monitoring and Evaluation Policy

In TMS we plan learning and teaching with a view to enabling each student to achieve their highest level of personal achievement. To ensure that this happens, we undertake regular monitoring of the actions we have taken, so that we are able to make an accurate judgement about how effective these actions have been.

Our procedures for monitoring and evaluation give us information we use to make future decisions about the development of our schools.

We monitor systematically across a range of activities and across all subjects within our schools. We do this because we believe that effective monitoring:

• Promotes excellent learning and teaching throughout our schools
• Ensures excellent implementation of the TMS curriculums
• Identifies the strengths and needs for professional development of teachers
• Offers an opportunity to celebrate progress and success of students and schools
• Ensures consistency of provision and quality of teaching throughout our schools
• Ensures that every student is appropriately challenged to reach their full potential

What is monitored?

• Students’ progress – day-to-day progress in workbooks in line with marking
• Assessment information
• Coverage and progression through the curriculum
• Use of resources
• Quality of the learning experience
• Students’ in-class activities
• Teachers’ effectiveness in engaging learners in learning
• Classroom organisation
• Teacher-student relationships
• Helping teachers identify their strengths and weaknesses

Evaluation

This is the judgement on the effectiveness of the items having been monitored, based on their impact on the quality of learners’ learning. We make evaluations based on reflections of the following fundamental questions:

• How well are we doing?
• How well should we be doing?
• What more can we focus on achieving?
• What changes and developments must make to raise our achievements?

Quality of Provision

• Planning demonstrates a focus on developing 21st Century skills (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creative thinking, problem-solving, application of technology) which are being delivered effectively
• Planning is effective, showing clear learning objectives and outcomes, success criteria and assessment
• The teaching reflects the learning outcomes, success criteria and assessment, and this is clearly outlined to learners
• A range of teaching strategies are used which are appropriate to achieving the learning objectives and outcomes. As a result of effective teaching approaches:
  • Challenging tasks are carefully designed to match all students’ learning needs resulting in high levels of engagement throughout the lesson
  • Teachers foster students’ sense of curiosity, creativity and enthusiasm for learning
  • Learners use a range of learning styles throughout lessons and can talk about those approaches that help them learn well
  • Learners are given the opportunity to work independently and collaboratively
  • Learners develop their knowledge, skills and understanding across a range of subjects/content areas
• The teachers have a very good knowledge of their subject(s) and create a conducive climate for learning.
  As a result of this:
  • All students behave well and show respect for the teacher and their peers
  • Students are encouraged to speak and question with confidence and respect
  • Students display commitment, determination to succeed, independence, self-belief and self-confidence
  • Rewards and sanctions to manage behavior are used consistently, fairly and in a timely manner to create and maintain a positive and safe learning environment for all
  • Students are punctual to lessons
• The teachers provide opportunities for learners to develop into independent learners.
  As a result of independent learning strategies:
  • Students are curious, enquiring and willing to learn new things
  • Students are able to take risks and make mistakes in their learning
  • Students can persevere with a task or challenge even when it is perceived as being very challenging
  • Students collaborate and discuss in pairs and groups, developing subject specific knowledge/understandings as well as their speaking and listening skills
  • Students are inspired to undertake homework tasks to develop their subject skills and knowledge to a greater depth
• Suitability and effectiveness of homework (reinforcement activities)

• Teachers have high expectations for learning from all students.
  As a result of high expectations and challenge in lessons:
  • The previous knowledge, skills and understanding of all learners is seen to be extended within the lesson and over the course of the curriculum implementation
  • Students take the initiative for their learning and participate actively in their lessons
  • Pace and depth of learning is maximised for all students through effective monitoring of learning throughout each lesson and is accurately matched to actions taken in response to observations regarding learners’ progress and feedback
  • Questions asked in lessons are targeted and differentiated to extend and challenge all learners
  • Learners ask questions and seek clarification of the teacher and of each other in lessons

Professional Growth and Development

A well-functioning school requires a leader who:

• • Maintains and further develops own leadership competence through continuing professional development
  • Reflects on, and develops, their own practice as leaders of learning
  • Builds professional networks with other Heads in TME

School Management

A well-functioning school requires a leader who:

• • Manages human, financial and physical resources and organisational structures and strategies to create and maintain the school as a learning organisation
  • Fosters ethical standards of teacher behavior and practice, implements the values of the organization and demonstrates fairnes.
  • Maintains a climate of well-being that enables and supports learning, and ensures the safe functioning of the school on a day-to-day basis

Quality of Leadership

TMS schools need competent individuals who can provide direction, guidance and support in their school’s performance in providing quality learning opportunities for all learners.
In this regard, school leadership needs to be a unifying focus for all staff and activities in a school, providing the impetus for sustained, high-quality provision.
Effective TMS school leadership is monitored against key principles about what is required in order to ensure effective teaching and learning in TMS schools. These principles are:

• School heads demonstrate a set of core professional values that include commitment to the professional role, inspiring trust, ensuring care, professional integrity and respect for all
• Having a clear understanding and knowledge of the core work of TME schools, the values, vision and mission of the organization, which forms the foundation for the continuous development of a successful teaching and learning culture in school
• The ability to manage the school environment, structures and resources in ways that enable the development of a successful teaching and learning culture in school
• The ability to distribute leadership responsibilities among staff in order to build leadership capacity and effective teams in school, with a view to sustainability and succession planning
• Demonstrating an understanding that the school head is the lead learner in school, who manages the creation, sharing and review of the strategic vision, ethos and aims of the organisation across the whole of the school provision
• The ability to inspire and create a commitment to constant improvement through modelling and communicating the practice of reflection and self-evaluation

The principles of leadership are further divided into the following key practice elements that should be regularly monitored:

Leading Learning and Teaching

A well-functioning school requires a leader who:

• • Creates a culture of professional learning among teachers that fosters continuous improvement in teaching and assessment, and students’ learning, as the core function of the school
  • Fosters the development of the full range of teacher professional competences, and works to ensure that teacher professional development provided leads to improved student learning in the school
  • Develops a school ethos and sets school-centric goals to realise the holistic potential of each learner
  • Develops and implements approaches to leadership which promote professional responsibility and accountability
  • Manages the effective implementation of the school curriculums

Leading School Development

A well-functioning school requires a leader who:

• • Establishes and communicates the mission and vision for the school and empowers and supports others in the school in the achievement of these
  • Engages in a continuous process of whole school self-evaluation and designs and implements a strategic school development plan for improvement
  • Builds and maintains relationships with parents and the wider school community
  • Promotes communication within the school and effectively manages challenging and complex situations
  • Manages and leads change

Building Culture, Capacity and Teams

A well-functioning school requires a leader who:

• • Promotes a learning culture that fosters improvement, collaboration, innovation and creativity, and recognises and celebrates teachers’ individual and collective contributions and achievements to the school
  • Builds teams and empowers all teachers to take on, and carry out, leadership roles, in order to build leadership capacity within the school
  • Facilitates the development of learner voice and learner leadership within the school through clubs and societies, and other bodies, such as a learner council

• There is a clear focus on assessment of/for learning. As a result of this:
  • Students are clear about the lesson objectives and how outcomes will be evaluated
  • Students can articulate their own short and long term objectives for learning in a lesson and can give examples of how they can effectively work towards them
  • Students engage in open, honest and productive dialogue in class about their learning with teachers and peers
  • Students use self and peer assessment strategies to reflect on/evaluate their learning against success criteria and make suggestions about how to improve their work
  • Students can talk about/demonstrate what they have learned and reflect on what they might need to learn next
  • Students can talk about what they do well and what they find difficult
  • Students, detailed and accurate written feedback enables all learners to understand how well they are doing and how to improve
  • Students respond to written feedback and act on it
• The standards of work in students books reflects progress is being made in relation to their capabilities
• In monitoring and evaluation, there should be scrutiny of students’ work to check that it:
  • reflects teachers’ planning
  • shows evidence of progress through the curriculum
  • clearly illustrates TMS expectations on marking and presentation

During monitoring and evaluation visits, it should be expected that:

• Students follow the agreed school rules/learner code of conduct
• Students participate in extra-curricular activities
• Students work co-operatively and independently in lessons
• Students are polite and demonstrate good manners both in school and when on organised visits and field trips
• Students participate in the life of school, for example, through engagement on the school council, as school representatives etc.

• Audit of curriculum coverage – the subject leads will look at teacher’s planners to check (i) Breadth, balance and relevance of the curriculum (ii) Challenge and progression (iii) Targets relevant to curriculum in the School Development Plan
• Feedback will be formally given to each teacher
• This will follow the pattern of:
  • Analysing the assessments and written work of students
  • Examining the timetable
  • Examining plans for the class over time
  • After the documentation has been examined there should be focused observations based upon issues arising
  • Arising from this audit there should be action points, which should relate to learner needs, curriculum progress, and classroom organisation and this could feed into the school development plan where appropriate

Monitoring and evaluation by the head teacher. The head teacher’s role in monitoring is to:

• Arrange the overall programme and timetable for monitoring each term
  • Ensure planning is effectively monitored
  • Undertake general observations of teaching as well as specific and focused observations of teaching, when required
  • Participate in work scrutiny
  • Discuss successes and areas for improvement
  • Evaluate the implementation of the curriculums and the overall effectiveness of the school
• Key aspects of the head teacher’s monitoring and evaluation include:
  • The head teacher supports the monitoring of lesson planning across the curriculum
  • Lesson observation is carried out regularly to inform the extent of the achievement of targets, assessment judgements regarding learners’ progress and to support school development planning. The purpose of observations by the head teacher is to ascertain the overall quality of teaching in the school and to identify particular strengths in teaching as a whole across the school and areas that require improvement. There are occasions and circumstances in school where additional lesson observations are undertaken by head teachers. These are outlined below:
    • The lesson is inadequate
    • The teacher is facing capability issues
    • The teacher is a new teacher
  • The head teacher meets with coordinator(s) to review lesson plans to ensure that they meet the TME requirements for format and quality.
  • Students’ books are reviewed regularly, where the head teacher focuses on standards of presentation and accurate marking/ assessment. The head teacher undertakes this scrutiny of learners’ work in order to assess standards and the progress learners are making.

As part of this role, subject leads ensure that:

• Areas to be monitored are identified so that a complete ‘picture’ is created across all schools, all teachers and all subjects for each academic year
• The data generated from monitoring and evaluation is collated, analysed and is used to review progress, recognise achievement and inform future planning in the school
• Key information and data (and analyses of what such data and information indicate) is reported to the Director Academics and are able to lead discussion on how such data can be used to best advantage and improve the school
• Student performance data is collected, analysed and used to inform school development planning

• Annual parent questionnaire
• PTM’s
• Formal/Informal meetings and discussions with students

• Classroom Observation:
  Classroom observation by subject leads should take place on a regular basis, defined by Head Office. The purpose of observation is to address identified issues expressed by head teachers and evident from a review of data sources (stated above). The information gathered during observation is given as feedback as soon as possible after the observation. This should be both supportive and developmental.
• Review of teaching planning
  Teacher planning is reviewed before observation. Supportive, developmental feedback is provided as soon as possible after the review
• Review of student’s work
  Student’s work should be reviewed regularly throughout the year on a subject basis. The review is undertaken by curriculum leaders, but can also be undertaken by the school head of school.
• Discussions/ Interviews
  The views of learners and teachers should be collected. This can be done informally but should always be systematically linked to the overall monitoring and evaluation findings.
• Recording
  All monitoring activity should be recorded and must identify any action to be taken as a result of the monitoring