Gathering the evidence

Sources of evidence

Some of the sources you can use in self-review are:

  • Analysis of student achievement data
  • Review of documentation (policies, procedures, guidelines)
  • Observation of practice against agreed criteria
  • Questionnaires and surveys (students, staff, parents)
  • Interviews (students, staff, parents)
  • Analysis of statistics (attendance, roll numbers)
  • Audit of resources
  • Anecdotal feedback
  • Use of continuums (basic, developing, integrated) against set of ideal outcomes
  • Meetings (minutes of consultation meetings)
  • Use of external review (ERO)

See resources:

Student learning review survey (Word 2007 63 kB)

Annual department review (Word 2007 28 kB)

School systems review checklist (Word 2007 333 kB)

SWOT tool (Word 39 kB)

Reflection exercise 

  • As a first time principal, what do you know about the school and the community?
  • How do you know? What evidence do you have for the judgments you have made from first impressions?
  • What sources of evidence are currently available?
  • What further information or evidence might you need in order to get a more complete picture of the school?
  • What level of review is appropriate – strategic, regular, or emergent?
  • What are the most appropriate tools or sources of evidence to use as the basis of the review?

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