TELA Peer Challenge

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Training together and carrying out a Peer Challenge in at least one other school as well as having a team of peers visiting your school and providing feedback around the areas in the Ofsted evaluation schedule, or focus areas of your choice.

• To keep the Peer Challenge Programme effective at maintaining and improving the quality of education in the participating schools.
• To provide unique and valued professional development opportunities for participating school leaders.
• To promote and development of openness and trust amongst participating school leaders.
• To support each member of the Peer Challenge group as they progress through their school improvement journey.

At the end of the two-day process the team conducting the Peer Challenge provides feedback and a report within a structure agreed with the school. This feedback will provide an evaluation of the schools current position, in terms of its self-evaluation framework (SEF), as well as areas for development. The Peer Challenge team will provide the school with feedback against its own judgements rather than necessarily make graded conclusions. Conclusions will focus on whether the school is currently above, in-line or below its own judgements within the focus areas.

In line with the current Ofsted framework there will not be any grades for teaching and learning given for each lesson observation. The evaluations of lessons will focus on strengths and areas for development. The process will support the school by identifying exceptional practice when it is observed.

In 2015 a Peer Challenge network was established amongst participating schools from within the TELA ‘family’.   The TELA Peer Challenge schools have committed themselves to engagement within the  programme of customised peer evaluations. The evaluation is supportive and non-judgemental although each school can engage with the process in a structure, which is suitable to them and meets their needs within the Ofsted cycle.

Schools engaging with Peer Review nominate members of their Senior Leadership Team to participate in the process. Where possible the TELA Peer Review network includes Headteachers and Principals in order to provide gravitas to the process.

All of those engaged in the evaluation receive support and training prior to deployment into any school. Training will be led by our link Ofsted inspector and consists of:

• Data evaluation training
• Observation training – what to look for; how to give feedback
• Understanding the latest framework so that the Peer Review can support each school to be Ofsted ready

Teams will be deployed into schools throughout 2017 -18  to engage in two days of ‘inspection’ based activity customised to the schools requirements. During the two days the team will for example:

• Observe lessons – preferably in pairs with staff from the school
• Analyse the data
• Talk to leaders of key areas about the actions being taken to address areas for development
• Conduct student and staff voice discussions
• Meet with governors to assess the quality of their leadership

To support the evaluation process the schools engaged will commit to the following:

• Support the process by committing their own senior leaders to the programme, engage in the training and participate in other evaluations across the TELA ‘family’ of schools.
• Prepare the two-day evaluation schedule including observations, staff and student discussions and provide access to basic information such as data (Raise Online / P16 Panda), the SEF and Improvement Plans.

Trust Leader, Success Academy Trust

Principal, Thomas Estley Community College