MAIN SCHOOL QUESTIONS for STAFF: FOCUSED SELECTION BANK1 of 2 Pages

MAIN SCHOOL QUESTIONS FOR STAFF: FOCUSED SELECTION BANK1 of 2 pages

For senior managers

1.Governors’ description of your role. [Head]

2.Nature of job description. [Other members of the senior management team]

3.Educational direction for school, areas of responsibility, means of maintaining school ethos.

4.Analysis of needs and establishing of priorities.

5.Formation and monitoring of policies.

6.Training and motivation of staff.

7.Responsibility for distribution of funding.

8.Administration, communication and involvement of others in decision making.

For pastoral and subject middle managers, and others with specific responsibilities

1.Job description: origin, accuracy, delegation to others.

2.Contact with governors/senior managers. School systems of administration/communication.

3.Priorities: origin and plans to meet them.

4.Monitoring of teachers/tutors and line management responsibilities.

5.Role in appraisal and/or professional development.

6.Allocation/adequacy of financial resources.

Focus on teaching

1.School policy and its application to your subject.

2.Most important outcomes of the teaching in your subject.

3.Teaching approaches: monitoring and discussion.

4.Different policies for teaching pupils at different stages (if applicable).

5.Any policy for matching work to capability and teaching pupils with particular needs (SEND/EAL/high ability).

Focus on assessment

1.School policy on assessment and/or marking.

2.Subject application of policy.

3.Prime purposes of assessment in your subject.

4.Assessment of particular features of the subject work (for example, knowledge, understanding, subject skills, literacy, numeracy and ICT skills).

5.Assessment of/comment on pupils’ notes/files.

6.Monitoring the assessment and marking of classes other than your own (if applicable).

7.Discussion of assessment issues (for example, at subject meetings).

8.Target setting.

9.Recording of assessments (examples?)

10.Standardisation/moderation of subject teachers’ assessments for public examination years (for example, internal tests/examinations).

Focus on curriculum

1.Following/taking account of/modifying any external syllabuses.

2.Important outcomes of the subject curriculum that you provide.

3.Emphasis on different elements of your subject.

4.Matching work to pupils’ different capabilities.

5.Planning to make contributions to other subjects or to general skills of literacy/numeracy/ICT.

6.Enrichment through visits, visitors, clubs etc.

7.Any planned opportunities for group work, fieldwork or project work.

8.Monitoring the implementation of the curriculum.

9.Discussion of any particular curriculum issues at subject meetings.

Focus on development planning

1.Development planning.

2.Kinds of things included.

3.Priorities and deadlines.

4.Any collaboration with others (for example, teachers/tutors/boarding staff).

5.Evaluation of planning.

6.Sharing of planning (for example, with senior management).

7.Bidding and costing.

8.Evaluation of any new resources.

MAIN SCHOOL QUESTIONS FOR STAFF: FOCUSED SELECTION BANK2 of 2 pages

Focus on personal development

1.Means of increasing pupils’ self-knowledge, self-esteem, self-confidence and the development of a faith or personal belief.

2.Particular successes in increasing pupils’ awareness of right and wrong.

3.Informing pupils about public institutions and services in England.

4.Expectations for pupils’ appreciation of their own and other cultures within Britain and beyond.

5.Assisting pupils to develop self-discipline and responsibility.

Focus on pastoral care, welfare, health and safety

1.Checking that the pastoral care arrangements work effectively for all pupils.

2.Action taken if relationships between certain staff and pupils, or between certain pupils, are not good.

3.Checking effectiveness of anti-bullying policy.

4.Means of ensuring that all staff are aware of child protection procedures.

5.Checking that the school’s fire and health and safety policies are followed.

Focus on activities

1.Contribution to the overall programme of activities.

2.Balance of staff availability, expertise, and pupils’ needs and interests.

3.Opportunities for pupils to suggest, initiate or run activities under staff supervision.

4.Extent of pressure for staff/pupils to be involved in activities.

5.Importance of activities in the overall provision made by the school.

6.Contribution of the activities programme to pupils’ broader education.

7.Acknowledging and recording pupils’ contribution/achievement in activities.

Financial contact with governors and others

1.Governors’ involvement in financial planning and control.

2.Provision of staffing and material resources.

3.Strategic plans/SDP.

4.Contact with the governors and head, senior management team and other staff

5.Meeting legal obligations.

Financial contact with senior management

1.Analysis of needs and establishing of priorities.

2.Formation and monitoring of policies.

3.Training and motivation of staff.

4.Responsibility for distribution of funding.

5.Administration, communication and involvement of others in decision making.

Financial development planning

1.Development planning.

2.Kinds of things included.

3.Priorities and deadlines.

4.Any collaboration with others (for example, teachers/tutors/boarding staff).

5.Evaluation of planning.

6.Sharing of planning (for example, with senior management).

7.Bidding and costing.

8.Evaluation of any new resources.

Links with parents

Availability of regulatory and other information.
Receipt and usefulness of last school report on child.
Opportunities to discuss child with staff.
Communication with school and response to questions/requests.
How well the child is known as an individual.
Satisfaction with school and various aspects.
Satisfaction with handling of concerns/complaints.

Questions for staff – focused selection bankEffective September 2012

MAIN SCHOOL, BOARDING, EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE

QUESTIONS FOR CHAIR OF GOVERNING BODY/BOARD/PROPRIETOR1 of 2 pages

Inspector’s initials and form number / Day / Role of interviewee / Discussion focus / Time taken (minutes)
Topic (and your prompts)
1
2
3
4
5 / 6
7
8
9
10
11
PTO

2 of 2 pages

Summary judgement: What does it all add up to?
ENTER GRADE
Issue(s) identified for further investigation
Grades: 1 = excellent/high (quality/rate of), 2 = good, 3 = sound, 4 = unsatisfactory

INTEGRATED Questions for governance – focused formEffective September 2013

QUESTIONS FOR CHAIR OF GOVERNING BODY/BOARD/PROPRIETOR

FOCUSED SELECTION BANK

The questions are divided into key topics for discussion. Most questions will apply to all settings but a few are specific for those with boarding and/or EYFS provision. Inspectors may adapt questions to take account of specific issues arising from documentation already seen. The questions in bold must be included in those selected for the interview.

Vision and strategic development

How do you know and evaluate the success of the school: pupils’ achievements, particular strengths, main challenges?
What part do you play in producing strategic plans for development and how do you identify the main areas for development?
What vision do you have for the future of the school? How do you project those aspirations and provide challenge for growth and improvement?
How are the governors involved in financial planning and control? Any tough decisions?
How do you measure the success of the governing body? What have been the greatest successes and failures?

Structure

How do the composition and structures for governance contribute to, and ensure realisation of, the school’s objectives and values?
Where the school has separate parts (for example, senior/junior/EYFS), how do the governance arrangements reflect them?
Are there any other particular responsibilities assigned, for example, for subjects or for sixth form?
How do you ensure sufficient levels and quality of staffing, material resources and accommodation?
What are the arrangements for ensuring that governors recruited have appropriate expertise and have completed the necessary recruitment checks?
What are the arrangements for induction and training for governors?
What are the meeting arrangements: frequency, papers and minutes, committees, expert advice when necessary?
How do you ensure that decisions taken are acted upon? Are there other ways in which you assess the work and effectiveness of the governance arrangements?

Relationships

What contacts are there with the head, senior management and other staff that enable you to become familiar with the school, its staff and its workings? What arrangements do you have for appraisal of the head?
How do you ensure that you are aware of and respond to the interests and concerns of parents and pupils?
How are you informed about/how do you deal with complaints? Any recent examples?

Responsibilities and oversight for safeguarding and welfare

The emphasis here is on how effectively responsibilities are discharged, particularly in relation to statutory requirements.

How do you ensure that the school’s and the governors’ legal obligations are met, including, if applicable, ISSRs, NMS for Boarding Schools and EYFS Statutory Framework, especially for anti-bullying, safeguarding, complaints and appointments? [Explore awareness of the Handbook – Regulatory requirements by theChair and other members.]
How do you carry out the annual review of the school’s safeguarding (child protection) policy and its implementation? Does it go beyond receiving a report and into sufficient depth to identify issues of both policy and implementation? [In the case of a single proprietor, how is this separated for their day-to-day operation of the policy?]
If you have a dedicated safeguarding governor, how do you ensure that the duty of review is discharged as a collective responsibility of the governing body as a whole?
Are governors kept informed of safeguarding/disciplinary/complaints issues?
Do governors ensure that appropriate safeguarding training is arranged for staff?
Is independent advice taken on compliance issues when required?
Where governors are satisfied with the quality of policies, how do you monitor that implementation matches policy?

INTEGRATED Questions for governance – focused selection bankEffective September 2013

QUESTIONS FOR EYFS STAFF – QUESTION BANK1 of 3 pages

Inspector’s initials and form number / Day / Staff role / Discussion focus / Time taken (minutes)
Your prompts (using the following bank of questions based on PIC, SEF and other evidence)
1
2
3
4
5 / 6
7
8
9
10
What does it all add up to?
ENTER GRADE
Issue(s) identified for further investigation
Grade (regd) / Outstanding (1) / Good (2) / Requires improvement (3) / Inadequate (4)
Grade (non-regd) / Excellent (1) / Good (2) / Sound (3) / Unsatisfactory (4)

QUESTIONS FOR EYFS STAFF – QUESTION BANK2 of 3 pages

This is not a checklist. These questions are for guidance only and should be used selectively, considering how appropriate they are for the setting. They can provide evidence for many areas of the inspection, and particularly for the judgement on ‘leadership and management’.

Settings which have been awarded exemption from the learning and development requirements

What were your reasons for applying for exemption from the EYFS learning and development requirements?
How has this enhanced children’s learning and development?

Self-evaluation and maintaining continuous improvement (links with leadership and management in main school format)

What is your vision for the EYFS?

What do you feel are the strengths of provision?

Have you identified any areas for development? How were they identified? What are you doing to bring about improvement?

Is there a development plan? How does this feed into the whole-school plan?

How do you evaluate the quality of the provision?

How do you evaluate the success of the teaching in the EYFS?

What are the monitoring processes for teaching and your own professional development? How do you ensure that staff training has a positive impact on children’s learning and development?

How is the induction, and supervision, of staff carried out and recorded?

What input do you have in the development and monitoring of policies?

How does the EYFS link to the senior management team, rest of the school, governing body?

If a registered setting, ask, ’In connection with staffing, how do you ensure all registration standards are met?’

Inclusion (links with teaching in main school format)

How do you ensure that the range of children’s needs is met and provision and practice are inclusive?

What provision is made for children with SEND/EAL or with particular talents and abilities?

How do you involve parents and external agencies when children need particular support?

Safeguarding (links with pastoral care and welfare, health and safety in main school format)

How do you make sure all staff know and understand child protection procedures?

How do you ensure that there is a shared understanding and responsibility of how to protect children in the setting, including awareness of radicalisation and extremism?

How do you promote regular and prompt attendance of the children?

How does the setting support the families of the children who attend?

How do you check suitable implementation of the school’s fire and health and safety policies?

Use of resources (links with leadership and management in main school format)

How do you organise the key person system?

How do you supervise, train and motivate staff?

What recent training has been undertaken? (Check first aid, child protection, health and safety.)

How do you identify and prioritise the need for new resources?

How do you ensure that the toys and equipment are safe and clean?

Provision: observation and assessment (links with focus on assessment in main school format)

How do you assess and record children’s progress and development? (Ask staff to explain their observation and assessment process.)

Do staff record information on children’s achievements, interests and learning styles?

How do your everyday observations feed into the EYFS phases of development and the EYFS Profile?

How do you involve parents in the observation and assessment process?

How is the quality of the assessment records monitored?

How do you use the information gathered from observations to plan the next steps in children’s learning?

How do you use the information from the EYFS Profiles? How is it analysed?

What links do you have with the local authority for assessment and moderation of the EYFS Profile?

Have you had training in this area?

How/when do you inform parents of their child’s progress and measure it against the early learning goals?

QUESTIONS FOR EYFS STAFF – QUESTION BANK3 of 3 pages

Provision: planning (links with focus on teaching and development planning in main school format)

How is the planning developed, by whom and how is it reviewed?

How do you ensure coverage of the educational programmes?

How do you ensure it includes children’s interests and meets individual needs?

How does it ensure a balance of activities indoors and outdoors and that it is based on purposeful play and exploration?

How does it ensure a balance between child-initiated and adult-led learning?

Are parents involved in the provision in any way?

Outcomes for children (links with personal development in main school focus)

How do you nurture children’s self-esteem, self-confidence and independence?

How do you increase children’s awareness of right and wrong?

How do you help children learn about keeping themselves safe?

How do you promote children’s understanding of keeping themselves healthy?

How do you help children to form good relationships and be sensitive to the needs of others?

How do you help children appreciate their own culture and the practices and traditions of others?

How do you promote the fundamental British values with children of this age?

How do you help children develop skills for the future – communication, language, literacy, mathematics, ICT, creativity and critical thinking?

How do you ensure children become independent, inquisitive learners, able to solve problems, and to use their imagination through stories, art and music?

How do you expand children’s understanding of the world (past and present events, places, objects, materials and living things)?

EYFS focused form – tracking children (registered settings)Effective September 2015

INSPECTION FORM for SMSC EVIDENCE2 pages

Inspector’s initials and form number / Dates of Inspection / Evidence from:
STRENGTHS / AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT
Actively promotes fundamental British values (democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance):
Enable pupils to develop self-knowledge, self-esteem, self-confidence:
Distinguish right from wrong, respect civil/criminal law of England:
Accept responsibility for behaviour, show initiative, contribute positively to wider community:
Acquire broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services of England:
Further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions – appreciation and respect of own and other:
Respect for others – regard to protected characteristics of Equality Act 2010:
Respect for democracy, support for participation, respect for basis on which law is made and applied in England:
Promotion of political views in balanced way through teaching:
Balanced presentation of opposing views of political issues (i) while in attendance at school; (ii) while in extra-curricular activities; (iii) in promotional material of other activities:
Good standard of personal development when they leave:
SUMMARY:
GRADE:

INTEGRATED FORM for SMSC EVIDENCE