Inspection of the education
functions of local authorities
Summary of evaluation of the
educational psychology service
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
3 February 2009
Definition of terms used in this report.
HM Inspectors use published criteria when making evaluations. They are published as
quality indicators which relate evaluations to six levels. HMIE began using a six-point
scale to make evaluations in August 2005. The table below shows how the six-point
scale relates to the four-point scale that we used previously.
Old level
Very good
Good
New level
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Weak
Unsatisfactory
Description
Outstanding, sector leading
Major strengths
Important strengths with some areas for
improvement
Strengths just outweigh weaknesses
Important weaknesses
Major weaknesses
This report also uses the following words to describe numbers and proportions:
almost all
most
majority
less than half
few
over 90%
75-90%
50-74%
15-49%
up to 15%
Contents
Page
1.
The aims, nature and scope of the inspection
1
2.
What key outcomes has the service achieved?
1
3.
How well does the service meet the needs of its
stakeholders?
2
4.
How good is the service’s delivery of key processes?
2
5.
How good is the service’s management?
3
6.
How good is leadership?
3
Appendix 1 - Quality indicators
5
1. The aims, nature and scope of the inspection
The education functions of each local authority in Scotland were inspected between
2000 and 2005. A second cycle of inspections began in 2006 which incorporates an
evaluation of educational psychology services (EPS). Section 9 of the Standards in
Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000 charges HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE), on
behalf of the Scottish Ministers, to provide an external evaluation of the effectiveness of
the local authority in its quality assurance of educational provision within the Council
and of its support to schools in improving quality.
The inspection of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar included the evaluation of the quality of
educational psychology provision on behalf of stakeholders. The evaluation of EPS was
conducted within a framework of quality indicators which embody the Government’s
policy on Best Value. The inspection team also included an Associate Assessor who
was a principal educational psychologist (PEP) serving in another Scottish local
authority.
This web-based report should be read alongside the report on the inspection of the
education functions of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar which sets out the wider context in
which EPS are delivered.
The Educational Psychology Service
The Western Isles (Eilean Siar) EPS was based in Stornoway. Over the last four years
there had been significant changes in the position of PEP. A new PEP had been
appointed in June 2007. At the time of inspection the service consisted of a PEP, and a
part-time educational psychologist. The service complement was 1.6 full-time
equivalent. In addition, the EPS was supported by a central team of administrative staff.
2. What key outcomes has the service achieved?
The EPS was involved in a range of initiatives to improve outcomes for a range of
children and young people. For example, the service had taken a lead role in the
development of an After Hours group to support children and young people with autism
spectrum disorders. The service had also been key players in the successful
development of a whole school initiative to improve behaviour at the primary stages. It
had made a valuable contribution to the development of the inclusion teams and the
children’s services database. The senior service manager and the PEP were actively
developing services to support the wider needs of children and young people across the
authority.
Staff had a good knowledge and understanding of their statutory duties. The service
complied with appropriate guidance and legislation, particularly in relation to The
Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (ASL). Further work
was now required in relation to the duties of the service with regard to the work of the
children’s hearing system.
1
3. How well does the service meet the needs of its stakeholders?
Evidence from surveys and focus groups undertaken during the inspection indicated
that the service had developed satisfactory working relationships with children, young
people and good working partnerships with families. Overall, most parents felt that they
were well supported by the EPS and that educational psychologists provided a helpful
link between themselves and their child’s school. However, a few parents and families
felt that the quality of service was variable across the authority. The roles, remits and
functions of the EPS were not yet clear to all stakeholders. A majority of stakeholders
commented on the limited scope of the EPS in terms of the range of services and the
allocation of time.
All staff within the service felt valued and supported. Educational psychologists felt very
well supported. They were encouraged to be creative and find innovative solutions to
improving services to children and young people. For example, the development work
on the creation of an Integrated Psychology Service in partnership with Western Isles
Health Board. Educational psychologists were highly motivated and participated in a
wide range of personal development opportunities to improve their skills and
knowledge. The support of the administrative staff was valued by the service. They
were appropriately involved in service planning and developments. The service was
outward looking, seeking examples of effective practice from other EPS which could be
reviewed and adapted to the needs of the Western Isles community.
4. How good is the service’s delivery of key processes?
The EPS delivered satisfactory services relating to consultation and advice,
assessment, and training and development. Service interventions were making a
positive difference to schools, families and children. Individual practitioners carried out
specific pieces of innovative work. For example, the service had made a strong
contribution to the development of resources and materials to support the authority’s
staged intervention process. However, the EPS had not yet made a significant
contribution to research across the authority. While the service was actively engaged in
reviewing its approach to service delivery, it had not as yet established a
comprehensive strategy for the delivery of services or a consistent approach to
evaluating their effectiveness.
Equality and fairness were embedded in service practice.
2
Features of good practice: Social Communication Team
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar educational psychology services in collaboration with
health and allied health professionals had developed a creative and high quality
service to meet the local need of families and children with language and
communication difficulties, and autism spectrum disorders. The ‘Social
Communication Team’ through strong partnership working had enabled children
and families to access high quality services and targeted provision within their own
community.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
5. How good is the service’s management?
The PEP had established a strong working relationship with the senior service manager.
Together, they had worked in a determined manner to improve and extend the range of
provision being delivered across the authority. However, arrangements for managing
change and taking forward the work of the EPS were not sufficiently well established.
There was no policy framework which covered the main areas of activity and
responsibility of the service. This had led to inconsistent practice across the service.
Stakeholder engagement and consultation was at an early stage of development across
the service. While the service demonstrated a commitment to joint planning with
stakeholders and partner organisations, service development work did not yet involve
service users sufficiently.
6. How good is leadership?
The PEP had joined the authority at a time of considerable change. He was highly
committed to the service and to further improving the range of provision offered by the
EPS. He had the capacity to provide effective leadership for the service. The EPS had
not yet developed a sufficiently robust evidence base for performance management.
The service now needed to develop its strategic role in planning for improvements and
to extend its procedures for monitoring performance and outcomes. The authority, in
conjunction with the service, was in the process of determining how best the EPS could
build capacity and further develop its respective roles and responsibilities.
3
Key strengths
The service had:
•
established good working relationships with a number of children and young people,
families, teachers and health professionals;
•
created a well motivated staff group who were innovative and worked effectively in
multidisciplinary teams;
•
contributed, along with other professionals, to the development of the authority’s
approach to inclusion; and
•
made a positive start to service review and development through the work of the
new principal educational psychologist and the support of the service manager.
Main points for action
The service should:
•
ensure that targets for improvement show clearly the intended impact and outcomes
for stakeholders, particularly children and young people;
•
systematically involve all stakeholders in service development and improvement
activities, particularly with regard to the development of a research programme;
•
review and improve policy and planning arrangements to improve the quality and
consistency of services delivered across the authority; and
•
develop a more rigorous approach to self-evaluation involving all stakeholders in
service development and improvement.
The authority has been asked to prepare an action plan indicating how it will address
the main findings of the report. HMIE will maintain contact with the authority and will
make a return visit within one year to evaluate progress.
Annette Bruton
HM Chief Inspector
Directorate 5
3 February 2009
4
Appendix 1
Quality Indicator
Improvements in performance
Fulfilment of statutory duties
Impact on children and young people
Impact on parents, carers and families
Impact on staff
Impact on the local community
Impact on the wider community
Consultation and advice
Assessment
Intervention
Provision of professional development and
training for other groups including parents,
teachers and health professionals
Research and strategic development
Inclusion, equality and fairness
Policy development and review
Participation of stakeholders
Operational planning
Partnership working
Leadership and direction
Leadership of change and improvement
Evaluation
satisfactory
good
satisfactory
good
very good
satisfactory
satisfactory
satisfactory
satisfactory
good
satisfactory
weak
good
weak
weak
weak
satisfactory
satisfactory
satisfactory
5
How can you contact us?
HMIE Feedback and Complaints Procedure
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of education authority inspections you
should write in the first instance to Annette Bruton, HMCI, at HM Inspectorate of
Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way,
Livingston EH54 6GA.
If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to our
Complaints Manager, HMIE Business Management and Communications Team,
Second Floor, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way,
Livingston, EH54 6GA. You can also e-mail HMIEComplaints@hmie.gsi.gov.uk. A
copy of our complaints procedure is available from this office, by telephoning
01506 600200 or from our website at www.hmie.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the action we have taken at the end of our complaints
procedure, you can raise your complaint with the Scottish Public Services
Ombudsman (SPSO). The SPSO is fully independent and has powers to
investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You should
write to the SPSO, Freepost EH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR. You can also telephone
0800 377 7330 (fax 0800 377 7331) or e-mail: ask@spso.org.uk. More information
about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website: www.spso.org.uk.
Crown Copyright 2009
HM Inspectorate of Education
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The work of HM Inspectorate of Education.
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and reviews report on the establishment’s pursuit of continuous improvement
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