This policy came into effect on 13 December 2006 by HM Inspectorate of Education after
consideration by HMIE Senior Management Group and endorsement by HMIE Management
Board. It supersedes all previous versions.
Promoting Good Practice Policy
1.
INTRODUCTION
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE)’s promoting good practice policy
aims to support successful achievement of its core objective to promote and
contribute to sustainable improvements in standards, quality and achievements for
all learners in a Scottish education system which is inclusive.
Effective promotion of good practice will ensure that:
•
•
education practitioners have ready access to descriptions of practice:
- which if adopted more widely would improve learners’ experience and
achievements; and
- evaluated by HMIE as outstanding and/or innovative and worthy and capable
of emulation, or likely to prompt change in other situations.
substantial numbers of practitioners engage with good practice in ways that
promote adoption of the practice or its features.
For the period 2004-2007, Ministers have agreed four strategic priorities for HMIE
against which its performance will be measured. These are as follows.
•
•
•
•
Through inspection and reporting, promote public accountability for the delivery of
high quality education to all learners in Scotland.
Work with other organisations to build capacity to provide education and services
for children of the highest quality for all users.
Support informed policy development by providing high quality, independent,
professional advice drawn from inspection and review evidence and knowledge
of the system.
Develop and manage HMIE as a best value organisation.
HMIE will identify good practice through all of its activity related to strategic priority
one, and through aspect and other evaluative tasks as part of strategic priority two.
It will disseminate and promote adoption of good practice in the course of inspection
and review activity, and through other activity related to strategic priority two and
activity in relation to strategic priority three.
HMIE will develop its approaches to identification and promotion of good practice as
part of its management as a best value organisation. In doing so, it will take account
of relevant research findings.
HMIE will work in partnership and co-ordinate activities in relation to good practice
with key partner bodies including other inspectorates, Learning and Teaching
Scotland, and the Scottish Further Education Unit.
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This policy came into effect on 13 December 2006 by HM Inspectorate of Education after
consideration by HMIE Senior Management Group and endorsement by HMIE Management
Board. It supersedes all previous versions.
The promoting good practice policy will be supplemented by a promoting good
practice strategy. The strategy will outline clearly what HMIE will do to develop and
improve its approaches in this area over a specific period of time, usually the same
three-year period as current strategic priorities.
Priorities in the promoting good practice strategy will be identified through:
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discussions at HMIE’s Management Board (MB), Senior Management Group
(SMG) and other key HMIE groups; and
discussions with stakeholders in the education system.
The promoting good practice strategy will be supported by annual action plans,
generally expressed as HMIE management plan tasks or elements of tasks.
2.
GOOD PRACTICE PRINCIPLES
For the purposes of this policy, “good practice” is taken to be practice that is linked to
demonstrable positive outcomes or impact on learning experiences and
achievement.
To be eligible for promotion under the policy it will have at least one of the following
features:
•
•
•
3.
not widely enough evident across the system;
innovative or not generally known about by practitioners; and/or
sector-leading or exceptional.
SCOPE, AND LINKS WITH PARTNER BODIES
HMIE will centre its activities on the promotion of good practice identified through its
programmes of institutional and service inspections and reviews, aspect inspections,
and evaluative liaison activities. We shall not normally ask people to nominate good
practice in order to give it publicity unless as part of wider planned activity.
HMIE will develop understandings with partner bodies in order to minimise
duplication in good practice activities. In some cases, partnership will extend to
HMIE’s providing outline details of identified good practice to be developed,
publicised and promoted by the partner body.
4.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROMOTION OF GOOD PRACTICE
The promotion of good practice and securing its implementation is regarded as a key
element of HMIE’s impact on the education system.
The Chief Inspector, Director 4 will exercise a strategic overview of HMI activity in
this area. The chief inspectors for each directorate will be responsible for all aspects
2
This policy came into effect on 13 December 2006 by HM Inspectorate of Education after
consideration by HMIE Senior Management Group and endorsement by HMIE Management
Board. It supersedes all previous versions.
of identification of good practice and activity designed to promote and secure its
adoption in the sectors for which they are responsible.
The Lead Inspector (support for SMG) will have responsibility for co-ordinating
activity under HMIE’s promoting good practice strategy and for monitoring impact of
activity across HMIE.
It is the responsibility of all staff to seek out good practice, and to promote good
practice, as part of their normal duties.
5.
OTHER RELEVANT OR RELATED POLICIES OR STRATEGIES
The following policies/strategies adopted by HMIE or being formulated at the date of
this policy are of direct relevance to promoting good practice and will be taken into
account where relevant.
-
Communications policy and strategy
Inspection and reporting policy
Information systems strategy
Best Value policy and strategy
Procedures agreed for the work of national specialists
6.
IMPLEMENTATION, QUALITY ASSURANCE & REPORTING
PROCEDURES
The best practice strategy will set out clear objectives, which will be addressed
through performance measures in an action plan and other HMIE business plan
tasks.
The Good Practice Group will meet three times annually to ensure effective
formulation, implementation and review of the policy and strategy. There should be
at least one member in common between the Good Practice Group and each of the
Communications and Best Value groups.
The Chief Inspector, Directorate 4 will report (by exception) to SMG twice a year and
provide a full report to MB once a year.
The Lead Inspector (support for SMG) will ensure that timescales in the strategy are
adhered to and will report (by exception) to the Good Practice Group and SMG.
7.
REVIEW ARRANGEMENTS, INCLUDING DATE OF NEXT FORMAL
REVIEW
This policy will be reviewed in 2009-10.
The good practice strategy arising from this policy will cover the period 2006-10 and
will take account of any amended or additional strategic priorities arising from the
development of HMIE’s new corporate plan for 2007-10.
3
This policy came into effect on 13 December 2006 by HM Inspectorate of Education after
consideration by HMIE Senior Management Group and endorsement by HMIE Management
Board. It supersedes all previous versions.
8.
CONTACT DETAILS
Any comments or queries on this policy should be addressed to:
Business Management Unit, HM Inspectorate of Education, 2nd Floor, Denholm
House, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.
telephone: 01506 600258
e-mail: hazel.dewart@hmie.gsi.gov.uk
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