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Course Code: 7085-8
CENTRE FOR CONTINUING EDUACTION AND
TRAINING
Certificate Course in School
Management
Module 1 (CRSM01-R) and Module 2 (CRSM02-S)
STUDY GUIDE
-2.
How to use your Study Guide
In Tutorial Letter 101 you are referred to the Study Guide to obtain relevant information to
do certain activities properly. That information is supplied in this Study Guide under certain
headings that will assist you to find it easily. So just go to the Table of Content and you will
be referred to the correct page where you will find the information.
I trust you will find the information contained in this Study Guide helpful in the completion of
your portfolio and in your actual preparation to be an efficient school manager.
Dr N Grootboom
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
1 Managing your time (Needed for Assignment 1 of Module CRSM01R)
4
2 Managing change in education through a model of short term and long term
leadership (Needed for Activity 1 Tasks 1-5 of Module CRSM01R)
6
3 Evaluation guidelines and criteria for the Whole-school evaluation policy
(Needed for Activity 2 Task 4 of Module CRSM01R)
21
4 Whole-school evaluation instruments (Needed for Activity 2 Task 4 of Module CRSM01R)
46
5 National policy on HIV/AIDS (Additional)
53
6 How to make a classroom policy (Needed for Activity 5 Task 4 of Module CRSM01R
72
7 Example of a classroom policy (Needed for Activity 5 Task 4 of Module CRSM01R)
73
8 Poster (Needed for Activity 2 Task 3 of Module 2)
75
9 Long Term Leadership Questionnaire (Needed for Activity 1 Tasks 1-5 of
Module CRSM01R
76
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MANAGING YOUR TIME
The following questionnaire will give you some indication of how you use time and help you identify
time wasters.
Regularly Now
How
do
you
use
time?
Tick
the
most
relevant column.
then
1. Do you make a list of things to do
every day?
2. Do you indicate the most important
things on your list?
3.
Do
you
always
complete
all
the
activities on your list?
4. Do you cope well with interruptions?
5. Do you allow time each day to work
quietly on your own?
6. Do you allow yourself breaks?
7. Do you complete tasks at the last
possible moment?
8. Do you try to foresee and prevent
problems before they arrive?
9. Do you complete projects/assignments
long before target dates?
10. Are you always on time?
11.
Can
you
continue
working
easily
after an interruption?
12.
Do
you
do
and
something
aimed
at
reaching your goals every day?
13. Can you relax during your leisure
time without worrying about your work?
14. Do people know when they are allowed
to disturb you?
15. Do you do the important things when
Never
-5you have the most energy for it?
16.
Do
you
always
start
and
complete
assignments on time?
Totals:
Your time count can be worked out by awarding 4 points for each ‘Regularly’, 2 points for every
‘Now and then’ and 0 marks for every ‘Never’. Add up your points and compare your score with the
scale below.
45 -- 64:
You manage your time well
33 -- 44:
You sometimes manage your time well
21 -- 32:
You will benefit from better time management
0 -- 20:
You do not manage your time well at all
(Everard & Morris 1990:128)
Take note of your weaknesses in the Never column.
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Managing change in education through a model of short term and long term
leadership
Prof EJ van Niekerk (Unisa)
Prof PduP van Niekerk (NMMU)
Introduction
Educational leaders all over the world have to deal with external pressures, but since
recently educational leaders in South Africa have an extremely difficult task in this regard.
The rate of policy change, the introduction of the new OBE approach, the redeployment of
teachers, the lack of facilities and the accountability required from various role players
make the task of the school leader difficult and complex. Many changes currently taking
place relate to the instructional leadership task of educational leaders and are
accompanied by the newly defined educator roles and the new style of management that is
required from leaders in the Outcomes Based Education (OBE) school. Leaders have to
deal with specific situations in the short term arising from all the changes, and they are
confronted with the challenge of moving into a new direction for the future that will of
necessity take some time to realise.
Morrison (1998:13) defines change as follows:
Change can be regarded as a dynamic and continuous process of development and
growth that involves a reorganisation in response to “felt needs”. It is a process of
transformation, a flow from one state to another, either initiated by internal factors or
external forces, involving individuals, groups or institutions, leading to a realignment
of existing values, practices and outcomes.
Educational leaders can identify with the above definition as a result of their experience of
educational change in South Africa during the past decade. Change is inevitable,
necessary, universal and desirable because humans are fallible creatures and there is
always room for improvement. This is especially the case with regard to the perceived
need for change in most South African schools, but if change is not an improvement and if
it is not managed competently, it will do harm. Educational change should promote what
schools are there for, ie effective teaching and learning. Change must thus be directed at
school improvement and effectiveness. Though we can question the nature of some of the
recent changes and the way that they have been introduced and managed, the current
focus on improving the culture of teaching and learning and on whole school development
is a step in the right direction.
Leadership focuses on the core business of the organisation. In the school setting this
means building the school as a teaching and learning organisation. Developing and
maintaining a culture of teaching and learning in the school setting is really what is
required from the educational leader. Literally everything that the leader does and every
action in the entire school setting must have this focus.
-7At this stage in South African educational history educational leaders face the huge
challenge to build their schools as effective teaching and learning organisations. This
seems to be a long term process, if we want to be realistic about the situation in South
African education. Therefore leaders need to buy into a long term vision and be part of its
accomplishment. The COLTS of the National Department of Education fits in well with
these ideas.
So leadership does not only relate to competently influencing people to successfully
handle the day to day situations in the functioning of the school to reach its objectives, but
also to influence people to move on to a future situation which is regarded as desirable.
One often wonders how many educational leaders are just struggling for survival without
any compelling vision of the future desired state of their school. This is why a reflection on
a model of managing change in education through a model of short term and long term
leadership is undertaken.
The effectiveness of short term leadership is discussed in relation to the characteristics of
the leader, the followers and the situation. The effectiveness of long term leadership is
discussed in relation to several core functions that the leader needs to perform
competently, namely, the creation of vision; infusing core values; communication
(alignment to the vision); development and empowerment of followers. The conceptual
leadership model assists in understanding the relation between leadership and change.
The model is developed on the basis of a literature study of existing models of leadership.
The focus in the article is however not on indicating how this model is developed from
these models, but on the model itself, and its relevance to managing educational change.
The key to the development and understanding of the model is the conceptual distinction
made between long term and short term leadership. This distinction does not preclude a
very close relation between these two aspects, but is nonetheless necessary to focus
clearly on the idea of effective leadership. It should also be mentioned that this is a
conceptual model and that its application to the field of education has not yet been worked
out in detail.
The leadership challenge in South African education
It has already been mentioned that leaders have to contend with severe external
pressures. There are also internal pressures of the specific school environment that school
leaders face.
South African education, and particularly black education, has gone through a particularly
tough period the past twenty five years. Effective school leadership and the culture of
teaching and learning have collapsed in many areas and a long road of restoration lies
ahead. The process of reconstruction and change within the difficult socio-economic
conditions and within a context of resource restraints that impact on schools in many areas
poses a real leadership challenge to educational managers.
Add to this the concern that school leadership is generally not of a desired standard.
Sterling and Davidoff (2000: 5) compiled a list of teacher concerns about the leadership
situation in many South African schools:
-8$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
There is no long-term or inspirational vision
Management at school is ineffective
People in leadership positions lack assertiveness
The principal is autocratic
Staff in leadership positions lack competency
There is a lack of discipline among staff
Staff are frustrated by bureaucratic procedures
Leaders don’t involve staff in discussion processes
There is a shortage of human and material resources
There is a lack of proper democratic governance
Managers are not prepared to take risks
Leaders adhere rigidly to Departmental dictates
There is very little planning
Those in leadership positions show no accountability
Staff do not have job descriptions
Resources and skills are not shared fairly
Staff-room politics are destructive (cliques, back-biting)
There is great uncertainty and lack of direction with the educational changes at
Department level
Staff fear victimisation from the principal for being open and honest
The real challenge for educational leaders at present is to turn this negative leadership
situation around. The common concern running through these concerns is that of the
absence of effective leadership. There is a real need for effective leadership in schools as
organisations because typical school leadership practices appear to be woefully
inadequate for the needs that exist. Furthermore knowledge about school leadership at
present reveal little about transformational aspects of the role.
Davidoff and Lazarus (1997: 153-154) say that the ability of schools to transform
themselves is to a great extent dependent on the quality of leadership in the school.
Leadership and management capacity in schools need to be built in order to improve the
quality of education. Both the short term and long term dimensions of leadership need to
be cultivated in the present situation, because this is what is required to make a difference.
The functions of effective long term leadership
Two dimensions of effective long term leadership can be distinguished according to the
model presented in this article. The first considers the conditions under which effective
leadership takes place and relates to the creation of desirable conditions under which
followers can excel. The second considers the actions that leaders take in order to enable
followers to achieve organisational aims.
Effective leaders do not accept the situation in which they operate as a static given, but
actively work towards the creation of desirable conditions under which followers can excel.
The creation of desirable conditions under which followers can excel in the first place
entails the formulation of a vision which will act as a directive inspiration for all other
functions that need to be performed, as all actions performed in an organisation should
contribute towards the realisation of the vision. The vision focuses all activities within the
organisation on the realisation of a common ideal.
-9There is an increasing awareness of the importance for leaders to have a clear vision of
where they are heading. Vision has more impact on the leader,s task of influencing the
organisation than any other aspect of his/her job (Love 1994: 122; Bush & West-Burnham
1994: 64). Warren Bennis (In Higginson 1996: 84) has in fact defined leadership as the
capacity to create a compelling vision and translate it into action and sustain it.
The development, communication and accomplishment of the school’s vision is the
educational leader’s most important task. Leadership has much to do with what is going to
happen in the future of the school (Love 1994: 123). Creating a vision for one’s school is
like allowing one’s creative imagination to develop an image of what the school would be
like when its potential is fully realised. Vision building is like imagining the end result and
vision implementation is doing everything that is necessary to get there. It is the task of the
educational leader to accomplish this in conjunction with all relevant stakeholders (Sterling
& Davidoff 2000: 89; Love 1994:124). The vision provides a structure within which the
whole school operates as it provides an image of the direction and purpose and the
fundamental values and convictions of the school as an organisation. The vision of schools
will most probably be the same in the sense that they will focus on the core business of
schools, namely teaching and learning, but they will formulate this in different ways
depending on the context within which the school functions.
The effective communication of the vision to school staff in order to bind staff into a
coherent and effective team, is the second important function that the leader needs to
perform to reach the vision and objectives of the school. The leader must communicate to
followers in such a way that they are inspired and bound together around a compelling
vision. Every opportunity should be realised to inspire staff to realise the vision. The
creation, communication and realisation of the vision are actions that need to be carefully
planned, as they will not be effective if attempted in a haphazard and uncoordinated
manner. If this is not done, long term leadership will not be effective. It is also necessary to
view this as a specific leadership function, and not only as a part of strategic planning, as
is often the case. South African school leaders need to realise their duties with regard to
long term leadership if they are to create better schools in the future.
A third leadership function in order to create the desired working environment is to
establish values which will contribute towards the establishment of a specific culture in the
school which can assist in realising the objectives of the school. The nature of change and
the values to be cultivated in schools will always be a contested issue, especially in a
country like South Africa with its diversity of culture, language, religion, race and ethnicity.
There is a diversity of educational values emanating from the diversity of life and world
view in our country. As values are at the heart of the vision formulation process, it is
essential for the school leader to remember that the values that the leader embodies will
tend to be the values shared by the staff. It is thus important for the school leader to reflect
on how the staff perceive the values that are central to the leader (Sterling & Davidoff
2000: 92-93).
Values are also at the heart of organisational life and the leader needs to assist the
identification, nurturing and modelling of worthwhile values. This is a process that will
assist the building of a healthy organisational climate. Depending on one’s perspective,
worthwhile values may be seen to be contained in the constitution, the various educational
laws and in the moral codes of religion. One may also compile from one’s own experience
those values that are the most cherished in the working environment, such as
-10accountability, equality, fairness, dedication, respect. These values will not be integrated
into the functioning of the school if measures are not taken to cultivate them to become
part of the normal functioning of the school. A desired culture of teaching and learning can
only be created if the educational leader owns the function of nurturing desired values as
an essential component of effective long term leadership.
The second dimension of effective long term leadership considers the measures that
leaders take in order to enable followers to achieve organisational aims. Firstly followers
need to be trained and developed so that they have the required competence and
knowledge to make a contribution towards the realisation of the school’s objectives.
Secondly they need to be empowered, that is given the required authority, to make their
contribution.
A leader who takes the long term interest of the school to heart will emphasize the
continual development and training of the school’s personnel. This means that leaders
must understand the personnel they work with so that they can make profitable use of their
strengths and encourage and support those staff who need the assistance of the leader to
grow further. The new educator roles identified by the Department of Education
(Department of Education 2000: 27-28) are important in this regard. Our focus on change
to improve quality in education in South Africa should therefore attempt to assist teachers
to improve in their roles as learning mediator; interpreter and designer of learning
programmes and materials; leader, administrator and manager; scholar, researcher and
lifelong learner; community, citizenship and pastoral educator; assessor; learning
area/subject/discipline/phase specialist.
The development and training of the individual teacher is an important aspect of the
process of school improvement. Personnel development is thus a very important issue in
promoting quality teaching and learning. Good leaders take time to understand people,
recognise their needs, acknowledge their contributions, and encourage and assist them to
fulfil their potentials. This can be done through in-service training and encouraging staff to
further their knowledge and competence by doing formal qualifications.
Leadership is about getting things done through other people. This necessarily also means
assisting people to work together in teams. Closely associated with team-building is the
idea of equipping others to be effective leaders and to take up leadership positions. The
leader must therefore constantly seek to identify and develop leadership talent with a view
to assist others to maximise their potential to contribute to the effective functioning of the
school as an institution.
Personnel also need to be psychologically prepared to take up the challenges of the
working environment. They need to take ownership of their tasks and the associated
responsibilities thereof.
The backlogs in the training and development of educators in South Africa to really be able
to assist in building up an excellent education system are well known. It is encouraging to
see that a lot is done at present to make headway in this regard (for instance the NPDE
programme to upgrade underqualified teachers), but the recent setback with the closing
down of colleges of education will take some time to overcome. There is still a lot to
accomplish before we will have a highly skilled educator workforce.
-11The empowerment of followers as a function of long term leadership means that followers
be endowed with the required responsibilities and authority to realise themselves in the
work situation. This is a demonstration of the leader’s trust in their acquired training and
development and in their ability to make a useful contribution. The leader who has assisted
followers to acquire relevant training, has to demonstrate the willingness to let them apply
what they have learnt.
With each office in the school goes an authority and responsibility appropriate to that
office. This authority is not delegated from higher to lower authority within the community,
such as a school, but belongs by right to that office within the school community. There are
no higher or lower authorities, but authorities of different kinds, such as those belonging to
the office of parent, teacher or school manager. There is no supreme authority, such as
that of the school principal, from which all others derive their right to act. In no case does
the holding of an office confer power to control the community as a whole, not even a
principal in the case of the school community has this type of authority. Every office is a
calling to provide service within the community in a particular way and with this goes the
accompanying responsibility to do this well (Fowler 1993: 114).
To exercise an office one also needs power, which is the ability to do what is required by
office. There is nothing wrong with power as such, only if it is abused. In an organisation
such as a school both power, which is the ability to serve, and authority, which is the right
to render service in a specific relationship, aim at empowering people to fulfil their service.
Personal authority relates to the idea that someone needs to be competent for the task
associated with the office. Authority can, however, also be of a juridical nature, that is
granted by law or lawful appointment. The above aspects of authority unfortunately do not
always go hand in hand, like in the case of a principal who is appointed by the state,
because such a person might be appointed (lawfully) to a specific position or office, without
necessarily having the ability to execute his/her service responsibly and competently. The
power with which an office-bearer is endowed should not be too slight, because then the
office cannot be effectively exercised, or too great, because this can lead to an abuse of
power. Office-bearers should be accountable for their execution of authority and power.
This vision of office, authority and power prevents both tyranny and egalitarianism, thus
both absolutisation of office and lack of respect of office. The former is often the case with
the traditional hierarchical view of positions within an organisation, while the latter often
happens with the democratisation of a societal relationship such as a school (Van der Walt
1995: 18-21).
Freedom in this context means having the power to exercise to the full the authority of an
office. Thus the power to control exercised by leadership within the school context is a
power to ensure the optimum conditions for the fulfilment of their office by those being led.
Principals will respect the office of teacher and will assist their teaching, teachers will
respect the office of learners and will enable them to take responsible control of their
learning, and learners will respect the office of teachers who control the classroom
situation. In this way power is dispersed according to the office that each has. Freedom in
this context is related to mutual dependence and mutual respect of office, and oppression
occurs when the power of one office is used to place disabling constraints on the office of
another, and to take from another the power that is needed to fulfil the authority of that
office (Fowler 1993: 114-115).
-12It is the task of educational leaders at all levels to promote and restore self discipline in the
school community utilising the view of office, authority, power and responsibility associated
with this approach. People, no matter what office they hold, who do not want to rise to the
responsibilities of their office should be taken to task and given the opportunity to rectify
their
shirking of responsibilities. On the other hand the leader should support followers and
show empathy towards them in the process of empowerment. Followers need to know that
they can approach the leader for support and that they will be forgiven if they make
mistakes along the way. Unfortunately there is also a lot to be done before office bearers
in the most schools of South Africa will be in the position to say that they have been truly
empowered in the way discussed above.
Setting the stage for meaningful change in education entails that the educational leader
fulfils the functions of effective long term leadership discussed above, namely vision
creation, vision communication, establishment of values, development and training of staff
and the empowerment of staff. The above discussion of long term effective leadership is
summed up in Figure 1. In the next paragraph effective leadership in specific situations is
discussed.
Effective short term leadership
While the organization is moving towards its vision in the longer term, the effective day to
day management of the organization still needs to take place. Leaders are confronted with
specific situations on a day to day basis. These situations are related to the phase of
development in which the organisation finds itself. Events and circumstances that leaders
need to deal with are influenced by the characteristics of the leader, the characteristics of
the followers, and a number of factors that impact on the characteristics of the situation.
These interrelated and integrated characteristics have a profound impact on the
effectiveness of the style of leadership manifested by the leader.
The effectiveness of the leadership style that a leader follows in specific situations will thus
depend on the characteristics of the leader, the characteristics of the followers and the
characteristics of the situation. A discussion of these characteristics impacting on the
effectiveness of leadership in the short term is the focus of this section.
The characteristics of the leader, such as personality, values, needs, knowledge and
experience will impact on the behaviour of the leader. Situational factors such as
organisational culture, the power base of the leader, time pressure, structuring of the task
and the characteristics of the group of workers will also play a part. Lastly the conduct of
the leader will be determined by the characteristics of followers, such as their needs,
perceptions, maturity, knowledge and experience. The various aspects relevant under
each of these three characteristics are summarised in Figure 2.
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Figure 2: Effective leadership in specific situations
-14The notion of effectiveness is fundamental to this model. As a presupposition to the
development of this model effectiveness is measured against the results emanating from
the actions of the leader. Effectiveness within the organisational context would depend on
the achievement of predetermined organisational objectives, but from a leadership
perspective effectiveness would be measured against the achievement of desired follower
behaviour in the realisation of organisational objectives. This links with the definition of
leadership as the art of influencing people towards achieving organisational objectives.
As pointed out previously effective leadership style is influenced by the developmental
stage in which an organisation finds itself. An autocratic leadership style may for example
be an effective style to use in a specific situation in an early developmental stage taking
into account follower characteristics. The same situation would be handled in a more
democratic/participative way in a more advanced stage of the organisation’s development
as followers grow and mature. Leadership needs to be flexible to adapt to situational
changes that may occur as the organisation develops.
This provides a link between effective leadership in specific situations and long term
effective leadership. For the purpose of conceptualizing the notion of effective long term
and short term leadership separate models were developed, but it should be noted that in
practice they are inextricably linked because specific situations need to be managed on a
day to day basis as the organisation progresses towards its vision.
As mentioned earlier the effectiveness of short term leadership is influenced by the
characteristics of the leader, the characteristics of the followers and the characteristics of
the situation. Each of these characteristics are influenced by a number of factors as
illustrated in Figure 2. The model of short term leadership was derived from various
existing models of leadership. A brief discussion of the characteristics and some of the
factors within each influencing short term leadership will be undertaken in order to make
the model more comprehensible, and also to indicate the relevant leadership models from
which the various factors were derived.
Characteristics of the leader
Way of viewing people
McGregor’s Theory X and Y is based on the view that a leaders behaviour is grounded on
his/her conception/view of people. According to McGregor leaders’ conceptions of people
can be divided into two groups, the well known Theory X and Theory Y, which will either
lead to an autocratic or democratic leadership style. The more negative a leader’s view of
followers, the more autocratic a leader will tend to be. This model of leadership indicated
that the leader’s view of people is in fact one of the elements that influences his/her style
of leadership, which has a definite influence on the effectiveness of leadership.
Knowledge and experience
According to the leadership model of House (Szilagyi & Wallace 1990: 402-408; Griffin &
Moorehead 1986: 362-364) and the Vroom-Yetton model (Gordon 1991: 355-359; Griffin &
Moorehead 1986: 364-367) the leader will have to make a choice with regard to the
appropriateness of leadership style. The success with which a leader exercises this
choice will depend on the knowledge and experience of the leader. In this regard the
leader’s management knowledge and background is of the essence.
-15Trust in subordinates
The measure of trust a leader has in followers will have a definite effect on the type of
leadership provided. According to the Likert model (Erskine 1991:422; Koontz, O’Donnell
& Weihrich 1984: 510-511) a leader that trusts followers will be more prone to following a
democratic leadership style.
Follower acceptance of leadership style
Need for collective decision-making
In both the Tannenbaum & Schmidt (Kroon 1986: 477-478; Rue & Byars 1989: 402-403)
leadership continuum and the Likert model (Erskine 1991:422; Koontz, O’Donnell &
Weihrich 1984: 510-511) it is indicated that the more freedom followers are awarded in the
work situation the more likely it is that a more democratic style of leadership will manifest.
Characteristics of followers
Readiness for responsibility
The readiness of followers to accept responsibility plays a role in the effectiveness of a
specific leadership style. In the situational model of Hersey and Blanchard (Gerber, Nel &
Van Dyk 1994: 359-362) it is indicated that style of leadership should be adapted to the
measure of maturity of followers. One of the criteria of maturity will be the readiness to
take responsibility, which may apply to a group of followers or individual workers.
Knowledge and experience
In the Hersey and Blanchard (Gerber, Nel & Van Dyk 1994: 359-362) model it is indicated
that work related knowledge and experience of followers will exercise an influence on
leadership style. These are also aspects that determine the measure of maturity of
followers.
Characteristics of the situation
Time pressure, organisational culture and effectiveness of working groups
Tannenbaum and Schmidt (Kroon 1986: 477-478; Rue & Byars 1989: 402-403) indicate
that time pressure, organisational culture and effectiveness of working groups are factors
that impact on the situation under which leadership is provided.
Structuring of the task
The structuring of the task was identified by Fiedler (Hellriegel & Slocum 1989: 480-484;
Gordon 1991: 350-351) as one of the variables that have an influence on the effectiveness
of a specific leadership style. Structuring of the task refers to the measure to which a task
is structured/described and defined. The less structured a task is, the more uncertain the
expected outcome and the more difficult it becomes to provide leadership.
Power base of the leader
According to Fiedler (Hellriegel & Slocum 1989: 480-484; Gordon 1991: 350-351) the
power base of the leader is determined by the measure of power of the leader within the
organisation that he/she can utilise to exert an influence on followers. The more power the
leader has, the easier it will be to exert influence on followers.
-16Each of these factors and those not specifically discussed have been derived from existing
leadership models. They will exercise an influence on the leadership provided in specific
school situations. The situations in which schools find themselves differ and therefore the
leadership challenges in the various situations will not be the same. Therefore an empirical
investigation of a particular situation will be necessary before a generalisation can be
made with regard to a specific situation. It is however clear that educational leaders need
to take these factors into consideration in order to be effective.
Van Niekerk (1995:46-47) points out the following on the significance of the factors
influencing leadership in specific situations. The characteristics of the leader will
predispose the leader to a specific style of leadership. The leader will thus be predisposed
to a more democratic or more autocratic leadership style. The measure of acceptance of
the leader=s leadership style will depend on the characteristics of the followers. It will
depend on the degree to which the leadership style takes into account the personal needs,
the knowledge and experience and the need of followers for taking part in the decisionmaking process. Followers may exhibit three possible reactions:
i)
ii)
iii)
Followers may accept the leader’s behaviour, but they are not enthusiastic on
account of it.
Followers may identify with the leader’s behaviour and they may show enthusiasm
and commitment.
Followers may find the behaviour of the leader so unacceptable that they resist it.
The interaction between the characteristics of the leader and followers thus leads to the
manifestation of a specific style of leadership. The effectiveness of the revealed
leadership style under specific conditions will depend on the characteristics of the
followers and the characteristics of the situation.
The characteristics of the followers that exert an influence on the effectiveness of a
specific leadership style are related to the ability of the followers to take part in the
management of the organisation. A democratic leadership style will for instance be
ineffective if followers do not have the ability to take part in the decision-making process.
Likewise they will require motivation, a sense of responsibility, knowledge and experience
to make a democratic style of leadership work.
The situation in which leadership is exercised similarly exerts an influence on the
effectiveness of leadership style. In some instances an autocratic leadership style might
even work better than a democratic style, for instance when crucial decisions need to be
taken under extreme time pressure. An autocratic leadership style will however be
ineffective in a situation where highly capable and responsible personnel work in an
integrated, problem-solving situation where collective decision-making and teamwork is of
the essence. The characteristics of each situation are unique and will exercise an
influence on the effectiveness of leadership.
-17Educational change within the context of long term and short term leadership
The following definition can be considered to be a summary of what leadership is all about:
Leadership is about inspiring persons or groups to such an extent that they willingly and
enthusiastically work to accomplish set aims (Van Niekerk 1995: 4).
The important role of leadership in organisations is expressed as follows by Fiedler and
Chemers (1984: 3):
“The quality of leadership, more than any other single factor, determines the
success or failure of an organisation. This is true for a small group, a large
organisation, or even an entire nation.”
Leadership can be developed and desired leadership behaviour can be learned, as good
leaders are not necessarily born that way, and therefore it is of crucial importance that
more attention be paid to the development of the quality of educational leadership in South
Africa. This is especially the case because of the important role of education in the
country’s household. It is well known that South Africa has a shortage of skilled manpower.
It is the task of school education to provide learners with a sound foundation on which
lifelong and specialised further education can take place. Schools play a cardinal role in
the education of a competent work force if they fulfil their task correctly. It is questionable
whether this is happening to the required extent at this point in time. One of the things we
can do to make a difference to the current situation, is to develop the leadership potential
in schools.
It is generally acknowledged that management can be subdivided into the functions of
planning, organising, leading and control (Smit & Cronje 1992: 6-7). Management is thus a
more encompassing concept than leadership, which can be regarded as a subsection of
management. The main function of a leader is to influence people to work together in order
to accomplish aims. It is possible that a specific manager does not provide good
leadership as one of the management functions, but that he/she does execute the other
management functions well. It does not follow as a matter of course that a good manager
is also a good leader. Only few people have both abilities and they are a great asset to
their organisations. When change comes into play, however, leadership is of cardinal
importance as people need to be influenced to reach the vision. This is where long term
leadership comes into play and where the functions of
vision creation, vision
communication, establishment of values, development and training of staff and the
empowerment of staff are essential. In the life of any organisation it is important to create
desirable conditions for staff to excel and to empower them to do so.
It is however important to keep in mind that the point of departure of change is always a
specific situation within a specific educational context. A specific leader with certain
characteristics operating within a specific situation with certain characteristics and with
followers with certain characteristics needs to be effective. The interplay between the
leader, situation and followers will determine the effectiveness of the leadership provided.
A leader not only needs to be effective in the specific situation in which he/she finds
himself/herself, but must be able to move from here to where a new desired situation,
which the leader has created, exists. In the process the leader might be able to bring about
a situation which makes a more desired leadership style possible. Leaders need to work
-18within their situation for improvement. This is where the relation between the long term and
short term leadership dimensions is manifested. Both dimensions are essential in bringing
about change and therefore training of leaders has to deliberately focus on assisting
leaders and prospective leaders to master both dimensions of leadership. This is so
important that no one should actually become an educational leader, such as a school
principal, before having mastered both the short and long term dimensions of effective
leadership.
On the basis of this model it is possible to analyse the leadership situation in specific
schools and to make recommendations regarding the improvement of the short term and
long term leadership that is provided. Many headmasters may discover from an analysis of
the factors impacting on effective leadership in specific situations that they follow the
wrong leadership style (such as the autocratic leadership style) with a relatively wellschooled group of followers such as teachers. Or they may discover that they need to
empower teachers to take up leadership roles within a team teaching approach or in the
school environment generally. Others may discover that they have staff members that are
not ready for the challenges of the specific school situation, and that something needs to
be done to their training and development in the long term. Many weaknesses and
challenges may be discovered from such an analysis.
In many South Afican schools one may discover that leaders are doing very little about the
long term dimension of their leadership task. This poses a leadership training challenge
that needs to be addressed, or a need to revise and improve existing leadership training
practices in order to be more successful. So the model can be used as a tool for assessing
and improving leadership with a view to improving the core business of schools, which is
teaching and learning. Change that is meaningful can be brought about through the
application of this model.
Parents want an education of an acceptable quality for their children on which they can
build their future. The education system, schools and individual teachers should provide
this. In the school as educational institution quality education is dependent on the qualities
and potentials of the people in the school. The change process required to move towards
quality education comes from within rather than from without, building on the
empowerment of people within the school (Morrison, 1998: 88). In this regard the effective
short and long term leadership of the educational leader is of cardinal importance. It is the
leader who has to exert influence to make our schools better places of teaching and
learning. Educational leaders need to commit themselves to both the short term and long
term dimensions of their leadership task.
Conclusion
In this article an exposition is given of the model of effective short term and long term
leadership and its relation to educational change. The effectiveness of short term
leadership is discussed in relation to the characteristics of the leader, the followers and the
situation. The effectiveness of long term leadership is discussed in relation to several core
functions that the leader needs to perform competently, namely, the creation of a vision;
infusing core values; communication (alignment around the vision); development and
empowerment of followers. The need for leadership training that takes both these
dimensions of effective leadership into account is highlighted in order to bring about
meaningful educational change.
-19Bibliography
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Financial Times.
Davidoff, S & Lazarus, S. 1997. The learning school. An organisation development
approach. Kenwyn: Juta.
Department of Education. 2000. Norms and standards for educators. Pretoria:
Government Printers.
Erskine, R. 1991. Business management. New York: Prentice Hall.
Fowler, S, Van Brummelen, H & Van Dyk, J. 1990. Christian schooling. Education for
freedom. Potchefstroom: PU for CHE.
Gallie, M & Sayed, Y. 1997. Transforming educational management in South Africa.
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Gerber, PD, Nel, PS & Van Dyk PS. 1994. Mannekragbestuur. Second edition.
Halfweghuis: Southern.
Gordon, JR. 1991. A diagnostic approach to organisational behaviour. Third edition.
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Hellriegel, D & Slocum JW. 1989. Management. Fifth edition. Reading: Addison-Wesley.
Higginson, R. 1996. Transforming leadership. A Christian approach to management.
London: SPCK.
Koontz, H, O=Donnel, C. & Weihrich, H. 1984. Management. Eigth edition. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Love, JR. 1994. Liberating leaders from the superman syndrome. Lanham: University
Press of America.
Morrison, K. 1998. Management theories for educational change. London: Paul Chapman.
Ramparsad, S. 2001. The leadership role of the principal in managing and supporting
curriculum change in South Africa. MEd mini-dissertation, University of South
Africa, Pretoria.
Rue, LW & Byars, LL. 1989. Management theory and application. Fifth edition.
Homewood: Irwin.
Sterling, L & Davidoff, S. 2000. The courage to lead: a whole school development
approach. Kenwyn: Juta.
Szilagyi, AD & Wallace, MJ. 1990. Organisational behaviour and performance. Fifth
edition. [New York]: Harper-Collins.
Van der Walt, BJ. 1995. Leaders with vision. How Christian leadership can tackle the
African crisis.
Potchefstroom: PU vir CHO.
Van Niekerk, PduP. 1995. ‘n Evaluering van die doeltreffendheid van leierskap van boere
in die Gamtoosvallei. Meesterdiploma in Tegnologie: Bestuurspraktyk. Port
Elizabeth: Port Elizabethse Technikon.
-20-
Figure 1
Source: Van Niekerk, EJ. & Van Niekerk, P du P. 2004. Managing change in education
through a model of short term and long term leadership. Paper delivered at the EMASA
Conference, Port Elizabeth.
-21-
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
EVALUATION GUIDELINES AND
CRITERIA FOR THE WHOLESCHOOL EVALUATION POLICY
QUALITY ASSURANCE DIRECTORATE
DECEMBER 2001
-22-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1
The Guidelines
60
1.2
The Evaluation Criteria and Descriptors
60
1.3
Areas for Evaluation
60
1.4
School Self-evaluation and Improvement
61
SECTION 2: THE EVALUATION PROCESS
2.1
Sampling - The choice of schools
61
2.2
Pre-evaluation activity
61
2.2.1
School Self-evaluation
61
2.2.2
Evaluation team
62
2.2.3
The School
62
2.2.4
The Professional Support Teams
62
2.3
On-site Evaluation
62
2.3.1
Scrutiny of relevant school and district records
62
2.3.2
Lesson observation
63
2.3.3
Other activities
63
2.3.4
Interviews
63
2.4
Questionnaires
64
2.5
Findings
64
2.6
Post-evaluation Activity - Reporting and Improvement Strategies
64
2.6.1
Oral Report to the School
64
2.6.2
The Written Report and dissemination of findings
64
2.6.3
Recommendations for school improvements and support
65
2.6.4
Levels of performance
65
-23SECTION 3: THE PLAN OF THE EVALUATION REPORT
3.1
Introduction: A description of the main characteristics of the
school
65
3.2
An overview of the findings and the main recommendations
66
3.3
Areas for Evaluation
66
3.3.1
Basic functionality of the school
66
3.3.2
Leadership, management and communication
66
3.3.3
Governance and relationships
67
3.3.4
Quality of teaching and learning and educator
development
67
3.3.5
Curriculum provision and resources
68
3.3.6
Learner achievement
68
3.3.7
School safety, security and discipline
68
3.3.8
School infrastructure
69
3.3.9
Parents and the community
69
3.4
The Subject/Learning area/Programs
70
SECTION 4: CRITERIA AND DESCRIPTORS
70
-24GUIDELINES ON THE EVALUATION PROCESS, THE SOURCES OF EVIDENCE TO BE
CONSULTED AND THE CRITERIA TO BE USED BY SUPERVISORS WHEN JUDGING
THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1
The Guidelines
The guidelines are designed to lead to a fair national evaluation system for schools,
public and independent. They have to be used when a school is being evaluated
according to the National Framework in order to ensure that evaluations are carried
out consistently and supervisors are using the same criteria when reaching
judgements. The Guidelines indicate the aspects of the school that must be
reported on separately, though supervisors must recognise that these aspects are all
closely inter-linked. They also provide guidance on how supervisors should carry
out their responsibilities. The emphasis throughout is on supervisors using a range
of data and indicators to make evaluative judgements rather than simply to provide
descriptions of what happens in the schools.
1.2
The Evaluation Criteria and Descriptors
The evaluation criteria seek to ensure that supervisors make sound judgements and
measure success by how well learners do. This is far more important than simply
recording what the school provides. For example, a school may have a very efficient
management system and a wide range of resources, but these are of little value if
they do not impact on learners' progress and the standards they attain. On the other
hand, a school that may be operating in very difficult circumstances, with limited
resources and accommodation, may, because of the hard work and commitment of
staff, provide a wonderful educational experience for its learners. The use of
nationally agreed criteria, with their emphasis on learner's progress, is important in
ensuring a common approach to evaluation. The descriptors are included to provide
a guide for supervisors and schools on how to interpret the criteria. They describe
"good", "acceptable" and "needs improvement". Outstanding and "needs urgent
support" Ratings should be self-evident in the light of the adjectives used in the
descriptors.
1.3
Areas for Evaluation
The areas for evaluation constitute the major aspects of the school's work. They
reflect the areas identified in Tirisano as being key to the future development of
education in South Africa. The main function of the supervisors is to report on the
quality of provision in these areas and any other that the school may consider
relevant, and make recommendations on how it might be improved. The function of
the professional support teams in Districts is to help schools carry out the
recommendations of the supervisors and support schools in making improvements.
-25The areas for evaluation are:
1.4
i.
ii.
iii.
Basic functionality of the school.
Leadership, management and communication.
Governance and relationships.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
Quality of teaching and learning and educator development.
Curriculum provision and resources.
Learner Achievement.
School safety, security and discipline.
School infrastructure.
Parents and the community
School Self-Evaluation and Improvement
The Guidelines should also provide an important resource to schools when they are
carrying out self-evaluation. The Guidelines will enable schools to measure their
performance against national criteria and so judge how well they are doing. They
will also enable schools to prepare effectively for the external evaluation, as the
criteria and descriptors are the same. The Guidelines should form the basis of a
national framework for school self - improvement. Other stakeholders will also have
access to the Guidelines and be able to judge how well the school is providing for its
learners.
SECTION 2: THE EVALUATION PROCESS
2.1
SAMPLING
The choice of schools
The number of schools to be evaluated will be decided at national level against
agreed criteria. The Department of Education will inform the Provinces of the
number and sample of schools to be evaluated. Once the sample has been made
known to the Provinces, the supervisory units will begin with all their preparations
and pre-evaluation activities. The Provinces will inform the schools, arrange the
date for the evaluation and decide on the supervisors to be involved. They will send
the school appropriate forms for completion and a list of documentation required by
supervisors.
2.2
PRE-EVALUATION ACTIVITY
2.2.1 School Self-evaluation
With the democratisation of education and the associated decentralisation of
authority, schools are increasingly being held accountable for their
performance. This implies that school improvement is the responsibility of the
-26schools as much as it is of the national and provincial departments of
education. In order to meet the demands for improved quality and standards
schools need to establish appropriate strategies for the monitoring and
evaluation of their work. They need to find a practical means of organising a
program of self-evaluation that is supported by audits and evaluations by
external teams. The audit/evaluation process outlined above seeks to provide
a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation model that is highly participatory.
2.2.2 Evaluation team
The evaluation teams need to prepare for the supervision. Each team will
have a team leader whose responsibility will be to:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
agree on dates with the school for a pre-evaluation visit, for collecting
the school's documentation, and for post-evaluation feedback to
appropriate personnel.
visit the school before the evaluation in order to discuss the evaluation
arrangements with the Principal and to explain to the staff the
evaluation procedures and answer any of their questions.
decide, in consultation with team members, on the nature of the
evaluation and how the evaluation responsibilities are to be shared.
provide the school with a brief supervisors' profile of the team
members, the length of time they will be in the school and the
subjects/learning area/programme and areas for evaluation they will be
evaluating.
timely inform the schools of any changes if such arise.
draw up a programme in consultation with the team members to
ensure that an appropriate sample of data is collected in order to
inform discussions and lead to agreed judgements regarding the
effectiveness of the school.
produce a pre-evaluation commentary for team members on the basis
of the documentation provided by the school.
2.2.3 The School
The school must:
i.
prepare and make available any documentation required by the
supervisors.
ii.
complete a self-evaluation document and school information form and
provide supervisors with a copy.
iii.
co-operate with the supervisors so as to ensure that preparations for
the evaluation run smoothly.
2.2.4 The Professional Support Teams
The professional support teams in the districts must:
i.
be available to provide the school with advice and help in preparing for
the evaluation.
ii.
provide any information about the school required by the supervisors.
-272.3
ON-SITE EVALUATION
2.3.1 Scrutiny of relevant school and district records
During an evaluation the supervisors must collect evidence through reading
and analysing any of the school's documents that have not been seen
previously. Supervisors must also see any district documentation that they
require in order to help them reach fair judgements about the school. These
documents should include educators' and learners' attendance registers,
educators' records of learners' performance, educators' curriculum plans',
learners' personal record files, learners' notebooks.
2.3.2 Lesson observation
Because school evaluation aims to bring about change in the teaching learning processes, it is important for the evaluation to focus on what happens
inside classrooms. Lesson observation leads to judgements on:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
the classroom environment and the activities that take place;
systematic observation of the quality of learning and teaching;
the progress learners make and the standards they reach in the
subject/learning area/programme they are studying;
the development of learners’ self-confidence, creativity, speaking and
listening skills, leadership qualities and their ability to co-operate with
others.
Supervisors must observe sufficient lessons across the age and ability range
to ensure that they see a fair sample. In order to achieve this, at least 50% of
a supervisor's time in the school should be spent observing lessons.
When in lessons, supervisors must:
i.
not intervene to disrupt the educator's work or to distract the learners
unnecessarily but discuss with them their work whenever opportunities
occur;
ii.
take note of any display of learners' work;
iii.
record their observations of the lesson on the appropriate form;
iv.
give educators some feedback on what they have seen whenever
possible.
2.3.3 Other activities
Supervisors must:
i.
ii.
spend time observing learners outside the classroom so as to be able
to comment on the quality of relationships, behaviour and respect for
school property.
arrange to evaluate the school's accommodation and premises and the
resources available for teaching and learning.
-282.3.4 Interviews
Supervisors should arrange interviews with:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
a group of parents about their views of the school;
groups of learners about their experiences at school;
educators in order to learn about management procedures, policy
formulation and planning;
non-teaching staff in order to learn about administrative procedures
and the effectiveness of the school's support systems;
the Principal. (meetings between the Principal and the team leader
should be held regularly to ensure that the evaluation runs smoothly
and that any anxieties staff may have can be quickly dealt with).
N.B. These interviews may be formal or informal.
2.4
QUESTIONNAIRES
Questionnaires will be used to help gather information when it would take too long to
interview a fair sample of appropriate personnel. They may be used with educators
and learners, but are more likely to be used with parents who are usually too
numerous to interview. For parents, questionnaires will be administered in an
appropriate language. Any questionnaires that are distributed should be in line with
the national instruments and be confidential to the supervisors. They must not
include the names of the respondents.
2.5
FINDINGS
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
2.6
Meetings will be convened during the week of the evaluation at which the
supervisors will discuss and reach consensus on findings.
Supervisors must make sure that they collect a representative sample of data
that will enable them to reach a consensus.
The findings will be rated against a five point scale B outstanding, good,
acceptable, needs improvement, needs urgent support.
Findings will be made known to the Principal, followed by the representatives
of the school governing bodies, before being published.
POST-EVALUATION
STRATEGIES
ACTIVITY
B
REPORTING
AND
IMPROVEMENT
2.6.1 Oral Report to the School
At the end of the evaluation, and before they leave the school, the supervisors must
provide:
i.
a brief oral feedback to individual educators on the quality of their work;
-29ii.
iii.
iv.
recommendations as to how the school might improve its practice;
a brief oral feedback to heads of each subject evaluated on the quality of work
in that subject/learning area/programme;
a brief report to the Principal on the main judgements.
N.B.: At a subsequent date, but normally no longer than a week after the
evaluation, the team leader must return to the school to provide a more
detailed oral report to the Principal, School Governing Body, School
Management Team and the professional support teams.
2.6.2 The Written Report and dissemination of findings
Within four weeks of the evaluation, the team leader must provide a written
report that:
i.
ii.
iii.
follows an agreed format, is written in clear language and fully reflects
the oral report already made to the school;
enables the school to identify the key priorities which the supervisors
judge need to be addressed if it is to make further progress;
contains a summary written according to an agreed format.
Within two weeks of receiving the written report the school must:
i.
ii.
send the summary of the report to all parents or guardians of learners
at the school;
send copies of the report to the District. The district must ensure that
the report is sent to the Province and the Department of Education.
The report shall be retained by the district, school and the supervisory unit for
at least six months, and be available to the Minister on request.
2.6.3 Recommendations for school improvements and support
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
The district support services are responsible for supporting the school
in carrying out the recommendations of the report;
The school must produce an improvement plan in response to
recommendations made in the evaluation report within four weeks of
receiving the written evaluation report. It should include a timeframe,
and performance indicators;
The improvement plan should be sent to the District Head for approval;
The District Head must approve and/or amend the plan within two
weeks;
The school must carry out the improvement plan within the time
stipulated in order to become more effective.
The findings of reports should naturally lead to district, provincial, and national
improvement plans that address areas needing improvements, within
specified time frames. The findings also form the basis for future evaluations
of the school's work and also serve as an important tool for self-evaluation.
-302.6.4 Levels of performance
i.
ii.
Schools that are performing well above expected standards or social
expectations will be recognised. Recognition, for example, may consist
of a diploma of excellence from the Minister of Education and
publication in the educational and general press.
The under-performing learning sites, which are those learning sites
performing well below national expectation, will be included in special
programmes provided by either the Department of Education or the
Province for the recovery and development of schools.
SECTION 3: THE PLAN OF THE EVALUATION REPORT
3.1
INTRODUCTION
A description of the main characteristics of the school
Supervisors must report on the nature and implications for learners= learning.
The evaluation report will start by outlining the main features of the school.
These include:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
3.2
The number of learners and educators;
The type of school;
The socio-economic circumstances of its learners referring to advantages and
disadvantages;
The number of learners with special educational needs;
The range of different languages spoken;
The attainment of !eamers on entry to the school and at the end of each key
Rating;
Other key statistics.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE FINDINGS AND THE MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS
A summary of the main findings and recommendations
Supervisors must state clearly their main judgements and the recommendations they
have formulated in order to help the school improve.
-313.3
AREAS FOR EVALUATION
Sections on each of the main focus areas as outlined below:
3.3.1 Basic functionality of the school
The evaluation is designed to judge whether basic conditions exist in the
school to enable it to function efficiently and effectively and realise the
educational and social goals set for it by the local and national community.
Supervisors must make judgements and report on the effectiveness of
the following:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
The school's policies and procedures;
The level of absence, lateness and truancy and the procedures for
dealing with them;
Learners' response to the school's provision;
The behaviour of the learners.
3.3.2 Leadership, management and communication
The key purpose is to assess the effectiveness of the leadership and
management of the school at the various levels in the management structure.
Supervisors must make judgements and report on the effectiveness of
the following:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
The school's vision and mission statement, aims, policies and
procedures;
The leadership at various levels in the staffing structure, for example
the Principal and school management teams.
The extent to which the staff and school community as a whole
understand those intentions and carry them out;
The extent to which the policies and procedures help the school attain
its aims and improve.
3.3.3 Governance and relationships
The key purpose is to assess the effectiveness of the governing body in
giving the school clear strategic direction in line with the South African
Schools Act (SASA), the National Education Policy Act (NEPA) and other
related legislation.
Supervisors must make judgements and report on the effectiveness of
the following:
i.
ii.
The constitution of the governing body and any terms of reference;
The organisation of the governing body and its committees;
-32iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
The membership of the governing body;
The part played by the governing body in the formulation and
implementation of the school's aims and policies;
The suitability and effectiveness of the policies;
Systems the school governing body has for monitoring and evaluating
the quality of education provided by the school.
3.3.4 Quality of teaching and learning and educator development
The first purpose is to evaluate the overall quality of teaching throughout the
school and how well it helps all learners to learn and raise their levels of
performance and attainment. The second is to judge the quality of in-service
professional development enjoyed by educators as highlighted by reports and
the professional growth plans of the Developmental Appraisal System (DAS)
and other related initiatives.
Supervisors must make judgements and report on the effectiveness of
the following:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
Educators' planning and schemes of work/work programmes;
Educators' expectations of the learners;
The educator's subject /learning area/programme knowledge;
The teaching strategies the educators use;
The educator’s use of resources, including books, equipment accommodation and time;
The way educators control and manage the learners;
The arrangements made by the educators for learners of different
abilities, especially the most able and those with learning difficulties;
The methods used by educators to assess learners' progress and
levels of achievement;
The use of homework;
The methods educators use to gauge the success of their lessons and
what they do as a result of the findings.
3.3.5 Curriculum provision and resources
The purpose is to evaluate the quality of the curriculum and how closely it
matches the needs of learners and any national or local requirements. A
judgement has also to be made on the range and quality of other activities
which enhance the curriculum.
Supervisors must make judgements and report on the effectiveness of
the following:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
The balance between the national and local curriculum.
The structure of the curriculum.
The planning process.
How suitable the curriculum is for learners of different ages and
different abilities.
-33v.
vi.
The school's assessment policies and practices and their relevance to
the curriculum.
The provision for extra-curricular activities.
3.3.6 Learner achievement
The main purpose is to assess the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that
learners have acquired. Particular attention must be paid to levels of
performance in communication skills, problem solving skills and the ability to
work in groups and to make responsible decisions.
Supervisors must make judgements and report on the effectiveness of
the following:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Learners' achievements by end of Ratings 3, 6, 9 and 12 in public
examinations and in work seen;
Learners' achievements in reading, speaking and writing in the
language of teaching and learning and one other additional language;
Learners' standards in numeracy and in all other subjects/learning
areas/programmes;
The progress made by learners in light of their known prior achievements, especially the most able and those with learning difficulties.
3.3.7 School safety, security and discipline
One purpose is to evaluate the extent to which the school knows about
legislation which concerns learners’ rights and the effectiveness with which it
implements it. Another is to ensure that the school is secure and the learners
are safe. The third purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of the school=s
disciplinary procedures.
Supervisors must make judgements and report on the effectiveness of
the following:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
The school’s procedures for safety, security and discipline and their
implementation;
Safety regulations in laboratories and workshops and other areas of
the school;
Emergency procedures and how well they are known by learners and
staff;
The provision for any boarders;
The support and care for learners;
The school's disciplinary procedures.
-343.3.8 School Infrastructure
The main objective is to assess to what extent the school has sufficient staff,
resources and accommodation for its purpose. Particular attention must be
paid to their state of repair and how well these are organised and used in the
interests of the learners. Supervisors need to note how closely the school
monitors the efficiency and effectiveness with which they are used.
Supervisors must make judgements and report on the effectiveness of
the following:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
The sufficiency of suitably qualified and experienced educators and
support staff;
The amount of accommodation and its state of repair and the suitability
of the school’s premises;
The sufficiency and suitability of books and equipment for learning;
The efficiency with which all the school’s resources are used;
The methods by which the school and the school governing body
ensure that they get value for money.
3.3.9 Parents and the community
One purpose is to gauge the extent to which the school encourages parental
and community involvement in the education of the learners and how it makes
use of their contributions. Another is to estimate the value to learners’
education of the exchange of information between parents and school about
them. The third purpose is to ascertain the response of parents. The fourth is
to evaluate the links between the community and the school.
Supervisors must make judgements and report on the effectiveness of
the following:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
The school's communication with parents and the way the school
responds to the complaints and suggestions that come from the
parents.
The systems for reporting to parents about the progress their children
are making and the standards they are reaching.
The contribution that parents make to the school and to learners'
education through any committees or support for the school's
resources.
The school’s guidance for parents to help them in their understanding
of the work their children are doing;
The school's involvement with the local community and how this affects
learners’ educational experience and curricular activity;
The method the school uses to educate learners in the use of the local
environment;
The range of joint activities undertaken by the school and community in
the interests of the learners.
-353.4
THE SUBJECTS/LEARNING AREAS/PROGRAMS
A report on each of the subjects/learning areas/programs evaluated.
Supervisors must report their judgements on:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
Standards reached by learners in public examinations;
Standards reached by learners in work seen;
The progress made by learners in lessons over a period of time;
The attitudes of learners to their studies and their behaviour in lessons;
The quality of teaching and learning;
The effectiveness of leadership and management in the subject/learning area/
programme;
The breadth and balance of the curriculum offered in the subject/learning
area/programme and the quality of associated planning;
Assessment practice;
Any other important features of the subject/learning area/programme.
SECTION 4
CRITERIA AND DESCRIPTORS
Supervisors must observe the prescribed criteria and descriptors when evaluating a
school.
The prescribed data and criteria are used to make evaluative judgements on the quality of a
school=s performance and the achievements of its learners. The descriptors are used as a
guide to help supervisors judge the quality of what they see.
These criteria and descriptors should also provide an important resource to schools when
they are carrying out self-evaluation.
A FIVE-point performance rating is used when grading judgements;




Rating 5 = outstanding;
Rating 4 = good;
Rating 3 = acceptable;
Rating 2 = needs improvement.
-36GUIDELINES ON THE SOURCES OF EVIDENCE AND THE CRITERIA TO BE USED BY
SUPERVISORS, WITH DESCRIPTORS FOR EXEMPLIFICATION
1.
The Supervisors’ code
The following descriptors, based on the Supervisors’ Code of Practice, are
designed to help Supervisors carry out their work in a professional way.
Descriptor for Rating 4
The supervisor operates in a way that does not affect the normal
process of education in schools. The supervisor is competent,
objective and behaves professionally in the school. The supervisor
respects the educators and learners and treats them with sensitivity.
The Evaluation Guidelines and Criteria are used effectively during
evaluations and the supervisor has clear and comprehensive
communication with those being evaluated. The supervisor is able to
explain why judgements have been reached and does so willingly. The
supervisor gives clear and unambiguous oral reports to the school, and
these will be accurately reflected in the final written report. The final
report, based on clear evidence, will be well written, will cover the
aspects designated in the Evaluation Framework fully, will contain
balanced judgements and will pay attention to the opinions of those
evaluated. The supervisor keeps information confidential and is at all
times impartial.
Descriptor for Rating 3
The supervisor does not deliberately affect the normal process of
education in schools. The objectives of the evaluation and the way it
will be carried out are outlined to the school, but they are not explained
in detail. The supervisor communicated with the school staff but does
not keep them fully informed of what evidence is being collected or how
judgements are being reached. The oral feedback to the school is
hesitant and although the judgements are reported, they are not
explained clearly. The final report is mainly based on objective
evidence, but sometimes the writing is ambiguous and barely pays
attention to the opinions of those evaluated. Although the evaluation is
carried out in line with the Evaluation Framework. The supervisor
rarely distinguishes between important and minor points.
The
supervisor keeps information confidential, and seeks to be impartial
and objective.
Descriptor for Rating 2
The supervisor interferes with the normal educational process in
schools. The supervisor is often not professionally competent to judge
a subject/learning area/programme or an area for evaluation.
Judgements lack objectivity and are based on questionable evidence.
Those evaluated are not kept informed about the evaluation process or
its progress. Educators and learners are sometimes treated with
disrespect. The oral feedback is disjointed and confused, and the
supporting evidence is not always secure. The final report is full of
ambiguities. It is based on doubtful evidence, and disregards opinions
expressed by those evaluated. It does not follow the Evaluation
Framework properly.
The supervisor does not always respect
confidentiality.
-372.
The following criteria and descriptors must be used when a school evaluates
itself internally or when externally evaluated by the supervisors
(i)
Basic functionality of the school
Purpose: To judge whether the school can function efficiently and effectively and realise its educational and social goals.
Sources
Criteria
Descriptors
The school’s policies and procedures
Does the school have appropriate policies and
procedures in place to enable it to run smoothly?
The supervisor to look at the policies, procedures,
regulations etc in order to judge whether they are
appropriate and implemented successfully.
The willingness of staff to implement policies and
procedures consistently needs to be assessed and the
impact this has on the learners.
Descriptors Rating 4: The school has well-structured
policies, procedures that are clearly articulated to
learners and their parents. Many are on display and
readily accessible to the learners.
Absence and
lateness are followed up and appropriate sanctions and
rewards are used to encourage an appropriate
response from learners. Attendance is rarely below 94
per cent and learners are mostly on time for school and
lessons. The timetable is well structured. Behaviour is
good and learners are interested in the learning
activities. They show initiatives in their approach to
their studies and are keen to make progress. They
keep the buildings and furniture in good shape.
Learners take on responsibilities willingly and
contribute to the positive working and caring ethos of
the school. Transport is well organised and highly
effective.
Attendance records
Staff job descriptions
Responses from parents and learners
The principal’s statement
Does the school have effective procedures for
dealing with absence, lateness and truancy?
The supervisor checks that registers are kept up to
date and regularly monitored. The school’s systems for
checking on absence and lateness and the reasons for
them to be judged as to their effectiveness and any
rewards or sanctions that are applied to encourage
prompt attendance will need to be evaluated as to how
well they work.
Do learners respond to the school in a positive
way, contributing to an ethos that is orderly and
work oriented?
Supervisors will need to assess how much interest
learner’s show in school and how keen learners are to
make progress and how keen they are to be involved in
lessons. Reasons why learners like or dislike the
school need to be investigated.
How well behaved are learners?
The behaviour of learners in lessons and around
school needs to be evaluated. The supervisor needs to
comment on the respect learners show their educators.
The contribution the learners make to the positive
learning environment in the school needs to be
considered, along with their respect for the school
equipment, materials, furniture and premises. For
example, the level of graffiti and of damage to school
property caused by learners needs to be commented
upon.
Descriptors Rating 3: Policies, procedures are in
place. On occasions they are drawn to the attention of
parents and learners. They operate more through
learners’ familiarity with what is accepted by the school
than through clearly articulated procedures, applied
consistently and fairly. The school is concerned about
absence and lateness but a tolerance exists that does
not put sufficient pressure on learners to mend their
ways permanently. The timetable/school programme is
satisfactorily organised. The school is satisfied with
about a 90 per cent attendance rate. Behaviour is
satisfactory, but there are some instances when
learners challenge their educators and cause minor
disruption. Learners have a sound attitude to learning.
They are interested in their work, though they do little
beyond what they are asked. They participate in
extracurricular activities in moderate numbers.
Generally, they respect equipment and furniture but
examples of damage and graffiti exist. They respect
the rules and school regulations, but do not always
abide by them. Most learners contribute to an ethos
characterised by support for one another and a
willingness to do as asked. Transport arrangements
are satisfactory.
Descriptor Rating 2: The school has few wellstructured procedures and regulations and they are
difficult to implement. There is confusion as to what is
acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and learners
are not sufficiently checked when they go beyond the
rules. Attendance is poor, often below 90 per cent and
some learners are endemically late. Lessons often
start late and the timetable is disorganised. Learners
show limited interest. They show no interest in their
own development and few participate in extracurricular
activities. Learners display violent behaviour to one
another, have no respect for their educators and
damage the school’s furniture. A good deal of graffiti is
about the school. The ethos is characterised by a lack
of care and urgency to learn. Transport arrangements
are poor.
-38(ii)
Leadership, management and communication
Purpose: The key purpose is to assess the effectiveness of the leadership and management of the school.
Sources
Criteria
Descriptors
The school’s vision statement, aims,
policies and management structure.
Does the school have clear direction?
The supervisor judges how appropriate the school’s
vision and mission statement, aims, policies and
procedures are.
The supervisor judges whether the leaders operating at
various levels in the structure are making their
intentions clear, and the extent to which the staff and
school community understand those intentions and
carry them out.
The supervisor judges whether the Principal, and the
school management teams are giving clear direction.
Descriptors Rating 4:
The school has wellestablished aims. All policies required by law and the
orderly management of the school are in place. The
methods by which policies are implemented are well
defined and understood. The management structure is
clear, well understood and participative. Management
positions look for means of improving the school. The
Principal consults before finalising decisions and
delegates effectively. Systems exist to ensure that the
school’s resources are used in line with its aims and
policies and for the benefit of the learners. Managers
support the development of staff through training, and
this is planned to meet the needs of the school and the
individual. Good systems for monitoring and evaluating
the school’s performance and that of individual
educators. The Principal is not afraid to take action if
things are unsatisfactory. The accommodation is well
maintained and efforts made to ensure that the school
has sufficient resources, human and material. The
Principal co-operates with the parents and the
representatives of the local community in the interests
of the learners. Good management enables learners to
achieve high standards. Managers set example of
effective working styles to others on the staff.
The school
processes.
budget
and
auditing
School’s statistical information to show
how it is performing.
The school’s development plans.
Procedures for communication with
various stakeholders.
Minutes from staff, SGB, management,
RCL and LAC meetings.
Discussion with staff and learners.
Are the policies and procedures helping the school
to attain its aims?
The supervisor judges whether appropriate policies are
in place and whether they are helping the school
improve.
Consideration given to how policies and procedures
were formulated, who was involved and their age.
The supervisor judges whether policies etc. are still
relevant, understood by the school community, and
implemented consistently.
Descriptors Rating 3: The school has defined its aims
and policies, but the methods by which they are to be
achieved are not clearly set out. The Principal gives
direction to the school, but does not ensure that
appropriate systems are in place to monitor to what
extent the school is on course. Evaluation tends to be
superficial and does not lead to modification of policies
that are not working. The Principal delegates, but does
not supervise this carefully enough and participative
management is limited. The implementation of policies
and procedures depends on the attitude of individuals
and so are not always applied consistently. The
Principal is committed to staff development, but it is not
planned. The school’s resources are adequate, and
they are shared equitably amongst the various
subjects/learning
areas/programmes.
The
management structure is adequate, though job
descriptions are usually not well thought out enough to
avoid overlap.
There is some confusion in
responsibilities. School buildings are repaired and
sensible use is made of the accommodation. Links
with the community and parents are satisfactory. On
occasions, management operates very successfully in
one area, but unsuccessfully in others. As a result, its
effectiveness is not consistent enough.
Descriptor Rating 2: The school may have aims but
they do not influence its activities sufficiently. The
school has gaps in its policies and procedures and
implementation is ineffective. The Principal either
shows little interest in or is incapable of giving clear
direction to the school. A management structure may
be in place, but it lacks clarity and it is left to individuals
to cover for inefficiencies. Morale is low and this
affects the way learners and parents view the school.
Relationships with parents and the community are poor
and little encouragement is given to them to support
learners.
The management team does not think
through decisions and so the school is run inefficiently.
Decisions are not transparent. The upkeep of the
accommodation and provision of resources is often
below a required level. Learners suffer as a result.
The Principal does not support and on occasions
obstructs the development and training of the
educators and so many show little interest in improving
their skills. The Principal often shows little enthusiasm
for innovation and does not deal with conflict.
-39(iii)
Governance and relationships
Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of the governing body in giving the school clear strategic direction.
Sources
- The school’s aims and mission
statement.
- Recent minutes, reports from the
school governing body’s meetings and
learner representative councils.
- The school budget and financial
plan.
- Discussion with selected school
governing body members and learners.
- The school development plan.
Criteria
Descriptors
Is the governing body properly constituted and
fully operational?
The supervisor to look at the constitution of the
governing body and any terms of reference, establish
whether the governing body has appropriate
committees, and to establish whether it has complete
membership.
Descriptors Rating 4: The governing body has full
membership. It has appropriate committees to help it
carry out its work and it meets regularly. Meetings are
properly minuted and decisions recorded.
The
governing body is involved in formulating policies in cooperation with the school’s management and
supporting the school but have sound systems in place
for monitoring and evaluating how well the school is
doing. For example, some school governing body
members visit the school, talk with learners and
educators, and observe some of the school’s activities.
They usually report on what they have seen at the
school governing bodies’ meetings. They help draw up
the budget. Relationships with the Principal are good.
Together, they seek to ensure that the school’s policies
and resources are used efficiently and in the interests
of the learners. There is a clear policy on language
and approaches to multi-culture.
Does the governing body provide the school with
clear strategic direction?
The supervisors will have to look at the school’s aims,
policies and any plans for further development, and
estimate to what extent the governors have played a
part in their formulation. Assess how well they share
with staff and school community those intentions and
how well they carry them out.
Are the policies of the governing body helping the
school to attain its aims and contributing to
pupils= learning?
The supervisor will have to judge whether the school
governing body’s policies are appropriate, helping the
school improve, and whether the school governing
body members’ plans contribute to the school’s
resources being used efficiently?
What systems does the SBG have for monitoring
and evaluating the quality of education provided by
the school?
The supervisor will have to judge to what extent the
school governing body members know what is
happening in the school and what systems they have in
place to enable them to collect the evidence to help
them make their judgements.
Descriptors Rating 3: The school governing body has
appropriate aims and policies, but they play only a
limited role in their formulation or implementation, for
instance in drawing up the budget. They rely greatly on
the leadership of the Principal and other staff in
formulating policies. They support the Principal and
staff and the school’s policies, but do not get closely
involved in monitoring or evaluating their success.
They rely on reports from the Principal more than on
their own observations and evidence. They do not
stand out as strategic leaders, but can be called upon
by the Principal to offer support at critical times. They
carry out most of their legislative responsibilities and do
not knowingly break the law. The governing body has
more or less full membership and meetings are held
and properly recorded.
They make themselves
available to the local community and parents if there
are any concerns about the school. The policy on
language and multi-culture is satisfactory.
Descriptor Rating 2: The governing body has not
been involved in establishing the school’s aims or
policies and shows little interest in directing the
school’s development. The governing body does not
have a full complement of governors and often has
difficulty recruiting new governors.
One or two
governors may be highly committed and supportive of
the Principal, but the governing body as a whole has
little interest in carrying out its responsibilities properly.
Attendance at meetings is often spasmodic and proper
records are not kept. Legal requirements are not
always met and some of the key problems at the
school are not tackled. The school governing body has
few or no systems in place to monitor the school’s
performance and they provide only very limited support
and direction. They neglect important aspects of their
role, such as the repair and maintenance of the
buildings and rely on others to ensure that efforts are
made to improve working conditions for educators and
learners. They do not provide the clear direction the
school probably needs and do not ensure that
resources are used in the interests of the learners.
There is no policy on language and multi-culture.
-40(iv)
Quality of teaching and learning and educator development
Purpose: To estimate the quality of teaching and the educator development
Sources
Criteria
Descriptors
- Lesson observation
How well do educators plan and do they have high
enough expectations?
Supervisors will need to decide how closely the
educator is following the learning programme and
learners are covering all the relevant work. They will
need to assess whether the educator plans lessons
effectively and has appropriate expectations for all
children, including LSEN.
Are the educators knowledgeable about the
subject?
The supervisor needs to have a record of the
educator’s qualifications and experience and of any
subsequent training. The supervisor evaluates the
extent
of
the
educator’s
subject/learning
area/programme knowledge in lessons.
Do the educators employ appropriate teaching
strategies for all learners?
The supervisor evaluates the effectiveness of teaching
strategies and styles used by educators. The suitability
of questioning learners, of explaining content, and of
organising the learners in a range of different ways.
The creativeness of the educators will aid the
supervisor in judging the quality of teaching.
Do the educators use resources appropriately?
The supervisor should know from the educator’s plans
what resources (books and equipment) are to be
introduced at various stages of the lesson. How they
are
used
to increase learners’
knowledge,
understanding and skills will have to be judged.
Consideration of the way the educators organise the
accommodation and to what extent this helps learners’
learning is important. The structure and pace of a
lesson and the way an educator makes use of time to
improve learning have to be judged.
Do the educators manage the class well and create
a good working environment?
The supervisor has to assess how well the educator
manages learners, how effectively the educator relates
to the learners, recognises their needs and challenges
them appropriately. The supervisor has to judge the
effectiveness of arrangements for learners of different
abilities, especially the most able and those with
learning difficulties.
Do the educators assess learners in such a way as
to help their teaching to be effective?
Judgement needs to be made on how the educator
assesses learners’ progress and levels of performance
achieved. Supervisors evaluate the accuracy of the
assessments, and how well the information is used to
provide different work for learners with different levels
of achievement. Consideration needs to be given to
the educator use of learners’ self-assessment to
improve their learning.
Do the educators make good use of homework?
The supervisor needs to scrutinise homework to decide
if it is appropriate and helping the learners’ learning.
Have the educators any means of evaluating the
success of the lesson?
The supervisor needs to look at the educator’s plans to
see if there are any strategies for evaluating the lesson,
discuss with the educator how she/he intends to gauge
the success of the lesson and what will be done as a
result of the findings.
Descriptors Rating 4: Educators have well-structured
schemes of work. They have plans, which show how
they intend to teach the knowledge, skills and
understanding over a year, term and a week. Plans
have clear objectives and a good range of strategies.
Teaching strategies are chosen according to the
content to be covered, the resources available and the
levels of achievement of the learners. Educators
organise and manage learners effectively, creating a
good ambience for learning based on mutual trust.
They mark learners’ work regularly and monitor their
progress carefully. They keep detailed records and
use these for planning. They use homework and visits
to places of interest well te enrich the curriculum. They
have high expectations, work hard and have systems
of evaluation in place to judge to what extent they have
been successful. Classrooms are clean. Learners
usually achieve well.
- Documents including:
learning
area
policies
and
programmes,
educators’ plans,
educators’ records of learners,
learners’ notebooks,
examples of homework,
displays of learners’ work,
a record of the educators’ initial
qualifications , and
subsequent training.
Descriptors Rating 3: Educators have schemes of
work and plan what they intend to cover in the longterm, medium-term and short-term. Plans show mainly
what knowledge they intend to cover, have little on
skills and understanding. Plans have outcomes but
they are not always clear enough and the teaching
strategies, though they enable progress, rarely
stimulate excitement or motivate learners. Educators
control their classes in an orderly manner and deal with
any disruptions effectively. Learners know what is
expected of them and behave accordingly. Educators
follow the homework timetable, but rarely set work,
which is stimulating and demanding. They mark work
regularly and give encouragement, but do no comment
in sufficient detail to show how learners can improve
their work. Educators tend to do little evaluation of the
success of their teaching or use assessment to aid
their planning.
Their learners usually achieve
satisfactory results. The classroom is tidy but has little
display.
Descriptor Rating 2: Educators rarely plan
conscientiously and rely on others to provide them with
an overview of what has to be covered. They have
plans, but they have not thought them through
carefully. As a result, objectives are unclear and the
strategies employed are unsuitable.
They rarely
provide tasks suited to the different levels of ability or
ensure that they are completed to a satisfactory level.
Educators show only a modicum of interest in their
work and this is communicated to learners. Lessons
are boring and this sometimes leads to educators
losing control of the class. Educators often leave
learners’ work unmarked and assessment and
recording is either omitted or is not systematic. Their
expectations are low and learners are not challenged to
produce work of quality. Almost anything will do. As a
result, learners achieve results below their potential.
The classroom is dirty and display is poor.
-41(v)
Curriculum provision and resources
Purpose: To evaluate the quality of the curriculum and how closely it matches the needs of pupils and any national or local requirements.
A judgement has also to be made on the range and quality of other activities that enhance the curriculum.
Sources
Criteria
Descriptors
- The school curriculum.
Does the school curriculum follow any national and
local curriculum guidelines?
The supervisor will need to investigate the criteria used
by the school in deciding the curricular offer and judge
their quality, the balance between the national and
local curriculum, and if parents, community members,
educators have been properly consulted. They also
need to see that it is equitable for all learners, including
LSEN.
Descriptors Rating 4: The school provides learners
with a well-balanced curriculum, observing the ratio of
the different subjects/learning areas/programmes. The
curriculum is well designed and considers the ages of
the learners, their assessed standards of attainment,
and the school’s circumstances. It also reflects the
school’s previous record and experience. The overall
curriculum caters for equal opportunities and the
educational development of all learners well. The
timetable for classes is devised so that the curriculum
is effectively implemented. The curriculum is regularly
and effectively evaluated to ensure it continues to
provide for the needs of various stakeholders and the
national interest as well. A good range of extracurricular activities is provided in order to enrich the
curriculum. Educators devise and observe their plans
(projects), short-, mid- and long-term, with their
colleagues and work in line with the requirement of the
agreed curriculum. The school has sufficient resources
to enable educators to present the curriculum in
interesting and varied ways that reflect the diversity of
cultures in the country positively.
- The school’s managerial plan.
- The whole-school curriculum plans.
- Learners notebooks, tests and other
records.
- Reports and minutes of learning
area meetings.
- The assessment policies and results
of periodic assessments, including any
analysis.
- Discussions with the
educators and learners.
Principal,
Is planning for the curriculum well structured and
effective?
The planning process - who is involved, when and to
what extent - needs to be considered, as does the
quality of the plans. Supervisors will need to judge
whether the curriculum provided for learners of different
ages and different abilities is appropriate, follows on
from previous curricular experiences and that it is
constantly reviewed.
Do the tests and assessments grow naturally from
the curriculum and are they used to aid planning?
It will be important to look at the range of assessment
procedures, and the quality of assessment to see if it
enables learners to perform to their best. Supervisors
will need to check that the school keeps accurate
records of assessments.
Is the curriculum
resources?
Supervisors will need
(School infrastructure)
resources required to
curriculum effectively.
supported
by
appropriate
to cross-check with are No viii
to see that the school has the
enable educators to teach the
Descriptors Rating 3: Learners are provided with
balanced curriculum elements of the national and local
curriculum. The design of the curriculum takes into
account the previous experience of the school and the
needs of the learners, though it is not always planned
systematically. The effectiveness of the curriculum is
occasionally evaluated, but the basis of any revision is
not always sufficiently justified or articulated. The
timetable/school programme is satisfactory and
implements the planned curriculum. Educators have
appropriate plans for the long-, mid- and short-term,
though these have not always been agreed with
colleagues and so good continuity and progression is
not assured. There are extra-curricular activities, but
their contribution to the curriculum is not exploited and
only a few learners are involved. Resources are
usually suitable to sustain learning and teaching, and
may reflect diverse cultures.
Descriptor Rating 2: The curriculum of the school is
not balanced; it does not take into account the needs,
whishes aspirations, or capabilities of the learners.
There is very little consultation with the parents=
representatives. The local curriculum is established
mostly in response to the wishes of the educators and
is randomly designed. The timetable for classes has
anomalies, such as the bunching of periods for certain
learning areas at particular times of the week, and does
not always provide for effective learning. Educators’
timetables/work programmes/school programme are
not well thought out and the strategies and objectives
they adopt fail to meet the requirement of the
curriculum.
The curriculum does not provide a
satisfactory education for the learners and is not
enriched by a suitable range of extra curricular
activities. The acquisition of resources had not been
matched to the curriculum and no plans exist to enable
resources to be changed as the curriculum is modified.
The diversity of cultures in the country is not reflected.
-42(vi)
Learner achievement
Purpose: To assess the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that learners have acquired.
Sources
- Samples of learners’ work and in
primary schools listening to a sample of
learners reading.
- Educators’
records and
assessments
assessments
any learners’
and
self-
- Interview with learners about their
work.
- Discussions with educators about
learners’ work.
- Any wall display of learners’ work.
- Results from any competitions
entered by learners of extra-curricular
activity such as sports, cultural
activities, drama and debates.
- The school’s public examination and
test results.
Criteria
Descriptors
Are learners reaching the expected outcomes for
their age and ability in the different learning areas
and different phases of the school system?
Supervisors should seek to establish learners’
performance indicators, which will be judged on the
basis of the expected level of performance at the end
of Ratings 3, 6, 9 and 12. Performance indicators in
other Ratings will be judged on the basis of whether or
not they will reach the expected levels of performance
at the end of Ratings 3, 6, 9 and 12. Supervisors to
judge how well learners can read, speak, listen and
write in the language of teaching and learning and one
additional language and how well it helps or hinders
achievement in other subjects. They need to evaluate
how easily learners handle numbers, calculate mentally
and with electronic aids, apply them to solve problems
in different learning areas, and helps or hinders their
other studies. In all learning areas, supervisors need to
judge what outcomes the learners have achieved in
relation to national expectations. Supervisors need to
establish whether learners with special educational
needs and those with exceptional abilities are reaching
expected levels of performance.
Descriptors Rating 4:
Learners read and write
fluently in the language of teaching and learning and in
the other additional language. They have sufficient skill
to enable them to communicate clearly and concisely in
other learning areas. They speak well and confidently,
answer and ask questions and express a point of view.
Learners have good listening/receptive skills, being
able to use what they hear to further their learning.
They show good capacity to solve problems. They use
effectively what they have learned to cope well with
new learning. They have good skills in research,
ordering information and producing well-formulated
solutions. Learners can use information from different
subject areas in tackling new learning. They are able
to make good progress with minimal supervision. They
participate in group work, co-operate effectively and
respect others’ cultural values and opinions. They
achieve good levels of performance of their age and
ability.
Are pupils learning effectively and making as much
progress as could be expected in light of their
known prior achievements?
Supervisors need to judge whether learners are
learning at an appropriate pace in lessons and by
looking at learners= previous work. Supervisors need
to consider learners of different ability - very able
learners and those with learning difficulties - when
making this judgement. Supervisors will have to be
satisfied that learners of all ability are being
appropriately challenged and learning at an appropriate
rate for them.
Descriptors Rating 3: Learners read and write at a
reasonable standard in the language of teaching and
learning and in the mother tongue and another
additional language. They make mistakes, but can
correct them fairly quickly.
The level of their
communication skills does not hinder their learning in
other learning areas.
They answer questions,
generally without expanding beyond a short response.
They rarely ask questions other than to ask how to
tackle a task. Learners can listen/decode and extract
the basic message that is being passed on to them.
They rarely extrapolate, but when probed by the
educator will express ideas. They reach acceptable
levels of performance in numeracy in relation to their
ability. Learners can use the new knowledge they
acquire, but need almost continuous guidance from the
educator. They frequently seek help when they meet a
problem. The level of co-operation when in groups is
often hesitant. Learners have a basic knowledge in
each learning area, but rarely make a cross reference
in order to improve their learning. They reach average
levels of performance in their Rating examinations and
progress at a satisfactory rate.
Descriptor Rating 2:
Learners read, write or
communicate in the language of teaching and learning
and their mother language, slowly and with many
inaccuracies. They struggle to understand because of
their poor literacy skills. Learners may listen, but do
not fully understand or use the knowledge to tackle
problems.
They rarely show confidence in their
knowledge or oral skills and answers to questions are
simplistic or inaccurate. Learners don’t absorb or
internalise new knowledge easily. Their numeracy
skills are low. They have difficulty retaining knowledge
from one lesson to another. Often, learners leave a
learning task uncompleted.
They achieve below
average levels of performance. Their progress is often
slower than expected in relation to their
ability/disability.
-43(vii)
School safety, security and discipline
Purpose: To evaluate the extent to which the school knows about legislation and implements it; to check that the school is secure and the
learners are safe; and to evaluate the effectiveness of the school=s disciplinary procedures.
Sources
- The
school’s
policies
and
regulations concerning the welfare and
safety of learners.
- The procedures for dealing with
learners in difficulties and those who
are causing difficulties.
- Records of any accidents, breaches
of security and any emergency
practices.
- The sanctions used in relation to
learners.
- Any code of conduct for learners.
- Health and safety measures and
those named as being responsible.
- Regulations
regarding
the
supervision of learners on school visits.
- Any regulations and procedures
related to child protection.
- The procedures and regulations
associated with boarding if relevant.
- Discussions with learners, staff,
parents and other welfare services
associated with the school.
- The school’s security systems are
good.
Criteria
Descriptors
Does the school have appropriate regulations and
procedures designed to protect learners?
The supervisor needs to evaluate whether the school
has suitable procedures and how well they are
implemented, for example, how well specific cases of
child abuse, if there have been any, are identified and
have been dealt with.
The relationships the school has with any local services
with responsibility for the welfare of children will have to
be evaluated.
Descriptors Rating 4: The school complies fully with
the regulations and legislation in force regarding the
state and safety of the buildings, learners’ rights and
their protection, particularly with regard to health and
safety. These issues are a regular feature on the
agenda of the governing body and the learner
representative council, which have a responsibility to
discuss and revise them.
The school has good
policies, procedures and regulations regarding
learners’ health and safety and for monitoring and
evaluating how well it implements them. Records are
thorough. The laws and regulations are displayed in
suitable places (clipboards, laboratories, and
classrooms) and guidance is provided for learners and
educators. The school ensures that staff and learners
know what is expected, and that they consistently apply
them.
Staff fulfils health and safety duties in
accordance with a roster conscientiously. Regular
monitoring for weapons and drug substances occurs.
Boarding learners’ accommodation is of a good
standard; the children feel safe. They recognise that
the school is taking care of them. The services the
school provides are of good quality and are regularly
available.
Disciplinary procedures are good and
implemented consistently, with the result that behaviour
is good and learners are safe. Regular practices occur
in relation to emergency procedures, especially
regarding transport.
Does the school have appropriate procedures and
regulations to ensure the health and safety of the
learners?
An evaluation of the safety regulations in laboratories,
workshops and other areas of the school need to be
made and to what extent proper safety regulations
exist. The quality and effectiveness of emergency
procedures needs to be judged, and how well learners
and staff know procedures.
If learners need to board are the arrangements for
boarding satisfactory?
Judgements as to whether learners are provided with
reasonable facilities for sleeping and for general living
needs to be made, the quality of care provided for
learners and whether it is available at all times. The
extent to which learners feel cared for and safe will
need to be assessed.
Descriptors Rating 3: The school complies with the
legislation and regulations in force to a satisfactory
level. It has sound systems and procedures in place
for monitoring and evaluating its procedures and
regulations. These are discussed from time to time by
the learner representative council and governing body
and occasionally revised.
A member of staff is
designated as health and safety officer.
The
regulations and procedures are displayed in certain
parts of the school, especially in laboratories, but other
than giving staff and learners an initial briefing on their
application, little is done to ensure that they know them
well.
Monitoring for dangerous substances and
weapons is done, but not systematically and records
are not complete.
The school offers acceptable
accommodation to boarding learners, but there is no
regular provision of medical care. Child protection
procedures are satisfactory, though the school is more
reactive than proactive in identifying and dealing with
instances of abuse.
The school has disciplinary
procedures that are implemented, but not always
consistently, with the result that there is occasional
misbehaviour. The school is generally orderly and
sanctions are used against learners who disrupt.
Transport safety regulations are satisfactory.
Descriptor Rating 2: The school does not comply
with all the legislation and regulations in force. It
adopts systems and procedures that have not been
checked to see if they satisfy the law and many of them
are slipshod. A number of procedures are omitted from
the school’s documentation and much is left to chance.
Practices in emergency procedures occur, but they are
irregular and what may have been learned is not
always recorded to help improvement. Its regulations
on health and safety are such that learners may be
placed at risk. Staff and learners are mostly oblivious
to legislative requirements, especially in relation to
health and safety and child protection. Accommodation
for boarders is dirty and cramped and does not provide
decent living conditions in line with general
requirements. The senior management does not give
sufficient importance to the state of the school and the
threats to learners’ health and safety.
Transport
regulations are not satisfactory.
-44(viii)
School infrastructure
Purpose: To assess to what extent the school has sufficient and appropriate staff, resources and accommodation for its purpose.
Sources
- The school’s record of its educators,
including qualifications, experience and
training.
- The school budget, income and
expenditure.
- The number and range of books in
the library and elsewhere.
- The amount and suitability of
equipment, including computers and
audio-visual aids.
- Observation of the accommodation
and premises.
- Any reports on them held by the
school in order to check sufficiency of
accommodation and state of repair.
Criteria
Descriptors
Has the school sufficient resources e.g. finance,
staff,
accommodation,
learning
materials,
equipment and access to support services? Are
they used efficiently?
The supervisor will need to look at the school’s income,
how well it is controlled, and how it is spent, to judge
whether sound decisions are being made about the use
of financial resources. She/he will have to judge
provision of the following and how effectively they are
used:
! Sufficient and appropriately qualified teaching staff;
! An appropriate range and number of support and
technical staff;
! Arrangements for developing and training staff;
! Sufficient, appropriate accommodation;
! Premises suitable for the school’s various activities;
! Well looked after premises and accommodation;
! Sufficient books and equipment; and
! Equipment in a good state of repair.
Descriptors Rating 4: The Principal wisely uses the
financial resources of the school and in a transparent
way. The school has a generous learners to educators
ratio, perhaps 20:1, and educators are suitably
qualified, experienced and trained. The management
team supervises the maintenance and the good
operation of the buildings, including any recreational
areas.
Buildings and premises provide a good
environment for learning and are in good repair and
clean. Learners and educators have a good supply of
appropriate books, materials and equipment, all of
which are used effectively to help learners progress.
Even where there is a shortage of books and
equipment, and the school buildings have been
planned poorly, the Principal manages them well and in
such a way that learners are still able to make progress
in their learning. Good support is given to the library,
and it contributes well to learners’ learning. The
school’s finances are used efficiently and in the
interests of the learners. They are well ordered. The
Principal strives with some success to provide good
conditions to help learners reach high standards and
teachers to be effective, and their work is well
monitored and evaluated.
What systems are there for monitoring and
evaluating the use of the school’s total resources
and the quality of education provided?
The supervisor will have to judge to what extent
managers know what is happening in areas for which
they are responsible. Do managers monitor and
evaluate? How are funds allocated and who monitors
how they are spent? Do the governors monitor the
school’s performance in any way?
Descriptors Rating 3:
The Principal uses the
school=s financial resources according to legal
requirements and in a satisfactorily transparent way.
She/he seeks to provide sufficient basic materials and
equipment for learners and educators. The school has
enough suitably qualified and experienced educators.
The management team has a satisfactory oversight of
what happens in the school, but does not have
systematic methods of checking on the state of
buildings or teaching and learning resources. As a
result, learners and educators experience some
shortages in books, materials and equipment, which
are not explained merely by limited funds. Similarly,
some areas of the school are in need of repair, but no
systematic records or plans for their improvement are
kept. Even so, the school is clean and tidy, and
generally is maintained satisfactorily.
The school
copes as well as can be expected with any shortages
and strives to provide educators and learners with
appropriate working conditions.
Descriptor Rating 2: The Principal does not fully
observe the law in relation to the management of the
school’s funds and does not keep careful financial
accounts. The budget allocations are not transparent.
As a result the school’s accounts are not well managed
and the school funds are not related to a school
development plan. The maintenance and organisation
of the buildings and teaching areas are not planned
and this leads to some neglect, which may lead to
deterioration in working conditions. Resources may not
be scarce, but they are not used in the best interests of
the learners. The management team shows little
interest or expertise in acquiring new resources or
equipment or of updating the library. Even where
resources are plentiful and the accommodation good, a
needs improvement Rating will result if their use is not
properly planned and they are not used in the best
interests of the learners.
-45(ix)
Parents and the community
Purpose: To gauge the extent to which the school encourages parental and community involvement in the education of the learners and how it
makes use of their contributions to support learners= progress.
Sources
Criteria
Descriptors
Discussion with the departmental
officials and others involved in contact
with parents.
Discussion
with
parents
and
questionnaire responses.
School documentation relating to
contact with parents.
Any recent information from a parent’s
committee.
Learners marked cards, reports and
notebooks sent to parents.
Any guidance issued to parents, for
example on attendance of the school
curriculum.
Any written evidence of the school’s
links with the local community.
Any other evidence e.g. photographs,
newspaper cuttings, showing links with
the community.
How effectively does the school communicate with
parents?
The supervisor needs to find out how often the school
communicates with parents and in what form.
Consideration needs to be given to the way the school
responds to parents’ complaints and suggestions. The
supervisor needs to evaluate the quality of reports the
school makes to parents about learners’ progress
standards.
Are parents involved in the management of the
school in any way?
The supervisor needs to discover if there is a parents’
committee, parents on any school management
committees, and if they contribute to the school’s
resources.
Does the school provide any education for
parents?
The supervisor needs to judge whether the school
guides parents about the work their children are doing
and about their futures.
How well do parents respond and do they
contribute to learners= learning?
The supervisor needs to measure parental response
through attendance at meetings, involvement in school.
What does the school do to improve its links with
the community?
The supervisor will need to assess to what extent local
services such as the policy/fire service etc. are used to
help the learners understand their community better,
and the extent to which the local and more distant
museums, galleries, theatres etc. are used.
To what extent does the school encourage its
learners to respect the local environment?
The supervisor needs to evaluate how learners are
educated in using the local environment well.
To what extent does the school serve the needs of
the local community?
The supervisor needs to assess links with the
community that help learners see what career
opportunities exist. The extent to which the school’s
facilities are made available for the use of the local
community needs to be considered. The supervisor
needs to discover and comment on the range of joint
activities undertaken by the school and community in
the interests of the learners.
Descriptors Rating 4: The school ensures very good
communications with the parents. On a regular basis
written reports on learners’ progress are sent to
parents. Information about the school’s activities is
also sent home. The parents are given good advice
about their children, the way they are progressing and
their potential for the future. The school manages to
ensure an education partnership and sees itself as coresponsible with the family. The school responds well
to parents’ suggestions and proposals and encourages
them to make a good contribution to its plans for the
future. Parents make a good contribution to the school
through helping teachers when they can. They often
raise money for the school. Representatives from the
community serve the school effectively through
membership of the governing body. The school has
established good partnerships with local services e.g.
the police service, fire service, labour and social
security departments and their representatives come
into school to talk about their work. The school makes
good use of the local cultural institutions (museums,
theatres, and libraries). It also guides its learners on
career opportunities effectively. Parents are welcome
but within clear guidelines.
Descriptors Rating 3:
The school provides an
acceptable level of communication with the parents.
There are written reports on individual learners, which
are sent home, but they are not sufficiently detailed to
enable the parent to see what help their child needs.
Information is sent on the school’s activities in a
straight forward, unimaginative way. Advice is offered
to parents, but they often have to take the initiative if
they want to know about their children’s current
performance and their future potential. The school
recognises that it is in educational partnership with the
family, but is not as pro-active as a good school.
Generally, the school is receptive to the parents’
suggestions and proposals, but does not make
systematic use of what they have to offer. The school
uses the cultural institutions in the local community
satisfactorily to improve learners’ education and calls
on the various services in the community to give advice
to learners from time to time. None of this is planned in
a thorough or systematic way, however.
The
information it collects on local career opportunities is
sound, but local contacts are not fully exploited.
Parents feel they can visit if they wish.
Descriptor Rating 2: The school rarely communicates
with the parents. The school randomly sends parents
reports on school activities and the progress made by
individual children. The school does not manage to
establish a partnership with the family and does not
regard this as important.
The suggestions and
proposals coming from the parents are often neglected.
The school does little to encourage material, financial
or human support from the parents and on occasions
resents any contribution they wish to make. Little or no
advice is provided for learners about local career
opportunities. The school’s work is not promoted in the
community. The contribution to the governing body or
members of the local community is limited and the
school does little to improve this situation. Little or no
use is made of local services to broaden learners’
educational experiences. Parents feel unwelcome, and
are sometimes disruptive.
-46-
WHOLE-SCHOOL EVALUATION
INSTRUMENTS
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION FORMS
QUALITY ASSURANCE DIRECTORATE
OCTOBER 2001
-47LESSON OBSERVATION FORM - Number: ................................
School: ................................................. Subject: .................................................
Date: .....................................................
Evaluator: .................................................
Educator: ...............................................Q/UnQ (ring)
Time in lesson: .........................................
Grade: ................................
No in class: ................................
No present: ................................
Boys: ................................
Boys: ................................
Girls: ................................
Girls: ................................
Describe content/ context of lesson
Topic/ Activities/ Organisation
Quality of teaching
Planning
Knowledge
Strategies
Use of time
Use of resources
Class control
Assessment
Evaluation and review
RATINGS: 5 4 3 2 1
Learning and response
Knowledge
Skills
Understanding
Attitudes
Behaviour
RATINGS: 5 4 3 2 1
Achievement
Outcomes
RATINGS: 5 4 3 2 1
Other significant evidence
-48Form: D
Rating 5
Rating 4
Rating 3
Rating 2
Rating 1
SCHOOL RATING FORM
Ratings: 5 - 1 and 0 (insufficient evidence), as appropriate
Outstanding
Good
Above average
High standards and quality
Acceptable
Broad typically
Average. In line with expectations
Needs Improvement
Below average
Needs urgent support
Well below average. Unacceptable
Very low standard and quality
Circle the appropriate rating
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL
1
2
Learner attainment
Learner socio-economic background
Circle the appropriate rating
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS DOING?
3
4
Learner attainment
Learner socio-economic background
1
2
3
4a
4b
5a
5b
6
7a
7b
8
9a
9b
OVERALL RATINGS OF KEY AREAS FOR EVALUATION
Basic functionality of the school
Leadership, management and communication
Governance and relationships
Quality of teaching and learning
Educator development
Curriculum provision
Resources, accommodation and staffing
Learner achievement
School safety and security
School discipline procedures
School infrastructure
Links with parents
Links with the community
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
BASIC FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SCHOOL
The smoothness with which the school runs
Learners’ attendance rate
Educators’ attendance rate
Learners’ punctuality
The effectiveness of the school’s procedures for dealing with attendance, truancy and lateness
Learners’ interest in their work
Learners’ application in relation to studies
Learners’ behaviour during lessons
Learners’ behaviour around the school
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3
6
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Clarity of direction for the school
Quality of school development/ improvement plan
The quality of the school policies and procedures
The effectiveness of the Principal’s leadership
Effectiveness of others in leadership roles
Effectiveness of the school’s mission statement, aims and policies in helping to achieve its goals
9
Circle the appropriate rating
12
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
Circle the appropriate rating
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
Circle the appropriate rating
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
Circle the appropriate rating
GOVERNANCE AND RELATIONSHIPS
SCHOOL RATING
The constitution of the governing body
5
4
3
2
1
Extent to which the governing body members give strategic direction to the school
5
4
3
2
1
The contribution that governing body members make to the formulation of policies and the improvement
5
4
3
2
1
plan
The extent and effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance by members of the
5
4
3
2
1
governing body
-49-
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
Educators’ knowledge and understanding
Educators’ expectations
Educators’ short term planning
Educators’ method and organization
Educators’ management of learners
Educators’ use of time and resources
Educators’ use of everyday assessment
Educators’ marking
Educators’ use of homework
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
QUALITY AND RANGE OF THE CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT
Time allocation for subjects in the curriculum
Quality of schemes of work and educators’ medium-term planning
Equality of access and opportunity for all learners
Provision of learners with SEN
Procedures for assessing learners’ attainment
Use of assessment to inform curricular planning
Quality of reporting to parents
Procedures for monitoring progress and personal development of learners
3
6
9
Circle the appropriate rating
12
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
Circle the appropriate rating
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
Standards of achievement
Progress made by learners
Progress of learners with SEN
Circle the appropriate rating
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
7
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
SCHOOL SAFETY, SECURITY AND DISCIPLINE
The quality of care and welfare provided by the school for learners
The effectiveness of the school’s disciplinary procedures
The quality school’s provision for health and safety of the learners
The appropriateness and effectiveness of child protection policies and procedures
The quality of boarding arrangements
Circle the appropriate rating
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
8
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE
Match of number, qualifications and experience of educators to the demand of the curriculum
Adequacy of school funding
Adequacy of school’s resources
Adequacy of accommodation
Efficiency with which total resources of the school are used
Quality of systems for monitoring and evaluating the school’s effectiveness and efficiency
Circle the appropriate rating
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
9
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
OVERALL RATING FOR KEY AREAS FOR EVALUATION
RELATIONSHIP WITH PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY
Links with parents
Impact of parents’ involvement with the school
Links with other schools
Links with the community
Circle the appropriate rating
SCHOOL RATING
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
-50-
Form: E
SUMMARY OF THE MAIN FINDINGS
MAIN FINDINGS
The school has the following strengths:
-51-
The school needs to improve the following areas:
-52Form: F
MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS
The school with the help of the District Support Teams must draw up a school improvement plan within five
working weeks showing how the recommendations that are made below will be tackled. The improvement
plan must be supplied to parents/ guardians of learners at the school and to the appropriate authorities. It will
form part of the next whole-school evaluation.
Main Recommendations:
-53SCHEDULE
NATIONAL POLICY ON HIV/AIDS FOR LEARNERS AND EDUCATORS IN PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IN FURTHER EDUCATION AND
TRAINING INSTITUTIONS
PREAMBLE
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a communicable disease that is caused
by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
In South Africa, HIV is spread mainly through sexual contact between men and women. In
addition, around one third of babies born to HIV-infected women will be infected at birth or
through breast-feeding. The risk of transmission of the virus from mother to baby is reduced
by antiretroviral drugs.
Infection through contact with HIV-infected blood, intravenous drug use and homosexual
sex does occur in South Africa, but constitutes a very small proportion of all infections.
Blood transfusions are thoroughly screened and the chances of infection from transfusion
are extremely low.
People do not develop AIDS as soon as they are infected with HIV. Most experience a long
period of around 5 - 8 years during which they feel well and remain productive members of
families and workforces. In this asymptomatic period, they can pass their infection on to
other people without realising that they are HIV infected.
During the asymptomatic period, the virus gradually weakens the infected person's immune
system, making it increasingly difficult to fight off other infections. Symptoms start to occur
and people develop conditions such as skin rashes, chronic diarrhoea, weight loss, fevers,
swollen lymph glands and certain cancers. Many of these problems can be prevented or
treated effectively. Although these infections can be treated, the underlying HIV infection
cannot be cured.
Once HIV-infected people have a severe infection or cancer (a condition known as
symptomatic AIDS) they usually die within 1 to 2 years. The estimated average time from
HIV infection to death in South Africa is 6 to10 years. Many HIV infected people progress to
AIDS and death in much shorter periods. Some live for 10 years or more with minimal
health problems, but virtually all will eventually die of AIDS.
HIV-infected babies generally survive for shorter periods than HIV-infected adults. Many die
within two years of birth, and most will die before they turn five. However, a significant
number may survive even into their teenage years before developing AIDS.
No cure for HIV infection is available at present. Any cure which is discovered may
well be unaffordable for most South Africans.
HIV/AIDS is one of the major challenges to all South Africans. The findings of the 1998 HIV
survey among pregnant women attending public antenatal clinics of the Department of
-54Health, show that the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa is among the most severe in the
world and it continues to increase at an alarming pace.
The rate of increase is estimated at 33.8%. Using these figures, it is estimated that one in
eight of the country's sexually active population - those over the age of 14 years - is now
infected. In the antenatal survey, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among pregnant women
under the age of 20 years has risen by a frightening 65.4% from 1997 to 1998.
According to the 1998 United Nations Report on HIV/AIDS Human Development in South
Africa, it is estimated that almost 25% of the general population will be HIV positive by the
year 2010. The achievements of recent decades, particularly in relation to life expectancy
and educational attainment, will inevitably be slowed down by the impact of current high
rates of HIV prevalence and the rise in AIDS-related illnesses and deaths. This will place
increased pressures on learners, students and educators.
Because the Ministry of Education acknowledges the seriousness of the HIV/AIDS
epidemic, and international and local evidence suggests that there is a great deal that can
be done to influence the course of the epidemic, the Ministry is committed to minimise the
social, economic and developmental consequences of HIV/AIDS to the education system,
all learners, students and educators, and to provide leadership to implement an HIV/AIDS
policy. This policy seeks to contribute towards promoting effective prevention and care
within the context of the public education system.
In keeping with international standards and in accordance with education law and the
constitutional guarantees of the right to a basic education, the right not to be unfairly
discriminated against, the right to life and bodily integrity, the right to privacy, the right to
freedom of access to information, the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought,
belief and opinion, the right to freedom of association, the right to a safe environment, and
the best interests of the child, the following shall constitute national policy.
1.
DEFINITIONS
In this policy any expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the
South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996), the Further Education
and Training Act, 1998 (Act No. 98 of 1998) and the Employment of
Educators Act, 1998 (Act No. 76 of 1998), shall have that meaning and,
unless the context otherwise indicates AIDS means the acquired immune deficiency syndrome, that is the final
phase of HIV infection;
HIV means the human immunodeficiency virus;
institution means an institution for further education and training, including
an institution contemplated in section 38 of the Further Education and
Training Act,1998 (Act No. 98 of 1998);
sexual abuse means abuse of a person targeting their sexual organs, e.g.
rape, touching their private parts, or inserting objects into their private parts;
-55unfair discrimination means direct or indirect unfair discrimination against
anyone on one or more grounds in terms of the Constitution of the Republic of
South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996);
universal precautions refers to the concept used worldwide in the context of
HIV/AIDS to indicate standard infection control procedures or precautionary
measures aimed at the prevention of HIV transmission from one person to
another and includes procedures concerning basic hygiene and the wearing
of protective clothing such as latex or rubber gloves or plastic bags when
there is a risk of exposure to blood, blood-borne pathogens or blood-stained
body fluids;
violence means violent conduct or treatment that harms the person of the
victim, for example assault and rape;
window period means the period of up to three months before HIV
antibodies appear in the blood following HIV infection. During this period HIV
tests cannot determine whether a person is infected with HIV or not.
2.
PREMISES
2.1
Although there are no known cases of the transmission of HIV in schools or
institutions, there are learners with HIV/AIDS in schools. More and more
children who acquire HIV prenatally will, with adequate medical care, reach
school-going age and attend school. Consequently a large proportion of the
learner and student population and educators are at risk of contracting
HIV/AIDS.
2.2
HIV cannot be transmitted through day-to-day social contact. The virus is
transmitted only through blood, semen, vaginal and cervical fluids and breast
milk. Although the virus has been identified in other body fluids such as saliva
and urine, no scientific evidence exists to show that these fluids can cause
transmission of HIV.
2.3
Because of the increase in infection rates, learners, students and educators
with HIV/AIDS will increasingly form part of the population of schools and
institutions. Since many young people are sexually active, increasing
numbers of learners attending primary and secondary schools, and students
attending institutions might be infected. Moreover, there is a risk of HIV
transmission as a result of sexual abuse of children in our country.
Intravenous drug abuse is also a source of HIV transmission among learners
and students. Although the possibility is remote, recipients of infected blood
products during blood transfusions (for instance haemophiliacs), may also be
present at schools and institutions. Because of the increasing prevalence of
HIV/AIDS in schools, it is imperative that each school must have a planned
strategy to cope with the epidemic.
-562.4
Because of the nature of HIV antibody testing and the "window period" or
"apparently well period" between infection and the onset of clearly identifiable
symptoms, it is impossible to know with absolute certainty who has HIV/AIDS
and who does not. Although the Department of Health conducts tests among
women attending ante-natal clinics in public health facilities in South Africa as
a mechanism of monitoring the progression of the HIV epidemic in South
Africa, testing for HIV/AIDS for employment or attendance at schools is
prohibited.
2.5
Compulsory disclosure of a learner's, student's or educator's HIV/AIDS status
to school or institution authorities is not advocated as this would serve no
meaningful purpose. In case of disclosure, educators should be prepared to
handle such disclosures and be given support to handle confidentiality issues.
2.6
Learners and students with HIV/AIDS should lead as full a life as possible and
should not be denied the opportunity to receive an education to the maximum
of their ability. Likewise, educators with HIV/AIDS should lead as full a
professional life as possible, with the same rights and opportunities as other
educators and with no unfair discrimination being practised against them.
Infection control measures and adaptations must be universally applied and
carried out regardless of the known or unknown HIV status of individuals
concerned.
2.6.1 The risk of transmission of HIV in the day-to-day school or
institution environment in the context of physical injuries, can be
effectively eliminated by following standard infection-control
procedures or precautionary measures (also known as universal
precautions) and good hygiene practices under all
circumstances. This would imply that in situations of potential
exposure, such as in dealing with accidental or other physical
injuries, or medical intervention on school or institution premises
in case of illness, all persons should be considered as
potentially infected and their blood and body fluids treated as
such.
2.6.2 Strict adherence to universal precautions under
circumstances in the school or institution is advised.
all
2.6.3 Current scientific evidence suggests that the risk of HIV transmission during teaching, sport and play activities is insignificant.
There is no risk of transmission from saliva, sweat, tears, urine,
respiratory droplets, handshaking, swimming-pool water,
communal bath water, toilets, food or drinking water. The
statement about the insignificant risk of transmission during
teaching, sport and play activities, however, holds true only if
universal precautions are adhered to. Adequate wound
management has to take place in the classroom and laboratory
or on the sports field or playground when a learner or student
sustains an open bleeding wound. Contact sports such as
-57boxing and rugby could probably be regarded as sports
representing a higher risk of HIV transmission than other sports,
although the inherent risk of transmission during any such sport
is very low.
2.6.4 Public funds should be made available to ensure the application
of universal precautions and the supply of adequate information
and education on HIV transmission. The State's duty to take all
reasonable steps to ensure safe school and institution environments, is regarded as a sound investment in the future of South
Africa.
2.6.5 Within the context of sexual relations, the risk of contracting HIV
is significant. There are high levels of sexually active persons
within the learner population group in schools. This increases
the risk of HIV transmission in schools and institutions for further
education and training considerably.
Besides sexuality education, morality and life skills education
being provided by educators, parents should be encouraged to
provide their children with healthy morals, sexuality education
and guidance regarding sexual abstinence until marriage and
faithfulness to their partners. Sexually active persons should be
advised to practise safe sex and to use condoms. Learners and
students should be educated about their rights concerning their
own bodies, to protect themselves against rape, violence,
inapproriate sexual behaviour and contracting HIV.
2.7
The constitutional rights of all learners, students and educators must be
protected on an equal basis. If a suitably qualified person ascertains that a
learner, student or educator poses a medically recognised significant health
risk to others, appropriate measures should be taken. A medically recognised
significant health risk in the context of HIV/AIDS could include the presence of
untreatable contagious (highly communicable) diseases, uncontrollable
bleeding, unmanageable wounds, or sexual or physically aggressive
behaviour, which may create the risk of HIV transmission.
2.8
Furthermore, learners and students with infectious illnesses such as measles,
German measles, chicken pox, whooping cough and mumps should be kept
away from the school or institution to protect all other members of the school
or institution, especially those whose immune systems may be impaired by
HIV/ AIDS.
2.9
Schools and institutions should inform parents of vaccination/inoculation
programmes and of their possible significance for the wellbeing of learners
and students with HIV/AIDS. Local health clinics could be approached to
assist with immunisation.
-582.10
Learners and students must receive education about HIV/AIDS and
abstinence in the context of life-skills education on an ongoing basis.
Life-skills and HIV/AIDS education should not be presented as isolated
learning content, but should be integrated in the whole curriculum. It should
be presented in a scientific but understandable way. Appropriate course
content should be available for the pre-service and in-service training of
educators to cope with HIV/AIDS in schools. Enough educators to educate
learners about the epidemic should also be provided.
2.10.1 The purpose of education about HIV/AIDS is to prevent the
spread of HIV infection, to allay excessive fears of the epidemic,
to reduce the stigma attached to it and to instill
non-discriminatory attitudes towards persons with HIV/ AIDS.
Education should ensure that learners and students acquire
age-and context-appropriate knowledge and skills in order that
they may adopt and maintain behaviour that will protect them
from HIV infection.
2.10.2 In the primary grades, the regular educator should provide
education about HIV/AIDS, while in secondary grades the
guidance counsellor would ideally be the appropriate educator.
Because of the sensitive nature of the learning content, the
educators selected to offer this education should be specifically
trained and supported by the support staff responsible for
life-skills and HIV/AIDS education in the school and province.
The educators should feel at ease with the content and should
be a role model with whom learners and students can easily
identify. Educators should also be informed by the principal and
educator unions of courses for educators to improve their
knowledge of, and skills to deal with, HIV/AIDS.
2.10.3 All educators should be trained to give guidance on HIV/AIDS.
Educators should respect their position of trust and the
constitutional rights of all learners and students in the context of
HIV/AIDS.
2.11
In order to meet the demands of the wide variety of circumstances posed by
the South African community and to acknowledge the importance of
governing bodies, councils and parents in the education partnership, this
national policy is intended as broad principles only. It is envisaged that the
governing body of a school, acting within its functions under the South African
Schools Act, 1996, and the Council of a Further Education and Training
Institution, acting within its functions under the Further Education and Training
Act, 1998, or any provincial law, should preferably give operational effect to
the national policy by developing and adopting an HIV/AIDS implementation
plan that would reflect the needs, ethos and values of a specific school or
institution and its community within the framework of the national policy.
-593.
4.
5.
NON-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUALITY WITH REGARD TO LEARNERS,
STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS WITH HIV/AIDS
3.1
No learner, student or educator with HIV/AIDS may be unfairly discriminated
against directly or indirectly. Educators should be alert to unfair accusations
against any person suspected to have HIV/AIDS.
3.2
Learners, students, educators and other staff with HIV/AIDS should be treated
in a just, humane and life-affirming way.
3.3
Any special measures in respect of a learner, student or educator with HIV
should be fair and justifiable in the light of medical facts; established legal
rules and principles; ethical guidelines; the best interest of the learner, student
and educator with HIV/AIDS; school or institution conditions; and the best
interest of other learners, students and educators.
3.4
To prevent discrimination, all learners, students and educators should be
educated about fundamental human rights as contained in the Constitution of
the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
HIV/AIDS TESTING AND THE ADMISSION OF LEARNERS TO A SCHOOL AND
STUDENTS TO AN INSTITUTION, OR THE APPOINTMENT OF EDUCATORS
4.1
No learner or student may be denied admission to or continued attendance at
a school or an institution on account of his or her HIV/AIDS status or
perceived HIV/AIDS status.
4.2
No educator may be denied the right to be appointed in a post, to teach or to
be promoted on account of his or her HIV/AIDS status or perceived HIV/AIDS
status. HIV/AIDS status may not be a reason for dismissal of an educator, nor
for refusing to conclude, or continue, or renew an educator's employment
contract, nor to treat him or her in any unfair discriminatory manner.
4.3
There is no medical justification for routine testing of learners, students or
educators for evidence of HIV infection. The testing of learners or students for
HIV/AIDS as a prerequisite for admission to, or continued attendance at
school or institution, to determine the incidence of HIV/AIDS at schools or
institutions, is prohibited. The testing of educators for HIV/AIDS as a
prerequisite for appointment or continued service is prohibited.
ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOLS
STUDENTS WITH HIV/AIDS
5.1
AND INSTITUTIONS BY LEARNERS OR
Learners and students with HIV have the right to attend any school or
institution. The needs of learners and students with HIV/AIDS with regard to
-60their right to basic education should as far as is reasonably practicable be
accommodated in the school or institution.
6.
5.2
Learners and students with HIV/AIDS are expected to attend classes in
accordance with statutory requirements for as long as they are able to do so
effectively.
5.3
Learners of compulsory school-going age with HIV/AIDS, who are unable to
benefit from attendance at school or home education, may be granted
exemption from attendance in terms of section 4(1) of the South African
Schools Act, 1996, by the Head of Department, after consultation with the
principal, the parent and the medical practitioner where possible.
5.4
If and when learners and students with HIV/AIDS become incapacitated
through illness, the school or institution should make work available to them
for study at home and should support continued learning where possible.
Parents should, where practically possible, be allowed to educate their
children at home in accordance with the policy for home education in terms of
section 51 of the South African Schools Act, 1996, or provide older learners
with distance education.
5.5
Learners and students who cannot be accommodated in this way or who
develop HIV/AIDS-related behavioural problems or neurological damage,
should be accommodated, as far as is practically possible, within the
education system in special schools or specialised residential institutions for
learners with special education needs. Educators in these institutions must be
empowered to take care of and support HIV-positive learners. However,
placement in special schools should not be used as an excuse to remove
HIV-positive learners from mainstream schools.
DISCLOSURE OF HIV/AIDS-RELATED INFORMATION AND CONFIDENTIALITY
6.1
No learner or student (or parent on behalf of a learner or student), or
educator, is compelled to disclose his or her HIV/AIDS status to the school or
institution or employer. (In cases where the medical condition diagnosed is
the HIV/AIDS disease, the Regulations relating to communicable diseases
and the notification of notifiable medical conditions [Health Act, 1977] only
require the person performing the diagnosis to inform the immediate family
members and the persons giving care to the person and, in cases of
HIV/AIDS-related death, the persons responsible for the preparation of the
body of the deceased.)
6.2
Voluntary disclosure of a learner's, student's or educator's HIV/AIDS status to
the appropriate authority should be welcomed and an enabling environment
should be cultivated in which the confidentiality of such information is ensured
and in which unfair discrimination is not tolerated. In terms of section 39 of the
Child Care Act, 1983 (Act No. 74 of 1983), any learner or student above the
-61age of 14 years with HIV/AIDS, or if the learner is younger than 14 years, his
or her parent, is free to disclose such information voluntarily.
7.
6.3
A holistic programme for life-skills and HIV/AIDS education should encourage
disclosure. In the event of voluntary disclosure, it may be in the best interests
of a learner or student with HIV/AIDS if a member of the staff of the school or
institution directly involved with the care of the learner or student, is informed
of his or her HIV/AIDS status. An educator may disclose his or her HIV/AIDS
status to the principal of the school or institution.
6.4
Any person to whom any information about the medical condition of a learner,
student or educator with HIV/AIDS has been divulged, must keep this
information confidential.
6.5
Unauthorised disclosure of HIV/AIDS-related information could give rise to
legal liability.
6.6
No employer can require an applicant for a job to undergo an HIV test before
he/she is considered for employment. An employee cannot be dismissed,
retrenched or refused a job simply because he or she is HIV positive.
A SAFE SCHOOL AND INSTITUTION ENVIRONMENT
7.1
The MEC should make provision for all schools and institutions to implement
universal precautions to eliminate the risk of transmission of all blood-borne
pathogens, including HIV, effectively in the school or institution environment.
Universal precautions include the following:
7.1.1 The basis for advocating the consistent application of universal
precautions lies in the assumption that in situations of potential
exposure to HIV, all persons are potentially infected and all
blood should be treated as such.
All blood, open wounds, sores, breaks in the skin, grazes and
open skin lesions, as well as all body fluids and excretions
which could be stained or contaminated with blood (for example
tears, saliva, mucus, phlegm, urine, vomit, faeces and pus)
should therefore be treated as potentially infectious.
Blood, especially in large spills such as from nose bleeds, and
old blood or blood stains, should be handled with extreme
caution.
Skin exposed accidentally to blood should be washed
immediately with soap and running water.
All bleeding wounds, sores, breaks in the skin, grazes
-62and open skin lesions should ideally be cleaned
immediately with running water and/or other
antiseptics.
If there is a biting or scratching incident where
the skin is broken, the wound should be washed
and cleansed under running water, dried, treated with
antiseptic and covered with a waterproof dressing.
Blood splashes to the face (mucous membranes of
eyes, nose or mouth) should be flushed with running
water for at least three minutes.
Disposable bags and incinerators must be made
available to dispose of sanitary wear.
7.1.2 All open wounds, sores, breaks in the skin, grazes and open
skin lesions should at all times be covered completely and
securely with a non-porous or waterproof dressing or plaster so
that there is no risk of exposure to blood.
7.1.3 Cleansing and washing should always be done with running
water and not in containers of water. Where running tap water
is not available, containers should be used to pour water over
the area to be cleansed. Schools without running water should
keep a supply, e.g. in a 25-litre drum, on hand specifically for
use in emergencies. This water can be kept fresh for a long
period of time by adding a disinfectant, such as Milton, to it.
7.1.4 All persons attending to blood spills, open wounds, sores,
breaks in the skin, grazes, open skin lesions, body fluids and
excretions should wear protective latex gloves or plastic bags
over their hands to eliminate the risk of HIV transmission
effectively. Bleeding can be managed by compression with
material that will absorb the blood, e.g. a towel.
7.1.5 If a surface has been contaminated with body fluids and
excretions which could be stained or contaminated with blood
(for instance tears, saliva, mucus, phlegm, urine, vomit, faeces
and pus), that surface should be cleaned with running water and
fresh, clean household bleach (1:10 solution), and paper or
disposable cloths. The person doing the cleaning must wear
protective gloves or plastic bags.
7.1.6 Blood-contaminated material should be sealed in a plastic bag
and incinerated or sent to an appropriate disposal firm. Tissues
and toilet paper can readily be flushed down a toilet.
-637.1.7 If instruments (for instance scissors) become contaminated with
blood or other body fluids, they should be washed and placed in
a strong household bleach solution for at least one hour before
drying and re-using.
7.1.8 Needles and syringes should not be re-used, but should be
safely disposed of.
7.2
All schools and institutions should train learners, students, educators and staff
in first aid, and have available and maintain at least two first-aid kits, each of
which should contain the following:
two large and two medium pairs of disposable latex gloves;
two large and two medium pairs of household rubber
gloves for handling blood-soaked material in specific
instances (for example when broken glass makes the
use of latex gloves inappropriate);
absorbent material, waterproof plasters, disinfectant
(such as hypochlorite), scissors, cotton wool, gauze
tape, tissues, containers for water and a resuscitation
mouth piece or similar device with which mouth-tomouth resuscitation could be applied without any
contact being made with blood or other body fluids.
protective eye wear; and
a protective face mask to cover nose and mouth.
7.3
Universal precautions are in essence barriers to prevent contact with blood or
body fluids. Adequate barriers can also be established by using less
sophisticated devices than those described in 7.2, such as unbroken plastic bags on hands where latex or rubber
gloves are not available;
common household bleach for use as disinfectant,
diluted one part bleach to ten parts water (1:10 solution)
made up as needed.
spectacles; and
a scarf.
7.4
Each classroom or other teaching area should preferably have a pair of latex
or household rubber gloves.
-647.5
Latex or household rubber gloves should be available at every sports event
and should also be carried by the playground supervisor.
7.6
First-aid kits and appropriate cleaning equipment should be stored in one or
more selected rooms in the school or institution and should be accessible at
all times, also by the playground supervisor.
7.7
Used items should be dealt with as indicated in paragraphs 7.1.6 and 7.1.7.
7.8
The contents of the first-aid kits, or the availability of other suitable barriers,
should be checked each week against a contents list by a designated staff
member of the school or institution. Expired and depleted items should be
replaced immediately.
7.9
A fully equipped first-aid kit should be available at all school or institution
events, outings and tours, and should be kept on vehicles for the transport of
learners to such events.
7.10
All learners, students, educators and other staff members, including sports
coaches, should be given appropriate information and training on HIV
transmission, the handling and use of first-aid kits, the application of universal
precautions and the importance of adherence to universal precautions.
7.10.1 Learners, students, educators and other staff members should
be trained to manage their own bleeding or injuries and to assist
and protect others.
7.10.2 Learners, especially those in pre-primary and primary schools,
and students should be instructed never to touch the blood,
open wounds, sores, breaks in the skin, grazes and open skin
lesions of others, nor to handle emergencies such as nosebleeds, cuts and scrapes of friends on their own. They should
be taught to call for the assistance of an educator or other staff
member immediately.
7.10.3 Learners and students should be taught that all open wounds,
sores, breaks in the skin, grazes and open skin lesions on all
persons should be kept covered completely with waterproof
dressings or plasters at all times, not only when they occur in
the school or institution environment.
7.11
All cleaning staff, learners, students, educators and parents should be
informed about the universal precautions that will be adhered to at a school or
an institution.
7.12
A copy of this policy must be kept in the media centre of each school or
institution.
-658.
PREVENTION OF HIV TRANSMISSION DURING PLAY AND SPORT
8.1
The risk of HIV transmission as a result of contact play and contact sport is
generally insignificant.
8.1.1 The risk increases where open wounds, sores, breaks in the
skin, grazes, open skin lesions or mucous membranes of
learners, students and educators are exposed to infected blood.
8.1.2 Certain contact sports may represent an increased risk of HIV
transmission.
8.2
Adequate wound management, in the form of the application of universal precautions, is essential to contain the risk of HIV transmission during contact
play and contact sport.
8.2.1 No learner, student or educator may participate in contact play
or contact sport with an open wound, sore, break in the skin,
graze or open skin lesion.
8.2.2 If bleeding occurs during contact play or contact sport, the
injured player should be removed from the playground or sports
field immediately and treated appropriately as described in
paragraphs 7.1.1 to 7.1.4. Only then may the player resume
playing and only for as long as any open wound, sore, break in
the skin, graze or open skin lesion remains completely and
securely covered.
8.2.3 Blood-stained clothes must be changed.
8.2.4 The same precautions should be applied to injured educators,
staff members and injured spectators.
8.3
A fully equipped first-aid kit should be available wherever contact play or
contact sport takes place.
8.4
Sports participants, including coaches, with HIV/AIDS should seek medical
counselling before participation in sport, in order to assess risks to their own
health as well as the risk of HIV transmission to other participants.
Staff members acting as sports administrators, managers and coaches should
ensure the availability of first-aid kits and the adherence to universal
precautions in the event of bleeding during participation in sport.
8.5
8.6
Staff members acting as sports administrators, managers and coaches have
special opportunities for meaningful education of sports participants with
respect to HIV/AIDS. They should encourage sports participants to seek
medical and other appropriate counselling where appropriate.
-669.
EDUCATION ON HIV/AIDS
9.1
A continuing life-skills and HIV/AIDS education programme must be
implemented at all schools and institutions for all learners, students,
educators and other staff members. Measures must also be implemented at
hostels.
9.2
Age-appropriate education on HIV/AIDS must form part of the curriculum for
all learners and students, and should be integrated in the life-skills education
programme for pre-primary, primary and secondary school learners. This
should include the following:
9.2.1 providing information on HIV/AIDS and developing the life skills
necessary for the prevention of HIV transmission;
9.2.2 inculcating from an early age onwards basic first-aid principles,
including how to deal with bleeding with the necessary safety
precautions;
9.2.3 emphasising the role of drugs, sexual abuse and violence, and
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the transmission of HIV,
and empowering learners to deal with these situations;
9.2.4 encouraging learners and students to make use of health care,
counselling and support services (including services related to
reproductive health care and the prevention and treatment of
sexually transmitted diseases) offered by community service
organisations and other disciplines;
9 2.5 teaching learners and students how to behave towards persons
with HIV/AIDS, raising awareness on prejudice and stereotypes
around HIV/AIDS;
9.2.6 cultivating an enabling environment and a culture of nondiscrimination towards persons with HIV/AIDS; and
9.2.7 providing information on appropriate prevention and avoidance
measures, including abstinence from sexual intercourse and
immorality, the use of condoms, faithfulness to one's partner,
obtaining prompt medical treatment for sexually transmitted
diseases and tuberculosis, avoiding traumatic contact with
blood, and the application of universal precautions.
9.3
Education and information regarding HIV/AIDS must be given in an accurate
and scientific manner and in language and terms that are understandable.
9.4
Parents of learners and students must be informed about all life-skills and
HIV/AIDS education offered at the school and institution, the learning content
and methodology to be used, as well as values that will be imparted. They
-67should be invited to participate in parental guidance sessions and should be
made aware of their role as sexuality educators and imparters of values at
home.
10.
9.5
Educators may not have sexual relations with learners or students. Should
this happen, the matter has to be handled in terms of the Employment of
Educators Act, 1998.
9.6
If learners, students or educators are infected with HIV, they should be
informed that they can still lead normal, healthy lives for many years by taking
care of their health.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF LEARNERS, STUDENTS, EDUCATORS
AND PARENTS
10.1
All learners, students and educators should respect the rights of other
learners, students and educators.
10.2
The Code of Conduct adopted for learners at a school or for students at an
institution should include provisions regarding the unacceptability of behaviour
that may create the risk of HIV transmission.
10.3
The ultimate responsibility for the behaviour of a learner or a student rests
with his or her parents. Parents of all learners and students:10.3.1 are expected to require learners or students to observe all rules
aimed at preventing behaviour which may create a risk of HIV
transmission; and
10.3.2 are encouraged to take an active interest in acquiring any
information or knowledge on HIV/AIDS supplied by the school or
institution, and to attend meetings convened for them by the
governing body or council.
10.4
It is recommended that a learner, student or educator with HIV/AIDS and his
or her parent, in the case of learners or students, should consult medical
opinion to assess whether the learner, student or educator, owing to his or her
condition or conduct, poses a medically recognised significant health risk to
others. If such a risk is established, the principal of the school or institution
should be informed. The principal of the school or institution must take the
necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of other learners, students,
educators and staff members.
10.5
Educators have a particular duty to ensure that the rights and dignity of all
learners, students and educators are respected and protected.
-6811.
12.
REFUSAL TO STUDY WITH OR TEACH A LEARNER OR STUDENT WITH
HIV/AIDS, OR TO WORK WITH OR BE TAUGHT BY AN EDUCATOR WITH
HIV/AIDS
11.1
Refusal to study with a learner or student, or to work with or be taught by an
educator or other staff member with, or perceived to have HIV/AIDS, should
be pre-empted by providing accurate and understandable information on
HIV/AIDS to all educators, staff members, learners, students and their
parents.
11.2
Learners and students who refuse to study with a fellow learner or student or
be taught by an educator or educators and staff who refuse to work with a
fellow educator or staff member or to teach or interact with a learner or
student with or perceived to have HIV/AIDS and are concerned that they
themselves will be infected, should be counselled.
11.3
The situation should be resolved by the principal and educators in accordance
with the principles contained in this policy, the code of conduct for learners, or
the code of professional ethics for educators. Should the matter not be
resolved through counselling and mediation, disciplinary steps may be taken.
SCHOOL AND INSTITUTIONAL IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
12.1
Within the terms of its functions under the South African Schools Act, 1996,
the Further Education and Training Act, 1998, or any applicable provincial
law, the governing body of a school or the council of an institution may
develop and adopt its own implementation plan on HIV/AIDS to give
operational effect to the national policy.
12.2
A provincial education policy for HIV/AIDS, based on the national policy, can
serve as a guideline for governing bodies when compiling an implementation
plan.
12.3
Major role players in the wider school or institution community (for example
religious and traditional leaders, representatives of the medical or health care
professions or traditional healers) should be involved in developing an
implementation plan on HIV/AIDS for the school or institution.
12.4
Within the basic principles laid down in this national policy, the school or
institution implementation plan on HIV/AIDS should take into account the
needs and values of the specific school or institution and the specific
communities it serves.
Consultation on the school or institution implementation plan could address
and attempt to resolve complex questions, such as discretion regarding
mandatory sexuality education, or whether condoms need to be made
accessible within a school or institution as a preventive measure, and if so
under what circumstances.
-69-
13.
HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE
13.1
Where community resources make this possible, it is recommended that each
school and institution should establish its own Health Advisory Committee as
a committee of the governing body or council. Where the establishment of
such a committee is not possible, the school or institution should draw on
expertise available to it within the education and health systems. The Health
Advisory Committee may as far as possible use the assistance of community
health workers led by a nurse, or local clinics.
13.2
Where it is possible to establish a Health Advisory Committee, the Committee
should:
13.2.1 be set up by the governing body or council and should consist of
educators and other staff, representatives of the parents of
learners at the school or students at the institution, representatives of the learners or students, and representatives from the
medical or health care professions;
13.2.2 elect its own chairperson who should preferably be a person
with knowledge in the field of health care;
13.2.3 advise the governing body or council on all health matters,
including HIV/AIDS;
13.2.4 be responsible for developing and promoting a school or
institution plan of implementation on HIV/AIDS and review the
plan from time to time, especially as new scientific knowledge
about HIV/AIDS becomes available; and
13.2.5 be consulted on the provisions relating to the prevention of HIV
transmission in the Code of Conduct.
14.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS NATIONAL POLICY ON HIV/AIDS
14.1
The Director-General of Education and the Heads of provincial departments
of education are responsible for the implementation of this policy, in
accordance with their responsibilities in terms of the Constitution of the
Republic of South Africa, 1996, and any applicable law. Every education
department must designate an HIV/AIDS Programme Manager and a working
group to communicate the policy to all staff, to implement, monitor and
evaluate the Department's HIV/AIDS programme, to advise management
regarding programme implementation and progress, and to create a
supportive and non-discriminatory environment.
-70-
15.
14.2
The principal or the head of a hostel is responsible for the practical
implementation of this policy at school, institutional or hostel level, and for
maintaining an adequate standard of safety according to this policy.
14.3
It is recommended that a school governing body or the council of an institution
should take all reasonable measures within its means to supplement the
resources supplied by the State in order to ensure the availability at the
school or institution of adequate barriers (even in the form of less
sophisticated material) to prevent contact with blood or body fluids.
14.4
Strict adherence to universal precautions under all circumstances (including
play and sports activities) is advised, as the State will be liable for any
damage or loss caused as a result of any act or omission in connection with
any educational activity conducted by a public school or institution.
REGULAR REVIEW
This policy will be reviewed regularly and adapted to changed circumstances.
16.
17.
APPLICATION
16.1
This policy applies to public schools which enroll learners in one or more
grades between grade zero and grade twelve, to further education and
training institutions, and to educators.
16.2
Copies of this policy must be made available to independent schools
registered with the provincial departments of education.
INTERPRETATION
In all instances, this policy should be interpreted to ensure respect for the rights of
learners, students and educators with HIV/AIDS, as well as other learners, students,
educators and members of the school and institution communities.
18.
WHERE THIS POLICY MAY BE OBTAINED
This policy may be obtained from The Director: Communication, Department of
Education, Private Bag X895, Pretoria, 0001, Tel. No. (012) 312-5271.
-71This policy is also available on the Internet at the following web site:
http://education.pwv.gov.za
For further information, please see the attached ANNEXURE.
HIV/AIDS is everyone's concern
NOTICE NO. 1926 OF 1999
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY ACT, 1996 (ACT NO. 27 OF 1996)
DRAFT NATIONAL POLICY ON HIV/AIDS, FOR LEARNERS AND EDUCATORS IN
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IN FURTHER EDUCATION
AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS
The Minister of Education hereby publishes the national policy on HIV/AIDS for learners in
public schools, and students and educators in further education and training institutions in
terms of section 3(4) of the National Education Policy Act, 1996 (Act No. 27 of 1996), as set
out in the Schedule.
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
AUGUST 1999
-72How to make your classroom policy
One could define classroom policy as general statements or guidelines that allow the
educator and learners to make decisions within certain fixed limits or parameters. Policy
making involves formulating the aims of the enterprise/classroom, and laying down the
guidelines for decision making in order to achieve the aims. Policy inevitably leads to rules
and regulations which ensure that the policy is executed. These provide the basis for
classroom management.
The following aspects should be covered in the formulation of classroom policy:
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
aims and objectives
class rules and procedures
general behaviour of learners
task division
learner leadership
discipline and order
neatness and decoration of the classroom
In setting up your own classroom policy with the learners at the start of the year, you must
take careful note that you use the first person (eg We and Our) in formulating the various
procedures and rules. The following are examples of classroom policy formulation under
some of the above headings:
Aims for our classroom:
Our aim for being together as a group is always to strive for effective learning.
We know we are here to learn and not to socialise or play
.......
Et cetera
Our class rules and procedures:
We enter and leave the classroom in an orderly fashion.
Our exercise books and textbooks are always available.
.......
Et cetera
Behaviour in our class:
We always try to be positive and friendly in our class.
.......
Et cetera
In like manner all the aspects of the classroom policy need to be covered. You must be able to
indicate precisely how your own classroom policy can prevent disorderly behaviour after it has been
formulated. Then you will know that it will meet the purpose for which classroom policy is designed,
that is to assist the class in reaching their learning aims in an orderly environment.
-73Example of a classroom discipline policy:
Aims for our classroom:
The aim for being together as a group in the classroom is always to strive for effective learning. We
know that we are here to learn and not to play or socialise.
As individuals we must each reach our full potential in Mathematics/English/etc.
The aim of groupwork is to learn together, not to socialise.
Our general behaviour:
Our class rules and procedures:
Our teacher greets us at the start and the end of the day/lesson.
We must enter and leave the classroom in an orderly manner.
When the teacher speaks we must keep quiet and listen.
We do our homework and classwork diligently without wasting any time.
Our exercise books and textbooks must always be available.
We do not walk around during lessons.
We only pack our books when the bell has gone.
Behaviour in our class:
The teacher and learners will always treat each other with respect.
We will never mock or belittle one another.
We always try to be positive and friendly in class.
We do not swear and we do not behave in a dishonest manner.
Our teacher will have no pets and will treat all learners in an impartial manner.
We will not hinder one another in our work.
Task division in our class:
Appointed learners clean the blackboard when asked to do so or at the end of each period.
Appointed learners take in handbooks when asked to do so.
Appointed learners sweep the classroom at the end of the day/every morning.
Appointed learners water the plants regularly.
Learner leadership in our class:
Our class leader is responsible for class order in the absence of the teacher.
Our class leader is responsible for the weekly appointment of learners to do the various tasks in our
class.
Group leaders are responsible to stimulate group discussion during groupwork.
Group secretaries are responsible to take notes during groupwork and to report back to class.
Discipline and order in our class:
We will discipline ourselves according to the agreed classroom policy.
We only speak one at a time and only those appointed.
During groupwork we speak in a low voice.
We always do groupwork in a constuctive and orderly way.
We will never hinder another learner in his/her work.
We put all litter in the waste-paper bin.
-74We leave chairs under tables when we leave the classroom.
We may decorate the designated wall of the classroom in an appropriate way with pictures.
Rewards and punishment:
For good behaviour we are rewarded as follows:
Class party once a month.
Outside class lesson once every two weeks.
No homework over weekends.
Credit marks according to school rules.
Et cetera
For poor behaviour we are punished as follows:
No class parties.
No outside lessons.
Lots of homework over weekends.
Debit marks according to school rules.
Et cetera
Guidelines for the use of punishment:
Punishment will always be fair and in accordance with the school rules and agreed on classroom
policy.
The whole class will not be punished for the poor behaviour of an individual.
For minor offences we can negotiate to compensate with good behaviour.
To hinder the orderly progression of a lesson or a class mate while working is considered to be a
serious offence which needs to be punished seriously.
Et cetera
-75-
The first
two letters of the
word
goal
spell
go.
-76-
Long term leadership questionnaire
Dear Sir/Madam,
The following questionnaire aims to determine the nature of the long term leadership provided by
the principal in the school. You are requested to complete the whole questionnaire to the best of
your ability. The information that you provide will be treated confidentially and will only be used
for research purposes. Anonymity is guaranteed.
INSTRUCTIONS
1.
Kindly respond to all questions.
2.
Please indicate your response with an “X” in the appropriate box.
3.
Please select one option.
The questionnaire consists of seven pages and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.
We thank you for participating.
-77-
For official
purposes
SECTION A: BIOGRAPHICAL DATA
1-3
Qualifications
40 - 50
50 - 60
60+
2
3
4
5
1
2
4
6
7
1
2
3
4
5
11 - 20
21 -30
31 - 40
40 +
1
2
3
4
5
MEd
/DEd
1
2
3
4
1
English
S/Sotho
Setswana
SiSwati
Tshivenda
Afrikaans
9
School locality
1
2
3
4
5
6
10+
IsiZulu
IsiXhosa
N/Sotho
Xitsonga
IsiNdebele
other
7
8
9
10
11
12
10
11
12
5
Combine
d
3
Seconda
ry
2
Primary
1
Early
Childhood
Farm
Home Language
5-10
Village
8
2-5
Town/cit
y
0
Township
Years of management experience
School type
9
BEd
Hons
Management training
8
1 - 10
Number of educators in school
7
10
3
ACE
6
1
Certifica
te
5
5
MEd/
DEd
4
4
BEd
Hons
Post level (Educator =1; HOD = 2; Deputy Principal = 3; Principal = 4)
2
Degree +
Diploma
3
male
30 - 40
Age (in years)
1
Degree
2
Female
20 - 30
Gender
Diploma
1
1
2
3
5
13
-78-
SECTION B: Long term leadership questionnaire
Please evaluate your agreement on each of the following topics against the satisfaction level
provided according to the scale.
Satisfaction scale:
1 – SA strongly agree
2 - A - agree
3 - DA - disagree
4 - SD – strongly disagree
Section B (1): Vision
1 SA
1
2A
3 DA
4 SD
N/A
The vision of the school focuses on effective teaching
and learning.
All stakeholders (staff, administrative staff, school
governing body, parents, and learners in the case of
secondary schools) were involved in the formulation
of the vision.
The staff knows the vision of the school.
The staff supports the vision of the school.
14
5
Our vision serves as guiding star in all school activities.
18
6
The principal makes too much of a fuss about the
school’s vision.
The true nature of our principal’s leadership is to
reach the vision of our school.
The focus of our principal is to make everything
happen according to the rules.
Our vision determines our future.
19
The principal is enthusiastic about the school’s vision.
23
2
3
4
7
8
9
10
15
16
17
20
21
22
-79-
Section B (2): Vision communication
1 SA
1
2A
3 DA
4 SD
N/A
The principal talks a lot to the staff about the vision.
The staff actively takes part in the communication of
the vision to stakeholders.
Staff sometimes differs from the principal about the
vision of the school.
Parents and learners know the vision of our school.
24
5
The vision appears on our school’s letterhead.
28
6
Visitors to our school can see the vision prominently
displayed.
Parents know that the principal and staff are serious
about realizing the vision of the school.
The vision is communicated through verbal and nonverbal methods.
Learners own the vision of the school.
29
Without our vision we would have been like every other
school.
Everyone knows our vision represents what we try to
achieve.
Our planning is done with the vision in mind.
33
2
3
4
7
8
9
10
11
12
25
26
27
30
31
32
34
35
Section B (3): Values management
1 SA
1
2A
3 DA
4 SD
N/A
Our school has a unique culture.
The staff maintains a healthy work ethic.
The principal encourages independent thought.
The school would be more successful if we were able
to refuse some learners.
36
5
Staff often openly differs from the principal on staff
meetings.
40
6
The principal respects the right of individuals to have
an own opinion.
Open and critical debating is allowed at meetings.
Staff members do more than what is expected from
them.
Interpersonal relations in the school are strained.
41
Staff distrusts one another.
The staff distrusts the principal.
The principal utilizes assembly to build a healthy school
culture.
We regularly have staff functions.
The principal loves the learners and staff.
The staff is enthusiastic about their job.
We strive for excellence.
45
2
3
4
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
37
38
39
42
43
44
46
47
48
49
50
51
-8017
The principal acknowledges excellent staff achievements.
Staff treats one another with respect.
The principal trusts the staff.
The principal allows staff to take independent decisions.
The staff can depend on the support of the principal.
52
Accountability to the profession is more important
to the principal than accountability to the parents
and learners.
Effective learning is subordinate to control over
learners in our school.
57
A competitive spirit dominates staff relations.
Some learners feel like losers because of the prevalent
spirit in our school.
The principal gives acknowledgement to staff that make a
contribution to building the unique culture of our school.
All staff members are treated equally by the principal.
59
28
The principal acts with integrity.
63
29
The principal and the staff have taken ownership of
making ours a functional school.
64
30
The principal models worthwhile values.
65
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
53
54
55
56
58
60
61
62
Section B (4): Staff development
1 SA
1
2A
3 DA
4 SD
N/A
A needs analysis of staff training needs is done
regularly.
The term programme makes provision for staff
training and development sessions.
The principal is open to suggestions on training
needs.
The IPMS is mainly used by the principal to exercise
control over staff.
66
5
Staff appraisal and staff development are closely linked in
our school.
70
6
Internal self-evaluation of the school’s activities
takes place.
Quality control of work is conducted with a view to
improve teaching and learning.
External staff development opportunities are
communicated to staff.
Staff is encouraged to attend development
opportunities and in-service training.
71
Individual staff development needs are matched with
available training opportunities.
The school budget makes provision for training funds.
Under performance of staff is addressed through relevant
training and development.
75
2
3
4
7
8
9
10
11
12
67
68
69
72
73
74
76
77
-8113
The principal undergoes relevant training and
development like the rest of the staff.
External evaluations are used as a benchmarking
tool for internal self-evaluation.
Training needs directly related to effective teaching
and learning are prioritized.
78
16
Staff report back to the rest of the personnel on training
they received that is also relevant to the rest.
81
17
There is a staff development committee on our staff.
The work done by the staff development committee
is much appreciated.
Acknowledgement is given to staff that excel in
development programmes.
The IPMS performance objectives are used to
determine training and development needs.
82
Job rotation and exposure to new experiences provide
development opportunities in our school.
86
14
15
18
19
20
21
79
80
83
84
85
Section B (5): Empowerment
1 SA
1
2A
3 DA
4 SD
N/A
Staff is provided with opportunities to implement
training that they have undergone.
The principal delegates work in order to empower
staff.
The principal utilizes the talents of staff to obtain
best results.
Empowerment opportunities are created in our
school through teamwork and committee work.
The staff has autonomous decision-making power at
their level of operation.
Staff form an inherent part of the decision-making
process in the school.
The principal trusts staff to take good decisions.
The principal forgives and assists staff who make
mistakes.
Strict adherence to rules is more important than
results to our principal.
The principal delegates tasks as well as the
associated authority and responsibility.
87
11
Subject and learning area teams function well at our
school.
97
12
All novice educators have experienced mentors.
98
13
HoDs support/ act as role models to junior staff.
99
14
Leadership opportunities are distributed amongst
staff.
100
15
The principal supports emergent leaders.
The office of educator is respected in our school.
101
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
16
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
102
-82-