Reviewing and Enhancing Practice

Reviewing your teaching on a regular basis is important to keep up to date with new teaching methods and enhance the practice within your establishments. There are a range of methods from peer to peer learning and reflection tools detailed below.

Improvement plan

An improvement plan is a plan developed to move a service from its current performance level to a desired, higher level of quality. Key elements of such plans include clearly defined objectives, meaningful engagement of stakeholders and commitment of the management/ leadership team.

Waltham Forest Council's improvement plan template.

Setting progress reflection tool

This tool will enable you to have an opportunity to reflect on current practice and in turn provide a structure for discussions with advisors carrying out the Universal Teaching & Learning Health Checks (UTLHC).

Download the setting progress reflection tool.

Challenging practice to further improve learning, playing and interacting in the EYFS

The target audience for this guidance is primarily Early Years Consultants (EYCs), but it is also relevant to School Improvement Partners (SIPs) and leaders/managers of Early Years settings (including head teachers, Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) coordinators and leading practitioners)

The aim of this material is, through the support and challenge role of the EYC and the Early Years workforce, to:

  • further raise the quality of learning and teaching in the EYFS in all settings
  • improve provision
  • develop practitioner understanding of pedagogy. These aims will support EYCs in contributing to achieving the following goals:
  • narrow the gap in outcomes for the most vulnerable children
  • improve outcomes for all children.

Peer to Peer observations

The peer observation process provides both the observee and the observer with the opportunity to mutually enhance the quality of their teaching practice. Along with this it also provides one with an opportunity to disseminate good practice amongst colleagues, through sharing thoughts and ideas on teaching practice, to support each other's development.

The key to Peer Observation is:

  • Reflective practice
  • Being non-judgmental
  • Seeing the process as a collaborative part of CPD

There are some useful tips and an example Peer Observation Record Sheet on the Early Years Careers website

    Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC)

    GIRFEC have developed a wellbeing-focused guide for early year's establishments and schools, aimed at supporting professional dialogue and self-evaluation. By focusing on wellbeing, the guide can help professionals to develop the Getting it right for every child approach in education settings.

    Listening to children's perspectives: improving the quality of provision in early years settings

    This report looks at how early years professionals use and respond to children's perspectives when improving the quality of their provision.

    This research report was commissioned before the new UK Government took office on 11 May 2010. As a result the content may not reflect current Government policy and may make reference to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) which has now been replaced by the Department for Education (DfE).

    Ofsted withdraw the Early Years self-evaluation form (SEF)

    You may have heard over the last few days that as of 1 April 2018, the optional early years self-evaluation form (SEF), will cease to exist. This may seem like a big change but in reality it is not that big – the Ofsted SEF has always been an optional document and this was made clear in the recent myth busting videos and documents produced by Ofsted.

    While the Ofsted SEF will no longer exist, early years settings will still need to demonstrate how they are self-evaluating. This is because the early years inspection hand book is clear about the importance of settings having an 'accurate view of their provision' and how 'it can improve or maintain its high standards' (page 14, points 59 to 61). Settings abilities to accurately self-evaluate also forms a large part of the judgment around leadership and management (see pages 30-34 of the early years inspection hand book).

    Ofsted Education Inspection Framework

    Ofsted's new education inspection framework applies to maintained schools and academies, non-association independent schools, further education and skills providers and early years settings.

    Useful articles

    What is the difference between a vision and mission? 

    An organisation's mission statement explains why the organisation exists. It goes on to describe what the organisation does along with its overall intention. The mission statement supports the vision and serves to communicate purpose and direction to employees and other stakeholders i.e. parents. The mission can be changed to reflect the organisation's priorities and methods to accomplish its vision.

    The vision statement describes the organisation as it would be in a future successful state.Remember when developing a vision statement, consider the following:

    • If we are, as an organisation, able to achieve all of our strategic goals, what would our organisation look like in the future?

    The key to a successful and effective vision statement is one that is inspirational and ambitious. The vision statement should challenge and inspire employees.

    Find out more about Vision and Mission

      Last update: Friday 10th of July 2020 09:36:35 AM