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Medway Inclusive Schools Quality Mark (ISQM)
The Medway Inclusive School Quality Mark was launched in October
2002 as a partnership between the local authority (LA) and a school
that had won Beacon status as an inclusive school for its practice
in including physically disabled pupils. The Additional Education
Needs (AEN) and Inclusion Team is responsible for the
administration of the ISQM, whose purpose is to recognise and
celebrate the progress of schools towards inclusion, to identify
indicators for inclusion and to encourage the sharing of good,
inclusive practice.
There is a working party that consists of LA inclusion
consultants, the Beacon School headteacher and deputy head, the
Head of the Learning Support Service, an assistant headteacher from
a special secondary school and an independent consultant. These
form the team making Quality Mark (QM) visits to each school hoping
to gain the award.
The scheme has also been discussed by the Inclusive Education
Task Group, a group of second and third tier officers, including
two Assistant Directors, a principal educational psychologist and
the Service Manager for Special Education Services.
It was decided to base the ISQM on the principles contained in
the Index for Inclusion. This focuses on inclusive:
Schools are encouraged to use a school self-evaluation tool,
with guidance, which considers all aspects of AEN and inclusion,
including meeting statutory requirements relating to race,
disability and access. The completed self-evaluation would be
useful evidence for Ofsted, both as a separate tool or supporting
the School Self Evaluation Form (SEF). All paperwork is made
available to all schools on the intranet for use, whether the
school decides to apply for the ISQM or not.
It is important that the co-ordinating group in each school
includes a member of the Leadership Team of the school. This is not
an initiative that can rely on one person to carry it through.
In addition to the completed self-evaluation, schools are
required to write an action plan which addresses the indicators not
yet fully in place. A format for the plan is provided. Schools need
to include a mechanism for keeping the elements of the Quality Mark
under review over a three-year period. The actions can be part of
the overall School Plans.
There have been workshops and surgery sessions to support the
schools involved. The course, How Inclusive is Our School?
is offered free of charge to all schools seeking the ISQM, with
funding from the LA.
The ISQM assessment team visits each school to evaluate the
evidence, to interview key staff and pupils and to observe lessons.
A formal report, shared with the school, identifies strengths and
points for development and recommends the award if all the evidence
supports it.
Medway schools are familiar with the Basic Skills Quality Mark
and the format of the school evaluation visit where evidence is
seen and members of the school community are interviewed. The ISQM
has a similar format.
The Inclusive School Quality Mark is awarded for three years,
after which an application for renewal is necessary to retain
it.
The following list of documents supports schools in their
attempts to gain the ISQM. Please note that these are intended
mainly for use by staff in Medway schools and are in Microsoft Word
format, so you may not be able to open them.
| Document |
Summary or
guidance |
| Guidance
notes on criteria for school evaluation for AEN and inclusion
(Word 349KB) |
Contents
- Overview.
- Be healthy.
- Achieve economic wellbeing.
- Enjoy and achieve.
- Making a positive contribution.
- Stay safe.
|
| Self evaluation for
inclusion checklist (Word 135KB) |
The simplest way to use the checklist
is to highlight any suggested pieces of evidence already in the
school and add any other school evidence in the third column.
Writing 1, 2 or 3 will indicate whether a particular indicator is
fully in place, partly in place or not yet in place. Inclusion is a
process and it is very unlikely that all indicators will be fully
in place. This self evaluation checklist might be given to
different groups within the school community to receive a more
comprehensive picture. |
| Inclusive teaching
observation checklist for primary schools (Word 51KB) |
|
| Inclusive teaching
observation checklist for secondary schools (Word 51KB) |
|
| ISQM process (Word 26KB) |
Contents
- Introduction.
- The process.
- Self-evaluation tool.
- Guidance for self-evaluation.
- Inclusive teaching observation checklist - primary.
- Inclusive teaching observation checklist - secondary.
- Assessment format.
- Your own evidence or information (optional).
- School ISQM Action Plan.
|
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