This edition of 'How good is our school?' replaces that published in 1996. It is designed, as were the earlier editions, to help headteachers and teachers in school self-evaluation and to assist education authority officials in discharging their responsibilities for quality assurance. The continuing strength of this set of quality indicators is that it is used in external evaluation by HM Inspectors as well as in self-evaluation by schools and by local authorities in quality assurance procedures. As a result, it provides an opportunity to continue the partnership at all levels of the education system which is central to The Quality Initiative in Scottish Schools.
This edition replaces the term 'performance' with 'quality'. However, the overall framework and purpose remain the same. They are intended to underpin both self-evaluation and external inspection. The indicators are generic and can be used in primary, secondary, special and New Community Schools and by groups within these sectors. They represent the best practice seen by HM Inspectors in the past 5 years and build on the experience of schools and education authorities.