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SSBA How Good Is... Questionnaires
How Good is our Education Authority?
1. Introduction
1.1 In 1996 The Scottish Office Education and Industry Department published a document -
"How Good Is Our School? Self Evaluation Using Performance Indicators"
1.2 As was said in this publication’s foreword, written by Archie McGlynn, HM Chief Inspector of Schools, "This publication seeks to help all Headteachers, all teachers and education authority officers move closer to answering the local question "How good is our school?"
In other words it was never intended for use by a School Board.
1.3 SSBA believes that the time has come for School Boards to have access to easy to use documents which could help them to answer any of the following three questions.
(i) How good is our School from the point of view of the School Board?
(ii) How good is our School Board?
(iii) How good is our Education Authority from the point of view of the School Board?
Attached to this introduction are three short questionnaires which may help your School Board answer these questions.
All this material is copyright of SSBA. Paid-up members may download this page and rearrange for printing, or otherwise buy from the Office.
SSBA, November 1999
Questionnaire
| Yes | No | |
| 1. Do parents know that a
School Board exists? a) Are parents issued with the names, addresses and telephone numbers of parent and community members of the School Board at the beginning of each academic session? b) Are parents told at the beginning of each academic session that they can raise matters of concern with members of the School Board? 2. Are all meetings of the School Board open to the public? a) Are parents told at the beginning of each academic session that they will be welcome to attend every meeting of the School Board? b) Is the date, time, place and agenda of the next meeting of the School Board advertised locally with a statement that the meeting is open to all who are interested? 3. Are people told about the work of the School Board? a) Are copies of the minute, or a summary, of the meeting of the School Board sent to all parents shortly after the meeting? b) Are copies of the minute of the meeting of the School Board posted in a public place shortly after the meeting in order to give information to the local community? 4. Are people told that they can get matters discussed at a meeting of the School Board? a) Are parents told at the beginning of each academic session that they can ask a member of the School Board to place an item on the agenda of a future meeting of the School Board? b) Do public notices appear at least once a year telling members of the public that they can ask members of the School Board to place an item on the agenda of a future meeting of the School Board? 5. Does the School Board actively encourage the Headteacher to work with the School Board? a) Does the Chairperson of the School Board consult the Headteacher about the agenda before papers for a future meeting are sent to members of the School Board? b) Does the Chairperson invite the Headteacher to comment on an item at a meeting before it is discussed by members of the School Board? 6. Does the School Board maintain contact with the Education Authority? a) Are copies of the minute of each meeting of the School Board sent to the local Councillor(s) and the Director of Education. b) Is the date, time, place and agenda for the next meeting of the School Board sent to the local Councillor(s) and the Director of Education? c) Does the School Board invite the local Councillor(s) to attend every meeting of the School Board? d) Is an invitation sent to the Director of Education at the beginning of each academic session to attend meetings of the School Board when they wish? 7. Does the School Board make it known that the aim to support the work of the Headteacher and staff of the School? a) Does the Chairperson ask the Headteacher at the end of each meeting what they would like the School Board to do at future meetings? b) Does the Chairperson ask the staff representative at the end of each meeting what matters the staff would like discussed at future meetings of the School Board? 8. Does the School Board encourage an active working relationship with the Parents Association? a) Is a representative of the Parents Association invited to attend each meeting of the School Board? b) Is a representative of the Parents Association invited to report on the work of the Association at each meeting of the School Board? 9. Does the School Board consult parents? a) Has the School Board ever formally consulted all parents on any matter during its existence? b)Has the School Board formally consulted all parents on any matter at least once in the last twelve months? 10. Is the School Board interested in training? a) Have any members of the School Board ever taken part in any kind of training? b) Have half or more members of the School Board taken part in training in the last two years? |
SCORING -- Give your School Board one point for every "YES" answer and add up the total number of points scored.
17--22 You are performing well as a School Board and need only to look to a small number of matters to fulfil your obligations to the people you represent.
11--16 You are doing a number of things well, but need to give conscious consideration to matters which are not done so well and should concern you.
0--10 You really must give serious consideration to how your School Board works and how it needs to change to operate more effectively.
SSBA, November 1999
How Good is our Education Authority?
Questionnaire
| YES | NO | |
| 1. Does your Education
Authority have regular personal contact with your School Board? a) Does the Education Department have an
identified officer with specific b) Has this officer attended one or more meetings of
your School Board in c) Will this officer attend a meeting of your School
Board if they are asked d) Has your local Councillor attended two or more
meetings of your 2. Does your Education Authority keep your School
Board informed of a) Does your School Board receive copies of the
agenda, backing papers b) Does your Education Authority have a news letter
for School Boards or 3. Does your Education Authority respond to the needs of School Boards? a) Does the Education Department respond to your letters within five days? b) Do you get the information you want without having
to ask for it more 4. How well is your School Board consulted by the Education Authority? a) Is a member of a School Board in your Education
Authority area a b) Does the Chairperson of the Education Committee or
the Director hold one or more meetings with Chairpersons of School
Boards at least c) Has the Education Authority specifically asked your
School Board for 5. Does your Education Authority treat training for School Boards seriously? a) Have members of your School Board been offered the
opportunity by b) If your School Board is involved in the appointment
of a Headteacher, 6. Do you get adequate financial support from your Education Authority? a) Do you have money left at the end of the financial
year from the original b) Do you have enough money to communicate regularly
with parents c) Do you have enough money to pay for the members of
your School |
SCORING -- give your School Board one point for every "YES" answer and add up the total number of points you have scored.
11 - 16 You are quite lucky. Your Education Authority makes quite an effort to promote School Boards.
6 - 10 You probably need to speak to your Director of Education in order to get the Education Authority to do more for School Boards in your area.
0 - 5 You have a serious problem! Talk to your local Councillor.
SSBA, November 1999
Questionnaire
| YES | NO | |
| 1. Do you feel that the
Headteacher encourages the School Board in its work? a) Does the Headteacher regularly suggest items for the agenda for meetings of the School Board? b) Does the Headteacher report on the day-to-day workings of the school at each meeting of the School Board? c) Does the Headteacher encourage the staff of the school to take part in the work of the School Board? 2. Does your Headteacher keep the School Board informed of what is going on in the school? a) Do you already have copies of the main policies of the school? b) Have you discussed the "School Development Plan" during the last twelve months? c) Have you discussed the devolved school budget for the current financial year? d) Have you approved expenditure on materials and equipment for the current financial year? e) Have you discussed the staff’s self evaluation of the work of the school in the last twelve months? 3. Does your Headteacher respond to the needs of your School Board? a) Does your Headteacher regularly provide the School Board with information papers for items on the agenda of meetings of the School Board? b) Does your Headteacher offer to obtain information for the School Board which is not available at a meeting? 4. Does the Headteacher encourage the development of the School Board? a) Does the Headteacher encourage members of the School Board to undertake training? b) Does your Headteacher encourage the School Board to raise matters with the Education Authority? |
SCORING -- give your School Board one point for every "YES" answer and add up the total number of points you have scored.
10 - 12 Treasure your Headteacher as they appear to go out of their way to help the School Board in its work.
6 - 9 Not too bad, but you need to discuss with your Headteacher how the work of the School Board could be improved.
0 - 5 Oh dear! Perhaps you should consider devoting all of the next meeting of the School Board to how the School Board and the Headteacher can work more closely together. Perhaps there is something that you are not doing well!
SSBA, November 1999
