{"id":912,"date":"2021-10-06T16:51:12","date_gmt":"2021-10-06T15:51:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/?page_id=120"},"modified":"2026-03-25T09:35:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T09:35:56","slug":"self-evaluation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/self-evaluation\/","title":{"rendered":"Self-Evaluation"},"content":{"rendered":"<section id=\"builder-section-text_11\" class=\"builder-section-first builder-section builder-section-text builder-section-next-text builder-section-full-width builder-text-columns-2 layout-9\" style=\"background-size: cover; background-repeat: no-repeat;background-position: center center;\">\n<div class=\"builder-section-content\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-row\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-column builder-text-column-1\" id=\"builder-section-text_11-column-1\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-content\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-17259\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/public\/earlylevelportal\/uploads\/sites\/3720\/2025\/11\/24142204\/Quality-Assurance-and-leadership-icon.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"51\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/public\/earlylevelportal\/uploads\/sites\/3720\/2025\/11\/24142204\/Quality-Assurance-and-leadership-icon.png 756w, https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/public\/earlylevelportal\/uploads\/sites\/3720\/2025\/11\/24142204\/Quality-Assurance-and-leadership-icon-297x300.png 297w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 50px) 100vw, 50px\" \/><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"color: #c99b24;\">Self-Evaluation<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600;\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/self-evaluation-resources-and-collated-guidance-pages\/\"><strong>Resources<\/strong><\/a><strong><cite> <span class=\"ttfmake-icon mceNonEditable fas\">\uf0ad<\/span><\/cite><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>What is it?<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/uploads\/sites\/3720\/2021\/11\/10102545\/self-evaluation-2.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2569 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/uploads\/sites\/3720\/2021\/11\/10102545\/self-evaluation-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/public\/earlylevelportal\/uploads\/sites\/3720\/2021\/11\/10102545\/self-evaluation-2.png 512w, https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/public\/earlylevelportal\/uploads\/sites\/3720\/2021\/11\/10102545\/self-evaluation-2-300x232.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/public\/earlylevelportal\/uploads\/sites\/3720\/2021\/11\/10102545\/self-evaluation-2-39x30.png 39w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 469px) 100vw, 469px\" \/><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><cite>&#8220;Self-evaluation involves a continuous process of reflection and development<em>&#8220;.<\/em><\/cite><\/p>\n<p>(<a href=\"https:\/\/education.gov.scot\/media\/3bjpr3wa\/realisingtheambition.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Realising the Ambition<\/a>, Education Scotland, 2020, p. 85)<\/p>\n<p><cite>&#8220;Self-evaluation is central to continuous improvement.\u00a0 It enables care settings to reflect on what they are doing so they can get to know what they do well and identify what they need to do better&#8230;\u00a0 Self-evaluation establishes a baseline &#8211; a starting point &#8211; from which you can put in place plans with clear priorities for actions that will improve outcomes for people using your service.\u00a0 Used effectively, continuous self-evaluation helps monitor progress and measure the impact that your changes have made on outcomes &#8211; the differences made &#8211; for people.&#8221;<\/cite><\/p>\n<p>(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.careinspectorate.com\/images\/Self_evaluation_for_improvement_-_your_guide.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Self-evaluation for Improvement: Your Guide<\/a>, Care Inspectorate, 2019, p. 3)<\/p>\n<h3>Key messages:<\/h3>\n<p>Effective self-evaluation:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Should be an ongoing process (rather than a one-off) conducted regularly to monitor provision in general and evaluate specific aspects of practice that require improvement.<\/li>\n<li>Supports improvements to allow practitioners to ensure that a service improves outcomes for children in their care.<\/li>\n<li>Can focus on a team&#8217;s performance, particular processes, or complaints received.<\/li>\n<li>Is collaborative and includes all practitioners, management or the Senior Leadership Team, so ideas can be discussed as a team, taking different viewpoints into consideration.<\/li>\n<li>Involves partners, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/family-partnerships\/\" rel=\"noopener\">parents and families<\/a> and gathers <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/childs-voice\/\" rel=\"noopener\">children&#8217;s opinions<\/a> and contributions.<\/li>\n<li>It is focused on evaluating current practice in the setting.<\/li>\n<li>Can involve multiple settings to <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/moderation\/\">moderate<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/quality-assurance\/\" rel=\"noopener\">quality assure<\/a> their self-evaluation records and learn together.<\/li>\n<li>Looks outwards to other settings to support continuous improvement.<\/li>\n<li>Identifies and records priorities for improvement, planned and recorded with clear criteria for success.<\/li>\n<li>Highlights key practitioners responsible for implementation, with transparent and manageable time scales.<\/li>\n<li>Should be evidenced so that the impact changes outcomes for children are recorded through <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/observations\/\" rel=\"noopener\">observation<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/tracking-monitoring-and-assessment\/\" rel=\"noopener\">tracking<\/a> and monitoring children&#8217;s progress, or gathering feedback from partners.<\/li>\n<li>It is communicated and shared to all partners, e.g. parents, families and stakeholders, where appropriate.<\/li>\n<li>Includes reflection and evaluation of improvements, which feeds into the next round of self-evaluation.<\/li>\n<li>Is informed by national and local guidance, frameworks and documents, e.g. The<a href=\"https:\/\/glowscotland-my.sharepoint.com\/personal\/earlylevelportal_glowmail_org_uk\/_layouts\/15\/onedrive.aspx?id=%2Fpersonal%2Fearlylevelportal%5Fglowmail%5Forg%5Fuk%2FDocuments%2FEarly%20Level%20Portal%20documents%2FTools%20pages%20documents%2F2%20National%20Guidance%20to%20support%2FA%20Quality%20Improvement%20Framework%20for%20the%20Early%20Learning%20%26%20childcare%20sectors%20Sept%202025%2Epdf&amp;parent=%2Fpersonal%2Fearlylevelportal%5Fglowmail%5Forg%5Fuk%2FDocuments%2FEarly%20Level%20Portal%20documents%2FTools%20pages%20documents%2F2%20National%20Guidance%20to%20support&amp;ga=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> New Quality Improvement Framework For Early Learning &amp; Childcare<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Ensure that improvement targets are <strong>SMART<\/strong> (<a href=\"https:\/\/hub.careinspectorate.com\/how-we-support-improvement\/care-inspectorate-programmes-and-publications\/early-learning-and-childcare-improvement-programme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Care Inspectorate Hub bitesize<\/a>):\n<ul>\n<li><strong>S<\/strong>pecific &#8211; what improvement needs to be accomplished?<\/li>\n<li><strong>M<\/strong>easurable &#8211; how will you know you have reached your aim?\u00a0 What is the evidence?<\/li>\n<li><strong>A<\/strong>chievable &#8211; is this aim possible to achieve?<\/li>\n<li><strong>R<\/strong>elevant &#8211; does the aim matter to the setting?<\/li>\n<li><strong>T<\/strong>ime-bound &#8211; when will the aim be accomplished?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"builder-text-column builder-text-column-2\" id=\"builder-section-text_11-column-2\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-content\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: right;\">\u00a0<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/self-evaluation-worked-example\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Self-Evaluation &#8211; worked example<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><strong>Highlight Key Documents using <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">iBooks<\/span> in iPad<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"ttfmake-embed-wrapper aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 960px;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"iBooks save key documents and edit them\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vHv9q55GF8A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><strong>Use Microsoft Forms to get feedback from stakeholders<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"ttfmake-embed-wrapper aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 960px;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Microsoft Forms Within Glow - Creating New Forms, Inserting Headers and Media.\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Szbb9Iigydc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"ttfmake-embed-wrapper aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 960px;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Microsoft Forms Within Glow - Sharing, Settings and Accessibility Features.\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/g8D-JZSpEw8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"builder-section-text_62\" class=\"builder-section-prev-text builder-section builder-section-text builder-section-next-text builder-section-full-width builder-text-columns-1\" style=\"background-size: cover; background-repeat: no-repeat;background-position: center center;\">\n<div class=\"builder-section-content\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-row\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-column builder-text-column-1\" id=\"builder-section-text_62-column-1\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-content\">\n<h3>\u00a0<\/h3>\n<h3>Ways we can do this:<\/h3>\n<p>Ensure time is allocated for self-evaluation at specific points during the year.\u00a0 A monitoring or <a href=\"https:\/\/hub.careinspectorate.com\/media\/4212\/qa-calendar.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">quality assurance calendar<\/a> must be used, supported by an organisational tools such as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlassian.com\/agile\/kanban\/boards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KanBan board<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Try integrating the self-evaluation process before any improvements you make in the setting.\u00a0 Looking at one particular area of practice to improve, consider:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How are we doing now with this area?<\/li>\n<li>What do the documents say about this area?\u00a0 Use the quality indicators to make a baseline assessment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Ask all stakeholders these same questions, gather ideas from everyone and move forward this way.\u00a0 Evidence this in a manageable way.<\/p>\n<p>Ensure all contributors to self-evaluation recognise and understand that the process is focused on identifying what a service is doing well and areas for improvement.<\/p>\n<p>Define the purpose of self-evaluation, is it aimed at a specific area or is it more of a general overview that will take more time.<\/p>\n<p>Ensure the timing to discuss the planned self-evaluation is convenient for most practitioners to attend.<\/p>\n<p>Invite members of the Senior Leadership Team or management in advance.\u00a0 In Private and Voluntary settings, consult with the Board of Trustees.<\/p>\n<p>Invite parents to participate in the process, either in person or via an online survey if appropriate.<\/p>\n<p>Children&#8217;s ideas and viewpoints can be gathered through discussions, observation of play, or reflecting on photographs or videos.<\/p>\n<p>Where different settings have a shared development goal, e.g. learning environment or <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/spaces-outdoor-learning\/\" rel=\"noopener\">outdoor learning<\/a>, nominate practitioners to meet to conduct self-evaluation together, sharing good practice and learning from each other&#8217;s self-evaluating techniques.<\/p>\n<p>Engaging with professional discussion with practitioners from other settings, joining professional discussion groups virtually, visiting different settings, or looking at photographs from ideas they have had.\u00a0 Trying to search the internet for good ideas or joining social media groups to see how specific areas have been developed.<\/p>\n<p>Ensure the responsible practitioner has the appropriate time given to accomplish their tasks.\u00a0 Record actions and collect evidence to measure the impact of change over time.<\/p>\n<p>The use of newsletters or other methods of communication to ensure parents and other partners are informed about the implementation of improvements.\u00a0 The use of video tours can be a highly effective method to illustrate changes to the environment for both current and prospective families.<\/p>\n<p>Ensure opportunities for practitioners to meet to discuss the progress of the development and evaluate the impact upon children&#8217;s learning.<\/p>\n<p>Gather evidence of impact through <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/observations\/\" rel=\"noopener\">observations<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/tracking-monitoring-and-assessment\/\" rel=\"noopener\">tracking<\/a> and feedback from practitioners, children and parents.\u00a0 Highlight the positive improvement and impact on the setting.<\/p>\n<p>See: <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/self-evaluation-worked-example\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Self-Evaluation &#8211; worked example<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"builder-section-text_37\" class=\"builder-section-prev-text builder-section builder-section-text builder-section-last builder-text-columns-2 layout-6\" style=\"background-size: cover; background-repeat: no-repeat;background-position: center center;\">\n<div class=\"builder-section-content\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-row\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-column builder-text-column-1\" id=\"builder-section-text_37-column-1\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-content\">\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"ttfmake-embed-wrapper aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 960px;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Self-evaluation workshop for the early learning and childcare sector\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TJoCzi1RIgQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"builder-text-column builder-text-column-2\" id=\"builder-section-text_37-column-2\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-content\">\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"ttfmake-embed-wrapper aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 960px;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bitesize: Self-evaluation video 1\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nigXPTBspp0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"builder-text-row\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-column builder-text-column-3\" id=\"builder-section-text_37-column-1\">\n<div class=\"builder-text-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Self-Evaluation Resources \uf0ad What is it? &#8220;Self-evaluation involves a continuous process of reflection and development&#8220;. (Realising the Ambition, Education Scotland, 2020, p. 85) &#8220;Self-evaluation is central to continuous improvement.\u00a0 It enables care settings to reflect on what they are doing so they can get to know what they do well and identify what they need &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7767,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-builder.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-912","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/912","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7767"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=912"}],"version-history":[{"count":84,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/912\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20874,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/912\/revisions\/20874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}