School improvement advisers play a ’key role’ in ensuring the quality of education.

That’s the view of Education Minister Graham Cregeen.

He was asked in a Tynwald question by Julie Edge (Onchan) to outline the job description for the advisers and whether their reports would be published.

Mr Cregeen said external validation reports were produced for each school over a three-year cycle and were published on the government website, as well as that of the school concerned.

The minister said the school improvements advisers’ job included carrying out school inspections.

’School improvement advisers play a key role in undertaking the quality assurance of educational provision and provide support to schools in their development and delivery of provision as well as challenging them to ensure a focus is maintained on striving for improved outcomes for pupils,’ he added.

The inspections should be carried out in a way that:

â?¢Builds the capacity of school leaders to make accurate judgments about their schools and encourages them to think critically about their own practice;

â?¢Supports, and is congruent with, the school’s ongoing school improvement process;

â?¢Is based on the robust evidence which occurs naturally as part of the school’s work;

â?¢Is ’transparent’ and based on open dialogue between schools and the education improvement service.

Each adviser also supports a group of schools as ’link adviser’.

They are expected to provide a link between the school and the Department of Education, Sport & Culture and use a ’comprehensive range’ of data as the base for discussion with key members of staff and governors. That data includes performance, attendance, special educational needs and staffing.

In addition, they should keep a close eye on the progress of vulnerable pupils and provision for all pupils.

The adviser will monitor standards and provide ’challenges’ for the head teacher and teaching staff’.

They will evaluate the self-review process in the school, progress towards targets in the school improvement plan and validate review outcomes.

In addition they are expected to support schools in developing their curriculum and assist primary head teachers in performance management.

Mr Cregeen added: ’It’s also worth noting that this team does considerably more than inspect schools and is also responsible, for example, for the appointment and line management of senior staff in schools, the development of educational policy, offering advice to political members and other government departments, liaison with other jurisdictions and innovation and staff development.’

There are five school improvement advisers and each has an individual portfolio of responsibilities, including, for example, subject responsibilities, newly qualified teachers and transition between school phases.