It consists of seven strands:
— vision and leadership
— curriculum
— teaching and learning
— assessment
— professional development
— resources and standards

Each strand is sub-divided into several criteria and there are 25 criteria in all (see annex 1). Each criterion is supported by detailed grade descriptors, identifying high, medium and low performance, based on inspection, research and other evidence. In addition, there is related guidance in how to use the criteria and suggested sources of evidence. These are in three broad categories: data and documentation; interviews with staff and pupils; and observations – for example of teaching and learning but this could also include a scrutiny of pupils’ work.

In spring 2004, 40 schools were selected to provide as balanced a sample as possible and were invited by Ofsted to take part in a pilot project making use of the framework over a period of 3 months. They were then inspected by a member of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate - against the same criteria and guidance – for the purpose of checking out the accuracy of their judgements. A further 15 schools volunteered to be “associate schools”, undertaking the self-evaluation but not receiving an inspection visit. Staff from Becta visited some of these schools in order to discuss the ways on which staff had used the CEF and their reactions to it.

Senior managers with ICT responsibility from the schools attended an initial training session in June 2004 in which they were given an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the guidance for using the CEF. During the training, delegates were reminded that they had some flexibility in the way they conducted their self- evaluation but were encouraged to involve as many other colleagues as possible. The documents were provided to support the process, including the list of possible evidence sources. Schools were asked to complete an audit profile identifying strengths and areas for development in each strand, as well as a grade profile. This grade profile provided points within each grade to allow for some additional interpretation, although this was intended to be impressionistic rather then exactly defined (see annex 2).

Inspectors found that the inconsistencies between schools’ ICT provision, noted in earlier Ofsted reports, were evident in the sample. In only a small minority of schools did pupils have an expectation that ICT would be a regular and significant element in their learning. More typical was a picture in which pupils’ use of ICT varied from subject to subject or from year to year. However, in general terms the use of ICT as a tool for learning was on the increase and this report provides examples of this from the sample of schools.

Following the project there was a conference in January 2005 for participating schools in order for staff to provide feedback on the process and on their views about the criteria and guidance. This feedback was then used to inform the final draft. All of the schools involved found the exercise useful. It helped them to focus on where development was needed and generally engaged senior management in more in-depth consideration of ICT than hitherto. Most felt it had helped them to determine where their strengths lay and where they needed to develop. However, many found the workload heavy and had difficulty in finding the time needed to devote to self-evaluation. For some, the language used provided an additional hurdle.

The final documents can be located on the Becta website at: http://www.becta.org.uk/leaders/school_leaders.cfm

Key findings on the dual evaluation
— Schools generally made effective use of the criteria and guidance provided to gather informative evidence for self-evaluation. The process was most effective where large numbers of staff and pupils had been involved in providing evidence and views.
— All of the schools found the process of value in identifying strengths and priorities for development. They found that the exercise: engaged the senior management team (SMT) in whole school ICT issues / was stimulating and sharpened the thinking of staff / gave the school a clearer view of priorities / resulted in evidence that was very revealing / gave clear guidance on how to evaluate and structure the process.
— Some schools found difficulties in: weighing multiple statements to give balanced grade judgements / coping with overlap in some descriptors / thinking about standards when there were no comparative measures (primary and special) / understanding some of the terminology and language / the volume of material and the time taken to undertake the exercise.
— Schools were divided on other important issues, including: the level of detail in the criteria
– some schools found this very helpful while others found they were not clear enough / the wording of questions – while many schools found this too difficult to share with other staff, others used them to help devise appropriate questions for them / the timing of the exercise.

Most schools involved in the project developed a clearer understanding of their strengths and a sharper focus on areas for development. Notably, in the primary schools this has helped to raise staff expectations about the potential for the use and impact of ICT across the curriculum.

After the CEF – towards a national ICT self review framework
Following on from this pilot project and because of the recognition of the growing importance of self review, there are now taking place national developments towards a nationally adopted ICT Self Review Framework. This fits in well with Ofsted’s new inspection regime, which, from September 2005, bases regular (three-yearly) short inspections on schools’ own self evaluation. They are expected to keep an up-to-date view of how the school is doing on a Self Evaluation Form (SEF). Although this makes no explicit reference to any curriculum area or aspect - so does not explicitly invite comment on ICT – there are clear links between the framework and the information that Ofsted now seeks. Whilst use of the ICT framework will not be compulsory, schools will be advised that its use will not only help them to improve provision for ICT in their school, but also provide valuable information and evidence in preparing their SEF.

Furthermore, the new framework and guidance will be linked to a quality mark for ICT – a nationally recognised standard to which all schools can aspire.

The new framework is being piloted currently and is expected to be nationally available from April 2006.