Accessing the system, logging in and your privacy
Anyone can access the Rotherham Online School Self-Evaluation Form (SEF). However, privacy is ensured by requiring users to log in using LA-assigned user names and passwords. Each school can see its own information only - schools will not be able to access the SEF of another school.
The names of all Rotherham schools have already been entered onto the system, in anticipation that the majority of schools in the borough may wish to use it as part of their ongoing self-evaluation.
Each school is currently set up with one user name and password (the head teacher) and the LA has written to all schools advising them of their log in details. A school can have as many users as it wishes, and they can be given either full 'edit' permission or limited to 'reviewer' status. A school administrator user will set up additional users as required.
Managing school users - school administrators
Clicking Users in the top navigation menu takes you to the list of school users. Initially, there will probably be only one or two users as these were originally set up by the LA.
To add a user, click New at the foot of the screen. Type the user's name in the fields, create a username and password and assign a user type from the four available options.
There are now four different school user types:
- Administrator - has full edit permission over the SEF content (i.e. the school's responses) and can add, edit and delete users
- Editor - is able to edit SEF content (i.e. the school's responses)
- Reviewer - is able to view the school's SEF but will not be able to edit the information
- SIP reviewer - is able to view the school's SEF but will not be able to edit the information.
Use the User type drop-down list to select or change the user type and click Submit to store the details in the system.
To change a username or password, or to change the user type (e.g. from Editor to Reviewer) click Edit next to that user's name. Make changes as required and click Submit to store the new details in the system.
To delete a user from the system, click Delete next to that user's name. A pop-up warning will ask you to confirm that you wish to delete the record. Click OK to confirm, or Cancel to halt the deletion.
Homepage
The 'homepage' for the SEF system has a What's New area and the LA will use this for special announcements and news relating to inspection and self-evaluation from Ofsted or the LA.
How to begin
In the Login box on the left-hand side of the first screen (homepage), enter your username and password. Check the Remember Me box if you don't want to enter your password next time you use the system. Click Login to access the SEF.
There are 7 sections, matching those in the new Ofsted form. These are:
Section number and title
1 Characteristics of your school
2 Views of learners, parents and other stakeholders
3 Achievements and standards
4 Personal development and wellbeing
5 The quality of provision
6 Leadership and management
7 Overall effectiveness and efficiency
Once logged in you will now see the 7 sections of the SEF. While the system is 'blank' you will see everything on one screen. As you begin to enter responses into the SEF, this screen will show your tariff rating or text response (see below) and the screen will scroll if necessary. Click on the orange buttons to select a section.
There are successive levels of questions in each section, each providing increased guidance. The 'first level' questions are the same as those in the Ofsted form and any that are mandatory (i.e. they relate to required responses in the Ofsted SEF) will be clearly indicated with the use of an O icon, bold text, and text in the accompanying response box saying 'Please note that this is the summative statement for this question that will be submitted to the Ofsted SEF.'
You don't have to complete every question, just work through the levels as you wish in order to inform your final overall rating.
There are 'tariff' answers at the top level of most sections and at points throughout the subsequent levels. These tariffs allow you to rate the school's performance in each of the seven areas of the SEF with the Ofsted standard four-point scale (inadequate, satisfactory, good or outstanding). The O icon will again display next to the tariff answers that are a requirement of the Ofsted SEF. Click on one of the scale responses and the system will show which you have selected.
You can revise your rating at any time as you work through the SEF, although it will become fixed along with all your other evidence at three points of the year (at the end of the spring, summer and autumn terms). This will then be stored under the History tab on the system, to provide a snapshot of the school's performance at that point of the year.
Other questions allow you to enter a text response. There is no limit to how much text you can enter here, although the nature of the SEF means that you should try to be concise and aim to complete these responses in two or three succinct paragraphs. NB: you must click the Save button to store your response in the system. Text responses can be edited as much as you wish, until they become fixed as part of the History.
Working with the online SEF
How you go about completing the SEF will largely be a matter of personal choice and preferred ways of working.
You may, for example, wish to allocate responsibility for individual sections of the SEF to a working group with one overall 'editor', or you may choose to allocate all subject or department heads responsibility.
All the questions are also stored as Microsoft Word and PDF files in the Resources area of each section. You can distribute hard copies or the Word or PDF files for groups to work on, or for people to work on even if they don't have access to the Internet. The information can then be collated and fed into the online SEF.
Adding evidence
Evidence can be added by attaching a document or file to the relevant question. You can browse (search for) the file from your computer folders in the normal way, then click on Submit to store the evidence as part of your form.
Save function
It is essential that you save your responses regularly. For example, logging out without clicking Save, pressing the Back button on your browser, navigating away from the SEF, or closing your browser window will result in the loss of work unless Save has been clicked. There is no 'auto save' function. It is useful to get into the habit of regularly clicking Save (for example, every couple of minutes); this is most important if you are answering a section that has lots of text boxes to complete. Note that if you press the Back button on your browser after you have clicked Save, then that response will be saved. You can, however, change your response, so long as it is changed before it becomes fixed as part of the History.
Using the crumbtrail to navigate
A crumbtrail shows each of the successive levels you have gone through to reach your current place in the system and shows on the left below the main tool bar. You can use the crumbtrail as a means of navigating through the site. For example, clicking on SEF will take you back to the front of the form.
Submit a 'good practice' case study
RMBC is keen for schools to share their experiences and good practice by way of case studies and the Resources area has been revised to handle the planned increase in the number of case studies.
Schools can now submit their own case studies using a simple form, which is then emailed to the LA for review and to be added to the SEF system.
Click the Submit case study link on the top navigation bar for further guidance and a case study form.