The toolkit includes a series of formats which allow for easy recording of insightful ‘judgements’ about the observed teacher/s’ performance. The system is based on what teachers can do rather than what they can’t do and is therefore very unthreatening. However, it makes very clear how far they have to travel to reach the next standard level. The Toolkit includes:
- Teaching quality standards for all Key Stages including the Foundation Stage
- Formats for teacher self evaluation
- Formats to enable pupils to evaluate their own learning
- A framework to support student/pupil support work scrutiny Materials to support the development of a whole school policy for teaching and learning
- A manual to guide the lesson observer
- A pen drive/USB with all the pages so that they can be easily photocopied and a Powerpoint explaining how WIGT should be used
WIGT will ensure that the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) are confident to make judgements on the quality of teaching and learning. It will enable paired observations to moderate judgements, ensuring the school achieves the consistency that Ofsted expects, leading to sustained and embedded good practice.
About the Author
Heather Clements trained as primary teacher in the late 1970s having had an earlier career in fashion retailing. Coming into teaching as a mature student Heather set a 10 year goal for her first headship which she achieved in 1990 become headteacher of an all through primary school with nursery in Buckinghamshire. After 11 years as a successful headteacher during which time Heather was seconded to the local authority and mentored several new headteachers Heather became a primary adviser taking on responsibility for the new primary curriculum.
In this role Heather developed many of the ideas and principles which still underpin her work today. She has a passion for empowering schools to understand and improve themselves and within this for supporting teachers and school leaders in their drive towards achieving outstanding teaching and learning.
Heather went on to become Head of School Improvement in Harrow and latterly Director of Schools before becoming an independent consultant in 2011.
The WIGT Toolkit has been developed and refined over almost 10 years to the version we have today. It was the subject of Heather’s masters degree research and has been used extensively and tried and tested in three local authorities and has underpinned Heather’s training for Schools and School Leaders.
