Consultation on the Draft Self-assessment Instrument
Following on from the launch of Síolta: The National Quality Framework for Early Education in 2006, the CECDE is currently in the process of developing assessment procedures to complement the Framework and to allow the Centre to implement it. Having conducted a review of both national and international assessment procedures, the Centre proposes a three-stage process:
Stage 1: Registration – including expression of interest on the part of the ECCE setting, dissemination of relevant information (an overview of the Síolta processes, guidelines re: minimum requirements for registration and evidence of compliance with relevant legislation and regulations, the appropriate Síolta User Manuals, a copy of the Guidelines for Portfolio, Documentation and Evidence Collection, and a Registration form) and the decision to proceed.
Stage 2: Evidence Collection – including familiarity with the Guidelines for Portfolio, Documentation and Evidence Collection and the Self-assessment Instrument.
Stage 3: Validation – external evaluation of internal quality development processes and the culmination of both formative and summative data.
Stage two is currently under development by the CECDE i.e. Guidelines for Portfolio, Documentation and Evidence Collection and the Self-assessment Instrument. The CECDE recently carried out a process of consultation with its Consultative Committee on the newly-developed Síolta Self-assessment Instrument and accompanying Exemplars. In total 44% of the representative organisations on the Committee responded; this included 100% of those organisations with a role in supporting high quality practice in the ECCE sector. The majority of respondents endorsed the instrument and the exemplars at every level. However, a small number of respondents suggested minor amendments or revisions which the CECDE considered and amendments were made as appropriate.
Following the detailed consultation process and the revision of the instrument and exemplars, an informal Practitioner Advisory Forum was established to audit the language used and the content of the exemplars specific to each setting type.
With a high endorsement from the sector, the CECDE is confident that the revisions made to the tool and its exemplars reflect best practice within the Irish context and we are now in a position to pilot the tool this coming September. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the organisations and practitioners who contributed to the above process through the CECDE Consultative Committee and the Practitioner Advisory Forum. As ever, we greatly value the time and effort that individuals contribute to develop and support quality within the ECCE sector.
For a more detailed outline of the consultation findings, please see a recent presentation made to the Consultative Committee on this.
The CECDE will continue to develop the Validation Instruments and will consult on such tools when they have reached their draft stages.
For further information on the CECDE’s proposed assessment processes and procedures, please contact Karen Mahony, Development Officer.
Site last updated:
9 September, 2010
Centre for Early Childhood Development & Education
Gate Lodge, St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. Tel: 00353 (0)1 8842110 Fax: 00353 (0)1 8842111
Email: early.childhood@spd.dcu.ie
