Educational Quality Development
in Early Years Settings and Schools
using ipf-QM certified through EFQM or INARD
Leading principles
Quality development and quality management in early years settings and schools has to respect the principles that lie at the heart of the institutions educational approach.
Quality development in the sense used here is seen essentially as an enhancement of what is already done to develop quality. Quality development starts with the teaching and builds on the work of the teachers’ meetings. Once introduced as a system, quality development should function within the existing organisational structures of the institution. Introducing the ipf-QM system does initially require extra work and some reorganisation but once bedded in, its procedures form a culture of quality development within the life of school. The whole process becomes a path of schooling for all those involved.
Self-directed quality management
The basic principle of ipf-QM is to foster self-evaluative, self-help communities. The ipf-QM system requires the organisation to fulfil certain basic requirements including quality development structures (e.g. staff development policies, strategic planning, evaluation of teaching and learning outcomes). Once these are in place the institution can apply to be certified at the level of basic practice. Following an initial induction (usually two days of workshop training) which is compulsory (and necessary) organisations can “ go it alone” until they are ready to be certified. The subsequent levels of ipf-QM are essentially based on practice-based research, for which some training in basic methods is necessary.
Ipf offers training workshops on various aspects of quality development, which are optional. Those who attend the ipf workshops can have this training certified and on completion of the full range of workshops are qualified to coach ipf-QM in other organisations. Thus a network of experience and competence can be build up within the organisation but also between partner institutions.
Colleagues who for example undertake a practice-based masters programme (such as the University of Plymouth Integrated Masers Programme) can use their modules to carry out practice-based research within their own organisations and this can make a major contribution to the ipf-QM and EFQM certification, both of which value research as a prime quality developing activity.
Furthermore the certification of quality in ipf-QM and EFQM/INARD is based on self-formulated criteria. This is a crucial part of the EFQM excellence approach. Each institution is responsible for setting its own goals. The challenge is to demonstrate that the steps taken towards quality development are documented in a way that is transparent and the methods used reliable, ethical and evidence-based.
Core Qualities
The core quality of a school is reflected in the learning and development of the pupils and co-workers. Therefore it is important for a school to have its own internal measures of that quality and not just to rely on external examinations and inspections. Therefore it is advisable to develop good indicators of pupil achievement, whether through portfolio documentation, student profiles or some other methods of monitoring and assessment that reflect the ethos of the school in addressing the whole person.
One of the reasons we created ipf-QM was because although we were convinced that most teaching is successful, we often didn’t really know how successful it actually is. We know there is always room for improvement, but we don’t know how much room and what needs doing because there has been little evidence-based discourse. Furthermore schools as public institutions are rightly called on to demonstrate their qualities in objective ways. Since education is a highly complex matter, it needs subtle and rigorous methods to identify its strengths and weaknesses and the factors influencing these.
Quality development requires courage, clear-sightedness and great care.
What is quality?
Quality is what we deem to be important and reflects the highest aspirations of a social organisation. What these are varies from institution to institution. This key question cannot be answered with a few phrases. Nevertheless one can formulate a few key principles that are almost certainly common to all institutions:
- The educational approach orientates itself around the individual’s developmental needs seen from a holistic perspective;
- The education strengthens the salutogenetic (health creating) processes;
- The teaching should be lively, artistic, and should engage the whole human being, body, soul and spirit;
- The teachers should be educational artists;
- The educational quality depends to a high degree on the quality of the relationships between all involved and especially the teamwork between the teachers.
These and other basic principles should influence how each individual teacher approaches their work. It is also necessary that each school adapt these principles in its curriculum to the local context. This whole school education plan determines the criteria that are used at levels to evaluate whether those involved are doing the right things and whether they are doing these as well as possible.
Thus educational quality development always has three levels; the teaching and learning process, the overall school quality and the way in which energy and resources both human and physical are applied to optimise this. These levels relate to each other in the same way an individual lesson plan relates to the Waldorf curriculum in any given school at any given moment. These levels relate to how potential is harnessed and realised.
A further level of quality development involves the outcome of these processes for the pupils, the parents and other stakeholders, including the contribution of the school to society at large.
Educational Quality Development for
Waldorf Early Years Settings and Schools
using ipf-QM certified through EFQM or INARD
Leading principles
Quality development and quality management in Steiner Waldorf schools has to respect the principles that lie at the heart of the educational approach. That means:
- Keeping the child and the developing human being at the centre of all endeavours;
- The teaching and learning processes are the main focus for quality development;
- Working with the anthroposophical understanding of human development;
- Building on the existing quality instruments within the institution such as the teachers’ meetings, class meetings, parents evenings, child studies and so on;
- Working to support the professional development of each teacher;
- Using methods that are compatible with anthroposophical research;
- Respecting the unique forms of self-administration common to Waldorf schools;
- Using the Waldorf curriculum as a basis for finding criteria for evaluating the teaching.
Quality development in the sense used here is seen essentially as an enhancement of what is already done to develop quality. Quality development starts with the teaching and builds on the work of the teachers’ meetings. Once introduced as a system, quality development should function within the existing organisational structures of the institution. Introducing the ipf-QM system does initially require extra work and some reorganisation but once bedded in, its procedures form a culture of quality development within the life of school. The whole process becomes a path of schooling for all those involved.
Why ipf-QM with certification?
The ipf-QM system can be certified using the internationally recognised criteria of the European Forum for Quality Management (EFQM). The combination of ipf expertise and the prominence of the EFQM Excellence Model is ideal for schools and other anthroposophical institutions wishing to professionally develop and certify their quality, without compromising their essential character. This can be very useful for example where the state requires compliance with standards, since ipf and EFQM and INARD have international recognition and standing.
The certification of quality in ipf-QM and EFQM/INARD is based on self-formulated criteria. This is a crucial part of the EFQM excellence approach. Each institution is responsible for setting its own goals. The challenge is to demonstrate that the steps taken towards quality development are documented in a way that is transparent and the methods used reliable, ethical and evidence-based.
Self-directed quality management
The basic principle of ipf-QM is to foster self-evaluative, self-help communities. The ipf-QM system requires the organisation to fulfil certain basic requirements including quality development structures (e.g. staff development policies, strategic planning, evaluation of teaching and learning outcomes). Once these are in place the institution can apply to be certified at the level of basic practice. Following an initial induction (usually two days of workshop training) which is compulsory (and necessary) organisations can “ go it alone” until they are ready to be certified. The subsequent levels of ipf-QM are essentially based on practice-based research, for which some training in basic methods is necessary.
ipf offers training workshops on various aspects of quality development, which are optional. Those who attend the ipf workshops can have this training certified and on completion of the full range of workshops are qualified to coach ipf-QM in other organisations. Thus a network of experience and competence can be build up within the organisation but also between partner institutions.
Colleagues who for example undertake a practice-based masters programme (such as the University of Plymouth Integrated Masers Programme) can use their modules to carry out practice-based research within their own organisations and this can make a major contribution to the ipf-QM and EFQM certification, both of which value research as a prime quality developing activity.
Core Qualities
The core quality of a school or social institution is reflected in the learning and development of the pupils and co-workers. Therefore it is important for a school to have its own internal measures of that quality and not just to rely on external examinations and inspections. Therefore it is advisable to develop good indicators of pupil achievement, whether through portfolio documentation, student profiles or some other methods of monitoring and assessment that reflect the ethos of the school in addressing the whole person.
One of the reasons we created ipf-QM was because although we were convinced that Waldorf Education successful is, we didn’t really know how successful. It is obvious to anyone who has longer experience and is willing to face the realities that Waldorf schools are not successful in everything and not successful in every case. We know there is room for improvement, but we don’t know how much room and what needs doing because there has been little evidence-based discourse. Furthermore schools as public institutions are rightly called on to demonstrate their qualities in objective ways. Since education is a highly complex matter, it needs subtle and rigorous methods to identify its strengths and weaknesses and the factors influencing these.
In the end quality development also has to do with continuously recreating Waldorf education out of its sources and not merely basing it on traditional practice and individual interpretation. Quality development requires courage, clear-sightedness and great care.
What is quality?
Quality is what we deem to be important and reflects the highest aspirations of a social organisation. What these are, varies from institution to institution. This key question cannot be answered with a few phrases. Nevertheless one can formulate a few key principles that are almost certainly common to all institutions:
- The educational approach orientates itself around the individual’s developmental needs seen from a holistic perspective;
- The education strengthens the salutogenetic (health creating) processes;
- The teaching should be lively, artistic, and should engage the whole human being, body, soul and spirit;
- The teachers should be educational artists;
- the educational quality depends to a high degree on the quality of the relationships between all involved and especially the team work between the teachers.
These and other basic principles should influence how each individual teacher approaches their work. It is also necessary that each school adapt these principles in its curriculum to the local context. This whole school education plan determines the criteria that are used at levels to evaluate whether those involved are doing the right things and whether they are doing these as well as possible.
Thus educational quality development always has three levels; the teaching and learning process, the overall school quality and the way in which energy and resources both human and physical are applied to optimise this. These levels relate to each other in the same way an individual lesson plan relates to the Waldorf curriculum in any given school at any given moment. These levels relate to how potential is harnessed and realised.
A further level of quality development involves the outcome of these processes for the pupils, the parents and other stakeholders, including the contribution of the school to society at large. This level has generally not had as much focus as the teaching in the development of the Steiner Waldorf schools movement up until now. The focus has tended to be on the teaching not the learning.
Many Waldorf teachers fear a loss of autonomy through quality management- indeed through management of any kind. And there is a risk that inappropriate procedures can become bureaucratic or restraining of initiative. The intention however is another one, namely that providing a pedagogical basis in anthroposophy, which rightly understood includes a rigorous science of the spirit, in which the teachers strive to understand the phenomena as they are, to act intelligently and reflect on what has occurred.
Rudolf Steiner described the task of the teachers’ meetings in terms of them being a living and permanent “Hochschule” which means university or academy in German – that is an organ of higher education within a school. In this academy the teachers share the fruits of their observations and experiences and through discourse broaden and deepen their individual and collective skills and knowledge. (see lecture 12 of the Ilkley Course, 17 th August 1923) The activities Steiner described are those of action research based quality development. Interestingly one of the main reasons for doing this according to Steiner, was so that it would enable “the teachers to maintain their inner vitality instead of actually growing old in soul and spirit.” (Steiner: 1972:208)
This vitality is gained through the “true life blood” of the school flowing to a central organ. What is the “true life blood”? It is clearly the essence of life rather than theory. How things really are, what the pupils demand, what society and the times call for, the social and spiritual climate of the times have to be perceived in the academy of teachers so that they can develop new skills and adapt the education accordingly. That is the task of action research and quality development.
Quality Development for
Special education school and curative homes and communities
using ipf-QM certified through EFQM or INARD
Leading principles
Quality development and quality management in special education schools, curative education centres and therapeutic communities based on an anthroposophical approach has to respect the principles that lie at the heart of the approach. These include:
- Keeping the child and the developing human being at the centre of all endeavours;
- The teaching and learning processes are the main focus for quality development;
- Working with the anthroposophical understanding of human development;
- Building on the existing quality instruments within the institution such as the co-worker and staff meetings, case conferences, child studies and so on;
- Working to support the professional development of each teacher and therapist;
- Using methods that are compatible with anthroposophical research;
- Respecting the unique forms of self-administration common to anthroposophical institutions;
Quality development in the sense used here is seen essentially as an enhancement of what is already done to develop quality. Quality development starts with the teaching and builds on the work of the staff meetings. Once introduced as a system, quality development should function within the existing organisational structures of the institution. Introducing the ipf-QM system does initially require extra work and some reorganisation but once bedded in, its procedures form a culture of quality development within the life of institution. The whole process becomes a path of schooling for all those involved.
Why ipf-QM with certification?
The ipf-QM system can be certified using the internationally recognised criteria of the European Forum for Quality Management (EFQM). The combination of ipf expertise and the prominence of the EFQM Excellence Model is ideal for schools and other anthroposophical institutions wishing to professionally develop and certify their quality, without compromising their essential character. This can be very useful for example where the state requires compliance with standards, since ipf and EFQM and INARD have international recognition and standing.
The certification of quality in ipf-QM and EFQM/INARD is based on self-formulated criteria. This is a crucial part of the EFQM excellence approach. Each institution is responsible for setting its own goals. The challenge is to demonstrate that the steps taken towards quality development are documented in a way that is transparent and the methods used reliable, ethical and evidence-based.
Self-directed quality management
The basic principle of ipf-QM is to foster self-evaluative, self-help communities. The ipf-QM system requires the organisation to fulfil certain basic requirements including quality development structures (e.g. staff development policies, strategic planning, evaluation of teaching and learning outcomes). Once these are in place the institution can apply to be certified at the level of basic practice. Following an initial induction (usually two days of workshop training) which is compulsory (and necessary) organisations can “ go it alone” until they are ready to be certified. The subsequent levels of ipf-QM are essentially based on practice-based research, for which some training in basic methods is necessary.
ipf offers training workshops on various aspects of quality development, which are optional. Those who attend the ipf workshops can have this training certified and on completion of the full range of workshops are qualified to coach ipf-QM in other organisations. Thus a network of experience and competence can be build up within the organisation but also between partner institutions.
Colleagues who for example undertake a practice-based masters programme (such as the University of Plymouth Integrated Masers Programme) can use their modules to carry out practice-based research within their own organisations and this can make a major contribution to the ipf-QM and EFQM certification, both of which value research as a prime quality developing activity.
Core Qualities
The core quality of a school or social institution is reflected in the learning and development of the pupils and co-workers. Therefore it is important for a school to have its own internal measures of that quality and not just to rely on external examinations and inspections. Therefore it is advisable to develop good indicators of pupil achievement, whether through portfolio documentation, student profiles or some other methods of monitoring and assessment that reflect the ethos of the institution in addressing the whole person.
Quality development requires courage, clear-sightedness and great care.
What is quality?
Quality is what we deem to be important and reflects the highest aspirations of a social organisation. What these are, varies from institution to institution. This key question cannot be answered with a few phrases. Nevertheless one can formulate a few key principles that are almost certainly common to all institutions:
- The educational approach orientates itself around the individual’s developmental needs seen from a holistic perspective;
- The education strengthens the salutogenetic (health creating) processes;
- The teaching should be lively, artistic, and should engage the whole human being, body, soul and spirit;
- the educational and therapeutic quality depends to a high degree on the quality of the relationships between all involved and especially the team work between the teachers.
These and other basic principles should influence how each individual teacher, care worker or therapist approaches their work. It is also necessary that each school/institution adapt these principles in its curriculum to the local context. This whole school /institution education plan determines the criteria that are used at levels to evaluate whether those involved are doing the right things and whether they are doing these as well as possible.
There is always a risk that inappropriate procedures can become bureaucratic or restraining of initiative. The intention however is another one, namely that providing a pedagogical basis in anthroposophy, which rightly understood includes a rigorous science of the spirit, in which the teachers, care workers and therapists strive to understand the phenomena as they are, to act intelligently and reflect on what has occurred.
Quality Development for
Adult education centres and higher education
using ipf-QM certified through EFQM or INARD
Leading principles
Quality development and quality management in adult education centres and higher educational institutions (HEIs) has to respect the principles that lie at the heart of the institution’s educational approach. These may include:
- Keeping the learner and the developing human being at the centre of all endeavours;
- The teaching and learning processes are the main focus for quality development;
- Linking management and teaching closely;
- Maintaining close links and feedback loops with schools;
- Working to support the professional development of each member of staff;
- Using methods which enhance practice, such as those of action research and practice-based evaluation;
- Respecting the unique forms of administration of each institution;
Quality development in the sense used here is seen essentially as an enhancement of what is already done to develop quality. Quality development starts with the teaching and builds on the work of the staff meetings and management meetings. Once introduced as a system, quality development should function within the existing organisational structures of the institution. Introducing the ipf-QM system does initially require extra work and some reorganisation but once bedded in, its procedures form a culture of quality development within the life of institution. The whole process becomes a path of schooling for all those involved.
Why ipf-QM with certification?
The ipf-QM system can be certified using the internationally recognised criteria of the European Forum for Quality Management (EFQM). The combination of ipf expertise and the prominence of the EFQM Excellence Model is ideal for independent adult education centres as well as higher education institutions wishing to professionally develop and certify their quality, without compromising their essential character. This can be very useful for example where the state requires compliance with standards, since ipf and EFQM and INARD have international recognition and standing.
The certification of quality in ipf-QM and EFQM/INARD is based on self-formulated criteria. This is a crucial part of the EFQM excellence approach. Each institution is responsible for setting its own goals. The challenge is to demonstrate that the steps taken towards quality development are documented in a way that is transparent and the methods used reliable, ethical and evidence-based.
Self-directed quality management
The basic principle of ipf-QM is to foster self-evaluative, self-help communities. The ipf-QM system requires the organisation to fulfil certain basic requirements including quality development structures (e.g. staff development policies, strategic planning, evaluation of teaching and learning outcomes). Once these are in place the institution can apply to be certified at the level of basic practice. Following an initial induction (usually two days of workshop training) which is compulsory (and necessary) organisations can “ go it alone” until they are ready to be certified. The subsequent levels of ipf-QM are essentially based on practice-based research, for which some training in basic methods is necessary.
ipf offers training workshops on various aspects of quality development, which are optional. Those who attend the ipf workshops can have this training certified and on completion of the full range of workshops are qualified to coach ipf-QM in other organisations. Thus a network of experience and competence can be build up within the organisation but also between partner institutions.
Core Qualities
The core quality of an adult education institution is reflected in the learning and development of the students and staff members. Therefore it is important for an adult education centre or HEI to have its own internal measures of that quality and not just to rely on external examinations and inspections. Therefore it is advisable to develop good indicators of pupil achievement, whether through portfolio documentation, student profiles or some other methods of monitoring and assessment that reflect the ethos of the institution in addressing the whole person.
Quality development requires courage, clear-sightedness and great care.
What is quality?
Quality is what we deem to be important and reflects the highest aspirations of a social organisation. What these are varies from institution to institution. This key question cannot be answered with a few phrases. Nevertheless one can formulate a few key principles that are almost certainly common to all institutions:
- The educational approach orientates itself around the individual’s developmental needs seen from a holistic perspective;
- The education strengthens the salutogenetic (health creating) processes;
- The teaching should be lively, artistic, and should engage the whole human being, body, soul and spirit;
- The educational quality depends to a high degree on the quality of the relationships between all involved and especially the team work between the staff.
- Adult students should be fully involved in all quality development procedures.
- The quality of adult education depends to a great extent on the quality of research carried out within the institution.
- Discourse, peer-review and general academic exchange are vital to quality development in adult education.
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These and other basic principles should influence how each individual staff member approaches their work. It is also necessary that each institution adapt these principles in its curriculum to the local context in response to need. This means ensuring that the study programmes it offers are regularly reviewed with key stakeholders to ensure their relevance.
There is always a risk that inappropriate procedures can become bureaucratic or restraining of initiative. Care has to be taken that quality procedures not become mere formalities but engage the interest and commitment of staff and students to reflect on their roles and work.
Perhaps a key issue in adult education is to overcome the tendency towards the isolated autonomy of the individual, be they teacher or student. The quality of exchange, discourse and cooperation between both is essential and this often requires more than good will alone. It usually requires an element of management and organisation.
The key areas of quality development in adult education are:
- quality of learning processes
- research
- leadership
- people management
- resources management
- policy and strategy
- stakeholder feedback
- interaction with society.
Ipf-QM provides a framework for the development of quality within these fields.
Quality Development for
Service providers and ethical businesses, NGOs and charities
using ipf-QM certified through EFQM or INARD
Leading principles
Quality development and quality management in service providers, ethical businesses, NGOs and charities have to respect the principles that lie at the heart of those institutions’ vision or mission statement. Quality development means actively working to realise those aims and quality management is ensuring that this is done in a systematic, efficient and constructive way.
Quality development in the sense used here is seen essentially as an enhancement of what is already done to develop quality within the organisation. Once introduced as a system, quality development should function within the existing organisational structures of the institution. Introducing the ipf-QM system does initially require extra work and some reorganisation but once bedded in, its procedures form a culture of quality development within the life of institution. The whole process becomes a path of schooling for all those involved.
Why ipf-QM with certification?
The ipf-QM system can be certified using the internationally recognised criteria of the European Forum for Quality Management (EFQM). The combination of ipf expertise and the prominence of the EFQM Excellence Model is ideal for organisations who have a clear ethos that goes beyond the optimisation of profits and cares in a meaningful way for its customers and co-workers who wish to formalise their quality development without compromising their essential character. This can be very useful for example where the state requires compliance with standards, since ipf and EFQM and INARD have international recognition and standing.
The certification of quality in ipf-QM and EFQM/INARD is based on self-formulated criteria. This is a crucial part of the EFQM excellence approach. Each institution is responsible for setting its own goals. The challenge is to demonstrate that the steps taken towards quality development are documented in a way that is transparent and the methods used reliable, ethical and evidence-based.
Self-directed quality management
The basic principle of ipf-QM is to foster self-evaluative, self-help communities. The ipf-QM system requires the organisation to fulfil certain basic requirements including quality development structures (e.g. staff development policies, strategic planning, evaluation of teaching and learning outcomes). Once these are in place the institution can apply to be certified at the level of basic practice. Following an initial induction (usually two days of workshop training) which is compulsory (and necessary) organisations can “ go it alone” until they are ready to be certified. The subsequent levels of ipf-QM are essentially based on practice-based research, for which some training in basic methods is necessary.
ipf offers training workshops on various aspects of quality development, which are optional. Those who attend the ipf workshops can have this training certified and on completion of the full range of workshops are qualified to coach ipf-QM in other organisations. Thus a network of experience and competence can be build up within the organisation but also between partner institutions.
What is quality?
Quality is what we deem to be important and reflects the highest aspirations of a socially orientated service provider. What these are varies from organisation to organisation. This key question cannot be answered with a few phrases. Therefore it is crucial that quality criteria relate directly to the vision, aims and targets the organisation has set itself. In as far as possible ipf-QM requires organisations to manage their work processes in such a way that quality development and quality assurance are part of all processes and that all stakeholders are included in reflecting on the conditions of providing the services and assessing the outcomes in relation to the key ethos and aims.
There is always a risk that inappropriate procedures can become bureaucratic or restraining of initiative. Care has to be taken that quality procedures not become mere formalities but engage the interest and commitment of staff and students to reflect on their roles and work.
Perhaps a key issue in businesses and service providers is to overcome the tendency towards the isolated autonomy of the individual. The ideal is to liberate the individual to develop their creative potential and initiative whilst enhancing the overall quality of the provision.
The key areas of quality development in adult education are:
- quality of learning processes
- research
- leadership
- people management and development
- resources management
- policy and strategy
- stakeholder feedback
- interaction with society.
Ipf-QM provides a framework for the development of quality within these fields.