The new Teacher Standards come into force in September 2012 but is it really the case that teachers must wait until then before using them? A more relevant question perhaps is "What happens to all my evidence from the past?". Having invested so much of their time in generating an evidence base for one format, is it really fair to ask teachers to do it all again?

Answers to these questions are the reason why Bluewave.SWIFT exists; leaders in education will recognise there must be continuity and succession planning if we are to ensure the burden of bureaucracy does not impinge on the core business of a school. In other words, administration must be made easier.

Teachers using Bluewave.SWIFT have "future-proofed" their evidence. Simply storing their evidence and documents in a unique way ensures that it all comes to the surface in the right place in the future, regardless of what the next version of teaching standards looks like. This method works for all staff and indeed for the whole school meaning that everyone can have a truly lifelong record of progress all in one place, all interconnected to Performance Management and to Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

The Teacher Standards 2012 are built into Bluewave.SWIFT alongside the current teaching standards. Headteacher standards are also included as well as Teaching Assistant standards and the National Occupational Standards for support staff.

The Performance Management process has long been one of the most attractive features of the package and many schools declare they wouldn't be without it. Changes for the new requirements are well underway and it should be reassuring that these changes are heavily influenced by existing users (we even use SWIFT as a medium for consultation). PM in SWIFT follows the statutory processes and procedures but will also provide the school with unrivalled flexibility around lesson observation criteria and analysis, ensuring that you have all the right information to hand regardless of the circumstances.

All performance objectives can be intelligently driven by (not just copied and pasted as in some systems) the School Development Plan and in turn can drive evidence into the new Professional Standards (already built into SWIFT). The ongoing record of evidence for all stakeholders provides an opportunity for discussion at every stage of the process; ensuring that decisions made around career progression, capability and professional development are clearly informed. SWIFT enables everyone to draw the maximum benefit from everything they do within their role.

The SWIFT approach is unique, it's sustainable and it's future proof; it can be used by schools, individuals within education, Local Authorities, clusters, academy groups and federations. If you would like to know more, get in touch and we can provide references from many clients that will gladly discuss their experience with you.

We shall be continuing to offer this service to all schools, current and prospective clients alike, to ensure that we are able to deliver the most suitable reports for all schools. If you would like to work with SWIFT to tailor your own report, we are booking-in time slots for our official trainers to consult with you with regard to changes you may wish to make to your own reports. For a free demonstration on how Bluewave.SWIFT can deliver the right report for you; be it for a PRU, SEN school, inner city, urban, international or independent; simply contact us via the website or in the office on 0845 4900 447.

There is much talk across the sector regarding the provision of alternative SEFs but our experience tells us that almost all are simply Word documents based on the Draft Inspection Schedule and the Draft Evaluation Schedule released on the 30th of September.
www.ofsted.gov.uk/news/shape-of-school-inspection-2012-0

At Bluewave we believe there is a better solution, something that is practical, coherent and future proof; something that enables schools to build upon past successes and ensure that examples of good practice and achievement are always presented in the right place at the right time. Above all, it must be easy to use and it must save time.

To follow on from the success of our SEF transfer and SEF Builder packages Bluewave has turned the Draft Evaluation Schedule into a self-evaluation template and made it available within SWIFT.

The template provides the perfect starting point for all school levels and types when addressing whole-school evaluation. What's more the template is dynamic and can be tailored to suit any school's evaluation requirements; addressing Ofsted's desire to make self-evaluation an individualised process. Using SWIFT to complete your SEF means that when (or if) a new framework comes along your evidence will be automatically cross-referenced.

Presenting information has never been so easy; all your self-evaluation and evidence can be centrally stored and drawn upon when challenged, removing the need for endless paper-based systems. Furthermore if you purchase a full Bluewave.SWIFT licence you can enable your School Development Plan to drive the information into your self-evaluation document allowing multiple staff to contribute and removing needless duplication.

For £250* (+VAT) you can order the SEF template today by completing a copy of our order form and begin working in the 2012 inspection schedule. Or alternatively for a full online demonstration of the SWIFT package please contact us to check availability.

All current SWIFT Licence holders** will be provided the Bluewave.SWIFT Self Evaluation template for free in their package; for information on how to access it please don't hesitate to contact us.

We acknowledge there is some expectation that Ofsted and other organisations will produce frameworks for supporting schools and we welcome this; the great news is that you can re-create any framework within SWIFT and still make use of the coherent approach that makes SWIFT the leading product for self-evaluation at all levels within schools. Even better news is that you can create your own 'SEF' today and simply re-map it when (or if) a new framework comes along later.

The SEF function is part of a new approach to whole school self-evaluation and there are other topics that can be addressed in the same way. We have created a type of report we call 'Snapshots' which can be very sharply focussed on a single topic e.g. Safeguarding, Behaviour etc. and the SEF Snapshot is simply a whole school version of the same thing – it's that simple!

Purchase this service now for just £250.00 + vat by downloading our order form and you can start building your own SEF today. AS A SPECIAL OFFER we will also transfer your current SEF* pdf/doc (if you have one) into SWIFT free of charge for purchases made before September 30th this year.

You will probably be aware that access to the online interactive SEF will cease as of 22nd July 2011. You will be able to save and access a Pdf copy and instructions on how to do this are provided by Ofsted here.

Some may ask "what use is another piece of paper?" and we would probably echo that question; schools are buried in paper and data and it's not always easy to get meaningful information to rise to the surface. However, there is an alternative. Bluewave.SWIFT is unique in many ways, one being that you can download your current Ofsted SEF directly into the system and carry on using it as a dynamic document, a workplace for ongoing self-evaluation across the school. We see that as a fairly basic requirement and the very least that service providers should offer. The real benefit of this approach comes once you have downloaded your SEF into SWIFT.

Your SEF will continue to be updated as evidence automatically flows between your SEF and your development plans and drives performance management and ongoing CPD. What this means for schools is that there is far less work to do, far less paper involved (none ideally) and huge savings in time.

"What if I want a new format for my SEF?" No problem; the Ofsted SEF can be changed in size and scope or, alternatively, you can create your very own format with your own focus or criteria built in. If a new Ofsted structure comes along then all of your existing self-evaluation and evidence will automatically re-surface in all the right places.

You may not yet be ready to take on board all aspects of SWIFT right now so we are making a special offer to schools that recognise the need for some continuity; download your SEF into SWIFT before 22nd July for just £95.00 + VAT and it will stay there ready for you to use later on. Should you decide to purchase SWIFT for use across all aspects of self-evaluation within the next twelve months we will credit you with the £95.00 already paid.

Please remember, Bluewave.SWIFT is the only independently assessed award winning system of this kind. The SWIFT network is growing each year and this is your easy option to join schools around the country that are already working in the 21st century.

Once the final version is known we will make it available in Bluewave.SWIFT within a very short timeframe as we did when the SEF changed last year. Those of you that already use Bluewave.SWIFT will know that your existing self-evaluation will be carried forward and is likely to form the majority of your evidence for the new Standard.

Those that don't yet use SWIFT should see this as another example of how we stay in touch with - and often ahead of - current legislation in order to make your school life easier. You can begin your self-evaluation and evidence gathering today due to the unique, future-proof nature of Bluewave.SWIFT and you will be well prepared for the official release scheduled for September this year. The proposal at this stage is for schools to complete the Standard annually with some having a deadline of April 2012.

Schools already using SWIFT know that all of their past evidence is carried forward so there is never the need to 'start from scratch'. Not only that, but the same evidence is available for many different reports (even the ones you don't yet know about) enabling you to see the cross-referencing without all of the hard work.

If you are already using SWIFT then just get in touch for a brief overview of how to build your new SEF; if not then please send us an email or telephone the number provided and we'll show you in just a few minutes how easy it is to do.

Don't worry about the changes coming in September – just use Bluewave.SWIFT.

'Safeguarding' is one of the audits built in to Bluewave.SWIFT and enables Local Authorities to work with schools coherently when addressing this issue. Visit our 'Snapshot' page here.

As with the SEF, this move may be applauded by some but not by all; frameworks have a purpose and, if structured logically, they can provide a well thought out journey for schools to follow in areas where they may not necessarily be too confident.

FMSiS has been included in the suite of reports available in Bluewave.SWIFT for some time now and will continue to be there for as long as schools need it. The main benefit however is that whatever the newer, simpler assessment looks like, the framework built in to Bluewave.SWIFT will cater for it. Not only that, but all of your existing self-evaluation will be 'carried over'.

One of the biggest frustrations for school leaders is that as soon as they plan anything, a Department change comes along and means they have to re-think or even start afresh. The impending change in approach to FMSiS is another example of how schools using Bluewave.SWIFT simply don't have that worry.

He was particularly proud (rightly so) that he had achieved this by ensuring all aspects of the plan impacted upon the final report and that it took him very little time. 'How did the Head react to this?' I asked, 'She was absolutely delighted and amazed' he answered.

So, what does this mean for other schools? It means that we will show you how to achieve the same outcome with the same ease that he did and it means you can stop worrying about the future pressures of self-evaluation for inspection.

One obvious solution to the problem of spending more is to drive the prices down. Schools can do this by forming clusters, which they already do for educational reasons, but they can form clusters specifically to enhance their buying power.

We are happy to support this approach and we are extending one of our existing client offers to all non-client schools. Where there is a like minded approach to self-evaluation amongst a group of schools, simply present your group to Bluewave as a 'buying cluster' and we will apply group discounts determined by the number in the group. You can arrange an in-school demonstration for the group and evaluate our offering collectively secure in the knowledge that if you go on to engage you will be able to collaborate within Bluewave.SWIFT and take all the benefits of an award winning system at a reduced cost.

If you're going to spend money, make sure it's spent on something that will benefit you and your colleagues for years to come.

The one guarantee is that children will keep turning up full of hope, expectation and above all, full of potential. They are not to blame for the lack of funding or the lack of clarity.

One of the great strengths of our education system is that our people will keep pushing themselves to achieve, often against all the odds. A possible danger arising from the current climate and the nervousness it brings is that we render a vibrant and talented workforce inert. In tough times it's the innovators that lead the way out.

Against this backdrop it will become difficult for all suppliers in the education sector to justify their offering and their proposition. School leaders will have difficult decisions to make but they must be made; sometimes it is right to invest in your future. At Bluewave we are committed to providing a high quality service that meets the practical needs of your school and ensures you can work in the most time and cost effective ways.

We hope to be demonstrating some new features in Bluewave.SWIFT and we believe they will really hit the spot in terms of practicality and convenience for schools wishing to adopt an integrated and coherent approach to managing school improvement.

We will be on Stand E95 and we look forward to welcoming new enquiries as well as our long established clients. If there are any aspects of managing school improvement you would like us to cover specifically at BETT just send an email and we will do our best to accommodate.

That final sentence is perhaps the most important of all and should not get lost in the confusion. Knowing where you have come from, where you are today and where you are going is the key to sustained development and improvement. How you are going to achieve this is down to you – managing the process is where Bluewave.SWIFT makes it all possible.

As far as we are concerned Mr. Gove's action can be seen as a good move or a bad one depending upon your role in the school and how you currently address the issue of completing the SEF. Either way, it signals the coming of age for Bluewave.SWIFT.

Bluewave.SWIFT has a unique structure that enables you to 'map' your self-evaluation to any framework within education. That means self-evaluation past and present and 'frameworks' past, present and future, including of course, the SEF. Therefore our advice to our clients is 'keep evaluating in Bluewave.SWIFT and when you are ready, produce your own self-evaluation report. If you want the SEF structure then use it, if not create your own.'

Schools that have benefitted from our consultancy work will testify we have been advising for some time, 'don't become a slave to the SEF'. This announcement is the reason why. Your school is more important than a bureaucratic document and Bluewave.SWIFT will support you if you follow that line of thinking.

Working with one of the leading schools in Wales that had a significant contribution to shaping the new framework, Bluewave.SWIFT demonstrates once again that by listening to school leaders we will continue to deliver support that is relevant, effective and perhaps above all, necessary.

All previously entered evidence and self-evaluation is simple carried forward and re-aligned into the new framework. This means schools don't have to worry about re-alignment, duplication or cross-referencing; they simply get on with the important task of education.

Using the Steer report as the basis for our evaluation framework, this Snapshot is authored by John Freeman, a well respected Head of Service for Health and Wellbeing working in Education Leeds, Leeds City Council. John has over twenty years experience of local authority advisory work including Ofsted inspections in a large number of schools and authorities.

A snapshot is a focussed self-evaluation framework that enables you to draw upon all relevant evidence and self-evaluation and to produce an ongoing audit document. Read more about Snapshots here.

You can also read more about the background to the Behaviour snapshot here.

The Safeguarding snapshot has been compiled by experts currently engaged in child protection within the field of education. You can therefore rest assured that all the key issues are addressed and that by completing the evaluation, you can produce a fully comprehensive report of how you are dealing with these issues.

Schools that have a full Bluewave.SWIFT licence only need to purchase the Snapshot once and it will be in your system for the duration of your licence. Other schools can purchase the individual Snapshots and have temporary access to the system, giving you sufficient time to build an evidence base and to self-evaluate accordingly. Your final document can be saved and all your input will be retained should you go on to purchase a Bluewave.SWIFT licence at a future date.

A snapshot is a focussed self-evaluation framework. However, whereas most self evaluation frameworks are simply a list of questions necessitating that you 'start from scratch' every time, using a snapshot in Bluewave.SWIFT means you are always drawing upon the good work you have already done whilst at the same time contributing to the next Snapshot. In other words we recognise that development, improvement and self-evaluation will be relevant to more than one aspect of your school and your overall improvement agenda.

We are committed to providing Snapshots on all the hot topics as they arise - sometimes before! When you use the Snapshot you will see the key areas of managing school improvement are built into the system - the Development Plan(s), Performance Management, Continuing Professional Development and of course Self-evaluation. In Bluewave.SWIFT, and in every school, these cornerstones of improvement are inextricably linked. This enables you to manage your every day workload and when a hot topic comes along you simply 'plug in' the Snapshot of your choice. It will automatically read everything you are doing that is relevant, giving you the picture of your school at the click of a button and enabling you to see where you are strong and where you may need to focus your attention for improvement.

We know this mechanism is unique and we also know that it saves you time and provides some degree of compliance reassurance. Ofsted are continually referring to self-evaluation being the key to school improvement. Bluewave SWIFT takes the pain out of self evaluation.

Earlier this year there was significant concern amongst school leaders that the revision of the framework would necessitate huge administration problems regarding the re-alignment of evidence and self-evaluation. Bluewave.SWIFT clients however were reassured that all of their existing evidence would still be relevant and that their self-evaluation would simple be re-aligned automatically. This demonstrates how Bluewave.SWIFT is really the only future proof system available for managing the improvement process in schools.

No doubt there will be other major changes in the future; schools using Bluewave.SWIFT simply do not have the same worries as other schools.