Monitoring Start Point: Initial Information Exploration

A full pack that talks you through where to begin if you’ve just started a subject leadership role or if you’re new to a setting or subject. It’s designed to assume you’re starting with very limited knowledge of the subject you lead and will guide you through the initial monitoring process so you can find out the picture of your subject quickly, including its strengths and weaknesses. 

When you make your purchase, you'll receive a ZIP file containing the whole pack, including:

• A 12-page PDF in full colour containing all the guidance, research and information you need.
• A low-colour, print-friendly version of the same PDF.
• 12 fully editable and easy-to-use templates that can be adapted for your setting. These include:

1. Initial Information Exploration Checklist
2. Initial Information Exploration Timetable
3. Curriculum Coverage - Initial Investigation
4. Learning Walk - Initial Investigation
5. Learning Environment - Initial Investigation
6. Pupil Voice Survey - Initial Investigation
7. Staff Voice Survey - Initial Investigation
8. Subject Resourcing - Initial Investigation
9. Survey Analysis - Initial Investigation
10. Work Scrutiny - Initial Investigation
11. Subject Action Plan
12. Ofsted Grade Descriptor Grids - Quality of Education

With fully editable templates, the pack’s Initial Information Exploration Checklist looks at how to monitor step-by-step and is broken down into how you can investigate the following areas:

• Documentation, such as the SIP, SEF, curriculum policy and curriculum statement
• Professional dialogue, such as pupil and staff voice, and meeting with other leaders
• Monitoring intent through long- and medium-term planning scrutiny
• Monitoring implementation through learning walks, learning environments and resourcing
• Monitoring impact through book looks and work scrutiny.

Editable, ready-made monitoring templates are included in the purchase for all of the above areas.

While on paper, this may seem overwhelming, these areas have been specifically broken down so you can cover the subject with a broad-brush approach, find out the initial information, triangulate it and use it to form a subject action plan. Not only that, but we’ve included considerations of when and how you can monitor and fit this around your teaching commitments, saving you time and supporting your workload.

New subject leaders or subject leaders who are new to a setting or a subject will find this pack to be extremely useful, as would anyone who’s got subject leadership responsibility but is unsure of the picture of their subject and wants a starting point. Heads, SLT and curriculum leaders can also use this pack and share it with subject leaders so they can quickly get up to speed.

We can often be asked to lead a subject area and create an action plan from day one. But how can you create an action plan if you don’t know the strengths and weaknesses of your subject? This pack gives you a starting point, helping to show you what to monitor and when, so you can get a clear picture of the subject you lead in order to action plan for the future. 

Key questions answered:

• Help! I’m leading a subject for the first time or I’m new to the school and monitoring teaching and learning seems overwhelming!
• What do we mean by ‘initial information exploration’?
• What areas of the subject does initial information exploration cover?
• What types of monitoring are best used for initial information exploration?
• How long do I need to carry out this process?
• How do the resources in this pack help me to start gathering information?
• How can I make best use of the Initial Information Exploration Checklist?
• Are there any pitfalls to be aware of when carrying out initial information exploration?

The pack also covers the following monitoring areas of documentation, communication and teaching & learning in action, including investigating:

• The previous Ofsted report
• The self-evaluation form (SEF)
• The school improvement plan (SIP)
• Subject-specific improvement or action plans
• The curriculum policy
• Curriculum statements / curriculum intent, implementation and impact documents
• National Curriculum coverage
• Long- and medium-term plans
• Timetabling
• Internal and external data
• Professional dialogue
• Subject-focused conversations
• Staff voice survey
• Pupil voice survey
• Survey analysis
• Learning walks
• The learning environment
• Subject resourcing
• Book looks and work scrutiny

Browse all Honeyguide's subject leadership resources for more support.