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ExploreSchool Self-Evaluation (SEF) Support
A good self-evaluation is the story your school tells about itself. It shows what you do well, where you need to improve, and how you know. But writing an honest self-evaluation is hard. It’s easy to be too kind, too vague, or too busy to keep it current. We help you build a clear, accurate self-evaluation that reflects your school and stands up to scrutiny.
Do Schools Still Need a SEF?
Not in a set form. Under Ofsted’s renewed framework, in force from November 2025, schools are no longer required to complete a SEF or hand one to inspectors, and there’s no set template you must follow. But self-evaluation itself matters more than ever. Inspectors want to see that you know your school, judge it honestly, and use what you find to improve. In the planning call, they’ll ask where you place yourself against the five-point scale for each evaluation area. So while the form is optional, a clear, accurate self-evaluation is still one of the most useful tools a school can have, for inspection and for your own improvement work.
What Is Self-Evaluation Support?
It’s help to build and sharpen your school’s self-evaluation. We work with you to check what your evidence shows, judge your school fairly, and set out your strengths and priorities in plain terms. We don’t write it for you and walk away. We help you build a self-evaluation you understand, believe in, and can defend.
It gives you an honest, grounded view of your school, free from wishful thinking. You see your school as an inspector would, with practical steps to act on.
We're here for youNot sure whether this is what you need? Talk it through with us first.
Who Is Self-Evaluation Support For?
It’s designed for all education settings: maintained schools, academies, and multi-academy trusts, Alternative Provisions, and SEND Units/Hubs. Headteachers, senior leaders, and trustees use it to sharpen their self-evaluation, agree honest judgements, and link what they find to real improvement.
Many schools ask for help after a change in leadership, before an inspection, when their self-evaluation has drifted out of date, or simply as good practice on a regular cycle.
What Does Self-Evaluation Support Include?
We cover every key part of self-evaluation, aligned to the renewed framework. You can choose full support or focus on specific areas. Our most common areas include:
- The overall structure and honesty of your self-evaluation
- How well your judgements match the five-point scale
- How well your judgements match your evidence
- Quality of education, including curriculum and outcomes
- Behaviour, attitudes, and attendance
- Personal development and inclusion
- Leadership, management, and governance
- Safeguarding and how you evidence it
- How your self-evaluation links to your improvement plan
Book a quick, friendly callTwenty minutes with Shaun, our Founder and CEO, to explore how we can help you.
How Self-Evaluation Support Helps Your School, Academy, Trust, or Alternative Provision
1
Judge your school honestly
It’s hard to grade your own work. We bring an outside eye and clear evidence. We help you avoid being too generous or too harsh, so your judgements are fair and defensible.
2
Match your judgements to evidence
A judgement only holds up if you can prove it. We check that every claim is backed by evidence. You find out where your case is strong and where it needs more.
3
Place yourself on the scale with confidence
The renewed framework asks where you sit against a five-point scale for each area. We help you make that call honestly, so you’re ready when inspectors ask in the planning call.
4
Spot your real priorities
A good self-evaluation points straight to your next steps. We help you cut through the noise and name the few things that matter most. This keeps your improvement plan focused.
5
Save leaders’ time
Self-evaluation eats hours you don’t have. We give you structure, feedback, and momentum. This makes the job quicker and the result better.
6
Link self-evaluation to improvement
A self-evaluation that sits in a drawer changes nothing. We help you connect it to your improvement plan, so what you find shapes what you do next.
How Our Support Works
- 1We agree exactly what you want to cover and when.
- 2Our experienced team reviews your current self-evaluation, data, and key documents.
- 3We speak to leaders and, where useful, staff and governors, to test your judgements against reality.
- 4We visit the school and see it in action where it helps.
- 5We give clear, honest feedback, then help you produce a concise, accurate self-evaluation with clear priorities.
- 6We work efficiently and focus only on what matters. Our independent view gives you a clear and accurate picture of your school.
Arrange a chatTell us your timescale and we'll tell you honestly whether we can meet it.
What You Get at the End
You get a sharper self-evaluation and the confidence to stand behind it. Our support gives you:
- An honest view of where your judgements are secure and where they aren’t
- Clear links between your evidence and your position on the five-point scale
- A short, focused set of priorities for improvement
- A self-evaluation you can use with inspectors, governors, or trustees with confidence
Key Features of Our Service
Objective, evidence-informed evaluation
Every judgement is tested against facts. You get clear assurance and clear priorities.
Aligned to the renewed framework
Our support reflects the framework in force from November 2025, including the evaluation areas and five-point scale.
Flexible support models
Pick what you need: full support, a single area, or a critical read of your draft. We adapt to you.
Why Choose Jarvis Education?
We work only with education settings. We know how schools work, the pressures leaders face, and what strong self-evaluation looks like under the renewed framework. Our independent view helps you know your school honestly, so every decision stays focused on children.
Want to know how self-evaluation support could help your school? Just get in touch.
Next Steps & How to Get Started
- Speak to one of our experts. We’ll explain how we work, answer your questions, and help you choose the right support for your school.
- We book dates well in advance. Once you’re happy, we confirm everything in writing and start planning your visit.
- Contact us today to discuss how we can support your school, academy, trust, and alternative provision.
- We’re ready to help and support you.
Who We Work With
We support settings of every type across England and internationally.
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