Steps in the Quality Assurance Cycle
These are the steps in the six-year quality assurance cycle:
- ISASA notifies member schools at least six months ahead, via email, that a quality assurance visit will take place.
- Schools complete a reply slip to confirm their participation.
- OISESA communicates the exact dates of the visit to the school and shares a link to the OISESA website where the necessary resources are available, including the Standards & Indicators, Guidelines for Schools, and the template for the Self-Study Report.
- The school confirms these dates with OISESA.
- The mentors are introduced, and they set up an initial online meeting with the head to clarify the process, at least three months before the onsite visit.
- The head, together with the senior leadership team, appoints their quality assurance team and the team leader, and they begin the self-study.
- The mentor works with the team leader to arrange online training for the team, at least two months ahead of the school visit.
- The school completes the Survey Information Form, indicating any changes needed to the surveys. This is sent to info@oisesa.org.
- OISESA sends the live survey links to the school who run a brief check and request any changes.
- The school sends the OISESA surveys to stakeholders at least six to eight weeks before the visit. Schools may also choose to do the surveys further in advance. Surveys are generally completed within five days. More detail around the survey process is provided under Surveys.
- The school notifies OISESA info@oisesa.org when they are ready to close the surveys. Schools may request a progress report to gauge the number of responses before closing.
- The school submits their draft self-study report to the mentor at least a week prior to the school visit, together with a link to a digital portfolio of evidence.
- The school prepares and shares the timetable for the mentor visit at least a week prior to the school visit.
- The mentor completes the onsite school visit over three days. If the school is very small, it is possible that two days may suffice. This would be discussed with the mentor.
- The school submits their final self-study report to the mentor two weeks after the onsite visit.
- The mentor may edit the self-study report and return it to the school for verification.
- The mentor completes and shares the mentor’s report with the school.
- The mentor submits both reports to OISESA.
- A Quality Assurance Certificate is sent to the school by OISESA. In addition, schools may add the OISESA logo to their website / letterheads.
- This process may take up to six months to complete, from the time of submission of the school’s final self-study report. Schools may begin implementing recommendations in the interim but may not publish the reports until they have the final certificate from OISESA.
- OISESA sends the final reports to ISASA.
- Schools complete a feedback survey for OISESA.
- After a period of three years, schools submit a brief interim progress report to OISESA. A template will be provided for this.