Evaluation Visit

In preparation for the visit, the school and programme documentation submitted for the preliminary review, and the self-study questionnaire including the school’s self-assessment, as well as the evidence and analysis of programme development activities, are reviewed by the evaluation team

The visit is an opportunity for the evaluation team to:

• understand and discuss with the school leadership and other members of the school community the development of the IB programme(s) in the school

• provide feedback to the school to inform its future programme development efforts

• verify that the implementation of the programme(s) in the school meets IB requirements.

In preparation for the visit, the school and programme documentation submitted for the preliminary review, and the self-study questionnaire including the school’s self-assessment, as well as the evidence and analysis of programme development activities, are reviewed by the evaluation team

The IB evaluation team will meet with teachers, school leaders, students, parents and members of the governing body, as well as visit classes and view the school facilities. The aim of the visit is to provide meaningful feedback on programme or continuum development, as well as to note areas where programme requirements are not in place. The process does not appraise or assess individual teachers or school leaders.

The IB will organize the visit, selecting from dates that the school indicates are convenient. In schools with one programme the on-site visit is normally conducted over two days and the remote visit is conducted over three days. In schools with multiple programmes, the on-site visit normally is conducted over three days and the remote visit is conducted over four days. The IB may decide on a longer visit depending on the size of the school or the programme structure. The IB provides sample agendas for evaluation visits on the Programme Resource Centre.

The agenda includes opportunities for the evaluation team to meet with the school administration, governors/board members, programme coordinator(s), school pedagogical leadership team, service learning or creativity, activity, service (CAS) coordinator(s), personal project and extended essay coordinator(s), teachers, librarians, counsellors, groups of students, parents and others who are involved in the programme(s). In multiple campus programmes, including MYP partnerships, schools will need to ensure that participants represent all campuses.

The school determines which staff members participate in each meeting and constructs, with the evaluation team, an agenda that indicates the specific times for school representatives to attend meetings based on their availability.

The school may wish to include students and parents/legal guardians in any of the meetings or schedule separate meetings. Decisions about school staff attending meetings outside normal school hours are left to the school. The evaluation team will not insist that the staff attend. Meeting with individuals and groups will adhere to the local legal framework.

The agenda will depend on factors such as the size of the school and the information provided by the school prior to the visit. The IB evaluation leader may revise the agenda during the visit if the need arises and if the school is able to accommodate the request.