Abstract

This study examines the impact of school inspections on the development of various aspects of school quality. During the phasing-in of school inspections in the federal states of Berlin and Brandenburg both inspected and uninspected schools were examined. School improvement was surveyed over a period of one year from the perspective of school principals and teachers. The main finding is that perceptions of school quality were highly stable, irrespective of the introduction of school inspections. The results show school inspections had a comparatively low impact on the aspects of school quality measured here. Some findings suggest that the main effect of school inspections concerns preparations for inspection. This would have implications for the way in which inspection processes are currently designed.

 Aims

In contrast to previous studies the following uses a control group design to examine the effect of school inspection. A number of empirical studies, mostly from England and the Netherlands, deal with the question of the effect of school inspections on school and instruction improvement processes. One recent summary of the state of research is de Wolf and Janssens (2007). The following findings on the effect of school inspections are already known: studies on satisfaction suggest that the majority of school principals of inspected schools are satisfied with the inspection of their own school. Studies on behavioural effects normally confine themselves to statements about which measures will be introduced in future in response to the results of the inspection. Studies on student performance yield an uneven picture. While English studies tend to point out the negative effects of inspection on student performance, a Dutch study recently reported a positive effect in relation to student performance (Luginbuhl, Webbink & de Wolf, 2007).

In their synthesis, de Wolf and Janssens (2007) conclude that previous research approaches are not robust enough. Research designs previously used are not in fact suited to deriving statements about causal relationships. For this reason experimental or quasi-experimental studies should be used more often to clarify such questions. This study does that.

This study took the implementation phase of school inspections in two federal states in Germany, Berlin and Brandenburg, as an opportunity to investigate the effects of school inspections. Inspections in Berlin and Brandenburg take place as follows. Schools receive a systematic, full inspection. School visits include observation of lessons, interviews, questionnaires and the study of school documents. Based on the findings of the inspection report, schools are then requested to define objectives to enhance their quality (action plan). These objectives are defined by the school and by the responsible school supervision authority. The next school inspection takes place after approximately five years, or after two years for schools below standard.

The survey included school principals and teachers from schools that had not yet been inspected, so as to compare the improvement of these schools with those that had already been inspected within the years before. This was done by surveying the schools again after one year (first survey: October 2008; second survey: October 2009).

De Wolf, I. F. & Janssens, J. G. (2007). Effects and side effects of inspections and accountability in educations: an overview of empirical studies. Oxford Review of Education, 33(3), 379-396. Luginbuhl, R., Webbink, D., & de Wolf, I. (2007). Do school inspections improve primary school performance? The Hague, NL: CPB.