The School Internal Review section holds meetings upon request with members of school senior leadership teams to address specific issues and offer targeted support related to the school internal review process. These meetings cover a range of relevant topics, including an overview of the school internal process, effective school development planning and guidance on developing inspiring school vision and mission. Additionally, the School Internal Review section holds meetings to address specific areas identified through training needs analysis questionnaires, ensuring that its support aligns with the unique needs of each school and college. By working closely with senior leadership, the directorate aims to clarify review procedures, tackle challenges and collaboratively develop strategies that promote continuous improvement and meaningful outcomes.
The School Internal Review section offers tailored professional development sessions for schools and colleges, designed to meet specific needs upon request. A variety of relevant topics are covered to empower educators in undertaking and sustaining school improvement. Available session topics include developing a community of reflexive practice through the school internal review process and school development planning, identifying and utilising appropriate research tools for data collection and self-evaluation, conducting a SWOT analysis exercise, designing a professional development programme for school staff and developing action plans for school improvement. Each session is facilitated by experts in the field, ensuring that participants gain practical insights and tools to drive continuous improvement in their educational settings.
The School Internal Review section holds monthly meetings with education officers responsible for curriculum in state colleges. These gatherings are designed as networking events, creating a dynamic community of practice where experiences are collectively shared, challenges discussed, strategies explored and approaches to mediating school evaluation reflected upon. The focus is on topics relevant to shared goals, such as tools for conducting an evidence-based school internal review, insights from local and international educational research and the implications of national strategies for day-to-day practice. Additionally, education officers have the opportunity to present their own college initiatives, fostering collaboration and innovation across institutions. By fostering a supportive network, these meetings aim to promote continuous growth and the development of effective practices to enhance educational outcomes.
With the establishment of the Data Warehouse project by the Research section, the School and Internal Review section has embarked on an initiative focused on analysing student data, particularly around absenteeism and attainment. The data is analysed on multiple levels – nationally, by college and by school as needed – to provide targeted insights that support colleges and schools in identifying areas requiring improvement. Support through the school internal review process is offered to assist institutions in addressing identified weaknesses. Meetings with heads of college networks and heads of schools are held to discuss findings and collectively develop strategies that drive positive change in student outcomes.
The Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation (MEYR) is conducting a national study to examine the factors influencing access to post-compulsory education in Malta. This study is being conducted as part of Electoral Manifesto Measure 275: Assistenza akbar biex studenti b’diżabilita’ ikomplu jistudjaw.
The aims to this project are:
Data Collection:
This study involves Year 10 and 11 students who have an official Statement of Educational Needs or receive access arrangements for exams. The research will include students from secondary state, church, and independent schools. Data will be collected through focus groups and one-to-one interviews.
Timeframe:
November 2024 – June 2025
Eurydice is a network of 43 national units based in all 38 countries of the Erasmus+ programme, aimed at facilitating European cooperation in the field of education. Its main mission is to provide those responsible for education policies at European, national and local level with analyses and information which will assist them in their decision making.
Eurydice publishes descriptions of national education systems, comparative reports devoted to specific topics, indicators and statistics, as well as news and articles related to the field of education. This makes it possible to identify common patterns and trends and provides a basis for reflection on effective strategies in education.
EVIDALI (Evidence-informed Data Literacy for Policy and Practice), is an ERASMUS+ project, which aims to strengthen the role of data in shaping educational policy and practice across Europe. Bringing together seven core partners, including the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation (MEYR), and three associate partners, EVIDALI is focused on building the capacity of policy makers to design effective, evidence-informed data literacy strategies.
The project fosters a collaborative community of researchers and policy makers to co-create these strategies, while also identifying the real-world use of data in schools and the corresponding needs for data literacy training. A key goal is to enrich and diversify how data is used for educational purposes in school settings. To achieve these objectives, EVIDALI will produce several impactful outputs: a mapping report based on surveys and interviews with Ministries of Education and policy makers; five in-depth case studies of schools implementing data literacy initiatives; a targeted literature review of existing data literacy practices; a comprehensive report analysing teachers’ current data use and training needs; ten teacher-validated scenarios of good practice; a MOOC designed for teachers and teacher trainers; and finally, recommendations and practical guidelines for both policy makers and practitioners, emerging from collaborative ‘policy learning labs’. These efforts aim to bridge the gap between data-informed policy and practice in education.
During the scholastic year 2024-2025, the Research and School Internal Review Directorate within the Education Strategy and Quality Assurance Department is collaborating with the Centre for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health at the University of Malta and the University of Florida, USA on the Maltese National Assessment of Social-Emotional Wellbeing and Academic Learning Skills (Maltese SEWALS).
The overall aim of the National Assessment of Social-Emotional Wellbeing and Academic Learning Skills (SEWALS) is to conduct a national assessment of Maltese children and young people’s social-emotional competencies, academic learning skills, and mental health. The ultimate goal of this nationwide assessment is to inform a more complete understanding of the current strengths and needs of the Maltese student population to inform comprehensive initiatives and interventions in the coming years.