Step 3 Oversight of the alignment process by the school principal

Step 3: Oversight of the alignment process by the school principal

The third school-based step in the provision of marks is the oversight of the alignment process by the school principal. In line with the principles of fairness, equity and objectivity, the principal supports teachers in the preparatory phase of the subject alignment process and reviews the process applied to the collection of evidence to assure the fair treatment of individual students and to ensure that a uniformity of standard is applied within the school and in situations where more than one class group is entered for a subject. In this regard, the principal will ensure that different teachers of the same subject within the school are applying similar standards.

In this step of the process, the principal:

• Supports teachers in the initial preparatory phase at whole-school level including referring teachers to the guidance documents and instructional video(s) provided to support the process
• provides each subject department with the relevant data to support the alignment process
• reviews the data sets submitted to him/her by the subject alignment groups
• assures himself/herself of the fairness of the processes to that point
• where it appears that an anomaly or error has arisen, returns a data set for further review to the subject alignment group. In such circumstances, the principal does not have a role in altering a student’s estimated mark; his/her role is to return the queried marks to the subject alignment group for further review.

What are the grounds on which a principal may return data sets for further review?

A principal may return the data sets to the subject alignment group for further review if he/she reasonably believes that one or more of the following grounds may apply:

• there was a procedural flaw in the process up to this point
• there were unexplained inconsistencies in the data sets submitted following the subject alignment stage
• there is persuasive evidence that a student’s estimated mark is inconsistent with the school’s information on the student’s achievement from a range of sources (See Section 6.1. above).
• there is evidence of lack of objectivity (bias, discrimination) in the procedures as applied.

In instances where the data sets are returned by the principal to the subject alignment group for further consideration, the principal indicates the reason(s)/stated grounds for the return of the data. The stated grounds are confined to one or more of the above grounds. The group will consider the stated ground(s), make necessary adjustments, if any, and return its final consideration to the principal.

Once the process of reviewing the data sets is concluded and the principal is satisfied that the process of alignment and, where applicable, the review has transacted in good faith, he/she will sign-off that the process has been completed in accordance with the published guidance.

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