Internal evaluation assists leaders and kaiako to evaluate the quality of their local curriculum whāriki and plan for future action. 

The Education Review Office (ERO) defines internal evaluation as the use of robust processes to systematically enquire into and evaluate the effectiveness of policies, programmes, and practices. 

Internal evaluation findings are used to: 

• inform decision-making 
• improve the quality of practice 
• promote equitable outcomes for all children. 

It is about finding out what is and is not working, and for whom. The next step is determining what changes are needed to improve quality. Effective internal evaluation is always driven by the motivation to improve. 

Effective evaluation requires us to think deeply about the data and information we gather and what it means in terms of priorities for action. 

By questioning ourselves, we keep the focus on our learners, particularly those for whom current practice is not working. Aspiring for excellence and equitable outcomes is always front and centre.  

Listen to Sandra Collins, Manager Methodology, Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga The Education Review Office, explain internal evaluation. 

Listen to Sandra Collins, Manager Methodology, Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga The Education Review Office, explain why internal evaluation is important. 

Leadership and successful internal evaluation 

Te ara poutama (Education Review Office, 2020) highlights the importance of leadership to successful internal evaluation. 

Effective leaders need to have a thorough understanding of the regulations and internal evaluation approaches. 

Leaders: 

• develop effective planning, coordination, and evaluation of curriculum, teaching and learning to promote equitable outcomes for all children 
• develop, implement, and evaluate systems, processes, and practices to promote ongoing improvement.

Regulatory requirements 

Early childhood services are required to undertake review and evaluation as part of licensing requirements (GMA5 home-based and GMA6). The criteria to assess the governance, management, and administration standard, specifies that an ongoing process of self-review helps the service maintain and improve the quality of its education and care. 

The licensing criteria require early childhood services to document: 

• a process for reviewing and evaluating their operation 
• a schedule showing timelines for planned reviews of different areas of operation 
• recorded outcomes from the review process. 

The regulations (GMA7 home-based and GMA8) also require services to develop an annual plan and identify: 

• 'who', 'what', and 'when' in relation to key tasks the service intends to undertake each year 
• how key tasks will have regard to the Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP). 

For more information, go to the regulatory framework.

Internal evaluation involves: 

• asking good questions 
• gathering fit-for-purpose data and information 
• making sense of that information 
• prioritising actions for improvement 
• monitoring and evaluating the impact of specific improvement actions. 

Listen to Sandra Collins, Manager Methodology, Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga The Education Review Office, explain what is involved in completing an internal evaluation. 

Internal evaluations vary greatly in scope, depth, and focus depending on the purpose and the context. Various approaches can be used, but these should be selected specifically to inform the purpose of the internal evaluation being undertaken (See Ngā aronga whai hua, page 13). 

An evaluation may be: 

• strategic – linked to vision, values, goals, and targets 
• a business-as-usual review of, for example, policy or procedures 
• a response to an unforeseen (emergent) event or issue. 

How internal and external evaluation fit together 

Sandra Collins, Manager Methodology, Education Review Office explains the connection between internal and external evaluation. 

Ngā aronga whai hua - Improving quality in early childhood education through effective internal and external evaluation from ERO was developed to support leaders and kaiako to engage in internal evaluation.

You can also download the overview Ngā ara whai hua - Quality framework for evaluation and improvement in early childhood services from ERO's site for reference.

To ensure an integrated approach to internal and external evaluation, evaluators use the same tools and resources. You can find out more by reading How we do Akarangi, Quality evaluations.

More details about the internal and external evaluation process can be found in Te Ara Poutama – Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most. This resource builds on Effective Internal Evaluation for Improvement and replaces most of the content in He Pou Tātaki: How ERO reviews early childhood services (2013).