EDISON SCHOOLS LAUNCHES iXL PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR SCHOOLS

 Web-Based System Gives Easy Access to Powerful Reporting and Planning Tools

Colchester, UK: 1 December, 2005 – Edison Schools UK has launched iXL Online, a web-based school performance management system that automates the process of gathering and analysing individual and team goals against national standards set by the DfES 

Providing a powerful and time-saving set of tools, iXL gives high-level management capability for decision making and planning, and generates quality data to support effective Self Evaluation. 

For teachers at all stages in their careers, iXL provides easily-understood analysis of progress against development goals, to help professional development planning and inform performance review. Managers can analyse strengths, weaknesses and improvements by department, by Key Stage, for individual teachers, and for the whole school. 

‘iXL is a really effective way to streamline and enhance the performance management process, while providing middle and senior leaders with more powerful analysis and decision-making support than has been available in the past,’ says Tim Nash, Head of Sales and Marketing at Edison Schools UK. ‘The system will help schools enhance leadership capacity, create a better learning environment, and develop more effective teaching-for-learning.’ 

The first product released from Edison Schools’ collaboration with McLaren Solutions, iXL has been designed to reflect current best practice in performance management and helps to reduce the workload on teachers and managers involved in the performance management process. It uses the data schools already collect in order to meet management standards, but replaces paper-based record-keeping with online entry, and provides powerful, flexible tools for drawing conclusions from the data. The analysis facilities within iXL enables individuals, teams, and senior managers to quantify progress and plan for improvements. The data and reporting output produced by iXL fully supports career guidance and school self-evaluation, and can be used to inform decision-making on professional development needs and targeted recruitment.  

Without requiring the installation of hardware, software, or a steep learning curve, iXL allows assessment and record-keeping online, via a set of easy-to-understand forms accessed from a web-browser. Data is securely and conveniently stored offsite, and all functions of the system are accessible on demand from any computer with web access, at any time. Flexible performance reports provide measurement against national standards of competency, with visual analysis tools to highlight capabilities and improvement opportunities within teams, supporting professional development for staff, and good governance in the school as a whole.