School leaders across Wales are navigating one of the most significant periods of transformation in recent history. With the full rollout of the Curriculum for Wales (CfW) and a new, more conversational approach from Estyn, the way schools think about improvement is fundamentally changing. The days of the static, dusty self-evaluation folder sitting on a shelf are over.

In its place is the new National Resource: Evaluation and Improvement (NR:EI). This is now the definitive framework guiding professional thinking, moving schools towards a culture of continuous, reflective practice.

But this shift brings a significant challenge for Headteachers: How do you embrace this detailed new framework, engage your entire school community, and create a meaningful School Development Plan without drowning in yet more paperwork?

The Challenge: From a ‘To-Do List’ to a Living Process

The NR:EI is a comprehensive resource, structured around four key themes:

  • Leadership
  • Learning and Teaching
  • Curriculum
  • Well-being, equity and inclusion

The risk is that these themes become four new binders—four more static documents that are difficult to connect, maintain, and share. How can a school ensure its self-evaluation becomes a single source of truth that genuinely drives improvement, rather than just reports on it?

A Solution: A Digital Framework Built for Wales

This is where iAbacus, a beautifully simple and visual platform for self-evaluation and improvement planning, provides a solution. It is designed to transform this complex challenge into a manageable, dynamic process.

Specifically for schools in Wales, iAbacus offers a Whole-School Evaluation and Development Plan template designed for Headteachers. It isn't just a document; it's a dynamic framework that mirrors the NR:EI precisely.

It provides a single, living hub for your School Development Plan, consolidating all your judgements, evidence, and actions in one accessible place. Here’s how it directly tackles the challenges Headteachers face:

1. Create a Single Source of Truth Instead of having a separate self-evaluation document and a separate School Development Plan, the iAbacus template merges them. Your judgements against the NR:EI themes are directly and visibly linked to your improvement actions. When Estyn asks for your self-evaluation, it is your development plan, and vice-versa.

2. Ensure Inspection Readiness With Estyn’s focus on professional dialogue and a school's own improvement journey (Barod yn Barod), you need a clear, coherent story. The iAbacus framework provides exactly that. It guides you through making RAG-rated (Red, Amber, Green) judgements against the NR:EI prompts, attaching your evidence, and outlining your next steps. With a single click, you can export a polished, professional PDF report ready to share with inspectors, governors, or your local authority.

3. Drive Meaningful Improvement (Not Just Auditing) A judgement is only useful if it leads to action. The iAbacus process moves you beyond a simple audit. For each area, you analyse what is helping and hindering progress, which then directly informs the creation of a clear, actionable improvement plan. This ensures a continuous cycle of improvement where analysis is never separated from action.

4. Save Valuable Time No Headteacher has time to start from a blank page. This ready-made structure removes the need to design a new system, allowing you and your team to focus immediately on the meaningful evaluation and professional dialogue that truly matters.

5. Strengthen Leadership and Accountability The iAbacus platform provides a transparent, evidence-based process that supports robust conversations with all stakeholders. For leaders overseeing multiple schools, such as in a Federation or as a Local Authority advisor, the 'Stack' feature provides an invaluable strategic overview, allowing you to compare evaluations and identify where support is most needed or where excellence can be shared.

Moving Forward with Confidence

The National Resource: Evaluation and Improvement gives school leaders the "what." iAbacus provides the "how."

By moving your self-evaluation into the iAbacus platform, you transform it from an administrative burden into the most powerful engine for your school’s improvement.

To learn more about the iAbacus template for the National Resource: Evaluation and Improvement (NR:EI) and to start a free trial, visit www.iabacus.com/wales.