This function is crucial to the work of the West Partnership. Evaluating progress with our shared priorities and, more broadly, in achieving our vision to embed the values of equity, excellence and empowerment in everything we do, building a collaborative, networked learning system to improve learning experiences and outcomes for every learner across the region is a core part of our shared improvement work
Together, we aim to influence change in three complex areas: equity, excellence and empowerment. Our evaluation strategy is focussed on demonstrating collective impact across these three areas.
The strategy is built around three drivers for improvement. These were identified from common themes that emerged across all our work and thematic analysis of evaluation reports. The three drivers are focused on how we:
Find out more about this in our Collaborative Framework.
This is summarised in diagram 1
The Partnership reports internally using this framework. These reports are shared with the Overview Group, our Headteacher Reference Group and Workstream Strategic Groups. We also share our progress with the Glasgow City Region Cabinet.
In addition, we use a set of critical indicators (see appendix one in the 2025-26 Collaborative Framework) which are selected as representative of excellence, equity and empowerment. These indicators recognise that our work combines with work at school, local authority and national level, with each part of the system contributing to educational outcomes. Most critical indicators are updated annually with a few updated biannually for data validity purposes.
The West Partnership conducted an evaluation of the impact of the 1140 hours of funded early learning across the eight local authorities. Two research questions were identified to focus the research:
What impact has the implementation of 1140 hours had on the development and attainment of children in the West Partnership?
What are the experiences and views of stakeholders in relation to the extension of ELC entitlement and the impact this has had on the development and attainment of children in the West Partnership?
The results of the evaluation can be accessed here:
The Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change (ROC) at the University of Glasgow provided external evaluation of the work of the Partnership from its inception until the end of Scottish Government funding in March 2025. Their reports, covering this period can be found below.