Fostering inclusive school improvement through school self-evaluation: insights from a case study in Cyprus

ABSTRACT Effective school improvement requires enhancing the capacity to implement change and support development at a collective level. In this context, school self-evaluation processes have emerged as valuable tools for guiding and sustaining improvement efforts. This study investigates the impact of a school self-evaluation process on empowering educators to foster the development of an inclusive school culture as they address emerging challenges. Relying on a case study approach in the action-research framework, the authors examined the effectiveness of such processes in the Cypriot educational system, which is continually challenged in its efforts to implement inclusive education and is currently committed to addressing these obstacles. The main tool in this research was the Index for Inclusion, alongside the Themis Inclusion Tool. Both quantitative and qualitative data revealed significant impact, including enhanced perceptions of the school as a learning community, increased collaboration, contributions to teachers’ professional development and improved levels of self-efficacy and collective efficacy.