Is it possible at all to measure the goodness of a school? | Ethics in Estonia

Contacts of UT units

Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Faculty link: 
humanities.ut.ee
Faculty contacts link: 
Employee contacts
Faculty phone: 
+372 737 5341
Faculty address: 
Jakobi 2, rooms 116–121, 51005 Tartu
  • Dean's Office
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    Faculty phone: 
    + 372 737 5341
    Faculty address: 
    Jakobi 2, rooms 116–121, 51005 Tartu
  • Institute of History and Archaeology
    Faculty link: 
    www.flaj.ut.ee
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    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5651
    Faculty address: 
    Jakobi 2, 51005 Tartu
  • Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics
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    keel.ut.ee
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    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5221
    Faculty address: 
    Jakobi 2, 51005 Tartu
  • Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics
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    www.flfi.ut.ee
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    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5314
    Faculty address: 
    Jakobi 2, rooms 309–352, 51005 Tartu
  • Institute of Cultural Research
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    www.flku.ut.ee
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    Faculty phone: 
    (+372) 737 5223
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 16, 51003 Tartu
  • School of Theology and Religious Studies
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    us.ut.ee
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    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5301
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18–310, 50090 Tartu
  • College of Foreign Languages and Cultures
    Faculty link: 
    maailmakeeled.ut.ee
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    Faculty address: 
    J. Liivi 4, 50409, Tartu
  • Viljandi Culture Academy
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    kultuur.ut.ee
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    Faculty phone: 
    +372 435 5232
    Faculty address: 
    Posti 1, 71004 Viljandi
Faculty of Social Sciences
Faculty link: 
socialsciences.ut.ee
Faculty contacts link: 
Employee contacts
Faculty phone: 
+372 737 5957
Faculty address: 
Lossi 36, 51003 Tartu
  • Dean's Office
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    Faculty phone: 
    + 372 737 5900
    Faculty address: 
    Lossi 36, 51003 Tartu
  • Institute of Education
    Faculty link: 
    www.ht.ut.ee
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    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 6440
    Faculty address: 
    Salme 1a–29, 50103 Tartu
  • Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies
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    skytte.ut.ee
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    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5582
    Faculty address: 
    Lossi 36–301, 51003 Tartu
  • School of Economics and Business Administration
    Faculty link: 
    majandus.ut.ee
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    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 6310
    Faculty address: 
    Narva mnt 18, 51009 Tartu
  • Institute of Psychology
    Faculty link: 
    psychology.ut.ee
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    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5902
    Faculty address: 
    Näituse 2, 50409 Tartu
  • School of Law
    Faculty link: 
    law.ut.ee
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    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5390
    Faculty address: 
    Näituse 20–324, 50409 Tartu
  • Institute of Social Studies
    Faculty link: 
    yti.ut.ee
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    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5188
    Faculty address: 
    Lossi 36, 51003 Tartu
  • Narva College
    Faculty link: 
    www.narva.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 740 1900
    Faculty address: 
    Raekoja plats 2, 20307 Narva
  • Pärnu College
    Faculty link: 
    www.pc.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 445 0520
    Faculty address: 
    Ringi 35, 80012 Pärnu
Faculty of Medicine
Faculty link: 
medicine.ut.ee
Faculty contacts link: 
Employee contacts
Faculty phone: 
+372 737 5326
Faculty address: 
Ravila 19, 50411 Tartu
  • Dean's Office
    Faculty contacts link: 
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    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5326
    Faculty address: 
    Ravila 19, 50411 Tartu
  • Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine
    Faculty link: 
    biomeditsiin.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 4210
    Faculty address: 
    Biomeedikum, Ravila 19, 50411 Tartu
  • Institute of Pharmacy
    Faculty link: 
    farmaatsia.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5286
    Faculty address: 
    Nooruse 1, 50411 Tartu
  • Institute of Dentistry
    Faculty link: 
    hambaarstiteadus.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 731 9856
    Faculty address: 
    Puusepa 1a, 50406 Tartu
  • Institute of Clinical Medicine
    Faculty link: 
    clinicalmedicine.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5323
    Faculty address: 
    L. Puusepa 8, 50406 Tartu
  • Institute of Family Medicine and Public Health
    Faculty link: 
    tervis.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 4190
    Faculty address: 
    Ravila 19, 50411 Tartu
  • Institute of Sport Sciences and Physiotherapy
    Faculty link: 
    www.kk.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5360
    Faculty address: 
    Ujula 4, 51008 Tartu
Faculty of Science and Technology
Faculty link: 
science.ut.ee
Faculty contacts link: 
Employee contacts
Faculty phone: 
+372 737 5820
Faculty address: 
Vanemuise 46–208, 51014 Tartu
  • Dean's Office
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5820
    Faculty address: 
    Vanemuise 46–208, 51003 Tartu
  • Institute of Computer Science
    Faculty link: 
    cs.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5445
    Faculty address: 
    Narva mnt 18, 51009 Tartu
  • Estonian Marine Institute
    Faculty link: 
    mereinstituut.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 671 8902
    Faculty address: 
    Mäealuse 14, 12618 Tallinn
  • Institute of Physics
    Faculty link: 
    www.fi.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty address: 
    W. Ostwaldi 1, 50411 Tartu
  • Institute of Chemistry
    Faculty link: 
    chem.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5261
    Faculty address: 
    Ravila 14a, 50411 Tartu
  • Institute of Genomics
    Faculty link: 
    genomics.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 4000
    Faculty address: 
    Riia 23b, 51010 Tartu
  • Institute of Mathematics and Statistics
    Faculty link: 
    www.math.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5860
    Faculty address: 
    Narva mnt 18, 51009 Tartu
  • Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology
    Faculty link: 
    tymri.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5027
    Faculty address: 
    Riia 23, 23b–134, 51010 Tartu
  • Tartu Observatory
    Faculty link: 
    www.kosmos.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 4510
    Faculty address: 
    Observatooriumi 1, Tõravere, 61602 Tartumaa
  • Institute of Technology
    Faculty link: 
    tuit.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 4800
    Faculty address: 
    Nooruse 1, 50411 Tartu
  • Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences
    Faculty link: 
    www.omi.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5835
    Faculty address: 
    Vanemuise 46, 51003 Tartu
Institutions
  • Library
    Faculty link: 
    utlib.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5702
    Faculty address: 
    W. Struve 1, 50091 Tartu
  • Youth Academy
    Faculty link: 
    teaduskool.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5581
    Faculty address: 
    Uppsala 10, 51003 Tartu
  • Museum
    Faculty link: 
    muuseum.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5674
    Faculty address: 
    Lossi 25, 51003 Tartu
  • University of Tartu Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden
    Faculty link: 
    natmuseum.ut.ee
    Faculty contacts link: 
    https://www.ut.ee/en/kontakt/loodusmuuseum-botaanikaaed
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 6076
    Faculty address: 
    Vanemuise 46, 51003 Tartu
Support Units
  • Administrative Office
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5606
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18a, 51005 Tartu
  • Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 4809
    Faculty address: 
    Narva mnt 18, 51009, Tartu
  • University Office in Tallinn
    Faculty link: 
    University Office in Tallinn
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employeescontacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 6600
    Faculty address: 
    Teatri väljak 3, 10143 Tallinn
  • Estates Office
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5137
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18a, 51005 Tartu
  • Finance Office
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5125
    Faculty address: 
    Jakobi 4, 51005 Tartu
  • Grant Office
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 6215
    Faculty address: 
    Raekoja plats 9, 51004 Tartu
  • Information Technology Office
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 6000, IT-help: +372 737 5500
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18a, 51005 Tartu
  • Human Resources Office
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5145
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18, rooms 302 and 304, 50090 Tartu
  • Internal Audit Office
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    Employee contacts
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18-244, 51005 Tartu
  • International Cooperation and Protocol Office
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    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 6123
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18, rooms 104, 301, 305, 50090 Tartu
  • Marketing and Communication Office
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5687
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18, rooms 102, 104, 209, 210, 50090 Tartu
  • Office of Academic Affairs
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5620
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18, 50090 Tartu
  • Procurement Office
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    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 6632
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18a, 51005 Tartu
  • Rector's Office
  • Rector's Strategy Office
    Faculty contacts link: 
    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5600
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18, 50090 Tartu
  • Student Council
    Faculty link: 
    tyye.ut.ee
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    Employee contacts
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18b, 51005 Tartu
  • University of Tartu Press
    Faculty link: 
    www.tyk.ee
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    Employee contacts
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5945
    Faculty address: 
    W. Struve 1, 50091 Tartu
Other Units
  • University of Tartu Academic Sports Club
    Faculty link: 
    sport.ut.ee
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5371
    Faculty address: 
    Ujula 4, 51008 Tartu
  • Tartu Student Village
    Faculty link: 
    campus.ee
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 740 9959
    Faculty address: 
    Narva mnt 25, 51013 Tartu
  • Tartu Students’ Club
    Faculty link: 
    www.tym.ee
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 730 2400
    Faculty address: 
    Kalevi 24, 51010 Tartu
  • Tartu University Hospital
    Faculty link: 
    www.kliinikum.ee/eng
    Faculty address: 
    L. Puusepa 1a, 50406 Tartu
  • University of Tartu Foundation
    Faculty link: 
    sihtasutus.ut.ee/en
    Faculty phone: 
    +372 737 5852
    Faculty address: 
    Ülikooli 18, 50090 Tartu
  • View all other units
    Faculty link: 
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Is it possible at all to measure the goodness of a school?

There are different ways how to understand what a good school is like. We are convinced that it is necessary to keep in mind the differences between a good basic school, a good upper secondary school, a good vocational school and a good preschool as they all can be good in different ways.

The aim of the good school project initiated by the Centre for Ethics of the University of Tartu is to discuss what conditions need to be fulfilled, in addition to good academic results, in order for a school to be a good school.

Discussing the Good School Model is different from discussing a good wine or a good theatre performance. Goodness of a school is not a question of taste because there is an agreement about the aims that a school has as an institution. Accordingly, it is possible to evaluate how well a school’s achievements conform to these aims. The aims of a school are described in the national curriculum that schools further adapt to their particular circumstances.

As a school has both educational and character building tasks, it is not sufficient to evaluate solely students’ academic achievement.  It is also necessary to evaluate how well the school fulfils its aim of helping students to develop as well-rounded creative persons that can fully realise themselves in the different roles in their family, at work and in their community.

For evaluating the goodness of a school, one should take into account the following aspects:

  1. Academic achievement: Is learning successful, are students’ academic results good? This category also covers the questions of the methods used in teaching and the activities to support learning that the school offers, from the activities aimed at gifted and weak students, to the employment of mentors and the educational activities aimed at parents.
  2. Participation: What are the attendance and drop-out rates among students?
  3. Education process:  Does education process support the personal development of students and the discovery and development of their gifts? To what degree are students active participants in the education process, capable of setting their own aims? To what degree is students’ interest towards learning supported and encouraged? How successfully are students’ self-esteem and self-confidence developed? How well is the development of creativity, critical thinking, discussion and presentation skills supported? How are students’ special needs taken into account?
  4. Successful and inclusive management: How open, inspirational and inclusive is the school governance? How efficiently are resources used?
  5. Evaluation practices: How extensively are the principles of formative assessment applied? How is the feedback given? What feedback do students and teachers receive?
  6. Disciplinary policies:  What methods of maintaining order, giving recognition or punishment are used and how do they support the development of the attitudes in the sphere of values?
  7. Cooperation and relations between different parties: How pleasant is the school environment? What are the relations between different parties? How effective is cooperation between teachers and students, teachers themselves, teachers and the school administration, teachers and parents, teachers and support staff, school and community?
  8. Common activities: Do different parties at the school have a strong sense of belonging? How varied are extra-curricular activities?
  9. Physical and psychological environment: How pleasant is the school environment? How safe is the school? What relations dominate at the school? Do students like going to school? How the problem of bullying is addressed and what preventive measures are taken? How actively are healthy lifestyles popularised? What sporting facilities does the school offer? How healthy is the school food? How functional and aesthetically pleasant are the school rooms?
  10. Common aims: Does the school have shared aims explicitly formulated so that all parties are aware of them and work to achieve them? Is there systematic values development?

The Centre for Ethics supports the process of self-evaluation (feedback to the written self-analysis, meetings, trainings, critical friend programme etc.) Instructors from the Centre for Ethics, University of Tartu give written feedback to the school’s analysis, calling attention to parts that need improving, to methods of data gathering and deficiencies. After giving this feedback, the critical friend and a member of the Centre for Ethics visit the school with the purpose to give a feed forward – how do different aspects look to the critical friend and how are these in accordance with the aims, principles and values that the school finds to be important. Critical friend helps the school to reflect on different aspects, helps to sort activities, aims, and helps to bring out the strengths and points for improvement for the school.

During the period of 2009–2019, 98 schools and 113 preschools from all over Estonia have sent their self-analysis reports. With the permission of the acknowledged schools, good examples from the self-analysis reports have been published  in the Ethics in Estonia portal (Eetikaveeb). A best practices database is being compiled with the aim of sharing the valuable experiences of schools, supporting the creation of a cooperation network and disseminating the notion of good school and its different viewpoints.

The whole-school approach of the Good School Model is described in its four fields and aspects of those four fields. Educational experts in Estonia developed the aspects to support the national curricula and life-long learning policies the best way possible. However, not all fields and aspects described are country-specific. One could easily adapt the model to support the aims of whichever other country in Europe. In doing so, all four fields and aspects should be revised and if necessary reorganized by adopting country’s educational experts to best fit their national context.