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In 2007, The National Archives initiated a self-assessment performance measurement programme for local authority archive services. The programme is designed to provide a measure of overall service quality in the absence of formal performance indicators for archive services in the Audit Commission's performance indicator set for local government.

How the self-assessment process works

Participation in the self-assessment process is voluntary, but The National Archives expects local authority archives, which are places of deposit for public records or which have subscribed to the Standard for Record Repositories, to make returns. In 2008, 112 out of 124 eligible services participated in the exercise.

The self-assessment programme enables authorities to judge the adequacy of their archive service, measured against the public task of such services, as expressed in the Standard for Record Repositories and the Framework of Standards. For the first time, it enables comparisons to be made between authorities. The information from self-assessment will hopefully be useful to employing authorities, archives professionals and the user community. The programme enables The National Archives to reveal regional and other trends, highlight areas of strength and weakness within the archive sector, and to identify individual services that may need other interventions and support.

The self-assessment programme is based on a comprehensive questionnaire that examines five areas of the work in local authority archive services: Governance and Staffing; Documentation of Collections; Access Services; Preservation and Conservation; and Buildings, Security and Environment.

Each authority receives a percentage score on each of these five areas, and an overall percentage score. The scores on the five areas of activity are then performance banded, with the top ten per cent of services securing four stars; the bottom ten per cent scoring one star; and the remainder being divided equally into two-star and three-star categories.

The performance bands for the overall scores are set by the independent panel which oversees the self-assessment process, based on the 2007 bandings but adjusted for the typical impact of changes to the questionnaire from 2007 to 2008.  Additionally, to secure a two, three or four star performance banding, services had to score above a 'threshold score' in all five sections of the questionnaire: the thresholds were again set at 55% for four stars; 45% for three stars and 35% for two stars.  Services which failed to meet these thresholds in all areas were held down to the highest band for which they did meet the thresholds; eight services were affected in this way.

Additionally in 2008, we have provided a direction of travel judgement for each service.  This takes into account both the variation in scores between 2007 and 2008 and other information available to The National Archives about the threats to, and opportunities for, future service development. 

Self-Assessment Advisory Panel

The National Archives has established a Self-Assessment Advisory Panel to oversee the self-assessment process, review and moderate the results, and determine appeals against the results. In 2008 the members of the self-assessment panel were:

  • Nicholas Kingsley, The National Archives (Chairman)
  • Justin Cavernelis-Frost
  • Mary Ellis
  • Catherine Richards
  • Bruce Jackson
  • Deborah Jenkins
  • Andrew Rowley, The National Archives (Secretary)
  • David Mander OBE
  • Sarah Chubb

Summaries of panel meetings

If you have any comments or queries about the self-assessment process, please email Archives Sector Development at ASD@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

Self-assessment 2006 pilot

A pilot for the self-assessment programme was run in 2006, using data collected in confidence from 116 archive repositories. This provided an opportunity to test the validity and appropriateness of the questions asked, the robustness of the guidance notes, and to give the local authority archives sector the opportunity to comment on the process and contribute their experience to its development. The scoring and performance banding, and the appeals process, were also tested in 2006, but the results were not published as the data was collected in confidence, and as there was potential for data from any poorly drafted questions to be misleading.

The feedback on the pilot exercise and the comments of the Self-Assessment Advisory Panel on the process were taken into account in drafting the questionnaire and guidance notes for 2008.

Self-assessment 2007

In 2007, 117 archive repositories out of 125 services made returns. The final results of the survey following the completion of the appeals process are available below.

Results for 2007 self-assessment survey (XLS, 0.00Mb)

Self-assessment 2008

In 2008, we made only modest changes to the questionnaire issued in 2007. We reviewed, in particular, the questions relating to governance and staffing and the documentation of collections, to check their continuing relevance. We have also adjusted questions in the Access and User Experience section to reflect local govenment agendas. In addition, we have taken into account the feedback received on the 2007 questionnaire, and have adjusted questions and guidance notes slightly to ensure the greatest possible clarity in the questions.

The questionnaire and guidance notes, and the results of the 2008 self-assessment survey are available from the links below.

Questionnaire (XLS, 0.13Mb)

Guidance (DOC, 0.17Mb)

Results for 2008 self-assessment survey (XLS, 0.04Mb)

Self-assessment 2009

Many services have responded to the self-assessment process by introducing improvement plans to respond to the weaknesses in provision revealed by the survey.  To give time for these improvement plans to take effect and be reflected in the results, it has been decided that the next full self-assessment will take place in 2010.  However, services which wish to refresh their results in 2009 will be supported through the use of a minimally-revised version of the 2008 questionnaire. 

Services which wish to register to participate in this more limited exercise should contact Nicholas Kingsley, Head of Archives Sector Development, at ASD@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

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