School supervision and evaluation in China: the Shanghai perspective

The purpose of this paper is to discuss recent developments in school developmental supervisory evaluation in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai in the Chinese Mainland.

The main research approach is qualitative, using documentary analysis and interviews of an inspector, principals and teachers from two primary schools.

There were perceived positive and negative impacts of school supervision and evaluation.

The paper highlights the implications for fostering a shared school‐government community of school supervision and evaluation, promoting a dynamic approach for addressing contextual differences as well as achieving better coherence among educational reform, supervision and evaluation policies.