The Full Service Extended Schools (FSES) initiative in England sought to build the capacity of schools to deploy multiple interventions across a range of child, family, and community contexts in order to improve the lives of children and families, and to enhance the sustainability of the areas where they live. As such, it was part of wider international developments to broaden the role of schools and integrate their work with that of other child and family services. The complexity and indeterminacy of such initiatives present particular challenges to evaluators, and mean that simple input–output approaches to evaluation are inappropriate.
In practice, this approach did not simply replicate standard outcomes evaluation processes in a more context‐sensitive way. Rather, it involved fundamental shifts in what counted as valued outcomes, in a focus on potential rather than effectiveness, and in the roles of actors and evaluators.
The paper concludes that, as the role of schools widens, educational evaluators will also have to rethink their roles.

This paper presents the case of capacity building within schools in England. It shows how a ToC approach can deal with complexity. Such involved fundamental shifts in what outcomes were valued and the roles of actors and evaluators.

Dealing with complexity: Theory of Change evaluation and the full service extended schools initiative

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From 2011 to 2014, Hivos hosted a series of E-dialogues on different aspects of ToC thinking. ToC practitioners from around the world gave contributions based on their experiences with ToC on various topics which resulted in final papers. This particular report reflects on the desired level of detail of a ToC.

This report reflects on the desired level of detail of a ToC.

Rigid plan or vague vision: Exploring the boundaries of ToC precision

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This case shows an example how UNIFEM seeks to contribute to building clarity on its Theory of Change of GRB (Gender Responsive Budgeting) work. It identifies the implications for its Theory of Change in relation to programme design, implementation and results monitoring.
The ToC outlines the logic behind the GRB work as an approach for addressing gaps in implementation of gender equality commitments on the part of national governments.

This case provides an illustration of a ToC for gender equality commitments.