How effective is your neighbourhood school? The performance of national education systems is a growing concern in many OECD countries, and schools themselves are coming into the limelight. As standards rise, and curriculum, assessment and administrations are reformed, schools are subject to unprecedented public scrutiny and face the daunting challenge of taking more responsibility for their own performance. At the same time, parents have become consumers. Comparing information on school performance becomes part of the process of making choices. As demand for high quality education grows, schools are justifiably under pressure to improve, but they cannot be expected to do so without appropriate support. This report focuses on the evaluation of school performance in seven countries: England, France, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden and the United States.