Before I share these notes from Suzanne O’Farrell’s presentation, I need to confirm with you that she covered this mountain of inspection knowledge, inference and deduction in a mere hour. The pace was relentless, there was little or no need for questions and be the end of it, I barely cared that the new Handbook was about to be imminently released.
Suzanne O’Farrell (ASCL Inspection Specialist)
- Behaviour tends to be graded higher than the other factors.
- Marked difference in regional variations.
The common inspection framework comes into force from September (as we waiting patiently for the imminent update). Outstanding schools – exempt from Inspections due to legislation. The regional seminars are full, ASCL will be offering some additional support seminars.
Far greater emphasis on safeguarding and the curriculum.
Good Schools – a 1 day visit, 2 HMIs. What you receive – a written narrative, not a set of judgements. The narrative aims to answer “Is this school, still a Good school?” There will be a greater emphasis on the quality of professional dialogue, in that sense it is more likened to Section 8 guidance. Not later, there is no such things as an protected conversation with an inspector. Inspectors will want to extend their conversation to staff and pupils.
Areas For Improvement (AFIs) will be a focus. Previously identified in the last inspections, the HMIs will expect to see traction and impact here.
There will still be a very firm focus on safeguarding.
A short inspection can be transferred to a full inspection the follow day if concerns are raised. With ASCL influence, if the evidence is compelling, a short inspection can be transferred to a full inspection to secure an Outstanding grade. [How long with Outstanding be a grade – my thoughts not Suzanne’s]
- Evaluation framework – slimmed (slightly)
- Far more focus on the grade descriptors.
- A greater focus on transition Year 6-7 (making the most of the KS2 achievement being reported) and Y11-12
- A very clear focus on groups of pupils [and sub set of groups eg disadvantaged and more able]
- Culture of safeguarding – can it be evidened
- Published data is the starting point (Data dashboard, RAISEOnline, Level 3VA, PANDA) – however current data (progress) is more important (outcomes / impact). Case studies useful. [Performance tracking will be more important]
- Website must be current and up to date
- New open form text box on Parent View – direct you supportive parents there.
- More regionalisation, regional HMIs – centralised monitoring, every report for every new HMI will be QA for two years.
- A review of how complaints are handled and reviewed
- RI schools, regional directors can extend the inspection timeframe from 24 months to 30 months for securing improvement
Leadership – Leadership at all levels.
Leadership moved to the front of the Handbook.
- Rigorous monitoring and urgency with which you address your self-evaluations and driving your aims
- Robust self-evaluation
- Leadership of Teaching and Learning (think of this as sustaining pupil outcomes and the impact of professional learning on staff)
- Data – standardisation, moderations – this is “how I know.”
- Impact of leaders “new” into post
- Effectiveness of the KS3 curriculum (there is a link here to CIEAG as well)
- Narrowing the gap, rigorousness of assessment,
- British values
Middle Leaders – a growing focus
- Consistency, armed, synchronised. The team need to know their subject, their years, their groups. They also need to know, how they know.
- What are the barriers to achievement, what are we doing about it – can Middle Leaders communicate that?
- Are Middle Leaders ensuring that policies are followed?
- What are their regularly monitoring? How are they monitoring? What are they do with that information?
- Are they holding teachers to account? How are they doing that?
- Safeguarding remains a key focus – radicalisation
- HMIs will test procedures, will test staff training, case studies.
School Self-evaluation
Robust self-assessment is essential. Ofsted feel that school SE are often too generous.
How to address this – more impact statements. Concise and succinct statements.
Lastly, you must canvas the views of all stakeholders, collated and report the findings.
School Improvement Planning
- Measurable targets
- Sharply focused. Tackling the achievement of particular pupils.
- Linked to the Ofsted framework
- Weave governance into every section to show impact, accountability and support.
- Timescales, milestones and monitoring progresses must be evidenced.
- Is the plan sustainable?
Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TLA)
What inspectors see in the books, what is evidenced in the outcomes, what staff and/or pupils tell them (remember, there are no protected conversations). Key Questions
- How are you developing middle leaders?
- Is professional learning addressing the staff needs? Addressing the pupil needs?
- What does Outstanding TLA look like?
- What are the Outcomes for pupils, progress of all groups from their starting points.
- Key Groups; WBB, PP, DSEN, More able, LAC, disadvantaged pupils (and how this information supports the TLA information above)
- Current data is growing importance – (historic data scaled back from 8 bullet points to 3.)
Personal development, behaviour and welfare
- How are you developing an aspirational ethos and culture – pupil attitudes
- What is the impact of low level disruption and how are you addressing it
- Healthy living – a new edition (tutor programmes?)
- More and more, HMIs are talking to staff, about behaviour. eg How often to you hear derogatory language. What is the schools response to this?
Sixth Form
- 6% better and 23% lower, than the school achievement grade
- Quality of CIEAG (particularly for disadvantaged pupils)
- Suitability of the courses
- Quality of English and Maths (particular resits)
- Employability skills
- Tracking groups by starting points
- (Destination data is still experimental)
Tips
- Get the website focused and current
- Leadership data – look at this very early on in Term 1.
- Write a compelling one sided document that can be shared with staff – shared knowledge
- Prepare your pupils – tell them well in advance
- No unguarded conversations in an inspection – everything is on record
- Share your concerns / challenges with HMIs early on.
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