This in from Ofsted in their own words. Ed
Today (Tuesday) Sir Robin Bosher, Ofsted’s Director for the South East, confirmed some of the biggest changes to education inspection since the inception of the inspectorate more than two decades ago.
Speaking to over 300 headteachers, college principals and early years professionals at the Portsmouth Guildhall, Sir Robin paid tribute to education leaders in transforming education standards and set out how changes to Ofsted inspection will support further improvement in the system.
The event is one of eight conferences around the country designed to share the details of the new inspection model with the sector.
New short inspection model
From September, Ofsted will inspect good schools and further education and skills providers once every three years under a new short inspection model. They will check that leaders have identified key areas of concern and that they have the capacity to address them.
These short inspections will typically last one day and will be led by one or two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI), with bigger teams for further education colleges. Where HMI feel more evidence is necessary to confirm the judgement, or to establish whether the school or provider may have improved or declined, the visit will be converted to a full inspection and continue, most commonly, for an additional day.
Starting assumption is that a school is ‘Good’
Describing how the new short inspections will work, Sir Robin, Ofsted South East said:
“Education leaders have transformed standards in education. Strong leaders have high aspiration for their students. They make the difference to whether children will have the opportunities and life chance that they deserve. That is why the changes in the way Ofsted will inspect, from September, are so important.
“This a very different inspection model to what has gone before.
“The starting assumption of Her Majesty’s Inspectors will be that the school or provider is good. This should engender an atmosphere in which honest, challenging, professional dialogue can take place.
“This will be an open process. Leaders will have nothing to fear being honest about weaknesses. HMI will be looking to see that the leaders have a clear understanding of the key areas for development – and a credible and effective plan for how to address them.
“The short inspections will reduce the burden of inspection without losing the rigour which parents and the public rightly expect of Ofsted.”
Recognising ‘exceptional leaders’
Sir Robin also announced plans to recognise ‘exceptional leaders’; outlining how, from September, when inspectors identify an early years leader, headteacher or college principal who has played a key role in turning around other institutions, Ofsted will send a letter to them acknowledging their leadership as exceptional.
A copy of this letter will go to the Secretary of State and Ofsted’s Annual Report will also feature those leaders who have been recognised in this way.
Short inspections for good schools
As well as short inspections for good schools and further education and skills providers, the new school year will see a number of other changes. A common framework for inspection is being introduced encompassing registered early years settings, maintained schools, academies, non-association independent schools and further education and skills providers, so that common judgements and terminology can be used across all these sectors.
A young person, parent or employer should be able to pick up any of Ofsted’s inspection reports and be able to understand them quickly because the format and judgements are the same.
Greater accountability
Ofsted will also open its complaints process to greater accountability. In the South East, a ‘scrutiny committee’ made up of HMI and practitioners not involved in carrying out inspections for Ofsted will be set up.
They will assess and rule on the internal reviews of complaints about inspection. The decisions of the panel, including the ability to quash inspection judgements, will be binding.
The new school year will bring significant changes to the way Ofsted contracts with, trains and manages inspectors for schools and further education and skills providers. From September, Ofsted Inspectors, directly contracted by the inspectorate, will undertake inspections.
Seven out of 10 of these inspectors will be serving practitioners from good and outstanding schools and colleges, with all of their training, quality assurance and development directly overseen by HMI.
Even higher standards will be Ofsted’s watchword.
Image: Biblio Archives under CC BY 2.0
