Promoting school improvement: The Role of Inspection in the 21st Century

1
Promoting school improvementThe Role of
Inspection in the 21st Century

• DAVID TAYLOR HMI
• Director of Inspection
• 20 March 2003

2
The context of inspection

• Ofsted set up in 1992 as a non-ministerial
  department
• Important plank of Parents Charter
• Basis of evidence of HMCIs annual report to
  Parliament
• Key vehicle of public accountability
• Means of identifying weak or failing schools
• Contributes to school improvement.

3
Inspection principlesInspection

• is there to act in the interest of the children /
  young people
• is evaluative and diagnostic, assessing quality
  and compliance
• invites and takes into account self-evaluation
• take into account the distinctive character of
  the school
• should include clear and helpful feedback
  identifying strengths and areas for improvement.

4
Statutory responsibilities of Ofsted

• the quality of education provided by the school
• the educational standards achieved in the school
• the quality of the leadership in, and management
  of, the school, including whether the financial
  resources made available to the school are
  managed efficiently and
• the spiritual, moral, social and cultural
  development of pupils at the school.

School Inspections Act 1996, amended 2002
5
1997 to the presentEducation, Education,
Education

• Not just the market the iron grip of central
  direction and control
• Literacy and numeracy strategies in primary
  schools
• Innovation, Innovation, Innovation!
• Aggressive action against failure
• Diversity and choice
• A new focus on secondary education

6
The new inspection arrangements from September
2003

• Less Inspection for most schools
• Comparability - a common framework that will
  apply to all schools, with the emphasis depending
  on the schools performance and special features
• Proportionality - very good schools up to 6 years
  between inspections, weaker schools inspected
  more often
• Differentiation - greater emphasis given to the
  schools self-evaluation in shaping the
  inspection
• Responsive to the key features or characteristics
  of the school
• Highlighting success - inspectors will be
  searching out best practice and reporting it
• Inspectors will assess how pupils feel about the
  school.

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The new inspection arrangements from September
2003 The inspection is tailored to match the
needs, performance and characteristics of the
school

• The shape and emphasis of the inspection will be
  discussed with the school. More time will be
  given to pre-inspection visits so that inspectors
  understand the school
• Inspectors will sample the whole curriculum, but
  in weaker schools more emphasis will be given to
  core subjects and diagnosis of what they need to
  do to improve. In effective schools a stronger
  emphasis will be given to the characteristics
  that make them successful.

8
The new inspection arrangements from September
2003 The inspection is tailored to match the
needs, performance and characteristics of the
school

• Specialist school inspections will reflect their
  specific characters and the schools specific
  objectives
• Special school inspections will take full account
  of the range of pupils needs and outreach
  services
• The Framework provides the opportunity for
  inspectors to respond to any additional education
  services that the school may provide, for example
  outside school time.

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The New FrameworkInspectors will focus on

• how well pupils achieve the standards they reach
  and the progress they make
• the quality of teaching and learning
• leadership at all levels within the school
• any other factors that have a bearing on pupils
  achievements

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The New FrameworkThe evaluation of Standards
and Quality in Subjects and Courses

• National Curriculum subjects in KS2, 3 and 4 as
  applicable, religious education (where it is
  inspected)
• at least one vocational course in KS4
• work seen in as many other subjects and courses
  as possible
• where applicable, a sample of between four and
  thirteen subjects or courses in sixth form will
  be inspected in detail.

11
The new inspection arrangements from September
2003 Sixth form inspections...

• will continue to have the greater emphasis they
  have had since 2001
• will be comparable to inspection of post-16
  education in colleges
• will link better with the new secondary school
  inspections than they do with the current short
  inspections.

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The new inspection arrangements from September
2003 Sixth forms A cross-section of sixth form
subjects will be inspected in detail, chosen
according to the following principles

• EN, MA and a SC subject should always be
  included
• other subjects drawn from across as many
  curriculum areas as possible, including where
  possible a MFL
• subjects that from pre-inspection data appear
  weak
• vocationally related courses
• courses offered at different levels, e.g.
  advanced and intermediate
• in shared sixth forms the other schools are
  sampled
• in smaller sixth forms attention will be given to
  the courses followed by most students.

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The new inspection arrangements from September
2003 Special Educational Needs (SEN)

• Increased focus on how well schools meet the
  needs of all pupils
• Inspectors will be able to engage more with the
  school in its particular context and the services
  it offers e.g. outreach.

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The new inspection arrangements from September
2003 Less work for schools?

• Bureaucracy is cut to a minimum. Forms have been
  pruned and will be completed and updated by
  schools through the Internet
• Where information is already available it will be
  provided to inspectors by Ofsted, including
  information on the schools financial
  arrangements.

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Leadership - How well is the school led? (1)
Inspectors consider the extent to which

• Leaders provide clear vision, a sense of purpose
  and high aspirations for the school, with a
  relentless focus on pupils achievement
• strategic planning reflects the schools
  ambitions and goals
• leaders inspire, motivate and influence staff and
  pupils
• leaders create effective teams

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Leadership - How well is the school led? (2)
Inspectors consider the extent to which

• there is knowledgeable and innovative leadership
  of teaching and the curriculum
• leaders are committed to running an equitable and
  inclusive school, in which each individual
  matters
• leaders provide good role models for other staff
  and pupils.

17
Leadership - How well is the school governed?
Inspectors should consider the extent to which
the governing body

• helps shape the vision and direction of the
  school
• ensures that the school fulfils its statutory
  duties, including promoting inclusive policies in
  relation to SEN, race equality, disability and
  gender
• has a good understanding of the strengths and
  weaknesses of the school
• challenges and supports the senior management
  team.

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Management how well is the school managed (1)?
Inspectors should consider the extent to which

• the school undertakes rigorous self-evaluation
  and uses the findings effectively
• the school monitors performance data, reviews
  patterns and takes appropriate action
• performance management of staff, including
  support staff, is thorough and effective in
  bringing about improvement
• a commitment to staff development is reflected in
  effective induction and professional development
  strategies and, where possible, the schools
  contribution to initial teacher training

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Management how well is the school managed (2)?
Inspectors should consider the extent to which

• the recruitment, retention, deployment and
  workload of staff are well managed, and support
  staff are well deployed to make teachers work
  more effective
• approaches to financial and resource management
  help the school to achieve its educational
  priorities
• the principles of best value are central to the
  schools management and use of resources.

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Leadership and management in secondary schools
over time (percentage of schools)
47
37
12
4
2001/02
19
37
31
13
1996/97
0
20
40
60
80
100
Excellent/Very good
Good
Satisfactory
Unsatisfactory/Poor
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Leadership and management in secondary schools
(percentage of schools, 2001/02)
47
37
12
4
The leadership and management of the head
Strategic use of resources, including specific
35
40
22
3
grant
The extent to which the principles of best value
33
38
24
4
are applied
The effectiveness of the governing body in
26
39
28
7
fulfilling
Monitoring and evaluation of the schools'
29
35
25
11
performance
0
20
40
60
80
100
Excellent/Very good
Good
Satisfactory
Unsatisfactory/Poor
22
Promoting school improvementThe Role of
Inspection in the 21st Century

• DAVID TAYLOR HMI
• Director of Inspection
• 20 March 2003