Ofsted has today published a report exploring multi-academy
trusts’ responsibilities and how their work is evaluated during
inspections.
The new research finds that trusts are an important part of
school inspection and have some involvement at each stage of the
process. However, Ofsted’s legal remit only permits inspections
to operate at an individual school level, limiting the extent to
which inspectors can report on the work of the trust, and its
influence.
Read the ‘How multi-academy trusts
are involved in school inspections report’.
The report also finds that:
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Conversations with trusts are an integral part of a school’s
inspection.
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Inspections cover the influential role that trusts have in
the quality of education in their schools, particularly in
designing the curriculum.
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Inspectors recognised the role of many trusts in setting
expectations for teaching, and for teaching and managing
behaviour.
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Trusts often set the strategic vision for personal
development and use their resources to provide opportunities
for pupils.
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Trust leaders said that they were always involved in
strategic school leadership decisions, regardless of their
operating model.
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The fact that Ofsted’s legal powers require inspection to
operate at school level can leave the role of the trust in
inspection unclear, causing frustration for trust leaders and
inspectors.
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Both trust leaders and inspectors highlighted that inspection
at school level does not hold the trust sufficiently
accountable or attribute enough credit to the trust’s work.
Ofsted Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, said:
School trusts are an integral part of the education landscape,
with some running dozens of schools. They oversee all aspects of
schools’ work and often turn around some very challenging
situations.
The inspectors and trust leaders we spoke to highlighted that
inspection only of individual schools does not hold the trust
sufficiently accountable, or credit the trust enough for its
work.
The report draws evidence from survey responses by 105 His
Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and 11 semi-structured interviews with
trust chief executive officers (CEOs) or their representatives.
