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Inspections to focus on what children actually learn,
ahead of results
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Designed to discourage culture of ‘teaching to the
test’
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New ‘behaviour’ judgement to give parents reassurance
on bullying
From September 2019, Ofsted will refocus inspections of schools,
early years settings and further education and skills
providers, to make sure that learners are receiving a
high-quality education that puts them on a path to future
success.
Ofsted inspectors will spend less time looking at exam results
and test data, and more time considering how a nursery, school,
college or other education provider has achieved their results.
That is, whether they are the outcome of a broad, rich curriculum
and real learning, or of teaching to the test and exam cramming.
The changes follow a three-month public consultation, which
prompted more than 15,000 responses - the highest number Ofsted
has ever received.
Ofsted confirmed today that it will proceed with its headline
proposal for a new ‘quality of education’ judgement, after it
received strong support from three quarters of respondents.
More than three quarters of respondents also supported plans to
introduce two new key judgements, evaluating learners’ ‘behaviour
and attitudes’ separately from their ‘personal development’.
The ‘behaviour and attitudes’ judgement will assess whether
leaders are creating a calm and orderly environment, where
bullying is tackled effectively by leaders when it occurs. While
the ‘personal development’ judgement will recognise the work
early years providers, schools and colleges do to build young
people’s resilience and confidence in later life, including
through participation in sport, music and extra-curricular
activities.
Together, these changes will make it easier for Ofsted to
recognise and reward early years providers, schools and colleges
that are doing the best they can for their pupils, particularly
those working in challenging circumstances.
Schools will be empowered to always put the child first and be
actively discouraged from negative practices, such as
‘off-rolling’, where schools remove pupils in their own best
interests, rather than that of the pupils. Such schools are
likely to find their ‘leadership and management’ judged
inadequate under the new framework.
All inspection judgements will continue to be awarded under the
current four-point grading scale: outstanding; good; requires
improvement; and inadequate. Reports will be redesigned and
shortened to give parents the key information they need to know
about a school and a sense of how it feels to be a pupil
there.
HM Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said:
“This was the largest-ever consultation Ofsted has undertaken and
I am very grateful to all those who took the time to respond.
“The new framework puts the real substance of education at the
heart of inspection and supports leaders and teachers who act
with integrity. We hope early years, schools and college leaders
will no longer feel the need to generate and analyse masses of
internal data for inspection. Instead, we want them to spend
their time teaching and making a real difference to children’s
lives, which is why they entered the profession in the first
place.
“Our goal is really simple: to be a force for improvement through
our inspections. We want to provide parents with the assurance
they need, support teachers and leaders to excel - and help make
sure all children and learners to get the education they
deserve.”
The consultation was the result of nearly two years of research
and engagement with teachers, headteachers, unions, academics and
parents. The new framework and inspection handbooks, published
today, will be used across all education inspections from
September 2019.
