Three-quarters of school and college leaders believe
Ofsted’s new approach to inspections is an improvement on
previous frameworks, according to an ASCL survey.
However, dissatisfaction with inspections remains high in
general with 89 per cent of respondents saying the current
inspection system fails to consistently, fairly and accurately
judge the performance of schools and colleges.
The new inspection framework was introduced in September
2019 and focuses more on the quality of the curriculum and less
on data from exams and tests.
Despite the majority of respondents supporting this move,
there is significant disquiet over the perception that Ofsted is
favouring a specific curriculum model of a two-year Key Stage 4
during which pupils study for GCSEs, and that schools which
successfully run a three-year programme will be
downgraded.
Ofsted denies this is the case. However, Geoff Barton,
General Secretary of the Association of School and College
Leaders, speaking at the association’s annual conference in
Birmingham, will today (Saturday 14 March) call on Ofsted to
provide greater clarity, reassurance and consistency.
He will say: “The great shame is that this one topic risks
overshadowing the generally positive reception of the new
framework.
“So our message to Ofsted is this. You have to grasp this
issue, and provide schools with greater clarity, reassurance and
consistency. We have to know exactly where we stand.”
Graded judgements
Our survey of 793 leaders in
state-funded schools and colleges in England,
found that one way inspections could be improved is to reform the
system of four graded judgements under which schools are rated as
either: 1. Outstanding; 2. Good; 3. Requires improvement; 4.
Inadequate.
We asked whether graded judgements should be scrapped and
replaced with narrative judgements; reformed in some other way;
or retained in their current form.
|
Scrapped and replaced with narrative
judgements
|
61.29%
|
486
|
|
Reformed in some other way
|
28.75%
|
228
|
|
Retained in their current form
|
9.96%
|
79
|
|
TOTAL
|
|
793
|
In his speech today, Mr Barton will say:
“Our member survey also reveals that deep misgivings remain
about the inspection system in general, aside from the new
framework. In summary, they are these:
“Graded judgements are crude and stigmatising. Labelling a
school as ‘inadequate’ is not smart. It is
counter-productive.
“Ofsted inspections remain inconsistent. Many leaders feel
it is the luck of the draw. The verdict feels as if it depends
more on the inspection team than the framework.
“Nowhere near enough recognition is given to the context of
schools and colleges which are doing great work in relentlessly
challenging circumstances.
“And, finally, the tone of inspections too often feels
combative rather than supportive. As one of our survey
respondents puts it: “what we need is ‘less big brother is
watching you; more big brother wants to help you.’
“So, these findings give us a clear objective over the
coming year. Because if we could improve these areas of
inspection, it would be a great deal better for our schools, our
colleges, our children and, we would argue, for Ofsted
too.”
Read
the full results of the survey here.
