Reflective Notes 2: Ofsted 2012-2014 updates

Reflective Notes 2 Ofsted 2012 Framework with

2013/ 2014 updates  The unexpected expectations of observations  The key phrases that lead to ‘outstanding’

[ Key words: expectations, observations, descriptors]

Bill Lowe 1

Introduction __________________________________________________

‘Reflective Notes’ : a collection of resources and presentations prepared for students on Initial Teacher Education programmes at Newman University, Birmingham, UK.

I have compiled these so they can be accessed by students when they have left the University. This will help former students find references and resources they might otherwise find difficult to source.

The sole reason for this is allow new and experienced teachers to continue to develop their learning. Too often the pressures of school life leave little time for the luxury of internet browsing and library visits. I hope that ‘Reflective Notes’ will help a little.

Comments in the brace brackets are mine or from comments in seminars/ lectures

Bill Lowe Newman University Birmingham UK

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OfSTED Updates 2.1 ________________________________________________

The July 2014 update reflects the comments made by Mike Cladingbowl on p13

This video will also help

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbYO1MxxLq8

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OfSTED Updates 2.1 _______________________________________________

1) What do inspections look like?

• Inspections are driven by the philosophy:

“ An ‘acceptable’ standard of education is defined as a ‘good’ standard of education”.

It is always useful to know the thinking behind a particular model. You might not always agree with the sentiments/ politics/ ideology but an understanding of where some of the phrases come from can help.

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OfSTED Updates 2.1 __________________________________________________ An increased emphasis on: • Improving schools that are not yet good • Progress of pupils especially those that are disadvantaged • The use of the Pupil Premium to raise achievement • Reading, writing and mathematics • The impact of school leadership on improving teaching and achievement • Governance “Only a good standard of education is good enough.”

From discussions with those who have had inspections recently it appears that Governance can catch us out.

The question of governors “How do you challenge the Head?” has caused problems for the unprepared. “We don’t” = grade 4!

Also, be ready to provide evidence to support reading and maths ‘across the curriculum’. Especially subject leaders.

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OfSTED Updates 2.1 __________________________________________________

2) Four Key Judgements • Achievement • Quality of teaching • Behaviour and safety • Leadership and management Inspectors must also consider • SMSC • Provision or needs of pupils especially SEND

Have a look at the Feb 2014 doc below.

Some of us are still finding it hard to believe.

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OfSTED Updates 2.1

3) Increased focus on how pupils compare with national statistics and • Make expected progress • Make more than expected progress With an emphasis on • English and maths, reading and writing • Closing the gap in attainment and progress • Pupil Premium • Disabled • SEN

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OfSTED Updates 2.1

4) Organisation Half day notice Schools contacted after midday on the working day before the inspection except for ‘no notice’ behaviour focus visits (always a 2 day inspection, so no call on a Thursday or Friday and no inspections on a Monday) If HT unavailable, then next most senior member of staff Once confirmed, then confirmation sent to school by email

OfSTED Update 2.1 __________________________________________________ 8

Lead inspector will prepare by getting information from • Previous inspection report • Monitoring letters • RAISEonline • Qualifying complaints • School website • Parent View • Past surveys carried out by the school • Correspondence • Phone calls • Meetings

This last comment comes as a great relief. But be careful... not being able to find a policy if things do go wrong will be a minor disaster.

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OfSTED Update 2.1 __________________________________________________ To make sure you have a good idea of the expectations, have a look at the descriptors in the Handbook.

It is common for school staff to predict when an inspection is due. A monitoring letter may have suggested that the school won’t probably be visited before a certain time. After that time has passed, everyone is on guard.

Different people react in different ways. I have heard of teachers locking themselves in their rooms in a pre-inspection panic. Colleagues seeing others in tears after the ‘phone call’. Others are more relaxed (on the outside, atleast).

On the next page are the components of ‘Outstanding Teaching’, the part that we are usually most concerned about. By picking out the highlighted words and phrases, you can get the flavour.

The documentation is available for everyone. It is easy to download. The problem is that we have little time to spend reading all the information that comes out.

The trouble is, we listen to colleagues and read things in the popular media that aren’t always based on fact. There is a lot of rumour and speculation.

If in doubt, look it up.

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OfSTED Update 2.1 __________________________________________________

5) Teaching and Learning Outstanding (1) • [teaching in]... All key stages and most subjects is outstanding and never less than consistently good. As a result, almost all pupils are making rapid and sustained progress.

• All teachers have consistently high expectations of all pupils.

• Teachers systematically and effectively check pupils’ understanding throughout lessons, anticipating where they may need to intervene and doing so with notable impact on the quality of learning.

• Reading, writing, communication and mathematics is highly effective and cohesively planned and implemented across the curriculum.

• High levels of engagement and commitment to learning across the whole school.

• Consistently high quality marking and constructive feedback from teachers ensure that pupils make rapid gains.

• Teachers use well-judged and often inspirational teaching strategies, including setting appropriate homework that, together with sharply focused and timely support and intervention, match individual needs accurately. Consequently, pupils learn exceptionally well across the curriculum.

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OfSTED Update 2.1 ___________________________________________________________

6) Behaviour and Safety Outstanding (1) Phrases to note  attitudes to learning are exemplary  unreservedly positive  behaviour outside lessons is almost always impeccable  bullying in all its forms is rare  behaviour management by all staff makes a strong contribution  all groups of pupils feel safe at school

It is clear to see that whole school excellence is needed. There can be no weak areas for an ‘outstanding’ judgement to be made.

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OfSTED Update 2.1 ________________________________________________ 7) Recent updates There is plenty of discussion around this: Subsidiary Guidance. January 2014 and July 2014 handbook

64.Inspectors must not give the impression that Ofsted favours a particular teaching style... For example, they should not criticise teacher talk for being overlong or bemoan a lack of opportunity for different activities in lessons unless there is unequivocal evidence that this is slowing learning over time. It is unrealistic, too, for inspectors to necessarily expect that all work in all lessons is always matched to the specific needs of each individual. Inspectors should not expect to see ‘independent learning’ in all lessons and should not make the assumption that this is always necessary or desirable. On occasions, too, pupils are rightly passive rather than active recipients of learning. Inspectors should not criticise ‘passivity’ as a matter of course and certainly not unless it is evidently stopping pupils from learning new knowledge or gaining skills and understanding.

65.When in lessons, inspectors should also remember that they are gathering evidence about a variety of aspects of provision and outcomes. Inspectors are not simply observing the features of the lesson but they are gathering evidence about a range of issues through observation in a lesson. Inspectors should not focus on the 13

lesson structure at the expense of its content or the wide range of other evidence about how well children are learning in the school.

And this: ‘Why do Ofsted inspectors observe individual lessons and how do they evaluate teaching in schools?’ Feb 2014, No.140050 • Inspectors should not give an overall grade for the lesson and nor should teachers expect one.

• If asked, inspectors will provide feedback to individuals on what they have observed, including the evidence they have gathered about teaching.

• They can share the grade for the evidence gathered about teaching, or other aspects, with an individual teacher. In most instances, it should include evidence about what is routine rather than one-off.

Too often, it seems to me, inspectors’ visits to lessons are confused with the ones carried out by headteachers whose purpose may be to identify professional development needs or performance management. This is particularly the case with newly qualified teachers, where inspectors and course tutors or mentors are not gathering evidence for the same purpose.

Inspectors need to know what the quality of teaching is like across a whole school, and how teachers are supported.

Mike Cladingbowl. Director of Schools. Ofsted.

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OfSTED Update 2.1

Always be informed: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/news

Read it and avoid the rumours

Keep up to date with other, non-Ofsted reports and opinions:

www.teacherinformant.com

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