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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

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Introduction

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‘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.

Bill Lowe Newman University Birmingham UK

Comments in the brace brackets are mine or from

comments in seminars/ lectures

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OfSTED Updates 2.1

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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To make sure you have a good idea of the expectations,

have a look at the descriptors in the Handbook.

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.

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).

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

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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

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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

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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

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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