Raising standards improving lives The revised Learning and Skills Common Inspection Framework: AELP 2011

A revised inspection framework - proposals

A revised inspection framework: why are we making changes? Ofsted is proposing to revise the inspection arrangements for the further education (FE) and skills sector. The changes will include a revised Common Inspection framework and will result in more focused inspections, with fewer judgements and grades, leading to reports on the most important aspects on the quality of learning and skills provision.

How will recent policy change impact? In proposing revisions we have taken into account changing government policy including the 2011 Education Bill (the Bill) and the Schools White Paper: ‘The Importance of Teaching’. For example -  different approaches to the commissioning and funding and adults  greater FE reforms and freedoms  exemption of outstanding providers  increased self-regulation

How will recent policy change impact?  localism: meeting local community needs  employability skills and progression onto sustainable employment  more flexible qualifications  ‘Comprehensive Spending Review’; reduction in the overall cost of inspection

Aims of the revised framework:  keep focusing on the things that have the most impact on improving outcomes for learners  continue to do those things that work well:  take account of providers’ self assessment  involve senior staff in the inspection process  listen carefully to the views of learners, employers, staff and, where appropriate, parents  make clear recommendations for the provider’s improvement  Increased focus on  proportionality and promoting improvement in weaker providers

Revised framework: a broad timeline  Ofsted published a consultation document setting out proposals on 1 September This consultation ran for 12 weeks.  Consultation included focus groups, FE and skills representative bodies, learners, the views of principals and CEO, governing bodies, employers and other stakeholders.  Between now and Christmas 2011, Ofsted will carry out a small number of consultative pilot inspections to test out some of the approaches proposed in the consultation document.  Live pilot inspections will take place in February  We will publish a draft of the revised inspection framework and inspection handbook in May  Implementation of the new framework is planned for inspections from September 2012.

Summary of framework proposals: Report on the quality of provision by giving priority to the:  outcomes for learners  quality of teaching, learning and assessment,  effectiveness of leadership in and management Continue to judge the overall effectiveness, based on the above

Summary of framework proposals: Increased focus on:  the extent to which the provision meets learners/local needs, ensures achievement for all and enables positive progression  raising standards for learners by improving inspection practice  teaching, learning, skills development and assessment in a broader context  success and rates of progress of different groups of learners  capacity to improve, but within the context of leadership and management

Summary of framework proposals: Increased focus on:  the effectiveness of leadership and management, but with particular attention to the leadership of teaching and learning  the management of safeguarding arrangements to ensure all learners are safe Continue to:  take account of self-assessment evidence  undertake an annual risk assessment of all providers  inspect providers previously judged as good within six years

Summary of framework proposals: Continue to:  strengthen monitoring and inspection of satisfactory providers; particularly those that have not improved over the last 2 inspections  target inspection to bring about more rapid improvement  respond more flexibly to requests made by providers for an inspection

Summary of framework proposals: We will cease:  routine inspection of most outstanding providers - unless their performance drops (subject to legislation)  application of ‘limiting grades’  reporting separately on equality and diversity, but embed in three main aspects: outcomes; of teaching, learning and assessment; and leadership and management  to report fully and separately on a sample of subject areas

Approach to inspection: Guiding principles for inspection will remain:  Inspectors will make judgements based on the quality of the processes that contribute to positive learner outcomes However:  there will be fewer graded judgements  an increased focus on how leadership and management impacts on the quality of provision and determines the outcomes for learners.  greater attention to the wider context of teaching, learning and assessment, their impact on learning and the provision of constructive feedback through dialogue between staff and learners. Assessment, the quality of work and skills development.  although the involvement of a senior member of the provider’s staff as nominee will continue, as will engaging with learners and employers, we will reduce the number of formal meetings. This will facilitate increasing the focus on teaching and learning activities

Revised framework: ‘Outcomes for learners’  Learners’ outcomes will focus even more closely on learners’ achievement, their progression to higher level qualifications and into sustainable jobs. A providers’ success in closing the achievement gap for particular groups of learners. Giving particular attention to how well:  all learners achieve and make progress relative to their starting points and learning goals  achievement gaps are narrowing between different groups of learners  learners develop personal, social, and employability skills  learners progress to higher level qualifications and into jobs that meet local and national needs

Revised framework: ‘Quality of teaching, learning and assessment’ The quality of teaching, learning and assessment By giving particular attention to how:  staff demonstrate high expectations, enthuse, engage, support and motivate learners so that they learn and make progress  staff initially assess and monitor learners’ progress, set challenging tasks, build on and extend learning for all learners  staff use their skills and expertise to plan and deliver teaching, learning, assessment and support to meet each learner’s needs

Revised framework: ‘Quality of teaching, learning and assessment’ The quality of teaching, learning and assessment (cont) By giving particular attention to how:  learners understand how to improve their learning as a result of frequent, detailed and accurate feedback from staff following assessment of their learning  teaching and learning develops literacy, numeracy, language and functional skills to support the achievement of learning goals  appropriate and timely information, advice and guidance effectively supports learning  equality and diversity are promoted through teaching and learning

Activity 1: The quality of teaching, learning and assessment In small groups consider and record  What evidence enables us to best judge the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in a further education and skills setting?  What inspection activities should be maintained or improved?  Some inspection activities specific to a sector subject area or more general.

Revised framework: ‘The effectiveness of leadership and management’ the effectiveness of leadership and management including how well leaders and managers including, where relevant, governors:  demonstrate an ambitious vision, have high expectations for what all learners can achieve and set high standards for quality and performance.  How effective is the monitoring, performance management, personal and professional development of teachers, trainers and assessors  successfully plan, establish and manage learning programmes and the curriculum to meet the needs and interests of learners, employers and the local and national community  evaluate the quality of the provision through robust self assessment, taking account of user views, and use findings to promote and develop capacity for sustainable improvement  actively promote equality and diversity, tackle bullying and discrimination and narrow the achievement gap  ensure the safeguarding of all learners

Overall Effectiveness: the current framework Learner Outcomes Quality of Provision Leadership & Management OE Limiting Grades Capacity to Improve

Overall Effectiveness: the proposed framework Outcomes for learners Teaching, Learning and Assessment Leadership & Management Overall Effectiveness

Activity 2: Effectiveness of leadership and management  What weighting should we give to any of the above considerations?  How will we come to an overall judgement for leadership and management?

For the following scenarios, what might the impact be on the overall effectiveness grade if:  Learner outcomes was the main driver  All three judgments were equally weighted  Quality of teaching, training and assessment was the main driver Activity 3: Overall Effectiveness

Questions and Comments Questions on the proposals for the new framework

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