The Future of Inspection April 2005 David Hinchliffe

FOI CURRENT POSITION WHAT ARE WE GOING TO COVER TODAY? Update on the pilot inspection project How the inspections will be organised and conducted with particular emphasis on changes to current Section 10 arrangements How the inspections will be reported Changes in the PANDA The extended school dimension

FOI CURRENT POSITION UPDATE ON THE PILOT INSPECTION PROGRAMME 92 schools inspected during summer and autumn 2004 across 15 local education authorities. A further 11 schools to be inspected this term. 150 HMI, 20 inspectors and 13 lay inspectors participated. Inspections supported by HMI who acted as quality assurance mentors and quality assurance readers. The inspections were Section 3 deemed Section 10 and a report was published.

FOI CURRENT POSITION UPDATE 1 The vast majority of inspections went very well. Headteachers and teachers judged the pilot inspections to be a success. Most inspectors adapted well to the new format and worked hard to make the inspections work. Short notice of inspection was welcomed by schools and inspectors.

FOI CURRENT POSITION UPDATE 2 Many inspectors and nearly all schools liked the SEF and found it useful in helping to focus the inspection. However, schools require further detailed guidance on producing a sufficiently evaluative SEF. Some SEFs made inspections more challenging for inspectors. School staff need better knowledge about the inspection changes. The short report and its speedy publication were welcomed.

FOI CURRENT POSITION The new approach The school’s self-evaluation, as summarised in its self-evaluation form (SEF), is a central part of the inspection. Introduction of integrated inspections for extended services. There is a strong focus on the well-being of pupils in the light of the Green Paper Every Child Matters and the subsequent legislation based on this. Notice of inspection is short, typically in the week before, and the time spent in a school is not usually more than two days.

FOI CURRENT POSITION The new approach 2 Individual subjects are not inspected. Inspection approaches need to be very flexible in the light of emerging evidence. Judgements about standards, and the progress that pupils make, are based in most schools mainly on the performance data. The quality of teaching is judged taking all factors into account, and does not depend upon an aggregation of lesson grades.

FOI CURRENT POSITION The new approach 3 The quality of the school’s leadership and management and, associated with this, the school’s capacity to improve, are at the heart of an approach to inspection designed to evaluate a school’s ‘central nervous system’. There is a strong interaction between the inspectors and the school’s leadership and management in investigating the school’s effectiveness. Inspections are designed to have a an important impact on school improvement.

FOI CURRENT POSITION A closer look at how the inspections will be conducted from ‘Guidance for conducting inspections’ The SEF The focus on Every Child Matters Inspection notice Inspecting achievement and standards, teaching and leadership and management Joint lesson observations Meetings with senior managers and teacher feedback

FOI CURRENT POSITION A closer look at how the inspections will be conducted from ‘Guidance for conducting inspections’ Gathering the views of parents and governors Feedback at the end of the inspection

FOI CURRENT POSITION Making judgements and reporting them from ‘Guidance on Evaluation Schedule’ The grade descriptors including the term ‘outstanding’ Review the SEF if it has been completed Report templates Publication procedure

FOI CURRENT POSITION Which schools are considered to be extended schools? Extended schools are complex institutions; they include: children’s centres those which offer additional services beyond the school day full service extended schools.

FOI CURRENT POSITION How will extended schools be inspected? Institutional inspections for extended schools are integrated inspections with one formal feedback and one report. Some aspects of the services may be inspected through surveys and joint area reviews (JARs).

What happens if a school provides childcare? Wherever possible, the Children Act inspection will take place at the same time as the school inspection. If the childcare is managed by the governing body there will be: a single inspection event one formal feedback at the end of the school inspection one report.

FOI CURRENT POSITION Current report: The PANDA Performance AND Assessment context of the school multiple analyses benchmark groups – level playing field free school meals (FSM) prior attainment

FOI CURRENT POSITION The new pilot PANDA shows new presentations, with focus on statistical significance uses contextualised value added based on pupil level data

FOI CURRENT POSITION Exploiting pupil level data utilise PLASC and NPD data developing better comparisons variables that affect pupil performance CVA based on complex models

FOI CURRENT POSITION What is Contextual Value Added (CVA)? CVA attempts to take into account the differing characteristics of the pupils and schools for comparative purposes its primary aim is to provide a level playing field to help compare school effectiveness allows discussions to focus on the true level of effectiveness in the school

FOI CURRENT POSITION Changes from old to new PANDAs no benchmark groups more robust analyses based on statistical tests more confidence in the data no differences for many schools

FOI CURRENT POSITION The future Summary PANDA, with statistical significance further CVA model development pilot new analyses and presentations (CVA) interactive PANDA improved professional dialogue with schools

FOI CURRENT POSITION Discussion 15 minutes in groups to discuss: Are schools generally ready for this approach? What are the consequences of inspection placing much more weight on schools’ self evaluation? The practical issues of asking all schools to keep the SEF updated on the Ofsted website.