OFSTED and its work

A presentation by Tim Key HMI July 2001

The two main functions of OFSTED are: • to establish and maintain a system for regular inspection by independent inspectors of all state-funded schools in England; • to advise the Secretary of State of the standards and quality of education in schools in England.

Key drivers for educational reform

• Too much variation in schools’ performance - some excellent schools; some very poor • overall standards in numeracy and literacy were too low • too many pupils reaching the end of compulsory education with no qualifications • poor performance in international comparisons

Key policy initiative of the 1990s

• devolution of management responsibilities to schools • choice and diversity • a national curriculum with defined levels of attainment

School evaluation

• The increased devolution has brought the need for increased accountability • accountability requires evaluation • in England there is a strong system of external accountability • this has two main strands:

National system of testing

• National tests at age 7, 11, 14 and 16 • published performance tables • turned into league tables by the newspapers • provide indicators for individual schools • and for the nation as a whole

External inspection

• OFSTED established in 1992 • regulate a system of regular external inspections • 18,680 primary schools • 3,590 secondary schools • 1,300 special schools inspected on a regular cycle • initially 4 years, now 6 years

External inspection provides evidence

• For individual schools • for parents • for policy makers on the systems as a whole

Key aspects of OFSTED’s school inspection system: • all schools inspected regularly; • every inspection leads to a public report; • inspections conducted by independent inspectors; • inspection contracts won by competitive tendering; • every team has one lay member; • inspection carried out to a published national framework; • parents involved by being invited to pre-inspection meeting and sent summary of final report; • quality control for whole system in hands of independent government, namely OFSTED.

Inspectors evaluate and report on four main areas:

• the quality of education provided by the school; • the educational standards achieved by pupils; • whether financial resources are managed efficiently; • the spiritual,moral, social and cultural development of pupils.

Types of Inspectors

There are three types of inspectors on each inspection team: Registered Inspectors. (RgI); Team Inspectors.

Lay Inspectors.

Consistency and Quality on Inspections

OFSTED ensures that inspections are carried out to a consistently high quality by: • producing a

framework

that RgIs must follow and

guidance

in inspecting and reporting; • arranging the

initial training

and of inspectors;

further

• • keeping and managing a

register

of those who have been approved to inspect;

monitoring

the work of inspectors to ensure that high standards are maintained.

OFSTED’s advisory and other functions

HMCI may at any time offer advice to the Secretary of State and also publish reports on matters covered by OFSTED’s remit. HMCI is required to: • present an Annual Report on the state of education in England • provide other reports and advice as requested by the Secretary of State • carry out inspections and other duties as required by the Secretary of State

• Nursery Inspections • Further Education • Local Education Authority Inspection • Teacher Training Institutions • Independent Schools

New Roles for OFSTED

Early Years Inspections

• OFSTED is now responsible for the regulation of early years provision and child day care; • OFSTED also inspects all nursery provision

Post 16 Education and Training

• OFSTED is now responsible for the inspection of all colleges and work based learning for students aged 16 19.

Important Characteristics

• independent of policy matters a non-ministerial government department • very little power to intervene • influences policy and contributes to educational debate through public reporting

Issues for future development

• Intervention in inverse proportion to success • relationship between external and internal evaluation • balance between pressure and support