Ofsted in the south west

Ofsted in the South West

Bradley Simmons HMI

Regional Director, South West

2 June 2015

Ofsted in the South West | 1


Schools Report


Primary school improvement

Primary schools are continuing to improve.

82% of primary schools are now good or outstanding, which means that 190,000 more pupils are attending good or outstanding primary schools than last year.

The proportion of pupils doing well in Key Stage 2 tests has also risen by three percentage points this year.



Why are primaries still improving?

Leadership in primaries is improving rapidly

Governing bodies in most primary schools work well with headteachers and provide them with challenge as well as support.

Teaching is focused on getting the basics right.

Good attendance and behaviour are the norm in primary schools.

More of the brightest pupils are reaching their potential by the age of 11.

The gap between the most disadvantaged pupils those from better off backgrounds has narrowed.


Secondary schools are stalling – why?

Only 71% of secondary schools are good or outstanding, a figure that is no better than last year. Some 170,000 pupils are now in inadequate secondary schools compared with 100,000 two years ago.

Reasons identified in our inspection evidence:

Weak leadership – judged as RI or worse in 23% of secondary schools.

Transition of pupils – gains made in primary schools are not capitalised on in Key Stage 3.

Governance and oversight – schools needs effective challenge and support regardless of whether they are academies or maintained by the local authority.

Ineffective middle leaders – too little impact on teaching and learning

Behaviour and culture – not always good enough to support effective learning. Wide variability in the way low level disruption is dealt with.


The most able pupils are not being sufficiently stretched with challenging work.

The attainment gap between the most disadvantaged and those from better off backgrounds at GCSE has hardly changed.

Poor careers advice is directing too many young people onto post 16 provision for which they are not well suited.

Weak governance and oversight are issues for many struggling secondary schools.

Secondary schools are stalling – why?


The key to success

Challenge, support and intervention are critical in an increasingly autonomous school system.

Some local authorities and multi-academy trusts do this well, but others are less effective.

The best local authorities build networks among schools of all types.

There is, however, confusion about the role which local authorities should play in relation to academies. Clear oversight of schools is needed if they are to improve.

Priorities



Ofsted’s priorities for 2014/15

Ofsted will investigate why the gains made in literacy and numeracy are sustained in Years 7 and 8 in some schools but not others.

Ofsted will look even more closely at the performance of the most able pupils in routine school inspections and will publish a report on what we find.

Ofsted will undertake a survey to identify the best examples of a broad and balanced curriculum in England in the coming year.

Ofsted will be conducting a further survey to examine the impact of the pupil premium and to identify good practice in schools that have successfully used the funding to close the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their better-off peers.


The South West region

16% of primary age pupils do not attend a good school, almost one in four secondary students attend schools that are not yet good

The good start made by children in EYFS continues in Key Stage 1

At Key Stage 2 no local authority is among the best for progress and attainment

At Key Stage 4 attainment ranks fourth of the eight regions

FSM performance remains one of the two worst-performing regions

LAC performance below national figures for main KS2 and KS4 attainment measures

Over half the children and young people in the region live in local authorities that have been judged adequate overall for safeguarding.


Regional priorities

To ensure that high quality inspection drives the progress and performance of providers that are not yet ‘good’, and vigorously challenges and supports local authorities, senior leaders, staff and those responsible for governance

To improve provision and outcomes for looked after children

To raise the achievement of children eligible for free school meals

To improve provision and achievement for the most able pupils

To improve the provision for the most vulnerable young people aged 16-18 years to ensure it best meets their needs and enables sustainable progression to further education, training and employment.

Put simply, to be fit for purpose. To be the region where any family can achieve the very best.

Achievement of looked after children

%age achieving L2+

Key Stage 1 Number Reading Writing Mathematics

England - LAC

1750 71 61 72

South West 130 66 54 71

Key Stage 2 %age achieving RWM combined L4+

England LAC 2450 48 (up 3 points on 2013)

South West 210 43 (lower than national and only 2 points up on 2013)

Key Stage 4 %age achieving 5+ A*-C including English and mathematics

England LAC 4800 12

South West 460 9Ofsted in the South West | 13

Attainment at L4+ RWM


Attainment at 5A*-C inc E & M


Improving FSM attainment at KS2


KS4 attainment – regional picture – secondary schools fared better against national decline

Change in proportion of pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs, A*-C including English and mathematics, by LA (2013 to 2014)Ofsted in the South West | 17

Five+ A*-C including English and mathematics by FSM/non FSM

Only in Bournemouth do FSM students achieve 5A*CEM in line with other eligible students nationally



Maintaining the momentum…

FSM achievement remains the key issue in the South West

We have sent a clarion call to school leaders and governors and local authorities, such that our expectations for this under-performing group are clear

Next area to support – the development of middle leaders

We will:

focus on secondary schools in key local authorities in the first instance

work with key leaders who have a direct bearing on teaching and on the pupil groups identified in the regional plan: subject leaders, key pastoral leaders

include LA officers, Teaching Schools, NLEs, LLEs and NLGs to build capacity within local authority areas

work with academies and the Regional Schools Commissioner to deliver and widen the challenge.


What are we doing to raise the achievement of our brightest children? South West HMI taking a lead role in the national Most Able survey.

There have been visits to seven schools in the SW as part of this survey.

The latest Most Able survey outcomes were launched at a conference in the South West on 5 March 2015.

South West HMI developing a Most Able evaluation toolkit for schools aligned to that in place for FSM.

Pupil Premium seminars challenged school leaders, governors and LA officers on the poor achievement of the brightest disadvantaged pupils.

On 6 February SHMI met with the Heads of School Improvement and Assistant DCSs of all 16 local authorities to discuss the development of improvement work for middle leaders. Next meeting is 3 July.

SHMI and HMI will lead a series of middle leader development seminars in all SW LAs towards the end of the Summer term. Improving the performance of LAC, FSM and Most Able students will feature strongly.





Key features of schools where most able students flourished

Leaders place a strong emphasis on creating the right ethos in which the most able are inspired and motivated

Key Stage 3 carefully structured to take into account knowledge and understanding of most able

Teachers highly aware of what students can already do

Transition, guidance and support given very close attention to detail

Pupil premium was planned with clear outcomes in mind and evaluated sharply.

Future of education inspection


Principles of inspection reform

Inspect the right things in the right way.

Provide comparable and accurate information for parents, carers, learners and employers to inform their choices.

Deliver timely inspections where there are signs of decline or improvement.

Have a proportionate approach to inspections.

Ensure rigorous quality of all inspections.

‘Better inspection for all’ consultation

Further education and skills

Non-association independent schools

New Common Inspection Framework (CIF)

Short inspections for good providers

Two-year-old offer

Baseline exercise

Direct contracting of inspectors and changes to workforce

Maintained schools

and academies

Early Years



New Common Inspection Framework

for schools, non-association independent schools, further education and skills providers and registered early years providers.

under it – four graded judgements across all remits. leadership and management; teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare; outcomes for children and learners.

and greater emphasis on safeguarding and curriculum.

will provide greater clarity, coherence and comparability for users, learners, parents and employers.


Short inspections for good providers

Frequent, shorter inspections for good schools, academies and further education and skills providers – approximately every three years.

More proportionate: the right sort of inspections at the right time.

Designed to check if the quality of provision is being sustained, and leaders have the capacity to drive improvement.

Help support rising standards with greater professional dialogue.

Regular reporting to parents, carers, learners and employers.

Identify decline early and give schools and providers opportunity to demonstrate improvement sooner.


Methodology for short inspections for ‘good’ schools

These short inspections do not make a full set of judgements about the school in the way that occurs during a full section 5 inspection. The main purposes of the short inspection are to:

highlight any significant changes in the school since the last inspection

check on whether any key areas for development identified at the last inspection have been dealt with

check that the school’s arrangements for safeguarding are effective

evaluate whether or not the school is continuing to provide a good quality of education for its pupils

Identify whether or not the school needs to take further action to tackle any emerging concerns.


Reporting – convention or constraint? Neither

A reporting letter - 800 words approx.

Layout:

contextual info

judgement up front and stating whether safeguarding is effective.

highlights what is working well and articulates how leaders have proven capacity to deal with issues

includes areas for development

any conversion to a section 5 inspection means that a full section 5 report is completed.

Short inspection – report letters


Changes to the way we work

To prepare for September, we are:

making significant changes in how we source, train, contract and manage all inspectors who deliver schools and FES inspections.

tightening up selection criteria that all inspectors have to meet

developing structures for closer working relationships between:

contracted Ofsted Inspectors (OI) Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) Senior HMI to share knowledge and experience of inspections.


Commitment to quality and consistency

From September, we will :

expect a higher standard of inspections and consistency among inspectors when making judgements

place more emphasis on directly providing high-quality ongoing training, mentoring and development for all inspectors

quickly and fairly address underperformance, putting in place training where needed or terminating contracts where performance does not improve

invest significant time to oversee quality and consistency in regions to ensure all providers have a positive experience of inspection.


Let’s work together to raise standards and improve lives

91% satisfaction rating – 30,000 inspections annually

We share the same commitment – to improve the life chances of all children, young people and learners.

If you’re an education professional within schools, children’s centres or post-16 provision, why not join us on a basis that works for you and for us. Visit: www.ofstedhmi.co.uk or see the Working for Ofsted section on the Gov.uk website.

The consultation response report is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/better-inspection-for-all

This September, we’ll all have to be ready for inspection.

Any questions about becoming an Ofsted Inspector, please email the Training Selection team - [email protected]

Education

Ofsted in the south west