Ofsted inspections in Kent: parents views sought on proposed changes

by My Kent Family reporter

Parents are being sought their views on a number of proposed changes to the way Ofsted inspects schools.

The regulator has launched proposals to change the way it judges behaviour and announced plans to call time on the culture of ‘teaching to the test’ and instead focus inspections on the substance being taught.

Parents have four months to share their views on the changes which will affect schools, early years settings and further education and skills providers.

Parents are being sought their views on the way their children's schools are inspected
Parents are being sought their views on the way their children's schools are inspected

They will take effect from September 2019.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, said: "The new quality of education judgement will look at how providers are deciding what to teach and why, how well they are doing it and whether it is leading to strong outcomes for young people.

"This will reward those who are ambitious and make sure that young people accumulate rich, well-connected knowledge and develop strong skills using this knowledge.

"This is all about raising true standards. Nothing is more pernicious to these than a culture of curriculum narrowing and teaching to the test."

HM Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman (6551008)
HM Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman (6551008)

The proposals regarding behaviour are in response to demand for parents to give better information about how well behaviour is managed in a school.

A new separate behaviour judgement will assess whether schools are creating a calm, well-managed environment, free from bullying.

Alongside that, proposals for a ‘personal development judgement’ will recognise the work schools and colleges do to build young people’s resilience and confidence in later life.

This will be through work such as cadet forces, National Citizenship Service, sports, drama or debating teams.

Proposals for a ‘personal development judgement’ will recognise the work schools and colleges do to build young people’s resilience and confidence
Proposals for a ‘personal development judgement’ will recognise the work schools and colleges do to build young people’s resilience and confidence

Other changes are in response to Ofsted’s research which found that some children are having their teaching narrowed in schools in order to boost performance table points.

Instead of reading a wide range of books, some primary school children are spending their time repeating reading comprehension tests while GCSE level pupils are being pushed away from studying subjects such as history, geography, French and German, and towards qualifications deemed to be ‘easier’.

Is too much importance placed on academic results?
Is too much importance placed on academic results?

Adoption UK’s chief executive, Sue Armstrong Brown has responded to the proposals.

She said: "No school should be judged outstanding unless it’s outstanding for all children.

"Many schools with stellar exam results do a very bad job for their most vulnerable pupils. Ofsted’s new focus on the quality of education and personal development is really good news.

"It’s a recognition that academic attainment is a very partial measure of a school’s success.

"There should be just as much value placed on the work that the best schools do to support those who have experienced trauma or have special needs and might not be exam high flyers, as those who find learning easy."

Oftsed also plans to extend the on-site time for short inspections of good schools to two days, to ensure inspectors have sufficient opportunity to gather evidence. It's believed the changes will create the most evidence-based, research-informed and tested framework in Ofsted’s 26-year history.

The consultation will run until April 4, 2019 and results will be published in the summer.

Find out more and have you say at www.gov.uk/ofsted

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