New Ofsted school inspection framework Update

New school inspection framework

Ofsted is at an important stage in the development of a new school inspection framework, planned for implementation in January 2012.

On Friday 20 May, the consultation exercise on the new inspection arrangements closed. There has been a good response to the online consultation. In addition we have held face-to-face meetings with a number of important stakeholders including the main professional associations and faith bodies to enable them to discuss the consultation proposals with us. Responses have been overwhelmingly in favour of the proposals. The least favourable responses relate to our proposals: to use value added data rather than contextualised value added data; to bring forward visits to schools in a category of concern; and to develop a web-based parental questionnaire.
Following a series of seminars and workshops during the spring term and involving over 40 HMI, Ofsted ran a series of consultative, unreported pilot inspections in a small number of schools. During these, the headteachers and senior leadership teams worked with inspectors to consider how some of the consultation proposals might work in practice. This work contributed to the development of a draft Evaluation schedule and a modified version of Conducting school inspections for the forthcoming pilot inspections.

A programme of pilot inspections to test out the proposed framework commenced on 23 May. Over 150 inspections are planned, led by both HMI and additional inspectors from our inspection service providers. Lead inspectors taking part received face-to-face training from senior managers involved in the project. In addition, all headteachers from the schools to be inspected and senior officers from their local authorities (if appropriate) have been briefed on the pilot arrangements.

Working closely with colleagues from the inspection service providers, Ofsted will evaluate the new arrangements, gathering the views of schools and inspectors as the pilot inspection programme rolls out. Ofsted will also be analysing the responses to the consultation exercise and setting out proposals in the light of consultation responses. The outcomes of the pilot inspection evaluations and the consultation exercise will further inform the development of the new inspection framework. In July, the evaluation report on the consultation and the pilots will be published, with recommendations for the new framework.

All HMI attending the school remit conference on 19 July will be informed of the progress of the new framework and will have an opportunity to discuss aspects of those developments.

Arrangements are in place for senior colleagues from the inspection service providers to be in
attendance.

Ofsted plans to publish the new framework and evaluation schedule in September and to provide training for inspectors and briefings for schools and local authorities, starting in October.
We intend to keep all inspectors and other interested parties informed of developments on a regular basis.