13 June 2012

Raising standards, improving lives

1.Moving to outstanding post-16 provision

2.Changes to school inspection January 2012

3. Proposals for inspection September 2012

Andrew Johnson HMI

Outstanding provision post 16

Sources of information

The Annual Report of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills 2009/10 and 2010/11

A comparison of the effectiveness of level 3 provision in 25 post-16 providers: how well do students achieve on level 3 courses in different post-16 providers and what factors contribute to their achievement? Ofsted, 070167, September 2008

Outstanding provision post 16

HMCI annual report – overall grades 2010/11

Post-16:the quality of teaching

There is no individual judgement on the quality of teaching in sixth forms in 2010/11 HMCI report.

Considerable difference in quality found across subjects and courses in single institutions.

When teaching is outstanding, it is often characterised by teachers sharing a genuine love of and interest in their subject.

Students respond positively because they feel that there is much that they can gain from listening to and engaging with their teacher.

The tasks set by teachers flow smoothly from the introductory stage of the lesson and build up knowledge and understanding sufficiently to ensure that students are confident of the subject matter when homework is set.

Such lessons do not always have a rigid structure, which instead is tailored to the material being taught and kept interesting for the students.

Post-16:the quality of teaching

Weaker teaching in school sixth forms is too often based on the teacher talking for too long and not checking students’ understanding regularly.

Insufficient attention is given to the balance and appropriateness of activities and tasks expected of students during lessons.

An approach that does not support students’ specific learning needs and can result in some wanting to work hard but not being sufficiently advanced in some core skills to succeed.

Teaching and learning post-16 2008 survey

Features of effective planning and classroom practice include:

skilled staff knowing their learners’ abilities, prior attainment and planning interesting and relevant lessons with a range of activities which engage students’ interest and motivate them

identifying those learners in need of additional help early and providing support so promptly minimising any barriers to learning

well-structured questioning focusing on deepening learners’ understanding, with open questions suitably targeted at learners’ of different abilities

learners working in pairs and small groups based on ability

planned independent work, including research, tailored to meet the needs of individual learners

Teaching and learning post-16

Features of effective planning and classroom practice include

modifying and adapting lesson plans in the light of informal assessment of students’ progress and understanding during the lesson

the use of different text books and other resources, including reference to virtual learning environments, to meet students’ differing needs

the use of learning support assistants, both in lessons and for support outside the classroom

high levels of support for individual students both within and outside the classroom.

Teaching and learning post-16

Weaker teaching, training and assessment includes:

insufficient focus on the impact of teaching on learning

checking that tasks have been completed but not assessing learners’ understanding

low expectations, insufficient challenge, particularly for the most academically able

lack of clear learning objectives

action plans not sufficiently specific to be helpful in supporting learners to improve.

Teaching and learning post-16

Weaker teaching, training and assessment includes:

learners’ progress not monitored closely enough

lessons which too often involve routine work such as gathering information and note taking, rather than more challenging activities

teaching which is predominantly didactic, so that learners do not acquire the independent learning skills that they need to make good progress.

Post-16:the national picture from 2008 survey

Value added and number on roll

Analysis of national value added data for the 2008 survey (learner achievement tracker) showed that 61% of the 162 providers with over 600 A-level entries added more value than expected, given students’ prior attainment.

For providers with small numbers of A-level entries, the percentage adding more value than expected was low. Only 1% of very small school sixth forms, where fewer than 50 students were entered for A level added more value than expected.

Changes to the school inspection framework January 2012

Raising standards, improving livesThe changes are designed to

Raise expectations especially for teaching and pupil achievement

Give greater priority to early reading and literacy

Focus in more depth on the quality of teaching and pupils’ behaviour and safety

Give greater priority to the impact of school leadership on improving teaching and achievement

Focus inspection more on schools that need to improve most

Raising standards, improving livesKey changes: January 2012

In judging the quality of the school, inspectors will make four key judgements:

achievement the quality of teaching behaviour and safety leadership and management

In judging the school’s overall effectiveness, inspectors will take account of the four key judgements and how well the school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Raising standards, improving lives

Key changes: January 2012

There are no graded ‘sub-judgements’ or ‘contributory’ judgements.

There will be no separate graded judgments for the Early Years Foundation Stage or the sixth form; inspectors will continue to evaluate these areas as part of the overall school provision.

Value added (VA) measures rather than contextual value added (CVA) are used as a measure of progress in previous years.

Further changes to the inspection framework: proposals for September 2012

Raising standards, improving lives

Rationale for further change

The January 2012 framework raises expectations and gives a very strong focus on the importance of teaching. The intention is to build on these changes.

HMCI is clear that:

schools must be at least good so that our country’s children have the best possible chances in life,

outstanding schools must be truly outstanding in every way; they should be models of excellence.

Raising standards, improving lives

Rationale for further change

Recent Ofsted Annual Reports have made it clear that a satisfactory education is not good enough to give our young people the skills and qualification they need to do well in life.

In September 2011 there were 6,082 schools serving just over two million pupils whose most recent inspection judgement was ‘satisfactory’. Just under 3,000 of these schools have been judged ‘satisfactory’ for two consecutive inspections.

Raising standards, improving lives

Rationale for further change

The economic and social circumstances of pupils are often used to explain why so many leave school without good enough qualifications.

There are schools that show that, no matter what the circumstances, all children can succeed. Many schools succeed against considerable odds; all schools must follow suit.

Raising standards, improving lives

Summary of the main proposals

From September 2012:

schools cannot be judged ‘outstanding’ unless their teaching is ‘outstanding’

schools will only be deemed to be providing an acceptable standard of education where they are judged to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’

Raising standards, improving lives

From September 2012:

a single judgement of ‘requires improvement’ will replace the current ‘satisfactory’ judgement and ‘notice to improve’ category

schools judged as ‘requires improvement’ will be subject to a full re-inspection after 12-18 months

a school can only be judged as ‘requires improvement’ on two consecutive inspections before it is deemed to require ‘special measures’