The Key Changes for 2015 Will Be

INTRODUCTION

A new Ofsted framework will apply from September 2015. This document explains some of the key changes.

The key changes for 2015 will be:

• a new common inspection framework (CIF) for all settings, with a particular focus on school leadership;
• new shorter inspections for schools that were identified as ‘good in their previous inspection;
• most inspectors will be employed directly by Ofsted rather than contracted from third party organisations;
• serving school leaders will be included in school inspection teams;and
• there will be a new judgement on personal development, behaviour and welfare.

The Common inspection framework will apply to all early years settings on the Early Years Register, maintained schools and academies, non-association independent schools and further education and skills providers.

OFSTED DOCUMENTS

Full details of the changes, including phase-specific inspection documents, can be found on the Ofsted website at An Ofsted summary of the key changes can be accessed at

KEY CHANGES TO INSPECTION

Common Inspection Framework

Inspectors will make judgements on the following areas in all settings covered by the CIF:

• the effectiveness of leadership and management;
• the quality of teaching, learning and assessment;
• the personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils; and
• the outcomes for children and learners.

Short inspections

Schools and further education and skills providers judged ‘good’ at their last inspection will receive a short inspection approximately every three years.

• Ofsted says that short inspections will start from the assumption that the school ‘remains good’ – the onus will be on school leaders to provide the evidence to validate that presumption.
• Short inspections will be led by an HMI over one day (or a maximum of two days for FE and skills providers).
• Judgements will be made on whether the school remains good, and whether safeguarding is effective. There will not be separate graded judgements.
• HMI may call for a full inspection to be triggered following a short inspection in two sets of circumstance:
• HMI is not satisfied by the evidence, or feels they have insufficient evidence to judge, that the school ‘remains good’, or they have concerns about the school; or
• HMI considers there has been rapid improvement which means that the school may already be outstanding.
• Where HMI judges the school to ‘remain good’, there will be no report. A short letter will be sent to the school confirming the judgement.

HOW DO THE CHANGES RELATE TO PREVIOUS REVISIONS TO THE INSPECTION FRAMEWORK?

There will be a greater emphasis on some areas under the new framework than has been the case in the past. These are:

• the impact of leaders’ work in developing and sustaining an ambitious culture and vision in the school;
• a broad and balanced curriculum;
• safeguarding; and
• pupils’ outcomes, with most weight given to the progress of pupils currently in the school rather than attainment and nationally published data.

The changes for 2015 retain a number of features of previous inspection frameworks. These are summarised below.

• Ofsted inspectors no longer grade individual lessons. They will continue to give feedback through reports on lessons across the school.

• Schools with early years provision and schools with post-16 provision will have separate graded judgements published for this provision.

• The separate graded judgements for early years and sixth form provision will take place within the overall inspection, and will form part of, and may impact upon, the overall judgement on the school.

INSPECTORS

From September 2015 there will be two types of inspector – HMI and Ofsted Inspector. Most inspectors will be directly employed by Ofsetd, although there may be some exceptions in the shorter term, for example in the inspection of early years, owing to capacity.

The NUT believes it is vital that inspectors have appropriate experience and expertise in those areas. School representatives will want to satisfy themselves on this point. ‘Pen portraits’ (mini CVs) for HMI inspectors can be found on the Ofsted website at

National Curriculum and Assessment

• Inspections will now take place in the context of a new National Curriculum for England (introduced in September 2014) and in the absence of National Curriculum level descriptions. The National Curriculum is statutory in maintained schools but not in academies and free schools. Ofsted says that inspectors should continue to use a range of evidence about pupil attainment and progress, and this will include – but should not be restricted to – statutory national test and public examination outcomes where appropriate.

• Ofsted says that “it is right that schools develop their own curriculum to respond to the particular needs of their pupils and ensure they receive a broad and balanced education”. However, it adds that “inspectors will pay even greater attention to the curriculum and comment in more detail on its effectiveness in the leadership and management section of the inspection report”.

• The NUT, with its partner the Curriculum Foundation, has CPD materials related to effective curriculum design and assessment practice available at

Notice of School Inspections

Inspections may occur at any time after the first 5 working days of the Autumn term. Schools will normally receive notification of an inspection around mid-day on the day prior to the inspection. Although Ofsted has decided not to proceed with plans for routine ‘no notice’ inspections, it has the power to inspect schools without notice in certain circumstances. They may occurwhere Ofsted determines there are:

• rapidly declining standards;
• concerns about safeguarding, including a decline in the standards of pupils’ behaviour and the ability of staff to maintain discipline;
• serious complaints from parents or staff;
• concerns about standards of leadership or governance; or
• concerns about the breadth and balance of the curriculum (including where the statutory requirement to publish information to parents is not met).

THE NUT’S VIEW ON SCHOOL INSPECTION

• The NUT is opposed to the current model of inspection and will continue to campaign for a methodology of school accountability and evaluation which does not disrupt teaching and learning; which is a developmental rather than ‘punitive’ process; and which is based upon the principle of school self-evaluation.

• The NUT’s EduFact on school inspection and why school self-evaluation is more effective is available at

ADVICE TO NUT MEMBERS

• Where members have concerns about the process of inspection, including in relation to the appropriate inspection of early years and sixth form provision, they are advised to use the Ofsted complaints procedure ( at the earliest opportunity.

• Where a complaint regarding the conduct of an inspection is considered necessary it is advisable to initiate the complaint at the time. Experience suggests it is extremely difficult to have judgements moderated once the Ofsted report for a school has been completed.

• If considering a complaint, members are advised to:

• Notify their NUT school representative and involve them in discussions about proceeding with a complaint.
• Notify their head teacher or other school manager and seek their agreement and support for such a complaint, or request their NUT representative to discuss the complaint with the head teacher or other school manager.
• Notify their NUT Regional Office of their concerns and details of any complaint that is lodged.

• NUT members requiring further advice on issues related to school inspection are advised to contact their school representative in the first instance, and if necessary refer issues to the NUT AdviceLine on 0203 006 6266 or .

School inspection affects all members. Being part of the NUT allows members to act collectively in response to inspection, with the weight of the Union behind them. Consider asking your school representative to call a meeting on Ofsted inspection. If your school does not currently have a representative, get together as members to elect one. Further advice on this is available at .

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