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THE NEW OFSTED FRAMEWORK SEPTEMBER 2015

AN NUT BRIEFING

INTRODUCTION

Ofsted has introduced a new Common Inspection Framework (CIF) for September 2015. This covers all early years settings on the Early Years Register, maintained schools and academies, non-association independent schools and further education and skills providers, and helps simplify the inspection process across the board.

WHAT ARE THE CHANGES FOR 2015/2016?

The key changes from September 2015 will be:

  • a new common inspection framework 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 impact of these changes is discussed in more detail in the NUT guide WHAT’S NEW WITH OFSTED? which is available on the NUT website at:

Welcome changes include the decision to bring more practising school leaders into inspection teams, and the end to contracting inspectors from private companies. All inspectors will now be contracted directly by Ofsted, although there may be some exceptions in the short term, for example inspectors of early years provision. Ending the contracting of inspectors from private companies was something the NUT successfully campaigned to end.

HOW OFTEN DO INSPECTIONS TAKE PLACE?

School inspections take place in a differentiated cycle according to the school’s previous inspection judgement:

  • Some schools are designated as ‘exempt schools’ meaning that they are exempt from future section 5 inspections (although they could be subject to a short notice section 8 inspection where there are concerns about its performance or the safeguarding of pupils). Exempt schools are those schools that were judged ‘outstanding’ at their last Ofsted inspection. These schools will be regularly subject to a ‘risk assessment’, normally beginning three years after the previous inspection and annually thereafter to determine whether an inspection is necessary.
  • Those schools judged ‘good’ in their most recent inspection will now normally have a short inspection within three years of their previous inspection. This will only trigger a full inspection if there are concerns that the school may no longer be ‘good’; if the HMI feels more evidence is required to confirm the ‘good’ judgement; or if the HMI believes that a full inspection may lead to an ‘outstanding’ judgement
  • Schools that were most recently judged to ‘require improvement’ will normally be inspected within two years of the previous inspection. If, at its subsequent inspection, the school is again judged to require improvement, there will be a further inspection within the following two years. Thereafter, if the school is not judged to be either ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, it is likely the school will be judged by Ofsted to be inadequate. Where this occurs, the NUT AdviceLine should be contacted (see below).
  • Schools judged to be ‘inadequate’ in their most recent inspection are likely to receive an inspection within three months of the judgement, if not earlier, and will receive regular monitoring inspections thereafter. Members in schools in such circumstances are strongly advised to contact the NUT AdviceLine (see below).
  • Schools judged to be ‘inadequate’, as well as schools deemed to be ‘coasting’, may be at risk of intervention and a requirement to convert to academy status or (for existing academies) for the academy sponsor to be replaced under the proposals of the Education and Adoption Bill. Members can keep up to date with the progress of the Bill and the NUT’s campaigning on its proposals at

HOW MUCH NOTICE WILL WE RECEIVE?

Schools will usually be notified of an inspection at or just after midday on the working day before the start of the inspection.

Ofsted may inspect a school without notice where this is deemed appropriate. Where the inspection is conducted without notice, the lead inspector will normally telephone the school about 15–30 minutes before arriving on site.

HOW LONG WILL THE INSPECTION LAST?

The length of inspection depends on the size of the school. Inspections do not normally last for more than two days, and in the case of small schools, may be completed in a single day.

Short inspections will last for a maximum of one day, or a maximum of two days in further education and skills provision.

WHAT JUDGEMENTS WILL THE INSPECTORS MAKE?

Inspectors will make overall 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.

Inspectors also consider and report on, where relevant, the overall effectiveness of early years and sixth form provision.

INSPECTION GRADES USED TO MAKE JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors will grade the school in terms of both its ‘overall effectiveness’ and the four key judgements above as follows:

  • Grade 1 – outstanding
  • Grade 2 – good
  • Grade 3 – requires improvement
  • Grade 4 - inadequate

OFSTED CLARIFICATION FOR SCHOOLS DOCUMENT

This important document clarifies what evidence inspectors will expect to see, and dispels some myths around other areas. All members are advised to familiarise themselves with the document and to discuss it as school union groups and with school leaders to ensure that unreasonable demands are not being made on staff because of presumptions about “what Ofsted expects to see”.

The document includes advice on areas such as planning, marking, lesson observation and the collection of evidence and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-inspections-clarification-for-schools

FEEDBACK AND DISCUSSION WITH TEACHERS AND STAFF

Inspectors must offer feedback to staff but it is up to staff whether they wish to take part in feedback sessions. Feedback may be one to one, with groups of observed teachers or to the whole staff group.

When feeding back, inspectors should not provide a grade for a lesson they observed or indicate their view on whether the teacher or the quality of teaching they observed was good or otherwise (even if an observed teacher asks them to do so). If asked, they may provide feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of what they have observed.

REPORTING THE OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

Before leaving the school the lead inspector will inform governors and senior leaders about the judgements the inspection team have reached.

In the majority of cases a written report setting out the main findings of the inspection will be sent to the school within ten working days of the inspection and published on Ofsted’s website within 15 working days of the inspection. The exception is that where a school has been judged ‘inadequate’ the report is usually published within 28 working days of the inspection.

CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONDUCT OF INSPECTIONS

In some cases members may have concerns regarding the conduct of an inspection. Where possible, complaints or concerns should be raised with the lead inspector during the inspection itself.

If the problem cannot be resolved at that stage, members should consider making a formal complaint through the Ofsted complaints procedure (http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/contact-us/how-complain) at the earliest opportunity. Members in this position should seek the support both of their NUT representative and the head teacher or other appropriate senior manager.

SCHOOLS JUDGED TO BE CAUSING CONCERN

In a minority of cases, a school may be judged by Ofsted to be in a category of schools causing concern. This means it is judged to have serious weaknesses or to require special measures:

  • Serious weaknesses – this judgement will be given where one or more of the key judgements are rated inadequate (grade 4) and/or there are serious weaknesses in the provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. However leaders, managers and governors are judged to be capable of securing improvement (this means that leadership and management are judged at grade 3 or above).
  • Special measures – this judgement will be given where inspectors judge that a school is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the leaders, managers and governors are not considered to demonstrate the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

Where a school is judged to be in one of the above categories, it is advisable for NUT members to ask their school representative to contact the NUT AdviceLine on 0203 006 6266 or and notify their Regional Office.

Schools judged as requiring special measures or significant improvement may find themselves ‘eligible for intervention’ under the terms of the Education and Adoption Bill. This could result in pressure to become a sponsored academy, or where a school is already an academy, a new sponsor may be sought. An NUT legal advice note, Forced Conversion under the Academies Act 2010 - Schools Eligible For Intervention, explains this situation in more detail and is available on the Union’s website at:

WHAT DOES THE NUT DO ABOUT SCHOOL INSPECTION?

The NUT will continue to consult members for their views and experiences of inspection – positive and negative – these greatly aid the process of discussions and negotiations on behalf of all NUT members.

The Union conducted a Workload Survey of members in September 2014 that demonstrated that the Ofsted process continues to be a major source of additional and unnecessary workload for teachers and that is a significant trigger for stress and ill health among members. NUT commissioned research on the effects of accountability measures on children and young people found Ofsted inspections to be the biggest single influencing factor.[1]

The Union meets regularly at a national level with Ofsted and Government and will continue to put forward the views of the teaching profession. The Union has been successful in securing some changes to the inspection process, for example, in the production of the Clarification for Schools document; bringing contracted inspectors ‘in house’ to make them more accountable; and in the removal of grading for individual lessons. However, more needs to be done.

The NUT will continue to campaign and lobby for a system of school accountability which is developmental rather than punitive, see the NUT EduFact on school inspection at for more details.

The NUT believes that in the longer term inspection by Ofsted should be replaced by a new model of school accountability which is sustainable into the future and based on the following principles:

  • It should be developed in conjunction with the teaching profession;
  • It should be based on a professional dialogue between schools and those who monitor school accountability;
  • It should be based on a developmental and advisory model of school improvement rather than a ‘punitive’ inspection mechanism;
  • It should not lead to additional workload pressures for school staff;
  • It must be independent and perceived by the profession which it holds accountable to be independent;
  • It should include a significant role for school self-evaluation;
  • It should be organised locally, with local authorities playing a key role;
  • It should encourage sharing good practice but should not be an instrument for dictating practice; and
  • It must not be overly dictated by data analysis. Professional dialogue is necessary to contextualise data and ensure that the ‘human’ element of schools, both staff and pupils, is understood.

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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[1] Hutchings, M (2015): Exam Factories? The impact of accountability measures on children and young people. Available online at