OFSTED and its work

1
OFSTED and itswork

• A presentation by
• Tim Key HMI
• July 2001

2
The two main functions of OFSTED are

• to establish and maintain a system for regular
  inspection by independent inspectors of all
  state-funded schools in England
• to advise the Secretary of State of the standards
  and quality of education in schools in England.

3
Key drivers for educational reform

• Too much variation in schools performance - some
  excellent schools some very poor
• overall standards in numeracy and literacy were
  too low
• too many pupils reaching the end of compulsory
  education with no qualifications
• poor performance in international comparisons

4
Key policy initiative of the 1990s

• devolution of management responsibilities to
  schools
• choice and diversity
• a national curriculum with defined levels of
  attainment

5
School evaluation

• The increased devolution has brought the need for
  increased accountability
• accountability requires evaluation
• in England there is a strong system of external
  accountability
• this has two main strands

6
National system of testing

• National tests at age 7, 11, 14 and 16
• published performance tables
• turned into league tables by the newspapers
• provide indicators for individual schools
• and for the nation as a whole

7
External inspection

• OFSTED established in 1992
• regulate a system of regular external inspections
• 18,680 primary schools
• 3,590 secondary schools
• 1,300 special schools inspected on a regular
  cycle
• initially 4 years, now 6 years

8
External inspection provides evidence

• For individual schools
• for parents
• for policy makers on the systems as a whole

9
Key aspects of OFSTEDs school inspection system

• all schools inspected regularly
• every inspection leads to a public report
• inspections conducted by independent inspectors
• inspection contracts won by competitive
  tendering
• every team has one lay member
• inspection carried out to a published national
  framework
• parents involved by being invited to
  pre-inspection meeting and sent summary of final
  report
• quality control for whole system in hands of
  independent government, namely OFSTED.

10
Inspectors evaluate and report on four main areas

• the quality of education provided by the school
• the educational standards achieved by pupils
• whether financial resources are managed
  efficiently
• the spiritual,moral, social and cultural
  development of pupils.

11
Types of Inspectors

• There are three types of inspectors on each
  inspection team
• Registered Inspectors. (RgI)
• Team Inspectors.
• Lay Inspectors.

12
Consistency and Quality on Inspections

• OFSTED ensures that inspections are carried out
  to a consistently high quality by
• producing a framework that RgIs must follow and
  guidance in inspecting and reporting
• arranging the initial and further training of
  inspectors
• keeping and managing a register of those who have
  been approved to inspect
• monitoring the work of inspectors to ensure that
  high standards are maintained.

13
OFSTEDs advisory and other functions

• HMCI may at any time offer advice to the
  Secretary of State and also publish reports on
  matters covered by OFSTEDs remit. HMCI is
  required to
• present an Annual Report on the state of
  education in England
• provide other reports and advice as requested by
  the Secretary of State
• carry out inspections and other duties as
  required by the Secretary of State

14

• Nursery Inspections
• Further Education
• Local Education Authority Inspection
• Teacher Training Institutions
• Independent Schools

15
New Roles for OFSTED

• Early Years Inspections
• OFSTED is now responsible for the regulation of
  early years provision and child day care
• OFSTED also inspects all nursery provision
• Post 16 Education and Training
• OFSTED is now responsible for the inspection of
  all colleges and work-based learning for students
  aged 16-19.

16
Important Characteristics

• independent of policy matters a non-ministerial
  government department
• very little power to intervene
• influences policy and contributes to educational
  debate through public reporting

17
Issues for future development

• Intervention in inverse proportion to success
• relationship between external and internal
  evaluation
• balance between pressure and support