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Press release: New inspection system to improve outcomes for pupils

A revised framework for the inspection of maintained schools in England was launched today by Christine Gilbert, HMCI, at the first of a series of conferences for schools and local authorities.

Ofsted is changing the focus and frequency of school inspections to ensure that inspection has the greatest impact possible on school improvement and outcomes for children and young people. The views of parents and pupils will also play a more significant role in the inspection process.

From September there will be more frequent inspections for schools that are inadequate or satisfactory, and a longer interval for those judged good or outstanding. There will be no more ‘light touch’, one day, inspections and inspectors will be able to support improvements in weaker schools, by visiting those that are not improving between their full inspections.

Better performing schools will be inspected once in a five year period providing they do not give cause for concern. Ofsted will use annual risk assessments, looking at how schools are performing and gathering information from parents, to help decide which are to be inspected each year.

Inspectors will spend more time in classrooms observing teaching and learning and the progress made by the different groups of pupils. They will also look very closely at whether the school has the capacity to improve.

Announcing the new arrangements Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector for Education, Children’s Services and Skills, Christine Gilbert, said:'This new framework represents an important shift in the way we inspect schools. We will double the amount of time we spend in classrooms observing teaching. We will engage staff in discussion about ways of improving.

'With greater emphasis too on the views of parents and pupils, we will ensure that these important voices are heard in inspection. We inspect to raise standards and will target our efforts where they have most impact. We will use our resources to generate more improvement in schools so that can lead to better pupil achievement and outcomes.'

Ofsted will give schools less than two days notice of inspection, the vast majority having between one and two days, ensuring a balance between pressure on schools and ensuring inspectors see a true picture. Having listened to the concerns of parents, who feared losing the ability to give their views to the inspectors, Ofsted will not inspect with no-notice for routine school inspections. However, where there are particular concerns, for example connected to welfare, Ofsted may inspect at no notice.

In addition, Ofsted will be introducing no-notice inspection for monitoring visits to schools in Special Measures and those with a Notice to Improve as well as to about 40 percent of satisfactory schools.

Developed after discussions with parents and pupils, nation-wide focus groups, nearly 1,000 headteachers and other professionals, the new approach was piloted for over a year, and takes into account feedback from parents, schools, governors, inspectors and local authorities.

Welcoming the new arrangements and commenting on their experience of the pilot evaluations, Headteacher of Sand Dunes Nursery School, Sefton, Liverpool, Debbie Clark, said: 'Our involvement in the pilot inspection has been extremely useful. I felt totally involved and able to shape the way the inspection took place. We were part of the process, rather than being processed! The inspection was clear, made sense and has enabled us to move our school on in maintaining the best outcomes for our children.'

Headteacher of Ratby Primary School, Leicester, Ann Husband, added: 'The Inspection was a clear, rigorous process, raising the bar on standards. It was sharply focussed on School Improvement and highlighted levers for change to directly impact on pupil outcomes.'

Headteacher of St Peter's High School, Gloucester, Lawrence Montagu OBE, said: 'As part of the pilot for the new inspection arrangements we were particularly pleased with the new opportunities to engage more fully with the inspection team. We were able, for example, to make a full and meaningful contribution to the discussion of the school's future priorities, and we believe this will help us maintain our outstanding status. The emphasis on lesson observations, student voice and the use of data for personalised target-setting are aspects we applaud.'

Notes For Editors

1. The new framework is available from the press office and will be online at www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/090019.

2. Under the revised school inspection arrangements from September 2009 inspectors will give particular priority to:

• proportionality: the frequency of inspection will be proportionate to need

• promoting improvement: inspectors will make specific recommendations based on their diagnosis of the school’s strengths and weaknesses

• evaluating the achievement and wider well-being of pupils as a whole and of different groups of pupils, and assessing the extent to which schools ensure that all pupils, including those most at risk, succeed

• evaluating learning and teaching; inspectors will spend a high proportion of their on-site inspection time in the classroom

• assessing how well schools promote equality of opportunity, and how effectively they tackle discrimination

• checking schools’ procedures for safeguarding, keeping children and young people from harm

• fostering the engagement of headteachers and schools’ staff in the process of inspection so that they understand the judgements made

• gathering, analysing and taking into account the views of parents and pupils

• assessing how effectively schools work in partnership with other providers in order to promote better outcomes for pupils.

3. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects registered childcare and children's social care, including adoption and fostering agencies, residential schools, family centres and homes for children. It also inspects all state maintained schools, non-association independent schools, pupil referral units, further education, initial teacher education, and publicly funded adult skills and employment-based training, the Children and Family Courts Advisory Service (Cafcass), and the overall level of services for children in local authority areas.

4. Media can contact the Ofsted Press Office through 020 7421 6899 or via Ofsted's enquiry line 08456 404040 between 8.30am - 6.30pm Monday - Friday. Out of these hours, during evenings and weekends, the duty press officer can be reached on 07919 057359.

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