Ofsted news service users

Issue 16 May 2013

My Ofsted subscription service

Ofsted News is published on our website and emailed to subscribers every month through the ‘My Ofsted’ service. It includes links to news and information about our work in inspection and regulation, and through it you can find out about our latest publications and consultations. The 'My Ofsted' feature on the website allows you to tailor the type of information you'd like to see and how you receive it. If you’ve not yet registered or want to make changes to your profile, go to www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

To tell us what you think of the service and of this newsletter, please use the feedback form in the contact us section of the website.

Privacy statement and cookie policy

We’ve recently updated our privacy statement and cookie policy which you can read on our website. It explains how we will handle and protect any information that you give us, as well as our use of cookies and how you can manage them.

Social media

You can keep up to date with Ofsted’s work through our social media channels: http://twitter.com/Ofstednews and www.youtube.com/ofstednews.

Across Ofsted

May was Local and Community History Month. To celebrate, we featured a number of case studies on our good practice homepage.

At Fox Primary School, first-rate teaching, an outstanding curriculum and excellent planning help pupils to develop historical knowledge and understanding at every opportunity.

For inspiration at Key Stage 3, the history curriculum at Harris Academy Crystal Palace builds strong foundations while the imaginative approach at Copleston High School interests students so much that twice as many of them choose history at Key Stage 4 than the national average.

Local heritage is the focus at Cape Cornwall School and history teaching at Lampton School Academy prepares students for their future as citizens in a diverse society.

At Cottenham Village College, students explore different historians’ views to help them think about the issues they study in new ways.

An enquiry-based curriculum and regular subject-specific professional development combine at Farlingaye High School to ensure their 100-minute lessons are active, engaging and enjoyable.

Data View developments – Ofsted has updated Data View: its online data tool launched in November 2012.

It now offers a ‘state of the nation’ picture of all providers based on their grade as of 31 December 2012. We have also added print functionality and you can now share the site on social media.

It still displays Ofsted’s inspection data allowing users to compare providers at a local, regional and constituency level.

For more technical information about the data available and how we make some of the calculations, see the Ofsted website.

Schools

News

Personal, social, health and economic education requires improvement in English schools –The Ofsted report Not yet good enough looks at the strengths and weaknesses of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education in English schools with recommendations on how the subject can be taught well.

The report found that primary school pupils should be better prepared for the physical and emotional changes of puberty but secondary schools should focus more on the importance of healthy sexual relationships rather than the ‘mechanics’ of reproduction.

School improvement continues – From 14 May, East Riding of Yorkshire was the next local authority area to have focused school inspections. More than a third of the district’s schools are not yet good and this exercise marks a concerted programme of action by Ofsted to establish why children in some parts of the country have a much lower chance of attending a good or better school compared to areas with a similar demographic.

Ofsted also reported back to Norfolk County Council following focused inspections of 28 schools in the county in March.

The framework and handbook for inspecting local authority arrangements for supporting school improvement are now on the Ofsted website. You can also find the full response to the consultation.

Features

Rate your child’s school on Parent View – When a school is being inspected, parents and carers are asked to complete Parent View – Ofsted's online questionnaire – instead of the previous paper questionnaire. You can also fill in Parent View at any time of the academic year. You just need to register on Parent View with your email address and choose a password. It only takes a few minutes to answer the 12 questions and give your views on your child’s school.

Good practice

Securing high-quality alternative provision in a rural area – With support from the European Social Fund and the local authority, John Masefield High School has overcome challenges of its rural Herefordshire location to help its students who would benefit from alternative provision to gain vocational skills in a range of specialist settings.

Features

Inspection of services for looked after children – Between May and September 2013, local authority services for looked after children will be inspected under this framework, evaluation schedule and guidance.

In April, the Chief Inspector announced Ofsted’s plans to inspect local authority child protection and services for children who are looked after under a single, combined framework. This means Ofsted has deferred the proposed multi-agency child protection inspections that were planned for launch in June, and stopped plans to inspect services for looked after children separately.

Ofsted plans to consult on proposals for the single framework, which we have developed in collaboration with a number of local government representatives and other partners. The inspection documents above are in effect until – following the consultation – we introduce the single framework from September 2013.

What do you think of your social care services? Ofsted’s online questionnaires for 2013 have been extended until the end of June.

We want you – all children, young people, parents, carers, relatives and any other interested people – to give your views on your social care services.

The results help us prepare for inspections and inform our decisions about when to inspect but, last year, around half of all providers didn’t return a single response.

You can get the questionnaire from your children’s home, fostering services, adoption agency or residential family centre.

If they aren’t able to supply you with the questionnaire, for whatever reason, contact Ofsted on 0300 123 1231 or enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk and we’ll make sure you have a chance to give us your views.

Good practice

Managing high risk behaviours in adolescents – Northumberland has a particularly effective risk management model that safeguards adolescents at risk of significant harm from their own behaviour. Their impressive approach has an excellent impact on their safeguarding outcomes

Adult learning and skills

Features

Adult Learners’ Week was 18–24 May. Recognising outstanding adult learning, the national award ceremony was on Monday 20 May followed by seven regional ceremonies. Activities ranging from CV writing to museum tours and art workshops highlighted the many benefits of adult learning.

NEET statistics published – On 23 May, the Department for Education (DfE) published their quarterly NEET (adults who are Not in Employment, Education or Training) statistics for England from the 16 to 18 participation SFR, labour force survey (LFS) and regional figures.

Good practice

Establishing an excellent foundation for drawing – A key feature of the Foundation Art and Design programme at Manchester Metropolitan University is the focus on developing students’ understanding and appreciation of drawing. The team’s passion for drawing and for experimenting with new ideas, concepts and materials, is infectious and motivates rich, high-quality final portfolios that express individual ideas.

Early years and childcare

Features

Good early years provision for all – Ofsted’s consultation closed on 24 May with a particularly high number of responses.

Even at the half-way point, around 2000 parents, carers, providers and other interested parties had shared their views.

The consultation launched to help Ofsted revise its inspection frameworks for early years providers to drive up standards and improve quality in early years settings.

We plan to introduced the revised framework from September 2013.

Good practice

Developing children’s communication and language skills in the early years – Eastbury Children’s Centre used a progressive pathway of core play and communication services to accelerate children’s communication and language development. Universal and targeted services support children’s growing communication skills from birth right through to the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Parents and carers are involved at every step and become confident in helping their children to progress.

Click here to subscribe to Ofsted news