Management Information Sheet

Following the piloting of new inspection arrangements, an evaluation has taken place and a new Framework, along with guidance materials is now published on the Ofsted website.

Key documents that outline the new arrangements and detail changes in timings and approaches include:

A) The Framework for school inspection [Ref no: 090019]
B) The Evaluation Schedule for schools [Ref no: 090098]
C) Tackling the new SEF [Ref no: 090121]

Some important principles which underpin the new arrangements include [references are to paragraphs with the Framework]:

	The frequency of inspections as proportionate to need [para' 8]
	The inspection of schools judged 'good' or 'outstanding' at previous inspection on a five year cycle with an 'interim assessment' after three years [para' 15 and 17]. However, special schools and PRUs remain on a three-year cycle as do schools with registered provision for 0-3 year old children and those with residential provision.
	The role of the SEF in confirming that a school can receive an interim assessment when published data are inconclusive [para. 26]
	Schools previously judged 'satisfactory' will be inspected after three years, with a 'significant proportion' receiving a monitoring inspection to check on progress [para' 18]
	Schools will normally receive between 0-2 days notice of an inspection
	Monitoring visits to schools in inspection categories and to about 40% of schools judged satisfactory are carried out without notice [para' 47]
	Inspectors will consider 'limiting' judgements before the overall effectiveness judgement is made at the end of the inspection. These relate to [para' 44]:

	o	The quality of the school's procedures for safeguarding
	o	The extent to which the school promotes equality and tackles discrimination
	o	Pupils' achievement

If a school is judged as 'inadequate' in relation to a 'limiting' judgement, it is likely that the school's overall effectiveness will similarly be judged as 'inadequate'. [para' 37]

	Inspectors will spend a high proportion of their on-site inspection time in the classroom [para' 7]
	There will be an increased involvement of head teachers and senior staff in the inspection process including attendance at the formal inspection team meetings at the end of each day of the inspection [para' 67]
	Particular priority will be given to gathering, analysing and taking into account the views of parents and pupils [para' 7]
	Significant changes have been made to promoting improvement, evaluating achievement (for pupils as a whole and different groups of pupils), the well-being of pupils and ensuring that those most at risk succeed; and community cohesion [para 7]
	The School's capacity for sustained improvement - this includes the school's track record, whether self-evaluation is accurate, the current leaders and managers' effectiveness [para 43]
	Overall effectiveness - must take all aspects of the school's work into account - with a strong emphasis on outcomes for pupils, capacity to improve, any limiting judgements [para 44]

B) The Evaluation Schedule for Schools provides a comprehensive set of guidance and grade descriptors for the judgements that inspectors will report on when inspecting schools under Section 5 of the Education Act 2009. This document provides a clearer view of minimum thresholds, through clarification of the grade boundary between inadequate/ satisfactory, satisfactory/ good, good/ outstanding, as well as more detailed descriptors for each grade.

C) The new style SEF reflects the new Evaluation Schedule and is formatted to help schools briefly summarise their evaluations. The emphasis is placed on justifying as concisely as possible the grades at which the school decides it merits. It is not intended that the SEF be used as a store for all the school's evidence. Schools are strongly encouraged to use the grade descriptors in the new Evaluation Schedule when undertaking the completion of the SEF to ensure the final document is tightly focused and sharply evaluative.

If you would like any further clarification or support with reference to the new framework pleases contact:-

For Primary Schools - Mary-Jane Edwards

For Secondary Schools - Yvonne Barclay

For Special Schools and PRUs - Terry Cook

If your school receives notification of an inspection, please contact the Local Authority as required within the Framework [para' 51] by calling:

For Primary schools, please ask for Diana Duhig, Elizabeth Philpot or Carol Burgess

For High schools, please ask for Anita Lee

For special schools and PRUs, please ask for Robin Biss

All the above can be contacted by calling The Professional Development Centre on 01603 433276.