Ofsted Update October 2013

1. Ofsted UpdateOctober 2013 Governors Strategic Briefings

2. Aims • To provide an update on Ofsted messages • To share recent changes in key documents • To clarify and explore the current areas of focus

3. Renewed Ofsted focus Although there is no new framework inspectors are paying particular attention to: • The proportion of students making expected and more than expected progress – with particular focus on FSM, ability, gender and CIC groups (no matter how small the group) • Student progress from Y7-Y11 including the reliability and effectiveness of assessment practices and the impact of teaching on accelerating student progress over time. • The impact of the pupil premium funding and Catch up. • How quickly improvement is being secured by leadership (including governance) • The consistency of GOOD outcomes across the school

4. Greater focusses on…. • Judging the progress made by different prior attainment groups of pupils in maths and English • Quality, rigour and accuracy of assessment and baselines at each key stage, specifically in EYFS and key stage 1. • How well the school uses the new primary school sport funding to improve the quality and breadth of PE and sport provision. • How pupils attitudes to learning hinder or help their progress. • The curriculum providing timely independent information, advice and guidance to assist pupils on their next steps in training education or employment (secondary

5. Progress of different prior attainment groups • The achievement grade is not based on aggregate scores. • Evidence for progress of all groups will be scrutinised. • Inspectors will have a greater regard for pupils’ different starting points in terms of their prior attainment and age.

6. Good Achievement from Ofsted Handbook • From each different starting point, the proportions of pupils making expected progress, and the proportions exceeding expected progress, in English and in mathematics are close to or above national figures. For pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support, the proportions are similar to, or above, those for other pupils in the school or are improving. • Progress across year groups in a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics, is consistently strong and evidence in pupils’ work indicates that they achieve well. • The achievement of pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support at least matches that of other pupils in the school or is rising, including in English and mathematics.

7. Progress of most able and those in receipt of PP • Two national reports have been published: • Unseen Children: Access and Achievement 20 years on • The most able students: are they doing well enough? • All forms of data will be scrutinised to check the progress of these nationally underperforming groups • Schools will be expected to have analysed their data to ensure they know how well these groups are doing. • School leaders and Governors will be expected to confidently articulate how they have spent the PP funding, why and its impact. • All descriptors for achievement include specific statements about the achievement of pupils for whom the PP provides support and the most able.

8. Primary schools’ sports funding • £8,000 per school (plus £5 per pupil top-up) –equates to £9,500 for 300 pupil school • Expectation that it will impact on educational attainment, healthy lifestyles and sporting outcomes. There will be evaluation of the impact this funding on pupils’ lifestyles and physical well-being • Factors taken into account include: • the increase in participation rates in such activities as games, dance, gymnastics, swimming and athletics; • The increase in success in competitive school sport • How much more inclusive the physical education curriculum has become • The growth in range of provisional and alternative sports provision • The improvement in partnership work on physical education with other schools and local partners • Links with other subjects that contribute to pupils’ overall achievement . • The greater awareness amongst pupils about the dangers of obesity, smoking and other such activities that undermine pupils’ health

9. Behaviour and attitudes to learning • The descriptors now explicitly refer to expectations regarding attitudes to learning. • Pupils are expected to recognise the importance and impact of good attitudes and behaviour. • There is an emphasis on the need for positive attitudes in all subjects, years, classes and with different staff. • Inspectors will gather evidence at every opportunity about behaviour (and very early in the inspection so issues can be followed up).

10. Leadership and Management • The extent to which leadership is able to contribute towards school improvement in the local or wider area is now included. • The quality of middle leadership and how they are being developed, is now explicit. • The focuses for Governors have not changed but have been further strengthened in relation to the expectation that Governors know about the impact of PP/Y7 catch-up/PE funding, PM, and what the Data dashboard and Parent View tell them. • In RI schools where a review of Governance is required this is likely to now include a review of the impact of PP.

11. Inspectors should consider whether governors: • carry out their statutory duties • understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school, including the quality of teaching • ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction • understand and take sufficient account of pupil data, particularly their understanding and use of the school data dashboard • are aware of the impact of teaching on learning and progress in different subjects and year groups

12. Inspectors should consider whether governors: • are challenging and supporting leadership in equal measure • are providing support for an effective headteacher, or whether they are hindering school improvement by failing to tackle key concerns • are transparent and accountable, including in terms of governance structures, attendance at meetings, and contact with parents and carers • understand how the school makes decisions about teachers’ salary progression

13. Learning from Recent Derbyshire Inspections • Emphasis on Progress is the common theme across all our Inspection outcomes so far this term. • Schools should have prepared and shared with Governors their analysis to evidence the impact of their work . • Vital that Governors are fully informed when it comes to the school’s outcomes. Likely to be asked searching questions in relation to student performance that go beyond an awareness of RAISEonline or Data Dashboard.

14. Learning from Recent Derbyshire Inspections • Performance Management and in particular its impact on Teaching and Learning is another central focus, particularly in relation to the work of middle leaders. Schools need to be providing robust evidence of how this operates within their own institutions. • Governors need to be clear about how school makes decisions in relation to teacher’s salary, able to explain their role in this, and how it relates to teaching and learning.