School self-evaluation and shorter,
more frequent inspections
11. Ofsted introduced a new inspection regime in
September 2005, incorporating the biggest changes since Ofsted
was formed in 1992. Schools are to be inspected more frequently
- every three to four years instead of every six years - which
is intended to result in poorly performing schools being identified
earlier. Early identification, combined with swifter monitoring
visits to schools in Special Measures, is expected to lead to
poorly performing schools improving more quickly.[12]
12. Inspectors now visit schools only for about 2
days, compared with a larger team that previously visited for
a week. However, they now have access to better background and
performance data and spend proportionately more time with the
headteacher and rest of the management team. Inspections are carried
out at very short notice. Elements such as the pre-inspection
survey of parents are therefore no longer possible, but schools
are expected to maintain an honest and up-to-date self-evaluation
form, since it forms the basis of evidence for the inspection.
The self-evaluation indicates the school's understanding of its
strengths and weaknesses, and a weak understanding is a key indicator
of a poorly performing school. Most schools have completed their
self-evaluation - 96% of schools that were inspected in autumn
2005, the first term of the new regime, had completed their self-evaluation
form.[13]
13. The changes reduce the weight of inspection on
schools, but also raise the risk that much reduced direct observation
and much smaller teams could lead to less rigour. Ofsted is, however,
confident that inspectors have the appropriate materials and information,
are engaging in greater dialogue than before with the schools'
management teams, and are making proper judgements of leadership
and management. Ofsted's self-evaluation form invites school leaders
to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of their own leadership
and management, using four grades from 'outstanding' to 'inadequate'.
Of the schools inspected during the autumn term 2005, three judged
their leadership and management to be inadequate. In two cases,
the inspectors confirmed the judgement, and in the third case
inspectors decided that leadership and management was satisfactory.[14]
14. Ofsted has a statutory duty to inspect all schools,
but the weight of inspection is a matter for Ofsted. It has not
previously adopted a proportionate, risk-based approach to inspection
for all schools, largely because of a previous lack of data to
target schools effectively. From September 2006, Ofsted will use
the improved data to help make better use of public money spent
on inspection, by making its inspection regime more proportionate,
with less involvement in those schools that are doing a good job
and more effort focused on weaker schools.[15]
It will draw on the approach it has already developed for inspections
of providers of Initial Teacher Training, which cover colleges
and universities. Providers consistently judged as 'good' in previous
inspections have short inspections while other providers have
inspections taking around a week.[16]
Other bodies in the education sector are developing in a similar
direction. For example, the Higher Education Funding Council has
introduced a risk-based approach that promotes 'lighter touch'
in the Council's oversight of those institutions that are regulating
themselves effectively.[17]
Simplified funding
15. In April 2006, the Department introduced three-year
budgets for schools to give them more certainty about their funding.
The Department is simplifying funding by combining the large number
of grants programmes relating to different activities into one
amalgamated grant. In order to benefit fully from the greater
certainty of funding, schools will require financial management
expertise and access to financial advice, for example from their
local authority.[18]
16. To help schools with their financial management,
the Department provides financial benchmarking information so
schools can compare their income and expenditure profile with
that of similar schools. It also provides a tool, the Financial
Management Standard, designed to enable schools to evaluate their
performance in financial management against a nationally recognised
statement of good practice, and to identify areas for development.
The Standard covers the following elements as they relate to financial
management: leadership and governance, financial management skills
among governors and staff, policy and strategy (e.g. whether the
school's budget reflects its development plan), respective responsibilities
of the school and the local authority, procurement, and the robustness
of financial management processes. Compliance with the Standard
will be compulsory for all secondary schools by the end of March
2007, and the Department plans to consult on a timetable for primary
and special schools. Local authority Chief Financial Officers
will be required to certify the degree of secondary schools' compliance
with the Standard from 2006-07.[19]
9 C&AG's Report, para 3.25; Qq 10, 81, 158 Back
10
C&AG's Report, para 1.13; Qq 27, 40 Back
11
C&AG's Report, paras 1.23-1.25 and Figure 17; Qq 154-155 Back
12
C&AG's Report, Figure 11; Q 8 Back
13
C&AG's Report, Figure 11; Qq 7, 26, 62-69 Back
14
Qq 60-61, 64-67; Ev 9, Footnote 1 Back
15
Qq 9-10, 74-76, 95-103, 111; www.ofsted.gov.uk/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=story&id=43
Back
16
Framework for the inspection of initial teacher training for
inspections from September 2005, Ofsted, 2005 Back
17
Accountability and Audit: Higher Education Funding Council
Code of Practice, 2005 Back
18
C&AG's Report, paras 3.22-23; Qq 82-86 Back
19
Qq 82-84; Dedicated Schools Grant, Guidance for local authorities
on the operation of the grant 2006-07 and 2007-08, circulated
to Chief Finance Officers on 17 March 2006; www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/schoolfunding/2006-07_funding_arrangements/financeofficernews/
Back
