The role and performance of Ofsted - Education Committee Contents


Memorandum submitted by the National Governors' Association

1.  INTRODUCTION

1.1.  The National Governors' Association (NGA) is the national membership body for school governors. NGA has several categories of membership comprising individual governors, school governing bodies and independent local associations of school governing bodies. NGA seeks to represent the interests of all school governors and governing bodies in all phases and types of school.

2.  SUMMARY

The majority of NGA's members are supportive of the inspection regime and value the information and judgements inspections provide.

2.1.  Do we need an inspectorate?

Yes, it is important that there is an independent inspection regime.

2.2.  If so what should the purpose of inspection be?

Schools must be held accountable for what they do and it is important that there is an effective system in place for improving the quality of provision.

2.3.  How often should inspections happen?

Schools should be inspected every three years.

2.4.  What is your experience of the quality/consistency of Ofsted

Members have generally reported positive experiences of Ofsted, with inspection judgements reflecting the governing body's views of the school.

2.5.  Who Should Ofsted report to?

The NGA believes that there needs to be greater clarification about whether Ofsted is reporting to the headteacher or the governing body.

2.6.  Do you feel the current inspection regime adequately covers governance?

Anecdotal evidence from members indicates that there is some concern that inspectors do not fully understand governance or the role of governors.

2.7.  Should any inspection report include recommendations for improvement

Inspectors should offer advice on strategies for improvement.

2.8.  The weight given to different factors within the inspection process

The NGA believes that inspections should focus on teaching and learning and leadership, management and governance.

2.9.  The role of Ofsted in providing an accountability mechanism for school operating with greater autonomy

It is important to retain an inspection regime which can provide an independent validation of schools' own self-evaluations.

3.  Do we need an inspectorate?

3.1.  Yes, it is important that there is an independent inspection regime. An independent inspection report provides vital information for governors in their role of holding the professional staff of the school to account.

4.  If so what should the purpose of inspection be?

4.1.  Schools must be held accountable for what they do and it is important that there is an effective system in place for improving the quality of provision. The inspection regime should primarily be to inspect, but an effective inspection regime will also provide advice on strategies for improvement.

4.2.  The inspection should give a rounded picture of the school. Although the NGA accepts that attainment levels are important and disadvantage should not be used as an excuse for poor quality; we are concerned that the context of the school is not taken into account and in particular not enough emphasis is given to any progress the school may have made. An exclusive focus on attainment can also mean that "coasting" schools can continue to coast.

4.3.  The current inspection regime covers both teaching and learning and management capabilities. The NGA is concerned that Ofsted teams do not always have sufficient expertise to judge adequately the latter. The NGA does not believe that many inspectors have a good knowledge of governance (see paragraph 8 below).

5.  How often should inspections happen?

5.1.  NGA members have differing views on this subject, but there is a broad consensus that inspections should be every three years as schools for the majority of schools. Where a school is underperforming inspection should be more frequent.

5.2.  There should be a set timetable for all schools, as otherwise schools can be left in a limbo of wondering when the inspectors are going to arrive.

5.3.  The NGA believes that outstanding schools should also be part of the regular inspection regime; as the performance of schools can and does sometimes change significantly in a short period of time. An inspection will show whether or not a school is still outstanding.

6.  What is your experience of the quality/consistency of Ofsted inspections?

6.1  NGA Members have generally found the Ofsted inspection to be a positive experience. Members reported that they have found the overall Ofsted judgement consistent with their own views.

6.2  Some members have reported issues with inspections/inspectors- these issues have been raised by individual NGA members and it is difficult to know how representative this is of the regime:

  • Some Ofsted inspectors have a "hobby horse" which becomes the main focus of the inspection.
  • The impression given at the feedback session is not always mirrored in the final report.
  • Quality is variable and a poor inspector can cause a disproportionate amount of damage.
  • Having made an initial judgement before arriving at the school some inspectors are unable or unwilling to change this view, even when the school presents evidence to them.
  • Ofsted inspectors do not have the expertise to make judgements about value for money and their judgements are based on inadequate evidence and are flawed.

7.  Who should Ofsted report to?

7.1.  The NGA believes that there needs to be greater clarification about who Ofsted is reporting to.

7.2.  The NGA does not believe it is entirely clear in the current regime who Ofsted is reporting to; whether it is the school or the governing body. The governing body is the accountable body in the school and is responsible for disseminating the report, but it is not currently compulsory for governors to be invited to the feedback session. The NGA believes that governors must be invited to the feedback session and must attend.

8.  Do you feel the current inspection regime adequately covers governance?

8.1.  The current inspection framework has detailed criteria for the inspection of governance arrangements. One of the NGA's core objectives is to improve and promote high standards of governance and we believe it is important that governance continues to form part of the inspection framework.

8.2.  Anecdotal feedback from members leads us to believe that governance is not always adequately covered or more importantly understood by inspectors. The NGA does not feel that governance is given sufficient scrutiny by Ofsted. This is partly because the current shorter inspections mean that there is not enough time to scrutinise everything and although inspectors do speak to governors (usually the chair) they may give prominence to governing body minutes, which may say more about the minute taker than the governing body.

9.  Should any inspection report include recommendations for improvement?

9.1.  The NGA acknowledges that there is a tension between an inspection organisation and one that is providing advice. Nonetheless the NGA believes that the move under the current framework for Ofsted to not just highlight ineffectiveness, but to offer strategies for improvement is to be welcomed. An inspection is too important an activity in the life of a school to simply be a "health check", there also needs to be advice on how to get/stay healthy.

10.  The weight given to different factors within the inspection process

10.1.  The current framework is extensive and it is difficult to inspect all the elements thoroughly. The NGA believes that the focus should be on teaching and learning and leadership, management and governance. Although other elements, such as community cohesion are important the NGA feels these would be better inspected as "themed inspection" across a number of schools, rather than in the short time available in school inspection.

10.2.  The NGA acknowledges that elements of the current self-evaluation form (SEF) have become too long and bureaucratic, but this is not the entire story. SEFs vary enormously in length and some of this is as result of schools focusing on narrative rather than evaluative information. Schools need to be clear that the self-evaluation form is not meant to record what they have done, but how that makes a difference.

10.3.  The NGA is concerned that the abolition of the SEF will lead to deterioration in the quality of school self-evaluation. The NGA believes that there must be some consistency in the self-evaluation process and that there should be a generic self-evaluation form for schools.

11.  The role of Ofsted in providing an accountability mechanism for schools operating with greater autonomy

11.1.  The formal mechanism for maintained schools to report to parents is currently the School Profile, which is widely viewed as unfit for purpose and a waste of time.

11.2.  An independent inspection regime and reporting mechanism is important in any system, but especially where individual schools are responsible for their own school improvement.

11.3.  Ofsted inspect only every three or more years and there needs to be a clear mechanism for schools to report to parents and the wider public in the interim. That could be some form of annual report or possibly a version of the school's self-evaluation form.

October 2010


 
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Prepared 17 April 2011