Ian Richardson HMI Specialist Adviser for Science ian.richardson@ofsted.uk

1. NAIGS Conference 6 July 2006 Stratford upon Avon Ian Richardson HMI Specialist Adviser for Science ian.richardson@ofsted.gov.uk

2. Overview • Section 5 inspections • Subject inspections • The state of science

3. Section 5 Inspections

4. Section 5 Inspections • Inspections occur at a greatly increased rate. • All maintained schools inspected every 3 years instead of every 6. • More up to date reports for parents.

5. Focus on Every child matters Be healthy: for example, helping learners to adopt healthy lifestyles, build their self-esteem, eat and drink well and lead active lives Stay safe: for example, keeping learners safe from bullying, harassment and other dangers

6. Focus on Every child matters Enjoy and achieve: for example, enabling learners to make good progress in their work and personal development and to enjoy their education Make a positive contribution: for example, ensuring that learners understand their rights and responsibilities, are listened to, and participate in the life of the community

7. Focus on Every child matters Achieve economic well-being: for example, helping pupils to gain the skills and knowledge needed for future employment.

8. Process of Section 5 Inspections Starting point – School Self Evaluation How well does the school know itself and what is the school doing to improve its performance further? A SEF ‘a summative document intended to record the outcomes of an on-going process of rigorous self-evaluation…’

9. Self-Evaluation • An accurate diagnostic document with conclusions fully supported by the evidence. • An indication of strengths and weaknesses. • What is required to effect improvement. • A SEF is not your self evaluation, it is a summary of it.

10. Self-Evaluation What do we know so far? • Schools have spent a significant amount of time in completing them. • Major exercise in bringing together school evidence into one document.

11. Self-Evaluation • Provides schools with an opportunity to reflect on performance and clarify improvement issues. • Provides invaluable evidence for inspection teams. • Gives valuable insight into how well schools know themselves

12. Good Self Evaluation Forms • Clear, precise and evaluative – accurately capture the performance of the school. • Set the school’s improvement agenda based appropriately on areas which require improvement. • Widely participative, accurately capture the knowledge of the school’s workforce

13. Least effective Evaluation Forms • Overly descriptive, too often lacking a clear evaluation of the school’s performance. • Tend to be lengthy. • Grades not matching the text.

14. Least effective Evaluation Forms • Balance of grades do not match sufficiently without adequate explanation. • Insufficient recognition about what is ‘achievement’ as distinct from what are ‘standards.’

15. Section 5 Feedback How was it? • Schools prefer the lighter touch but consider judgements to be rigorous. • Reaction to shorter notice is positive (98%). • 94% of schools in autumn term completed a SEF and this has increased further in spring term.

16. Section 5 Feedback • Headteachers consider that inspection teams have used SEF well. • Whilst headteachers consider SEF challenging and time consuming consider is has been helpful and they have learned. • Dialogue between staff and inspectors useful although intensive and challenging.

17. Section 5 Feedback • Inspection judgements considered fair and accurate (95%). • 7/10ths of headteachers found letters to pupils helpful. • 4 point judgement scale causing much debate.

18. The Future of Inspection Proportionality Rationale • Concentrating limited inspection resources where they are most needed. • Trials of proportionate inspections now ending. • Planned implementation in September 2006.

19. Feedback from proportionate inspection pilot • Very rigorous • Meticulous preparation • On-site observations • Focused meetings • Listening to children • Accurate reports • Secure basis for improvement

20. Subject Inspections

21. Why a subject inspection programme? No systematic data on subject quality and standards from new school inspections HMCI will still want to report on subjects and subjects are a DfES priority Improvement in standards requires a focus on subject teaching, learning and assessment

22. What is a Subject Inspection? It gathers information and evaluate subject provision and will focus on a specific issue. It starts from the school’s self evaluation. Each visit also addresses ‘Every Child Matters’ and inclusion issues, but through subject.

23. What Can Schools Expect? Visits begin with the school’s own self evaluation. This will help to focus the inspection. Typically one inspector for one day in a primary school, two days in a secondary school.

24. What Can Schools Expect? In discussion with the school, a programme will be agreed, usually: Lesson/ session observation, Discussion with learners,

25. What Can Schools Expect? Scrutiny of work, Discussion with teachers and subject leaders Reading relevant plans and other documents.

26. Self evaluation Self evaluation needs to address the same key questions. How well do learners achieve? How effective are teaching, training and learning?

27. Self evaluation How well do the curriculum, programmes and activities meet the needs and interests of learners? How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners?

28. Outcomes of the Inspection A feedback letter or short report to: Record the findings on the specified subject issue and survey theme, Outline strengths and weaknesses and points for development, using Framework headings & criteria.

29. Outcomes of the Inspection Institutions receive this for their own use, Are encouraged to share it with all partners in improvement (SIP, LEAI, Strategy staff etc), From September 2006 will be published on Ofsted website.

30. The subject programme will need to: Produce reports available to the subsequent institutional inspection team. Be a major element of general subject monitoring. Identify ‘issues’ as well as explore them Complement the new institutional inspections.

31. The State of Science

32. SECONDARY SCIENCE

33. Science in secondary schools is going through a significant period of review and consequential change. The government has published ‘Science and innovation investment framework 2004 – 2014’, which sets out the challenge of ensuring a strong supply of scientists, engineers and technologists to support the higher levels of research and development.

34. Schools are faced with a tremendous opportunity to provide courses of study that meet pupils’ needs, and raise their engagement in and enjoyment of science. The first opportunity is offered by the new range of GCSEs implemented from September 2006 which are designed to meet the full range of pupils’ interests and needs.

35. At the heart of change needs to be a clear continuum of learning from primary school through to post-16 learning. At no point on their learning journey should pupils encounter a science education that does not pay regard to their prior learning.

36. Good teaching builds upon pupils’ achievements and involves planning courses of study that meet their individual needs. Too often pupils face the experience of repeating work from earlier in their education with insufficient challenge to promote further learning.

37. Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014 • It is recognised that standards in Key Stage 3 need to rise such that there should be a continual improvement in the number of pupils attaining level 6 in the National Curriculum. • From 2008 there should be an entitlement for all pupils attaining level 6 to study three separate sciences in order to increase progression to and attainment at ‘A’ level science.

38. Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014 • The Key stage 4 programme of study has already been revised and the specifications for new science GCSEs have been produced for implementation in September 2006. These include specifications describing more vocational qualification routes and those focussed on science for public understanding. • The Key Stage 3 programme of study is currently being revised as are the specifications for ‘A’ levels both for implementation in September 2008.

39. Investment Framework 2004-2014: Next Steps. • Achieve year on year increases in the numbers of young people taking A levels in physics, chemistry and mathematics so that by 2014 entries to A level physics are 35,000 (currently 24,094); chemistry A level entries are 37,000 (currently 33,164); and mathematics A level entries are 56,000 (currently 46,037).

40. Investment Framework 2004-2014: Next Steps. • Continually improve the number of pupils getting at least level 6 at the end of Key Stage 3 (11-14 year olds). • Continually improve the number of pupils achieving A*-B and A*-C grades in two science GCSEs.

41. Investment Framework 2004-2014: Next Steps. • Step up recruitment, retraining and retention of physics, chemistry and mathematics specialist teachers so that by 2014 25 per cent of science teachers have a physics specialism (compared to 19 per cent currently), 31 per cent of science teachers have a chemistry specialism (compared to 25 per cent currently)

42. Strengths in the subject • Good collaboration between agencies concerned with science • Revision of programmes of study at Key Stages 3 and 4 to promote engagement and enjoyment of pupils • Clear advice and support to teachers in preparation for curriculum change • A strongly developing culture in science that encourages focus on the needs of individuals and on successful learning.

43. Strengths in the subject • Effective planning for progression including the development of science enquiry • Thorough monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning used to inform planning • Lively and energetic teaching guided by clear learning objectives that provide appropriate challenge for all pupils • Involvement of pupils in decision making and assessment leading to effective feedback to pupils

44. Weaknesses and barriers to be overcome • Inadequate analysis of the impact of teaching on the achievement of pupils • Resistance to change in which schools are not taking the opportunity to select courses appropriate to the needs of their pupils.

45. Weaknesses and barriers to be overcome • High levels of staff turn over and difficulties in recruiting appropriately qualified staff; science has the largest number of unfilled teacher vacancies (2001 – 1.6%; 2006 – 0.9%; 2006 – 210 vacancies) • Subject leaders and teachers who are insufficiently engaged in self evaluation and the effective monitoring of the impact they are having on pupils’ learning

46. Weaknesses and barriers to be overcome • Poor accommodation and resources in some schools restricting the range of science activities in which pupils can engage. (1/6 judged inadequate)

47. PRIMARY SCIENCE

48. Strengths in science • Planning for science that makes good connections with other subject areas and develops cross-curricular themes effectively • Science activities that include a good range of learning opportunities and styles, and have at their heart the active engagement of pupils in scientific enquiry (Sc1)

49. Strengths in science • Thorough evaluation of teaching and analysis of available data to evaluate the success of teaching, identify needs for CPD and to inform planning • Assessment systems that have an impact on learning by identifying knowledge and understanding of individual pupils and informing them of what they need to do to improve

50. Strengths in science • Enjoyment of pupils and their active engagement in science activities, where they research topics, come up with their own ideas, exchange views with other pupils and teacher, plan and carry out investigations and evaluate their work and the work of others.