“The Role of the Governing Body in an Ofsted Inspection”

1. LASGB Annual Conference – May 2014 “The Role of the Governing Body in an Ofsted Inspection”

2. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime • Familiarising yourself with the rules • Clarifying the vision • Understanding the key questions raised by outcome data • Ensuring a consistent, strategic approach to school improvement • Preparing as best you can

3. 1. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime

4. 1. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime Unacceptability that all children do not attend a good school? “I was speaking to a taxi driver today. He was saying to me that he was having to work all hours because he didn’t want to send his son to the local school, because the standard was so low, so he was going to pay for private education,” Wilshaw says. “I felt incredibly sorry for him that he had to do that. Every child should go to a good school and the parents have the right to send them to one.” Last night on Newsnight Sir Michael Wilshaw the chief inspector of schools and head of Ofsted, condemned the fact that one in five pupils are leaving primary school without reaching the "national average" in English.

5. 1. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime Unacceptability that all children do not attend a good school? Michael Gove: I will try my best. Chair: If "good" requires pupil performance to exceed the national average, and if all schools must be good, how is this mathematically possible? Michael Gove: By getting better all the time. Chair: So it is possible, is it? Michael Gove: It is possible to get better all the time. Chair: At school, were you better at literacy than numeracy, Secretary of State? Michael Gove: I cannot remember.

6. 1. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime Unacceptability that all children do not attend a good school?

7. 1. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime Comparable Outcomes? “Almost two thirds of high-attaining pupils (65%) leaving primary school, securing Level 5 in both English and mathematics, did not achieve an A* or A grade (a key predictor to success at A level and progression to university) in both these GCSE subjects in 2012 in non-selective secondary schools. This represented over 65,000 students.” Ofsted, June 13 “Since 2009, we have adopted a comparable outcomes approach when setting grade standards in new qualifications. This approach means that if the cohort of students taking the qualification is similar in terms of ability, then we would expect the outcomes – the proportions of students achieving each grade – to be similar.” Ofqual website

8. 1. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime TITLE Changing Face of Achievement over the last 10 years: • 5 +A*-C • 5+ A*-C including English and maths • Contextual Value Added • Value Added • Levels of progress in English and maths • Performance of groups....pupil premium, GAT etc. • Attainment 8 and Progress 8

9. 1. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime Consistency Ofstedjudgements? The Framework changes from term to term!

10. 1. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime Independence of Ofsted? Inspectors of Educational Standards? Enforcers of Government Policy ?

11. 1. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime Inspection Teams • Likely that will never have met until the morning of the inspection • Varying degrees of experience in terms of inspections undertaken and leadership positions held • Little preparation time ....none for additional inspectors • Little time to get under the skin of a school...... Lot of time spent in lesson observations • Real, serious concerns about the quality and consistency of inspection teams

12. 1. Understanding the context of the current inspection regime High Stakes ASCL have supported 142 members who have lost their job following an Ofsted Inspection in the first two terms of this academic year

13. 2. Familiarising yourself with the “rules”

14. The board of governors should avoid its time being consumed with issues of secondary importance, and focus on its core functions: • setting the vision and strategic direction of the school • holding the headteacher to account for its educational performance • Ensuring the financial resources of the school • School Governance Regulations 2013

15. 2. Familiarising yourself with the “rules” School Inspection Handbook, September 2014 Subsidiary Guidance, April 2014

16. 2. Familiarising yourself with the “rules” Subsidiary Guidance, April 2014 • Inspectors should meet with as many governors during an inspection as is possible, and should determine how well governing bodies evaluate the performance of the school, particularly in terms of: pupil progress; the leadership of teaching; the management of staff; and the difference made by initiatives such as the pupil premium, the Year 7 catch-up premium, or the new primary school sport funding

17. 2. Familiarising yourself with the “rules” Subsidiary Guidance, April 2014 • 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[1] • are aware of the impact of teaching on learning and progress in different subjects and year groups • 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 • performance manage the headteacher rigorously • are failing to perform well and contributing to weaknesses in leadership and management. • are challenging and supporting leadership in equal measure

18. 2. Familiarising yourself with the “rules” ASCL Advice • This lead inspector usually looks for • Urgency in dealing with weak achievement and teaching • Challenge for weaknesses and any proposed solutions • Requests for timely evidence of impact, including forms of data that governors can readily interpret • Discussion on allocation of pupil premium funding and timely evaluation of its impact • Questions on money spent on intervention and evaluation of its impact • Questions on the impact of the deployment of teachers

19. 2. Familiarising yourself with the “rules” School Inspection Handbook

20. 3. Clarifying your vision Is it just getting the best Ofsted grade?

21. 3. Clarifying your vision The best possible educational outcomes The best preparation for further study and the world of work The best opportunities for students develop as individuals, taking into account their individual backgrounds, talents and aspirations

22. 4. Understanding the key questions raised by outcome data

23. 4. Understanding the key questions raised by outcome data RAISEonline Data Dashboard DfE Performance Tables

24. 4. Understanding the key questions raised by outcome data RAISEonline Look for the ‘G’ in the top right hand corner Pages 7, 11, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 29, 30, (31, 32,) 36, 37, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 52, 53, 54, 33

25. 4. Understanding the key questions raised by outcome data Data Dashboard http://dashboard.ofsted.gov.uk/dash.php?urn=119767

26. 4. Understanding the key questions raised by outcome data The following questions for governors are designed to enable discussion between governors and school leaders regarding the school’s performance data. The Data Dashboards should be used as a starting point. You should use RAISEonline to look at more detailed data. • Is this the picture that you were expecting? • Are standards rising in English, mathematics and science at Key Stage 4? • What actions are being taken to improve standards and are they making a difference? • Is there a link between standards in English, mathematics and science and what you know about the quality of teaching?

27. 4. Understanding the key questions raised by outcome data DfE Performance Tables http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/schools/performance/group.pl?qtype=SSC&tab=512&ord=desc&sort=ks4_13.ptac5em&set=20&no=119767&superview=sec&sscla=888

28. 5. Ensuring a consistent, strategic approach to school improvement……….

29. 5. Ensuring a consistent, strategic approach to school improvement… Write the SEF to directly to the appropriate criteria in the evaluation schedule All identified issues to appear in the SIP ‘One page summaries’ for all key issues to be addressed Build some external validation in to the self evaluation process

30. 6. Preparation….

31. 6. Preparation ……… Evidence for all SEF judgements available to be stored centrally But................

32. 6. Preparation ………. ‘One Page summaries’ for everything not where you want it to be! What is the issue? What did you do? What was the impact?

33. 6. Preparation ………. Governors need to be aware of the key questions they should be asking of their headteacher ........that they are likely to be asked by an inspector Model answers worked on, so you are not caught cold

34. 6. Preparation ………. Decide in advance which governors will meet the inspector Be prepared for an absolute grilling!! Have at least one trial run.....there are plenty of trained inspectors who will sharpen the school’s preparations

35. SUMMARY Understanding the school Understanding the data Understanding the rules Understanding how to support ……..and challenge Identifying areas for development ……..understanding what has been done about it ………evaluating the impact