Free School Ofsted Guidance Agenda

This guidance offers practical advice for free schools facing their first inspection, based on NSN’s analysis of the Ofsted reports published so far and the experience of free schools that have already been through this process.

1) How free schools interact with Ofsted;

2) Free schools’ Ofsted performance;

3) How to prepare for your first inspection;

4) Lessons learnt from existing free schools; − Effectiveness of leadership and management − Quality of teaching, learning and assessment − Personal development, behaviour and welfare − Outcomes for pupils 5) Links and further resources. 1. How free schools interact with Ofsted

− Free schools are inspected in the same way as other state schools, under the same Ofsted framework.

− All free schools must be inspected after two years of opening, so could be inspected from their seventh term.

− Mainstream, special and alternative provision schools receive an inspection under ‘Section 5’ of the Education Act (2005).

− 16-19 free schools are inspected under the ‘Common inspection framework for further education and skills’, in line with the Education and Inspections Act (2006). 2. Free schools Ofsted performance

• There are currently 344 open free schools (excluding studio schools and UTCs). • Of these, 206 have had a section 5 inspection with the results outlined below (July 2017). • 83% are Good or Outstanding with 13% judged Requires Improvement or Inadequate. • Whilst free schools are more likely to be rated Outstanding (29% to date) than the national average, they are also more likely to be rated Inadequate (4%).

Data correct in July 2017 and will be updated twice a year 3. How to Prepare for your first inspection Before the inspection − Prepare an easily accessible self-evaluation of your school which is: concise, focused on the same areas as the inspection framework and links them together, externally validated (e.g. through undertaking a mock inspection) and positive, highlighting evidence to merit higher grades if a judgement falls between two grades. For full details on the information an inspector will request at the start of a visit, see p.15 of the school inspection handbook − Ensure your school website is as up to date and informative as possible.

When the inspectors call During the call: − Establish any important features/issues which you want the inspectors to take into account when visiting. For example, if you are in a temporary site. − Offer to send the inspector key documents. After the call: − Send the inspector any key documents. The list of documents they will ask to see is in the school inspection handbook. Sending an executive summary of your data/judgements in advance would be useful. − Prepare a suggested timetable. − Inform staff, pupils, parents and governors and remind them of what is required of each of them. For more information about what each party may be asked to do, see the school inspection handbook (p.23). − Inform the Education Adviser assigned to your school by the DfE, who may be able to provide advice. 3. How to Prepare for your first inspection During the inspection Inspectors will expect a degree of professional challenge from you. It may be relevant to do so in the following cases;

•Judgements about achievement are not definitively fixed. Good •For example, the grade descriptor for Good outcomes states: ‘progress in English and Mathematics is close to or above national figures’. You could Achievement challenge inspectors on their definition of ‘close to’.

•Schools do not need to have a certain amount of historic data or track Outstanding record, so this should not be a barrier to being judged Outstanding. Achievement

•Judgements should not be made about a preferred teaching style. Outcomes Teaching style for students should be the focus.

•There is no definition of a ‘group’ in the school inspection handbook. Groups could be two or three students in a small school. Pupil Groups •If judgements are made about ‘groups’, you can challenge the inspectors definition of the ‘group’.

•You can challenge inspectors to show a willingness/ability to understand your Innovation vision if it is not obvious that they do. 4. Lessons learnt from existing free schools

Key Issues Lessons Learnt Governance Governors lack a clear understanding of the Effective processes are in place for governors to make school’s strengths and weaknesses, do not their own assessments of data and observe the quality of provide effective support and challenge and provision. Governors contribute to school improvement simply rely on information provided. planning and their skills are externally audited. Target Setting and Assessment Assessment data is not used to create an Targets are SMART and progress is consistent across effective cycle of target setting, planning, different subjects and groups of learners. Assessment is teaching, assessment and intervention followed by intervention, which has a discernible impact. Quality of Teaching School’s judgements about teaching are Assessment data, workbooks and marking is used to driven by what teachers are seen to be doing, triangulate judgements about teaching quality and rather than the impact this has on pupil judgements are moderated. Pupil data and prior progress. attainment is used to plan lessons. Middle Leadership Middle leadership is underdeveloped and not Performance management of middle leaders having enough of an impact (often due to demonstrates their effectiveness and priorities for inexperience and over reliance on the SLT). development. CPD opportunities are available. Behaviour and Safety of Pupils Low attendance is not addressed robustly. Patterns of attendance are analysed and interventions Pupils are unaware about how to stay safe in are used to improve them. Good citizenship is promoted different situations (including PREVENT). and there is a zero-tolerance approach to bullying. 4. Lessons learnt from existing free schools

The following slides outline some key characteristics of Outstanding free schools, categorised under the four headings used by Ofsted:

− Effectiveness of leadership and management;

− Quality of teaching, learning and assessment;

− Personal development, behaviour and welfare;

− Outcomes for pupils;

Ofsted reports from free schools that display best practice in particular areas are referenced as examples. Click on each to read the full report. 4. Lessons learnt: Effectiveness of leadership and management

Senior Leadership − High expectations for pupils − Clear vision is communicated to pupils, staff and parents − Culture created where staff are Case Study committed to achieving the vision Ark John Keats Academy (Outstanding: April 2015) and values of the school − Unrelenting focus on reviewing “Leaders, under the direction of the Principal, have kept up the momentum of high aspirations by creating outcomes and planning for and communicating this clear vision for improving the improvement quality of education. The values and characteristics of − Rigorous monitoring of the quality the academy are very well developed and contribute of teaching and learning and strongly to all accepting the ‘can-do’ ethos.” evidence of support to staff members in need “Senior leaders ensure that middle leaders and teachers − Use effective systems to monitor new to the profession continuously spread the benefits of their training widely.” quality of T&L and the curriculum. − Engage with parents and “Performance management is thorough. Leaders review demonstrate understanding of the pupils’ progress and additional staff responsibilities local context regularly. Effective monitoring ensures that feedback is − Effective engagement with outside consistent.” agencies 4. Lessons learnt: Effectiveness of leadership and management

Middle Leadership − Senior leaders and governors have clear strategies for developing leadership responsibilities as the school grows Case Study − Leaders receive the training and The Olive School Blackburn (Outstanding: June 2015) support to carry out their roles “Middle leaders, many of whom are new to their role, are effectively highly effective. They have strong subject knowledge − Leaders at all levels routinely and because they have been provided with the opportunities to systematically check the quality train and develop their skills. These include attending of teaching and learning external training courses and by working alongside senior − Deep understanding of the leaders in the school. Middle leaders use this knowledge performance of groups of pupils well to empower other colleagues through the provision of in each subject regular in-school training and by working alongside them. Middle leaders play an important role in monitoring the quality of their subjects and in planning and implementing new initiatives. For example, the leader of computing has recently been involved in developing the online safety curriculum and holding a workshop for parents to help pupils stay safe while using the internet.” 4. Lessons learnt: Effectiveness of leadership and management

Governance − Forward thinking and critically evaluating the school’s work without complacency − Thorough knowledge of interpreting data to analyse progress of different groups Case Study − Clear awareness of the quality of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School (Outstanding: March 2014) teaching and learning and the impact of initiatives to improve it “The local governing body is highly committed to the success of − Firm grasp on finances. Use data the school. It does not shy from asking searching questions to to assess impact of targeted hold senior leadership to account. It is fully aware of data relating to students’ achievement and demands results. school funding, particularly pupil Governors are fully aware of the quality of teaching and the premium funding impact of initiatives to improve it. They understand with − Plan priorities and set targets for pinpoint accuracy the school’s systems for managing the the school as it expands each performance of staff and are rigorous in implementing year decisions relating to salary increases. They have a firm grasp on − Regularly review own training the finances of the school. They keep a close eye on the use of needs with the support of senior the pupil premium funding and seek evidence of its impact on the achievement of eligible student.” leaders − Regularly visit the school to check work for themselves and maintain a presence at school events 4. Lessons learnt: Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Teaching and Learning − Strong teamwork among teachers and assistant teachers which supports planning and ensures the needs of all groups are met − Pupils’ work, discussions with Case Study them, parental views, tracking Nishkam School West London (Outstanding: September 2016) and analysis of assessment information, and outcomes over “Pupils’ work, discussions with them, parental views, tracking the last two/three years all and analysis of assessment information, and outcomes over confirm that, over time, the the last three years all confirm that, over time, the quality of teaching is outstanding.” quality of teaching is outstanding “Associate teachers make an excellent contribution to pupils’ − Work is differentiated for all learning and are often indistinguishable from the class learners, using prior teachers. They are very well briefed and deployed to support attainment, pupil data and pupils who are developing their communication and literacy assessments to inform planning. skills or pupils who have special educational needs and/or In some recent cases, the most disabilities.” able have not been sufficiently challenged − Teachers ask probing questions 4. Lessons learnt: Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Assessment − Marking and feedback is of a consistently high standard across the school and has an evidenced impact on pupil progress. Students respond to the marking Case Study Kingfisher Hall Primary Academy (Outstanding: June 2014) − Baseline data is used to establish targets and “Teachers and other adults are continually assessing pupils’ scaffold progress progress as they move around the classroom in lessons, − Systems for collecting data adapting their approach if needed. Every six weeks pupils provide all the necessary are assessed more formally in literacy and mathematics. information about pupils, Changes are then made to teaching groups in order to e.g. the performance ensure that all pupils achieve as highly as possible.” different pupils groups “The academy’s expectations regarding homework are set − Interventions for particular out clearly in a comprehensive policy. From entering groups of pupils are shown Nursery, children complete simple tasks such as practising to be making an impact, letter sounds at home. By Year 1, relevant homework tasks particularly regarding use of are set across a range of curriculum areas.” the pupil premium 4. Lessons learnt: Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Monitoring the quality of teaching and learning − Assessment data is used in Case Study the performance The Boulevard Academy (Outstanding: May 2015) management of teaching staff “The new leader for teaching has a very good understanding of − Evidence of interventions to the quality of teaching across the academy. Teachers have improve the quality of completed audits identifying their strengths and areas for development. As a result, the leader for teaching is able to teaching link colleagues to share their good practice. There are regular − School judgements about the opportunities for colleagues to observe each other teaching quality of teaching are and to discuss their work. The impact of this is good or moderated/quality assured outstanding teaching across the academy and good acquisition − Teachers are able to identify of subject knowledge by teachers who are not specialists in a their strengths and areas for particular subject. Staff speak very highly of this collegiate development. approach to developing their skills. A programme of whole staff training prepares staff to understand academy policies, − Good practice is shared, for including the child protection policy. example, through observations of other staff “Performance management targets which reflect the emphasis members on the outstanding progress of students are set for teachers.” − CPD provision is effective and all staff members have the opportunity to develop their skills 4. Lessons learnt: Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Behaviour and Welfare − Expectations about pupils’ behaviour are applied consistently across the school − Evidence of the impact of sanctions and reviews of behaviour are present Good citizenship is promoted − Case Study amongst pupils (SMSC Reach Academy Feltham (Outstanding: March 2014) development permeates throughout the school) “A feature of the behaviour management strategy is the use − Good relationships are of the Reach Academy ‘Pay Slip’ where pupils receive ‘Reach cultivated between students, pounds’ for attending school, for good work and behaviour, or parents and the school lose ‘Reach pounds’ for inappropriate behaviour, failure to − There is a zero-tolerance complete work or absence. Reach money can then be cashed approach to bullying, low in during academy auctions and average earning are tracked to ensure that trips and visits are earned and pupils have a level disruptions, and poor sense of reward for their hard work. All the pupils spoken to presentation of work and said that they valued the ‘Pay Slip’ as a way of rewarding dress them for meeting the academy’s expectations.” − Pupils are tolerant of others’ differences 4. Lessons learnt: Personal development, behaviour and welfare Safeguarding − Pupils know how to stay safe in different situations (inspectors will speak to Case Study students about this) St Martin’s Academy Chester (Outstanding: May 2015) including; cyber bullying, misuse of phones and “Leaders take a proportionate view with regard to the awareness of PREVENT information they give to pupils, in the Reception class and − Pupils have a strong Year 1, about how to keep themselves safe. For example, understanding of bullying leaders engaged a local police community support officer to speak with parents about e-safety and how to keep their and discrimination children safe when they use the internet. However, when − Pupils whose appropriate, for example in Road Safety Week, the direct circumstances make them involvement of pupils ensures that they gain the necessary vulnerable, including those skills to keep themselves safe.” with disabilities, SEN or LAC, feel safe and are well “High-quality training, carried out by the local safeguarding cared for by staff and children board, ensures that all staff are alert to the signs of abuse and know how to act when they come across the pupils maltreatment of pupils. Leaders have put in place a suitable − Robust systems are in recording system to record their actions when concerns arise.” place to check suitability of all staff members, including training they have undertaken 4. Lessons learnt: Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Attendance − For low and persistent attendance, interventions have been put in place to improve it and there is evidence of these succeeding (e.g. family liaison support) − School works well with Case Study external agencies to Oasis Academy Southbank (Outstanding: June 2015) improve attendance and punctuality if necessary “Students are confident and highly motivated to learn. Their − Students are punctual passion to achieve extremely well is demonstrated in their well-above-average attendance, punctuality, and their readiness to begin learning…despite the long day and the length of journey that some students make daily.”

“Staff assess the risks associated with low attendance. Persistent absence is very low and, when it occurs, staff work very well with external agencies to keep students safe.” 4. Lessons learnt: Outcomes for pupils

Outcomes for all pupils − Leaders ensure that all pupils, regardless of their starting points, have the opportunity to reach their Case Study full potential Harris Invictus Academy Croydon (Outstanding: September 2016) − Pupils’ progress in all subjects is built upon “Pupils make outstanding progress from their individual starting points. This is the result of carefully planned teaching, high excellent teaching and expectations and an unwavering focus on excellence and academic checked vigorously achievement. As a result, achievement in English and − Standards overall, including mathematics is high and is similarly strong across the other for disadvantaged pupils, subjects of the curriculum.” are high, particularly in. reading, writing and “The school’s assessment information indicates that pupils will mathematics achieve very strong outcomes at GCSE. Although it is too early to say whether the school will achieve this in the future, the − Development of literacy and progress of current pupils suggests that they are being prepared numeracy skills has a high very effectively for their examinations at the end of Year 11. profile across all subjects Careers guidance is strong and provides pupils with practical − Emphasis on literacy and opportunities to experience the world of work.” reading contributes to students learning English as an additional language 4. Lessons learnt: Outcomes for pupils

Outcomes for pupils with additional needs − In secondary schools, year 7 catch up funding is used effectively to provide Case Study additional staffing and Dixons Trinity Academy (Outstanding: January 2014) resources “Students who enter the academy with attainment below that − Students eligible for free expected for their age are being helped to make accelerated school meals make equal progress because the Year 7 catch-up funding is being used progress to others and very effectively to provide additional staffing and resources.” steps are in place to address this gap in “As a result of a wide range of successful strategies, including achievement and evidenced additional specialist teaching and individual mentoring, students known to be eligible for free school meals make − Disabled students and those progress equal to that of other students in the academy in with SEN progress well mathematics and better progress in English.” because whole class teaching meets their needs “Disabled students and those with special educational needs and is complemented by progress well because whole-class teaching meets their needs additional teaching in small well and additional teaching in small groups, complemented groups by individual learning packages, has a very positive impact.” 4. Lessons learnt: Outcomes for pupils

Gifted and talented − The most able students demonstrate outstanding progress − Scrutiny of work demonstrates the Case Study most able are William Perkin Church of England High School (Outstanding: June 2015) surpassing expectations “In many instances, scrutiny of work completed by the most-able students Challenging, probing indicates that they are surpassing expectations. For example, in English, − Year 8 students’ work on Gothic genre typifies their sophisticated used of questions are asked language when commenting on the Shelley’s use of symbolism in to extend pupils’ Frankenstein.” critical thinking skills

“The most-able students are knowledgeable about planning, editing, structuring and using evidence to defend their view point. Editing is also a common feature of their work. These writing skills are replicated across subject areas. In mathematics, work on algebra and equations shows work pitched at GCSE level.” 5. Links and further resources Ofsted Website Includes link to all inspection reports, latest announcements, statistics and publications.

Ofsted: School inspection handbook The single key resource for schools, setting out what schools can expect from inspection, what inspectors must do and how they should make judgements. It also includes grade descriptors.

Ofsted: Further education and skills inspection handbook Guidance for inspecting 16-19 free schools under the common inspection framework.

Ofsted: Common inspection framework Summarises the main features of school inspections and their statutory basis.

Ofsted: Myths about inspections Summarises key misconceptions about Ofsted inspections.

Guidance: what academies, free schools and colleges should publish online The information that all types of academies, free schools and 16 to 19 colleges should publish on their websites.

NSN free school news Includes details of notable Ofsted inspections.

Free School Ofsted ratings and reports A useful website which collates and updates free school Ofsted reports and data daily

20 key questions for the governing board to ask itself Developed by the NGA (National Governor’s Association) and The Key to help governing boards evaluate their performance. SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS IN PRE OPENING

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Foundation Advisory Service Essentials Advisory Service Site Advisory Service Project Management Partnership All approved projects have access Developed to support the project Relevant to both sequential and Based on our vast experience, and to our core advisory service, management and delivery of the concurrent groups, the NSN Site developed with the DfE’s Pre-Opening which is free of charge. This non-site related challenges you Advisory Service helps groups to Guidance in mind, the NSN Project includes key pre-opening will tackle in pre-opening, this navigate the complex process of Management Partnership is for groups resources and opportunities to Service focuses on areas such as securing a site and suitable free planning to outsource some or all of the visit open free schools. admissions, finance and school building. project management of their free school governance. in pre-opening Any Questions?

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