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