Inspection
Where we are and where we might be with Ofsted and attendance
0Ofsted was due to resume a full programme of inspections from September.Anthony Powell gives his views on what schools should be aware of when it comes to inspection in 2021/22. Summary Inspectors will be wary of using attendance data to make any judgements.Previously exempt schools will now be visited in the new round of inspections.The curriculum continues to receive high priority. ‘Central to raising standards in education and ensuring all pupils can fulfil their potential is an assumption so widely understood that it is insufficiently stated – pupils need to attend school regularly to benefit from their education.’ DfE, August…
Attendance matters more than ever
0The role and priorities of Ofsted might be changing but this should not reduce the importance of attendance. Tony Powell reminds us how crucial attendance is, with or without Ofsted. Summary Ofsted is unlikely to be a driver behind attendance for some time to come.Any inspection schedule is linked closely to what is considered to be the main purpose of education at the time.Schools have a key role in identifying when attendance issues may have underlying causes linked to child protection. Who would have thought something as simple as a global pandemic might lead to the end of the external…
Information gathering by Ofsted
0In November, Coppice Valley Primary School was subject to virtual information gathering scrutiny by Ofsted. Headteacher Emma Meadus shares her experiences of the process with a particular focus on what inspectors wanted to know about attendance. Summary Documentation was not required and in fact was actually prohibited.Attendance data was collected verbally and the inspectors wanted attendance data without the ‘X’ code included.Inspectors were particularly interested in any incidence of elective home learning. Late in November, I got ‘the call’ from Ofsted. At 10:00 on a Wednesday morning, the lead inspector (an HMI), informed me that, on the following day, a…