inspections - Doubled Up

The first stage in the consultation on the School Report Card that I mentioned in a previous blog is now underway. Having looked at this more closely, it would seem that I over-simplified it by saying that schools would receive a grade of A-F and that this would encompass all areas of the school’s provision (attainment, attendance, well-being etc). I would like to urge governors, school leaders, teachers and parents to have a look at the document, which can be downloaded from the DCSF website.

It makes for interesting reading.

Some of the key points are as follows:

• It should involve data that schools already provide.
• It will be instead of the School Profile (which is to be gradually phased out).
• It should be more informative than league tables, but easy for parents to read and understand.
• It will be a basis for discussion with SIPs and will complement, not compete with Ofsted reports.

The current consultation is on which areas the report should focus on and the suggestions are as follows:

• Attainment (from exam results)
• Pupils’ Progress (looking at ‘value added’)
• Wider Outcomes (ECM, well-being, opportunity, enjoyment, prospects of future economic well-being)
• Narrowing Gaps (opportunities given for SEN, low income families, minority groups, looked-after children)
• Pupils’ Opinions
• Parents’ Opinions

Other aspects of the consultation include:

• Whether schools should be given an overall grade.
• Whether information on the context of the school should be given (if, for example, a school is in a very deprived area, should its results compared to similar schools also be given).
• Whether the schools ‘direction of travel’ should be included (standards are improving/declining/much the same).
• Whether how well the school works with it partners should be included.
• Whether the School Profile should be scrapped once the Report Card is in use.

Consultation on this aspect of the report card closes on 3rd March 2009.

With schools being warned of the credit crunch hitting them,  I wondered what 2009 may bring for English education generally.

Here’s what I’ve come up with:

• More pupils. It has been predicted that people who would otherwise send their children to private school will cut back by sending their children to state schools instead.

• Less money for building. Building works are often initially financed by the private sector, which is finding it difficult to get credit these days.

• Another potential disaster regarding SATs marking. Although this is wishful thinking on my part as the prediction is that if Edexcel muck up in the same way as the previous contractors did, then SATS may be dumped altogether.

• Reviews of potential changes to the primary curriculum. Personally, I find this really exciting, so long as it will allow greater flexibility. At last, it seems that the people in charge are looking at skills as well as content.

• Moving towards on-line, real time reporting to parents. Secondary schools should really be getting going with this in 2009. (My previous blog was on this topic.

• Change in legislation to give schools the power to search pupils for drugs and alcohol.

• School reports. By this I mean giving schools grades. There is talk of giving schools an overall grade of A-F as a means of giving parents another way to judge schools (as opposed to just looking at exam results). The grade will cover all aspects of school life such as exam results, attendance, wellbeing of pupils, progress of pupils etc.

• Developments in getting parents more involved in their children’s learning. This seems to be an important issue to Jim Knight, and not before time in my humble opinion. I’m looking forward to seeing how schools will do this.

• Changes to governing bodies. I remember hearing rumours last year that GBs will become smaller and be more answerable to schools’ stakeholders
  

• I am absolutely sure there is more. Feel free to add anything I’ve missed.

Here’s the next thrilling installment, folks! I’m not sure if I’ve put in previous blogs that many of these responsibilities can, and usually are passed on to the head teacher.

16) Inspections: Once the head teacher has notified the GB of an Ofsted inspection, the GB must inform parents and give them an opportunity to express their views on the school to the inspectors. The LA must also be informed, along with the local Learning and Skills Council (secondary schools) plus whoever appoints governors at Voluntary Aided schools. If there are any children at the school who are looked after by the LA, then the appropriate person at the LA should also be informed.

Once a school receives its Ofsted report, the GB is responsible for sending a copy to parents within 5 working days. It must also be made available to anyone who asks for a copy.

As well as any Ofsted inspection, schools of religious character must have the content of their act of collective worship and religious instruction inspected every 3 years.

17) Health and Safety: The GB is responsible for the health and safety of pupils. Schools must have a health and safety policy and must have the means of ensuring it is followed. Risk assessments must be carried out by members of staff who are suitably trained.

Schools should have a policy for managing medicines and helping children with medical needs.

Governors should be looking at having a school travel plan by the end of the decade, though this is not statutory.

GBs are responsible for keeping the land that is under their control free from litter, refuse and dog excrement as far as is possible.

Free school meals must be provided to certain groups of children (details are given on page 147 of the Guide to the Law). All food provided (either free meals, or paid for meals) must meet certain nutritional standards.

Pupils must have access to drinking water.

Schools must have effective child protection procedures and policies.

GBs have a responsibility to promote community cohesion. This is new since 2007, and has been inspected from Sept 2008.