Here are some key Ofsted (September 2013) updates relevant to teaching and learning in the classroom. I have provided a summary of what will change for the teacher alone; ignoring all other updates. Any text in red, is crucial to 'Thwart the Grim-Reaper' from entering your classroom this academic year.
N.b. (Nota bene) I have written this post to incorporate some serious messages, but with a light-hearted twist.
Thwart the Grim-Reaper: #Ofsted reworks.
These are interesting changes. I left teaching in the UK because of Ofsted’s overemphasis of only what can be measured. It is encouraging they have stopped insisting on a particular lesson structure though it is probably because they were going into classrooms where ‘their’ structure wasn’t used but students were achieving highly in exams. The amount of doublethink they had to employ in that situation must have been extraordinary.
About marking: when I started working in Danish schools the children didn’t give me their books to mark. That was *their* reference material. Instead I would grade any assignments I gave. These were not kept in the classroom but rather at their homes. Now I work in an IB school and I have to make regular formative assessments but keep my hands off their books.
It’s funny how one system’s MUST DO is another system’s NOT DONE.
A lot of what English teachers have to do is provide evidence that they have done the actual thing they were supposed to be doing. Surely this could do with a streamline.
Hi Kel, You make some really useful and interesting points. There is a huge amount of pressure on teachers to mark books. I think the key for us left in the UK, is to mark smarter. There is a useful #5MinMarkingPlan on my blog for everyon to use. This helps teachers focus on ‘what’ assessment is essential. Streamline is definitely needed. I’ll have a think of a proposal… Thanks for the comment.
The 25 minute observation was employed up to 2005 or so, in a similar format to what’s described above. Because I teach a variety of Humanity subjects and that’s where Ofsted’s focus was directed during their 2004 visit, I was observed 7 times in one week! One outstanding, 5 Goods and 1 satisfactory.
The most important thing is for SLT to stay CALM and not worry everyone else so much that they can’t think straight.
Specifically for Primaries… Worth pointing out the explicit reference to progress fom Early Learning Goals to level 2b in judging progress in KS1
Thanks for this – I will certainly be incorporating it into my departmental CPD.
Great summary of all the changes although as you say they are always changing and not even consistent between teams. It,s interesting on how HMI will have totally different perspectives on curriculum and attainment and which they see as more important the pupils experience, progress or outcome . One senior HMI said to me be prepared for inspectors to look for books in draws and really dig around a classroom of which he did and found those hidden. Books, didn’t watch teacher or talk to pupils just observed the learning very keen on SMSC and pupils wider experience.
TA