HEADTEACHERS from the North East have cautiously welcomed plans by the new Ofsted leader which could affect how schools are judged.
Sir Michael Wilshaw, the government’s new chief inspector for the education watchdog, has suggested schools should only be graded “outstanding” if the teaching and learning element of the inspection is also judged as such.
Under the current system, a school can be judged outstanding even if its teaching and learning are rated as “good”, provided other elements, such as leadership and behaviour, achieve the higher mark.
Consultations are now under way into the new proposals, which also include replacing the “satisfactory” rating for “requires improvement”. The proposals could come into effect from September.
Anne Lakey is the chief executive of The Durham Federation, which comprises Fyndoune Community College in Sacriston and Durham Community Business College in Ushaw Moor. Both schools are judged outstanding, including their quality of teaching.
She said: “I am broadly in agreement with what Sir Michael has said. My view is the most important factor in a school is teaching and learning; that is more significant than other aspects.
“Teaching and learning is the very essence of what we do and if you are an outstanding school, then the quality of teaching ought to be outstanding.”
Adam Chedburn, headteacher of Whitley Bay High, also an outstanding school, said: “Most people would think it extraordinary a school could be judged to be outstanding if its teaching is not.
“What concerns me, however, is whether the inspectors are sufficiently consistent and expert to make such an important decision based on a snapshot of lessons. It’s very difficult to capture a teacher’s ability and progress with their students over the year by observing one class for 20 or 30 minutes.”
Mr Chedburn described Ofsted as “bullish” in the way it follows strict criteria for inspections, adding it was very hard for a school to challenge a judgment.
“A school would have to be very brave to express dissatisfaction with an Ofsted report,” he said. “Their visits may be short, but their judgments last.”
David Pearmain, chairman of Schools’ North East Kenton School in Newcastle, said: “I find some of Sir Michael’s comments very disappointing, because they have been so negative. Our schools are improving all the time. It would have been nice for him to acknowledge that, because it’s disheartening for everyone in the profession to hear the criteria we were working towards is no longer good enough.”
