Ofsted launches consultation into inspection changes

Ofsted has launched a consultation on a new approach to inspection and reporting on education providers, including early years providers. Major reforms were promised in response to last year’s Big Listen consultation which asked thousands of parents and educational professionals what improvements they would like to see from Ofsted.

The Early Years team ran two virtual sessions on Friday 21st March and Monday 24th March with Jane Burchall, a Senior HMI with Ofsted, who discussed in further detail the proposals that includes:

• Introducing new report cards to give parents a broader picture across different areas of practice
• Removing the ‘single word’ overall effectiveness grade and introducing a new 5-point grading scale across different areas. This scale ranges from ‘causing concern’ at the lowest end, through ‘attention needed’, ‘secure’, ‘strong’, and ‘exemplary’ at the highest end
• A new focus on inclusion and vulnerability and support for disadvantaged children and learners, including those with SEND
• Inspections will take into account providers’ individual circumstance and local context
• Inspectors will use new education inspection toolkits to tailor inspections based on different types of providers

For further information and / or to respond to the consultation see: Improving the way Ofsted inspects education – GOV.UK

Please see the PowerPoint presentation from the recent virtual sessions: Improving the way Ofsted inspects education PowerPoint presentation.