School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton School Improvement in the UK The role of the school The role of the Local Authority The role of Central Government

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton School Improvement in England is in a phase of transition, resulting from changes in government in May 2010, the new Education Bill ‘The Importance of Teaching’ (January 2011) Requirements on schools should now be less prescriptive – schools can design their own processes and cycles for accountability, validated by a revised inspection framework (delivered by Ofsted: Government Office for Standards in Education). School Improvement in the UK

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton School Improvement in the UK School OfSTED Local Authority Central Government Law

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton Schools themselves are the core of the system. As well as delivering the best education for their pupils, they have responsibility for their own improvement, and for making the best use of the challenge and support available to them. The responsibility for delivering high quality education, and for ensuring the school meets its statutory duties regarding improvement, rests with the Governing Body and the Head Teacher. Schools are the main driver for their own improvement:

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton School Autonomy Under the new coalition government (a joint national lead between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties) schools are far more autonomous, and ‘freed from the constraints of central government direction’*: they are more independent from national and local policy, guidance, challenge and support. * The Importance of Teaching Education Bill, 2011 It is expected that with this greater autonomy, there will be greater accountability, particularly to parents, although this is yet to fully take shape.

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton Schools in the UK are judged on the outcomes for their pupils: the progress they make in learning during their time at the school, as well as social measures such as healthy lifestyles, choosing safe behaviours and aspiring to be economically independent members of society. Schools should evaluate their effectiveness on an ongoing basis, and use this as a foundation for an annual improvement plan. Most schools use a self evaluation form similar to one issued by the previous government. Accountability measures for schools:

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton Data Analysis to inform school self evaluation: Schools can use data analysis provided by the Department for Education (Central Government) that compares the outcomes for their pupils with national averages and expectations. ‘RAISE on-line’ is an interactive electronic analysis for each school circulated during the Autumn Term, based on the academic results achieved during the Summer. Schools can use this, along with their own analyses to inform their self evaluation and improvement planning.

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton Local authority management of education: England is divided into 433 Local Authorities (LAs), including 33 in London: London Borough of Sutton

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton The Role of the Local Authority (LA): LAs also have access to the RAISE on-line data for each school for which it is responsible, and will use this as a first indicator that schools are performing well or causing concern. LAs have a statutory duty to ensure the welfare and education of every child living and / or going to school in the local area. Most LAs conduct regular (2 – 3 times a year) visits to schools to discuss the school’s evaluation of performance. These visits inform the LA to challenge the school to improve, and to commission additional support where needed.

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton Local Authority Support Services usually include: Support to improve teaching and learning practice in the classroom Support to improve leadership and management, including Governors Support for Children with Special Educational Needs Support for behaviour difficulties Support to improve attendance and punctuality Support for pupils new to learning English

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton The role of central government and OfSTED Central government commissions OfSTED to inspect all schools. Inspection reports are public documents and give an overall judgement of the school, and a thorough evaluation of The achievement of pupils The quality of teaching The quality of leadership and management The behaviour and safety of the pupils

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton Schools are judged as Outstanding, Good, Satisfactory, in need of ‘Significant Improvement’, or in need of ‘Special Measures’ Schools receive 48 working hours notice prior to an inspection OfSTED Inspections Inspections are carried out by two inspectors and usually last two days

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton OfSTED inspection cycle The frequency of inspections depends on the outcome of the previous inspection. The proposal under the new framework, expected in January 2012: Outstanding schools: no routine inspection (annual data check) Good schools: every 5 years Satisfactory schools: 1-3 years dependent on progress Those with a notice to Improve: at least termly (3 per year) Those requiring Special Measures: 6 weeks after inspection

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton A school requires Significant Improvement if it is (a) failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, but demonstrating the capacity to improve, (b) not failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, but performing significantly less well than it might, given its circumstances and context. Schools requiring Significant Improvement are said to be issued with a “notice to improve”. ‘Notice to Improve’

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton ‘Special Measures’ A school requires Special Measures if it is failing to give learners an acceptable standard of education, and those responsible for leading or governing the school are not demonstrating the ability to make the improvements needed. Schools in these Ofsted categories must make rapid improvements, so that the negative impact the pupils’ outcomes is minimised. Local authorities should therefore to take fast, decisive action to secure improvements at schools which OfSTED judges to require Special Measures or Significant Improvement.

School Quality Assurance Systems in the UK Kate Evans, Inspector: Inclusion, London Borough Sutton Schools in an OfSTED category should be supported to move to Satisfactory or Good within one academic year to minimise the negative impact on pupil outcomes. The overall aim is that every child should be able to attend a local school that is judged to be Good or Outstanding. School Improvement in the UK: the overall aim: