Introducing the Revised Common Inspection Framework 2012

Charlie Henry HMIPrincipal Officer – Disability and special educational needs

Natspec Conference October 2012

Consultation-‘A good education for all’

Consultation-‘A good education for all’

outstanding providers must have outstanding teaching and learning

‘requires improvement’ replaces ‘satisfactory’

early inspection for those who are ‘satisfactory’

limit the opportunity to be graded as ‘requires improvement’ to two consecutive occasions

summary of performance management outcomes

‘no notice’ inspection

The Common Inspection Framework 2012

Part OneConducting inspections

Part Two The evaluation schedule’

Handbook

Independent specialist colleges’previous inspection record

Judgement Next inspection

Outstanding and Good

Within 6 years of the last inspection

Satisfactory pre- Sept 2012

Within 2 years of September 2012

Requires improvement

Within 12-18 months

Inadequate Re-inspection monitoring visit within 6-8 months of the last inspection, and afull re-inspection within 12-15 months of the last full inspection

Types of inspection

Inspection – to inspect the provider’s government-funded provision against all aspects of the Common Inspection Framework 2012.

Survey report visits – To explore a specific aspect of a provider’s work as part of a programme of surveys based on topics linked to national priorities. Such visits may be added to a routine inspection.

Re-inspection

Risk assessment – annually

Monitoring visits – to be used by exception only

Interim assessment – no longer carried out

We will continue to:

focus on the things that have most impact on improving outcomes for learners – teaching, learning and assessment

take account of providers’ self assessment

involve a senior member of staff in the inspection process

listen to the views of learners, employers, staff and, where appropriate, parents

make clear recommendations for the provider’s improvement

continue to focus inspections on the weaker providers

What is different in the revisedframework ?

We will:

only grade providers as outstanding if they have outstanding teaching and learning

replace satisfactory with ‘requires improvement’

inspect early those who are ‘satisfactory’

limit the opportunity to be graded as ‘requires improvement’ to two consecutive occasions

focus more on performance management and governance

give two days notice of inspection

use information provided through ‘Learner view’

We will continue to:

undertake an annual risk assessment of all providers

take account of the management of safeguarding arrangements to ensure all learners are safe

have a strong focus on equality and diversity, which will be embedded throughout the framework

consider capacity to improve, but within the context of leadership and management.

Aims of the revised framework

The revised Common Inspection Framework streamlines and simplifies the existing CIF by focusing on:

the aspects of a provider’s work that have most impact on learners

reducing the number of judgements and grades

the impact of leadership on the learner experience

Common Inspection Framework 2012

The common grading scale for all inspection judgements

A common grading scale is used in making judgements for organisational inspections:

Grade 1 outstandingGrade 2 goodGrade 3 requires improvementGrade 4 inadequate

What is different in the revisedframework ?

the emphasis on teaching, learning and assessment

no limiting grades for equality and diversity and safeguarding

the extent to which the provision meets local and national needs

increased observation of teaching, learning, skills development and assessment

success, rates of progress and progression of different groups of learners

destinations - into employment and higher level qualifications

What is different in the revisedframework ?

We will:

only grade providers as outstanding if they have outstanding teaching and learning

replace satisfactory with ‘requires improvement’

inspect early those who are ‘satisfactory’

limit the opportunity to be graded as ‘requires improvement’ to two consecutive occasions

focus more on performance management and governance

give two days notice of inspection

use information provided through ‘Learner view’

Overall Effectiveness

Inspectors will finally judge the quality of education and/or training provided - taking account of:

the three key aspect judgements

the extent to which the education and/or training meets the needs of the range of learners at the provider and, in particular, the needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

Note: In judging overall effectiveness, inspectors will take account of the full range of evidence and will then decide whether the provider’s overall effectiveness is outstanding, is good, requires improvement or is inadequate.

Myth - Will the two key grades for‘Outcomes for learners’ and‘Teaching, learning and assessment’become the new ‘limiting’ grades? Surely it will be impossible to be judged outstanding? 

We are confident providers will be found to be outstanding. Providers will only be judged outstanding for ‘overall effectiveness’ if ‘the quality of teaching, learning and assessment’ is judged to be outstanding. We would expect that this high quality teaching, learning and assessment would result in high success rates and very good and sustained progress for learners.

However if ‘outcomes for learners’ is not judged to be outstanding this will not necessarily ‘limit’ the overall effectiveness grade.

Outcomes for learners

Outcomes for learners

To judge outcomes for learners we will give particular

attention to how well:

all learners achieve and make progress relative to their starting points and learning goals

achievement gaps are narrowing between different groups of learners

learners develop personal, social, and employability skills

learners progress to courses leading to higher-level qualifications and into jobs that meet local and national needs

Myth - I have heard that ‘Outcomes forlearners’ judgement is based purely onsuccess rates data and a comparison with national averages. Is this true?

 This is not true.

None of the judgements are based on data alone. Although inspectors will look at success rate data they will also look at retention, progress, and whether learners go on to do further learning or in to sustainable employment. Inspectors will also talk to learners about whether they enjoy their course and whether it is meeting their needs.

Teaching, learning and assessment

Teaching, learning and assessment

learners benefit from high expectations, engagement, care, support and motivation from staff

staff use their skills and expertise to plan and deliver teaching, learning and support to meet each learner’s needs

staff initially assess learners’ starting points and monitor their progress, set challenging tasks, and build on and extend learning for all learners

learners understand how to improve as a result of frequent, detailed and accurate feedback from staff following assessment of their learning

In judging teaching, learning and assessment, inspectors will evaluate the extent to which:

Teaching, learning and assessment

teaching and learning develop English, mathematics and functional skills, and support the achievement of learning goals and career aims

appropriate and timely information, advice and guidance supports learning effectively

equality and diversity are promoted through teaching and learning.

In judging teaching, learning and assessment, inspectors will evaluate the extent to which:

How we will inspect teaching, learning and assessment

Inspectors will capture evidence from a variety of learning activities, for example through:

direct observation;

evaluation of learning materials and their use by learners;

the use of technology to deliver and assess learning;

examining what learners can do and make as a result of their learning.

accompanying an assessor to a number of employers to observe learners’ skills development on the job. They may assess how the learner is progressing compared with their starting point.

Myth - I think we are due an inspection shortly. Do I need to have alesson plan for the inspector?

No.

You should do what your provision normally expects you to do when planning lessons. One of the greatest advantages of short notice inspections is that there will be no special preparation for inspection. Whatever you do normally in your college will prevail 

Myth - Inspectors only judge the quality of teaching and learning through at least a series of 30 minute plus observations? Inspectors make judgements on the quality of teaching,

learning and assessment by collecting evidence in a number of different ways, including visits to workplaces, lessons, training and assessment sessions to evaluate the impact of the teaching on how well people learn

When inspectors observe teachers and trainers the judgement contributes to the inspection team’s evaluation of the quality of teaching overall

Inspectors judge the quality of teaching and the learning taking place and not the quality of the teacher

Observations contribute to the judgment on teaching, learning and assessment. Taking into account how well learners are assessed, and how this helps them to improve

Myth - I have heard that providers need to have a certain proportion oflearning sessions observed during the inspection as ‘outstanding’ before the provider can be judged ‘outstanding’. Is this correct?

This is incorrect. Ofsted has not established a required proportion of lessons or training sessions that need to be judged outstanding. Inspectors do not observe all sessions during the inspection and when they do visit they may only stay for part of the session.

Clearly, it would be unusual for an outstanding’ provider to not have any ‘outstanding’ lessons or training session observations during an inspection but it is worth stressing that a wide range of evidence drawn from across the college is used in conjunction with lesson observations to determine whether the college is outstanding or not.

 

Leadership and Management

Leadership and management

We will evaluate the extent to which leaders and managers, including, where relevant, governors:

demonstrate an ambitious vision, have high expectations for what all learners can achieve, and attain high standards of quality and performance

improve teaching and learning through rigorous performance management and appropriate professional development

evaluate the quality of the provision through robust self-assessment, taking account of users’ views, and use the findings to promote and develop capacity for sustainable improvement

Leadership and management

We will evaluate the extent to which leaders and managers, including, where relevant, governors:

successfully plan, establish and manage the curriculum and learning programmes to meet the needs and interests of learners, employers and the local and national community

actively promote equality and diversity, tackle bullying and discrimination, and narrow the achievement gap

safeguard all learners

Myth - Will my provision be downgraded if I do not have an up todate self-assessment report? 

There is no contractual requirement for further education and skills providers to complete a self-assessment report. However, there is an expectation from both Ofsted and the funding bodies that providers will rigorously assess their own performance.

When we notify a provider of their inspection the lead inspector will ask for their most recent self-assessment report, in whatever format the provider has chosen to use. Inspectors will want to analyse the impact of the self-assessment processes as part of their evaluation of leadership and management. Inspectors will be critical of providers that do not establish accurate and robust self-assessment processes and/or do not regularly share this information with the governing body, where appropriate.

 

‘Learner view’

Learners’ views remain an essential component inspection.

Strong support during consultation particularly the NUS and other learner, employer and parent groups.

From Sept 2012, inspectors will use Ofsted’s new web tool – ‘Learner View’ to collect the information they need.

Questionnaires will be open all year round.

Providers will be requested to inform their learners of the opportunity to complete the questionnaire by the end of the second day of inspection.

During this inspection period there will be a ‘free text’ box to enter comments.

How will we use the results?

results will feed into the annual risk assessment, alongside other evidence, to help to decide which providers to inspect and when

inspectors will view and analyse the latest results during the inspection

comments will inform inspection trails by sharing their views, learners, employers,

parents and carers will be helping their provider to improve

Questionnaires for parents/carers and employers

not visible to the general public – users can only access the questionnaires using a link they will receive from their provider

no free text questions open all year round including at the point of

inspection results not published, but will be discussed

with providers during inspections results available to inspectors

Inspection report format

The front page of the inspection report will include a new short section called ‘Summary of key findings’.

The inspection report will:

explain in straightforward language what the provider is doing well and what it needs to improve

make recommendations The report will be published on Ofsted’s website

approximately 25 working days after the inspection has finished.

Inner City College – General Further Education College

Inspection dates 12 – 16 November 2012

Overall effectiveness This inspection: Requires improvement 3

Previous inspection: Good 2

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement 3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement 3

Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

Summary of key findings for learners

This provider requires improvement because:

Generally, the proportion of students, including apprentices, who achieve qualifications across the college provision is average and on many learning programmes and courses the proportion achieving qualifications is too low.

Students and apprentices make insufficient progress on many learning programmes and courses

compared with their starting points. Progression to higher level qualifications is too low. Some students are following courses which

do not suit their needs.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is too variable in many subject areas and much is not good enough. Teaching is poor on courses where success rates are low.

Performance management processes on the college main site provision need improvement, subcontracted performance management of provision is weak.

This provider has the following strengths:

The college is highly inclusive and plays a major role in providing opportunities for young people

and in improving the lives of local people with few or no qualifications and helping unemployed people into work. Few other opportunities exist for these students in the local area.

Students enjoy the respectful and tolerant atmosphere at the college. Teachers are successful at improving students’ language and personal skills on ESOL courses and

technical skills on arts, media and publishing and hospitality courses. The college has been effective in improving the performance of students of Bangladeshi heritage. Students benefit from excellent accommodation and high quality resources in most vocational

areas.

Inspection report format

Preparing for an inspection

Before inspection provider receives a telephone call, by 10:30, two

days before the inspectors arrive on site, followed by an e-mail with an attached notification letter

lead inspector telephones the provider by 12:00 noon to confirm arrangements and start the inspection process

during this telephone call the lead inspector and provider will agree a time for the planning meeting to go ahead.

the lead inspector will confirm the range of documents that will be required for the inspection

The nominee

role remains the same, but increased preparedness will be essential in readiness for a shorter notification period

training for nominees is offered at specially focused ‘preparation for inspection events’, details of which can be found at:

http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/node/18970

Preparing for shorter notice

Means notification of inspection two working days prior to inspection

consider training more than one nominee

have a pack available of key data and information

have an update of the latest self assessment

upload the self assessment

the range of provision and venues

the number and type of learners

subcontractors

Questions