Join us for a webchat with Ofsted's Chief Inspector of Education Sir Michael Wilshaw – 11.30-12.30, Tuesday 9 September 2014

[VikkiMumsnet]

As the academic year in England, Wales and NI gets underway, we're pleased to welcome Sir Michael Wilshaw into MNHQ for a webchat on Tuesday 8th September, for an hour from 11.30am.

As Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England since 2012, Sir Michael's responsibilities cover every aspect of Ofsted's work, from inspections to exams, reporting on the quality of education and children's services at both local and national level. His former career includes 43 years in teaching, with 26 spent as a head teacher in London secondary schools – most recently as Executive Principal at Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney.

You can catch up with Sir Michael's most recent views on everything from poverty to private schools here.

Post your questions for Sir Michael below, and be sure to join us live on the 8th, from 11.30am.

( of course this would be difficult in a short inspection, they have a lot to do in a short time and presumably can only see part of what is happening in school. the parent view forms do not give adequate space to highlight some of the issues amanding this would help)

@SeagullsAndSand

Oh and following on from Vivacia's post is it really impossible for schools with an easier intake to coast into Good now(we keep getting told on here it is)? The cynic in me thinks it is still possible,what do you actually think and why?

Hello,

This is a good question and allows me to emphasise that Ofsted makes a judgement on the progress of children and not on the outcomes. Over 40 per cent of schools with low prior attainment are judged to be good or outstanding by Ofsted because progress is good and outstanding. It would be very unfair if Ofsted judged the overall effectiveness of the school simply on the basis of attainment and end of key stage outcomes.

You will know that one of the first things I did as HM Chief Inspector was to abolish the word "satisfactory" from our grading system. "Good" is now the minimum standard. Schools will not be allowed to coast along year after year in a way that they were doing before we introduced the "requires improvement" judgement which replaced "satisfactory". Schools are given a limited time to get to good if they fall below a good standard when they are inspected.

Sir Michael

It's nice to be here in Kentish Town this morning with Mumsnet.

I can see there are a lot of questions and comments about childminders. I know that many childminders do a good or outstanding job. But the problem is that there aren't enough skilled childminders in poorer areas.

The answer, which I identified in the Ofsted early years annual report in April, is school-based nurseries - they can help poorer children be ready to learn when they begin primary school.

Sir Michael

Surely the answer is to support more Childminders to become Good or Outstanding? 78% already are so concentrate resources on the remaining 22%!

Guess it was too much to ask for an apology from Sir Michael!!!

Mag what the curriculum?

Our school lets the kids choose what topics they're going to be doing each term,they vote(yes really) so how can it?

I guess you mean for maths and literacy?

Thing is I want to know what they're doing in other subjects too.How can I support them at home if I don't know?I want to know what science,history etc they're doing.

@cupofsneeze

Why are schools still not being held to account for their lack of SEN provision.

The ofsted reports i have seen have at most one or two paragraphs describing SN provision.

Filing reports that have been sent to the school from outside agencies that may be working with a child does not determine if the school is providing those recommendations to the child.

How are Ofsted going to monitor whether each of those children are actually receiving the care necessary to perform well at school and decipher which schools have become adept at blagging your inspectors and are in fact doing nothing or as little as possible to support those children?

Hello,

Before inspection takes place Ofsted looks carefully at the data on prior attainment and particularly those children on the SEN register. In the course of inspection, inspectors will usually talk to the headteacher and the Special Needs Co-ordinator about the progress of SEN children. They will particularly want to see what level of support children are receiving and whether sufficient progress is being made on levels of literacy and numeracy. Inspectors will also want to see how well teaching assistants are deployed to support children's learning needs.

The final report may not specifically mention special needs issues, but will certainly comment on whether children of all abilities are being sufficiently challenged and supported.

Sir Michael

Ah sorry seagull I misread, I was referring to the Ofsted report itself, apologies (on phone to Tax Credits so not paying enough attention) :)

Sir Michael,

Thank you. We will see what comes of the complaints process. If the governors and county council refuse to act we will proceed to Ofsted.

The school is small and composed of middle class children from highly educated professions - Ofsted will fail to identify unacceptable behaviour problems by looking for a dip in performance. The school benefits from involved parents actively supporting academically, which allows more support to be given to the few children who fit into the poorer socio-economic group.

If improving behaviour is really on Ofsted's agenda then different indicators to identify unacceptable behaviour is needed. Without recorded evidence you are likely to rate the school as good - even outstanding. Parents already with their children in the system are concerned about speaking up. :(

[quote tobeabat]The evidence indicates that:

• Streaming does not improve overall average attainment

• Streaming disadvantages, and depresses the trajectories of, pupils placed in lower groups

• Streaming is not an accurate or fair process, with some types of pupils much more likely to be placed in lower streams despite 'ability' and prior attainment (boys, children from some minority ethnic groups, children from poorer families, summer-borns, etc)

So why do you support streaming?

References for evidence include:

educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/toolkit/ability-grouping/

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1080/01411926.2012.659721/abstract

www.theguardian.com/education/2012/feb/09/dividing-pupils-ability-entrench-disadvantage[/quote]

Hello,

I am a fan of setting and used this form of classroom organisation in the schools I led. I particularly ensured that low ability groups received excellent teaching from the best teachers in the school. Ofsted is very critical of schools which do not do this and which use their best teachers for the top sets and not for those in the lowest groups. In my experience of over 40 years in teaching, I have often seen mixed ability groups that have been poorly served by teachers, particularly those in the early years of the profession who struggle with the demands of meeting the needs of different abilities in one teaching group. Too often I have seen teachers aiming for the middle rather than seeking to extend the most able or dealing with the learning needs of the weakest pupils.

Sir Michael

Thanks for your reply to my question. I feel more confident that my daughter will get the education that she so deserves.

I just wanted to let you know that I think you are one of the most talented OFSTED Chief inspectors the UK has ever had. In particular I am glad that you are prepared to say what needs to be said. (Ie. that children do better in school nurseries and getting rid of the "satisfactory" label)

@MagratsHair

cornflake I fully support your question re religion but suggest that as Sir Michael attended a Catholic secondary & says this (quoted from the link):

The youngsters I?ve taught who?ve come from homes which are poor but have values ? particularly religious values ? do really well.

We are unlikely to see secular schools any time soon. Which is a shame.

Anyway, to my point. Sir Michael thanks for coming to talk to us & welcome to Mumsnet. I appreciate that other posters will have questions ranging across the whole of the remit of education in this country, & those questions will be measured, important & attach gravitas.

My question is smaller, probably insignificant to anybody except me but I find it consuming at the moment & your appearance here is timely for me :)

I have a choice of secondary schools for next year for my very bright son, the closer one is rated as Requires Improvement & the majority of my son's friends will be attending that one. Its had a dreadful reputation for the past 20 years & isn't improving. The other one is rated Good but is a bus journey away which will mean a bigger struggle financially as I will have to pay for travel & his new friends & after schools clubs etc will be harder to manage. I will visit the schools but in the meantime my favouring the Good school is based purely on the Ofsted report however I constantly hear from teachers that Ofsted is a box ticking exercise & doesn't reflect the 'real' school etc etc. I do not know how to decide for the best.

My question is this: In your opinion & with your extensive experience as a Head, is it true that an academically able child will do well regardless of the school?

Many thanks

Hello,

I appreciate your dilemma. Children of all abilities do well in a good school but don't do as well in a poor school. Ofsted is critical of schools which do not challenge children across the ability range. If you read our report on the most able children in non-selective secondary schools, you will see that inspectors are very critical of schools which do not stretch the most able children. Indeed, on occasions we fail grammar schools which are not fully extending their students.

Sir Michael

The majority of Childminders are still upset and deeply offended by Sir Michael's comments. He has said nothing here to appease us. Many are so demoralised that they are resigning.
Parents know this: over the next few months it will become HARDER to find decent Childcare . The sector is in crisis. The Government and Ofsted have an appalling, misguided attitude towards young children (I am focusing on preschool).
I am very glad my own children are older. Roll on May 2015. Let's hope the next lot have more respect for children and the Childcare sector as a whole.

I thoroughly enjoyed responding to your questions and it is great to see so much interest in our education system and how Ofsted inspects it. I am sorry I could not answer all the questions but I would be delighted to return to Mumsnet in the near future.

Sir Michael

Oh, what a surprise. Politician's answers and nothing on important questions on alleged wrongdoing by Ofsted, the democratic deficit in academies or anything of substance.

Really I agree,I think he's the best we've had.

Tis interesting re the progress thing.In m/c areas I still think some schools benefit from parental input and tutoring where progress is concerned.Ours does it has even been known to suggest you get a tutor when problems crop up.

Most parents want their dc to make good progress.Some will actively seek out info and resources to make sure of it and schools with large numbers of such parents benefit from it.

What a shame you could not answer my question about pricing structure for early years education providers. A clear structure without impossible to fulfill conditions such as start times would benefit all childcare providers and must surely be easier to administrate.

Mumsnet - is it possible to have a webchat just focusing on early years education? As it appears there are a few questions on this area outstanding and I'm not the only one interested in the evidence that school nurseries are the winning solution for all young children.

Disappointed that links to specific documents weren't listed to support claims.

Think that would have been very useful to parents and providers that haven't been able to be here.

BlueEyeshadow - My view on this mumsnet talk is that you have access to Sir Michael but realistically it will only ever be a one-way communication in which we receive 'Ofsted party-line' responses.

I never expected Sir Michael to directly answer my questions: I want him to see a glimpse of my parent experience and my child's day. I wanted him to see the questions I have so that he can take them back to Ofsted and look at how to improve a system that doesn't keep kids safe, that doesn't stretch the most able, where parents and children have no voice, where HTs are getting away with hiding their failings, and where parents and home environments elevate 'satisfactory' teaching which enables schools to bask in the results glory.

Change takes time. Saying that, the clock is ticking for Sir Michael and Ofsted ...

Parent Feedback - Maybe it's time for schools to openly record how many parents actively coach or pay for tutoring so that parents and Ofsted can better understand a school's academic performance.

parentvoice oh, quite. Just a bit sick-making to see people saying wasn't he marvelous, and the best ever.

BlueEyshadow Chin up. Time for a cup of tea. We have the rest of the afternoon to change the world. ;)