ofsted question, how linked are the overall ofsted to the sats results?

[AnotherOfstedQuestionSorry]

since last ofsted school went from 82% achieving level 4 or above in english and maths to 69% then up to 79% this years results are expected to be around 80%

How much emphasis is placed on these results? and is 69% really bad? not sure how to find natonal averages on that figure

We've been Mocksteded a few times by people who work as inspectors so that we can all enjoy getting a flavour of the new framework. That flavour is best described as cyanide-bitter. But to answer your question from their feedback:

1. Decisions to inspect schools, especially any judged as outstanding, are RAISE online determined. Go blue for a few years and Year 6 pulls the school into inspection. But your results are rising, so inspection may be less likely (Ofsted seemingly no longer believes it has a duty to observe best practice, just punish bad)

1. They say almost nothing on teaching or leadership per se. Teaching judgments now work 'The children are learning x so the teaching is y quality'. Leadership judgments work 'children are learning x because teachers are doing y therefore leadership is z'. Despite protestations to the contrary what it seems to mean is that learning is the limiting judgement. Head turns up pissed and throws up on the Inspector, teachers hop around the back of the classroom singing Ain't nobody got time for that, children make 3 levels, school probably outstanding (and it would be..)

SATs results aren't key to this, but it is very difficult to argue that children's learning is good or outstanding if, over a period of time, their progress is only average. Or that their teaching is. Their attainment is an easier case to make.

1. In addition, new reporting frameworks minimise the impact of simple attainment. Three 'attainment' categories have become one-Pupils getting 4 in both English and Maths. So it is now 'equally ranked' with progress in raw figures published to the public. That's not an OFSTED matter, but again suggests the figures you are quoting might not be the critical ones.

But the new framework has nothing to do with standards. If it were, its ethos would have been communicated beforehand, best practice developed and schools worked with to improve standards. Instead, its assessments are vague and always mean inspectors can be as critical as possible. It's like sitting a test with no idea what the mark scheme is or what subject it is in.

I wish there was a 'like' button for your post, adelaofbois.

Sadly, what Kingscote said.
This term's fashion is all about being able to demonstrate value added, through SATs results ignoring actual evidence that the Infant school have been over inflating their KS1 levels for YEARS.
the written report may give you a better picture, but the 'rating' is purely on that one fact.

bitter ? Moi ?

(Not even a school I teach in, just feel gutted for the HT and staff there)

One of the things you need to be aware of is how difficult high ratings now are to achieve.

The focus on progress can be liberating. It is nice to know that my teaching is assessed not on how well it meets central guidelines, but on whether kids are learning. BUT they are really tough-'Good' means that all pupils make expected progress in all lessons. That may sound basic to those outside education, but it is incredibly hard to achieve and evidence. Schools may overall make average levels of progress and have high attainment, that is deliver the curriculum effectively and to most parents' satisfaction, and still be judged satisfactory. A lot of schools MNers instinctively know to be happy places where good learning goes on will end up downgraded over the next year.

If your school SATs aren't showing expected levels of progress in SATs then you might rescue it by claiming inadequate external assessment and very high attainment. But it will be hard, and I suspect even then outstanding is unattainable.

It's the other figures you need-how many making 2 levels is the first thing a school will be asked to justify if that figure is anything below 100%.