No thread on the new ofsted framework yet?

[Dermymc]

Or have I missed it? Or do we just not care!

Interesting stuff re "curriculum" provision, off rolling and inspectors arriving the same day as they call. Section 8 also last 2 days not 1.

Lots of focus on learning being recall and fluency with facts. Seems to be a focus on "soft" measures and a withdrawal from "hard" data to hold schools to account. I'm waiting to see how SLT monitor quality of teaching and learning consistently.

Not only is there no thread, they seem oblivious to it at my actaul school! There's a bunfight on Twitter though...

Twitter has well and truly erupted!

I think the focus on Ebacc isn't for the best. We don't have enough MFL teachers to "enforce" Ebacc from September. The first schools through the new framework will be watched like hawks from those waiting online for reports!

The knowledge based curriculum gang really seem to have won the current ideological battle of trads v progs which I find so tedious. I have no doubt that in 5 - 10 years, it'll all be declared a passing fad.

I had a thread in December about the bit where they’ll no longer look at internal data www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3457511-Ofsted-announce-school-report-grades-are-bollocks-and-to-be-ignored

I’ve not read the new framework, only seen snippets but going to two day inspections - hadn’t we only just gone to one?? There’s no way they have the staff so will schools be inspected less often? And inspectors turning up hours after The Call is shit. Less time in meetings setting up schedules means presumably more time observing lessons and work scrutiny. Do they not trust schools’ self evaluation anymore?

I don’t know. I like the seeming commitment to trying to reduce teacher workload.

Yes noble I remember that thread.

There's a lot of soundbites but very little substance change from the looks of it. You're right re inspections being less often due to lack of staff. I think allowing schools to judge themselves is difficult because for that to be accurate, heads and SLT would need to spend time in other schools to form a comparison/judgement.

The wording seems to be more touchy feely than the old one. There is a whole section (2 pages) and dedicated to Maths which is interesting. A lot more mention of fluency and recall than before.

I haven't had time to digest it fully but apparently the English bit is flawed and has had the English and Media Centre up in arms.

Just more rubbish to try and make themselves relevant and keep their jobs until someone realises how inept they are and then they will change again.

www.englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/response-to-ofsted-curriculum-workshop

Head was going on about it this morning, but new framework seems at odds with “unusal” ( eg silent corridors) schools getting outstanding

A school with silent corridors just got an outstanding!

I thought there was actually an emphasis on conditions for learning and retention of learning : there is a phrase somewhere which I stumbled across which seemed rather to support such measures...

Just realised that this was their opportunity to scrap the Outstanding grade and they blew it.

Disappointing.

I've found the madness on Twitter to be quite entertaining, but then again I tend to be of the view that there's a few loud mouths on both sides who like to court controversy, pick fights, quote, argue and then block and continue to play the victim.

I like the ideas on curriculum. I like the sound of keeping an eye on off rolling. I like that they've clarified it's not about rote learning, but knowing stuff matters as it's a pet hate on mine hearing English teachers (regularly) decide that they'll do extracts in y7 8 and 9 so they can learn how to answer a non fiction comparison question or a structure question. The entire 'it's just skills' has dominated English departments for a while, certainly ones I know.

Like you noble I would love the outstanding grade to have been scrapped. Either a school is providing a good enough education or it isn't. I'd be happy with 2 categories: satisfactory or unsatisfactory

Have you read the link above maizy? The EMC isn't convinced...

I agree with the points about what a child needs to have studied before they can access some GCSE English texts, and have my own (quite strong) opinions on the language GCSE, but still lean more towards the knowledge/traditional side of centre in the usual debates.

If things go down the exam heavy route the EMC mention then that's a concern, but I don't see that it has to.

I really like the EMC and their idea of curriculum at ks3 is really interesting and varied, but I don't honestly believe that what goes on in most departments is that sort of broad and balanced ks3 English curriculum as it is. There's too often a focus on drilling students in GCSE objectives from y7, teaching lots of extracts over whole texts, a belief in 'skills' (as if you can teach a child how to do an evaluate question without having a broad knowledge base to draw on).

I think the EMC raise valid concerns about the emergence of new ofsted myths where each lesson ticks certain things, but that would be the risk with any framework because some school leaders are devoid of common sense and are looking for the latest quick fix over staff development and a strong curriculum. I feel happier to give it the benefit of the doubt at the moment.

I wholeheartedly agree but I fear Ofsted want to see us drilling students in knowledge. Just different drilling.

That's my concern. Though that's less the framework and more what happens in response to it.

E.g I remember everyone teaching from the back of the room at one school because someone at ofsted had praised staff at another school for doing it. The common sense is that staff own the room and circulate appropriately but it got twisted.
AfL is a brilliant principle with lots of power, but somehow we ended up with the plague of mini plenaries

I'm taking the approach of cautious optimism.