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1. The basics
2. How are free schools performing?
3. Lessons learnt so far
4. Ofsted and innovation
5. Questions?
Agenda
1. Free Schools & Ofsted: the basics
• Free schools are:
• Inspected under the same framework as other similar types of schools:
• ‘Section 5’ for mainstream, special and AP free schools
• ‘Common Inspection Framework for further education and skills’ for 16-19 free schools
• Inspected within 2 years of opening, from term 5 onwards
• Inspections led (usually) by a HMI
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1. The basics
2. How are free schools performing?
3. Lessons learnt so far
4. Ofsted and innovation
5. Questions?
Agenda
2. How are free schools performing?
Quality of teaching
Quality of leadership and management Achievement
Behaviour and safety
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1. The basics
2. How are free schools performing?
3. Lessons learnt so far
4. Ofsted and innovation
5. Questions?
Agenda
Lessons learnt so far: Achievement
Issues:
• Particular focus on pupils’ work/books as a source of evidence
• Particular focus on founding cohort / core subjects• Quality/robustness of the systems used to record
pupil progress• ‘Outstanding’ progress not being seen as such by
inspectors
What works:
• Setting your own baselines for progress • Externally and internally moderating your
assessments about pupil progress• Knowing your pupil ‘groups’• Providing your own evidence about other types of
achievement
Lessons learnt so far: Quality of teaching
Issues:
• SLT overly optimistic about the quality of teaching• Lack of focus from the school on the impact teaching is
having• Use of data to inform teaching/planning• The number of lessons/teachers seen by inspectors• Integration of part time/sessional staff
What works:
• Moderating your own judgements about the quality of teaching
• Providing your own evidence about the quality of teaching
• Providing evidence about the impact of interventions to improve teaching
• Demonstrating how quality of teaching links to performance management
Lessons learnt so far: Leadership and management
Issues:
• SLT judgements about the school• Quality of middle leadership• Transition from the independent sector• Sharpness of action planning • Governors’ awareness of how discretionary funding is
being spent in the school – e.g. pupil premium
What works:
• Moderating your own judgements about the school • Governors ‘knowing’ the school and demonstrating
active involvement in it• Demonstrating how leadership is being distributed
through the school and your plans to develop this• Seeking external input to support leadership
Lessons learnt so far: Behaviour and safety
Issues:
• Quality of safeguarding • Suitability of policies • Records of behaviour • Attendance
What works:
• Recording and evaluating the impact of your strategies to improve behaviour/attendance
• Ensuring policies are tailored to your school (if in a MAT)
Lessons learnt so far: Other top tips
• Provide professional challenge to the judgements inspectors are making about your school, especially on:
• Inspectors’ willingness/ability to understand your Free School’s ethos/focus
• What defines ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ achievement • References to teaching style
• Be pro-active in helping inspectors to:• Fully understand your school• Set the agenda for the inspection• Find the evidence they need
• Invest in a mock inspection
• Use the support of DfE Education Advisers
• Use NSN’s guidance and resources
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1. The basics
2. How are free schools performing?
3. Lessons learnt so far
4. Ofsted and innovation
5. Questions?
Agenda
Innovation in Free Schools: Ofsted
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Ofsted have been open minded about the use of innovation in Free Schools. Reports only focus on it where it has an impact on the school.
Where innovation has been shown to be improving pupil outcomes, Ofsted have praised this:
•Steiner Academy Frome•Rainbow Primary•Reach Academy Feltham
However, they have also been critical of the use of innovation where it has not led to improved outcomes:
•King’s Science Academy•Al-Madinah School •Greenwich Free School