News

In January 2025, Ofsted will publish its proposals ready for consultation on how schools will be inspected in the future. The Guardian reported that there had already been 'a presentation by Ofsted to education leaders outlining the proposals, first reported by the Financial Times. Ofsted highlighted that the top grade, “exemplary”, would be in purple, followed by “strong practice” in green, “secure” in lime, “attention needed” in yellow and the lowest rating, “causing concern”, in red'.  This will be confirmed next year in the proposals. The Schools Week publication found that 'the 10 judgment areas will be curriculum, teaching, achievement, leadership, behaviour and values, attendance, preparation for next steps, opportunities to thrive, inclusion and belonging and safeguarding'. That is quite a list. The Times Educational Supplement also found that; 'Ofsted could inspect teaching as separate category in new inspections'.

All these probable Ofsted proposals in January will no doubt fuel a lot of discussion amongst us.

Although this article is a month old it comes as no suprise, (despite all the flooding some communities have had) that mud for children is fun! This Guardian newspaper article follows the success of 

a school in introducing mud on the curriculum, thanks to OPAL. 

For more information about Opal in providing mentor-based support for outdoor play, please view NAPE's video about Opal on YouTube by copying and pasting this link 

 https://youtu.be/Z8BS0usm4Sc

At last! Ofsted now recognises the challenges schools face after the pandemic as a result of conducting research with 20 primary schools.  Interesting article in the Guardian.

As children start reception this term, for some, their first experience of schools, some children arrive in buggies wearing nappies. The BBC reports that according to some educational leaders the explanation is 'Children who spent their early years in lockdowns are starting school with "poor social and developmental skills" caused by screen time and isolation'. This is a report co-authored by Prof Clegg and produced by the Centre for Young Lives and Child of the North think tank. 

As a governor, this has come up in our meetings this term. Has this happened at your school ? or you know a school where this is an issue? What has your school (or a school that you know) tackled this?

Please email the office for your comments:  napenationaloffice@gmail.com

UPDATE  8/10/2024

FEEDBACK

One of the Early Years organisations, when asked about, 'school readiness' responded by saying that schools need to be ready for this issue.

What do you think?   Please email the office for your comments:  napenationaloffice@gmail.com

In July, Colin Richards and Frank Norris produced the results of an independent survey they undertook, asking respondents to review the inspectorate’s current and past performance. The survey was called 'The Alternative Big Listen'. The conclusion was that, OFSTED IS NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE ONE- OR TWO-WORD JUDGMENTS SHOULD NOT BE USED A MORATORIUM ON ROUTINE INSPECTIONS IS NEEDED.

Meanwhile, headline news in the Guardian on Sunday 22nd September, quoted the sister of Ruth Perry, the headteacher who killed herself, said that the inspectorate required a, 'complete reset'. 

'Education unions are to warn that Ofsted cannot be trusted to reform itself, as headteachers ­continue to report that school inspections are leaving their staff feeling distressed. Professor Julia Waters, sister of the Reading headteacher Ruth Perry, who killed herself last year after an inspection downgraded her school from outstanding to inadequate, will call on the government to make deeper reforms of the inspectorate at the Labour party conference on Sunday'...Waters, along with all four teaching unions, said the inspector still operated with a culture of “fear and terror”.