This book reports on a research project which was carried out between 2002 and 2013. The focus of the research was the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) and its education and training and development programmes for inspectors.
Claims and disputes: The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) defines itself as the statutory watchdog for the preservation and management of the standard of education in England. And by its own accounts, Ofsted has claimed, firstly, that it is the promoter and upholder high standard of educational achievements, secondly, that it is the bulwark against ‘weak teaching’ and weak leadership, management and governance, and, thirdly, that it is the champion and protector of the interests of the constituents of education in England (Ofsted 2012: 4).
This research does not dispute the fact that the above claims came with the provisions of the Education (schools) Act (1992) and the Education and Inspection Act (2006) and that the Act delegated the statutory duties to inspect, evaluate and judge and report on the standard of education in England to Ofsted. Instead the research is disputing Ofsted’s claims as follows: firstly, the research disputes the extent to which Ofsted has achieved the statutory duties delegated to it under the provisions of the 1992 and 2006 Acts. And, secondly, the research is questioning whether in its current structure Ofsted is fit for purpose and whether Ofsted and a significant proportion of its inspectors have the operational and intellectual capabilities to continue to inspect specific educational remits, and to evaluate and judge and report on the standard of education in England.
Thus the research has advanced the following arguments against Ofsted’s and its inspectors’ capabilities and fitness for purpose: the first argument is that there are incompetent inspectors within the ranks of Ofsted inspectors. The research has found that 30% of practicing Ofsted inspectors do not have the skills and competencies required to successfully achieve Ofsted’s performance criteria for inspectors, particularly in the collection, analysis, evaluation, assessment and interpretation of evidence in the three principal aspects of Ofsted’s judgements. The three aspects in question are ‘Outcomes for Learners, Teaching, Learning and Assessment’ and ‘Leadership and Management’.
The second argument is that there......
Table of Contents
Summary
1. The project 13
2. Claims and disputes 13
3. Summary of conclusions and contentions 16
3.1 The inspection of specialist providers 17
3.2 The education and training and development of inspectors 17
3.3 Performance criteria 19
3.4 The management of the performance of inspectors 20
3.5 Quality control and assurance 21
3.6 New standard, quality control and assurance 21
3.7 New education and training and development programmes for inspectors 24
3.8 Professionalisation of inspectors and inspections 25
Introduction
1. What did the project aim to achieve? 28
2 Inspection judgements 29
2.1. The reasons for the explorations, analyses and evaluations 31
2.2 Judgement criteria and evaluative statements: an explanation 31
3 Ofsted’s education and training and development programmes for inspectors 32
3.1 The concerns about the initial training programmes for inspectors 33
3.2 Ofsted’s education and training and development programmes for inspectors: questions and issues 34
4 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes for inspectors 37
5 The management of the quality of inspections 37
5.1 Codes of Practice 38
5.2 Contract Management 38
6 Summary of the aims of the project 39
7 The colleges and their inspections 2002 – 2013 40
8 The methodological steps 42
8.1 Observation of inspectors 43
8.2 Ethnographic interviews 44
8.2.1 Ofsted and RISPs: refusal of interview access 45
8.3 Documentary sources 46
8.3.1 Colleges’ documents 46
8.3.2 Ofsted’s documents 47
9 The arrangements of the chapters of the book 49
10 Summary 55
Chapter 1: The origins of the project
1. Encounters with inspectors (2002) 56
1.2 Encounters with inspectors (2004 – 2013): teaching methodologies 58
1.2.1 Poor knowledge of the structures, teaching and assessments of specific qualification options within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) 60
1.2.2 Interpretations of qualitative and quantitative data 61
1.2.3 Research evidence: the impact of social and economic factors on educational progress 63
1.3 The problems of Ofsted’s methodologies and objectivity 65
1.4 The dearth of literature 67
1.5 Summary 69
Chapter 2: Outcomes for learners: judging the achievements and progress of learners
2.1 The judgement criteria and evaluative statements 70
2.1.1 Vague and ambiguous judgement criteria and evaluative statements 72
2.1.2 Outcomes for learners: Grade Characteristics 73
2.2 The achievement and progress of learners 76
2.3 Narrowing the achievement gaps 79
2.4 Functional and general skills 83
2.5 Progression to higher qualifications and the labour market 84
2.6 Explorations, analyses and evaluations of outcomes for learners 84
2.6.1 Outcomes for learners: whose outcomes? 85
2.6.2 The misrepresentation and misinterpretation of statistical data and evidence 88
2.6.3 Interpretive shortcomings 90
2.6.4 The misinterpretations of judgement criteria and evaluative statements 91
2.6.5 The impact of population characteristics on outcomes for learners 94
2.6.6 Where do tables 3 – 6 stand? 98
2.6.7 Retention, attendance and punctuality 99
2.6.8 Alternative arguments and contests: evidence 102
2.6.9 What factors are likely to affect retention, attendance and punctuality? 105
2.6.10 The factors that affect retention, attendance and punctuality 106
2.7 Judgement criterion three: a testimony to incompetence? 110
2.7 Progress and progression: Issues and consequences 113
2.3 What has Ofsted contributed to the standard of education in England? 116
2.4 Summary 117
Chapter 3: Methods in lesson observations
3.1 Lesson observations methodologies: a strategic approach or typology? 119
3.1.1 To prepare lesson plans or not prepare lesson plans? 121
3.2 Lesson observations focused on students: inspection by walking about 123
3.3 Collaborative lesson observations: covert observations of the observer 125
3.3.1 Collaborative lesson observations: covert measurements of quality and information systems
3.4 Summary 129
Chapter 4: Judging teaching, learning and assessment: summative assessments of teachers?
4.1 Lesson observations focused on teachers: the objectives of lesson observations 130
4.1.1 Questioning Ofsted’s definition of the objective of teaching 132
4.2 The judgement criteria and evaluative statements for lesson observations 133
4.2.1 Post-observations grading of lessons 134
4.3 Lesson observations: evidence collection, analyses, evaluations and interpretations 140
4.3.1 The psychologies and attitudes of teachers 140
4.3.2 The first group of criteria and statements: problems and consequences 142
4.4 The technical skills and competencies of teachers: developing and planning the curriculum and the learning 144
4.4.1 The educational achievements of teachers: subject knowledge 145
4.5 How well teachers support students in lessons 147
4.5.1 Support or pastoral care? 149
4.6 Evaluating teacher effectiveness: issues, implications and consequences 151
4.6.1 Too much attention to technicalities and too little attention to the humanness of education, teaching and learning 152
4.6.2 Too much confusion 156
6.6.3 What does Ofsted mean by ‘best practice’ and ‘weak teaching’? 157
4.64 Lesson observations grades: what do they measure? 160
4.6.5 Inspectors are partial to teaching methods 161
4.6.6 Grade Characteristics: confusing Ofsted-speak? 164
4.6.7 Do inspectors actually know best? 166
4.7 Summary 170
Chapter 5: Judging leadership and management
5.1 The effectiveness of leadership and management 172
5.1.1 The effectiveness of leadership and management: Grade Characteristics 174
5.2 Strategic leadership and management 179
5.2.1 A management consultancy? 181
5.2.2 What does Ofsted mean by leaders and managers? 183
5.2.3 Strategic leadership and management: a college bureaucracy? 184
5.3 Performance management 186
5.3.1 Performance management and CPD 188
5.4 The quality of provision and improvement in the quality of provision 191
5.4.1 Learner experience and the quality of learning experience 193
5.4.2 Provision: what provision? 195
5.5 Provision and the labour market 198
5.5.1 Provision and the labour market: corporate self-interest 200
5.6 Leadership and management: the human and legislative dimensions 202
5.7 Equality and Diversity 203
5.7.1 Equality and Diversity: curriculum development and teaching 205
5.7.2 The consequences of Equality and Diversity: teaching, curriculum development and assessment 206
5.7.3 The consequences of Equality and Diversity: the rates of achievement 210
5.8 Safeguarding students 212
5.8.1 Safeguarding students: who is a child? 213
5.9 Comparative institutions: a case study 216
5.9.1 The case histories 217
5.9.2 Comparability: what were the points of comparability between the colleges? 220
5.9.3 The methodological criticisms demonstrated in the case 221
5.9.4 The inspectors judged E&D Support structures and not the practice of E&D 223
5.9.5 The implications and outcomes of the case 224
5.9.6 What kinds of conclusions can be drawn from the case? 226
5.10 Leadership and management: a summary? 227
Chapter 6: Judging the overall effectiveness of providers
6.1 The overall effectiveness of the colleges 230
6.2 Grade Characteristics: an objective or subjective summation? 233
6.2.1 Are tables 16 – 19 objective indicators of the overall effectiveness of the colleges’ work? 234
6.3 The computations of ‘Contributory Grades: what kinds of analyses do inspectors carry out in order to reach their judgements? 237
6.3.1 The convention of averages 240
6.3.2 Which judgement criteria and evaluative statements were involved in the computations of the grades for teaching, learning and assessment ? 240
6.3.3 How was lesson observations data analysed and incorporated in the averages? 241
6.3.4 New inspections reports for College 3: a re-examination of table 22 242
6.3.5 Inconsistencies 243
6.4 The internal weaknesses in Ofsted’s computational methods: how were the grading of outcomes for learners and the effectiveness leadership and management computed? 244
6.5 Summary 248
Chapter 7: The education and training and development of HMIs
7.1 The structure of the education and training and development of HMIs 1992 – 2013 249
7.2 The contents and syllabuses of HMIs’ education and training and development programmes 1992 – 2013? 251
7.2.1 Ofsted’s induction programme 252
7.2.2 The remit training activities for schools and colleges 252
7.2.3 Training in Additional areas 253
7.2.4 Questions arising from the list of modules 254
7.3 Delivering Ofsted’s education and training and developments programme 255
7.4 The assessment of HMIs’ learning 256
7.5 What were the omissions from the remit training activities for schools and colleges? 257
7.6 Does the absence of complaints against Ofsted mean quality inspections? 272
7.6.1 The reasons why colleges do not complain against Ofsted: a case example 273
7.6.2 The dominant discourses in Britain’s industrial ethnography 275
7.6.3 The weaknesses in the quality of thoughts within Ofsted 276
7.6.4 Should one size inspection fit all? 278
7.7 Inspector learning: a vocational or academic learning – or both? 279
7.7.1 What were the issues raised about Ofsted’ education and training and development programmes in the HMI’s arguments 281
7.8 Summary 285
7.9 Conclusions 285
Chapter 8: The programmes of training for Additional Inspectors
8.1 Training additional Inspectors: course contents? 288
8.2 What has Ofsted said about the education and training and development of Additional Inspectors? 290
8.3 The accreditation and validation of Additional Inspectors’ education and training and development programmes 291
8.4 Summary 292
Chapter 9: Continuing Professional Development
9.1 A system of continuous evaluations of Ofsted’s CPD programmes? 295
9.2 CPD and Ofsted’s performance management programmes 297
9.2.1 The importance of CPD: research evidence 299
9.2.2 A haphazard and fractional approaches to performance management 300
9.3 Has Ofsted defined CPD programmes for HMIs and AIs? 302
9.4 Ofsted’s roles in the CPD of practicing AIs 307
9.5 A mandatory or voluntary CPD? 310
9.5.1 Open discussions: a CPD programmes? 310
9.5.2 An individual CPD plan? 311
9.6 Summary 311
Chapter 10: The management of the practice of inspections
10.1 Education: ‘raising standards’ and ‘improving lives’ 314
10.1.1 Contract Management: a management control? 315
10.1.2 Contract Management defined 317
10.1.3 Britain’s industrial ethnography revisited 318
10.2 Badging 319
10.3 Signing Off 322
10.3.1 Remit specific Signing Off 323
10.3.2 Inspection reports Signing Off 324
10.3.3 Who Signs Off AIs? 324
10.4 Codes of conduct 325
10.5 The quality assurance of inspections: quality assurance visits 326
10.5.1 The focus of the quality assurance visits 327
10.5.2 The duration of the visits 328
10.5.3 The criteria for selecting samples of inspection for quality assurance visits 329
10.5.4 The systems for reporting the outcomes of quality assurance visits 330
10.6 Summary 332
10.7 Conclusions 335
Chapter 11: Is Ofsted fit for purpose?
11.1 Ofsted’s operational incapabilities revisited 337
11.2 Ofsted is functional organisation 339
11.3 The implications of functionalism for Ofsted 342
11.3.1 Ofsted’s frameworks are operationally inorganic 342
11.3.2 Ofsted’s philosophies are inward looking 344
11.3.3 Ofsted’s culture is a hierarchical bureaucracy 346
11.4 The impact of functionalism on Ofsted 347
11.4.1 The impact of functionalism on Ofsted’s attitudes towards teachers 348
11.4.2 The impact of functionalism on Ofsted’s education and training and development programmes 350
11.4.3 The impact of functionalism on the quality of inspectors and inspections 354
11.5 Functionalism and Ofsted’s training methodologies 356
11.6 Conclusions 358
Chapter 12: Improving the standards of inspectors’ performances
12.1 A new approach to standard and quality 360
12.2 Quality control and management 362
12.2.1 Quality management system 362
12.2.2 Colleges, teachers and students are Ofsted’s customers and not the DES 364
12.2.3 The benefits of ISO 9901 366
12.3 Summary of the main arguments 367
Chapter 13: Educating, training and developing inspectors to judge outcomes for learners
13.1 Professionally qualified inspectors 369
13.2 The CPD programmes: contents and syllabuses for judging outcomes for learners 371
13.2.1 Documentary and statistical analyses 372
13.2.1.1 Replying to critics 373
13.2.1.2 An appreciation of statistical analysis: performance criteria 376
13.2.2 Ethnographic interview skills and competencies 377
13.2.3 Developing and framing ethnographic interview questions 378
13.3 Developing ethnographic interview questions: a case example 379
13.4 Making judgements on outcomes for learners: Performance Criteria and Elements 384
13.4.1 Assessment: performance evidence 386
13.5 Summary 387
Chapter 14: Educating and training and developing inspectors to judge teaching, learning and assessment
14.1 Lesson observations 391
14.2 Anticipating critics and criticisms 391
14.2.1 Teaching: Science or Art? 394
14.2.2 Teachers deploy and use dual professional identities in lessons 396
14.2.3 Teachers think on their feet, theorise and reorder the curricular during lessons 398
14.2.4 A CPD in lesson observations? 399
14.3 The CPD programmes for judging teaching and learning and assessment 401
14.3.1 The contents and syllabuses CPD programmes on how to judging teaching, learning and assessment 401
14.3.2 Making judgements on teaching, learning and assessment: Performance Criteria and Elements 402
14.3.3 Assessment: performance evidence 405
14.4 Summary 406
Chapter 15: Educating and training and developing inspectors to judge leadership and management
15.1 Interpreting the meanings of ‘financial resources’ within the 1992 Act 408
15.2 The contents and syllabuses of the CPD programmes on leadership and management 409
15.2.1 The contents and syllabus of the CPD programmes on financial management 410
15.2.2 Assessment: performance evidence on financial management 412
15.2.3 Human Resource Management 412
15.2.4 The contents and syllabuses of the CPD programmes on human resource 413
15.2.5 Assessment: performance evidence on human resource management 415
15.3 Leadership and Management 415
15.3.1 The contents and syllabuses for the CPD programmes on leadership and management 417
15.3.2 Assessment: performance evidence on leadership and management 418
15.4 The management of physical resources and Sustainability 418
15.4.1 Ofsted’s failings with respect to the management of physical resources and Sustainability 419
15.4.2 The contents and syllabuses of the CPD programmes on the management of physical resources and Sustainability 421
15.4.3 Assessment: performance evidence on physical resources and Sustainability 423
15.5 The management of technological resources 423
15.5.1 The objectives of CPD in the management of technological resources 424
15.5.2 The limitations of technological applications 425
15.5.3 The contents and syllabuses of the CPD programmes on the management of technological resources 429
15.5.4 Assessment: performance evidence on the technological resources 430
15.6 Making judgements on the effectiveness of leadership and management 431
15.6.1 Eliminating redundant evaluative statements 432
15.6.2 The contents and syllabuses of the CPD programmes on making judgements on the effectiveness leadership and management Performance Criteria and Elements 434
15.6.3 Assessment: performance evidence on making judgements on the effectiveness of leadership and management 437
15.7 Summary 438
Chapter 16: The inspection of education in England: a professional occupation?
16.1 Is there a need to professionalise inspection? 440
16.2 An Accredited Body for a professionalised inspection service? 441?
16.3 The Accredited Body: a reviewer of Contract Management 443
16.4 The Accredited Body: Administrator of Ofsted’s Codes of Conduct 443
16.5 Summary 444
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary research objective is to explore, describe, analyze, and evaluate the education, training, and development programmes Ofsted provides for its inspectors and the management of their performance. The study aims to investigate whether these programmes sufficiently equip inspectors to evaluate educational standards and outcomes effectively, and whether the management systems in place ensure a high quality of inspection.
- The effectiveness of Ofsted's training and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes.
- The management and performance evaluation systems used by Ofsted for its inspectors.
- Methodological critiques of Ofsted's inspection and quality assurance frameworks.
- The impact of inspector competence on the quality and objectivity of inspection judgements.
- The need for professionalization and an independent regulatory body for the inspection service.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Encounters with Ofsted inspector (2002)
So, then, the question is: what exactly led to this project? The answer is, as I have indicated above, that I accidentally came across Ofsted inspectors in 2002. Up to then I knew there was Ofsted because my main research interest was post-compulsory education policy and I was converse with the provisions of the Higher and Further Education Act (1992) and the Education (school) Act (1992). I also knew that Ofsted had inspectors which inspected schools in England on its behalf. Thus the meeting in 2002 was my first real encounter with Ofsted and its inspectors. And the consequences of what transpired during the encounters raised questions in my mind about the skills and competencies of some of the inspectors I was to meet in the colleges during the period. The questions that were raised in my mind were questions which touched on the value of inspectors as human resource capital who were employees operating in the field of education standard on behalf of Ofsted.
The first sets of encounters occurred in one of the colleges in which I was doing my research projects. At the time the College was being inspected. When the encounters occurred I was with a group of Adult students and their teacher in an NVQ Level 2 Business Administration Course. The lesson came under observation by an inspector. I did not particularly pay attention to the inspectors when he came into the lesson and took his seat.
But as the lesson progressed I think he mistook me for one of the students because as he went round the room looking at students’ work he came to look at what I was writing and asked me questions about the lesson. As I answered his questions it became clear to me that that particular inspector did not know what the teacher and her students were doing. I came to this conclusion because his questions were directed at finding out what I thought about being taught manual filing in a ‘room full of computers’. My thoughts were that he should be trying to establish whether or not I understood what the teacher was teaching about manual filing involving the use of the letters of the alphabets. Yet there he was asking me about the appropriateness of teaching manual filing systems in a computer room.
Summary of Chapters
Summary: Introduces the research project conducted in London colleges between 2002-2013 and outlines the primary contentions regarding Ofsted’s mismanagement of educational standards.
Introduction: Establishes the background of Ofsted under the 1992 Act and defines the project’s goal to evaluate the effectiveness of Ofsted’s training and performance management systems.
Chapter 1: The origins of the project: Discusses the author’s accidental encounters with Ofsted inspectors and the resulting questions about their competency and understanding of their remit.
Chapter 2: Outcomes for learners: judging the achievements and progress of learners: Critically analyzes Ofsted’s judgement criteria and evaluative statements regarding student outcomes, highlighting their ambiguity and lack of focus.
Chapter 3: Methods in lesson observations: Examines Ofsted’s methodological approaches to lesson observation, questioning the consistency and effectiveness of these strategies.
Chapter 4: Judging teaching, learning and assessment: summative assessments of teachers?: Evaluates the criteria used to assess teacher effectiveness, criticizing the over-emphasis on technicalities over the human aspect of education.
Chapter 5: Judging leadership and management: Explores the criteria for evaluating leadership and management in colleges, arguing that these are often disconnected from actual organizational practice.
Chapter 6: Judging the overall effectiveness of providers: Reviews how inspectors compute overall effectiveness grades, finding significant inconsistencies in the data and methods used.
Chapter 7: The education and training and development of HMIs: Argues that training for Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) is inadequate, ill-defined, and lacks rigorous assessment of learning outcomes.
Chapter 8: The programmes of training for Additional Inspectors (AIs): Highlights the secrecy surrounding the training of Additional Inspectors and the lack of standardization in their accreditation.
Chapter 9: Continuing Professional Development: Criticizes the absence of credible, mandatory, and evaluated Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes for inspectors.
Chapter 10: The management of the practice of inspections: Analyzes the failures in Ofsted’s quality assurance and the reliance on inefficient contract management practices.
Chapter 11: Is Ofsted fit for purpose?: Concludes that due to institutional and organizational deficiencies, Ofsted is currently not in a fit state to discharge its statutory responsibilities effectively.
Chapter 12: Improving the standards of inspectors’ performances: Proposes the implementation of new quality management systems, specifically ISO 9001, to improve inspector performance and quality control.
Chapter 13: Educating, training and developing inspectors to judge outcomes for learners: Advocates for the professionalization of the inspection service and the development of clear, evidence-based training for judging student outcomes.
Chapter 14: Educating and training and developing inspectors to judge teaching, learning and assessment: Argues for improved inspector training in lesson observation techniques that account for the complexities of classroom interactions.
Chapter 15: Educating and training and developing inspectors to judge leadership and management: Outlines essential management functions that should be included in future CPD programmes for inspectors.
Chapter 16: The inspection of education in England: a professional occupation?: Calls for the creation of an independent professional body to regulate, accredit, and standardize the inspection profession in England.
Keywords
Ofsted, educational inspection, educational standards, teacher effectiveness, inspector training, continuing professional development, performance management, quality assurance, educational management, institutional effectiveness, learner outcomes, lesson observation, leadership, education policy, professionalization of inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research evaluates the competence and management of Ofsted inspectors and their training programmes to determine if Ofsted is effectively managing educational standards in England.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the adequacy of inspector training, the effectiveness of Ofsted’s performance management systems, the methodology behind inspector judgements, and the need for structural reform.
What is the central research question?
The work questions whether Ofsted, in its current structural and operational form, is fit for purpose and capable of accurately evaluating educational standards.
What scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses ethnographic methods, including participant observation and interviews, alongside documentary analysis of Ofsted’s own manuals, reports, and communications.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body investigates the various stages of the inspection process, from training and observation methods to performance management and final judgement computation, identifying significant procedural and competence-related flaws.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Ofsted, Educational Inspection, Inspector Competency, Teacher Assessment, Performance Management, Quality Assurance, Educational Standards.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding Ofsted’s current training?
The author concludes that Ofsted’s training programmes for inspectors are inadequate, ill-defined, and lacking in rigorous assessment, rendering them insufficient for ensuring high-quality, objective inspections.
Why does the author advocate for professionalizing the inspection service?
The author argues that professionalization is necessary to eliminate the current "box-ticking" culture, ensure inspectors possess required subject-specific expertise, and subject them to standardized, accredited professional practices.
- Arbeit zitieren
- PhD John Igbino (Autor:in), 2014, Ofsted a case in the mismanagement of the standards of education in England, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/272178
