Lorna Fitzjohn, West Midlands Regional Director, spoke to the Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership on Friday 14 October 2016 about: strategic priorities; inspection; schools in the West Midlands; and academies.

1. Birmingham Catholic Primary
Partnership
Lorna Fitzjohn
West Midlands Regional Director
14 October 2016
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 1

2. Strategic priorities
Slide 2
Improved
quality,
efficiency and
effectiveness
ensuring that
inspection and
regulation provide
value for money
Improved focus
so that we target
inspection and
regulation where we
can make the most
difference
Improved
engagement
Ensuring that we are
credible, valued and
trusted and do not
introduce
unforeseen burdens
 Keeping children and young people safe
 Improving education and care for the
disadvantaged
 Raising aspirations and better transition
 Prioritising less than good
with a regional
focus on...

3. Changes to the inspection handbooks
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 3
 The updates in the section 8 handbook
are simply to make sure that it is in line
with changes to statutory requirements,
notably the monitoring of schools
causing concern in response to the
Education and Adoption Act 2016.
 The minor revisions made in the section
5 handbook are mainly to reflect the
latest education policy and performance
measures.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ofsted-inspections-of-maintained-schools

4. Developments in education inspection
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 4
Changes to the Section 5 school inspection handbook
In the section on seeking views during inspections, we have updated
information about how staff and pupils are consulted during inspections to
reflect the fact that the surveys are now online.
In the ‘schools causing concern’ section, we have made changes to guidance
on monitoring inspections of grade 4 schools to take into account the recent
legislative changes and the government’s new Schools Causing Concern
guidance.
Under ‘what happens during the inspection’, we have clarified details about
who inspectors need to meet with to inspect governance at the school.

5. Developments in education inspection…
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 5
 Under ‘effectiveness of leadership and management’, we have added a
reference to inspectors having consideration for governors’ development
in their role as part of the effectiveness of school leadership.
 In the ‘outcomes’ section, we have amended the grade descriptors to
reflect changes to national assessment and accountability measures.
 Linked to this, in the ‘outcomes’ section, we have also revised the
guidance about inspecting the performance of disadvantaged pupils to
take account of the new measures relating to pupil progress, including
comparing the progress made nationally with other pupils with the same
starting points.

6. Developments in education inspection…
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 6
Section 8 handbook for short, monitoring and unannounced
behaviour inspections
The clarification about inspecting governance and who inspectors should meet
with updated in the section 5 handbook is also reflected in the updated section
8 handbook. This is to reflect responsibilities for governance in academy trusts.
A minor change had been made to reflect the fact that Ofsted Inspectors (as
distinct from Her Majesty’s Inspectors) may now be asked on occasion to lead
section 8 ‘no formal designation’ inspections.
Under ‘short inspections’, we have referred to online surveys to gather staff
and pupil views.

7. Developments in education inspection…
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 7
We have made a revision to the section on Requires Improvement
monitoring to reflect the government’s White Paper proposal on
improvement periods for schools with new headteachers.
There is a detailed update to the guidance on monitoring of schools
causing concern in the light of recent legislative changes (Education
and Adoption Act 2016) and the revised Schools Causing Concern
statutory guidance. This includes requirements relating to statements
of action for schools in categories of concern.

8. How are we doing in the West
Midlands?

9. Proportion of pupils reaching the new expected
standard in reading, writing and mathematics at
KS2, 2016
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 9

10. Best performing LAs at KS2 in 2016
Slide 10Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership

11. Poorest performing LAs at KS2 in 2016
Slide 11Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership

12.
KS2: % achieving new expected standard in 2016
LA
Reading,
writing and
mathematics
Reading
Grammar,
punctuation
and
spelling
Mathematics
Writing
(teacher
assessment
)
England [state-funded] 52 66 72 70 73
West Midlands 49 63 71 67 70
Birmingham 45 58 70 65 66
Coventry 47 59 72 66 68
Dudley 48 61 69 66 73
Herefordshire 49 68 74 67 70
Sandwell 49 60 72 69 72
Shropshire 49 68 69 69 65
Solihull 58 70 77 72 79
Staffordshire 51 66 72 68 71
Stoke-on-Trent 45 58 67 63 69
Telford and Wrekin 55 70 77 71 73
Walsall 46 60 69 67 71
Warwickshire 57 69 74 71 77
Wolverhampton 52 63 72 69 74
Worcestershire 47 64 66 64 67
Above
England
Below
England
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 12

13. Inspection outcomes for primary Catholic
schools
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 13
Overall effectiveness
1 2 3 4
No
grade
Total number
of schools
Birmingham Catholic
Primary Partnership
24% 68% 7% - 1% 83
West Midlands - primary
Catholic schools
20% 70% 8% - 2% 198
England - primary
Catholic schools 22% 66% 9% 1% 1% 1647

14. What are the outcomes and impact we are
looking for in primary education for schools in
Birmingham and the Black Country?
 The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standards to be
at least in line with national expectations
 Improved progress outcomes
 Raise the achievement of disadvantaged pupils
 Raise the achievement of the most able.
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 14

15. % of pupils achieving Key Stage 2 Level 4+
in reading, writing and Maths in 2015
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 15

16. Challenges in the West Midlands
 Further work is required to raise achievement in the West Midlands.
 The 2016 key stage 2 provisional results show that the West Midlands
has the weakest KS2 attainment. It is the joint lowest performing region
nationally, alongside Yorkshire and The Humber.
 Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent (45%) were the poorest performing
authorities regionally in terms of the proportion of pupils who reached
the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics. (State
funded schools only)
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 16

17. Challenges in the West Midlands…
 Walsall, Coventry and Worcestershire were
also among the poorest 25 local authorities
nationally. (State funded schools only)
 Birmingham and Coventry were in the
bottom 9 local authorities nationally for the
proportion of pupils reaching the expected
standard in the reading teacher
assessments.
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 17

18. Short inspections

19. Short inspections
Conducted under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005
Launched in September 2015
Short inspections for all good maintained schools and academies
Short inspections also apply to good and outstanding special schools,
pupil referral units and maintained nursery schools
Two judgements only:
 Is the school/provider still good?
 Is safeguarding effective?
Slide 19Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership

20. Headlines up to 31 March 2016
 978 short inspections completed.
 Positive feedback about the one-day short inspection model.
 Positive feedback about the dialogue with HMI during the day.
 Conversion rate nationally by March 2016 was 37%.
 Fifty-six percent of primaries remained good or improved to outstanding
after a converted short inspection, compared to 44% of secondary schools.
 Some schools have improved from good to outstanding and the model of
conversion has enabled us to quickly acknowledge this success.
Slide 20Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership

21. How effective has the new Section 8
inspection process been?
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership
Slide 21
Total No. with conversion
decision
Conversion
rate
No. with
overall
effectiveness
judgement
West Midlands 144 144 30% 43
East Midlands 164 164 28% 46
East of England 194 194 34% 65
London 189 189 39% 73
NEYH 224 224 41% 91
North West 188 188 36% 68
South East 264 264 36% 95
South West 121 121 31% 38

22. Any changes to short inspections?
One of the key initiatives in the
plan is for Ofsted Inspectors to
begin leading short inspections.
Proposals have been drafted for
a pilot of these arrangements to
take place in the London region
during the autumn term.
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 22

23. Academies

24. Are academies having an impact?
Sir Michael Wilshaw said in the Annual
Report of Education, Children’s Services and
Skills 2014/15:
‘As last year’s Annual Report showed, most
of the sponsored academies had the
greatest impact on standards in the first few
years after opening. Many of these continue
to perform well because their leaders have
worked hard to maintain their high standards
but some have declined. Overall, the best
performing sponsor‑led academies are those
that have been open for five years or more.’
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 24
https://www.gov.uk/government/
collections/ofsted-annual-report-
201415

25. Are academies having an impact?
Furthermore,
‘Academisation can create the conditions for remarkable
improvements but structural reform can only do so much.
I believe it is right to give more autonomy to the front line but we
must ensure that schools have the capacity to use their freedoms
effectively. Without enough good leaders and teachers, effective
oversight and governance, and a concerted effort to support the
most disadvantaged, we will not bring about the improvements
needed.’
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 25

26. The greatest impact is on primary schools –
nearly 14,000 more primary schools may become
academies
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 26
Phase
Total
no. of
schools
Current
no. of
academies
% schools
that are
academies
%
academies
that are in
a MAT
Number of
schools to
become
academies
by
2020/2022
Primary 16779 3066 18 71 13713
Secondary 3380 2198 65 45 1182
Special 1041 188 18 53 853
PRU 353 76 22 58 277
Nursery 406 0 0 0 0
Grand Total 21959 5528 25 60 16025

27. Inspection outcomes for primary Catholic
academy schools
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 27
Overall effectiveness
1 2 3 4
Not
graded
Total number
of schools
Birmingham Catholic
Primary Partnership
7 7 1 - 1 16
West Midlands -
primary Catholic
schools
16 42 7 - 3 68
England - primary
Catholic schools 81 201 28 2 18 330

28. How do we see the role of headship
changing?
 With the development of multi-academy trusts (MATs), the nature of
leadership in schools is changing. Leadership now extends beyond
headship of a school to wider roles within multi-academy trusts (e.g.
school improvement role, directors of learning, CEO).
 Headship is no longer restricted to one school. Headteachers play
an even greater role in school improvement and may be tasked with
providing support/challenge to schools identified as causing concern.
 A greater focus on headteachers encouraging/developing future
leaders from within the school/MAT. Headteachers identifying talent,
coaching staff, and growing and developing leaders from within their
own schools/MATs.
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 28

29. Challenges facing primary schools in the
future?
 Teacher and leader recruitment.
 Continuing to raise achievement across different subjects, not
just in the core subjects.
 Continuing to manage the changes with the curriculum and
assessment.
 Ensuring good and better schools are able to sustain existing
improvements while supporting other schools.
 Continuing to develop the role of governors so that they are
able to be strategic and ensure value for money.
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 29

30. Background: The White Paper said…
 All schools to be academies by 2022.
 ‘Most’ new academies to be in MATs.
 A good size for a MAT is 10 to 15 schools.
 Small schools to join MATs other than in ‘exceptional
circumstances’.
Further clarification:
 Nursery schools not included in the proposals.
 Small rural schools to be protected from closure.
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 30

31. Background: then in early May…
‘We absolutely support those strong local authorities where schools are
good and outstanding − they can make the choice to convert.’
(Nicky Morgan)
However, the government will still push forward with compelling
academisation in two areas:
‘where it is clear that the local authority can no longer viably support its
remaining schools because too many schools have already become
academies’
‘where the local authority consistently fails to meet a minimum
performance threshold across its schools.’
An academised system through the back door?
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 31

32. Challenges in the future?
 The changes Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector will bring.
 How we will manage and support early years inspection and
regulation from 1 April 2017 when our contracts with the
Inspection Service Providers (ISPs), Prospects and Tribal,
come to an end.
 Ensuring we save money and target resources on the most
appropriate inspection, such as schools less than good.
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 32

33. Ofsted on the web and on social media
www.gov.uk/ofsted
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk
www.linkedin.com/company/ofsted
www.youtube.com/ofstednews
www.slideshare.net/ofstednews
www.twitter.com/ofstednews
Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership Slide 33