HEADTEACHER Summer Edition UPDATE May 2023 www.headteacher-update.com The only magazine for UK primary school headteachers Keeping outstanding: A tale of two schools Now the inspection moratorium for outstanding schools has ended, many are losing their coveted status. We meet two primary schools to nd out how they kept the top grade when they were eventually re-inspected etween 2012 and 2020 if your school was judged by Ofsted to be outstanding then you knew you could breathe easy for a few years. In fact, for 13 years or more, in some cases. For those schools, it meant no fear of the “phone call” and the opportunity to thrive and develop freely – the ultimate freedom. However, during this time the Ofsted framework substantially changed. Exam results were no longer as pivotal and the new framework in 2019 saw the curriculum being delivered in schools come to the fore. This was a signicant shift that some outstanding schools perhaps did not navigate as well as others. could be next. The standard “Leaders have not identied the key knowledge and skills that And as we all know, from 2021 phrase seems to be: “There has should be taught and when.” formerly exempt schools were been no change to this school’s However, the drop in grade is added back onto Ofsted’s hitlist overall judgement of good as a and the results tell the tale. result of this ungraded (section not inevitable. Among the 17% of Of the 371 previously exempt 8) inspection. However, the outstanding schools to retain their schools, only 17% remained evidence gathered suggests that grade are Askwith Community outstanding and 62% dropped the inspection grade might not Primary School in West Yorkshire to “good”. A further 21% be as high if a graded (section 5) and Crossacres Primary Academy dropped even further in Ofsted’s inspection were carried out now. in Manchester. eyes to “requires improvement” Inspectors are recommending the or “inadequate”. For a school next inspection to be a graded Askwith Primary used to being applauded as inspection.” Askwith is a small, village school outstanding, it is a mighty blow. Reading further down such with 103 pupils. They were But it’s not just outstanding reports it is evident that it is judged outstanding in 2008. schools. A quick scan of recent curriculum development which is In November 2022 they were inspections of “good” schools often the issue for inspectors: contacted by inspectors, 14 years suggests that a number of them “Plans to improve the after their last visit. have been given a warning during curriculum are an early CP_HT_quarter page strip 186 x 40_FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 at 28/03/2023 08:26 Page 1 their monitoring visits that they stage.” Continued on page 3 HIGHLIGHTS GREAT LEADERSHIP: What does an ethic of excellence in primary school leadership look like? SCIENCE & OFSTED: Ofsted’s subject reports are here and rst under the microscope is science... BEHAVIOUR: Using the six-step stages of a crisis model to support pupils SPORT PREMIUM: Advice for schools on how to allocate the renewed PE & Sport Premium funding ENGLISH: How one school has brought coherence to its curriculum LITERACY: Addressing disadvantage through a whole-school reading culture MATHEMATICS: Teaching mathematical concepts and uency SAFEGUARDING: Lessons and insights from serious case reviews EAL: Supporting EAL pupils who arrive late in years 5 or 6 SCHOOL AVOIDANCE: Working with parents to encourage good attendance BEST PRACTICE FOCUS Tips and advice for the effective deployment of teaching assistants Pages 21 to 28 RESEARCH ROUND-UP: Page 4 COMMENTARY: Pages 16 & 17 RESOURCES: Page 46 06 10 12 18 31 34 36 38 40 42 B Book a FREE no obligation 30 minute call... Quote HT Leadership Coaching Packages for 2023/24 @chrisparkhouse Invest in your professional growth hello@chrisparkhou hello@chrisparkhouse.com www.chrisparkhouse.com 07830 349853 Image: Adobe Stock
Head Teacher Update Summer Term 2023: Page 1
