BLOG: A genuine move towards more “proportionate” judgements?

Date 11.10.2018

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman today (11 October 2018) announced proposed changes to the way Ofsted inspects schools, colleges, further education institutions and early years settings from September 2019.  Dr Helen Scott, Dean of the Faculty of Education and Humanities shares her thoughts on the news that Ofsted intend to focus less on examination results in future school inspections.

Amanda’s comments on readjusting the focus of school inspections away from examination results as the only pupil “outcomes” that matter, towards a more nuanced and broader evaluation of schools’ work are very much welcomed.

Head teachers and teachers I know and work with (in both secondary and primary) report the significant stress placed upon both teachers and pupils by such an examination driven education system and data heavy inspection process.

Interestingly, Ofsted’s current inspection handbook references the word “proportionate” several times, when considering a range of evidence about a school’s performance and in its conduct of inspections. I like this word as it suggests qualities and actions of balance, thoughtfulness, fairness and taking account of the context in which judgements are made. I like those qualities and actions because they are human or perhaps “humane” and seem to recognise that the world is complex and imperfect. Whilst we need some kind of criteria by which to judge important human endeavours such as educating children, and those who are paid to carry out this activity, who have enormous responsibility so should expect to be held to account in our schools, we should seek to recognise and understand that our schools work with very different and varied challenges.

Sometimes I have genuine sympathy for Ofsted and their inspectors. They are supposed to act independently of government and the context in which they are expected to judge is full of contradictory ideas about what schools (or even more widely, education) are for and how they (schools) can or should help and support young people to fulfil their potential and ambitions in the world, whatever their background.

For example, in our society, we value the individual above all else in many ways. We educators say that we celebrate diversity, that we want to help our pupils and students to “be the best they can be” and we encourage them to pursue the subjects and activities they are passionate about. However, we also know that really there is only on way for the vast majority of people to “get on” in life, or at least to start that process at school-to pass public examinations. I remember a friend who is a secondary art teacher at a high performing state girls’ school telling me about one of his sixth form students who was always getting into trouble. One day she arrived late to his class and he asked her what was the matter, as she seemed unhappy. She replied: “Well, I’m confused. We had an interesting assembly the other day about being ourselves, and being an individual and how important that it is not to go with the crowd. But every time I’m different to others I am punished for it. So, I’m giving up on my individuality and I’m just going to be the same as everyone else”.

A good example of a typical moody 17 year old perhaps, but still it illustrates the mixed messages we give. These are not new ideas. Richard Hoggart in his excellent book “The Uses of Literacy” (1957) wrote about how there are (a few) exceptional individuals from less than privileged backgrounds who make their way in the world despite failing (or not even taking) exams at school, and/or not having the “leg-up” that can be provided by having wealthy or influential family members to help in the absence of qualifications. Hoggart believed that the vast majority of people have to successfully navigate their way through the examination system to be assured of achievement in life (however that is judged); if this is the case, then perhaps it is right that schools are judged upon their success at helping to do this.

I am still pleased at the direction of travel Amanda Spielman appears to want to take. Ofsted will still consider pupil outcome data but if they can also look at the bigger picture of what the school does-the choices it makes about curriculum content, the culture and values it engenders, the narrative it tells about itself then this can only be a good thing.

I sincerely hope there will be some genuine consultation with teachers in these proposed developments. I should say I have personal experience of some Ofsted inspectors demonstrating “proportionate” actions and thinking in relation to my own and my colleagues’ work and also the opposite, like many I suspect. Like others, I await with cautious optimism as to how much further Ofsted is prepared to travel along this particular road.