This evening, it was time to train governors at Huntley C of E Primary School in Gloucestershire (https://www.huntleyprimaryschool.co.uk/) all about Ofsted inspections on behalf of the Governor Services team at Gloucestershire County Council. Given the ongoing roadworks and bridge repairs along the A40 near Over, it was decided to opt for a virtual session to enable as many members of the governing body as possible to attend in real time. In the middle of another heatwave, nobody wished to be stuck in traffic for hours on end too.
The usual welcome, introductions and housekeeping were followed with a group discussion to establish their knowledge and understanding of the school. Not only was this an effective ice-breaker, but it also set the tone for what governors need to know about the renewed Ofsted inspection framework. Inspectors will ask about the school’s context. They will also take into account the specific context in which leaders are operating in when evaluating the quality of the school’s provision.
Next, I shared the learning objectives (what attendees should be able to do by the end of the session):
identifiy the main elements of the renewed Ofsted inspection framework;
understand how the governing board will be evaluated by Ofsted;
discuss and practice answering questions Ofsted inspectors might ask governors during an inspection.
We then progressed to consider why a ‘renewed’ inspection, the ‘go-to’ documents, the types of inspection, when will my school be inspected, key changes to inspection, new inspection report card, new 5-point grading scale, wider range of evaluation areas, inclusion at the heart, inspection methodology, sharper focus on governance, questions an inspector might ask and secure fit, not best fit. This was interspersed with various activities to maintain engagement and encourage interaction and discussion among members of the governing board.
Finally, we spent some time contemplating the question, ‘What will you do next?‘. Governors were prompted to complete an action plan, considering what, how, who and when in conjunction with each aspect.
When asked if they now felt confident to prepare for and participate in an inspection, all hands were raised. My job had been done! Attendees were also requested to complete an online evaluation form for those at Governor Services to peruse and reflect upon.
Some of their ‘concluding comments‘ can also be viewed below:
Thank you, that has been very useful.
That’s great, really insightful.
Many thanks. We are very lucky – I have a very supportive and proactive governing body.
Keep going – the end of term is nearly in sight!
Good luck for the next academic year too.