The Quality of Teaching: Ofsted Framework
Thoughts on the Ofsted Framework Relating to Curriculum.
The Ofsted Inspection Framework was updated in September 2023. These are my thoughts on how the Ofsted framework may affect your school and some ideas that may help to
Ofsted outlines clear expectations for professional conduct during inspections by both inspectors and providers. Inspectors are expected to uphold the highest standards, treating all with fairness, respect and sensitivity. Providers should approach inspections with integrity, honesty and transparency. This involves openness in sharing all relevant evidence to allow inspectors to report reliably. Providers must not withhold, conceal or falsify evidence, and should provide full, accurate information to facilitate reliable inspection judgements and reporting. Both inspectors and providers are therefore expected to behave ethically during inspections, through demonstration of professionalism, integrity and transparency.
213. The Curriculum
The OfSTED framework 2023 is still interested in the impact of the curriculum on the quality of education. This would enable schools to capture the whole range of their provision. Giving a status to the wider curriculum
More important than individual subject curriculums and lessons are how these feed into the bigger picture. as it relates to learning
Challenge for all remains a priority, all students need equal access to a range of subjects and experiences.
The quality of the curriculum will be the main priority. This is the responsibility of all staff from the Headteacher it is no use just having individuals who can articulate the curriculum offer. It is best that all teaching staff have input and ownership of the
The 2023 Ofsted framework will expect teachers to have:
- Worked out what their pupils need to learn.
- What skills do students need to help them learn?
- Planned the order of progression in which they will deliver skills and knowledge, both at:
- Micro level (individual lesson)
- Macro level (Across years/key stages)
The key vocabulary Intent, Implementation, Impact
– These elements should be clear within curriculum development processes.
- Intent: What do you intend the children to learn.
- Implementation: The way you will teach knowledge, skills and understanding and how this builds over time.
- Impact: Observers will need to consider learning in lessons and put this into the context of learning over time.
The Role of the Subject Leader
The role of the subject leader is to develop and identify the school’s curriculum intent. This will include values, subject knowledge and supporting teachers to develop this. Mini-research projects and reflective practice would really ensure we capture this area and the subject leader is effective. Case Studies and the creation of school values or approach document that captures the specific specialist knowledge relating to the pupil’s needs might be an effective initiative.
Make Education Effective for YOUR pupils
What makes the education delivered at your school effective for your learners? You may base this
Leaders will need a cohesive view of what each pupil needs for later life (An education for life beyond school). That includes knowledge of what is going on in their lives now and what this will lead to (accreditations, work experience, aspirations) Leaders must know their cohorts and how these evolve
Leaders need to know of what the pupils will need to “Know and Do” at specific endpoints (key stage, year, 6th form).
The key for the curriculum is for it to be planned and sequenced. Revisiting topics and knowledge in a planned way seem to be encouraged.
Local context can help identify where gaps exist in knowledge and the pupil’s cultural capital. This is not an excuse for narrowing the curriculum but should be seen as an opportunity to develop all aspects of the child’s wider knowledge.
1Cultural Capital.
Each school exists within a community, cultural capital relates to shared experiences and knowledge gained through exposure to a range of experiences. This may be interactions beyond their family unit. Visits, trips, and travel beyond the immediate area. Exposure to media
There is a specific reference to “human creativity and achievement”, this is likely another hint to avoid the narrowing of the curriculum. Links with Forest school and other experiential learning will be essential in showing this
What gaps in this knowledge do your pupils have that mean they
Expert Teaching
Ofsted expects teachers to have expert subject knowledge, and what support are they given
Embedding and applying. What are the strategies effective for ensuring students retain
The importance of differentiating between memorising disconnected facts and showing a fluid recall of knowledge and understanding within different contexts. This can be demonstrated through the interleaving of knowledge through the topics delivered in KS2 for example.
Linking back to the Intent observation of a series of lessons and how we meet those learning objectives for individual lessons and over time, referring or mindful of the required endpoint.
These are only my thoughts on the 2023 Ofsted framework but I hope you find them useful.
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