Firstly, let me congratulate you on successfully navigating the first half term of the new academic year. I know how important it is to mark these milestones.
Every half term feels neverending when you’re in the classroom or senior leadership team offices, but then you look up during the breaks and realise that more than a sixth of the year is behind us already.
Much of the exhausting pace of school life comes from the moral clarity and purpose we all have. We chose the profession because of the impact education has on the life chances of those we are fortunate enough to teach.
And we know the effects on disadvantaged and vulnerable children are most profound.
I have striven to bring this relentless focus and pace to Ofsted during my first 10 months as chief inspector. I am as motivated by a restless sense of mission in this role as I was in every one of the previous roles I’ve held in education.
I am here to serve children - just as you are - with a particular focus on the most disadvantaged and vulnerable.
Achievements so far
As you look back on the first half term of this year, I hope you are proud of what you have achieved so far. I’m sure there are a number of highlights. And if you’re anything like me, I bet there is a far smaller number of things you’re determined to do even better next term.
I am now a sixth of the way through my tenure as Ofsted chief inspector. I’m pleased with how things have started - since inspections resumed this term, I’ve heard positive feedback from leaders on the changes we’ve made following the Big Listen.
But I know we have lots more work to do to make sure we get inspection right every time - right for you and, most importantly, right for children.
The Big Listen
The Big Listen provided us with an opportunity to hear directly from you, as well as everyone else we work with and work for, on how we can improve what we do. And we have immediately put some of that feedback to use.
From this term, we are notifying routine inspections on a Monday. No longer will you or your SLT colleagues be waiting for a call until mid-week.
We have also adapted our approach to ungraded inspections, removing subject deep dives and putting a conversation between school leaders and inspectors at the heart of our visit.
And of course, since September, we no longer give state schools an overall effectiveness grade when we inspect.
These small - but hopefully welcome - changes show our determination to listen to your feedback and reform how we go about our work.
A new inspection framework
But I know much more is needed to make Ofsted the modern, world-class inspectorate we all want it to be.
That is why, working closely with the government, we will be consulting on a new inspection framework in January next year.
Some have challenged that timeline, arguing that reform is coming too fast. Respectfully, I don’t agree.
Ofsted plays a vital role in the education and care systems. Every day, we aim to raise standards and improve lives - just as you do.
We have heard clearly that we can do better, and have received thoughtful suggestions for how we can deliver an improved system.
So we are cracking on, conscientiously engaging with unions and other representatives on the development of the new framework and inspection report cards.
Their help is proving invaluable and I’m really pleased with the progress we’re making ahead of our wide-ranging consultation in the new year.
I hope you will all take the opportunity to engage with that consultation. You have already helped us to improve what we’re doing now, and your feedback on further reforms will be invaluable as we look to the future.
Sir Martyn Oliver is Ofsted’s chief inspector
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