Ofsted’s chief inspector has said that “nothing is off the table” when asked if the watchdog could extend its consultation on introducing report cards if the education sector is unhappy with its proposals.
The inspectorate is set to consult with schools in January on its plans to produce report cards and a new education inspection framework, with inspections due to start in September next year.
However, headteachers’ leaders have warned that the Department for Education and Ofsted appear to be in a “headlong rush” to bring in a new system.
The Association of School and College Leaders’ general secretary Pepe Di’lasio has said today that “rushing to meet a deadline” and ending up with a flawed system would be “foolish and potentially hugely damaging”.
Ofsted is introducing the report cards following the DfE announcement earlier this year that overall single-word grades for schools were to be scrapped with immediate effect.
In a press briefing after the release of Ofsted’s annual report this morning, Sir Martyn responded to a question from Tes about whether the inspectorate could extend or change its timeframe if proposals are not well received by the sector.
“Nothing’s off the table,” Sir Martyn said, adding that “the consultation is a genuine consultation, and we need to hear what people have got to say”.
He said: “So the point of the consultation is to be genuine and open and not to present a fait accompli.”
Ofsted has deliberately not tested or piloted its plans yet “because we are not presenting a final solution”, he explained.
“We are presenting a piece of work that we think will make a big difference to raising standards for children and giving information to parents.”
Ofsted has said previously that its plans for a new framework would be piloted in the summer term following its consultation.
Sir Martyn’s comments come after draft report-card proposals were leaked last month.
Tes revealed that Ofsted had told sector leaders that teaching and curriculum could be separated out and inspected as different categories - prompting major concerns in the sector.
Last month Mr Di’lasio said his organisation would support the inspectorate if it wanted to take longer to bring in reforms to the inspection system.
“There is a lot of work to do to meet the proposed date for introducing the new system in September 2025 and not much time in which to do it,” he wrote in Tes.
Reacting to today’s comments by Sir Martyn, Mr Di’lasio added: “It’s crucial that the new inspection model has the support of the whole sector and the current timescale leaves very little time to agree on the best way forward.
“Rushing to meet a deadline, and ending up replacing one flawed system with another, would be foolish and potentially hugely damaging. We need to retain the flexibility to alter the deadline if necessary and it is reassuring that this still appears to be an option.”
Ofsted to flag concern over flexi-schooling to DfE
Ofsted has published its annual report today, the first under Sir Martyn as chief inspector.
It highlights concerns about attendance, SEND provision and the growing number of pupils who have a disjointed education.
At a press briefing on the launch of the annual report, Sir Martyn said he was “worried” about the rise of flexi-schooling across England and that he would raise his concerns about the practice with the Department for Education.
Schools can currently record flexi-schooling - where parents choose to home educate their children for part of the week - as an authorised absence, the watchdog’s annual report said.
He said the inspectorate does not know what kind of education children are receiving at home via flexi-schooling as they are off the school site. The reasons behind the rising trend are unclear, he said, adding: “I am worried about flexi-schooling. I’m sure it can be done well in some areas of the country, but we don’t have a proper handle on it at Ofsted because we’re not able to track how many children are having some time home educated and some time in their school and educated, so that worries us.”
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