Inside view from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector
This issue of Ofsted News focuses on the Annual Report for 2008/09. This is the second Annual Report in which I have been able to present a complete year’s evidence from the full range of Ofsted’s remit. This includes evidence from almost 40,000 inspections of childcare, children’s social care, local authority services for children, schools, colleges, initial teacher education, adult learning, provision for young people in secure accommodation and the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.
This is a substantial evidence base and I was pleased to report it shows much that is positive about the services used by children and learners in England. Nearly seven out of ten schools were good or outstanding - more than ever before. Nearly two thirds of childcare was good or outstanding in 2008/09, higher than in the previous year. The majority of colleges (63%) inspected in 2008/09 were judged good or outstanding, with an increase since 2005/06. And nearly two thirds of children’s homes were good or outstanding.
Unfortunately, as is often the case, much of the national media coverage focussed on the weaker performance noted in the report. I can understand why – a bad news story is always of more immediate interest than a positive one – but it means people can be left with the wrong impression. I hope this edition of Ofsted News will help restore the balance.
In addition to reporting on the quality of the various sectors Ofsted inspects, this year’s Annual Report also draws on the full range of our evidence to focus on three matters of national importance. The first of the three themes in the report focuses on what works for one of the most vulnerable groups in society: looked after children. The second looks at an issue at the heart of school and college effectiveness: teaching and learning. The third tackles head on the challenges faced by the skills sector at a time of economic change and uncertainty. This edition of Ofsted News presents some of the highlights from these chapters but please take the time to look at the report itself – we can all learn from outstanding practice across the education, children’s services and skills sectors.
Each year, alongside the publication of the Annual Report we publish a list of outstanding providers on our website and we contact the local media to help highlight the services that are really making a difference. This resulted in hundreds of stories at a local level celebrating the very best services for children and learners. There is much we can all learn from these providers, and in particular those in challenging circumstances such as the twenty outstanding primary schools featured in this issue of Ofsted News.
I can see no reason why every nursery, every school, college, children’s home, all children’s services and, indeed, every provider should not aspire to be good and to be working towards excellence. That’s what gives children and learners, whatever their age, the hope and belief they need to succeed. I wish you every success in 2010 in the part you are playing to make the very best practice, common practice.
The Annual Report of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills 2008/09, can be found on the Ofsted website at: www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Annual-Report-2008-09
The Main summary of the Annual Report 2008/09 can be found on the Ofsted website at: www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Annual-Report-2008-09/Main-summary
