26.07.13
20 ‘outstanding’ schools told to improve
Over 100 schools previously rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted have been downgraded, new inspection reports show.
Ofsted’s new approach of focusing more on standards of teaching means that of 155 schools rated outstanding overall, but not for teaching and learning, only 44 have kept the top ranking.
91 have been redesignated as good and 20 told that they need to improve.
Ofsted said: “The inspection framework introduced from September 2012 raised expectations. Teaching is, of course, central to the life of every school. That is why there should be a close link between Ofsted's overall effectiveness judgement and the quality of teaching.
“It makes sense that outstanding schools should have outstanding teaching – parents expect that. This doesn't mean that every lesson needs to be outstanding but, over time, schools must show outstanding teaching is helping pupils make excellent progress.”
Christine Blower, the general secretary of the NUT said: “By constantly changing the goal posts of what constitutes a good or outstanding school it makes it very difficult for schools to reach the targets imposed by Ofsted and government.
“This is especially the case for schools if they serve in challenging communities as less and less attention is given by Ofsted to the value schools add to their pupil achievements in relation to their low starting point.”
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