Search Mobile

collapse

already registered?

Please sign in with your existing account details.

Email address

Password

need to register?

Register to access exclusive content, sign up to receive our updates and personalise your experience on brownejacobson.com.

Privacy statement - Terms and conditions

Forgotten your password?

collapseSign

Browne Jacobson home

Home

Insights

Blogs

Give 'Requires Improvement' schools a chance

Give 'requires improvement' schools a chance

11 April 2014

Ofsted is offering new head teachers in schools 'Requiring Improvement' (RI) more time to improve their school’s performance. This follows concerns that quality head teachers are reluctant to join RI schools knowing that Ofsted could come knocking for a section 5 inspection in less than two years in addition to numerous monitoring visits.

While Ofsted is not saying it will agree to delay inspection in all cases, this is a sensible step and we would encourage heads in this position to contact Ofsted as Sir Michael Wilshaw has invited.

What is less clear is whether intervention from the DfE will be similarly curbed. At present we know that many RI schools are approached by DfE brokers who pressure the school to become a sponsored academy, even though an RI school is not technically eligible for intervention. The DfE (and, in some cases, local authorities too) should note Ofsted’s approach and also give new head teachers a fair chance.

Related opinions

Schools face scrutiny over Covid-19 vaccinations for children

On 4 June, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds.

View blog

School not liable for reckless actions of a student

The decision reinforces that the standard of the duty of care owed by schools is one or reasonableness.

View blog

Avoiding grade challenges on ‘unconscious bias’

A system based on teacher assessed grades, rather than external exams, was inevitably going to give rise to speculation about bias and objectivity in teacher assessment and grading decisions. Schools can prepare now for these kinds of challenges by ensuring that they have clear written evidence readily available.

View blog

Teachers report inadequate training on peer-on-peer abuse

Despite the increased media and regulatory focus on peer-on-peer abuse within schools, teachers are still reporting that they feel undertrained and ill-equipped to recognise and respond to allegations and incidents.

View blog

View all blogs